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Who’s
New at Mizzou
Nationally prominent scholars and scientists
at Mizzou bring their insights and discoveries into the classroom,
inspiring students to reach their full potential. They create
knowledge to solve problems and improve the quality of life and
often involve students in research. Here are a few stellar examples
of the newest faculty members at Mizzou.
GREG ALEXANDER
Assistant Professor of Nursing
Greg Alexander’s research focuses on
how nurses can use technology to improve the quality of care in
nursing homes. He is particularly interested in how health care
providers interact with computers and in what factors affect their
ability to make decisions in automated environments.
“Greg was being recruited by many schools
because of his unique preparation, which includes both nursing
and informatics,” says Rose Porter, dean of the Sinclair
School of Nursing. “This combination of skills is being
highly sought by many, so we are delighted that he chose to stay
here with us.”
As a registered nurse for 17 years, Alexander
worked primarily in a clinical hospital setting that focused on
intensive-care patients. He earned his master’s degree in
health administration from the health management and informatics
program at MU in 1999 and graduated in 2005 from MU with a doctoral
degree in nursing science.
“It has been a long-term goal of mine
to work in a multi-disciplinary research environment that is focused
on improving the processes of delivering health care,” Alexander
says.
JEFF BARBER
Housing and Environmental Design Specialist
Jeff Barber, a registered architect, works
with communities in 16 counties in southwest Missouri, using his
expertise to provide programming and advice on such topics as
storm resistant technology, energy efficiency and sustainable
building techniques.
“With intense economic pressures on
families due to rising energy costs, we must offer options and
strategies toward conservation, efficiency and alternative energy
sources,” Barber says. “As an architect, you can only
raise awareness one building at a time. My job at University
of Missouri Extension allows me to deliver information to
a broader audience.”
Before becoming a University faculty member,
Barber designed single- and multi-family dwellings, retail buildings,
churches, schools, banks and hospitals. Most recently he acted
as a design consultant for the new fire station and storm shelter
in Pierce City, Mo., one of several buildings destroyed by tornadoes
there in 2003. Barber earned a bachelor’s degree in art
and architecture from Drury University and a master’s degree
in architecture from the University of Oklahoma.
“Jeff's professional experience as an
architect is highly regarded,” says Jo Britt-Ranken, associate
dean of Human Environmental Sciences Extension programs. “He
has developed a great network of professionals within the southwest
region of the state, and this will be vital to his succss in this
new position.”
JINN “JK” CHEN
William and Nancy Thompson Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace
Engineering
Noah Manring, associate dean of research,
says the College of
Engineering actively recruited JK Chen to build on its strengths
in the life sciences and to help increase research activities
with the Department of Defense.
“Dr. Chen’s focus on ultrashort
pulsed lasers has many applications in the areas of national defense,
manufacturing and medicine,” Manring says. “He is
a natural fit for our programs.”
Chen came to the U.S. in 1980 and received
his doctorate in aeronautics and astronautics from Purdue University
in 1984. He worked for the Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland
Air Force Base, N.M., for 12 years and served as a research advisor
for the National Research Council. In addition, Chen has worked
for GE Aircraft Engines in Cincinnati, GM Allison Gas Turbine
Division in Indianapolis and Advanced Composite Engineering in
West Lafayette, Ind. He served as a visiting associate professor
at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan.
“I came to MU because of its great vision,
leadership and research environment,” Chen says. “I
have been particularly impressed by Dean Jim Thompson’s
leadership in directed energy research.”
DAWN CORNELISON
Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
Dawn Cornelison’s work may some day
lead to new treatments for muscle degenerative diseases like muscular
dystrophy. An expert in the area of cellular, molecular and developmental
biology, her research focuses on the behavior regulation of a
group of adult stem cells in skeletal muscles known as satellite
cells.
“In normal individuals, these cells
become activated upon injury or exercise and then divide and form
new muscle mass,” says John David, director of biological
sciences. “Dawn was a real catch because she brings
unique and critical research expertise to Mizzou.”
Cornelison, whose laboratory is located in
the Christopher S.
Bond Life Sciences Center at MU, just completed a post-doctoral
fellowship at the University of Colorado at Boulder where she
investigated the regulation of skeletal muscle satellite cell
activation, proliferation and differentiation. From 1993-98, Cornelison
held a fellowship from the ARCS Foundation, and for the past three
years, she has been the principal investigator for a Muscular
Dystrophy Association development grant. She earned her doctorate
in 1998 from the California Institute of Technology.
“When I first visited MU last winter,
what impressed me the most was the openness, collegiality and
enthusiasm of the faculty,” Cornelison says. “I get
to work in a building with great colleagues and fantastic facilities,
and together they made it a very easy choice for me to come here.”
STEFAN FREUND
Assistant Professor of Composition and Music Theory
Described as an enthusiastic and energetic
teacher who relates well to Mizzou students, Stefan Freund is
active as a performer and producer of new music. In fact, the
Music Teachers National Association chose his original composition
“Screams and Grooves” as the top work in its national
competition held in January.
“Dr. Freund is a gifted composer and
a rising star,” says Melvin Platt, director of the School
of Music. “His music is being performed by notable musicians
and orchestras, and he is an active performer in New York and
at other American musical centers.”
Freund’s music has been performed at
such venues as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the National
Gallery of Art and the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Freund came
to Mizzou from the Eastman School of Music, where he taught for
a year after receiving a doctorate in composition and cello. He
is the recipient of numerous awards, including two William Schuman
Prizes, the Boudleaux Bryant Prize, five ASCAP Morton Gould Grants,
six ASCAP Standard Awards, a Music Merit Award from the National
Society of Arts and Letters and the Howard Hanson Prize. He is
principal cellist of Alarm Will Sound and serves on its production
board.
“Mizzou is a great state university
with an incredibly diverse and talented student body,” Freund
says. “I cannot imagine a more wonderful set of colleagues
to work with, especially within my area of composition and music
theory.”
KEITH GOYNE
Assistant Professor of Environmental Soil Chemistry
Keith Goyne’s research efforts in the
School of Natural Resources
are focused on examining the interactions and transformations
of pollutants and organic matter in soil. Examples of his current
projects include studying herbicides and veterinary pharmaceuticals
in agroforestry and agroecosystems and probing the role of mineral
nanopores for sequestering natural and pollutant organic compounds
in soil. This fall he is teaching environmental soil chemistry
courses and is developing a new environmental science course for
freshman and sophomores.
“The University places undergraduate
education very high on its priority list, much more so than other
universities,” Goyne says. “That was very attractive
to me due to my interest in teaching and educating young scientists.
I also was attracted to the University because soil
science at Mizzou has a long and cherished tradition.”
Goyne received his doctorate in soil
science from The Pennsylvania State University where he was a
fellow in the Biogeochemical Research Initiative for Education,
a program that trains students as interdisciplinary scientists.
Goyne also worked as a post-doctoral fellow at the University
of Arizona.
“Dr. Goyne brings unique expertise
to MU related to the chemistry of soils,” says Mark Ryan,
director of the School of Natural Resources. “His expertise
not only allows us to address a variety of questions related to
environmental problems in soils, but his ability to partner with
other scientists in water quality, forest ecology, prairies and
other areas helps us address more complex problems.”
QING "GRACE" HAO
Assistant Professor of Finance
Grace Hao’s research focuses on initial
public offerings (IPOs). While pursuing her doctorate, she studied
the manipulation of IPOs through laddering. She analyzed the stock
market “bubble” during 1999 and 2000, a time in which
IPO stocks on average had a 65 percent price pop-up on the first
trading day, and investigated whether laddering by underwriters
could have caused this phenomenon.
“Grace brings additional expertise to
the College of Business
in the area of investments, especially new issues and initial
public offerings,” says Dan French, finance department chair.
Hao passed all three levels of the Chartered Financial Analyst
exams while earning her doctorate in finance at the University
of Florida. In addition to earning a master’s degree in
business from the University of Kansas, Hao has bachelor’s
and master’s degrees in engineering from Tianjin University
in China.
“I am very excited to be at MU,”
Hao says. “I am attracted by the excellent research environment
and by the reputation of our flagship campus. My colleagues here
have different areas of expertise and their perspectives can stimulate
new ideas and new research projects.”
RIGEL OLIVERI
Associate Professor of Law
Rigel Oliveri joined the School
of Law faculty after working for five years as a trial attorney
for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice in
Washington D.C. She practiced in the division’s Housing
and Civil Enforcement Section on cases involving housing discrimination
and sexual harassment. In 2003, the U.S. Attorney General awarded
her a Special Commendation for Outstanding Service to the Department.
“Rigel not only has extensive experience
in high-profile civil litigation, but brings a passion for teaching
to our classrooms here at Mizzou,” says Larry Dessem, dean
of the law school. “Great trial lawyers are, by their nature,
great teachers, and Professor Oliveri’s education, experience
and excitement about MU make her a great addition to our faculty.”
While at Stanford Law School, Oliveri was
an editor at the Stanford Law Review and a member of
the Stanford Law & Policy Review. Following law school, she
clerked for Judge Stephanie K. Seymour, of the U.S. Tenth Circuit
Court of Appeals. Oliveri’s published work has appeared
in the Wisconsin Law Review and the Yale Journal
of Law and Feminism. She teaches courses at Mizzou in civil
procedure, pretrial litigation and fair housing.
“Law students at Mizzou get a
full range of course options, including practice-oriented classes
and specialized classes in particular fields,” Oliveri says.
“I am delighted to have the opportunity to teach fair housing,
a dynamic and important area of the law that doesn’t get
taught enough in law schools.”
SCOTT PECK
Associate Professor of Biochemistry
Scott Peck came to MU from the Sainsbury Laboratory
at the John Innes Centre in England to expand his work and to
interact with colleagues who have a greater diversity of biological
questions and approaches. He is interested in understanding how
plants respond to microbial infections and environmental stresses.
An expert in the area of proteomics, Peck is conducting research
at Mizzou’s life sciences center on how cells process information
from external signals.
“Scott is a wonderful addition to the
world-class faculty in the Department
of Biochemistry,” Chair Gerald Hazelbauer says. “In
combination with Assistant Professor Jay Thelen and MU’s
new Proteomic Center,
Scott gives us the potential to be at the leading edge of the
newest developments in proteomics.”
Peck, who earned a doctorate in botany and
plant pathology at Michigan State University, says he is excited
that Mizzou is continuing to expand its commitment to proteomics
research by providing state-of-the-art equipment for faculty and
by integrating the many facets of biological research.
“An atmosphere of collaboration
is promoted and reinforced throughout the University and its departments,”
Peck says. “I’m excited by what is going to be accomplished
here over the next five to 10 years, and I’m excited about
making my own contribution to the continued success of the life
sciences center and the University.”
NANDHU RADHAKRISHNAN
Assistant Professor of Communication Science and Disorders
Nandhu Radhakrishnan is an expert on professional
uses of the human voice, such as singing and broadcast journalism,
and on impairments that affect voice, including Parkinson’s
disease, vocal fold paralysis and laryngeal cancer. He will be
teaching voice, speech science, anatomy and physiology courses
at MU and also is charged with developing a professional voice
course that will help public speakers and singers avoid vocal
problems and learn how to use their voices most effectively. His
research also focuses on the cultural uniqueness of ceremonial
singers in his native country of India.
“I saw the prospect of being involved
as a team in improving the services offered at the School
of Health Professions, and I could not wait for my first day
of work,” Radhakrishnan says. “It is an honor to be
part of MU.”
Radhakrishnan earned his doctorate in voice and speech science
at Bowling Green State University after obtaining his bachelor’s
and master’s degrees in audiology and speech rehabilitation
from Mumbai University in India. He has made national and international
presentations on voice analysis and has written numerous publications
on different aspects of the voice.
“With his background in speech
science and in theatre, Dr. Radhakrishnan is exceptionally qualified
to connect the ‘high-tech’ and the human, bringing
cutting-edge technology to the study, prevention and healing of
voice problems,” says Philip Dale, chair of the Communication
Science and Disorders department.
LYNETTE RENNER
Assistant Professor of Social Work
Lynette Renner has studied under some of the
top child welfare experts in the country. As a graduate research
fellow at the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University
of Wisconsin-Madison, she researched the effects of family violence
on child behavior. Before receiving her doctorate at Wisconsin’s
top-ranked social work school, Renner completed internships for
her master’s degree at the Florence Crittenton Home and
at the C. Schwartz Chemical Dependency Center in Lexington, Ky.,
and she gained field experience at the Manchester House and the
Police Youth Bureau while pursuing her bachelor’s degree
in Bismarck, N.D.
“Dr. Renner’s research on child welfare and family
violence and her extensive clinical counseling experience will
be an asset to the School of
Social Work,” says Director Colleen
Galambos. “She is a rich addition to the clinical practice
aspect of our master’s of social work program.”
Renner also worked as a social work supervisor
for the Adult Chemical Dependency Unit at North Dakota State Hospital,
served as a clinical therapist for the James River Residential
Treatment Center at the hospital and worked as a therapist for
Northern Prairie Consultants.
“MU’s reputation for engaging
in diverse, high-quality research that has wide-reaching and lasting
effects is only one of its impressive features,” Renner
says. “The strong level of support given by the University
to the professional development of faculty members shows MU’s
commitment to its faculty and its students.”
JAMES SOWERS
Associate Dean for Clinical Research and Director of the
MU Center for Diabetes and Cardiovascular Health
James Sowers, MD ’71, returned to MU
to direct one of the few centers in the country focused on severing
the deadly link between diabetes and cardiovascular disease, both
of which are growing problems in the United States. His clinical
research on diabetes and other endocrine disorders has been supported
by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Department
of Veterans Affairs and the American Diabetes Association, among
others.
“Simply put, what makes Jim so important
to our research progress is that he’s a superb scientist,”
says Ed Blaine, former director of the MU Dalton
Cardiovascular Research Center. “He has many years of
experience in the laboratory and in the clinic, and he’s
well-equipped to lead us into a new era of revitalized biomedical
research. It’s extraordinary to have someone of his caliber
join us.”
Sowers, who also serves as associate dean
for clinical research and director of endocrinology at the School
of Medicine, is the first Thomas W. and Joan F. Burns Missouri
Chair in Diabetology. Previously he served as chief of endocrinology,
diabetes and hypertension at the State University of New York
(SUNY) Health Science Center in Brooklyn. Before his arrival at
SUNY in 1999, he served 15 years as director of endocrinology,
metabolism and hypertension as well as professor of medicine and
physiology at Wayne State University, Detroit.
“I always wanted to return and give
something back to this institution,” Sowers says. “There’s
a mindset here now to continue to expand into more diverse research,
which makes it attractive to be here, particularly from the perspective
of a clinical investigator like me.”
GEORGE STEWART
Charles and Charlene McKee Missouri Professor of Microbial
Pathogenesis
George Stewart plays an important role in
MU’s infectious disease group, where scientists from the
College of Veterinary Medicine
and the School
of Medicine collaborate at the life sciences center. Their
research is critical to the development of effective vaccines
and contributes to knowledge in the areas of food safety, antibiotic
resistance and bio-terrorism threats.
“Dr. Stewart was recruited to MU to
provide leadership and strengthen the infectious disease research
area in Veterinary Pathobiology,” says Gerald Buening, interim
chair of the department.
Stewart’s research, which focuses on
the study of bacterial genes and the role of bacterial spore proteins
in immunity, is currently supported by grants from the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
He holds a U.S. patent and has made numerous submissions to GenBank,
the NIH’s genetic sequence database. In 1999, Stewart received
the Pfizer Award for Research Excellence. Stewart earned his doctorate
at the University of Texas at Dallas and did post-doctoral work
at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“We are at a time where there are constraints on universities,
especially schools of veterinary medicine, because of dwindling
state support,” Stewart says. “However, MU and the
College of Veterinary Medicine are forging ahead and positioning
the University to be highly competitive in the national research
arena.”
JOHN THYFAULT
Assistant Professor of Nutritional Sciences
John Thyfault is interested in the relationship
between obesity and insulin resistance in skeletal muscle and
the effects of exercise as a treatment for these conditions. He
has a joint appointment with the College
of Human Environmental Sciences and the Harry
S. Truman Veteran's Administration Hospital in Columbia and
will be teaching courses in exercise physiology.
“Academically, Mizzou is the perfect
place because it has the largest collection of exercise physiologists
in the U.S.,” Thyfault says. “MU also is unique because
the vet college, medical school and the VA hospital all are within
walking distance on the main campus.”
Thyfault, who wants his research to have an
impact on people’s everyday lives, received his bachelor’s
and master’s degrees from Fort Hays State University and
earned his doctorate at the University of Kansas. He did post-doctoral
research at East Carolina University with Lynis Dohm, a prominent
researcher in the area of exercise and obesity.
“John brings an integrative philosophy
to MU, and part of the motivation for his hire into a joint appointment
was his ability to help link cellular techniques with a whole
body approach,” says Tom Thomas, professor of nutritional
sciences. “He hopes to use his experience in both animal
and human research procedures to help reverse the trends in obesity
and type 2 diabetes.”
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Copyright © 2008 — Curators of the University of Missouri
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Last Update:
September 3, 2008
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