Aaron Bodie at the University of Georgia

Aaron Bodie, the first PhD graduate under Dr. Ricke in the MSABD program, began working as an assistant professor in the Department of Poultry Science at the University of Georgia (UGA) this semester.
After graduating with his PhD from UW-Madison, Aaron worked as a food safety consultant and later as a product developer at Simmons Foods. Now, as an assistant professor, Aaron is teaching a course on poultry processing. This course covers all aspects of poultry processing and specifically focuses on the processing of chicken parts, like wings, breasts, and thighs. Students also learn where safety interventions can be placed to make the products safe for human consumption. The course is required for Poultry Science students, but Aaron hopes to encourage students of related majors to take the course. The course also includes hands-on projects, with students being able to process their own products.
As a teacher, Aaron hopes to pique students’ interest in poultry science and help them achieve their career goals. He sees helping students as the most rewarding part of his job. Aaron finds that his experiences at MSABD directly correlate to his current position. As a teaching assistant for Dr. Jim Claus, Aaron was able to work directly with students and gain valuable experience.
Aaron chose the University of Georgia due to the state’s large poultry processing. He is beginning grant-based research as a faculty member, and is in the process of getting his lab up and running. Aaron notes that he wants to move correctly and not fast, in order to ensure he finds the best way of working and what his research should entail. His intention with research is to correlate to what is needed in the industry.
Aaron hopes to continue using what he learned in his PhD program to be successful in his journey at UGA. For aspiring researchers in the meat science field, Aaron advises to not be afraid of failing. He says to fail often and fail fast, in order to develop a clear vision of your goals and how to achieve them. Congratulations Aaron, we look forward to seeing your accomplishments at UGA!
This article was posted in News.