Three Animal Science Undergraduate Students Earn UCARE Research Stipends Friday, October 13, 2023
Three undergraduate animal science majors at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln were awarded stipends to participate in research projects with a faculty mentor during the 2023-24 school year.
Senior Maddie Wegner, junior Addison Hillman, and sophomore Ashley Llewellyn received funding awards through Nebraska's Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experience (UCARE) Program. The program provides support for undergraduates to work with faculty mentors in research or creative activities. Students receive stipends of $2,400 to engage in intensive research or creative activity for 10 hours per week. The students' projects span academic disciplines including engineering, chemistry, modern languages and literatures, psychology, art and art history, architecture, special education, and fisheries and wildlife.
Wegner will work with Amy Desaulniers, an assistant professor within the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences on project is titled, "Effects of Milk Consumption on Reproductive Development of Neonatal Boars.".
Hillman and Llewellyn are working with Jessica Petersen, an associate professor in animal science. Hillman's project is titled, "Investigation of Novel Genetic Variation in Cattle," while Llewellyn will be working on a project titled, "The Genomic Investigation of Unique Coat Color Variants in Yak."
Two department faculty members are also serving as mentors on UCARE projects alongside students from other programs. Professor Daniel Ciobanu is working with senior biochemistry major Arabella Hodges on a project titled, "Evaluation of Rapid Next-Generation Sequencing Methods to Detect and Assembly the Genomes of Elusive Viral Pathogens."
Professor Andrea Cupp is mentoring senior forensic science major Ailenn Castillo on a project titled, "Elimination of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (VEGFA) in Granulosa Cells and Effects on Female Fertility."
The UCARE program at Nebraska is a paid opportunity to work alongside a world-class university faculty research mentor and conduct cutting-edge research that will shape the future of Nebraska and beyond.
UCARE applicants write a proposal for the conduct of a research or creative project under the guidance of a faculty mentor. The program supports original work in every academic field, ranging from arts, education, architecture, engineering, journalism, business, and humanities to traditional sciences like chemistry, biology, and physics.
The UCARE program supports student researchers with a competitively awarded stipend, professional development workshops, two annual research symposium events, and access to travel or supplies funding.
For more information on undergraduate research at Nebraska, click here.