MSU announces 2025 Research Awards finalists
Mississippi State University is recognizing excellence in research and innovation with the 2025 Research Awards.
MSU’s Research Awards program is sponsored by the MSU Office of Research and Economic Development and the university’s Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine. The award winners will be announced during an Oct. 8 campus banquet.
Chosen from a competitive pool of nominees, the finalists for the 2025 MSU Research Awards are:
Ralph E. Powe Award for Research Excellence:
-- Matthew Brown, Donald L. Hall professor of Biology in the Department of Biological Sciences
-- Daniel Petrolia, professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics
-- Sead Sabanadzovic, professor in the Department of Agricultural Science and Plant Protection
Mid-Career Research Scholar:
-- Kristine Evans, associate professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Aquaculture
-- Junfeng Ma, associate professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
-- Matthew Priddy, associate professor in the Hall School of Mechanical Engineering
Emerging Research Scholar:
-- Melanie R. Boudreau, associate research professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture
-- Vitor Martins, assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering
-- Haifeng Wang, assistant professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering;
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award:
-- Colleen Scott, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry
-- Keun Seok Seo, associate professor in the Department of Comparative and Biomedical Sciences
-- Kasee Stratton-Gadke, associate professor and executive director of the Mississippi Institute on Disabilities
Research Professional:
-- David Saucier, research engineer III in the Athlete Engineering Institute
-- John Wallace, research associate II in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
-- Cynthia Ware, senior research associate in the Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine
Research Support:
-- Paula Jones, business manager I in the Department of Sociology
-- Tina Kinard, associate director of the Office of Sponsored Projects
-- Dawn Reynolds, co-director of high performance computing in the High Performance Computing Collaboratory
The annual Research Awards program honors those who contribute significantly to the mission of research and allows colleges and centers to recognize and reward students, faculty and support staff for their accomplishments, research and creative endeavors. The Research Award program is intended to increase awareness of MSU research programs and capabilities.
Nominations for the annual awards are sought in the spring of each year. For more information, visit www.ored.msstate.edu/initiatives/research-awards/annual-research-awards.
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James Carskadon | High Performance Computing Collaboratory
