Looper, a research animal scientist with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) at the Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center in Booneville, AR, has been named the "Outstanding Early Career Research Scientist of 2009" (the Herbert L. Rothbart award) by the ARS. ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific research agency. Looper is the first scientist in the Southern Plains Area to receive this award and will be honored at a reception in Washington, D.C. at USDA Headquarters in February 2010. Along with a plaque, he will receive a cash award and additional research funding. 

In 2009, Looper also received an award for the Early Career Research Scientist of the Year for the Southern Plains area, an annual award that recognizes the creative efforts, scientific leadership, and the major research accomplishments of SPA research scientists.

In 2009, Looper was also presented the 2009 Young Animal Scientist Research Award at the American Society of Animal Sciences (Southern Section) meeting in February in Atlanta. Since the awards inception in 1982, Looper is only the second scientist to be presented with the Young Animal Scientist Research Award and the Young Animal Scientist Education Award, which he received in 2006.

Looper began his professional research and education career at New Mexico State University, where he was assistant professor and served as state dairy extension specialist. He funded a portion of his teaching and research program through grants totaling nearly $700,000. After moving to USDA – ARS in Booneville seven years ago as a research animal scientist, Looper continued his excellent research program. His brief career has resulted in more than 253 authored or coauthored publications, as well as numerous presentations at regional, national and international scientific forums. Looper has been invited to present at more than 17 seminars throughout the U.S., covering various livestock-related topics. His diverse service record includes service on  American Society of Animal Sciences national and southern section committees, a reviewer for USDA’s competitive grants programs, a panel member for USDA 1890 capacity building grants program, and currently serves as a section editor for Journal of Animal Science (2nd term), and is a member of the editorial board for the publication, Professional Animal Scientist

by Pattie Lanning, ANSC Department
contact: (479) 575-7260, plannin@uark.edu