Known internationally for his research and teaching, Dr. Lewis earned a B.S. degree in Animal Science at the University of California-Davis, a M.S. in Animal Breeding at Texas A&M, and Ph.D. in Animal Science from Virginia Tech. His career as a geneticist has included positions at the Western Australia Department of Agriculture, Scottish Agriculture College in Edinburgh, Virginia Tech, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 

Dr. Lewis has published 93 peer-reviewed journal articles and secured over $16.5 million in grant funding. His pioneering leadership led to deployment of genomic selection in the US sheep industry and development of online education that reached students from over 30 US and 5 international academic institutions His mentees have extended his legacy via success in their own careers in academia and industry. Dr. Lewis’s tremendous contributions to Animal Science have been recognized through several awards including the 2021 ASAS Distinguished Teacher Award.