Rate My Professor Michael Gonda

Michael Gonda is a Professor in the Department of Animal Science at South Dakota State University. He holds a Ph.D. in dairy science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2006), an M.S. in dairy science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2003), and a B.S. in animal science from North Carolina State University (1999). Gonda's research specializations encompass animal genetics and breeding, including QTL identification in cattle, genetic variation in disease susceptibility such as Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection in Holsteins, gene expression profiling, linkage maps, vaccine response in cattle, immunogenetics, expected progeny differences (EPDs), breeding systems, DNA testing, maternal nutrition effects on offspring, bacterial species in the rumen, and humoral response to vaccines. His academic responsibilities include teaching AS 332 Livestock Breeding and Genetics, AS 720 Advanced Selection of Domestic Animals, and ABS 482-582 International Experience-South Africa, as well as graduate training and research in animal breeding and genetics.

Gonda serves on the SDSU Faculty Senate Executive Committee, Faculty Senate, and Parking and Traffic Committee. Key publications include 'Identification of an ovulation rate QTL in cattle on BTA 14' (2004, Animal Genetics), 'Genetic variation of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection in US Holsteins' (2006, Journal of Dairy Science), 'Effect of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis infection on production' (2007, Preventive Veterinary Medicine), 'Measuring Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus vaccine response' (2012, Vaccine), and contributions to Molecular and Quantitative Animal Genetics (2015). He has received major awards such as the 2025-26 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Award to teach applied animal breeding and quantitative genetics and conduct beef cattle genetics research at the University of Debrecen in Hungary, the USDA National Teaching Award for Food and Agricultural Sciences (2023), Teacher of the Year from the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences (2018), Walt McCarty Award for Excellence in Academic Advising (2016), Gamma Sigma Delta Teaching Award (2016), and Timothy Nichols Excellence in Undergraduate Advising Award (2016).