Kaitlyn Sommer grew up in Dawson, IL, where animal agriculture was always a staple in her life. However, it did not become a passion of hers until attending Purdue University where she received a B.S. in Animal Sciences in 2016. She then went on to work as a feed sales representative in Northwest Indiana. This sparked her interest in animal nutrition, leading her to connect with Dr. Ryan Dilger. Kaitlyn began her graduate studies at the University of Illinois in 2019, earning her M.S. in 2022 and Ph.D. in 2025. Her research explores early-life stressors in pre-wean piglets, examining the effects of nutrition and behavior with applications in both agricultural and biomedical fields. Currently, Kaitlyn is working at Cargill Animal Nutrition where she is working as a research coordinator on the pork team.

Presentation Details
Title: Developmental Impacts of Early-life Rearing Environment and Handling on Growth Performance, Immune Activity, and Stress Responses in Pigs
Session: Swine Translational II
Date: Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Time: 8:00-8:30 AM
Room: 213/214