Division of Applied Social Sciences

Nov. 20, 2020

Austin Sanders Receives Distinguished Thesis Award as Part of 2020 Celebration of Excellence

Austin Sanders received the 2020 Distinguished Thesis Award as part of this year’s virtual CAFNR Celebration of Excellence Awards. Sanders graduated with his Master’s in agricultural and applied economics from CAFNR in spring 2020. During the course of his Masters program, his thesis research was guided by his supervisor, Sarah Low, associate professor in the Division of Applied Social Sciences. He received his Bachelor’s in political science from Mizzou in 2015. Both Sanders and Low were honored as part of Celebration of Excellence. Sanders’s thesis, Rural Agglomeration: How Does the Distribution of People Across Rural America Affect Entrepreneurship, researches how…

Nov. 17, 2020

Michael Sykuta Receives Outstanding Senior Teaching Award as Part of 2020 Celebration of Excellence

Michael Sykuta, associate professor of agricultural and applied economics in the Division of Applied Social Sciences (DASS), received the Outstanding Senior Teaching Award during CAFNR’s 2020 virtual Celebration of Excellence awards celebration. Sykuta received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and his master’s degree and PhD from Washington University, with all three degrees coming in economics. He joined the University of Missouri in 1998 as an assistant professor before becoming an associate professor in 2005. Sykuta has served as graduate faculty since 1998 and doctoral faculty since 1999. He is the director of undergraduate studies in agribusiness…

Nov. 5, 2020

Hua Qin Wins National Excellence Award as Part of Research Team

Hua Qin, associate professor of environmental and resource sociology/demography in the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Division of Applied Social Sciences (DASS), is part of a multidisciplinary, multi-institution research team that was recently awarded the National Excellence in Multistate Research Award from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This prestigious and highly competitive award recognizes scientists who conduct exemplary research and outreach efforts across multiple states and in doing so enhance the visibility of USDA multistate programs. The team was awarded the Western Region Excellence…

Sep. 22, 2020

John Tummons Receives 2020 NAAE Region IV Outstanding Service Citation

John Tummons, assistant agricultural education and leadership teaching professor, received the 2020 Region IV Outstanding Service Citation from the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) earlier this summer. The award, sponsored by Goodheart-Willcox, recognizes those who have provided services to agricultural educators, agricultural programs or agricultural student organizations and have attained leadership in professional organizations.

Sep. 22, 2020

Michael Cook Receives Best Paper Award for Co-Authored Study

Michael Cook, agricultural and applied economics professor and Partridge Chair of Cooperative Leadership, co-authored a study that received a Best Paper, Strategy Division award at the Academy of Management 2020 annual meeting in August. The paper, titled “From Instrumental to Normative Relational Strategies: A Study of Open Buyer-Supplier Relations,” takes a case study approach to examine the open vertical and horizontal relational strategy used by Natura, a company in the cosmetic industry.

June 2, 2020

Harvey James Receives Richard P. Haynes Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award in Agriculture, Food, and Human Values

Harvey James, professor of agricultural and applied economics, and associate director in the Division of Applied Social Sciences, was recently honored with the 2020 Richard P. Haynes Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award in Agriculture, Food, and Human Values from the Agriculture, Food & Human Values Society (AFHVS). The award honors persons, who in their careers, have made outstanding contributions towards realizing the goals of the AFHVS through research, teaching, extension, public service or public policy. Nominations highlighted the impact of James’ research about fairness, trust, conflict, democratic governance and morality and his courses that focus on the ethical dimensions of agriculture…

May 12, 2020

Jason Entsminger Receives Catalyst Award

Jason Entsminger, a PhD student in the Division of Applied Social Sciences (Managerial, Behavioral & Organizational Economics), recently received the Catalyst Award from the Mizzou LGBTQ Resource Center. Entsminger is an active leader in Students for Cultivating Change at Mizzou. Established in 1998, Catalyst Awards is an annual event aimed at bringing together LGBTQ activists, volunteers, students and community members. Any group, individual or event may be nominated for a Catalyst Award, which is reviewed by a committee overseen by the LGBTQ Resource Center Coordinator.

Feb. 7, 2020

Alan Spell

Alan Spell is an Assistant Extension Professor within the Division of Applied Social Sciences. He specializes in economic and industry research for MU Extension’s Exceed program. Spell’s work includes publishing the monthly Missouri Economy Indicator briefs, conducting broadband studies and industry economic impact analyses, and providing data training. Prior to 2020, Spell led the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC). He and his staff provided economic and workforce analysis to policymakers and the public. Spell is a certified Economic Research Professional and holds degrees in economics and landscape architecture. He has worked in economic development research for over 25…

Sep. 18, 2019

Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) Celebrates its 35th Anniversary

This year, the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) celebrates its 35th anniversary. With its more than 20 contributing faculty, staff and students, FAPRI works with Congress to shape U.S. farm policy. It provides objective analysis of agricultural markets and policies and uses economic models to estimate how those policies affect consumers and markets. Access more information about the institute and its work at fapri.missouri.edu.

July 16, 2019

Mallory Lynn Rahe

Mallory Rahe is an associate extension professor at the University of Missouri. She approaches her work in the area of regional and agricultural economic development with an emphasis on assisting producers or stakeholders that are engaging in on-farm investments or considering public investment options. She provides applied research, data analysis and trends, and supports strategic decision making. She has worked on a variety of value-added industry studies, studied farmers market vendor sales and retention, rural population migration and retention, and implemented a regional rural wealth creation program. Her research is often undertaken collaboratively with partner organizations. Educational background Ph.D. University…