Stories
April 15, 2021
Q&A With Katie Crider
Why did you decide to come to the University of Missouri and major in food science and nutrition? What do you enjoy about the program itself? The field of study? My decision to come to the University of Missouri was a fairly easy one after I visited campus and met with the CAFNR staff. Everyone I met was very friendly and made me feel very welcome. Originally, I was an animal sciences major; however, that was very short-lived when I realized that field was not for me. I quickly switched to hospitality when I discovered that I liked working with…
April 15, 2021
A ‘Mind-Blowing’ Experience
When Chloe Dobson arrived at the University of Missouri in 2017, her declared major was political science. Dobson said she was hoping to eventually attend law school. A Thomas Rhett concert at Mizzou changed all of that. Dobson signed up as event staff for the concert, which took place in late 2017. After working the entire event, Dobson switched her major to hospitality management in the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR). “I was really, really broke at the time, so when I saw an email about a paying job working the concert, I signed up,” Dobson…
April 9, 2021
Q&A With Amy Moum
What are your job duties/job responsibilities in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources? I am a program/project support coordinator II in the Division of Applied Social Sciences. I work on faculty development for the division, including faculty awards and promotion & tenure. Once the pandemic restrictions are over I will get back to supporting executive education programming in the Division, as well as building capacity in experience learning for our hospitality management students through the Eckles Café event space. How long have you worked in CAFNR? I have been in CAFNR a little over five years. What do…
April 8, 2021
Nudging Landowners and Tenants Toward Environmental and Social Stewardship
Ray Massey, Extension professor, and Michelle Segovia, assistant professor, both faculty of agricultural and applied economics in the Division of Applied Social Sciences, recently received a grant from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The grant is for $498,833 and is titled, “Nudging Landowners and Tenants Toward Environmental and Social Stewardship.” The grant was part of a recent $11.5-million USDA research investment to help ensure America’s small and medium-sized farms become more profitable and improve the quality of life in American farm communities. “The ultimate goal of our project is to promote societal goals by fostering new leasing…
April 7, 2021
CAFNR Announces Dissertation Research Improvement Grantees
The University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) Office of Research recently announced its inaugural award winners of the CAFNR Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (C-DRIG). Each grant is worth up to $2,000 to support or partially support dissertation research projects proposed by doctoral students in the College. Proposals were evaluated by the CAFNR Research Council, an advisory body that advises the CAFNR Office of Research and is made up of representatives from each division in the College. Student: Pawan Basnet (Plant, Insect and Microbial Sciences) Advisor: Andrew Scaboo (Assistant Professor, Division of Plant Sciences) Development…
April 7, 2021
A Different Perspective
High yield potential is often the top trait crop breeders look at, as higher yielding crops can lead to more money in a producer’s pocket. Researchers in the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) conduct a variety of trait-related trials through various breeding programs. The Precision and Automated Agriculture Lab (PAAL) in the CAFNR Division of Food Systems and Bioengineering recently teamed up with researchers in the CAFNR Division of Plant Sciences to study yield estimation of soybean breeding lines under drought stress using unmanned aerial vehicle-based imagery and convolutional neural network. Their work…
April 1, 2021
Keeping Missourians Up to Speed
Lifelong learning. It’s an essential part of Agriculture and Environment Extension’s goal of doubling the value of Missouri agriculture by 2030 while sustaining the state’s natural resources. It’s a bold goal where lifelong learning meets real people. When Ron Brown was approached to check out the Missouri Master Gardener Extension Program, he thought the opportunity to expand his already extensive gardening knowledge would only help as he worked in his home garden and a community garden in Ferguson, Mo. Ron Brown has worked in gardens throughout his life. Halfway through his time in the Missouri Master Gardener Program, the director…
March 18, 2021
Food Innovations to Address Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 – Zero Hunger
Kiruba Krishnaswamy, assistant professor of food science in the Division of Food Systems and Bioengineering, recently received a VentureWell Faculty Grant that will support a new course that incorporates experiential learning to create innovative solutions in food and agricultural systems. The course will be aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goal to eradicate hunger. “Students will learn about global challenges in food systems, including chronic hunger and hidden hunger, and learn how to become agents of change through food systems innovation,” Krishnaswamy said. Krishnaswamy was one of 13 recipients from across the United States who were chosen through a competitive…
March 18, 2021
Gaining a New Perspective
The day after Abigail Turner graduated from high school she jumped on an airplane and flew to Australia with the encouragement of her parents, who love to travel. Turner grew up in Brookfield, Mo., a town of less than 4,500 people, and the trip to Australia was her first foray into international travel. It wouldn’t be her last. Turner, a senior studying agricultural education, has spent a good portion of her collegiate career at the University of Missouri traveling – through study abroad experiences and other opportunities. Those experiences have offered Turner the chance to gain valuable insights and broadened…
March 17, 2021
Q&A With Toyin Jackson
Why did you decide to come to the University of Missouri and major in food science and nutrition? What do you enjoy about the program itself? The field of study? The initial reason I was drawn to the University of Missouri was because I was selected to be in the inaugural class of MU Stamps Scholars through the Honors College. I visited campus during my latter years of high school, specifically the food science program and Dr. (Ingolf) Gruen. What stuck out to me during that visit was the program’s level of autonomy and the freedom to carve out your…