Dr Hongwei Xin

“It is truly an honor to be the first holder of the Iowa Egg Council endowed professorship,” Dr Xin said. “This investment in people and research comes from a commodity group whose mission is near and dear to my heart. That mission is to help feed the men, women and children in Iowa, the nation and the world while conserving the natural resources.”

Dr Xin became the endowed professor through a gift by the Iowa Egg Council.

“The council is pleased to honor Dr Xin with this endowment,” said Kevin Vinchattle, council CEO and executive director. “Dr Xin has been conducting research to the benefit of Iowa’s, and the nation’s, egg farmers at Iowa State for nearly 20 years. His efforts have improved every aspect of egg enterprises from farm to table.”

Dr Xin joined Iowa State in 1993. He earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering in 1982 from Shenyang Agricultural University in China, and a master’s degree in agricultural engineering and a doctorate degree in engineering from the University of Nebraska in 1985 and 1989.

“Dr Xin is an internationally recognized authority on air quality and emissions in the poultry and livestock industries,” said Wendy Wintersteen, endowed dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, speaking at the ceremony honoring Dr Xin. “He is a trusted scientist who is held in high esteem not only by the egg industry but also by many other agricultural stakeholders.”

Iowa has been the nation’s number-one egg producing state for more than 12 years. The egg industry is a $2.5 billion industry in Iowa, and employs 7,600 people.

The Iowa Egg Council is a producer-supported organization that provided a $2 million gift to establish the Egg Industry Center in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.