CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Poultry Science Association recently announced its 2026 class of PSA fellows, the association’s highest honor awarded to its members. This distinguished designation is granted for professional distinction, outstanding contributions to the field of poultry science, and dedicated service to the Poultry Science Association, the association said in a statement.
“The PSA Fellow designation represents the pinnacle of recognition within our profession,” Don McIntyre, PSA’s interim director, said. “This 2026 class exemplifies the depth of talent and commitment that has shaped poultry science for generations. We are honored to celebrate their contributions and welcome them into this distinguished group.”
The 2026 class represents decades of collective expertise spanning poultry genetics, meat science, Extension, processing technology, and agricultural engineering, PSA added. The fellows include Dr. Nicholas B. Anthony, Dr. Shai Barbut, Dr. Doug Britton, Dr. Jesse L. Grimes, and Dr. Casey M. Owens.
- Dr. Nicholas B. Anthony
Anthony is a senior geneticist for Cobb-Vantress and a professor emeritus at the University of Arkansas. He has been committed to the advancement of poultry genetics and breeding for multiple decades.
In 1988, Anthony earned his Ph.D. in genetics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and later he completed his postdoctoral work at The Ohio State University. Once his education was completed, he joined the University of Arkansas, where he spent 29 years as a faculty member, eventually earning the rank of full professor.
During his tenure, he built an industry-focused research program centered on the physiological and reproductive complications associated with long-term selection for growth in poultry, resulting in more than 160 peer-reviewed publications and more than $5 million in grant support, PSA said.
One of the biggest parts of his legacy is his remarkable record of student development. Since 2017, genetic decisions affecting 95 percent of all commercial broiler breeders in the country have been influenced by former Anthony students, PSA noted. After retiring from teaching in 2019, Anthony joined Cobb-Vantress in their R&D division. His PSA service has spanned editorial, committee, and organizational roles across more than three decades, PSA added.
- Dr. Shai Barbut
Barbut is a professor emeritus at the University of Guelph and an international leader in poultry and meat processing science. In his career of more than 40 years with the university, Barbut’s body of work consists of 302 refereed journal articles and foundational contributions to understanding and solving some of the poultry industry’s most pressing meat quality challenges, including white striping, woody breast, and spaghetti meat myopathies, PSA noted.
He has developed innovative solutions for utilizing affected products, including pioneering work on dairy and plant-based protein gels and the application of chicken skin collagen in co-extruded sausage technology, PSA added.
In addition to his work at the University of Guelph, Barbut holds the distinguished Poultry Meat Science Chair at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, is a Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists, and has been inducted into the American Poultry Science Hall of Fame.
- Dr. Doug Britton
Britton has spent more than two decades at the Georgia Tech Research Institute and currently works as the program manager for the Agricultural Technology Research Program and principal research engineer. During his time, he has been dedicated to advancing automation, robotics, sensing, and intelligent systems for the poultry and food industries, PSA said.
As program manager, Britton oversees more than $2 million in annual research, supports more than 20 active projects, and manages a portfolio that has generated more than 20 patents and 50 records of invention, PSA added. Additionally, his work on machine vision systems and more have been adopted commercially, earning more than $30 million in research funding.
For the PSA, Britton has been a member since 2011 and served as the association’s secretary and treasurer from 2019 to 2025. His co-chairmanship of the International Food Automation Networking Conference and the National Safety Conference for the poultry industry reflects his sustained commitment to connecting research with real-world industry impact, PSA stated.
- Dr. Jesse L. Grimes
Grimes, a professor in North Carolina State University’s Prestage Department of Poultry Science, has decades of experience in poultry science, with a focus on extension, turkey production management, litter utilization, and applied production systems, PSA noted.
Before joining academia, Grimes gained some industry experience with Perdue Farms. After spending some time at Clemson University, Grimes joined NCSU in 1994 and has been there ever since. His Extension programming has produced dozens of publications translating complex findings into practical guidance for producers and integrators across North Carolina and beyond, PSA added.
In addition to his work at NCSU, Grimes was the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Applied Poultry Research from 2008 to 2013, which was a period of notable expansion for the journal. He has led the Southern Poultry Science Society through multiple officer positions, including president, and has chaired the North Carolina Turkey Industry Days Conference since 1995, PSA added.
- Dr. Casey M. Owens
The fifth PSA fellow for this year, Owens, has been a professor at the University of Arkansas for 25 years. She holds the Novus International Professorship in Poultry Science, awarded in recognition of her exceptional research contributions, PSA stated.
Those contributions have considerably improved the industry’s understanding of poultry meat quality, muscle metabolism, and so much more. She has secured $2.3 million in research funding as PI or Co-PI and contributed to collaborative projects totaling $18.3 million, PSA added.
Owens has been a member of the PSA for three decades and has held multiple positions in that time, including section editor and associate editor for Poultry Science. Her development of the Meullenet-Owens Razor Shear and a
patented woody breast detection method have had direct commercial impact, earning her the National Chicken Council Broiler Research Award, PSA added.
The fellows will be formally inducted during the 2026 PSA Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada, in July. For more information, visit www.poultryscience.org.
