Research

The University of Missouri men’s and women’s disc golf teams carried undefeated seasons into 2022 College Disc Golf National Championship competition, and both teams would end their seasons the same way – as national champions. Two CAFNR students played important roles in the wins – Alexis Kerman (pictured front row, far left) and Jared Brabant (pictured back row, far left). Kerman is a graduate student in natural resources, who also earned her undergraduate degree in parks, recreation and sport from MU. Brabant also received his bachelor’s degree from Mizzou, in natural resource science and management. He is currently a graduate student in plant, insect and microbial sciences. Photo courtesy of Jared Brabant.

May 3, 2022

‘A Perfect Weekend’

Two CAFNR graduate students helped Mizzou capture men's and women's disc golf national championships.
A graduate student in the School of Natural Resources, Evan Aljundi’s research is focused on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a fatal, neurological illness that affects cervids, which are members of the deer family. Photo courtesy of Evan Aljundi.

April 19, 2022

Pursuing His Passions for Research

Evan Aljundi's passion for white-tailed deer has led to graduate research focused on Chronic Wasting Disease.
A 2018 graduate of the nutrition and exercise physiology degree program, Mubinah Khaleel is currently a third-year medical student at Lincoln Memorial University – DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, in Harrogate, Tenn. Khaleel has recently been in Memphis completing medical rotations. Photo courtesy of Mubinah Khaleel.

March 22, 2022

Building a career in medicine

Nutrition and exercise physiology degree incorporated all of Mubinah Khaleel's interest areas.
agriculture building with flowers blooming

March 18, 2022

Cultivating Future Leaders

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) recently awarded 54 predoctoral fellowship grants to develop new scientists and professionals to enter research, education and/or Extension fields within the food and agricultural sciences. The aim of these fellowships is to cultivate future leaders who can solve emerging agricultural challenges of the 21st century. These grants are part of NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. Two University of Missouri (MU) College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) students were recipients for 2022. Going back to his roots Kyle Paddock, originally from a small town in central Illinois, has been…
For nearly two years, graduate student Jermayne Smith has been researching the effects of remnant and restored prairies on small mammal and tick diversity. The goal of the work has been to examine how prairie type affects small mammal and tick diversity, as well as how the time since restoration impacts both species abundance and tick diversity. Photo courtesy of Jermayne Smith.

Feb. 21, 2022

A Rewarding Journey

When Jermayne Smith began the search for a graduate school experience he had one main goal in mind – find a project where he could work with small mammals. Samniqueka Halsey, an assistant professor in the School of Natural Resources within the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR), had the perfect research idea in mind. For nearly two years, Smith has been researching the effects of remnant and restored prairies on small mammal and tick variety. Remnant prairies are true native prairies, with restored prairies being land that has been returned to a prairie state.
A George Washington Carver Graduate Fellow, Brittney Cade is using citizen science from multiple individuals throughout the southwestern United States who have recorded findings about the screwbean mesquite since 2002. Cade said the tree is an important habitat for wildlife and different desert birds and has historical significance as indigenous cultures use the wood for multiple purposes. Photo courtesy of Brittney Cade.

Feb. 14, 2022

A New World of Possibilities

From Chicago’s South Side, Brittney Cade went into college wanting to find a career related to her passion for animals. Cade said she thought there were only two viable careers in that field – veterinarian or zookeeper. Once she started at Iowa State University, she discovered a new world of possibilities related not only to animals, but to the environment and natural resources. Cade earned a bachelor’s degree in animal ecology from Iowa State and her master’s degree in biology (conservation emphasis) from Miami University, in Ohio. Cade is currently working on her PhD in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources…
Jaume Padilla looks into a microscope in his lab in the NextGen facility

Feb. 3, 2022

The Bench-Bedside Interface

Over the past couple of decades, new diabetes cases have tripled in the U.S., and 80 percent of patients with type 2 diabetes eventually succumb to cardiovascular disease. Jaume Padilla, associate professor in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology (NEP), is working to solve this important problem. Padilla received his PhD in exercise physiology at Indiana University before he came to the University of Missouri (MU) Department of Biomedical Sciences in 2009 as a postdoctoral fellow. “I came to MU to work with Harold Laughlin, a world-renowned investigator in exercise vascular biology, and with the goal of expanding my…
Head shot of David Braun

Jan. 31, 2022

New Growth

David Braun, professor of plant science and technology at the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR), has been named director of the Interdisciplinary Plant Group (IPG), effective Feb. 1, 2022. “I am humbled and excited to lead this incredibly talented group of creative and world-class plant biologists,” Braun said. “The IPG is part of my core identity at MU, and I am extremely grateful to it for all of the support it offers to faculty and staff members and the outstanding training environment it provides for our students and postdocs. I look forward to…
agriculture building with flowers blooming

Jan. 27, 2022

CAFNR Joy of Discovery Seed Grant Program Winners Announced

The first batch of proposals funded by CAFNR's Joy of Discovery Seed Grant Program has been announced. The Joy of Discovery Seed Grant Program supports nascent, collaborative, multi transdisciplinary research with the goal of developing a competitive proposal for federal funding.

Jan. 24, 2022

Hannah Hemmelgarn Wins AFTA’s 2021 Early Career Award

Hannah Hemmelgarn, assistant program director in the Center for Agroforestry, received the 2021 Early Career Award from the Association for Temperate Agroforestry.