Two College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) faculty members were recognized for their contributions to research at the Research, Innovation, Discovery, and Education (RIDE) Summit on July 17.

Kim VanderWaal, associate professor in the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine (VPM), received the 2024 Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence. The award recognizes researchers whose innovative studies have advanced the scientific standing of veterinary medicine.

Since joining the CVM faculty in 2017, VanderWaal has contributed significant advancements to the field of infectious disease epidemiology, as reflected in her record of high-profile publications and grant funding. She has also developed productive industry partnerships through which she has generated valuable information related to the transmission dynamics and genetic evolution of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in swine populations. 

“She’s changing how this virus is perceived in the industry and what we can do to understand it,” said Dr. Montse Torremorell, professor and chair of VPM, who presented the award to VanderWaal. 

Associate Professor Dr. Perle Zhitnitskiy, who nominated VanderWaal, also noted her dedication to “training the next generation of leaders in veterinary science research”—reflected most recently in her recognition as the CVM Outstanding Graduate Advising Awardee.

Yuying Liang also received accolades at the RIDE Summit. She was awarded the 2024 Mark of Excellence, which recognizes faculty members who generate new knowledge related to the veterinary profession that has been shared with others through means such as publication or presentation at a scientific meeting. The annual award rotates among the College’s three departments. 

Liang is a professor in the Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences (VBS). Her studies have provided significant insights into immune evasion, disease pathogenesis, and viral virulence determinants of arenavirus infections, leading to the development of effective vaccines against various human and animal diseases. 

“In addition to her research, she’s been a steadfast contributor to the CVM community through her teaching and service,” said Kent Reed, professor and chair of VBS, who nominated Liang and presented the award. “Dr. Liang contributes to collegiate teaching within graduate and undergraduate courses. She is an active faculty and graduate student mentor, sharing her exceptional biomedical research training within her lab, the collegiate graduate programs and other UMN graduate programs.”