Henry A. Wallace Award
This citation honors a College of Agriculture and Life Sciences alumnus or friend who has achieved notable professional achievements nationally or internationally and brought distinction to themselves, the college, and the university through their significant contributions. Selection is made by the Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
This award was established in 1978 and is presented annually during Iowa State University’s Homecoming Weekend. Click here for the nomination form. Nominations are due the third Tuesday in November.
2018 Henry A. Wallace Awardee
Max F. Rothschild
Ames, Iowa
Max F. Rothschild, Iowa State University Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in Agriculture and Life Sciences and the M.E. Ensminger Endowed Chair in International Animal Agriculture, is an internationally renowned animal geneticist whose discoveries have revolutionized pork production.
Rothschild joined the faculty of the Department of Animal Science in 1980. His work has focused on identifying genes for traits of economic importance including immune response, reproduction, performance and meat quality in livestock.
Rothschild’s research has been a valuable resource impacting over 90 percent of pigs produced in the U.S. and many more around the world. He has been an invited speaker in more than 60 countries and his work has 400 peer-reviewed publications, 600 other publications and 12 U.S. patents.
Rothschild’s dedication to science has included service as the U.S. Department of Agriculture national pig genome mapping coordinator. He also served as co-director of ISU’s Global Food Security Consortium. He currently provides his expertise as an associate director of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods, working in Uganda to help families establish livestock production and improve food security.
Rothschild has earned numerous global and national accolades. In 2017, he was named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors and received the Award of Distinction from the University of California at Davis, where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He has received the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) Morrison Award and has been named Fellow by ASAS, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Jefferson Science Fellowship Program.
Past Recipients
- 2017 – Catherine E. Woteki
- 2016 – Robert E. Walton, Sr. ’61 PhD animal science
- 2015 – James P. Tobin ’78 agricultural and life sciences education
- 2014 – Steven Bradbury ’81 MS entomology, ’85 PhD
- 2013 – James Blome ‘85 agronomy and pest management
- 2012 – John P. Gordon
- 2011 – Lowell Catlett ‘80 PhD economics
- 2010 – Dana R. Robes ’67 dairy science
- 2009 – David L. Wright
- 2008 – Owen J. Newlin
- 2007 – Harlan Ritchie
- 2006 – Carl Whitcomb
- 2005 – Ray Townsend
- 2004 – D.L. “Hank” Harris
- 2003 – Wesley Buchele
- 2002 – Burton Endo
- 2001 – Douglas Hard
- 2000 – Mark Drabenstott
- 1999 – Billy Day
- 1998 – Francis Byrnes
- 1997 – Ned Raun
- 1996 – Walter Fehr
- 1995 – Luther Tweeten
- 1994 – Duane Acker
- 1993 – Roger Mitchell
- 1992 – Arnel Hallauer
- 1991 – Robert Barnes
- 1990 – Kenneth Frey
- 1989 – Eugene Meyer
- 1988 – Herb Plambeck
- 1987 – Neil Harl
- 1986 – Kenneth Nielsen
- 1985 – Robert Kalton
- 1984 – Charles Henderson
- 1983 – George Beal
- 1982 – Louis Thompson
- 1981 – R. J. Hildreth
- 1980 – Charles Black
- 1979 – Lauren K. Soth
- 1978 – Earl Heady