Thomas Dobbins is a Ph.D. candidate in Meat Science at Texas Tech University under the guidance of Dr. Jerrad Legako. Thomas earned his B.S. in Animal Science from the University of Georgia, then attended Mississippi State University where he earned his M.S. in Animal Science with Dr. Derris Burnett. His Masters research focused on understanding how melatonin supplementation during gestation influences pre and postnatal skeletal muscle growth in swine. Thomas's primary research at Texas Tech has focused on the metabolic, muscular, and environmental factors influencing color differences in beef cattle. Thus far, Thomas's efforts have led to 6 peer reviewed journal articles, 15 abstracts, and acquisition of external grant dollars.