Dr. Jeryl “Jeri” Jones, a respected faculty member of the Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine (PCVM), College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences (CAFLS) and Professor Emerita at Clemson University, has been named as one of two recipients for the 2025 Bernstein Lifetime Achievement Award from the American College of Veterinary Radiology (ACVR). This prestigious honor recognizes members who have made exceptional contributions to the field of veterinary radiology through service, teaching, and research.
“It was a huge surprise and very humbling to receive the ACVR’s Bernstein Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Jones. “Dr. Mike Bernstein and the other award recipients have been my heroes since I started my radiology residency. Dr. Greg Daniel, another one of my heroes, was also awarded this year. To be included among them is an amazing honor.”
Throughout her distinguished career, Jones has advanced the field of veterinary diagnostic imaging as a researcher, educator and leader. A board-certified veterinary radiologist, she served for more than a decade as Editor-in-Chief of Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasound, helping guide the journal through a period of growth and innovation for ACVR. Her nomination for the award praised her “outstanding contributions of ACVR service, her career as an educator and mentor and her broad research contributions to the diagnostic imaging literature.”
“Dr. Jones has been an exemplary mentor to many aspiring veterinary radiologists and researchers” said Eric T. Hostnik, DVM, MS, DACVR-DI, DACVR-EDI, Editor-in-Chief, Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound. “As both an Associate Editor and ultimately following Dr. Jones as the Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Jones’s guidance has been invaluable for my growth and carrying the journal forward. Her mentorship has extended beyond the journal, influencing the broader veterinary community and fostering a culture of continuous learning and professional development.”
Jones joined Clemson University in 2015 after holding faculty roles at Auburn University, the Virginia–Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine and West Virginia University. At Clemson, she played a foundational role in developing the veterinary medical program that would become the Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine, the state’s first college of veterinary medicine, and helped secure provisional accreditation for the College.
“Dr. Jones, who was also a longtime Professor in the Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences in CAFLS, was instrumental in launching the PCVM and achieving provisional accreditation, which allows us to accept our inaugural class of 2030,” said Founding Dean Steven Marks. “Currently a Professor Emerita, she is a board-certified veterinary radiologist and gifted researcher and educator. We are proud to have Dr. Jones as part of the PCVM and the Clemson family.”
Jones’ influence extends far beyond Clemson’s campus. She has mentored numerous veterinary radiology residents, interns, graduate students, veterinary students and undergraduate research students, many of whom are now accomplished scientists and practitioners. Her extensive research has focused on diagnostic imaging applications in animals, lower back disease in working dogs, biomedical publishing and One Health approaches. Her peers describe her as a collaborator who “leverages opinions from all sides and values the perspectives of her team,” reflecting the same spirit of mentorship and collegiality for which Dr. Mike Bernstein was known.
The Bernstein Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor bestowed by the American College of Veterinary Radiology. For Jones, it marks not just the culmination of a career defined by excellence but also a legacy of mentorship and service that continues to shape the next generation of veterinary professionals.
