Degree: B.S. Animal and Nutritional Sciences, Equine Studies minor with an emphasis in equine science, May 2021
Career: Taylor is a PhD student at West Virginia University pursuing a master’s in animal physiology. Her thesis focuses on rumen and urine amine/phenol-metabolome analysis of beef steers with divergent feed efficiency phenotype. Taylor plans to continue her work on the improvement of cattle efficiency in relevance to metabolomics and the gut-host immune system on stress, behavior, and other practices. She hopes to use this cattle work to translate to work in equine gut metabolomics.
Undergraduate research/Internships: During undergrad, Taylor was a working student at the JW Ruby Research Farm Horse Unit. She credits her work there to her increased ability to communicate and teach prospective undergraduate students in her field of study. Taylor also participated in a study on the influence of supplementation on divergent microbiomes in the equine cecum that ultimately led her to continue her education at WVU.
WVU Student Organization: Taylor was a member of the WVU Collegiate Horsemen’s Association at WVU which allowed her to gain immense knowledge on the diverse career paths into equine management and care. She shadowed at local veterinary practices, volunteered at local humane societies and attended pre-veterinary symposiums with the club. As a future horse owner herself, she praises this club for exposing her to the horse industry and to making friends who share the same passion.
About Attending WVU: “WVU continues to teach me humility, knowledge, and perspective as a grad student. I grew in ways I didn’t think possible as a first-generation college student from a small town in West Virginia. I will always credit my professionalism, perseverance, and the success to my work at the JW Ruby Research Farm Horse unit and as an equine studies student. I am forever proud to call myself a Mountaineer.”