When André-Denis Wright moved his work, his belongings and his family across 14 time zones to take a new job Sept. 1 as associate professor and chair of the University of Vermont College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' (CALS) animal science department, he didn't pack light. He brought his internationally known research, strong leadership skills, size XXL lab coats and passion for Canadian hockey — to name a few things. Wright made international news in 2004, when his findings on the correlation between livestock gas and "greenhouse gas" were published in the prestigious journals "Nature," "The Economist" and "New Scientist." He was among the first to articulate that reducing "cow burps," that, is, methane emissions from millions of ruminating animals could reduce global warming. By changing ruminants' diets to grasses, alfalfa and flax and reducing their fat intake, they produce less gas and can thus reduce their "carbon hoof print." As senior scientist and research manager at Australia's largest research consortium, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) out of Brisbane, Queensland, for nearly a decade Wright has led colleagues to develop vaccines and other strategies to reduce such emissions. In the past five years alone, Wright has brought in more than $5 million in research funding for such work. In his new lab in Terrill Hall at UVM, he will continue to develop strategies to reduce methane emissions from ruminants, as well as a miniature in-dwelling sensor to measure methane in grazing animals. Wright's fieldwork even resulted in a species named after him. Apokeronopsis wrighti is a ciliate, in other words, large protozoa, residing off the coast of Hong Kong. "I am excited for André-Denis Wright to join our excellent team of animal scientists and faculty," said dean of the College, Tom Vogelmann in announcing his arrival early this month. "His leadership will bring UVM animal science to an extraordinary new level. His collaboration with colleagues will mutually benefit research teams across disciplines on campus, and his international connections will bring an exchange of new ideas and focus to UVM. And all of this benefits our students in the classroom and in the laboratory," said Vogelmann. As chair, Wright will also make his mark on the College by filling two faculty vacancies this coming year and reorganizing the UVM Farms. André-Denis Wright was educated at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and the University of Guelph, Ontario with degrees in parasitology and molecular microbiology and evolution. As an associate professor, he has taught seven different courses at the University of Queensland, University of Guelph and Murdoch University and mentored more than a dozen PhD, post-doctoral and honors students over the past seven years. His work has been published in 45 peer-reviewed journals. CAPTION: Animal Science Department Chair André-Denis Wright will set up a new research laboratory in Terrill Hall in the coming months. ~Cheryl Dorschner photo