MANHATTAN — The Kansas State University Department of Animal Sciences and Industry Analytical Lab has been renamed. The lab, located in Weber Hall was renamed earlier this month in honor Dr. Ben E. Brent.
Dr. Brent spent 36 years serving K-State and Animal Sciences and Industry stakeholders. He joined the K-State ASI faculty in 1966.
D. Guy Kiracofe, KSU ASI professor, explained, “Ben was the faculty member who put ‘science’ in animal science and industry. He made a huge contribution to our department.”
Dr. Kiracofe explains that Dr. Brent helped build ASI’s reputation as a research department, which helped recruit graduate students. He was also an early pioneer in the ASI department regarding the application of computers to address animal agriculture applications.
Today, Dr. Brent stays active in the Manhattan area playing in the Community Band and is treasurer for the First United Methodist Church. He also has a passion for commodity trading and is a founding partner of Buchanan and Company in Manhattan. His wife of 44 years, Ellie, passed away in December 2016.
