Education

• Ph.D., Iowa State University (Animal Breeding), 1975
• M.S., Iowa State University (Animal Breeding), 1973
• B.S., Cornell University (Animal Science), 1969
• A.A.S., SUATC at Farmingdale, NY (Animal Science), 1967

Positions

• 2021 – Present: Director – Index Genetics
• 2018 – 2021: Retired; Part-time Coordination Leader, Nebraska Integrated Beef System Initiative, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• 2010 – 2017: Center Director (Senior Executive Service), U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE
• 2016: Acting Deputy Administrator for Animal Production and Protection, ARS National Office, Washington DC
• 1988 – 2009: Professor of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• 2002 – 2009: Director – National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium
• 1980 – 1988: Associate Professor of Animal Science, Cornell University
• 1975 – 1980: Assistant Professor of Animal Science, University of California, Davis
• 1969 – 1975: Graduate Research Assistant, Iowa State University

Awards and Recognition

• Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, State University of New York
• Educator of the Year Award, New York Beef Producers Assoc
• Continuing Service Award, Beef Improvement Federation
• Beef Improvement Federation Pioneer Award
• Golden Book Award, World Simmental Federation
• President’s Award, New York Beef Producers Assoc
• Recognized in The BEEF Top 40 Influential People in the Last 40 years
• Recognized in The BEEF Top 50 Influential People in the Last 50 years
• Nebraska Cattlemen’s Industry Service Award
• ASAS/ADSA Northeast Young Scientist Award
• Animal Science Association Animal Breeding and Genetics Award
• ARS Administrator Award
• American Distance Education Consortium’s Educational Infrastructure Builder Award
• American Dairy Science Association Purina Mills Award for Teaching
• Edgerton Career Teaching Award, Cornell University
• A. B. Chapman Lecturer, University of Wisconsin

Experience Highlights

John Pollak has extensive experience in genetic evaluation and beef cattle research, including leadership roles at USDA/ARS-U.S. Meat Animal Research Center and Cornell University. He directed national programs such as the National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium and contributed to major research projects on carcass attributes, genetic evaluations, and DNA technology applications in beef production.