Peng Tian, an assistant extension professor with CAFNR, received the 2026 Provost’s Award for Creative Extension Programming by New Faculty. 

The award recognizes faculty with current extension assignments who have made exceptional accomplishments in their first four years of service to Mizzou. 

Tian is the director of the University of Missouri’s Plant Diagnostic Clinic. His responsibilities also include participation in the Missouri Integrated Pest Management program and the National Plant Diagnostic Network. 

His extension program provides identification services for plant disease, weeds and insects. It also provides disease management recommendations to growers, agricultural professionals, agribusinesses and various commodity groups in the state. 

Tian’s research program focuses on identifying new plant diseases. He also works to develop innovative methods to characterize and differentiate viral and fungal pathogens in specialty crops. These efforts help address current plant health problems and ensure the quality of agricultural and horticultural production.