Name: Kelly Swanson, Ph.D. 
Employer: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Job Title: Associate Professor of Comparative Animal Nutrition
Years with current employer: 7 years
Educational Background: Dr. Swanson received his Bachelor’s degree in Animal and Range Sciences from North Dakota State University. He then obtained his Master’s and Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in functional genomics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as well.
Job Description: Dr. Swanson teaches Companion Animal Nutrition to upper level undergraduate students and graduate students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. There he also teaches Techniques in Animal Nutrition and Gastrointestinal Fermentation and Dietary Fiber to graduate students as well as a nutrition module on Gastrointestinal Structure and Function to veterinary students. Companion Animal Nutrition research is another constituent of his job. His lab’s primary focus is on gastrointestinal health, obesity, and nutrigenomics (how nutrition and genetics interact) in dogs and cats. He supervises graduate students who assist with the conduct of his research as they complete their master’s and Ph.D. degrees.
Favorite Component of His Job: Dr. Swanson enjoys the great flexibility that comes with his position and the constant interactions he has with students, research collaborators, and industry sponsors. While he admits that it is challenging to balance his time between research and teaching, he finds that every day is different so it is always interesting.
Least Favorite Component of His Job: Dr. Swanson could not find much to complain about with his profession but did admit that the paperwork that goes along with running a lab can sometimes be cumbersome.
A Special Experience or Story about His Job: Kelly has enjoyed many of the experiences that he has gained from international research collaborations. He has collaborators in the United Kingdom, Brazil, New Zealand, France, Japan, as well as numerous others within the United States. Dr. Swanson admits that while many aspects of dog and cat nutrition are similar around the world, many differences also exist (e.g., availability of raw materials, technological advancement, cultural beliefs, etc). He finds it interesting to hear other’s perspectives, and when possible, travel to these destinations to gain a better understanding of their culture and the challenges and/or opportunities that exist in the pet food industry there.
Dr. Swanson’s Recommendations to Those Interested in a Career Similar to His Own: “Get a good background in science (similar to pre-vet or pre-med coursework) as an undergraduate and start searching for graduate schools early. Graduate school programs in companion animal nutrition are quite competitive so you must work hard to maintain a solid GPA and obtain a high GRE score. Any opportunities for research experience, internships, travel abroad, etc. are also a plus and should be done if possible.”
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