Stories
Dec. 21, 2020
Q&A With Sean Allen
Why did you decide to come to the University of Missouri and major in agricultural systems technology? What do you enjoy about the program itself? The field of study? It was almost destiny for me to attend the University of Missouri. I’m a legacy student, and my mother works in Jesse Hall as a programmer analyst. However, I was not going to come to Mizzou just for those reasons; I needed to fall in love on my own. When I toured Mizzou and met some CAFNR faculty, I realized quickly that it made me feel at home like no other…
Dec. 21, 2020
Q&A With Mason Ward
Why did you decide to come to the University of Missouri and major in agriculture? What do you enjoy about the program itself? The field of study? Initially, agriculture was not my intended major, but I am glad that I ended up here! After touring Mizzou and meeting with the agricultural education faculty, I was sold. The professors genuinely cared about my well-being and career goal as an agriculture teacher. However, life had something else planned for me. Being a highly indecisive person, I decided that agricultural education was not for me and I ended up going through two major…
Dec. 21, 2020
Q&A With Paxton Dahmer
Why did you decide to come to the University of Missouri and major in agricultural education? What do you enjoy about the program itself? The field of study? I came to the University of Missouri to major in Agricultural Education and Leadership because of the professors in the program and my love for agricultural education. Initially, I was preparing for a teaching certificate, but I eventually transferred to the leadership sector. I realized that the leadership degree allows me to have flexibility in my schedule, so I’m learning about a wide variety of agricultural industries. I know that with this…
Dec. 21, 2020
CAFNR Graduate Students Receive Foundation for Soy Innovation Scholarships
Two University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) graduate students recently received 2020 Foundation for Soy Innovation scholarships: Caio Canella Vieira and Haylee Schreier. Both students are working toward degrees in plant, insect and microbial sciences. The Foundation for Soy Innovation offers an annual scholarship program to empower individuals working to further the soybean industry. To read more about the honor, as well as learn more about Canella Vieira and Schreier, visit the Missouri Soybean website.
Dec. 21, 2020
Jared Decker Awarded Wurdack Chair in Animal Genetics
Jared Decker, associate professor in the Division of Animal Sciences, has been awarded the Wurdack Chair in Animal Genetics. The appointment is effective Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. The appointment will allow Decker to focus on leading the livestock genetics research program in animal sciences at MU. 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…
Dec. 18, 2020
A Long-Term Look
While there’s never a dull moment when it comes to long-term forecasting, Tony Lupo doesn’t foresee any wild weather swings during the upcoming winter months in mid-Missouri. Lupo, a professor of atmospheric science in the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) School of Natural Resources (SNR), said the weather shouldn’t stray too far from last year’s winter, although it may be a tad bit cooler. “December has definitely started off on the warm side of normal, but I think as we move forward, our temperatures will move to cooler than average based on La Niña,”…
Dec. 16, 2020
CAFNR Office of Research Recognizes Drivers of Distinction
The CAFNR Office of Research recently recognized 10 faculty members as Drivers of Distinction. The honor was given to the faculty members, listed below, who had the highest total shared credit research expenditures over the past 10 years (2011-20). David Diamond – director, Missouri Resource Assessment Partnership (School of Natural Resources) Felix Fritschi – C. Alice Donaldson Professor in Bioenergy Crop Physiology and Genetics (Division of Plant Sciences) Shibu Jose – associate dean, CAFNR Office of Research; professor (School of Natural Resources) Henry Nguyen – professor (Division of Plant Sciences) Craig Paukert – cooperative professor (School of Natural Resources) Randy…
Dec. 14, 2020
Seth Meyer Named USDA Chief Economist
Seth Meyer, associate director of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) and research professor, Division of Applied Social Sciences (DASS), has been named the USDA’s Chief Economist. Meyer plans to take an extended research leave from DASS to serve in this new role, which he will begin in January 2021. The Office of the Chief Economist (OCE) is the focal point for economic and policy-related research and analysis for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. OCE aims to inform public and private decision makers by providing unbiased information and data-driven analyses of current and emerging issues impacting agriculture, according…
Dec. 14, 2020
Working to Benefit Society
Pavel Somavat spent four years teaching electrical engineering at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, a land-grant university located in India. Somavat enjoyed the underlying philosophy and offerings of the land-grant system – and when he had an opportunity to take a faculty position at one of the two land-grant universities in Missouri, he jumped at the chance. Somavat joined the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) Division of Food Systems and Bioengineering (FSB) this year as an assistant professor of food science/biomedical, biological and chemical engineering. Somavat taught courses in food science and researched natural food…
Dec. 14, 2020
A Strategic Change
It was just a few years after Leon Schumacher joined the University of Missouri that the agricultural mechanization program changed its name to Agricultural Systems Management (ASM). The program, located in the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Division of Food Systems and Bioengineering (FSB), updated its name in the early 1990s to reflect the changing teaching focus, as well as the ever-changing technology. Now, nearly 30 years later, the program is updating its name once again to reflect new strategic priorities. The new name change, which went into effect in October, is from ASM to Agricultural Systems…