Celebrating ‘K-State Night’ in Beijing, China

Dr. Frank Blecha, associate dean for research, presents a certificate of congratulations to his former student, Dr. Defa Li, who is now dean of the College of Animal Science and Technology at China Agricultural University.

Veterinary Dean Ralph Richardson recognizes Dr. Hua Wu, professor at the Institute of Special Economic Animal and Plant Sciences in the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, with a special certificate of congratulations from K-State President Kirk Schulz. Dr. Wu was elected as a member of the Chinese “1000 Plan” Global Experts Program.

Dean Richardson and Director General Xuepeng Cai sign the “Veterinary Continuing Education Video Course Use Agreement” between K-State and the Chinese Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) to translate videos from our college into Chinese and provide it to the CVMA. K-State will get 70 percent of the proceeds as paid by Chinese veterinarians. Courses can be downloaded online, and multiple courses/videos will be made available. The videos will be translated by Chinese DVM students while they are at K-State.

斑猫 or banmao is the Chinese word for “wildcats.” On a recent trip to Beijing, the CVM honored two of its former banmao: Dr. Defa Li [Dee-FUH Lee] and Dr. Hua Wu [WAH Woo]. Both performed their doctoral and postdoctoral studies at Kansas State University in the 1990s.

The college’s China delegation was made up of Dr. Jishu Shi, director of K-State’s U.S.-China Center for Animal Health (UCCAH), Dr. Lei Wang, manager of the UCCAH, Dr. Ralph C. Richardson, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Ronnie Elmore, associate dean for academic programs, admissions and diversity programs, and Dr. Frank Blecha, associate dean for research. Both Dr. Li and Dr. Wu studied under Dr. Blecha in his research laboratory at K-State.

Dr. Blecha presented a congratulatory certificate from K-State President Kirk Schulz to Dr. Li who was just elected to the Chinese Academy of Engineering, which is comparable to the National Academies of Science in the U.S. Dr. Li earned his Ph.D. at K-State in 1991. He is currently a professor of animal nutrition and nutritional evaluation of feed and dean of the College of Animal Science and Technology at China Agricultural University. He is also the chairman of the Scientific Committee of the State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, and director of the Research Committee of Chinese nutritional value of feed and animal husbandry standards.

Dean Richardson recognized Dr. Wu for being elected as a member of the Chinese “1000 Plan” Global Experts Program. He was at K-State from 1995 to 2000 and is now a professor at the Institute of Special Economic Animal and Plant Sciences in the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

“Both of these alumni have made outstanding academic achievements during their careers in order to receive such distinguished honors from these Chinese organizations,” Dr. Richardson said. “They are both at top of their respective professions, and we are very proud they are K-State alumni. We look forward to seeing what they will accomplish in the future.”

The trip to China included other activities as part of an academic partnership in veterinary medical education. The team conducted interviews with about a dozen Chinese students who are candidates for pre-veterinary studies at K-State. From this group, as many as eight students will be accepted, which should be announced in May. After successful completion of pre-veterinary studies, the students can then apply for admission into the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at K-State or at one of five partnering veterinary colleges.

The College of Veterinary Medicine meets with a group of alumni in China during a special “K-State Night.” From left to right: Dr. Jishu Shi, U.S.-China Center for Animal Health; Dr. Wenzhi Xue, 1991 K-State Ph.D. alumnus and director of Regulatory Affairs and R&D at MSD Animal Health, Beijing, China; Dr. Lei Wang, manager of the education program for the U.S.-China Center for Animal Health; Dr. Ronnie Elmore, associate dean for academic programs, admissions and diversity programs; Dean Ralph Richardson; Shanlin Bai, CP Group, senior vice chairman of Agro-Industry & Food Business (China Area), who hosted the evening banquet; Dr. Gary Robert Stoner, a K-State master’s degree (1986) and Ph.D. (1989) alumnus (College of Agriculture) , CP Group vice chairman of Agro-Industry & Food Business; Dr. Frank Blecha, associate dean for research; Dr. Defa Li; and Dr.Hua Wu.

The Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) and the China Scholarship Council (CSC) welcome the KSUCVM team to China. They discussed collaboration between K-State, the CSC and Graduate School of CAAS for M.S. and Ph.D. education programs. From left to right: Dongfang Pan, Deputy Director, Degree Office, Graduate School, CAAS; Dr. Ronnie Elmore; Dr. Frank Blecha; Rongle Liu, Vice President, Graduate School, CAAS; Dean Ralph Richardson; Ning Zhang, Deputy Secretary-General, CSC; Dr. Jishu Shi; Dr. Lei Wang; Li Meng, Deputy Director, Division of American and Oceanian Affairs, CSC; Ming Liu, Deputy Director, International Cooperation, Graduate School, CAAS.