O?Rourke Among Honorees

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, on Tuesday, announced Patrick Hunt, a soil scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture based in Florence, S.C., as the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Distinguished Senior Research Scientist for 2005. He also recognized the seven Area Senior Research Scientists of 2005.

Among the area honorees was Katherine O?Rourke, Ph.D., a microbiologist working out of the ARS Animal Diseases Research Unit in Pullman, Wash. She was recognized for her scientific excellence leading to implemented measures for controlling transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) within North American.

?O?Rourke works tirelessly and truly believes in the value of what she does,? commented Don Knowles, research leader of the Pullman Animal Diseases Research Unit. ?She is one of the most highly recognized scientists working on TSEs in the world.

?The foundation of the U.S. scrapie eradication program has been built around the work that O?Rourke has completed. The contributions of her research, along with her leadership skills, indicate the level of devotion she has to her science and to the sheep industry.?