Faculty

May 5, 2023

Pioneer in degradation of ‘forever chemicals’ brings research to Mizzou

Before most of his peers knew them as “forever chemicals,” Feng “Frank” Xiao knew they were a problem. It was the early 2010s, and he was reviewing Centers for Disease Control data when he noticed a disturbing trend. Pre- and polyfluoroalkyls (PFAS) — compounds mass marketed since the 1940s — were showing up in more than 95% of blood samples, and they appeared to be wreaking havoc on human health.

May 4, 2023

Krishnaswamy shares solutions for a zero hunger world at AAAS Conference

More than 2 billion people in the world face hidden hunger and malnutrition, even as 1.3 billion tons of edible food is either lost or wasted every year. Meanwhile, it’s estimated that the global human population will increase to 9-10 billion over the next 50 years, putting even more strain on food production. These are overwhelmingly complex problems. Assistant Professor Kiruba Krishnaswamy has a way of making solutions sound simple.

John Bowders retires from Mizzou Engineering after 25 years. He is pictured with Praveen Edara (left) and Dean Noah Manring (right)

Sep. 13, 2022

Bowders retires from Mizzou Engineering after 25 years

John Bowders (center) has retired from Mizzou Engineering after 25 years. He is pictured with Praveen Edara (left) and Dean Noah Manring (right). John Bowders, P.E. and professor of civil and environmental engineering, has retired following a 25-year career at Mizzou Engineering. The College celebrated his career during a retirement reception on Sept. 9, drawing in a large crowd that included faculty, students, alumni community members and industry professionals. Many guests praised Bowders’ positive attitude. “It has been such an honor for me to work with John over the past 15 years,” said Praveen Edara, chair of civil and environmental…

Portrait of new faculty

Sep. 11, 2022

Mizzou Engineering welcomes 14 new faculty members

Mizzou Engineering welcomed 14 new faculty members, including 11 tenure-track faculty who bring expertise in areas such as pollution remediation, manufacturing and computational material science. “We’re excited to bring in this group of educators and researchers who will make tremendous contributions to the College,” Dean Noah Manring said. “Students will, no doubt, benefit greatly from their teaching and research expertise.” Joining Mizzou Engineering are: Melissa Collins will serve as First Year Engineering coordinator and an assistant teaching professor in biomedical, biological and chemical engineering. Collins has a PhD from Texas A&M University and a bachelor’s from the University…

James Noble

March 22, 2022

Noble receives William T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence

IMSE Chair and Professor James Noble received a 2022 William T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence.

A pair of glasses sits in front of a computer screen.

July 16, 2019

Mizzou Engineering’s Chadha protecting your data, identity

While hacking databases is the main way for interested parties to gain users’ personal information, it’s not the only possibility. Intrepid attackers can use perfectly benign means to do so. How? By using readily available aggregate data — for example: census data, medical data focused on how many people in an area suffer from a specific illness, consumer trend data, etc. — and using it to focus on specific individuals.

Hands typing on a laptop keyboard

Jan. 22, 2019

Defense using pretense: MU Engineering team sets new cybersecurity paradigm

Instead of simply reacting to cyberattacks after they happen, Mizzou Engineering researchers developed a new approach — cyber “defense using pretense.”

A landscape showing a narrow river shining under hazy sunlight, low mountains in the background, and trees on either side of the bank, dressed in autumn foliage.

Jan. 22, 2019

Studying behavior could lead to sustainability solutions

At first blush, Damon Hall’s office looks somewhat out of place. Tucked in the Natural Resources Building, his shelves are lined with the kind of reading material seemingly more suited for psychology or sociology. Looks, however, can be deceiving.