Student Contests

Thank you to our 2025 Graduate Student Presentations Sponsor

2025 Graduate Student Presenters

The 2025 Graduate Student Presenters are (front row, left to right): Lizet Garcia, University of Illinois; Laura Salamanca, University of Illinois; and Sam Fredin, University of Minnesota. Back row: Isaac Rott, University of Minnesota; Matheus Pupo, University of Wisconsin; Shedrack Omale, Iowa State University; Trevor Forgues, Iowa State University; and Brianna Juarez, Iowa State University. Thank you to the Illinois Farm Bureau for sponsoring this event.

2025 Graduate Student Presenters

Matheus Pupo, University of Wisconsin

Isaac Rott, University of Minnesota

Matheus Pupo, University of Wisconsin

Sam Fredin, University of Minnesota

Isaac Rott, University of Minnesota

Matheus Pupo, University of Wisconsin

Isaac Rott, University of Minnesota

Shedrack Omale, Iowa State University

Isaac Rott, University of Minnesota

Laura Salamanca, University of Illinois

Shedrack Omale, Iowa State University

Brianna Juarez, Iowa State University

Shedrack Omale, Iowa State University

Brianna Juarez, Iowa State University

Trevor Forgues, Iowa State University

Lizet Garcia, University of Illinois

Trevor Forgues, Iowa State University

2025 Graduate Student Presentations Winners

The three contest winners and the 3MT planning committee (The three contest winners and the 3MT planning committee (L to R): Fred Hall, Iowa State University; Brianna Juarez, Iowa State University; Shedrack Omale, Iowa State University; Trevor Forgues, Iowa State University; Dr. Derek Nolan, University of Illinois, and Dr. Gail Carpenter, Iowa State University.)

The 3rd Annual Graduate Student Three Minute Thesis (3MT) and poster competition took place alongside the Four State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference. More than 500 attendees gathered to hear the latest ideas on nutrition management from researchers across the country, while 8 graduate students from the 4 partner universities presented their research in a unique format.

Developed by the University of Queensland, the 3MT is similar to an elevator pitch. Students have three minutes and one slide to explain the significance of their research to the dairy industry and the world.

This year’s winner was Shedrack Omale from Iowa State University. Shedrack’s research focuses on changes in gas emissions, dry matter intake, and microalgae residue concentrations in the milk of dairy cows after removing Asparagopsis taxiformis (AT) from their diet. He noted that the effects of feeding AT dissipated within two weeks.

Trevor Forgues from Iowa State University earned second place. Trevor’s research focuses on the effects of nutrition level and the inclusion of direct-fed microbials on calf performance in transportation-stressed calves. He found that calves fed a high plane of nutrition had higher body weights and better performance after weaning.

Brianna Juarez, also from Iowa State University, placed third in the contest. Her research investigated the effects of a liquid molasses-based DCAD supplement on transition cow performance. She discovered that the liquid-based DCAD might influence dry matter intake during early lactation.

Students also presented their research during a poster session for attendees interested in the science behind their work. Conference attendees could also vote for their favorite poster.

This year’s “People’s Choice Award” for the best poster went to Brianna Juarez.

The Four State Dairy Nutrition and Management Committee presented each of the winners with a Steel Cow photo. Illinois Farm Bureau also awarded each of the top three students an award.

Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Summary

June 7, 2023, Grand River Center, Dubuque, IA

Program Coordinators:

Dr. Derek Nolan, Uni. of Illinois; Dr. Gail Carpenter, Iowa State Uni.; Fred M. Hall, Iowa State Uni.

Relevance:

Over the past several years a group on the Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference board has pushed for a youth component to be added to the conference. With board approval a Three-Minute Thesis Contest was organized. The importance of including youth hinges on four importance issues namely: embracing the inclusion of the next generation of graduates in the convention by putting together potential employees with employers; Familiarizing the next generation with one of the largest dairy nutrition and management conference in the United States; Offering the attendees an opportunity to familiarizing themselves with technologies that are used by their next employees. And finally, a competitive thesis contest gives attendees and in-depth look at each candidate and a chance for personal conversations and hopefully on-sight interviews.

Response:

The inaugural edition of the Three-Minute Student Thesis (3MT) contest with a poster component was held in conjunction with the 2023 Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference in Dubuque, Iowa on June 7-8. The 3MT competition was developed by the University of Queensland in Australia and allows students only three minutes to explain their research and why it is important to the industry.

Master’s and PhD students from the four partner universities were invited to develop a poster and present a three-minute presentation on research they had completed. Entries were received from University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The completion allowed students to showcase their research in a way understandable to those outside the academic community.

The presentations were reviewed by two panels of judges and the winning poster was picked by the 482 nutritionists and consultants attending the conference for a “People’s Choice” award.

Results:

The over-all winner was Evan Cole Diepersloot a PhD student from University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also received the “People’s Choice” award. His focus was the effect of monensin and live-cell yeast supplementation on lactation performance, feeding behavior, and total tract nutrient digestibility by dairy cows. He noted supplementing feed additives, like yeast products and ionophores, can enhance feed efficiency and farm profitability.

The second-place winner was Emily Jacobson, a master’s student from University of Minnesota. Her information noted biological rhythms guide physiological processes in organisms across all domains of organisms and circadian rhythms are a subset of biological rhythms that occur every 24 hours. She reviewed the rumen microbiome of cows and how circadian rhythms play an important role in digesting structural carbohydrates and producing microbial protein.

The judging panel included: Devan Paulus Compart, Papillon Agricultural Company; Karen Luchterhand, Novus International, Inc.; Andre Pereira, GPS Dairy Consulting, LLC; and Jordan Hunt, GPS Dairy Consulting, LLC.

Future Plans:

With the success of this first program, it will be part of the 2024 Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference.

Photos from the 2023 Student Contest

The five student competitors plus the event officials(L-R): Fred M. Hall, Iowa State University; Dr. Gail Carpenter, Iowa State University; Kathryn Ruh, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Anay Ravelo, University of Minnesota; Emily Jacobson, University of Minnesota; Lizet Garcia, University of Illinois; Evan Cole Diepersloot, University of Wisconsin -Madison; and Dr. Derek Nolan, University of Illinois.

Dr. Derek Nolan presented the award to E. Cole Diepersloot for over-all winner. Diepersloot also won the “Peoples Choice” award.

Dr. Derek Nolan presented the second-place award to Emily Jacobson, University of Minnesota.

Four State Dairy Nutrition & Management Conference

Graduate Student Presentations

Thank you to our 2025 Graduate Student Presentations Sponsor

2025 Graduate Student Presenters

2025 Graduate Student Presenters

Matheus Pupo, University of Wisconsin

Isaac Rott, University of Minnesota

Matheus Pupo, University of Wisconsin

Sam Fredin, University of Minnesota

Isaac Rott, University of Minnesota

Matheus Pupo, University of Wisconsin

Isaac Rott, University of Minnesota

Isaac Rott, University of Minnesota

Isaac Rott, University of Minnesota

Shedrack Omale, Iowa State University

Shedrack Omale, Iowa State University

Isaac Rott, University of Minnesota

Laura Salamanca, University of Illinois

Shedrack Omale, Iowa State University

Brianna Juarez, Iowa State University

Brianna Juarez, Iowa State University

Shedrack Omale, Iowa State University

Brianna Juarez, Iowa State University

Trevor Forgues, Iowa State University

Trevor Forgues, Iowa State University

Trevor Forgues, Iowa State University

Lizet Garcia, University of Illinois

Trevor Forgues, Iowa State University

Trevor Forgues, Iowa State University

2025 Graduate Student Presentations Winners

Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Summary

June 7, 2023, Grand River Center, Dubuque, IA

Photos from the 2023 Student Contest

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