Assistant Professor
Dr. David Rosero is an associate professor within the animal science department. Dr. Rosero leads the SAIL team, with research focusing on swine nutrition and smart farming, with special emphasis on developing technologies to improve sow survivability and longevity. Dr. Rosero also teaches ANS 4250: Swine System Management.
Research Scientist I
Sarah Phelps is a Research Scientist in the Department of Animal Science, working with Dr. Rosero. She holds a BS in Animal Science and an MS in Animal Breeding and Genetics from Iowa State University. As part of the SAIL team, Sarah assists in leading research initiatives, mentors undergraduate students, and interprets data from experimental outcomes.
Smart Farming
Bimala Acharya is pursuing a PhD in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology at Iowa State University. Her research focuses on developing Computer Vision technologies to study nutritional and management interventions for fall-behind postweaning pigs.
Sow Livability
Samuel Leiva is pursuing a PhD in Animal Nutrition with emphasis on sow nutrition. His research studies the impact of dietary fiber on sow and litter performance.
Swine Nutrition
Gustavo Lima is pursuing a PhD in Animal Nutrition with an emphasis on Statistics and Economic modeling. His research focuses on developing nutritional strategies using soybean meal that maximize growth performance and nutrient efficiency.
Swine Nutrition
Sarah Rubio is a PhD student in Animal Science, specializing in swine nutrition. Her research focuses on nursery pigs and identifying stress during early stages and its effects on health and performance.
Swine Nutrition
Nathan Vander Werff is pursuing his M.S. in Animal Science with an emphasis on Data Analytics and Modeling. He is passionate about the application of emerging digital tools to improve marketing strategies for swine producers.
Undergraduate Researcher
Cora Berends is a second-year student at Iowa State University majoring in Agricultural Communication. She works on a wide range of communication tasks for SAIL, from creating LinkedIn posts to designing bulletin boards and everything in between. Her favorite part of being involved with SAIL is the supportive and collaborative team.
Undergraduate Researcher
Dacey Henneman is a sophomore studying animal science and is hoping to continue her studies at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. In her free time, she likes to read books as well as watch movies with her friends. She also enjoys taking her dogs, Boots and Luna, to new places.
Undergraduate Researcher
Alexa Huber is a junior majoring in Animal Science on the Pre-Veterinary track. She is currently assisting with the water trial that the SAIL team is conducting. Alexa's favorite part of researching swine is working with the pigs.
Undergraduate Researcher
Jami Keck is a junior in Animal Science on the Pre-Veterinary pathway. She is interested in learning more about the research process in a laboratory setting. She is excited to expand our knowledge of swine through assisting in research studies.
Undergraduate Researcher
Yi Xun Lim is a junior majoring in computer science with a strong interest in exploring new ideas and having new experiences. In his free time, Lim enjoys traveling to different countries to learn about unique cultures and perspectives.
Undergraduate Researcher
Mia Neighbors is a sophomore majoring in Animal Science on the pre-veterinary track. She plans to attend veterinary school and pursue a career as a mixed-animal veterinarian. Mia loves to travel and is planning to study abroad in Thailand during the spring semester. She also enjoys volunteering and is actively involved in leadership roles through Homecoming Central and the Fraternal Values Society.
Undergraduate Researcher
Chris Robinson is a junior in Animal Science on the pre-vet track interested in getting to know the different fields of animal science. In his free time, he enjoys hiking and spending time with friends.
Undergraduate Researcher
Katelin Weber is a junior majoring in Animal Science with a pre-veterinary focus at Iowa State University. She is currently involved in Gustavo Lima’s metabolism trial and Sarah Phelps’ feed trial. Katelin’s favorite part of swine research through the SAIL program is participating in nutrition trials, where she’s gained valuable insight into how diet impacts animal health and performance. Her experience at the farm has deepened her understanding of species-specific nutrition and how dietary adjustments can lead to improved outcomes.