Dianna Bourassa is Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Poultry Science at Auburn University’s College of Agriculture, with statewide responsibility for poultry extension programming. Her expertise integrates poultry processing, food-safety microbiology, and animal welfare, translating research into practical interventions for Alabama’s broiler industry. Education: PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology MS in Poultry Science BS in Poultry Science Research & Extension Focus: Dr. Bourassa’s scholarship targets the control of Salmonella and Campylobacter throughout the broiler production chain, from breeder flocks to processed carcasses. She evaluates novel non-thermal decontamination technologies, antimicrobial alternatives, and the microbiological impact of no-antibiotics-ever (NAE) systems. A parallel stream investigates sustainable reuse of poultry processing wastewater through integrated aquaponic/poultryponic systems and the upcycling of slaughterhouse solids via black-soldier-fly bioconversion. Her welfare portfolio includes evaluating on-farm euthanasia methods and early-life behavior of broiler chicks. Across 150+ peer-reviewed works since 2004, her output clusters into four dominant themes: (1) pathogen prevalence and genomic epidemiology in integrated broiler complexes, (2) intervention validation (chemical, physical, nutritional, probiotic), (3) pre-harvest food-safety ecology (litter, dust, egg cuticle, transport flooring), and (4) circular-economy approaches to nutrient and water stewardship. The 2025 crop of papers illustrates accelerated adoption of whole-genome sequencing and meta-analytical techniques to benchmark interventions. While specific grant titles and dollar amounts are not listed, the depth and continuity of her applied program—spanning multi-year longitudinal trials, pilot-scale poultryponic systems, and statewide extension short-courses—signal sustained extramural support from USDA-NIFA, industry consortia, and Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station capacity funds.








