Sydney S
- Research Program Mentor
DVM candidate at Cornell University
Expertise
Nutrition, Anatomy, Physiology, Histology, Radiology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Veterinary Medicine, Animal Welfare, Shelter Medicine, Veterinary Ethics, Animal Behavior
Bio
Hi there! I am a second-year DVM candidate studying veterinary medicine at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. I'm interested in a wide array of sub-fields, including physiology, nutrition, animal behavior, molecular biology, genetics, and imaging. In the past, I have TA'ed for an undergraduate level animal physiology course and performed research for a summer internship where I worked with Cornell Cooperative Extension to come up with scientifically-backed "best practices" for horse farms in NYS. Animals play a huge role in my life, which is why I want to become a veterinarian. I currently own a black cat named Nyx and an orange cornsnake named Ignis. A fun fact about each of them is that Nyx gives high five's and I take Ignis to outreach events as an ambassador animal to teach children and adults about snakes!Project ideas
Formulate a Canine or Feline Diet for a Special Condition
In this project, the student would first learn about generalized feline or canine nutrition and which pet nutrition resources are science-backed and trustworthy. Next, the student would consider how a specific disease or allergy can be managed through diet, and formulate an example diet that accommodates the condition based on AAFCO guidelines using Excel. At the end of the project, the student should have increased knowledge about nutrition in the species of their choice and the how the special condition they selected can be managed through dietary changes, as well as an example diet that they formulated themself.
Experimental Methods of Stray Animal Sterilization For Population Control Literature Review
Stray animals pose both animal welfare and public health concerns. Currently, spaying and neutering to sterilize stray animals is the mainstream approach to reducing stray populations. However, spaying and neutering is inefficient in that it requires a large amount of time, effort, and resources to catch feral animals, sedate them, perform surgery, and monitor them post-op. Several organizations have been funding research into more efficient sterilization techniques that are less invasive and more practical. In this project, the student would perform a literature review on the ethical problems that stray animals pose and recently published research in trialing new methods of sterilization. The student is expected to evaluate each new method they come across for advantages and disadvantages such as roadblocks to implementing the method, financial feasibility, and how the method could have future impact on new human birth control options.