Me holding up my award after receiving 3rd place in the undergraduate poster competition

Author: Zoe Turner | Major: Animal Science | Semester: Summer 2025

My name is Zoe Turner, and I am a senior animal science major. I travelled to Hollywood, Florida to present a poster on my research investigating the influence of gossypol from cottonseed oil on semen quality in domestic boar as a model for feral hog control. Gossypol is a compound found in the cotton plant that is known to inhibit reproductive function in males across various species. Feral swine are an invasive species in the United States with populations that continue to soar, despite current population control measures. My research aims to determine if gossypol oil may possibly be a suitable contraceptive to utilize for feral hog control.

Through my travel experience, I was able to share my research with experts in the field of animal science and receive both praise and critique on my project. Before presenting, I was both anxious and excited. I was nervous to be questioned and critiqued by experts, fearing I may not know the right answer to every question, but also thrilled at the challenge and idea of discussing my passion project with some of the most renowned individuals in my field of study. I woke up a few hours early on the morning of my presentation, went back over my poster and all the details, then arrived at the ballroom early to check in and view other posters. When my time came to present, I took a few deep breaths as I admired my poster. It was one of the most exciting and proud moments of my collegiate career— to see my months of hard work, late nights, and hours in the lab displayed for students and scientists from across the globe to see. As soon as I began presenting to visitors who approached my poster, all my anxiety melted away. I loved having in-depth discussions about my project with scientists that share my passion for animal science and were able to ask insightful, thoughtful, and complex questions that challenged my knowledge of and perception of my project. I was able to approach the question posed in my research in new ways through the prompting and questioning of other animal scientists. I was complimented on the innovation of my project, my confidence when speaking about it, and my breadth of knowledge about both my project and reproductive science. I was even awarded third place overall in the undergraduate student poster competition for my poster presentation! Presenting and discussing my research made me more confident in my abilities as a student, researcher, and presenter.

My travel had benefits beyond my own presentation, as well. I attended many talks and presentations about cutting-edge research and technology in the field of animal science. One of the most interesting talks I attended was about genetically engineered and cloned pigs that are being utilized for human medical research. I found the crossover between human medical research and animal reproduction and gene editing fascinating! I attended many talks- discussing everything from water’s role in cattle production to aging in elephants. I also expanded my professional network through luncheons and mixers, speaking with a variety of undergraduate and graduate students, professors, and researchers from institutions around the globe.

If I were to advise other undergraduate students who wish to travel and present their research, my biggest emphasis would be this: pick a project you are truly passionate about and evokes your intellectual curiosity, and the rest will come easily from there. I’ve spent countless hours on my project, many of them challenging, daunting, and— at times— frightening. However, I have found that my love for my research has given me immense courage and comfort in those intimidating and demanding moments. The things I was complimented most on while presenting were my smile and obvious enthusiasm for my project. I didn’t know the answer to every question that was posed, but my passion and confidence shone through despite that. I truly believe that zeal was the most monumental influence on my success (although the several practice presentations and hours of studying were also important). Research should be a passion project, not just a box to check off for a resume. That simple idea makes a huge difference in your research, travel, and presentation experiences.

This Fall semester will be my last at the University of Arkansas. I’m currently feeling very conflicted about my upcoming graduation. I’m excited to finalize my research, defend my thesis, and continue to the next step of my educational journey, but I’m also saddened to leave behind the community I’ve established in my academic and personal circles. I was previously planning to apply to veterinary school this application cycle, but after much deliberation, I have decided to take a gap year. I have always had an interest in medicine, but my experiences learning about the overlap of animal science and human medicine have further piqued my interest in human medicine. I now plan to pursue shadowing opportunities with physicians and possibly begin studying for the MCAT to apply to medical school next cycle. I’m nervous about this change, but excited for my future. My research experiences have given me a huge confidence boost and expanded my belief in my personal and academic abilities far beyond what I thought possible when I first stepped foot on campus; My new-found confidence and belief is now allowing me to now take a chance on myself and pivot my career path to one that I feel will be more fulfilling for me. Long story short — research has been one of the most rewarding pieces of my experience at the University of Arkansas. I cannot thank my mentor, Dr. Littlejohn, her lab group (Carson, Jordan, Rachel), my coauthors, the Honors college and Bumpers staff (Dr. Kegley, Dr. Powell, TC, Dr. Hodges) enough for the opportunity to participate in and share ground-breaking, exciting research. Without that support, none of this would have been possible.