Stories
July 22, 2020
A Lifelong Learner
As Darcy Wells looks back on her 30-plus-year career in higher education, the majority of which took place at the University of Missouri, there’s one experience she does her best to overlook – a year at the University of Kansas. “It’s a little bit of an unmentionable experience that I definitely get a lot of grief for,” Wells joked. “Honestly, though, it was a first-class experience. I really enjoyed Lawrence and met so many exceptional people during that year.” It was actually that year away from Columbia that made Wells realize how much she missed being a Tiger. She joined…
July 21, 2020
Ray Massey Receives 2020 C. Brice Ratchford Memorial Fellowship Award
Ray Massey, Extension professor of agricultural and applied economics in the Division of Applied Social Sciences, received the 2020 C. Brice Ratchford Memorial Fellowship Award as part of the UM System President’s Awards. The C. Brice Ratchford Memorial Fellowship Award recognizes a University of Missouri faculty member who demonstrates commitment, dedication and effectiveness in advancing the land-grant mission through Extension, international education and agricultural economics programs. In these respects, Massey has performed at the highest levels throughout his career, according to the UM System. His work in agricultural economics has improved lives worldwide, and he is recognized for his contributions…
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…
July 10, 2020
Going Virtual
Following discussions with local health departments and advisory boards, all educational field days offered by the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) Agricultural Research Centers will be hosted virtually this year. These decisions were made locally at each Research Center. “These were incredibly tough decisions that we did not take lightly,” said CAFNR Vice Chancellor and Dean Christopher Daubert. “We understand how important our Research Centers are to their respective communities, which is why instead of completely canceling our field day season we are offering virtual presentations. This will allow our outstanding faculty and researchers…
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…
July 9, 2020
The Importance of Inland Fish
Inland, or freshwater, fish carry considerable economical, recreational and cultural value across the globe. Those species, which include trout, crappie and catfish, among many others, provide critical ecosystem services to communities worldwide – and are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. A working group made up of researchers and scientists from the United States and Canada recently created an online database of academic papers related to the effects of climate change on inland fish. “Our primary focus was to provide a database of peer-reviewed, published papers on the effects of climate change on inland fish,” said Craig Paukert, adjunct…
July 7, 2020
CAFNR Faculty Earn 2020 President’s Awards
Each year, the UM System President’s Awards are presented on behalf of President Mun Choi to faculty members across the four universities of the UM System. These highly competitive awards recognize faculty who have made exceptional contributions in advancing the mission of the University. President’s Award recipients will be recognized at a Board of Curators meeting on their university campus, as well as at a faculty awards event hosted at their home institution. This year, the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources had three faculty members earn President’s Awards: Thomas Spencer, Chung-Ho Lin and Randall Miles. Thomas Spencer…
July 7, 2020
Randall Miles Receives 2020 Thomas Jefferson Award
Randall Miles, associate professor emeritus of soil science in the School of Natural Resources, received the 2020 Thomas Jefferson Award as part of the UM System President’s Awards. The Thomas Jefferson Award is reserved for faculty who rise above excellence and demonstrate clear distinction, not only in their career, but also in service to the University of Missouri and humankind. Over his career as a beloved instructor at MU, Miles has made a major impact on student education. Beyond that, his profound passions for soil science, human health and community wellbeing have led him to make fundamental contributions to…
July 7, 2020
Chung-Ho Lin Receives 2020 President’s Award for Economic Development
Chung-Ho Lin, associate research professor in the School of Natural Resources, received the 2020 President’s Award for Economic Development from the UM System. This award recognizes faculty for distinguished activity in meeting the University of Missouri’s goal of serving as an economic engine for the state and its citizens. Awardees demonstrate entrepreneurial innovation in using the classroom, outreach programs or the laboratory as vehicles for increasing or developing new economic activity in the state. Lin’s primary research involves the use of plants, microbes and engineered enzymes for bioremediation, ecological restoration and development of bioeconomy. He is the lead scientist…
July 7, 2020
Thomas Spencer Receives 2020 President’s Award for Sustained Career Excellence
Thomas Spencer, Curators’ Distinguished Professor of Animal Sciences, received the 2020 President’s Award for Sustained Career Excellence from the UM System. This award recognizes faculty for distinguished career-long, sustained excellence in scholarship, research or creativity, for a period of 15 or more years. Spencer, who is also associate vice chancellor for research (emphasis in STEM disciplines), joined the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) in 2015, and was a signature hire as part of the Mizzou Advantage program. He is an internationally recognized and respected leader in the fields of reproductive and developmental biology.