Molly McGhee

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I am from the city of West Chicago, Illinois, a western suburb located about forty miles from Chicago. Although I am not from a rural background, I have always been involved with working with animals, especially through my experiences in 4-H. So, attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to study Animal Sciences for my Bachelor’s Degree was a natural transition for me. During my time as an undergraduate, my eyes were opened to the wide scope of careers that focus on providing sustainable, abundant, and safe food sources within the animal agriculture industry. I have a strong passion for both working with animals and supporting the livestock and agriculture industry, which is exactly why I chose to pursue a further degree focusing on animal nutrition in Dr. Stein’s lab.

One of the most significant influences on my decision to pursue a career in Monogastric Nutrition was my experience of working at the U of I Swine Research Center for two years under Dr. Stein. While working at the Swine Research Center, I became familiar with farm and research protocols, gained practical swine husbandry knowledge, and observed and practiced management skills firsthand. At the farm, beyond helping with the day-to-day work, I was also given the opportunity to conduct a growth performance nursery experiment for my James Scholar research project, as well as manage the research on the farm during the summer after graduating from undergrad.  The experience of working under Dr. Stein not only introduced me to the swine industry for the first time, but it also offered me valuable insight to what it’s like to be a graduate student in his lab.  I knew that a research position in Dr. Stein’s lab would afford me the opportunity to grow academically and professionally in an industry that I am very passionate about, so I was honored to be offered a position as a graduate student in the lab.

In 2019, I got my master's degree focused on the nutritional value of hybrid rye, now I am excited to be working toward my Ph.D. in Dr. Stein’s lab group, and I look forward to learning much more about the swine industry.

Molly got her Ph.D. in 2021 and now is working as a Pork Technology Application Lead in Cargill Animal Nutrition, OH.