Trent E. Schwartz is a 4th year Ph.D. candidate studying Meat Science and Food Safety under Dr. Jeff Savell and Dr. Kerri Gehring at Texas A&M University. Trent received his undergraduate degree from Angelo State University in Meat and Food Science, along with his masters in Animal Science. While at Angelo State University Trent coached the Intercollegiate Meats Judging team as well as the Meat Science Quiz Bowl team. While at Texas A&M Trent coached the Texas A&M Meat Science Quiz Bowl team to a reserve national championship in 2020. In addition, he has received several awards for graduate student teaching, such as the American Meat Science Association graduate student teaching “Cleaver Award”, the Vice Chancellor’s Distinguished Achievement Award for graduate student teaching, and the Zerle Carpenter Award for most outstanding meat science graduate student in the Texas A&M Department of Animal Science. He has also taught or assisted in over 20 different Agrilife Extension programs relating to the protein sector. Trent was the lead graduate student for the 2022 National Beef Quality Audit which evaluated transportation and mobility, live cattle, harvest defects, and carcass characteristics of the fed cattle market as well as the cow and bull market. His current research is evaluating metabolism factors and their influence on liver abscesses in cattle. Trent works as the research coordinator under Dr. Savell and Dr. Gehring, and after graduation this year plans to pursue a career in teaching and research, with the ultimate goal of becoming a meat science professor.