Makayla Marinaro earned her B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Davis. During her time as an undergraduate, Makayla worked at the UC Davis Health Surgical Research Facility, where she collaborated with various research teams. This experience deepened her understanding of large animal anatomy, anesthetic training, and surgical techniques, while also igniting her passion for research.

Makayla hopes to build on her degree by expanding her understanding on the microbial diversity in the rumen and examining how changes in diet composition impact their diversity and reduce enteric emissions in dairy cattle. In her free time, Makayla enjoys lifting weights at the gym, exploring new hiking trails with friends, reading, and watching baseball.