Jared Decker, associate professor in the Division of Animal Sciences and state beef Extension specialist, received the Early Investigator Research Award during CAFNR’s 2020 virtual Celebration of Excellence awards celebration.

Decker received his bachelor’s degree in animal science from New Mexico State University before earning his PhD in genetics from the University of Missouri in 2012. After earning his PhD, Decker served as a USDA-NIFA postdoctoral fellow at MU for a year before joining the faculty as an assistant professor in the Division of Animal Sciences. In 2018, Decker became an associate professor. He has served as the state beef genetics Extension specialist since 2013.

Decker has been awarded more than $5 million in grants during his career and has received numerous awards, including the J.W. Burch Agriculture Extension State Specialist honor during the 2018 CAFNR Celebration of Excellence awards celebration. Decker has published more than 40 peer-reviewed publications and has been invited to give numerous professional presentations and seminars. He is a member of the American Society of Animal Science.

“Dr. Decker’s demonstrated strengths in creativity, collaboration, strategic thinking and communication distinguish him among his peers at this early point in his career,” said David Patterson, Chancellor’s Professor in the Division of Animal Sciences. “Creativity is an invaluable tool in scientific research, and is often born out of new associations. In his research, Jared has analyzed data in new ways to discover new knowledge or create novel methods. In genomic research, as DNA is common to all life forms, methods are transferable across species. Jared has worked in dogs, brassica, water buffalo, quail, cats, soybeans, madtom catfish and human. Not only does Jared collaborate across species, but also across disciplines. He enjoys collaborations with engineering, nutrition, reproduction economics, evolution and anthropology. Jared has a clear focus for his group’s research and works to use available resources in a strategic way to improve agriculture. Finally, Jared is an effective communicator in both written and oral forms, to both lay and scientific audiences, an attribute that supports his success.”