Susan Lamont, a C.F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences and animal science professor, has been named the new Interim Director of the Egg Industry Center as of April 1.

The Egg Industry Center is a national center created in 2008 when federal budgets were shrinking. By creating the center at Iowa State, funding was provided for research that is not based on the federal government funding fluctuations. This aids from the challenges of the country’s commodity check-off programs.

According to the Egg Industry Center, their mission is to “add value to the egg industry by facilitating research and learning for egg producers, processors and consumers through national and international collaboration.”

The Egg Industry Center also holds an annual issues forum, which was hosted April 16-17 in Kansas City. The forum helps to update producer and allied-industry awareness on both developments and issues within the U.S. egg industry.

“I’ve been at Iowa State since 1983 and I’ve primarily been a faculty member with research and graduate teaching,” Lamont said. “There is also periods in which I have been an administrator with the college as an assistant director in the ag experiment station. I was also the chair of the Department of Animal Science from 2001 to 2003.”

Lamont said her favorite part of being at Iowa State is the people. She said she enjoys her colleagues as well as watching students involved in the research programs succeed. Lamont said she also has enjoyed her research experiences, specifically in using contemporary genetics to better understand how a bird maintains its health, fighting infectious disease or resisting stresses from the environment.

 “As the new director, I try to be one of the major points of contact,” Lamont said. “We also have an excellent staff that I work with that focus on other aspects of communications and economic analysis. One of my major roles is to work with the board and advice that they give. We also sponsor a research grants program so that we can support science-based decision making for the industry.”

Lamont said she is looking forward to interacting with producers throughout the country who are very dedicated to doing a great job in providing eggs for people throughout the country.

“This is a wonderful extension of the interest I have had throughout my career,” Lamont said. “Now being involved in this very industry-oriented role helps me see the research coming full circle.”