January 2018 - Vol. 13, No. 1
Top Stories
Students' Scholarly Success
Trio of students nab recent scholarship, leadership and fellowship awards
The new year is starting off with a bang as a pair of veterinary students and graduate student working on a Ph.D. through the Beef Cattle Institute are each earning awards for their scholarly achievements. Learn more about the awards that have won by students: Haley DeLong, Brett Montague and Dustin Aherin.
The awards are:
Haley DeLong wins scholarship from Kansas Livestock Foundation and Merck Animal Health
Third-year student Haley DeLong has been chosen as the recipient of a $1,500 scholarship presented by the Kansas Livestock Foundation (KLF) and its partners. The scholarship, for the 2017-18 school year, were announced Nov. 29 at the annual Kansas Livestock Association (KLA) Convention in Wichita. Haley has received the Ralgro Wheels for Bucks Scholarship from Merck Animal Health and the KLF. This award recognizes K-State veterinary students who want to be large animal veterinarians. "I was very honored to be selected for this award out of so many other applicants." Haley said. "Any scholarship helps to relieve just a little bit of the financial burden that we accumulate throughout our educational careers. After graduation, I plan on joining a mixed animal practice somewhere in rural Kansas where I would primarily be working with beef cattle. Also I would like to buy in to a practice at some point in my future." KLF was established in 1983 to operate solely and exclusively for charitable, scientific and educational purposes. KLA is a trade organization protecting the business interests of independent ranchers, feeders and dairy farmers. Members of the association are involved in all segments of the livestock industry, including cow-calf production, backgrounding, cattle feeding, swine, dairy and sheep. The association's work is funded by voluntary dues dollars paid by its 5,400 members. |
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Brett Montague to receive Walther leadership award at WVC
Third-year veterinary student Brett Montague will be one of 37 students to receive a Dr. Jack Walther Leadership Award at the Western Veterinary Conference (WVC), scheduled for March 4-8 in Las Vegas. One student each is selected from all of the veterinary colleges in the U.S., Canada and Caribbean Islands on the basis of accomplishments, scholastic excellence and long-term leadership potential. Recipients receive a $1,000 award, complimentary registration, lodging, airfare and a daily stipend to attend the 2018 conference. "I feel like I'm constantly surrounded with such incredible student leaders here at K-State, so to be selected for this award is truly an honor," Brett said. "I'm excited to continue learning ways to give back to my community and to find my role in serving our profession now and in the future." Since inception of the scholarship program in 2002, the WVC has granted approximately $1 million in scholarship funds. The Dr. Jack Walther Leadership Award recognizes veterinary student leaders and promotes lifelong professional service to the industry. |
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BCI's Dustin Aherin to attend MIT through Sloan Visiting Fellows Program
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Aherin was selected from a very competitive field of applicants for the MIT Sloan Visiting Fellows Program. The program will allow Aherin to work under the mentorship of MIT faculty while developing a systems model that encompasses the beef industry from genetic selection through the birth and growth of calves, to final harvest. "Systems dynamics is a powerful tool for decision making and the assessment of the long-run sustainability of operational and industry practices," Aherin said. "This recognition and opportunity is particularly valuable because faculty from MIT were early innovators of systems dynamics, and the prestigious institution continues to provide influential leaders in the discipline." Aherin said his model will have the capability of conducting "what if" analysis based on differences in technology implementation, resource allocation, government policy or other potential variables. "I am excited to be able to explore cutting-edge methodology in systems dynamics at MIT and apply such tools to aid in decision making and add further understanding to the beef industry complex," Aherin said. "By interacting with some of the leading minds in the discipline of systems dynamics at MIT, I will have the unique opportunity to learn from world-renowned authorities and to expand the expertise available to the Beef Cattle Institute and Kansas State University." Aherin is co-advised by Dr. Bob Larson, professor of production medicine in the College of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. Bob Weaber, professor and extensions specialist in animal sciences and industry in the College of Agriculture. "Systems models provide the only way to test many herd or industry level decision that span multiple segments of the beef value chain," Dr. Weaber said. "Experiments to conduct such research would easily reach into the tens of millions of dollars per experiment and potentially take decades to complete. Developing an effective model cuts the time and investment to a fraction of the costs." Dr. Larson agreed, saying, "Systems dynamics models provide tremendous tools for exploring areas of discovery that are important for producers, educators, consumers, and regulators interested in optimizing the very complex system that is beef production." "Providing excellent training for graduate students is one of the focus areas of the BCI," said Dr. Brad White, director of the BCI. "Our team provides cross-disciplinary training providing a well-rounded educational experience, and Dustin's selection into the MIT program underscores the BCI's emphasis on providing the highest level of education to our students" MIT's Visiting Fellows typically requires one or more university degrees and several years of work experience before students may apply to the program. Visiting Fellows who successfully complete their course of study receive a program certificate from MIT Sloan. Aherin earned an associate's degree in animal sciences from Allen Community College in 2012, and followed that with a bachelor's degree in 2014 and master's degree in 2017, both in animal sciences at Kansas State University. The mission of the Beef Cattle Institute is to utilize collaborative multidisciplinary expertise to promote successful beef production through the discovery and delivery of actionable information and innovative decision support tools. |
Dustin Aherin, a doctoral student with the Beef Cattle Institute (BCI) at Kansas State University was recently selected to spend the 2018 spring semester as a visiting fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Video Feature
Learn about the Shelter Medicine Program
Dr. Bonnie Rush, interim dean, emphasizes how the college's shelter medicine provides a wide range of benefits and educational opportunities for veterinary students, while simultaneously serving multiple Kansas communities.