Stories

Awardees holding awards with President Choi, Vice Chancellor and Dean Daubert and Senior Associate Dean Garton.

April 5, 2023

Advisors Recognized as Drivers of Distinction

CAFNR Vice Chancellor and Dean Christopher Daubert recognized 10 individuals as Drivers to Distinction. The awards were given in honor of their exceptional work advising students. The recipients were: Amy Marek, senior academic advisor, Division of Food, Nutrition & Exercise Sciences Kelsey Marek, academic advisor, Animal Sciences Robyn Eschenbrenner, senior academic advisor, Division of Applied Social Sciences Libby Johnson, academic advisor, School of Natural Resources Laura Hertel, senior student service coordinator, School of Natural Resources Jenna Fusinatto, academic advisor, School of Natural Resources Mackenzie Ewing, senior academic advisor, Plant Science & Technology Katie Ogan, coordinator of student services, CAFNR Office…
Head shot of David Braun

April 5, 2023

Interdisciplinary Plant Group Director Recognized by Maize Genetic Cooperation

David Braun, professor of plant science and technology and biological sciences and director of the Interdisciplinary Plant Group, was awarded the 2023 L. Stadler Mid-Career Award from the Maize Genetics Cooperation. The L. Stadler Mid-Career Maize Genetics Award is given to an individual who has been in a permanent position for between nine and 20 years and has an outstanding track record of discovery research in maize or related species genetics. This award is named after Lewis J. Stadler who held a joint appointment at the University of Missouri and USDA from 1921 to 1954. Stadler was a co-discoverer that…
Jen Anderson

April 5, 2023

NEP Research Specialist Awarded Outstanding Preceptor Award

Research Specialist Jen Anderson, nutrition and exercise physiology, was recently awarded the Outstanding Preceptor Award from the Nutrition and Dietetic Educator and Preceptor practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Representing more than 112,000 credentialed nutrition and dietetics practitioners, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals.
Images of sperm captured through image-based flow cytometry show irregularities that can affect fertility. From left to right, the images show a knobbed acrosome, nuclear vacuoles and mitochondrial aplasia and piriform head.

April 4, 2023

Putting the AI in AI

Peter Sutovsky, professor of animal sciences, and one of his postdoctoral researchers, Lauren Hamilton, were recently awarded a $1.3 million grant by USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to support their work in creating artificial intelligence they hope will not only help farmers and the agriculture industry, but couples battling infertility, too. “We want to translate this into any area of science where it can be beneficial,” Sutovsky said. “That could be livestock, humans or even endangered species.” The project itself involves examining tens of thousands of images of sperm samples from 85 genome-sequenced bulls for morphological irregularities and…
After finding a passion for agriculture in high school through the National FFA Organization, Bailey Henry was incredibly involved during her time at MU, especially with Block and Bridle and the Swine Club. She helped coordinate the Steers and Stripes Cattle Show (pictured here, second from left) and was also active with the Chi Alpha campus ministry. Photo courtesy of Bailey Henry.

April 2, 2023

Finding Her Passion

Although she didn’t grow up with a traditional agriculture background, Bailey Henry found a passion for the industry through the National FFA Organization. That passion led her to the University of Missouri – and eventually to a career where she is educating high school students about all things agriculture. Henry earned her agricultural education degree from Mizzou in 2019. She has been an agriculture instructor and FFA advisor at Marceline High School since finishing her bachelor’s degree. “Once I got involved in FFA, I was really hooked,” said Henry, who also earned her master’s degree in agricultural education from MU…
Steward T.A. Pickett met with a handful of classes, including soil morphology and environmental horticulture, during his Executive-in-Residence Program visit. He shared a lot of advice with CAFNR students, highlighting the variety of careers that ecologists can pursue as well the importance of thinking outside of the box.

April 2, 2023

Sharing Advice

As a child, Steward T.A. Pickett would travel to various Boy Scout camps with his father, who served as a unit leader. While Pickett would participate in a handful of organized activities, he was also free to do his own exploring since he wasn’t part of a troop. It was during those excursions that he found his passion for ecology. Pickett has spent his career as an ecologist and is currently a distinguished senior scientist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, New York. He recently spent a few days at the University of Missouri as part of…
Eric Aldrich (pictured), Fang Wang and Xinhao Xu have combined their expertise in meteorology, virtual and augmented reality, and mixed-reality-based learning environments to help students gain a deeper understanding of mid-latitude cyclones, which are complicated systems that help drive most of the stormy and severe weather in the continental United States.

March 31, 2023

An immersive learning opportunity

Unique collaboration between three Mizzou Colleges offers environmental sciences students an opportunity to study weather through virtual reality.
Justin Sykes, a senior parks, recreation, sport and tourism major, has been interning with the softball team for two years and was recently hired as its first director of player development, a position he will officially begin when he earns his degree in August. Photo courtesy of Justin Sykes.

March 29, 2023

Bleeding Black and Gold

Justin Sykes grew up donning the black and gold at numerous University of Missouri athletic events. Soon, Sykes will be sporting Mizzou colors as an official staff member of the softball team. Sykes has been interning with the softball team for two years and was recently hired as its first director of player development, a position he will officially begin when he earns his degree in August. “It’s very exciting, obviously,” said Sykes, a senior parks, recreation, sport and tourism (PRST) major from Kearney, Mo. “I’ve always loved statistics and analytics, so to be able to dive into those numbers…
Team with award

March 27, 2023

Mizzou Academic Quadrathlon Team Takes Top Honors

The University of Missouri Academic Quadrathlon team took home first place during the 2023 American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) Midwest Academic Quadrathlon competition. The event took place during the Midwest Section annual meeting, which was held in mid-March in Madison, Wis. The Quadrathlon competition consists of a laboratory practicum, written exam, oral presentation and quiz bowl. The team will now represent MU at the National American Society of Animal Science in July. The team includes: Catriona Chew, senior, animal sciences Caleigh Grote, senior, animal sciences Alexia Sweiger, senior, animal sciences Aliyah Luntsford, senior, animal sciences…

March 25, 2023

2023 AFA Institute Selections Include Several CAFNR Students

Several CAFNR students were recently chosen as 2023 Agriculture Future of America (AFA) Animal Institute and Food Institute selections. AFA experiences connect students to a diverse community of peers and professionals who are passionate about food and agriculture. The goal of the experiences is to challenge the way students think about themselves, their potential career and the agriculture industry. 2023 AFA Animal Institute Selections: Addison Anna Brisbane, sophomore, agriculture Caitlyn Kleffner, junior, animal sciences Emily Popa, sophomore, animal sciences Aleece Thornhill, junior animal sciences Tanner Tipton, junior, animal sciences 2023 AFA Food Institute Selections: Halley Blades, senior, food science and…