In our series “Future is…” everything revolves around the future.
“Future is” is the stage for our young talents who are completing their vocational training at Qualitas AG, expanding their practical know-how during or after their studies with an internship, writing their bachelor’s or master’s thesis with us or starting their professional careers.
Tell us a little bit more about your study in ETHZ. What fascinate you the most?
From an early age on I had a connection to agriculture, especially to farm animals. That’s why I decided to study agricultural sciences. What fascinates me most about my studies at ETH is the interdisciplinarity and the breadth of topics: from agricultural economics to plant and animal sciences. In the master’s degree, I finally decided to specialize in animal sciences, as this is the area that interests me the most. I also appreciated the diversity of topics within this area. The curriculum includes animal nutrition, physiology, and genetics. I also like the future-oriented view that we acquire during our studies.
How did you get the idea to do an internship by Qualitas AG?
As I had already gained some practical experience in the fields of animal nutrition and physiology, for my internship I wanted to do something in the field of genetics. The area of breeding value estimation appealed to me the most, as I personally find the practical and direct application of breeding values for selection very interesting. In the first and second master’s semester, I attended lectures given by Peter von Rohr. I found the lectures very exciting, even if I sometimes didn’t understand the formulas at first ;-). Peter had also presented various projects that are currently underway at Qualitas AG and explained that internships or master’s theses can be done at Qualitas AG. So, I contacted Peter…and here I am.
On what are you working now in Qualitas AG?
My internship project at Qualitas AG is part of the larger project “single-step breeding value estimation”. I am working on the definition of the RPG parameter (Residual Polygenic Effect), which has to be included in the pipeline for single-step breeding value estimation. RPG is important because it blends the genomic information used in the breeding value estimation with pedigree information. Thus, it can avoid a possible overestimation of the breeding values. Specifically, I ran different single-step breeding value estimations for the trait “udder support” for Brown Swiss and Holstein and tested a different RPG value in each run. I then analyzed and compared the produced breeding values and their reliabilities to draw conclusions.
What are you learning through your internship by Qualitas AG?
I benefit from my internship at Qualitas AG in many ways. First, I can gain professional experience, which was not possible during my studies. In this sense, the daily work on a project and the cooperation in the team have helped me enormously. During my studies I could not have guessed what is all behind a breeding value estimation! I think I was also able to improve my computer skills, so I was able to use my R skills and learn how to work with Terminal. I also gained insight into many exciting projects during my time at Qualitas AG and was able to participate in various meetings. For example, I had the opportunity to present my internship project at the ASR research commission, and thus meet new people from the sector.
What are your hobbies?
When I’m at home in the Blenio Valley, you can usually find me in the barn or outside in the meadows. Whether it’s feeding sheep, fencing, or doing whatever else comes up. My family owns a small farm with sheep (my favorites), rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese, a few goats… and in the future maybe alpacas or cattle? We’ll see :-). In summer I enjoy our beautiful nature and love to go hiking. In winter you can find me cross-country skiing or even in the warm indoor swimming pool, where I like to swim a few lanes. In between, to satisfy my hunger, I also like to stand in the kitchen and try out new recipes.
