LEXINGTON, Ky. – There’s a new program at University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFÉ) that is sure to be enticing to any science-minded student who also loves horses.

The program is called Stable to STEM, or S2S. The program is an effort to bring undergraduate students to Lexington each summer for a nine-week, in-residence research and Extension experience built around horses.

Led by Director of Strategy for Equine Initiatives Meghan Wulster-Radcliffe, Ph.D., and Department of Animal and Food Science professor Kristine Urschel, Ph.D., the program leans on one of Kentucky’s signature industries to introduce students to research, mentorship and UK Extension work in the animal sciences.

“The program will involve and help students in equine research and extension activities,” Wulster-Radcliffe said. “Approximately 10 individuals have signed on across equine activities in the Martin-Gatton CAFÉ to mentor the students. We expect 10 students each year.”

Urschel added, “We expect a deep applicant pool from across the country, as well as here in Kentucky.”

S2S offers hands-on equine research, along with lab and field work. The students will rotate through equine research projects involving nutrition, metabolism, physiology and forage use. The students, Urschel said, will learn lab and field techniques, work in teams, and apply scientific knowledge to practical, industry-partnered projects. All activities will be at the UK equine research farms and labs in Lexington.

Stable to STEM is supported by a five-year, $750,000 grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

An array of industry partners throughout the Lexington area, including Kentucky Extension, will be available to assist the students and show how the scientific knowledge they learn is put to practical use.

“There will be many educational goals reached through this program,” Urschel said. “It will introduce them to research methods, Extension work and data analysis. We’re certain this program will lead them to careers in science, especially in the animal sciences. And, we’re using the horse to get these students interested in science and research in the first place.”

Urschel said the first residential session is scheduled for the summer of 2027.

“Most of the students are likely coming in with an interest in horses and the equine industry,” Urschel said.

“The approach is rather straightforward really, as we’re taking in students who are already drawn to the equine and using the horse to help broaden their world of agricultural and food-system sciences,” Wulster-Radcliffe said. “The students will work as a group and rotate among equine research projects across Martin-Gatton CAFÉ, learning laboratory and field techniques.”

Tutors, or mentors, will be on hand for special guidance. The mentor-to-student ratio is six mentors to 10 students per year. The program is open to all majors, not solely to those in equine studies.

Stable to STEM builds upon the school’s existing Saddle to STEM program, a related UK offering that targets middle- and high-schoolers. The Saddle to STEM program (also spearheaded by Wulster-Radcliffe) began in 2024 and has already had 100 students participate. This particular program was designed to use youth interest in horses and equitation as a gateway to introduce them to animal genetics, agricultural sciences and STEM technologies. This program exposed a diverse youth population into animal agriculture and related sciences through engaging, hands-on activities.

Students in the Saddle to STEM program can partner with animal genetic educators, industry professionals and extension services. Stable to STEM, Wulster-Radcliffe said, takes the interest in equine to a higher level.

“In short, Saddle to STEM’s purpose was to connect youth passion for horses to scientific education and career preparation in animal agriculture,” Wulster-Radcliffe said. “Together, the two programs reflect a single wager being made in the heart of horse country. These animals are already woven into Kentucky’s identity and might also be the ones that draw its next scientists, researchers and Extension professionals.”

Applications for the new program open in mid-October.

Wulster-Radcliffe and Urschel agree that Martin-Gatton is a hot spot for anyone wanting to enter in or expand on their equine studies and research.

“There is so much research that can be done related to the equine,” Urschel said. “There’s the forage research, entomology and the insects that affect the equine health, nutrition, muscular and skeletal research, infectious diseases, immunology, reproduction, equine pharmacology, toxicology, therapeutics and ag economy when it comes to dealing with horses. We feel that University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton is the one-stop for a lot of horse research.”