The American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) provided an opportunity for 15 veterinary students to compete for awards in the Veterinary Student Poster Competition. United Animal Health sponsored the competition, offering awards totaling $4000. Additionally, a grant from the Zoetis Foundation supports $500 awards for each student selected to participate in the poster session.
Dr. Joel Spencer, United Animal Health, announced the following awards during the AASV Luncheon on February 26.
$500 scholarship: Yi-Fan Shen, The Ohio State University – Top student poster titled "Assessing the impact of a negative air ionization system on particulate matter and gaseous pollutants in swine farm environment"
$400 scholarships: Carly Bates, Iowa State University; Taylor Clark, Iowa State University
$300 scholarships: David Buckwalter, University of Pennsylvania; Ellen Gibbs, University of Missouri; Madeline Hall, Kansas State University
$200 scholarships: Kristen Cleaver, Iowa State University; Victoria Diaz, University of Tennessee; Callie Ezell, Louisiana State University; Lauren Harper, Cornell University; Molly Jones, North Carolina State University; Samantha Nixon, University of Saskatchewan; Sarah Roach, North Carolina State University; Erin Russell, Lincoln Memorial University; Casondra Snow, University of Minnesota
Thirty-two veterinary students from 16 universities submitted abstracts for consideration by student abstract volunteer judges Drs. Ben Blair, Doug King, Darin Madson, Brent Pepin, Marisa Rotolo, and Joel Sparks. Based on scores received in the original judging of abstracts submitted for the AASV Student Seminar, the top 15 abstracts not selected for oral presentation at the annual meeting were eligible to compete in the poster competition. A panel of three AASV veterinarian volunteers, Drs. Mike Eisenmenger, Brooke Kitting, and Whitney Lincoln, interviewed the competing students and scored their posters to determine the scholarship awards. Drs. Andrew Bowman and Justin Brown chaired the competition.