William W. Thatcher is a Graduate Research Professor Emeritus in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Florida. He received his B.S. from the University of Maryland, a M.S. degree from the University of Maryland, in conjunction with the USDA-ARS Beltsville Research Center, and the Ph.D. degree from Michigan State University. He completed two sabbaticals at INRA, Nouzilly, France, in 1977 and 1985.His research program in cattle has been associated with ovarian follicular development, maternal-embryo interactions, and developmental approaches for regulating reproductive function to enhance production and health. Major focus has been dealing with effects of the postpartum period, nutrition, and heat stress on ovarian follicular and corpus luteum functions and embryo survival.

Dr. Thatcher is the recipient of the Research Award from SSR (1994), the Upjohn Physiology Award of American Dairy Science Assoc. (1981), the Animal Physiology and Endocrinology Award from American Society of Animal Science (1985), the Borden Award from American Dairy Science Association (1992), the L.E. Casida Award for Excellence in Graduate Training (1997), National Association of Animal Breeders Research Award (2000), Merial Dairy Management Research Award (2002), recipient of 2001-2002 Doctoral Dissertation Advisor/Mentoring Award from the University of Florida, Honorary Member of American College of Theriogenologists (2003), recipient of the Morrison Award of the American Society of Animal Science (2006), Dairy Fellows Award 2007, American Dairy Science Association, and Animal Fellows Award 2011 of American Animal Science Association.