Help for heifers
Mallory Heaton investigates bovine fertility
Year in school:
senior
Major:
animal science
Hometown:
Pittsfield, Ill.
Mallory Heaton studies reproduction in beef cows. She spends a lot of time at the University’s research farms, as well as in the lab. Heaton has been doing undergraduate research since 2005. She has worked in the labs of Mike Smith, reproductive physiologist, and John Bader, senior research specialist. Heaton says skills she has gained over the past few years will help with her current research project, which involves doing ultrasounds on heifers to obtain data on reproductive capability.
Q-and-A
Why did you choose Mizzou for college?
I was extremely impressed that the people here at MU were so in tune with helping students achieve their professional goals.
Why did you first choose to get involved in undergrad research, and why have you continued to participate?
I decided to become involved with undergraduate research so I would have a better understanding of the types of things I would be doing if I decide to attend graduate school. So far, what I have been involved with has totally captured my interest and I love research!
What has your experience with faculty mentors been like? What have you learned?
I have never, in my past schooling experiences, had a professor/teacher care so much about what their student is involved with. In other words, never has anyone invested so much time in my educational experience. Without the help that I have been given so far, I would not be where I am today.
What has your research experience been like so far?
All of the research I have done so far requires me to gather information at a farm. The things we have been studying require the use of cows to gain information. Typically this is done at the University’s beef farm or surrounding facilities, which give me the opportunity to get more “hands-on” on Mizzou’s farms. Working with different cows that are out of my norm as well as different barn set ups exposes me to other situations in my area of interest.
When you heard the word “research” before college, what did it mean to you? Has that meaning changed now?
Once I got into research, I realized that actually it’s a lot different than what I expected. There are parts of the projects that have to be done according to the book, but there is the advantage of doing some of the project according to personal preference. I love the freedom of research — if I get results that are not completely expected, they aren’t necessarily wrong. It might just be something new that we are finding out. It’s very cool and incredibly interesting.
Do you have any highlights from your research experience — or anything you wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise?
I think that my involvement in the projects I have been working with has opened a number of doors to other possibilities that I would not have been able to experience. I have met a number of people that I can add to my network and to the list of people I can ask for advice on schooling/educational decisions.
Do you have any advice for other students interested in research?
Find a topic to research that really interests you. There will be a lot of time spent on the projects, and you have to like what you are doing. Also find someone whom you enjoy working with. You can learn a lot from other people’s experiences, and if you like working with them, you’ll probably like talking with them as well about things other than research.
Related Work
Effect of progestin treatment on formation of persistent follicles in beef heifers. Presented at the 2007 Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievements Forum.