UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Troy Ott, Peter and Ann Tombros Dean of Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, has received the Distinguished Leadership and Service Award from the Society for the Study of Reproduction, one of the organization’s highest honors recognizing exceptional leadership and selfless service in advancing the science of reproductive biology.
The Society for the Study of Reproduction advances the science of reproduction, fertility and development to benefit humans and animals through interdisciplinary collaboration, scientific conferences and publication of its journal, Biology of Reproduction.
Ott, a longtime member of the society who has served as its president, vice president and secretary, received the award during the organization’s annual meeting in Indianapolis in July. He was introduced by colleague Rebecca Krisher, president of the society and head of Penn State’s Department of Animal Science.
Krisher said Ott’s career exemplifies the qualities the award was created to recognize. Having worked alongside him as a fellow scientist, member of the society’s board of directors, and now an academic leader at Penn State, she said she has witnessed firsthand his unwavering commitment to advancing reproductive science through leadership, mentorship, service and research.
Ott’s research focuses on animal food production, fertility regulation, immunology and the physiology of early pregnancy, with an emphasis on signaling among the embryo, uterus and circulating immune cells to better understand the biological processes that influence successful pregnancies.
Krisher highlighted what she said was Ott’s extraordinary record of service to the society, where he served in nearly every major leadership role over 13 consecutive years, including president.
She noted that his steady leadership helped guide the organization through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring its scientific programming, financial stability and strong sense of community during a period of significant disruption. Earlier in his service, she said, Ott expanded the society’s funding base by attracting new sponsors and strengthening external partnerships.
Beyond his service to the society, Krisher said Ott has made lasting contributions to reproductive biology through leadership on national review panels, scientific advisory groups and research initiatives.
His work with organizations including the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Genetic Resources Advisory Council, she said, reflects the respect he has earned throughout the scientific community and his commitment to advancing research, supporting fellow scientists and shaping the future of reproductive biology and agriculture.
Ott is the inventor or co-inventor of several U.S. patents and is actively engaged in efforts to commercialize diagnostic technologies that improve reproductive management and animal health. He has authored more than 100 scientific papers, review articles and book chapters and is co-editor of the textbook Reproductive Genomics in Domestic Animals.
“I am fortunate to work with Troy at Penn State,” Krisher said. “I see firsthand how effectively he leads our college as a true servant leader. His deep passion for agriculture, Pennsylvania and Penn State is his superpower. But even in this big, important role, he remains committed to reproduction research and to the Society for the Study of Reproduction at his core.”
In his letter of support, another of Ott’s colleagues, Peter Hansen, distinguished professor and L.E. “Red” Larson Professor at the University of Florida, wrote that Ott is a natural leader who thinks clearly about problems and strategic vision.
“Troy brings attention to detail and discipline to everything he does,” Hansen said. “He treats people around him fairly and with empathy, but he is not afraid to insist that they achieve expectations. He keeps the organization moving forward and is not sidetracked into petty issues or squabbles; he treats people with respect.”
In accepting the award, Ott reflected on the mentors, colleagues and family members who shaped his decades of service to the Society for the Study of Reproduction and the broader scientific community.
“I am deeply honored — and truly grateful — to receive the Distinguished Leadership and Service Award,” Ott said. “Service is never a solitary achievement. This honor reflects the mentorship, friendship and collaboration of the many people who have encouraged and supported me throughout my career.”
Ott credited his mentors, animal scientists Fuller Bazer, Bill Thatcher, Skip Bartol, Peter Hansen, and Robert Burghardt, for encouraging him early in his career to embrace professional service. He also thanked his Penn State colleagues for their friendship, trust and collaboration; longtime colleague and mentor Joy Pate, professor emeritus of reproductive physiology, for encouraging him to pursue leadership roles; Krisher for nominating him for the award; and his wife, Colleen, for supporting him throughout his career.
Looking back on his years of service, Ott said his involvement with the society has provided far more than an opportunity to give back. “It has fostered lifelong collaborations, mentorships and friendships while reinforcing the importance of investing in future generations of scientists,” he said.
Ott has served as dean of Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences since June 2024. Before becoming dean, he was interim director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and served for nine years as an associate director of the Huck Institutes. He joined the Penn State faculty in the Department of Animal Science in 2006.
Before returning to Penn State, he spent six years as a research scientist in the Center for Animal Biotechnology at Texas A&M University. He later served on the faculty in the Department of Animal and Veterinary Science at the University of Idaho.
A Penn State alumnus, Ott earned a bachelor’s degree in animal production from Penn State, a master’s degree in reproductive physiology from Auburn University and a doctoral degree in reproductive physiology from the University of Florida.