Chad Dechow

I grew up on a small dairy farm in New York State that milked Holsteins (those are the black and white Chick-fil-A cows) and a few Brown Swiss. I loved working with cows and showing cows at the fair with family and friends, so agriculture was a natural career path for a farm boy like me. Eventually I became a dairy cattle geneticist. My family went to church, but faith was not really an important part of my life growing up. I made a lot of mistakes during my college years and was frankly embarrassed about the type of person I was becoming. That caused a lot of personal reflection, and I eventually turned my life over to Jesus and was baptized in my mid-20s. Soon after, I was married and my wife Elizabeth and I now have four boys and one girl. The intersection of the science and the bible has always been a fascination for me. With every new breakthrough in genetics and genomics, my faith is strengthened as the hand of the Creator and Designer becomes easier to recognize!

My Life

My hobbies

Camping and spending time outdoors; helping my kids show their goats and Grandpa's cows at the fair

My undergrad alma mater

Morrisville State College (A.A.S) and Cornell University (B.S.)

My worst subject in school

Histology

If I weren't a professor, I would

be a bankrupt dairy farmer.

Favorite books

How Now Shall We Live

Favorite city

I'll take green pastures and a blue sky over any city skyline!

Current Research

Genetic selection and crossbreeding strategies to improve cow health and fitness; genetic diversity in cattle; telomere length in cattle.