CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The American Meat Science Association (AMSA) will present Dr. Mark Miller, professor and San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo Distinguished Chair in Meat Science at Texas Tech Univ., with the 2019 Distinguished Research Award during the AMSA 72^nd Reciprocal Meat Conference in Loveland, Colorado, in June.

The award, sponsored by Cargill Brands Inc., was established in 1965 to recognize members with outstanding research contributions to the meat industry. Miller’s research has had an impact on US agriculture, especially in the areas of consumer meat quality research, meat animal grading, meat animal growth and composition and meat safety.

In the area of beef tenderness, Miller and his team have generated over 85,000 consumer observations on US and global beef consumption. The consumer data collected has helped the USDA AMS and the United Nations International Meat Quality Committee establish standards for beef palatability and tenderness claims in the US and for global trade. Dr. Miller’s research showed that beef flavor is equally as important as beef tenderness as a driver of consumer acceptability. Miller and his team of students also conducted a number of national retail meat case surveys for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Board and Sealed Air Corporation which have impacted the retail meat case over the past 15 years.

In addition, Miller has investigated the effects of growth implants and feed additives on beef quality, consumer satisfaction and red meat yield. Miller and his research team have multiple patents, two of which are with partners at Cargill and Supa Chill to improve beef tenderness, muscle color and shelf life through electrical stimulation and accelerated chilling.

He is a member of AMSA, ASAS, IFT and the Red Angus Association of America. Miller was previously awarded the Outstanding Young Animal Scientists Education and Research Awards by the Southern Section of ASAS, the AMSA’s Teaching Award, Achievement, Signal Service, and the AMSA Intercollegiate Meritorious Service Award. At Texas Tech, he received the Texas Tech University Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Teaching Award and College Research Award.

He has served as advisor to more than 110 graduate students and has developed a nationally recognized meat judging program.