Richard Scuderi, Forage Center of Excellence: “Working for Lallemand Centers of Excellence? Two words: dream job!”

Meet our researcher: Richard Scuderi, R&D Project Leader, Forage Center of Excellence.

• Based in Chazy, N.Y., USA
• MSc. in animal science from the University of Vermont, USA
• Areas of expertise: OMICS, silage, dairy nutrition

 

Richard, tell us a bit about yourself, your passions, why did you choose to be a researcher?

I am originally from the western U.S., and I started off working in a veterinary clinic. My passion was helping animals. I worked in the veterinary industry for about 12 years, starting off as a volunteer at a very young age and working as a veterinary assistant all the way through college. It was once I got to college that my passion really arose with dairy cows, immunology, nutrition, and lactation biology. There’s a number of reasons why I became passionate about it, not only as someone who really cares about animals but also as I care about the people around me and our environment.
What I love most about being an animal scientist is that you’re fostering all of that: you‘re taking care of the animals that are being raised for a purpose, you’re taking care of the people around you and the people in our society. We’re also being stewards of the environment: we’re always looking to improve whether it’s getting more production from using fewer animals or in how we rear animals.
I think what I love the most about research is: I’m paid to ask questions and to critically think. Sometimes we end up with more questions than what we started with but it’s still working towards progress! That’s another reason why I love being a scientist, especially being an animal scientist, as we get to ask (and hopefully answer) these questions that contribute towards a bigger picture.
I started conducting research during my undergraduate degree and continued doing so through grad school, I loved it. I do want a Ph.D. someday, but after my master’s I thought: let’s take a break! So I decided to move into the industry, and I’m so grateful that I did. It was a good experience, and it really affirmed that I’m passionate about research.
In my previous job, I did quality assurance, compliance, as well as some formulation and technical support. However, I kept finding myself turning to my core knowledge and skillsets that I obtained from my time in research. That is what was missing in that job: I wasn’t really using my research skills as much as I would like to. It was a good reminder that it’s important to do what you love.

What is exciting about your job at the Lallemand Center of Excellence?

What I love the most is the application of cutting-edge technology and especially OMICS. It’s been around for quite some time, and I feel like some companies just loosely throw that term around, but we are truly applying it in every sense. We’re going a couple of steps further to validate the products that we make and to validate the technologies that we have. I think it’s going to help not only further our understanding of the technologies, but also potentially come up with new innovations and applications. I think that’s part of being a scientist, making sure that you work to improve things and hopefully come up with innovations.

What is it like to work for a Lallemand Center of Excellence?

Two words: dream job!
I truly feel like I have won the lottery and landed my dream job because not only am I with a company that values cutting-edge science and placing a heavy emphasis on good scientific practices, but I also found a company that has the same kind of passion that aligns with my personal interests. Lallemand is dedicated to moving forward and to applying cutting-edge techniques to multiple areas. Not just in animal nutrition, but in other applications as well considering the several different business units we have. I think they all contribute to that same goal of moving forward.
In addition, everyone is just fantastic to work with: Pascal Drouin (the Manager of the Forage Center of Excellence) is a great mentor, and everyone within the R&D team is great to work with as well as everyone in the different offices including Toulouse (France) and Milwaukee (USA). It’s a really great example of how we’re all dedicated to what we do, and it really makes for a great culture.
When I got the job offer my partner agreed and said “yes, this is your dream job.” I couldn’t be happier.