MSTPets: Part 2
MSTPets
Here’s an ode to our furry (or not so furry) friends who help us study for anatomy practicals, keep us company while we write our papers and thesis dissertations, and welcome us home after a long shift on surgery.
MSTPet: Mildred P. Dog (Tennessee Brown Dog)
MSTParent: Ben Fensterheim (G3)
Age: 4 years old
Area of Research: Improving Treat Reception
Fun Fact: Millie is particularly fond of human cuddling, getting her lower back scratched, and licking the floor while people are cooking.
MSTPet: Percy Warner McGraepel (African Pygmy Hedgehog)
Age: 29 months old
MSTParent: Kevin Graepel (G3)
Specific Aims: (i) Strategies for Maximizing his Parents’ Cleaning Frequency of a Hedgehog Cage and (ii) Rate Optimization of Wheel Running to Balance Cardiovascular Conditioning with Caloric Intake
Hobbies: Running in own fecal matter, being adorable, schnarfling
Favorite Foods: Mealworms, gluten free cat food, microwaved apples
Fun Fact: Percy loves to ride in the car but remains bitter that hedgehogs cannot obtain a driver’s license in Tennessee.
MSTPet: Leo “The Governor”
MSTParent: Shan Parikh (G4)
Age: 3 years old
First Publication: Assessing Consequences of Various Feline-Cucumber Interactions (His research has influenced generations of videos including these: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BRp7ezUqbI)
Fun Fact: Leo visits me from Philly and manages my house. His favorite spot is the railing that overlooks all of my downstairs.
MSTPet: Moose
Age: 4 years old
MSTParent: Gabriella DiCarlo (G2)
Research Interests: (i) Optimum Soil Conditions for Bone Burying and (ii) Methods for Rapidly Detecting the Angular Momentum of Frisbees to Improve Catch Accuracy
Fun Fact: Moose was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and came to the U.S. when she was 3 months old. She is, unfortunately, not bilingual.
MSTPet: George Foreman Grill II (Beta Fish)
MSTParent: Shan Parikh (G4)
Age: 2 years old
Research Interest: Optimization of Oil Temperature for Bird Fry Perfection
George Says: “I like big gills, and I cannot lie.”
MSTPet: Apollo
Age: 1 year old
MSTParent: Bridget Collins (M2)
Thesis Title: Behavioral Outcomes of Prolonged Exposure to Catnip
MSTPets: Simon and Roy VanHouten
Ages: 4 years old (Simon) and 9 years old (Roy)
MSTParents: Jacob VanHouten (M3) and Courtney VanHouten (MA Student)
Research Interests: Social Determinants of Vomiting (Simon) and Probabilistic Models of Urinary Retention (Roy)
Fun Fact 1: Roy was rescued from under Courtney's house during a rainstorm and is easily the most appreciative and loving cat ever.
Fun Fact 2: Simon is the cat equivalent of a Viking overlord; he was brought into our family after attacking Jacob's foot repeatedly during a family visit.
Stay tuned for the next group of MSTPets in the September newsletter!