Purina Mills, Inc. has awarded one of three 1999/2000 Purina Mills Research Fellowships to Brett A. Gardner. He is currently conducting research on the impact of growth stimulants and ionophores on energy requirements, as well as nutrition and diet effects on performance, carcass characteristics, and net return. In addition, he is studying the effect of calf health during the growing and finishing periods on feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, and net return, and implant protocol, type, and frequency on the performance of steers during the backgrounding and finishing periods. Gardner is pursuing his Ph.D. degree in animal nutrition at Oklahoma State University. He works under the supervision of Frederic N. Owens. Gardner has authored several articles. He received his M.S. degree in meat science studying the impact of steer health on performance and carcass measurements in 1997 from Oklahoma State University, and earned a B.S. at Oklahoma State University in 1994. Brett's hometown is Sharon, Oklahoma. Gardner is a member of the American Society of Animal Science and the American Dairy Science Association. Upon completion of his Ph.D. degree, he plans to pursue a career with either a university or a segment of the food-producing industry that will enable him to be directly involved in educating beef producers; in developing a research program focused on enhancing production and addressing nutritional effects on meat quality; and in improving the interface between livestock breeders, growers, finishers, processors, and consumers.