Messenger - Vol. 4, No. 1, Page 13 1994 John K. Rosenberger receives Francis Alison Award John K. Rosenberger, professor and chairperson of the Department of Animal Science and Agricultural Biochemistry, is the newest recipient of the Francis Alison Award, given in recognition of outstanding academic contributions to the University and to his profession. The $5,000 Alison Award was established in 1978 by the University's Board of Trustees to recognize the scholarship, professionalism and dedication of the faculty. Rosenberger received his award at New Student Convocation. The soft-spoken Rosenberger seems to have found perfect contentment in his professional life. Well-respected in the Delaware agricultural community and a sought-after local, national and international speaker and consultant, he has had many employment offers but has elected to remain at the University. "I've stayed at the University because of the interaction with the students. I enjoy working with people who are enthusiastic, vital and looking forward to all of the things they can and will accomplish. Working with graduate students has been one of the more rewarding parts of my job, and I've been blessed with faculty, professionals and staff who, over the years, have been very supportive and good at their chosen professions. In addition, I have found that the administrative climate at the University is far superior to that at many other institutions I am familiar with. "The Alison Award is a particularly rewarding one because it suggests something about the impact you've had on students over the years, in my situation, graduate students. It helps to make you feel that you may have had some lasting effects on the way others develop and contribute in some way to their future success and productivity," Rosenberger says. Working in the community is another part of the job that Rosenberger says he enjoys. "The College of Agricultural Sciences is different from most other units on campus in that we have 12-month appointments and I believe have a better understanding of the land-grant philosophy. We are here year round, and part of our mandate is a very strong extramural research and service commitment. It allows us to meet and work with people outside of the University on a regular basis in the state government, federal government, agribusinesses and related industries such as pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturers. Rosenberger is a Delaware native who earned a bachelor of science degree from the University in 1964. While he had originally planned to follow the family tradition of veterinary school, a research project he worked on in his senior year got him hooked on research. He declined his acceptance to veterinary school and stayed at the University and earned his master's degree. After that, the Vietnam War intervened and he served as an infantry and chemical corps officer. From 1966-1969, he was a first lieutenant and served as a platoon leader and as a virologist for the U.S. Army's Virus & Rickettsia Division at Fort Dietrick in Frederick, Md. From there, Rosenberger pursued his doctorate in veterinary microbiology with an emphasis on virology at the University of Wisconsin. He returned to the University as an assistant professor in 1972, became an associate professor in 1976 and, two years later, was named department chairperson. He was promoted to full professor in 1981. Primarily a virologist, Rosenberger conducts research focusing on virus diseases that affect the agricultural sector, primarily in the poultry industry. "Typically," Rosenberger says, "we work on the characterization of new diseases or disease agents as they emerge, and follow through with the development of diagnostic tests and vaccines or other means to control the diseases that oftentimes have an economic impact on both a local and international scale." Collaboration is a byword for Rosenberger. "I believe a mistake that is often made in training students at all levels, particularly in the sciences, is to emphasize academic or technical excellence and competitiveness without recognizing the need to communicate, share and work effectively with others not only in our own discipline but in the general community. For this reason I insist that every student under my advisement work with other students and technical staff on research projects other than their own," he says. Rosenberger has published numerous journal articles and book chapters, often co-authored with graduate students, and has written for the popular press. He has given presentations worldwide and served on the editorial boards of the American Journal of Veterinary Research and Avian Diseases. -Beth Thomas