Emma Ihnen completed her freshman year majoring in animal science with future plans to attend veterinary school. She has recently been awarded the Wentz-Griswold Agricultural Undergraduate Research Scholars award. This award was created to fund and involve undergraduate students in research projects.
Ihnen grew up in the Waterloo, Iowa area and went to high school at Waverly-Shell Rock. Emma found an interest in animal science by taking agriculture classes in high school. Many of her friends and family have attended Iowa State University and loved their time, which inspired her to enroll. Although she did not grow up with an animal agriculture background, she has loved diving into everything related to animal science in her first year at Iowa State. Ihnen currently works at Iowa Equine in Huxley, where she does foaling watch. This position has piqued her interest in equine medicine specifically.
Emma decided to pursue the Wentz-Griswold Agricultural Undergraduate Research Scholars award to gain more experience in animal science research and to prepare herself for a future veterinary career. Ihnen’s research project follows “Listeria Stress Response to Food Production Environment Conditions” and is under the supervision of Daniel Unruh, Assistant Professor of Animal Science.
Ihnen has gained valuable time management skills while navigating her class schedule with her research work. She has times throughout the week that are dedicated to the research project, but she tries to make it into the lab as much as she can. Due to the award opening doors for research funding, it has become a consistent priority in her life. Emma’s favorite part of being involved in this research project is gaining new knowledge and skills related to lab work. This award has also helped her narrow down what she wants to pursue in animal science for the future.
While not expecting to become involved in Microbiology and Meat Science, Emma welcomed the opportunity to grow and try something new. Her advice to other students who are considering becoming involved in undergraduate research is to be open to anything. “My advice would be to get out there and do it, and just email anyone and everyone. Say yes to whatever opportunity comes up.”
You can also find Emma on campus with her involvement in the Pre-Vet Club and Vets Without Borders. She volunteers her time helping rescue animals and even studied abroad last semester in Peru, where she enjoyed interacting with alpacas. Ihnen is also employed at the Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine where she assists in researching pigs.
Emma Ihnen on her advice to incoming freshmen: “Do everything, be open to anything, talk to everybody.”
To learn more about the Wentz-Griswold Agricultural Undergraduate Research Scholars award, follow this link: https://www.cals.iastate.edu/news/2026/inaugural-wentz-griswold-scholars-cohort-announced