Dr. Thomas Terrill, a Fort Valley State University professor of animal science, ranked No. 654 in the world among 1,000 scientists in animal science and veterinary research and No. 225 in the nation out of the top 365 institutions globally.
Research.com, one of the major websites for animal science and veterinary research, recently released its 2022 list of professionals leading the charge in these fields of study. It offers credible data on scientific contributions since 2014. Rankings are based on the h-index metric, which measures the overall impact of scholarly output (citations of work and publications).
The list indicates that Terrill’s scholarly work includes 4,493 citations and 74 publications. His research focuses on sericea lespedeza, a high-tannin forage that has been scientifically proven to reduce parasite loads in sheep and goats.
The mission of Research.com is to make it easier for professors like Terrill, research fellows and those studying for a doctorate or master’s degree to progress with their research and to ensure they are always up to date with the latest conferences around the world and publications related to their work.
“It is an honor,” Terrill smiled. “This ranking is a measure of the influence of our research. It shows the overall impact of finding solutions to farmers' problems and coming up with new ways of doing research. Many people are aware of what we do and are taking an interest.”
The longtime forage specialist also serves as coordinator of the American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control (ACSRPC). Out of the 1,000 top scientists ranked, seven members of the organization made the list.
“As the lead institution for the ACSRPC, this recognition puts FVSU in a positive light,” Terrill said.
With almost 30 years of experience at FVSU, he created the group about 20 years ago. It has grown to include 40 scientists and Extension personnel from 25 institutions throughout the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia. He said with seven members on the list, it validates that ACSRPC is one of the leading parasite groups in the world. He noted the consortium has always had a very strong outreach component and has impacted not just the scientific community but also farming communities worldwide.
“The consortium has changed the way farmers and scientists think about parasite control. When we started, the focus was on the silver bullet of using drugs to try to control parasites, which has led to an unsustainable situation because of anthelmintic resistance,” Terrill explained. “Now, the paradigm has shifted to integrated parasite management with producers thinking in terms of targeted selective treatment of individual animals that need treatment instead of treating the whole herd or flock.”
Dr. Brou Kouakou, associate dean for agricultural research, commends Terrill and ACSRPC for their contributions to research.
“The research by Dr. Terrill and the consortium he created landed a patent in the use of sericea for internal parasite control,” he said. “Dr. Terrill’s recognition puts Fort Valley State University and our animal science programs on the map among many other great institutions. At the Agricultural Research Station, we congratulate Dr. Terrill for this recognition.”
Terrill emphasized FVSU’s placement among the top research institutions in the world shows the 1890 Land-Grant University is engaging in top-notch research that aims to impact underserved communities locally and worldwide. This quality work is evidence of Terrill's ranking among the world’s top 1,000 scientists in animal science and veterinary research.
“It is not the size of the institution; it’s the quality and opportunity,” Terrill said. “It is not about me. It is about the institution I am a part of and the group I work with. It really does reflect well on Fort Valley State University. They have been so supportive of me. You can create your own program and have a worldwide impact. I consider myself blessed. I have worked with wonderful people and on interesting projects. The scientific community has noticed. It has been very gratifying, and I see that expanding in the future.”
To view the full ranking, visit https://bit.ly/3sL7Phg.