New competitions enhance Phi Zeta Day celebration

Dr. Ana Bascunan, right, received first place in the “Best in Show” competition, featuring top graduate students representing all four college departments. At left is Dr. Ammon Peck, associate dean for research and graduate studies.

Several awards for excellence in research were given this year to UF College of Veterinary Medicine faculty, graduate students, postdoctoral students, house officers and D.V.M. students on April 13-14 during Phi Zeta Research Day activities.

This year’s event, sponsored by the Office of Research and Graduate Studies at the college, featured two new award categories, one an expanded poster competition with cash prizes, and the other a new D.V.M. student “Top Dog” competition with cash awards.

Graduate students, postdoctoral students, residents, interns and D.V.M. students were all able to participate in the new poster competition, which was held as a catered evening event. Prizes were awarded to the top first, second and third-place posters in each category.

In addition to these new categories, the “Best in Show” competition, now in its third year, featured presentations by graduate students, with one representing each of the college’s four departments.

All presentations were judged by a faculty panel, and each representative had to compete within his or her respective department before competing in the collegewide competion. Photos from the event are on Facebook here.

And the winners were:

Best in Show

First Place: Ana Bascunan (Small Animal Clinical Sciences)
Second Place: Ley Cody Smith (Physiological Sciences)
Department Winner: Jessica Jacob (Infectious Diseases and Pathology)
Department Winner: Anje Bauck (Large Animal Clinical Sciences)

Rachel Corlett, left, received first place in the “Top Dog” D.V.M. student competition. At her right is Dr. Ammon Peck, associate dean for research and graduate studies.

D.V.M. student “Top Dog” competition