Stories

Sarah Lovell officially joined the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) in August 2019, as the H.E. Garrett Endowed Chair Professor and director of the Center for Agroforestry. Two months later, Lovell, who became just the second individual to hold the endowed chair position after Shibu Jose served eight years in the role, welcomed guests to the grand opening celebration of the Land of the Osages Research Center. Neither the H.E. Garrett Endowed Chair Professorship nor the Land of the Osages Research Center would have come to fruition if Gene Garrett would have ignored a Post-it Note with a name and phone number on it back in 2003.

Jan. 29, 2020

A Humble Giver

Sarah Lovell officially joined the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) in August 2019, as the H.E. Garrett Endowed Chair Professor and director of the Center for Agroforestry. Two months later, Lovell, who became just the second individual to hold the endowed chair position after Shibu Jose served eight years in the role, welcomed guests to the grand opening celebration of the Land of the Osages Research Center. Neither the H.E. Garrett Endowed Chair Professorship nor the Land of the Osages Research Center would have come to fruition if Gene Garrett would have ignored a…
J. Soctt Angle, the director of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), earned a master’s degree in soil science at the University of Maryland and earned his PhD in soil microbiology at the University of Missouri, studying under George Wagner.

Jan. 29, 2020

A Great Experience

J. Scott Angle never intended to have a career in agriculture. An interest in golf led Angle to turf management (agronomy) at the University of Maryland. The agronomy degree program was in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Maryland. “I had no interest in agriculture,” Angle said. “I grew up in the city, in Baltimore, and I didn’t really have any ties to agriculture. I did love golf and was focused on becoming a golf course superintendent. It just so happened that turf management was part of the agriculture college at the University of Maryland.”…
Henry Nguyen

Jan. 10, 2020

Henry Nguyen Earns Distinguished International Honor

Henry Nguyen, Curators’ Distinguished Professor of Plant Genetics, was recently elected one of the 2020 fellows of the India National Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Fellows of the Academy are recognized for excellence in agricultural science, research, technology and innovation. Nguyen has made several significant contributions in drought tolerance research, especially in the root architecture in rice, as well as the stay green trait in sorghum. His research laid a foundation for genomic discovery and applications to rice and sorghum breeding for improved drought tolerance in India and worldwide.
CAFNR alum and Albertsons Companies Vice President of Procurement, Cathy East, returns to campus as Executive-In-Residence.

Dec. 13, 2019

From CAFNR to Career

As a senior in high school, Cathy East had two in-state offers for scholarships to play soccer, one from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and one from Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, Missouri. Growing up in St. Louis, East knew she wanted to go somewhere new for college, so she chose Missouri S&T, with the intent to transfer to the University of Missouri-Columbia as a junior to enroll in the School of Journalism. At the time, MU did not have a women’s soccer team. When she came to MU as a junior, East found it challenging to…
Peter Sutovsky was recently named a2019 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Nov. 27, 2019

‘The Pinnacle of My Career’

Growing up in Slovakia, a young Peter Sutovsky would often hold his own science-based lectures in front of his elementary classmates. Those lectures would generally focus on insects, as Sutovsky had a big interest in entomology. “I would bring in my insect collection and explain how the organs of a male beetle were different than the organs of a female beetle,” Sutovsky. “It was a bit precocious – and an early introduction to the birds and the bees. There was definitely a natural curiosity and interest in science from a young age.” Little did Sutovsky know then that his early…
Shibu Jose’s appointment as associate dean for research and director of the Agricultural Experiment Station is effective immediately.

Nov. 22, 2019

Growing CAFNR’s Research Footprint

It was 10 years ago when Shibu Jose joined the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) as the H.E. Garrett Endowed Chair Professor in the School of Natural Resources (SNR) and the director of The Center for Agroforestry. During the past year, Jose has served as the interim associate dean for research in CAFNR and director of the Agricultural Experiment Station (AES), CAFNR’s network of research centers throughout the state. The interim tag has now been officially removed. Jose’s appointment as associate dean for research and director of the AES is effective immediately. Jose became…
Students work with horses at the MU Equine Teaching Facility at South Farm. The Division of Animal Sciences recently unveiled a new equine science and management certificate.

Nov. 14, 2019

Learning by Doing

Experiential learning is embedded throughout MU’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources courses. From Cafe at Eckles, a café operated by students and faculty of the hospitality management program, to Tiger Garden, a student-operated florist shop, there’s no shortage of opportunities for CAFNR students to gain valuable work experience. The Division of Animal Sciences recently added an Equine Science and Management Certificate, a program that will allow students to emphasize and quantify to employers their hands-on work experience with horses. “This certificate focuses on hands-on experience,” said Marci Crosby, an instructor within animal sciences and the coordinator of the…
John Tummons receiving award

Nov. 11, 2019

Teaching Excellence

The son of junior high school teachers, it was only natural that John Tummons would eventually find himself in a classroom setting, empowering and equipping students to make a positive impact throughout the world. Tummons knew where he wanted to make that impact, too. Tummons earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from the University of Missouri, and it was while he was working toward his degree that he made a decision – he wanted to return to his alma mater as a professor. Now, 20 years later, Tummons is being honored on a national stage for his devotion to…
The University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) celebrated the grand opening of the new Land of the Osages Research Center on Tuesday, Oct. 29. The center will further research in agroforestry, a sustainability-focused system that combines trees and shrubs with crops — and sometimes livestock — to be managed on the same piece of land as a single ecosystem. Pictured, from left to right: Sarah Lovell, director for the Center for Agroforestry and co-superintendent of the Land of the Osages Research Center; Geoffrey Standing Bear, Principal Chief of the Osage Nation; Norman Akers, Chairman of the Traditional Cultural Advisors Committee; Alexander Cartwright, Chancellor, University of Missouri; Joe Tillman, Speaker of the Osage Nation Congress; Christopher Daubert, vice chancellor and dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.

Nov. 4, 2019

A Grand Celebration

The University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) celebrated the grand opening of the new Land of the Osages Research Center on Tuesday, Oct. 29. The center will further research in agroforestry, a sustainability-focused system that combines trees and shrubs with crops — and sometimes livestock — to be managed on the same piece of land as a single ecosystem. Chancellor Alexander Cartwright spoke during the opening festivities about how the new center will impact the surrounding communities in the Lake of the Ozarks area. “The Land of the Osages Research Center will bring more transformative…
Rob Kallenbach’s appointment as associate dean of CAFNR Extension/senior program director of Agriculture and Environment Extension is effective immediately.

Oct. 31, 2019

An Exciting Mission

It was more than 20 years ago when Rob Kallenbach joined the University of Missouri as an assistant professor and state Extension specialist in forage crops. Kallenbach served farmers and producers across the state, educating, answering questions and building relationships. With more experience, Kallenbach gained more responsibility, which in turn led to more leadership opportunities. Those opportunities led to new positions, and, last year, he was named the interim associate dean/senior program director of Agriculture and Environment Extension in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) at MU. The interim tag has now been officially removed. Kallenbach’s appointment…