Head and shoulders image of Dr. Hank Classen, head, Animal and Poultry Science.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. Henry (Hank) L. Classen grew up on a mixed farm near Aylsham in north-eastern Saskatchewan where he developed an interest in agriculture, and more specifically, poultry. After high school he moved to Saskatoon and completed a BSA at the University of Saskatchewan in 1971. He then continued his training at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst where he received MSc and PhD degrees in 1971 and 1974, respectively. In 1976, prior to defending his PhD thesis, he was hired as an assistant professor at the Pennsylvania State University in University Park. After a brief stay, Dr. Classen joined the Department of Animal and Poultry Science, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, at the U of S as assistant professor. He rose to the rank of full professor and served in a variety of roles including head of the Department of Animal and Poultry Science. In 2013 Dr. Classen was named Distinguished Professor by the U of S and was also awarded a five year NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Poultry Nutrition. He was inducted into the International Poultry Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Saskatchewan Agriculture Hall of Fame in 2018. Dr. Classen is Distinguished Professor Emeritus (2023).