Newsletter 2006
Animal Sciences
Newsletter 2006
Graduate Student Update
The Department of Animal Sciences Graduate Student Association (GSA) seeks to encourage student and faculty interactions, as well as promote alumni and industry relationships.
This past fall, the graduate students hosted the Third Annual Animal Sciences Fall Picnic. Faculty, staff, students, and families enjoyed great food, pumpkin painting, and a hayride around the Animal Sciences Research and Education Center.
Additionally, the graduate students have many activities planned for the spring semester, including a faculty and staff chili cook-off, an industry tour of the Purdue Research Park, and a fundraising drive. The graduate students will be selling Animal Science merchandise (t-shirts, polos, hats, and visors).
GSA officers include: President - Lindsay Wilson; Vice-President - Jolena Fleming; Secretary/Treasurer - Danielle Sholly; Fundraising Chair - Lindsay Wilson; Program Development Chair - Nathan Horn; Academic Quadrathlon Chair - Melissa Paczkowski; Social Chair - Jeffery Bewley; Computer Committee Rep. - Alan Fahey; Graduate Programs Rep. - Jennifer Lowe; Seminar Rep. - Erin Schenck; Workshop for Youth Committee - Melissa Paczkowski & Jennifer Lowe; Graduate Student Senator - Jessica Williams.
The Department of Animal Sciences has identified May 16-18, 2006, as the 2nd annual Celebration of Science week. The purpose of this activity is to focus on research activities of the department and provide stimulating, cutting-edge information by outside speakers. The focal point of the event will be graduate student research. Graduate students who have submitted research findings to regional, national, and international meetings will have the opportunity to compete for funds to attend and present their findings at these meetings. Nearly 20 MS and PhD students participated in last year's competition. Funding for these students has been made possible by the Louise and Jake Krider Endowment.
In addition to the graduate student abstract competition, nationally recognized scientists will be invited to Purdue's campus to provide seminars on selected topics of interest to the entire faculty and graduate student body. Students and faculty will get the opportunity to hear selected seminars from private industry or governmental agencies. Activities will conclude with the graduate awards banquet at Purdue's Wright Forestry Retreat Center. At that time, winners of the graduate student competition will be recognized as well as those graduate students identified for outstanding career achievements. Funds for the latter have been made possible through an endowment established by Carolyn Featherston in memory of her late husband, Roy.
Graduate student award winners for 2005 were:
W.R. Featherston Off-Campus Training Fellowship
Anthony J. Giannini. Anthony is pursuing his PhD degree under the
direction of Dr. Bill Muir. He received his BS from Upper Iowa University.
W.R. Featherston Early Graduate Career Award
Kari Saddoris. Kari is pursuing her PhD degree under the direction of Dr.
Scott Radcliffe. She received her BS from the University of Illinois and MS from
the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
W.R. Featherston Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award
Tracy Copenhafer. Tracy completed her MS degree in August 2005, under the
direction of Dr. David Gerrard. She received her BS from Michigan State
University.
W.R. Featherston Outstanding Ph.D. Award
Sheila Jacobi. Sheila completed her PhD degree in January 2006, under the
direction of Dr. Mike Spurlock. She received her BS from Purdue University and
her MS from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Book-Harmon Leadership Scholarship
This scholarship was established by Bob Book and Bud Harmon, to reward a
graduate student who has displayed outstanding leadership skills and efforts.
The FIRST Book-Harmon Scholarship was awarded to Darrin Karcher.
Darrin is pursuing a PhD under the direction of Dr. Todd Applegate. He received
his MS from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
LOUJA Graduate Travel Awards
The 2005 LOUJA Award winners were: Daniele Cary, John Eash, Sheila Jacobi,
Joshua Jendza, Kiho Lee, Hao Shi, and Aurelia Skipwith.
Additional Honors
Kristi Thompson received a graduate student presentation award at the Poultry Science Association annual meeting. Kristi completed her PhD degree in the Fall of 2005, under the direction of Dr. Todd Applegate.
Jolena Fleming was awarded a Neal A. Jorgensen Genome Travel Award from the USDA Genome Coordinator for travel to the Plant and Animal Genome Conference in San Diego, CA in January 2006. Jolena is pursuing a PhD degree under the direction of Dr. Chris Bidwell.
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