Faculty

Jan. 10, 2018

Xi Xiong

Educational background Ph.D., Crop Science with an emphasis in Horticulture, Oklahoma State University…

Dean Volenberg

Jan. 10, 2018

Dean Volenberg

Grape quality can be quantified using a number of metrics, the same can be said of wine quality. Since wine quality is directly impacted by grape quality, viticultural management practices play an important role in elevating wine quality. Dean Volenberg’s applied research viticulture program examines the impact of canopy management, vine balance, and integrated pest management practices on grape quality. Although his research is often directed at specific industry concerns having long term implications, his Extension program is dynamic and responsive to seasonal industry needs. Dean has an Extension and research appointment in viticulture and winery operations. His appointment is…

Andrew Thomas smiling.

Jan. 10, 2018

Andrew Thomas

Andrew Thomas enjoys conducting research on a wide variety of horticultural and agroforestry crops and crop production techniques. His main research interests include the development of overlooked native fruit and nut crops with commercial potential, but he also studies aspects of mainstream horticultural crop production. His research projects at the Southwest Research, Extension and Education Center have included black walnuts, pecans, hickories, persimmons, pawpaws, elderberries, blackberries, grapes, apples, tomatoes, melons, asparagus, culinary and medicinal herbs, wildflowers, prairie restoration, wood biomass quantification and high tunnel and solar-heated greenhouse production. Before coming to the Southwest Research, Extension and Education Center in 1996,…

Minviluz (Bing) Stacey smiling.

Jan. 10, 2018

Minviluz (Bing) Stacey

Educational background Ph.D., Microbiology, University of Tennessee B.S., Microbiology, University of the Philippines…

Gary Stacey smiling.

Jan. 10, 2018

Gary Stacey

Gary Stacey is Curators’ Distinguished Professor and Professor of Plant Science and Technology at the University of Missouri-Columbia. His research focuses generally on molecular aspects of plant-microbe interactions, including studies of the beneficial legume-rhizobium symbiosis and plant-fungal pathogen interactions. He has also been instrumental in the development of genomic resources for the study of soybean. He has mentored 51 postdoctoral fellows and 36 Ph.D. and 8 M.S. graduate students. Past postdocs have gone on to start independent careers in academia (e.g., Michigan State Univ., Washington State Univ.), industry, as well as winning the 2005 USA National Medal of Technology, which…

Qisheng Song posing.

Jan. 10, 2018

Qisheng Song

Transformation of an insect from larva to adult, i.e. molting and metamorphosis, is a miracle of biology. Molting and metamorphosis provide insect with an ability to adapt to total different environmental conditions at different stages of its life cycle and is the main reason for the great success of insects on this planet. The molting process is initiated by molting hormone, mainly 20 hydroxyecdysone (20E), and ended up with cuticle sclerotization, regulated by a neuropeptide hormone bursicon. The research interests of my laboratory are mainly focused on molecular mechanisms of 20E and bursicon actions. Specifically, we are investigating the roles…

Reid Smeda smiling.

Jan. 10, 2018

Reid Smeda

Educational background Ph.D., Horticulture (Plant Physiology), Purdue University M.S., Horticulture (Weed Sciences), Michigan State University B.S., Crop and Soil Sciences, Michigan State University Courses taught Principles of Weed Science Weed Science Research Principles and Techniques…

Jan. 10, 2018

Robert Sites

Educational background Ph.D., Washington State University M.S., Southern Illinois University B.S., Southern Illinois University…

Andrew Scaboo

Jan. 10, 2018

Andrew Scaboo

Educational background Ph.D., University of Arkansas, 2010…

Henry T. Nguyen smiling.

Jan. 10, 2018

Henry T. Nguyen

Dr. Henry T. Nguyen is a Distinguished Professor of Plant Genetics at the University of Missouri. He was a founder and served as Director of the National Center for Soybean Biotechnology established by the U.S. Congress for over a decade (2004-2016). Before the current position, Dr. Nguyen was a professor of genetics at Texas Tech University and Texas A&M University System for 18 years. The Board of Regents at Texas Tech University awarded him the Paul Whitfield Horn distinguished professorship. He was awarded the Curators’ distinguished professorship by the University of Missouri in 2015. He has a distinguished career in…