Accolades
April 12, 2023
Hank Stelzer Named J.W. Burch Specialist at 2023 Celebration of Excellence
Hank Stelzer is the 2023 recipient of the J.W. Burch State Specialist Agricultural Extension Award, presented at CAFNR’s Celebration of Excellence event April 11. Stelzer is an associate professor of forestry extension and education director of MU Extension’s natural resources program area. He is active in several professional associations including the International Society of Arboriculture and the Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals and has received the Karkhagne Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Missouri Society of American Foresters. Stelzer has been instrumental in establishing numerous programs that improve the management of Missouri’s natural resources. He…
April 12, 2023
Jeff Wood Received Early Investigator Research Award as Part of 2023 Celebration of Excellence
Jeff Wood received the 2023 CAFNR Early Investigator Research Award at the Celebration of Excellence ceremony April 11. Wood is assistant professor in the School of Natural Resources and an ecosystem scientist who studies carbon, nitrogen, water, and other mass and energy exchanges between the biosphere and the atmosphere in relation to global climate change. He manages Baskett Forest’s 106-foot-tall, instrumented tower “MOFLUX,” which measures the carbon and water balance of Missouri’s oak-hickory forests and is part of the Ameriflux network of over 110 field sites throughout the Americas. Wood has published 43 papers in…
April 12, 2023
Amanda Alexander Received Outstanding Undergraduate Advisor Award as Part of 2023 Celebration of Excellence
Amanda Alexander, associate teaching professor, Division of Applied Social Sciences, was named the Outstanding Undergraduate Advisor during the 2023 Celebration of Excellence event, held Tuesday, April 11. Alexander teaches hospitality management courses at all undergraduate levels, from the intro course up to the senior capstone course. Additionally, she advises an average of 32 undergraduate students per semester, as well as serving as the faculty advisor to the Mizzou Special Events Society and the MU chapter of the Club Management Association of America. “Dr. Alexander is a cornerstone of the undergraduate experience in hospitality…
April 12, 2023
Antje Heese Received Outstanding Graduate Advisor Award as Part of 2023 Celebration of Excellence
Antje Heese received the 2023 CAFNR Outstanding Graduate Advisor Award at the Celebration of Excellence awards ceremony April 11. She is an associate professor of biochemistry and part of the Interdisciplinary Plant Group; she chaired the Graduate Admissions Committee for biochemistry from 2018-20. Heese’s graduate students have achieved highly, thanks to her expert mentorship, according to nominators. For example, her students have given a total of 19 talks, including 10 at international conferences; presented 35 poster presentations; received 18 travel grants; been awarded nine fellowships; and have published 11 scientific publications. “Antje has high expectations…
April 12, 2023
Eric Aldrich Received 2023 Outstanding Early Career Teaching Award at Celebration of Excellence
Eric Aldrich, assistant teaching professor of meteorology in the School of Natural Resources, received the Outstanding Early Career Teaching Award at CAFNR’s 2023 Celebration of Excellence awards ceremony, held April 11. During the past five years, Aldrich has been the faculty advisor of the Mizzou Meteorology Club. He participates in the SNR Student Mentorship program where he mentors 12 Environmental Science students in the field of atmospheric science. Aldrich’s philosophy of teaching is centered on creating a learner-centered environment that allows students to take an active role in their own learning process. His instructional goals…
April 12, 2023
Deborah Finke Received Outstanding Senior Teaching Award as Part of 2023 Celebration of Excellence
Deborah Finke, professor and director of undergraduate studies, Division of Plant Science and Technology, was honored with the Outstanding Senior Teacher Award as part of the 2023 Celebration of Excellence event, held Tuesday, April 11. Finke is dedicated to inquiry-based student learning and teaches courses including Insect Pest Management, Plant Stress Biology and Insect Ecology, with teaching evaluations consistently higher than average. She leads a study abroad opportunity to Italy, is the advisor for the C.V. Riley Entomological Society student organization, and works with faculty on the development of courses and curriculum as the undergraduate program director.
April 12, 2023
Bing Yang Receives Distinguished Research Award as Part of 2023 CAFNR Celebration of Excellence
Bing Yang, professor of plant science and technology, received the Distinguished Research Award at the Celebration of Excellence held April 11, due to his groundbreaking contributions in crop genome engineering and plant pathology. Yang has cloned and characterized a rice disease resistance gene used by breeders to protect rice plants from a devastating bacterial pathogen. Additionally, his research program focuses on developing and applying genome editing technologies for gene/trait discovery and for engineering improved traits, such as disease resistance in crop plants. Yang’s research has been published in top-tier journals, including Nature Genetics…
April 12, 2023
Tracey Mitchell Received Outstanding Staff Award as Part of 2023 Celebration of Excellence
Tracey Mitchell, CSM associate III, Interdisciplinary Plant Group (IPG) and the Division of Plant Science and Technology (DPST), was honored with the Outstanding Staff Award during the 2023 Celebration of Excellence event, held Tuesday, April 11. Michell provides technical repair and support of MU’s plant growth facilities, including the East Campus Plant Growth Facility (ECPGF) and the Sears Greenhouse complex. He maintains the specialized equipment needed for continued research. David Braun, professor of plant science and technology and director of the IPG, says, “To put it simply, MU’s plant science community was exceedingly fortunate to…
April 12, 2023
Yahan Li Received William R. Lamberson Distinguished Dissertation Award as Part of 2023 Celebration of Excellence
Yahan Li, who recently earned his PhD in Animal Sciences, received the William R. Lamberson Distinguished Dissertation Award at CAFNR’s 2023 Celebration of Excellence awards ceremony, held April 11. His advisor is Rocio Rivera, professor of animal sciences; she was also recognized as part of the ceremony. Li first came to CAFNR in 2016 as a master’s student and quickly impressed both his advisor and other faculty he collaborated with. He was offered a spot as a PhD candidate in 2018 and made many valuable contributions to the Developmental…
April 7, 2023
Daubert Elected Incoming President of Institute of Food Technologists
CAFNR Vice Chancellor and Dean Christopher Daubert has been chosen as the president-elect of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). He has been part of the Board of Directors of IFT since 2000, and has also served as Food Engineering Division chair. “I am excited to lead an organization dedicated to advancing science and promoting people who are addressing global challenges associated with food access,” Daubert said. “Throughout my career, IFT has been a steady and positive influence; a community that provides and shares resources to best serve our industry.” He will become IFT’s 85th president when he assumes the…