Department of Poultry Science celebrates the careers of Dr. Luc Berghman and Dr. John Carey
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Photo by Amanda Webb, Department of Poultry Science Coordinator
Celebrating the remarkable careers of Dr. Luc Berghman and Dr. John Carey, the Department of Poultry Science hosted a retirement reception in late September. This event served as a tribute to their unwavering dedication and invaluable contributions to the department and the poultry industry, marking the culmination of their impactful journeys.
Luc Berghman joined the faculty at Texas A&M in 1998 following his move to the USA from Belgium. Over his twenty-five years in the department, Luc established himself as a pillar of academic rigor, collegiality, citizenship, teaching excellence, and scientific leadership.
Dr. Berghman’s research contributions have included the disciplines of avian neuroendocrinology, immune-neuroendocrine interactions, immunology, and vaccine development. His research program received global recognition, and in 2016 he was awarded the Zoetis Fundamental Science Award for his achievements in vaccine design. He has also been the inventor or co-inventor of 16 patents. Dr. Berghman’s lab developed highly efficacious prototype vaccines against multiple poultry diseases, including Highly Pathogenic AI and Infectious Bursal disease. The vaccination strategy dramatically enhanced the immune response against classic vaccines that would typically be met with tolerance, opening a new avenue in the protection against infectious poultry diseases. Using the same technology, Dr. Berghman’s group developed an antibody discovery platform that permits access to epitope-specific chicken antibodies less than 3 weeks after obtaining an emerging target’s primary structure - a speed unmatched by conventional immunization techniques. These projects have resulted in numerous collaborative funding successes across departments, colleges, and universities, and over 130 peer-reviewed publications and 3 book chapters. He has trained numerous graduate students that have gone on to successful careers in medical schools, universities, and industry positions.
Dr. Berghman developed two graduate courses during his tenure, Experimental Immunology and a Special Topics Course in Vaccinology, and he taught Graduate Seminar. These are in addition to his serving as the instructor for UG Genetics and Breeding for 7 years. His experimental immunology course is an elective, but most every fall it was filled to capacity due to its popularity with graduate students from numerous departments.
Dr. Berghman has provided service during his career at all levels from the department to national societies and grant review panels, and he is well known by peers within his discipline. He has always been willing to serve on committees, chair programs, and contribute to department endeavors. His contributions will be known in the department and poultry science community for years to come.
John Carey began in the department 34 years ago as Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in 1989. Throughout his tenure he served in numerous leadership roles. From 1993 to 2007, he was Associate Department Head and Extension Program Leader for Poultry Science. While still in this role, he transitioned to Interim Department Head of Poultry Science in 2007, and then to Department Head in 2008. He led the department in this role until 2012. Additionally, his leadership and service has been exemplary in stakeholder groups and poultry science professional societies. Dr. Carey was a Board Member and Advisor to the Texas Poultry Federation and Texas Broiler Council, Texas Egg Council, Texas Allied Poultry Association, Texas Poultry Improvement Association, and Texas Poultry Improvement Board from 2006 to 2012. For all of his service to the poultry industry, not only in Texas but nationwide, he was awarded the Golden Feather Award (the highest honor given by the Texas Poultry Federation) and the US Poultry and Egg Association Lamplighter Award (national award) for distinguished career service.
Dr. Carey’s research contributions have spanned the disciplines of commercial broiler and egg layer management as well as environmental management strategies for commercial poultry production. He authored 60 refereed publications and 137 abstracts which were presented at national scientific meetings. His research program has received global recognition, for which he received several prestigious awards for his applied research and its impacts in the poultry industry. In 2001, he was awarded the Poultry Science Association Phibro Extension Award (highest national award given to Poultry Extension Specialists), and in 2014 he was inducted as a Poultry Science Association Fellow for his career accomplishments and service to the Poultry Science Association. His service to PSA has been extensive, including Editor in Chief for the Journal of Applied Poultry Research, Board of Directors, 2nd Vice-President, 1st Vice-President, and President. He also served as a Board Member of the USA Branch of the World PSA.
Dr. Carey’s contributions in the classroom have been essential to the curriculum. Courses he taught include Animal Waste Management, Commercial Egg Production, Poultry Meat Production, Game Birds and Ornamental Fowl, and General Avian Science. He has impacted student education across the span from Freshman to Senior undergraduates. In addition to his time in the classroom, Dr. Carey has also impacted graduate student training through his career-long mentorship of MAg, MS, and PhD students. He has contributed to the department in ways that will have a lasting legacy.
