Schaeffer’s project offers two students practical experience in both biology and research
Friday, October 28, 2005
Upon arriving at Northwestern, one of Visiting Professor of Biology Abe Scheaffer’s professional goals was scientific research. He feels that it is a crucial part of his calling.
“As a scientist, a parallel priority to understanding a new concept in science is also mentoring students along that process,” said Scheaffer.
Last spring Scheaffer made a proposal for his research project on dairy cows to the Faculty Development Committee and was awarded a mini-grant.
But it takes resources to do research. Because of their background in research training in the area of livestock, TransOva Genetics looked to Scheaffer to be an obvious potential partner.
The mini-grant gave junior Jason Helmus and sophomore Laura Rensink, both biology majors, the opportunity to work together with TransOva Genetics, conducting research once a week over the course of the summer at Turner County Dairy in Tea, S.D.
Helmus and Rensink’s objective was to collect data in an attempt to understand what about a given dairy cow, considering her metabolic status, makes her more likely to become pregnant.
“This was a great opportunity to work with TransOva,” said Rensink. “It is a top of the line biotech facility that we are privileged to have around our area, and I am glad that we are working together on this project.”
Scheaffer is glad that Helmus and Rensink are involved because “it’s exposure to a different area of science that they haven’t been engaged in. It also gets them interacting with professionals in the industry.”
Helmus and Rensink are involved in Scheaffer’s directed-study course in which they are continuing with their research by taking the samples they collected over the summer and analyzing them.
“A lot of people do research, but not everyone understands what it means,” said Scheaffer. “What they are trying to do is figure out where the data fits in the big picture.”
As their professor, Scheaffer expected he would have to constantly encourage the student researchers to get work done, but this wasn’t the case. He is excited to see both Helmus and Rensink take ownership of the research.
The students signed onto the research project in April of last year, but it won’t be completed until this March, making it a yearlong endeavor.
Helmus and Rensink will each present a research paper in March to the Midwest Section of the American Society of Animal/Dairy Science. This is an undergrad competition in which there will be representatives from Midwestern universities present.
They will enter the competition unknown, but the representatives there will be looking for grad student potentials, making this a great place to get recognized.
After being awarded the mini-grant, it became possible for Scheaffer to turn his goals into reality. He combined his ambitions with the opportunity to give students on campus practical experience in the field of biology.
“Overall, this experience has taught me many different things about research and science in general that will help me greatly in life,” said Rensink.
“The exposure to research is really good experience for anything we’d want to go into in biology,” said Helmus. “It’s hard to gain experience like that as an undergrad.”
by Nicole Ubben
Published in the Oct. 28, 2005, Beacon and used with permission
“As a scientist, a parallel priority to understanding a new concept in science is also mentoring students along that process,” said Scheaffer.
Last spring Scheaffer made a proposal for his research project on dairy cows to the Faculty Development Committee and was awarded a mini-grant.
But it takes resources to do research. Because of their background in research training in the area of livestock, TransOva Genetics looked to Scheaffer to be an obvious potential partner.
The mini-grant gave junior Jason Helmus and sophomore Laura Rensink, both biology majors, the opportunity to work together with TransOva Genetics, conducting research once a week over the course of the summer at Turner County Dairy in Tea, S.D.
Helmus and Rensink’s objective was to collect data in an attempt to understand what about a given dairy cow, considering her metabolic status, makes her more likely to become pregnant.
“This was a great opportunity to work with TransOva,” said Rensink. “It is a top of the line biotech facility that we are privileged to have around our area, and I am glad that we are working together on this project.”
Scheaffer is glad that Helmus and Rensink are involved because “it’s exposure to a different area of science that they haven’t been engaged in. It also gets them interacting with professionals in the industry.”
Helmus and Rensink are involved in Scheaffer’s directed-study course in which they are continuing with their research by taking the samples they collected over the summer and analyzing them.
“A lot of people do research, but not everyone understands what it means,” said Scheaffer. “What they are trying to do is figure out where the data fits in the big picture.”
As their professor, Scheaffer expected he would have to constantly encourage the student researchers to get work done, but this wasn’t the case. He is excited to see both Helmus and Rensink take ownership of the research.
The students signed onto the research project in April of last year, but it won’t be completed until this March, making it a yearlong endeavor.
Helmus and Rensink will each present a research paper in March to the Midwest Section of the American Society of Animal/Dairy Science. This is an undergrad competition in which there will be representatives from Midwestern universities present.
They will enter the competition unknown, but the representatives there will be looking for grad student potentials, making this a great place to get recognized.
After being awarded the mini-grant, it became possible for Scheaffer to turn his goals into reality. He combined his ambitions with the opportunity to give students on campus practical experience in the field of biology.
“Overall, this experience has taught me many different things about research and science in general that will help me greatly in life,” said Rensink.
“The exposure to research is really good experience for anything we’d want to go into in biology,” said Helmus. “It’s hard to gain experience like that as an undergrad.”
by Nicole Ubben
Published in the Oct. 28, 2005, Beacon and used with permission
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