Four animal science students, faculty members receive ASAS accolades

Western Section of the American Society of Animal Science
Top L to R: Kacie McCarthy, Rebecca Swanson
Bottom L to R: Robert Ziegler, Travis Mulliniks
July 22, 2020

Lincoln, Neb. —Four Husker faculty members and recent graduates have been recognized by the Western Section of the American Society of Animal Science for outstanding contributions to research.

 University of Nebraska-Lincoln honorees include:

  • Travis Mulliniks – Young Scientist Award. Since 2017, Mulliniks has served as the beef extension specialist in range nutrition at the West Central Research and Extension Center in North Platte, as well as the faculty director of Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory, where he oversees production needs of the 12,800-acre ranch. He is currently advising two master’s students and two doctoral students. His devotion to beef producers and strides in beef research is evident in his 54 abstracts, 50 peer-reviewed publications, 13 invited papers, and 19 extension and outreach publications. The Young Scientist Award recognizes a researcher under the age of 40 who has already produced outstanding research.
  • Kacie McCarthy -- Wilson G. Pond Travel Scholarship Award. McCarthy joined the UNL animal science department in January 2020. She is an assistant professor of animal science, as well as a Nebraska Extension beef cow-calf specialist. The Wilson G. Pond Travel Scholarship Award is to aid in the professional development and success of young animal scientists in an international venue.
  • Rebecca Swanson – Young Scholar Recognition Program, M.S. Swanson, who completed her master’s degree at UNL in May, was recognized for her research contributions including her keystone master’s project, which led to new information about the effect of heat stress on the wellbeing, metabolic efficiency, and performance of feedlot animals. She also has been involved with studies examining fetal programming effects of stress in sheep and high maternal androgen in cattle on postnatal growth and metabolism. Since graduating in May, Rebecca has started working toward her doctorate at Mississippi State University. The Young Scholar Recognition Program recognizes and features the research accomplishments of recent Ph.D. and master’s graduates or current Ph.D. and master’s students in the advanced stages of their program. 
  • Robert Ziegler – Young Scholar Recognition Program, M.S. Ziegler, who completed his master’s degree at UNL in May, was recognized for his research focused on the impact of cow size on cow/calf performance, post-weaning offspring performance, and overall production efficiency in the Sandhills of Nebraska. Since graduating, Ziegler has accepted a position with Feedlot Health Management Services as a technical assistant. The Young Scholar Recognition Program recognizes and features the research accomplishments of recent Ph.D. and master’s graduates or current Ph.D. and master’s students in the advanced stages of their program.

The awards were presented during the organization’s annual meeting and trade show, which this year was held virtually. The Western Section of the American Society of Animal Science is comprised of members from western portions of the United States, Canada and Mexico.

For more information on UNL’s animal science department, visit animalscience.unl.edu.

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