Swimming, snow and luck add up to distinguished career for Bottje
June 8, 2026
By Mary Hightower
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- Bottje among world’s most-cited scientists in 2024
- Interest in biology opened path to avian physiology
(949 words)
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Swimming, snow and more than a little luck helped build what would become Walter Bottje’s distinguished career in poultry science research and teaching.
The avian physiologist retired at the end of March, some 40 years after joining the faculty at the University of Arkansas. Bottje retired as a professor and researcher with the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences and the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
He joined the animal science faculty at Fayetteville in 1985 as an assistant professor. Five years later, as associate professor, Bottje moved to the poultry science department. In 1996, Bottje worked as a cardiovascular research fellow at the Rayne Institute of St. Thomas Hospital in London.
In 2002, as a full professor, Bottje became both head of the poultry science department and director of the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, positions he held until 2008.
Through his career, Bottje made significant contributions in the understanding of oxidative stress, blood flow and prostaglandins — lipids that play a role in blood flow, clotting and muscle contraction. He has also made key discoveries on the role of genetics in feed and water efficiency in poultry.
Bottje earned many recognitions throughout his career, including the National Institutes of Health First Research and Transition Award, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture John W. White Award for Research, Poultry Science Association National Chicken Council Broiler Research Award and Poultry Science Association Zoetis Fundamental Science Award. He was named a Poultry Science Association Fellow in 2016.
“Much of the success I have had can be attributed to a good share of luck,” he said.
Career path
For a poultry researcher who was among the most cited researchers in the world in 2024,
“Ag and chickens were not on my radar screen growing up,” Bottje said. “I grew up in a liberal arts family.”
The first bit of serendipity occurred with Bottje’s move to college.
Bottje had an interest in science, saying, “I’m not sure what I liked about it, but I just wanted to learn more.
“I went to Eastern Illinois University in a pre-professional route majoring in zoology,” he said. While that provided a channel for his science interests, he also swam competitively on the school’s team.
The swimming coach at Eastern Illinois was already familiar with Bottje, having coached him in age-group competitions. Bottje swam age-group competition from ages 11-14 and began swimming year-round in high school before becoming a walk-on in college.
After his first semester, the coach “told me I would receive a tuition scholarship through the athletic department based on my GPA — not for my phenomenal swimming ability,” Bottje said.
“I lucked out because EIU had a strong biology program that helped me in graduate school and beyond,” Bottje said.
Bottje graduated Eastern Illinois with a degree in zoology and a minor in chemistry
The next stroke of luck for Bottje was meteorological. While working on his master’s degree in ruminant nutrition at Southern Illinois University, a snowstorm shut down the Amtrak Railroad and Interstate 57.
“If the snowstorm hadn’t shut everything down, I would never have met my wife, Sari,” he said. “This was a huge stroke of luck!”
Bottje went on to earn a Ph.D. in animal science-physiology from the University of Illinois in 1984.
Two years later, Bottje gave a seminar for the University of Arkansas’ chemistry department about liver blood flow and hepatic glutathione. Good fortune struck again.
“After the seminar, Dr. Collis Geren — department chair and later the dean of the graduate school — offered to help me package a National Institutes of Health grant, which was extremely fortunate because I had not written a grant proposal before. Another piece of luck,” Bottje said.
“Starting off as an assistant professor with a five-year large federal grant was extremely” fortunate, he said.
“Many events have put me in the right place at the right time. I have been fortunate to have had great graduate students, post-docs and collaborators. I’ve also been extremely lucky to have received funding throughout my career through various federal agencies, state and industry sources.”
While his retirement date has come and gone, retirement has yet to catch up with Bottje. He continues work within the poultry science department with Kentu Lassiter, a program associate who has a Ph.D. in poultry science, on global expression data obtained from Sara Orlowski’s water efficiency broiler lines research, and with Jossie Santamaria, who recently received his Ph.D. in poultry science-immunology, on a global expression study he is working on in collaboration with the University of California, Davis.
"Dr. Bottje had an incredible career here,” said David Caldwell, head of the poultry science department for the University of Arkansas and the Division of Agriculture.
“He was one of the founding faculty members of the department of poultry science when the department was created in 1993,” Caldwell said. “He was also a charter faculty member of the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science when it opened in 1995.
“Walter retired as one of the world’s foremost avian physiologists in recognition for his impactful 41-year career,” Caldwell said. “Walter has been a valued mentor, colleague and collaborator within our program and beyond. He will clearly be missed, but we wish Walter the very best in retirement.”
When he does retire, Bottje said he plans to “sail, travel and do more sailing.”
He also has some younger generations to keep up with. Thanks to his son Tyler and daughter-in-law Kelsey, “we’ve got two grandkids with a third scheduled for completion in September.”
To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit aaes.uada.edu. Follow the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station on LinkedIn and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three system campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media contact:
Nick Kordsmeier
nkordsme@uada.edu