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The American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) Foundation recently awarded Zhen Yang, class of 2019, a $2,500 scholarship sponsored by Elanco Animal Health. His oral presentation on porcine circovirus type 3 took second place at the 2018 AASV annual meeting in San Diego, garnering the sizable scholarship. It was his second time to win this award.
“In my opinion, swine medicine is science- based and data-driven medicine,” says Yang. “I hope to contribute to its future by applying the latest science and technologies to diagnosing and controlling swine infectious disease in order to reduce animal loss and to improve swine welfare.”
When Yang first won second place at the 2017 AASV annual meeting, he was the first non-native English speaker in the competition. Yang is a student in the U.S.– China Joint DVM Scholarship Program, which is initiated by the U.S.–China Center for Animal Health, China Agricultural University, and the Chinese Veterinary Medical Association. The program is financially sponsored by Kansas State University, the China Scholarship Council, Zoetis, and Banfield Pet Hospital. After graduation next year, Yang hopes to return to China to work with farmers to produce safe and affordable meat.
“Meanwhile, I hope to be one of the facilitators of collaboration in veterinary medicine and food animal production between the U.S. and China.”
Photo courtesy of Zhen Yang