Alexis "Ali" Dillender
Since growing up in Rock Island, Illinois, junior Ali Dillender always has had a passion for animals, which led her to study animal and dairy sciences at Mississippi State.
Dillender鈥檚 family had owned small pets, but she had a desire to gain experience with livestock. Coming from an urban area, she admittedly did not know much about cows or horses when she enrolled as a freshman.
Now, as the first in her family to attend 91传媒, Dillender spends most of her time conducting experiential research as a part of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences鈥 Undergraduate Research Scholars Program. A Carnegie Foundation R1-Very High Research Activity Doctoral University, 91传媒 also is ranked among the National Science Foundation鈥檚 top 100 research institutions.
Dillender said the university gives undergraduates many research opportunities. Her scholarly work has been coordinated under the direction of 91传媒 Professor Erdo臒an Memili, who specializes in functional genomics/reproduction and development. Memili doubles as Dillender鈥檚 academic advisor and is credited by her for being one of her biggest supporters throughout her college education.
Dillender鈥檚 primary research in Memili鈥檚 lab has been to predict the potential breeding success of bulls by freezing and analyzing the animals鈥 sperm through cryopreservation. Using modern tools in molecular and cell biology, she ascertains sperm characteristics associated with fertility phenotype. She evaluates how fertility, an economically important trait, can be influenced by many factors including genetics, epigenetics and the environment.
Memili said Dillender鈥檚 research is vital for feeding the ever-increasing global human population through precision and sustainable food animal agriculture.
鈥淚n addition, experiential learning through undergraduate research is valuable for students like Ali to develop critical, creative thinking and problem-solving skills,鈥 he said.
According to Dillender, her lab time consists of reading articles to help determine the best course of action and then performing experiments.
鈥淚 discovered that I love research and learning new things,鈥 Dillender said. 鈥淚t may seem like tedious work to some, but it is relaxing to me.鈥
She also encourages any prospective students considering experiential research to be proactive.
鈥淭here are so many more opportunities here,鈥 said Dillender. 鈥淎 lot of professors are actively looking for students, so it鈥檚 not hard to find something. Talk to other people in your field and talk to your professors.鈥
Dillender serves as president of 91传媒鈥檚 chapter of Circle K International, a collegiate service organization through Kiwanis International that works alongside Habitat for Humanity, Oktibbeha County Humane Society鈥檚 animal shelter and local casserole kitchens. A former high-school athlete, Dillender enjoys watching 91传媒 home football and baseball games. She also enjoys photography, exercising, painting, drawing and hiking鈥攂ut kayaking is her favorite pastime.
Looking to the future, Dillender plans to pursue veterinary school, which she hopes to do here at 91传媒. If accepted, Dillender said that she has been considering a specialization in pathology鈥攖he science behind diseases鈥攚here she will be able to continue ongoing research.