Marty Kacsh
McNair Scholar 2023
- Major(s): Animal Science (Pre-Vet)
- Classification: Senior
- Anticipated Graduation Date: Spring 2024
- Career Aspirations: After attaining a bachelor’s degree, Marty will attend vet school to pursue his dream of becoming a large/mixed animal veterinarian, or he will pursue his master’s in animal science and pursuing more research opportunities involving the animal science industry.
“My favorite part about the McNair Scholars Program was getting the chance to conduct research at the undergraduate level. With the support of not only a great group of other undergrad researchers, but also amazing mentors and the McNair staff, it has made for an overall extensive learning process that makes conducting research much more manageable. This program has given me the tools to help further succeed in academia and research as a whole.” -Marty Kacsh
“Establishing Fitness Parameters in University Horses Using Cardiac Evaluation”
Faculty Mentor: Dr. John Pipkin
To test relative fitness in university horses, two groups were put through a standardized exercise test for six weeks to establish variable data points that were submitted for further analysis. Statistical analysis was run using Kruskal-Wallis one-way non-parametric ANOVA testing to answer Objective 1: How does equine fitness change based on time? Objective 2: How do different fitness regiments compare to one another? was answered using a Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test. Statistically, no significance was detected in the data to warrant that time plays a pivotal role in changing fitness. The premise of fitness in university horses needs further research to promote better training methods and prevent exercise induced injury.