Meet Austin R. Brown

Raised in Northwest Pennsylvania, I`m currently in a rigorous M.S. program at the University of California, Davis studying the applied use of biotechnology and genetics in livestock production systems under the guidance of Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam and complimentary mentorship from Dr. Rosie Busch. In 2021, I graduated with a B.S. in Animal Science at Pennsylvania State University. I had the honor to serve in numerous leadership capacities within the College of Agriculture during my time at Penn State.

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Through global travel, coursework, and a broad depth of internships/fellowships, I have developed my skills, network of mentors, and competencies in agriculture through an international lense.

However, my intense love of animal agriculture stems from my father. He is an experienced shepherd who is heavily involved in national industry and volunteers with local 4-H livestock programs too. Having exemplary mentors to guide me on this journey is something that I will NEVER take for granted.

From a young age, I learned the value of an indomitable work ethic. My dad began commercially shearing sheep at thirteen to support his family. Later, as a managerial leader, he would lose most of his finger on a Sunday helping a neighbor but still went to work a few hours later. We`d go to our local 4-H meeting that Monday night as if nothing happened. His passionate commitment to community, people, and their aims has instilled in me the same virtuous leadership values of unwavering grit, selflessness, and loyalty. These values are at the core of my root system and are the bedrock for any past, present, or future accolades I may attain. 

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In regards to my life aspirations, I aim to aid producers in making breeding decisions driven towards viable livestock while being savvy in devising innovative strategies to mitigate current health concerns in their operations. My M.S. studies have made me keenly mindful of the unique influence gene editing methods such as CRISPR-Cas9 and stem cell culture offer breeders. I also aim to enrich my skills using assisted reproductive technologies. I`m striving to couple these competencies through a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. I`ll offer consultation defining and driving operational objectives toward optimal outlooks for the animal and in turn augment profitability for producers.

Producers often parse genomic and phenotypic production data into an index to unify all traits towards a breeding objective. The merit I offer the livestock community is exemplified by deriving a selection index including my blend of theory and pragmatic skills. As a tireless contributor to diverse sectors of the livestock industry, I can swiftly offer producers sensible solutions. I`ve found joy in building vital rapport with producers to further transparent discussion that drives the discovery of targeted solutions to systematic disputes.

Beyond specializing in reproductive-based biotechnologies, I`m enthralled by phenomics, agricultural law & ethics, animal management systems, computer decision support software, disease management, science communication, animal welfare & performance evaluation, and precision livestock technologies.

All of these interests come together to further my passion to offer holistic animal wellness and management solutions to livestock producers. I`m excited about this career path and the role I get to play furthering agricultural industry and the intrinsic culture of rural areas.