Dr. Eckelkamp grew up in the South, from Texas to New Mexico and Louisiana. She began her dairy career as a freshman at Louisiana State University working at the university dairy feeding calves, milking cows, and participating in research projects. Participating in research at LSU led her to pursue at M.S. degree at the University of Kentucky.
Throughout her M.S. and Ph.D. she focused on applied research with dairy farmers throughout the state. She studied the effects of freestall and compost bedded back barn housing on dairy cattle health and milk quality. From there she transitioned into her Ph.D. focusing on how farmers incorporated precision dairy technologies for health detection into their operations. Her M.S. and Ph.D. allowed her to work closely with dairy farmers and extension personnel.
From her studies and experiences with farmers, she has learned to take a whole systems approach when dealing with dairy questions or pursuing research interests. Specifically, she focuses on providing applied research for farmers to improve their operations.