Undergraduate Research

Our Research Program

Get experience as an undergraduate.

The OSU Animal and Food Sciences Undergraduate Research Scholars Program engages undergraduate students in research.

Knowledgeable faculty members serve as mentors for undergraduate students while they gain valuable hands-on experience working on cutting-edge research projects side-by-side with faculty, graduate students, lab supervisors and research unit managers.

The program engages promising undergraduates and provides a solid foundation in research methods to better prepare them for industry and academic careers in the fields of animal and/or food sciences.

Apply

Hands-On Learning

Build key lab techniques and skills.

Once in the program, research scholars are mentored by faculty researchers.

Getting hands-on research experience as an undergraduate can help students to hone in on their educational and career goals, as well as build key lab techniques and skills. This will better prepare them for future research opportunities, such as graduate programs and future careers.

Learn More

Apply

Animal and food science students who have above a 3.0 GPA are eligible to apply. Approximately 20 students are selected each year.

Apply Now

Gain Skills

Students are paired with a mentor based on their research interests. Mentors help students to navigate the research process and to develop critical thinking and communications skills.

Share Findings

Students have the ability to attend national meetings, publish peer-reviewed manuscripts in reputable journals and earn Undergraduate Research Scholar transcript designation.

Paige Anderson

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Darren Hagen
Project Title: Generation of interspecies hybrids for indepth 3D genome analysis.
Program: 2022-23 Wentz Research Scholar

Brandy Bassham

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Scott Carter
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar

Bobbi Brosamle-Norton

Major: Animal Science
Program: 2022-23 Freshman Research Scholar

Evan Bruguglio

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Ryan Reuter
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar

Kate Buckmaster

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Scott Carter
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar

Kaytlyn Cash

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Glenn Zhang
Project Title: Epigenetic regulation of animal innate immunity.
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar

Rebecca (Grace) Chandler

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Andrew Foote
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar

Lauren Chaney

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Darren Hagen
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar

Ashleigh Collins

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Blake Wilson
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar

Emily Fayard

Major: Animal Science
Program: 2022-23 Freshman Research Scholar

Emily Griffith

Major: Animal Science
Program: 2022-23 Freshman Research Scholar

Faith Howe

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Darren Hagen
Project Title: The effect of long non-coding RNA on the cell cycle.
Program: 2022-23 Wentz Research Scholar

Katie Kurtz

Major: Food Science
Faculty Mentor: Peter Muriana
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar

Hunter McConnell

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Andrew Foote
Project Title: The effect of linoleic acid on inflammatory gene expression in the rumen.
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar, 2021-22 Niblack

Chase McCoy

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Ranjith Ramanathan
Project Title: Determining the muscle specific effects on beef discoloration.
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar

Terry (Hays) McDonald

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Paul Beck
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar

Lindsey Michael

Major: Animal Science
Program: 2022-23 Freshman Research Scholar

Jackson Moore

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Andrew Foote
Project Title: Effect of concentration and source of fat on rumen inflammatory gene expression.
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar

Olivia Musslewhite

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: David Lalman
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar

Morgan Patterson

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Janeen Johnson
Project Title: Welfare consequence of length of tail dock.
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar

Elizabeth Pribil

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Ranjith Ramanathan
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar

Mallie Rich

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Joao Moraes
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar

Natalee Richardson

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Darren Hagen
Project Title: In vivo Assay: Bacterial small RNAs may regulate eukaryotic gene expression.
Program: 2022-23 Niblack Research Scholar

Benjamin Roberson

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Blake Wilson
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar

Jarin Shirley

Major: Animal Science
Program: 2022-23 Freshman Research Scholar

Peyton Simmons

Major: Animal Science
Program: 2022-23 Freshman Research Scholar

Samuel Van Rhijn

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Darren Hagen/Joao Moraes
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar

Katherine Walsh

Major: Animal Science
Faculty Mentor: Blake Wilson
Project Title: A mixture of dietary valine and isoleucine above NRC requirements on growth performance of nursery pigs fed with very low protein diets.
Program: AFS Undergraduate Research Scholar

Jade Wilkinson

Major: Food Science
Faculty Mentor: Peter Muriana
Project Title: Effect of acid adaption on pathogenic bacteria used in biltong USDA-FSIS validation studies.
Program: 2022-23 Wentz Research Scholar

What kind of research can I conduct?
There is a variety of animal science and food science research projects that undergraduate researchers can be a part of, including:
- Animal Health and Wellness
- Food Safety
- Genetics
- Meat Science
- Non-Ruminant Nutrition
- Physiology
- Ruminant Nutrition
- Sustainability
What is the program like?

Students in the program gain hands-on experience through cutting-edge research completed alongside faculty, graduate students, technicians and research unit managers, ranging from laboratory work to field studies.

Our research scholars are paired with a faculty mentor based on their research interests, and have the opportunity to earn up to $500 per semester.

If a research scholar meets the minimum program requirements and receives a faculty mentor recommendation each year, they can continue to be part of the program throughout their undergraduate career.
Program Requirements
To apply:
- Must be a freshman, sophomore, or junior with above a 3.0 GPA.
Once Accepted:
- Research scholars must work a minimum of four hours per week.
- Must maintain a 3.0 GPA minimum.
- Research scholars are required to submit a research proposal to an on-campus agency by their second year in the program. Whether or not the student is successful with the proposal, the student may remain a departmental research scholar and continue working with his/her mentor.
OSU Research Scholarship Programs
OSU has a number of research scholarship programs that undergraduate students can apply for.