Trinidad and Tobago to the Triangle: Adam Redhead to Manage the AFNC

The Prestage Department of Poultry Science (PDPS) recently welcomed Adam Redhead to the department as a Research Project Coordinator/Manager. His mission: grow membership in the Animal Food and Nutrition Consortium (AFNC) and coordinate the research projects it funds. His focus? “Building strong partnerships for a healthier future.”

We asked Redhead a few questions to introduce him as he gets settled.

What’s your favorite thing about NC (so far)?

What I love about NC State is the warmth and kindness of the people here at NC State.

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about NC State?

The most surprising thing I learnt is that the the initial colors of the school were pink and blue adopted from an early literary society on campus, then changed to brown and white by the athletic department in 1895 and only lasted for one football game!

Then it was changed by the Chancellor, George Tayloe Winston, to red and white, and it has remained uncontested ever since.

Tell us about your position and focus. What’s the most important thing for people to understand about what you do?

My role is the Research Project Coordinator/Manager for the AFNC located in PDPS. I will be responsible for overall coordination of the research projects conducted within the AFNC and for expanding the industry membership base.

My focus for the AFNC is to build strong partnerships for a healthier future. As Steve Jobs said “ The best way to create the future is to invent it.”

The mission of the AFNC is to promote innovation and advances in nutrition, metabolism and gastrointestinal health of production and companion animals.

The most important thing for people to understand is that the AFNC team provides a framework to bring industry partners together with an interdisciplinary team of over 200 food animal faculty distributed across at least three departments in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Sciences.

The AFNC supports industry-driven pre-competitive research that encompasses questions in production animal feed and companion animal food including, but not limited to

• the potential value of feed ingredients and additives
• digestive physiology
• gut health and the enteric microbiome
• impact on environmental sustainability and climate change
• efficiency of nutrient utilization and minimization of environmental emissions
• animal food quality and safety
• integration of nutrition and animal welfare and well-being and
• other emerging issues relevant to livestock, aquaculture and companion animals.

What else should everyone know about you?

I believe in being positive in everything that you do.

Originally I am from Trinidad and Tobago (the Caribbean: sun, sand and beaches).

I am a sustainable agriculturist with background experience in both soil and animal sciences.

I like to read, hike, and play and watch soccer. In my spare time I like reading personal development books and giving motivational and “real life talks.”

What are you reading/watching/listening to at the moment?

Reading: You Are a Mogul by Tiffany Pham

Watching: a ton of stuff – I would say I’ve been binge-watching House of Cards

Listening to: Gary Vaynerchuck podcast