Accolades

The East Campus Plant Growth Facility will promote the continued success and enhancement of the campus’ plant biology programs. The $28.2 million facility, funded by the University, will provide a major expansion of state-of-the-art greenhouse and plant growth chamber facilities with controlled lighting, temperature, humidity and CO2 environments. The project is expected to be completed by summer 2019. Photo courtesy Bill Lamberson/Robert Sharp.

Aug. 28, 2020

IPG Graduate Student and Postdoc Receive Awards for CROPS Seminar Presentations

The regional Collective Research Organization of Plant Scientists (CROPS) virtual seminar series, organized by graduate students and postdocs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, took place over the summer, wrapping up the final sessions earlier in August. On Aug. 18, biochemistry PhD student Shannon King and plant sciences postdoctoral fellow Jian Kang received awards for Graduate Student Presentation and Postdoc Presentation, respectively. King, who works in the labs of Scott Peck, Felix Fritschi and Robert Sharp, was awarded first place for graduate student presentation, and Jian Kang in the Robert Sharp and Mel Oliver labs, was awarded third place for Postdoc…
Samniqueka Halsey; glasses; grey suit coat

Aug. 20, 2020

Samniqueka Halsey Publishes Letter in Nature Ecology and Evolution

Samniqueka Halsey, assistant professor in the School of Natural Resources and CAFNR Faculty Fellow, is the lead author on a letter published in Nature Ecology and Evolution. “Elevate, don’t assimilate, to revolutionize the experience of scientists who are Black, Indigenous and people of colour” (SharedIt PDF version) outlines suggestions for how minoritized individuals can not only survive but thrive in ecology and evolutionary biology. The letter’s authors, five Black women who started as doctoral students at the same university, used their shared experience to develop a list of eight strategies. The strategies include: expect and use external support,…
Dr. Sofia Ortega

July 17, 2020

Sofia Ortega Named Zamorano AGEAP USA Alumni of the Month

Sofia Ortega, assistant professor of reproductive physiology in Animal Sciences, has recently been recognized as the AGEAP USA Alumni of the Month. Ortega’s interest in reproductive physiology began at Zamorano (Class of 2003), through her work in Honduras. She received her MS in Animal Sciences from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, and she completed her PhD at the University of Florida in 2016 in Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology. Her CAFNR team utilizes a systems biology approach to optimize cattle fertility, using CRISPR knockouts to study preimplantation bovine embryo development. Ortega has published more than 17 peer-reviewed articles in…
Charles Nilon

July 9, 2020

Charles Nilon Named the Newest Holder of the William J. Rucker Professorship in Fisheries and Wildlife

Charles Nilon, professor of urban wildlife management in the School of Natural Resources, was recently named the newest holder of the William J. Rucker Professorship in Fisheries and Wildlife. From its inception in 1944, the William J. Rucker Professorship in Fisheries and Wildlife’s purpose has been for the “instruction of youth upon the subject of the value and preservation of wild life.” Funds are used primarily to support graduate research assistant stipends. “I have known Dr. Nilon almost since the start of my MU career, when I arrived in 1999,” said Pat Market, interim director of the School of Natural…

June 23, 2020

MU Faculty Part of Gene Editing Task Force

The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) and the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) recently announced an 11-person Gene Editing Task Force, which includes two individuals from the University of Missouri: Bhanu Telugu (associate professor) and Londa Nwadike (food safety state specialist, MU Extension). The 11-person task force is comprised of scientists and industry leaders who will map out recommendations for regulating this emerging genomic technology in animal agriculture with appropriate safeguards and procedures.
Robin Rotman in library.

June 2, 2020

Robin Rotman Honored with Win Horner Award for Innovative Writing Intensive Teaching

Robin Rotman, an assistant professor in the School of Natural Resources, was recently honored with the Win Horner Award for Innovative Writing Intensive Teaching for the 2019-20 academic year. Inspired by early Campus Writing Programs Director Win Horner, this award celebrates innovative approaches to teaching writing in the disciplines. In her Environmental Science 4400W course, Professor Rotman mentors students through complex legal writing, and, by the conclusion of each semester, her students create their own Journal of Environmental Law, Policy, and Justice.
Jason Entsminger

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.

May 9, 2020

Jessica Kansman Honored with Student Leadership Award

Described as the embodiment of a student leader, Jessica Kansman, a graduate student in Plant, Insect and Microbial Sciences, has served on numerous board positions where she has organized and help planned a variety of social and recruitment events. For this, she received the Excellence in Student Leadership Award as part of the Mizzou Graduate Professional Council Awards. Her passion for mentorship and communication has had a deep impact on both graduate and undergraduate student. Not only does she do extensive outreach for the community, Jessica also remains committed to assisting her fellow colleagues.

May 8, 2020

Lisa Groshong Earns MU Distinguished Dissertation Award – Discipline Winner

Lisa Groshong is being honored by the MU Graduate School with the MU Distinguished Dissertation Award for her dissertation titled “Looking Broadly and Deeply into Perceptions of Local Climate Change Impacts Among Visitors to Missouri State Parks.” This work was supervised by Sonja Wilhelm Stanis, associate professor in the School of Natural Resources. The results of Lisa’s research suggest opportunities for state park managers to take action toward locally oriented climate change mitigation, education and communication. Groshong is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Natural Resources at the University of Missouri.

May 8, 2020

Man Huynh Honored with Postdoctoral Research Award

Man Huynh, a postdoctoral fellow in Plant Sciences, has received the Postdoctoral Research Award from the MU Graduate School. He developed an artificial diet to address the impact of northern corn rootworm. This pest is devastating to maize crops across North America. This research led to multiple first-authored publications, external funding and a commercially-available diet in partnership with Frontier Agricultural Sciences. His advisor, Debbie Finke, associate professor in the Division of Plant Sciences, shared this sentiment in her nomination letter for the award: “Dr. Huynh is a selfless researcher who takes the time to teach and train others, including colleagues…