I hope your summer was productive and rewarding, wherever your professional and personal paths may have taken you.

We’ve had a busy and exciting year in the School, and below, you will find stories on many recent highlights. Each of these developments reflects our continued commitment to excellence in teaching, research, extension, and service, as emphasized in our recent strategic planning process.

As we look ahead to the coming year, I would ask you to consider supporting the School through a charitable contribution. Your generosity helps to sustain student scholarships, field opportunities, and innovative programming that keep our School strong and nationally competitive.

Thank you, as always, for your continued interest and support.

With warm regards,
Patrick Market
Director, School of Natural Resources

50 years after “Jaws” premiered on the big screen, School of Natural Resources professor continues to sink his teeth into shark research, including species movement and population ecology. Recent stories include:

• From fear to fascination: Mizzou wildlife ecologist challenges misconceptions about sharks
• Mako shark trekking patterns reveal a hidden impact of changing ocean temperatures
• Mizzou researcher helps map global threats to marine megafauna in landmark UN-backed study

The newly patented "Hickman" Walnut is a key step toward expanding Missouri's black walnut industry, offering greater economic opportunities for growers through improved nut production.

Recently, students in Environmental Sciences, Atmosphere emphasis, have helped Mizzou achieve StormReady designation, and worked to create a daily Campus Weather Forecast.

Mizzou ecologist Allison Pease to study how environmental shifts impact freshwater fish biodiversity and food security.

Kate Nelson's research aims to strengthen U.S. agriculture with diversification, rural investment.

SNR professor emeritus Charles Nilon studies how people experience and access parks, helping cities enhance planning and resources.

The Column Award is CAFNR’s highest honor bestowed by the college for outstanding alumni.

Scholarships, support helped launch Kirsten Robinson into her career as a commissioned weather officer.

Katheryn Paullus (BA ’45, MA ’47) Feb. 15, 1924 – April 16, 2024. Paullus was the first woman wildlife graduate student in what was then known as the School of Fisheries and Wildlife, becoming one of the university’s earliest scientists to focus on bobwhite quail. Her research offered early insights that would aid future conservationists and establish avian studies as an important field within wildlife science, a specialty still emerging at the time. Paullus’ 1947 study on quail wing length, molt and productivity, published in Wildlife Review, would still be cited more than 20 years later. Paullus held teaching positions at institutions including Rhodes College, the University of Tennessee at Martin and the University of Colorado. As a member of Colorado’s Foothills Audubon Club, Paullus actively documented local bird species well into her 90s. Read more in MIZZOU magazine Winter 2025 issue.

Jerry J. Presley (BSF ’58) Dec. 17, 1930 – Aug. 9, 2025. Following his Naval service, Presley received a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management at Mizzou and embarked on establishing a personal and professional legacy in conservation. After graduation, he accepted a position with the Missouri Department of Conservation, where he spent the next 39 years building his career and working to protect and manage the fish, forests and wildlife of Missouri. His career with MDC culminated in serving as director from 1988 until his retirement in 1997. Presley was part of the SNR Advisory Council, and instilled a love of the outdoors in his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren through countless hikes, fishing and floating trips and caming adventures. Read more in the Jefferson City News Tribune.

Through the Parks, Recreation, Sport and Tourism degree program, CAFNR students can complete their senior capstone with Mizzou Athletics before potentially moving into a full-time staff role.

Mizzou team scores only one point behind the third-place team.

Lindsey Cunningham, junior environmental sciences major from Springfield, Missouri, studied abroad in Costa Rica over winter break.

Campo graduated in May with a degree in natural resource science and management.

Batson graduated in December with a degree in parks, recreation, sport and tourism.

Xu, the only professor of tourism in the School of Natural Resources, received the award to acknowledge her teaching excellence.

Young, internship supervisor for Parks, Recreation, Sport and Tourism students in the School of Natural Resources, received the award to acknowledge his teaching excellence.

In addition to Greenwood being honored with the top award of the night for staff, additional SNR faculty, staff and students received a number of awards at the College of Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources’ annual Celebration of Excellence awards ceremony:

• Eric Aldrich inducted into CAFNR Teaching Academy
• Samantha Carter receives the 2025 CAFNR William R. Lamberson Distinguished Dissertation Award as part of Celebration of Excellence
• Morgan Davis receives Outstanding Early Investigator Research Award as part of Celebration of Excellence
• Jenna Fusinatto receives Outstanding Undergraduate Advisor Award as part of 2025 Celebration of Excellence
• Chung-Ho Lin receives Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award at Celebration of Excellence 2025
• Sonja Wilhelm Stanis honored with CAFNR’s 2025 Outstanding Senior Teacher Award
• Shuangyu Xu receives 2025 Outstanding Mid-Career Teacher Award

Hank Stelzer receives Donald W. Fancher Provost Award for Outstanding Achievement in Extension and Continuing Education

Jeff Wood recognized by agInnovation North Central