Ecosystems & Environment

July 16, 2024

Lijing Gao

Gao was trained as an agricultural science communication specialist and an environmental sociologist, focusing on the interconnectedness of agricultural systems with socio-economic, political, and ethical decisions. Her current research focuses on understanding perceptions of livestock biotechnology, particularly genome editing. Gao employs a mixed-method approach. Educational background Ph.D. in Sociology and Sustainable Agriculture, Minor in Statistics, Iowa State University (ISU) 2022 Courses taught Sociology of Natural Resources Transition in Agriculture Introduction to Sociology…

Aug. 31, 2023

Jasmine Neupane

  Jasmine Neupane is an Assistant Professor of Agricultural Systems Technology in the Division of Plant Science and Technology. Her faculty appointment includes research and teaching responsibilities in Plant Science and Technology. Before starting her position at University of Missouri-Columbia, Neupane was serving as an Assistant Research Professor of Precision Agriculture at Montana State University. Neupane’s research is at the forefront of agricultural innovation, focusing on seamless integration of advanced agricultural technologies into cropping systems. Her work is driven by a deep commitment to addressing the complex challenges facing modern agriculture, such as increasing food production to feed a growing…

Aug. 30, 2023

Zachary Leasor

Zack is an assistant professor in climate science within the School of Natural Resources. He also works as State Climatologist and director of the Missouri Climate Center. He serves on panels dealing with adverse weather conditions such as drought and flooding. He also works with the National Weather Service offices and regional climate services to provide climate data and prepare special summaries of significant weather and climate events.   Originally from Louisville, Ky., Zack spent the last several years living in Columbus, Ohio, before moving to Missouri during the summer of 2023. Zack received a bachelor’s degree in meteorology, with a minor…

Feb. 6, 2023

Kelly Wilson

Educational background Ph.D. Agricultural Communications, Education, and Leadership, 2019 Courses taught Advanced practices in sustainability and regenerative agriculture…

Nov. 3, 2022

Adrienne Ohler

Educational background Ph.D. Economics, Washington State University, 2009 Courses taught ABM 4360: Energy Markets and Regulation…

Aug. 2, 2022

Allison A. Pease

Pease is an aquatic ecologist who studies how flow alteration, climate change, and other habitat impacts affect river fish populations and communities. Her work is international in scope, with collaborative research in Mexico, Paraguay, and the Republic of Congo. She and her students also carry out local work in the U.S. with clear implications for better understanding and predicting effects of environmental change on fish populations and aquatic food webs. Educational background Ph.D., Texas A&M University Courses taught F_W 2700: Ichthyology F_W 4300: Fisheries Management F_W 4400: Techniques for Fisheries Management and Conservation…

Feb. 21, 2022

Sam Lord

Educational background Ph.D. , University of Missouri, Natural Resources – Emphasis in Soil M.S., University of Missouri, Natural Resources – Emphasis in Soil B.S. 2016, University of Missouri, Soil, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences – Emphasis in Soil Courses taught Soil 2100 Lecture: Introduction to Soil Science Soil 4308/7308: Soil Conservation Soil 4312/7312: Environmental Soil Microbiology…

Sep. 17, 2021

Michael Sunde

Sunde’s research focuses on using quantitative modeling, geospatial and remote sensing approaches to evaluate the impacts of stressors such as urbanization, deforestation and climatic pressures on the environment and to map ecosystems at large scales, with an emphasis on watershed hydrology. His work uses an array of geographic, climatic and remotely sensed data, along with machine learning and physically based models to produce information that can be of utility to planners and decision makers. Educational background Ph.D. Natural Resources, University of Missouri…

Aug. 27, 2021

Jacob Westhoff

The research conducted by Jacob Westhoff primarily focuses on the applied needs of state and federal cooperators as part of the Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. These needs often include study of life history, distribution, habitat use, environmental tolerances, and general ecology of aquatic organisms. Educational background Ph.D., Fisheries and Wildlife, University of Missouri M.S., Biology, Tennessee Technological University…

April 5, 2021

Heike Buecking

Plants are metaorganisms that engage in intimate associations with a wide diversity of microorganisms. Many of these microorganisms are beneficial and help plants to overcome a variety of abiotic and biotic stresses. In our research, we focus particularly on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and nitrogen fixing rhizobia bacteria. AM fungi played a significant role during land plant evolution and form close interactions with the roots of 70% of land plants, including many agronomically important species, such as corn, soybean, or wheat. AM fungi increase the nutrient acquisition of for example phosphate, nitrogen, sulfur, and potassium from the soil, and improve…