Dr. Chris Calkins, an emeritus professor in Animal Science, was awarded the R.C. Pollock Award by the American Meat Science Association (AMSA) at the 2025 Reciprocal Meats Conference held in Columbus, Ohio.
Calkins joins Dr. Charlie Adams (1992) and Dr. Roger Mandigo (2000) as the third meat scientist from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to be honored with the award.
The award is presented in honor of the first general manager of the National Live Stock and Meat Board. Pollock, a leader dedicated to the advancement of meat science, was the moving force in the establishment of the Reciprocal Meat Conference. The award honors a dedicated AMSA member whose work through teaching, extension, research, or service represents an extraordinary and lasting contribution to the meat industry.
Over his 40-year career, Calkins has had a tremendous impact on the meat industry through his research and teaching efforts. As a research leader, the discovery of new valuable cuts such as the flat iron steak, the petite tender, and the ranch steak from the beef chuck generated an annual increase of $1.5 billion for the industry and over a $6 billion impact for the industry in Nebraska alone. His international efforts as a speaker have also led to an increased demand for Nebraska beef all around the world. Calkins' research on beef quality led to the development of new technology to predict beef tenderness which also resulted in six patents. As a teacher and mentor, Calkins served as a major professor for over 50 graduate students who established careers in academia, the meat industry, and government.
He was previously the recipient of the World Prize in Meat Science and Technology by the International Meat Secretariat (IMS), the Distinguished Meat Research Award by AMSA, the Meat Research Award from the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS), and the Educator of the Year Award from the North American Meat Processors (NAMP). Calkins served as President of AMSA in 1996-97, is a member of the Meat Industry Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement in 2024.
