Contact: Sasha Steinberg

STARKVILLE, Miss.—A doctoral student in Mississippi State’s College of Veterinary Medicine is receiving a prestigious award for exceptional research in the field of animal behavior.

Tobi Ku Sones of Columbus will visit Washington, D.C., July 30-Aug. 1 to formally accept the Whitney Joy Engler Memorial Veterinary Student Research Award from the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists at the 12th International Veterinary Behavior Meeting.

Along with receiving an award plaque and $1,000 check, Sones has been invited to present research from her study titled “Positive reinforcement of a foundation behavior to reduce perceived anxiety of kenneled dogs.” She completed this work last year as part of the MSU CVM’s Summer Research Experience Program.

“Presentation of this research will be beneficial to representing Mississippi State’s achievements in the growing field of veterinary behavior medicine to an international audience of researchers and clinicians,” Sones said. Her participation in the ACVB meeting is made possible with a Graduate Student Travel Assistance Grant from MSU’s Graduate School and support from the MSU CVM’s Office of Research and Graduate Studies.

Co-authors for Sones’ study include Dr. Christine D. Calder, assistant clinical professor in CVM’s clinical sciences department, and Dr. Lucy H. Senter, director of animal resources/attending and lab animal veterinarian in the university’s Office of Research and Economic Development.

Sones has served as vice president of two CVM student chapters—the American Association of Feline Practitioners and Christian Veterinary Fellowship. She also served as treasurer of the university’s Veterinary Business Management Association student organization.

For more on MSU’s Graduate School, visit www.grad.msstate.edu; College of Veterinary Medicine, www.cvm.msstate.edu.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.