Balchem’s Bourbon & Brainiacs event took place at the Frazier History Museum during the 2025 ADSA annual meetings in Louisville, Kentucky. 

After introductions, Dr. Lucy shares about the ADSA monthly podcast, Dairy Digressions, which he hosts. He discusses listener demographics, the diverse paths to becoming a dairy scientist and inspiring young people to pursue a career in dairy science. The panel goes on to discuss the camaraderie and friendships developed and nurtured at ADSA meetings. (2:44)

Dr. Kononoff asks the panel their thoughts on how to protect students, given the current and potential future funding concerns for science. Dr. Lucy notes he believes science will prevail. Dr. St-Pierre comments we have portrayed science as infallible, when it’s really self-correcting, and the machine of a university is faculty and students. Dr. Kononoff, originally from Canada, discusses the uniqueness of the land-grant system in the US. (8:31)

Dr. Lucy shares some of his favorite parts of being an ADSA member. (17:44)

Dr. Williamson, a neuroscientist, suggests the dairy industry could learn from human behaviorists regarding marketing their products. Dr. Ordway agrees, as someone who did not grow up in the agriculture industry. (20:42)

Dr. St-Pierre talks about presenting at his very first ADSA meeting when he was still learning to speak English. He goes on to discuss how meetings and students have evolved over the years. (23:03)

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