Boehringer-Ingelheim is cooperating with the USDA Agricultural Research Service to expand an existing program to train veterinary students. The Company will cover costs for the students including a monthly stipend during the summer and expenses associated with travel and subsistence to one of nine USDA research centers.
USDA funding for the program is part of the Agrosecurity Partnerships for Innovative Research (ASPIRE). The Veterinary Scholars Program will be funded through the agreement for five years. The objective will be to improve collaboration among national and international colleges of veterinary medicine to provide students with research opportunities. Of special interest to the poultry industry will be activities at the Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory in Athens, GA; the National Animal Diseases Center in Ames, IA. and the National Bio and Agri-Defense Facility in Manhattan, KS.
Dr. Roxann Motroni, National Program Leader for Animal Health at the USDA stated, “This program allows us to be responsive to emerging One Health disease threats by quickly implementing research needed to inform emergency response. Through this partnership with the Boehringer-Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars Program, students across the country will have the opportunity to train with leading veterinary scientists.”