After many years of performing poultry research at Iowa State, Hongwei Xin, professor in agricultural and biosystems engineering, has been named the Iowa Egg Council’s first endowed professor.

Xin has worked at Iowa State for 20 years and has conducted poultry research for much of his time at Iowa State.

“We thought it was important to recognize him,” said Kevin Vinchattle, executive director of the Iowa Egg Council. “He’s a unique resource and a highly valued resource.”

Vinchattle said he has known Xin for many years as Iowa State and the poultry industry have worked together to improve production. This year, the Iowa Egg Council decided to start an endowment where it will help fund research.

“Many years ago we saw the poultry industry was going by the wayside,” Vinchattle said. “We are going to produce more food to feed a hungry world. I just can’t say enough about the impact.”

Xin, who was born in China, also is focused on the impact of the poultry industry on the world.

“I was city-born and country-bred in China,” Xin said. “It was not uncommon for me to go to the fields to work and then go to bed hungry. We didn’t have enough food to eat. That’s kind of where my passion originated.”

Xin came to the United States when he was 21-years-old to do his graduate work at the University of Nebraska. He said that at the time, China was just beginning to open up to the United States.

“I want to make a difference in terms of producing food and supply,” Xin said.

Currently, Xin works on researching ways to make the air quality of poultry and swine buildings better. He is also collaborating with different universities and companies to create different production systems and better hens.

Xin also has studied the history of the poultry industry extensively.

“We’ve looked at U.S. egg history advancement from the last 50 years,” Xin said.

The findings, Xin said, were that the laying hens needed to keep the same production rates while using less resources, which would also reduce the carbon footprint.

“The industry constantly looks at improved production systems,” Xin said. “What we do here [at Iowa State] is pretty much applicable to the entire world and beyond.”

Xin said the Egg Industry Center, which is the program he is endowed under, received $2 million more from the Iowa Egg Council toward the endowment. The goal is $10 million.

Xin said he was surprised when he was named as the endowed professor. He credits much of the work done at Iowa State to other professors working on poultry research.

“When I received the notification from the dean, I was surprised and honored,” Xin said. “I’m very grateful and honored. I’m the lucky one.”