Biographical Sketch
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Dr. Ronald D. Smith
Professor Emeritus Phone: 269-366-9288 |
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Dr. Ronald D. Smith is a Professor Emeritus in the
Department of Pathobiology, College of
Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois. He received the DVM degree
from Michigan State University in 1967,
and the MS and PhD degrees (1972, 1974) in Veterinary Medical Science from the
University of Illinois. His thesis research focused on thrombokinetics
in canine ehrlichiosis.
From 1967 to 1970 he served as a U.S. Peace
Corps veterinarian in tropical Ecuador, working primarily with cattle,
swine and horses. From 1970 to 1974 he studied the pathogenesis of
thrombocytopenia in canine ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia
canis infection) and described the development of
the agent in the tick vector, Rhipicephalus
sanguineus. Dr. Smith joined the faculty of the
UI College of Veterinary Medicine in 1974. From 1975 to 1980 he was Project
Leader for a collaborative research and training program in Mexico directed
toward the development of a culture-derived vaccine for bovine babesiosis.
Dr. Smith's research interests have focused on the epidemiology and control of
vector-borne blood diseases of animals, including canine ehrlichiosis and
heartworm disease, bovine anaplasmosis and babesiosis, and their arthropod
vectors. Aspects of this research include the development of these agents in
ticks, mechanisms of tick-borne transmission, production of antigens from blood
for diagnosis and immunization, and quantitative analysis of transmission
cycles through computer stimulation models. Teaching
has focused on clinical epidemiology, food safety and public health, and
medical informatics. International activities have focused on the epidemiology,
diagnosis and control of parasitic diseases of food-producing animals.
Dr. Smith has served as Head of the Division of Epidemiology (1985-1993), Director of Computing Services (1991-1994), Director of Medical Informatics (1994-1998), and Director of Instructional Computing (1998 - 2001). He served as Head of the College's Department of Pathobiology from 2002 until December 31, 2004, and retired on January 1, 2005. Dr. Smith is the principal or co-author of over 80 scientific publications including the textbook Veterinary Clinical Epidemiology: From Patient to Population, 4th Edition, published by CRC Press.
For many years Dr. Smith was the sole instructor for Veterinary Epidemiology and in the past has taught or co-taught:
- Computer-Based Information Competency for Veterinarians
- Food Safety and Public Health
- Emerging Infectious Diseases
- Principles and Methods of Veterinary Epidemiology
Following retirement from the University of Illinois in 2005 Dr. Smith and his wife Lupe moved to Dr. Smith's hometown of Vicksburg, Michigan where both are active in community affairs. Lupe is very active in community gardening programs and continues to create one-of-a-kind art in her ceramics/painting studio <Hot Flash Pottery>. Dr. Smith currently serves on the Vicksburg District Library Board, Sunset Lake Association Board, and is a member of the Vicksburg Lions Club. He manages the Sunset Lake Water Trail Facebook page. Dr. Smith was featured in a Travel Channel "Mysteries at the Museum" episode on ice harvesting and ice-cooled railroad cars (abbreviated version at: http://www.travelchannel.com/video/first-refrigerated-rail-car).
Revised 11/13/19