• Western Section
• Awards

ASAS Young Scholar Award

Sponsored by: Zinpro

Taylor Andrews, New Mexico State University

Taylor Andrews earned her B.S. in Agriculture at The Ohio State University (2019) and M.S. at South Dakota State University (2021) where her research focused on nutritional changes before and after breeding on uterine mineral histotroph concentrations in beef heifers. Taylor is a Ph.D. candidate in the Animal and Range Sciences Department at New Mexico State University. Taylor’s Ph.D. research has focused on growth promoting implants and different supplemental protein levels on ovarian-follicular development in beef heifers grazing native rangelands. Additionally, Taylor has conducted research on the influence of source and level of rumen undegradable protein on growth, ovarian-follicular parameters, and uterine histotroph in heifers developed on rangelands and in a dry-lot. Taylor is 2022 USDA NIFA Predoctoral Fellow and has published 6 peer reviewed articles, 8 proceeding papers, and 21 abstracts demonstrating her dedication to research and improving the beef industry.

Extension Award

Juliana Ranches, Oregon State University

Dr. Juliana Ranches, Assistant Professor and Beef Extension Specialist at Oregon State University (OSU), has significantly contributed to outreach programs, blending traditional and innovative methods. Since joining OSU in 2020, she has collaborated in multiple Extension programs. Dr. Ranches has organized numerous Calving Schools across Oregon, which have been instrumental in the success of calving seasons. She also developed the Ranching Academy, a yearlong educational program that covers key milestones in beef cattle production, providing hands-on learning for producers across the state. Nationally, she has contributed with articles to magazines such as Feedstuffs, Oregon Cattleman, and Progressive Cattle. Internationally, she has been invited as a speaker to conferences in Brazil, Germany, and Mexico. As a good demonstration of her leadership skills, Dr. Ranches serves as Co-coordinator for the Beef Quality Assurance program in Oregon and chairs the Cattle Working Group and the Livestock & Natural Resources Working Groups Annual Meeting, promoting collaboration among Extension faculty. A standout achievement in her career, is the creation of the RancHER program, which is a webinar series that highlights the work of women in the livestock industry. Since 2021 with 4 editions to date, RancHER has attracted over 500 participants from around the world. The series has hosted 24 female speakers, including scientists, Extension faculty, industry personnel, and ranchers, inspiring women and younger generations in agriculture. In summary, Dr. Ranches excels in Extension programming, demonstrating leadership and creativity in shaping the future of agricultural education and outreach.

Young Scientist Award

Hector Menendez, South Dakota State University

Dr. Hector Menendez is an Assistant Professor at South Dakota State University (SDSU), with a focus on complex grazing systems. He is housed at SDSU’s West River Research and Extension center and focuses his research and extension programming on grazing beef cattle and bison systems in the western U.S. Dr. Menendez earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Sam Houston State University in 2010 and 2012, respectively, and his Ph.D. from SDSU in 2018. He gained postdoctoral experience from Texas A&M University and the USDA-ARS Dairy Forage Research Center before starting his faculty appointment at SDSU in the fall of 2020. Dr. Menendez has rapidly gained a national and international reputation for employing a systems-level approach to tackle the complex issues facing today’s livestock producers. Dr. Menendez develops and employs cutting-edge technologies to enhance his research. He additionally strives to ensure those same technologies can be feasibly used by producers to enhance their operations. Dr. Menendez has authored or co-authored 19 refereed journal articles, 9 conference proceedings, 60 abstracts, and 1 book chapter. He has secured nearly $84 million in funding to support his research and outreach activities. This includes a $1 million USDA-NIFA IDEAS grant that Dr. Menendez authored in his first year on faculty and a recent $80 million Climate-Smart Commodities grant focused on grazing beef and bison.