Amarachi Uche-Eboh from Lubbock’s Talkington School for Young Women Leaders coupled two years of tough academic work and a close relationship with a premier Texas Tech Department of Animal & Food Sciences research laboratory into a top place win in the Research-Animal Systems (Division 5) Category of the 2024 National FFA Agriscience Fair.
The honor was presented on Thursday (Oct. 24) at the 97th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana. The major agriscience fair recognizes students who gain real-world, hands-on experiences in agricultural enterprises.
Students use scientific principles and emerging technologies to solve complex problems related to agriculture, food and natural resources.
Uche-Eboh’s research presentation centered on the gas production kinetics with focus on methane from manure sourced from cattle, pigs, or its combination, to be used as a renewable source of energy.
Uche-Eboh track toward top-flight academics was aided by Conner McKinzie, an agricultural science teacher at her school. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in animal science, both from Texas Tech. Uche-Eboh conducted her almost two-year long project within the Department of Animal & Food Sciences Associate Professor Jhones Sarturi’s Ruminant Nutrition Laboratory on the Texas Tech campus. One of Sarturi’s graduate students, Bharathwaj Polepalle, served as Uche-Eboh’s lab analysis mentor.
“Great job conducted by Amarachi,” said Sarturi, who serves as an Associate Professor of Beef Cattle Nutrition & Metabolism. “It is amazing how students can be empowered by great mentors such as Mr. McKinzie, as well as students in training to be future industry leaders, such as Bharathwaj,”
“They all volunteered for this journey, much longer than anyone would expect, and with absolutely no guarantees of success,” he added “Perhaps this is the definition of job well done. Not solely because of the prize, but rather all it entails to reach it.”
Sarturi is a nationally recognized expert in beef cattle nutrition and metabolism. Recent honors include the Davis College International Impact Award (2024) and being named a national E. Kika De La Garza Fellow (2023). His research focuses on beef cattle nutrition, ruminal metabolism, and digestive physiology. His Ph.D. in animal science is from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Uche-Eboh said she got the idea for her project from her family’s background being from rural Nigeria. Another positive has been Texas Tech’s partnership with the Lubbock ISD Agri-STEM Center, which has provided resources and connections for the student’s research on ecological-conscious projects. Launched in 2023, the $10.5 million, 44-acre facility was built with the goal of preparing students for a future in agriculture.
“When meeting professors at Texas Tech, you get a glimpse about college life – the research opportunities that are available and the classroom opportunities – before actually going into college,” Uche-Eboh said in a recent issue of Davis College’s The Agriculturist magazine.
CONTACT: Jhones Sarturi, Beef Cattle Nutrition & Metabolism Associate Professor, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-4926 or j.sarturi@ttu.edu
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