Q: Why did you choose to work on soybeans?
Soybean oil and meal are among the most studied feed ingredients fed to poultry and swine. Soybeans are useful to collect nutrients from soil and air and transform these resources into two primary products, soybean oil and soybean meal. Soybean oil is an efficient source of energy and essential fatty acids in the diet of animals. Soybean oil decreases dust in feed manufacturing. Enzyme treated and fermented soybean meal are excellent source of protein for young pigs without the immunogenic problems. Therefore, products of soybeans are well known to swine and poultry nutritionists.
Q: How does work in research differ from what you thought it was before training?
Before working in research, I thought it would concentrate on a narrow topic, slow paced, and isolated. I work in trans-disciplinary teams, where topics have evolved over time and demand of timely work.
Q: Who was the most influential person in your life (career or personal) and why?
My wife has been the most influential person in my career and personal life. She encouraged me to come to Minnesota to study and she continues to support me in all new phases of my career.
Q: What excites you about your work and what worries you the most?
Like many colleagues, I worry about sufficient funding to fuel our work. On the other hand, learning about topics in biology, agriculture, and human development from my interaction with colleagues excites me about my work. Undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral associates, and researchers across the university are curious and help me learn from their experiences; this is especially rewarding.
Q: If you could achieve one goal by the end of your career, what would it be?
Have fun while working!
