Extension Communications
Extension 4-H Youth Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3630
(515) 294-9915
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Extension Communications |
12/15/04
Contacts:
Ken Stalder, Iowa Pork Industry Center, (515) 294-4683, stalder@iastate.edu
Timo Serenius, Iowa Pork Industry Center, (515) 294-4255, serenius@iastate.edu
Sherry Hoyer, Iowa Pork Industry Center, (515) 294-4496, shoyer@iastate.edu
AMES, Iowa -- For the next two years, Finland native Timo Serenius and his family are calling Iowa home. A chance meeting two years ago with Iowa State University (ISU) assistant professor Ken Stalder was the first step in Serenius’ journey to ISU where he now works as a post-doctoral research associate.
At that time, Stalder was a faculty member at the University of Tennessee and Serenius was working as a Ph.D. student at MTT Agrifood Research Finland, a governmental research body similar to the USDA. The two became acquainted while attending a course at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and realized their research interests were complementary. After Stalder came to ISU in 2003, he visited Serenius in Finland and offered him the opportunity to continue his work in Ames.
Serenius said Stalder’s invitation was appreciated, and timely.
“My wife and I had talked about the possibility to do some
work outside of Finland, and then I met Ken,” he said. “I completed
my Ph.D. in animal breeding through the University of Helsinki this past summer,
and was able to come to
Iowa with my wife and baby son early this fall.”
Stalder said Serenius will work on sow longevity and related traits during
his time in the U.S.
“Timo has worked closely with the Finnish Animal Breeding Association and its genetic evaluation system, and is able to use that data to help develop better information on understanding sow longevity attributes in the U.S.,” Stalder said. “We are extremely fortunate to have him with us for the next couple of years.”
Plans are for Serenius to present information to a variety of groups, including producers and scientists. Those interested in learning more about this sow longevity research or scheduling presentations by Stalder or Serenius should contact Stalder at (515) 294-4683.
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