AVEPM Student Awards at CRWAD 2026

We extend our sincere thanks to all graduate students who submitted oral and poster presentations for consideration in this year’s AVEPM Graduate Student Competition. The quality of the submissions was exceptional, making this a highly competitive year.

Gearhart Award

• Award: Certificate, USD 500 cash prize, and an additional USD 500 to support travel to CRWAD 2026
• Recipient: Alejandra Arevalo, The Ohio State University
  Environmental prevalence of Salmonella Dublin in Midwest U.S. dairy–beef operations: Associations with biosecurity and farm management

AVEPM Graduate Student Awards – Oral Presentations

• 1st place (USD 500) – Seth Arnold, University of Wisconsin
  Outreach and communication regarding mosquito activity and associated disease risk are crucial to inform the public of health risks
• 2nd place (USD 350) – Taylor McAtee, Kansas State University
  Health challenges such as BRD reduce cattle growth and feed efficiency, increasing greenhouse gas emissions per unit of beef produced
• 3rd place (USD 250) – Janice O’Brien, Virginia Tech
  Grain-free diets and their potential association with dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs
• 4th place (USD 250) – Harley Henderson, Texas A&M University
  Complex polymicrobial diseases such as BRD, arthritis, and liver abscesses as leading causes of cattle mortality in North American feedlots

Poster Presentation

• 1st place (USD 350) – Alexandra Pace, University of Idaho
  Wildfires as major sources of air pollutants posing public health hazards

Congratulations to all awardees and sincere thanks to every student who shared their work. Your contributions exemplify the impact of veterinary epidemiology, and we are proud to highlight your achievements!.