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Professor to bike Pacific Northwest for charity Tom Cruise
News Editor While UT donors break records for the amount raised this fiscal year, one UT professor looks to raise money for a different cause. 500 miles in five days is the goal for Assistant Professor of Zoo Medicine Andrew Cushing. Cushing, along with four colleagues, will attempt to bike 500 miles up the U.S. West Coast from Portland, Oregon, to Seattle, Washington, in order to raise money and awareness for animals. He plans to send all proceeds raised by donors and supporters of his cause to the Wild Animal Health Fund. Each year, the Wild Animal Health Fund allows zoos and wildlife professionals to conduct research that may have been unobtainable without fiscal assistance. Recently, the fund has supported research for sea turtles, manatees and island foxes. While admitting a lack of preparedness for the cycling event, Cushing
expressed his dedication to the cause and the positive outcome of the grant. “I haven’t been training as much as I should,” Cushing said. “But I know how important this grant is and can be, that’s why we do it.” Cushing and his cycling team hope to bike in blocks of 20 miles each day. They will begin approximately 6 a.m. and travel the first 20 miles before stopping to eat. This schedule will continue until their goal is met. This is not the first major cycling event Cushing has been involved in; he biked across Europe last year. He hopes to participate in these sort of events as often as possible. “I think we will see how well this year goes,” Cushing said. “Next year we may start in Salt Lake City.” Cushing explained how, through the Wild Animal Health Fund, he provided research for a vaccine to combat the West Nile Virus in penguins. He said this shows the diverse opportunities the fund could provide. “The West Nile Virus is becoming
more of a concern,” Cushing said. “They make vaccines for horses, but nothing for penguins.” Although animal research can draw up tension and concern among many animal enthusiasts, the Wild Animal Health Fund has shared hope of curing diseases, preventing chronic illness and pain management animals often face. “Research for zoo animals can sound horrendous,” Cushing said. “This is aimed to very conservation based projects.” Professor of Zoo Medicine Ed Ramsay shared his own hope of applying for the grant and the benefits it offers. “This is definitely something I am looking to apply for in the future,” Ramsay said. “There are very few opportunities for zoo research funding, so this is a very valuable addition for research.” For those interested in donating to the cause, Cushing recommended going online to the Wild Animal Health Fund and to do so. The fund is provided by the American Association of Zoo Vets.
Lauren Ratliff • The Daily Beacon
Volume 132 Issue 6
utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon
Wednesday, August 24, 2016