Stories
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…
March 25, 2023
CAFNR Advisor Spotlight: Shari Freyermuth
Shari Freyermuth is an academic advisor for students in the biochemistry degree program. How rewarding is it to work with students in the biochemistry degree program? I love working with biochemistry students. They are driven to do well and they want to make a difference both now and in their future careers. I’m amazed at how much studying, activities and work many of them can pack into one day! How do you assist those students throughout their academic journey? I work with students to make sure their schedules work, and we often plan ahead for all four years. They…
March 22, 2023
Blooms Like it Hot. But, Also, Cold?
Rebecca North, assistant professor of water quality in CAFNR’s School of Natural Resources, learned and lived by a paradigm commonly accepted among limnologists around the world — “blooms like it hot” – meaning that water temperatures must be warm for algae blooms to develop. But, a recently published study co-authored by North could dismantle this long-held belief. “You only take on big ideas – when you seek to take down paradigms – when you have collaborators from all over the world,” North said of the study team that consisted of researchers from multiple countries including the U.S., Canada and Germany.
March 20, 2023
Q&A with Sarah Kenyon
What do you do in your current role with the University of Missouri? I am a field specialist in agronomy serving six counties in the southwest region. Based in West Plains, Missouri, I conduct educational programs for producers in forage production and management. I also participate with local farmer cooperators with on-farm demonstrations concerning grazing management, weed control and fertility management. How long have you worked in this position? I started in November 2009, so I have been in this role for over 13 years. What is your favorite part about the work you do? I enjoy working with farmers…
March 20, 2023
MU Announces New Institute of Fisheries, Wetlands and Aquatic Systems
Through a partnership with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation (MCHF), the University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources made a joint announcement featuring the launch of its new Institute of Fisheries, Wetlands and Aquatic Systems today. “Clean water and healthy aquatic systems are vital for our global future,” said Mun Choi, University of Missouri president. “This Institute will be a crucial resource for citizens, government entities and private industries committed to this mission in the years to come, and MU is proud to be a driving force in that mission…
March 17, 2023
Annie’s Project empowered Marion County farmer Amy Lehenbauer
Annie’s Project, a program offered by University of Missouri Extension for two decades, gave Amy Lehenbauer the confidence she needed to become active in the family farm. Lehenbauer is one of more than 19,000 women across the nation who completed the program during the past 20 years, says MU Extension agriculture business specialist Karisha Devlin. The program celebrates two decades of helping women in agriculture gain skills in leadership, business and estate planning, self-defense and self-care. “Annie’s Project educates and empowers women in agriculture and encourages them in whatever role they choose to have in their farming operations,” says Devlin.
March 13, 2023
Mid-Career Research Development Program Accepts Hospitality Management Faculty
Pei Liu, associate professor of hospitality management, was accepted into Mizzou’s Mid-Career Research Development Fellows Program for a two-year term beginning fall 2023. This is a partnership program between the Office of the Provost and the Office of Research, Innovation, and Impact. It is designed to provide research development opportunities to post-tenure/mid-career faculty prior to promotion to full professor. Selected faculty participate in workshops and career-building events that focus on research support including topics of balancing service commitments, engaging in collaborative work, understanding promotion criteria, and other topics of concern to mid-career faculty.
March 13, 2023
Hospitality Management Professor Receives Fullbright Award
Dae-Young Kim, professor of hospitality management, was selected by the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board as an award recipient for 2023-24. Kim is a Fulbright U.S. Senior Scholar for the upcoming academic year. He will use his scholarship to teach and conduct research on sustainable tourism in Las Palmas, Spain, for five months. The Fullbright program provides awards to approximately 8,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals each year from the United States and 160 countries. Fulbright is unique in its binationalism and noted for its merit-based selection process and academic prestige. Fulbright alumni from the United States and around the…
March 10, 2023
From Student to Specialist
As a high school student in Salem, Mo., Nick Wesslak was an active member of his local FFA chapter. That experience not only introduced him to the University of Missouri, it also showed him an interesting career path – one that he is now serving in with MU Extension. Wesslak earned two degrees from Mizzou – a bachelor’s degree in plant sciences and a master’s degree in natural resources. After stops in two states, Wesslak recently joined MU Extension as an agronomy field specialist where he covers eight counties in northeast Missouri. “I’m really happy to be back in the…
March 9, 2023
An End in Sight
The Spring Equinox will usher in the season of blooms and rebirth in just a couple of weeks, and according to one expert, this year it will bring some much-needed relief to farmers after devastating drought last year. It may, however, also bring with it a dark side — an increased likelihood of severe weather. Tony Lupo, University of Missouri professor of atmospheric science and interim state climatologist, tracks long-term weather patterns, and he is confident that this spring and summer will bring drought relief and excellent growing conditions for the bulk of the state. He attributes the drought to…