Breyer Ott participated in Iowa State University's Science with Practice program.

2016 Dec 9

Breyer Ott, Animal Science at Iowa State University, was a participant of Science with Practice. Science with Practice is a learning and work experience program in research and related laboratories for undergraduate students. Students work closely with faculty and graduate students to gain experience in their field of study.

Students are able to conduct research and form mentoring relationships with faculty while earning money and academic credit. The program allows students to develop an understanding of the links between research and practical real-world situations and problems.

Ott was advised by Dr. Julie Kuhlman, assistant professor in Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology, on a project titled "Investigating Various Feeding Regiments in Juvenile Zebrafish." This project was dependent on successfully raising the zebrafish from larvae to adulthood. Dr. Kuhlman’s lab aims to understand enteric nervous system (ENS) development in zebrafish. The goal of the project was to study how various types of food affect the growth of juvenile zebrafish.

In total, nearly 20 undergraduate student and 24 mentors participated in the program during Fall 2016. As part of the program, students establish individualized learning agreements with faculty mentors, create a final portfolio and complete biweekly journals of their semester progress. The semester concludes with a public poster presentation where students share their projects and experiences.

The Science with Practice program, administered through the Department of Agricultural Education and Studies, has linked students with faculty research for over 10 years. Students may participate in the program multiple semesters. For more information visit https://www.ageds.iastate.edu/content/science-practice-swp.

This program is funded by the ISU Agricultural Endowment Board, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Van Wert Family Endowment.