Roger W. Hemken received the 1998 Award of Honor from the American Dairy Science Association recognizing his outstanding contributions to the organization. He is a retired professor of animal sciences with the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.

Hemken served as ADSA president and in many other leadership roles in the national professional organization and its Southern Branch.

In addition, he has received several prestigious awards recognizing a distinguished research career in dairy cattle nutrition. These awards include the Thomas Poe Cooper Distinguished Research Award given by the UK chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society of Agriculture.

Hemken earned his Ph.D. in dairy nutrition and physiology from Cornell University. He served on the University of Maryland faculty prior to joining the UK Department of Animal Sciences.