Over his 35-year career, Dr. Scott Dee, ’87 DVM, ’85 MS, ’96 PhD, has made a significant impact in the world of veterinary swine medicine through research efforts focused on infectious diseases. 

On April 6, the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) honored Dee for those efforts and more through its Distinguished Research Alumni award, presented as part of the College’s annual Research Day event.  

“Quality, quantity, and impact of work characterize our recipient today as well as his innovative approach,” says Dr. Tom Molitor, who presented Dee with the award and was among a group that nominated him. “

Dee’s nearly four-decade career spans both academia and industry. After graduating from CVM in 1987, worked as a swine practitioner for the Swine Health Center in Morris, Minn. until 1998. He joined the CVM faculty in 1999 as an associate professor, was promoted to professor in 2005, and left the College in 2011 to join Pipestone Veterinary Services. 

Dee is the emeritus director of discovery and innovation at Pipestone Applied Research. During his 12 years with the company, his work has focused on areas such as viral transport and transmission in feed, feed biosecurity, and antimicrobial resistance at the level of the swine farm. He announced in December 2022 that he had entered a phased retirement.

No matter where his career has taken him, Dee has proven to be consistently productive in research on infectious disease control and transmission. Most importantly, his research scholarship has changed how people in the swine industry manage health and disease. 

"Dr. Scott Dee has had a highly distinguished career in applied research investigating problems addressing swine infectious diseases and disease control,” Drs. Molitor, Jerry Torrison, Montse Torremorell, Andres Perez, Maxim Cheeran, and Maria Pieters wrote in their nomination letter. “His findings have been impactful, altering and improving production practices and thinking.”

With nearly 200 peer-reviewed publications to his name, Dee’s impact is felt in the industry. He has dramatically advanced the practice of biosecurity on the farm level. His work along with that of others has changed how feed is considered a source of infectious agent spread, how trucks could be a source of infection to a farm, how farms need to protect from airborne disease introduction, and how producers and veterinarians must work together to achieve comprehensive disease control.  

“There is no question that Scott has indeed created new knowledge—knowledge that has changed swine production and practice and has advanced biosecurity not just on the farm level but on a global level,” Molitor says. 

CVM Research Day is an annual event celebrating the College’s research through the voices of trainees while honoring faculty, research partners, and alumni who contribute to its research mission. Click here for more coverage.