AVC faculty member receives Zoetis Award for Research Excellence
The Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) at the University of Prince Edward Island recently awarded Dr. Mark Fast, chair and professor, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, AVC, the 2022 Zoetis Award for Research Excellence.
This award is one of AVC’s most prestigious awards and recognizes an AVC faculty member whose research over the past three years shows promise of attaining national recognition. The purpose of the award is to foster innovative research, on which scientific advancement of the profession depends, by recognizing outstanding research effort and productivity.
“Dr. Fast has a sustained record of significant contributions to aquaculture research,” says Dr. Larry Hammell, associate dean of graduate studies and research, AVC. “His ongoing research and accomplishments in the field of genomic approaches for sea lice and disease issues of wild and farmed salmonids is globally recognized.”
Throughout his career, Dr. Fast has developed a highly productive research program, securing over $33 million dollars for internationally collaborative research projects, as well as regional, national, and international projects. He has published over 85 peer-reviewed journal articles, contributed to several book chapters and sections, and is regularly invited to speak at local and international conferences. In addition to this, he is dedicated in training and mentoring the next generation of fish health scientists, having supervised postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, undergraduate students, and doctor of veterinary medicine student on their research projects.
As the winner of this award, Dr. Fast provided a public presentation entitled, “Integrating genomics research into applications for aquaculture,” on Wednesday, November 9 and was presented with the award at AVC’s Fall Awards and Recognition Night.
“Dr. Fast had demonstrated himself as an international leader in fish health,” says Dr. Hammell. “The rigour and impact of his research program makes him highly deserving of this award.”
