David H. Baker

David Hiram Baker (February 26, 1939 – December 2, 2009) was an American animal nutritionist and professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Baker was elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences in 2005. He served as the acting head of the Department of Animal Sciences from 1988-1990 and became Emeritus Professor at the University of Illinois in 1999 at the age of 60.

In 1987, Baker received the National Academy of Sciences' Distinguished Service Award. In 2007, he was awarded the Charles A. Black Award by the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST). He contributed to protein-amino acid nutrition, trace mineral, phosphorus utilization and vitamin bioavailability research. His work led to the establishment of nutritional requirements for commercial diets for various animal species. In addition to the Charles A. Black Award, he received the ASN Dannon Award for mentoring in 2003.

Early life and education Baker was born on February 26, 1939 in Waterman, Illinois to Vernon and Lucille Baker. Raised in a small farming town of 1,000 people, he graduated from high school in 1956 and credited his interest in nutrition largely to his mother. Baker earned his BS, MS, and Ph.D. degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1961, 1963 and 1965. His thesis was titled Qualitative and Quantitative Evaluation of the Amino Acid Needs of Adult Swine for Maintenance.

Career and research After his Ph.D., he spent two years at Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis, Indiana then returned to his alma mater in the Department of Animal Sciences and Division of Nutritional Sciences. He enjoyed fishing and doing building projects for his house along with neighbors.

Baker died from cancer on December 2, 2009 in his home in Urbana, Illinois at the age of 70.