Kristine Ely
Faculty Mentor
John Fike
Professor
Research Areas/Interests
Sustainable livestock management, equine nutrition
How long have you been in your postdoctoral position at Virginia Tech?
Began in February 2024
Briefly describe the research project you are working on as a postdoctoral associate at Virginia Tech. What is the problem you are addressing? What is the expected impact of your work?
My primary project is looking at the environmental and economic impacts of winter feeding practices in beef cattle, specifically bale grazing. In addition, I've received funding to explore the effects of different bedding types in horse stalls and the influence on nutrient composition in compost and after land application. The problem our lab is primarily interested in addressing is developing sustainable land management practices for grazing animals that balance the benefits to the environment, animal, and producer. Our goal is encourage adoption of these best management practices, which in turn will facilitate greater environmental stewardship.
Why did you choose to pursue postdoctoral training at Virginia Tech?
I chose Virginia Tech for the opportunity to work with my mentor, John Fike, and the resources available, notably the Middleburg Agriculture Research and Extension Center (aka MARE Center) led me to Virginia Tech specifically.
What are your career goals?
I hope to land a career that allows me to pursue my passions and includes an outreach piece where I can still work with and provide education to the public.
How do you see the resources available to postdoctoral associates at Virginia Tech generally and via this program specifically being helpful to your career and professional development?
There are a wealth of resources available to postdocs at Virginia Tech. With being stationed nearly 4 hours from campus, it is challenging to utilize many of these resources but that it why this program will be beneficial to my professional development.