LAKELAND, Fla. (Feb. 4, 2008) — Ellen Weaver, a junior at Florida Southern College, has been awarded first place for her presentation given at the United States Pony Club (USPC) Research Fair held Jan. 23-27 in Boston. USPC is a world-wide junior equestrian organization for those aged 4-25 that teaches various aspects of the maintenance of horses through instruction and competition. Weaver presented a PowerPoint talk on "The Role of the Caecum in Inducing Laminitis."

Weaver is a biology major who plans to study veterinary medicine. She is also an accomplished equestrian whose interest in horses prompted her to find out more about laminitis, a serious equine disease. Encouraged by her advisor, Dr. John Tripp of the FSC biology department, Weaver undertook a directed study involving a literature review of the proposed causes of the disease. After presenting her findings to her fellow FSC zoology students, the local Pony Club requested she present her study at the national meetings in Boston.

“Attending the meeting and competing in the research fair gave me a wonderful opportunity to see other issues, health and sport related, currently happening in the equine community,” said Weaver. “It also gave me the valuable experience of presenting to a panel of judges and educating people about the concerns involved with laminitis.”

Weaver is the daughter of FSC psychology professor Dr. Christopher Weaver and Linda Weaver, of Lakeland., Fla.