Hello everyone! My name is Elizabeth Liu and I’m a 3rd year ABI student. Through my time at UC Davis, I’ve interned at a wildlife rehabilitation center in Costa Rica and got to work with exotic animals like sloths and kinkajous as part of a study abroad program. I’ve also led the halter breaking internship with the dairy cows as a student coordinator, for the Dairy Cattle Judging contest as part of FFA Field Day. There, I learned how to handle, halter break, and groom the cows. This experience with the dairy cows led me to apply to Hess Lab, which works with ruminants and feed additives to try and reduce their methane emissions. Currently, I am doing my practicum project on the prospect of using agave (fermented or unfermented) as a feed additive to reduce the amount of methane produced by dairy cattle. Additionally, I am the president of the Animal Biology Club where we do fun, animal-related activities biweekly and get to know other people in ABI. 

Through the ABI major, I have learned a lot about the process of research. The classes have prepared me to go through the scientific method, write manuscripts, and give presentations in a cohesive and clear manner. Additionally, the freedom of ABI’s restricted electives has allowed me to dive deeper into my area of interest, which is microbiome-host interactions. Through my restricted electives, I’ve gotten to take a lot of fun and interesting classes regarding how microbes and their host can interact. 

After I graduate, I plan to take two gap years and apply for vet school during that time. I also intend to stay at Hess Lab and work part-time as a junior specialist, while looking for clinical vet experience around Davis. This major has helped a ton by informing me about research or animal-related opportunities at UC Davis, which have helped me get to where I am today.