Dr. Chin-Feng Hwang serves as the head of the Environmental Plant Science and Natural Resources department at the Darr College of Agriculture. As the department head, Hwang oversees all academic development for department coursework, supervises faculty members, and collaborates with other departments to move the Darr College of Agriculture forward.
Hwang graduated from the University of Iowa in 1997, receiving both his Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Plant Science. After graduation, Hwang worked as a research faculty member at the University of California, Davis, and conducted research projects including Plant Parasitic Nematodes and Grapevine Breeding.
In 2010, Hwang and his family moved to the Springfield area to join the faculty at Missouri State University. Twelve years later, Hwang continues to further his research in grape breeding and fruit research for the Darr College of Agriculture at the Mountain Grove campus. The research program Hwang focuses on is the development of molecular genetic tools to expedite a Vitis aestivalis-derived Norton grape breeding efforts. The goal of improving its viticultural performance and ecological quality.
“My emphasis is on plant breeding research, specifically the Norton Grape and Black Walnut, both of which grow very well in Missouri, and graduate student training,” Hwang said. “The overall goals of my research program are to use DNA markers to rapidly deploy favorable traits, accelerate breeding cycles for new cultivar releases and train a new generation of plant breeders.”
Hwang has shared his expertise in research for several years with undergraduate and graduate students at the Darr College of Agriculture. A few courses Hwang has taught throughout the years are Molecular Breeding Techniques, Plant Breeding and Genetics/Lab, Plant Science Colloquium, and supervising internships for plant science students. The activities performed within laboratory studies include classical breeding, characterization of disease resistance genes, DNA marker analysis, inheritance studies, map-based cloning, molecular mapping, and plant-pathogen interactions.
Hwang has received awards for his astonishing research in grape breeding and plant genetics. In 2013, Hwang received the “Best Enology Paper Award” from the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture. Following in 2019, Hwang received the “Foundation Award for Excellence in Research” from Missouri State University. Hwang was recognized in 2016 by the university as the “Plant Genetics Endowed Professor” and continues to hold this honor.
Hwang’s favorite College of Agriculture event is the Scholarship Banquet because he is passionate about supporting students academically and financially through their collegiate careers. Hwang views the banquet as an opportunity to not only celebrate the students’ achievements but to interact with parents and donors.
When not researching fruit or grape breeding, Hwang can be found shopping or snacking on his favorite vegetable, french fries. Hwang begins each day sipping on a warm cup of coffee and ends with a cup of oolong tea.
We are grateful for the passion Dr. Hwang exhibits for plant science and natural resources, teaching, and student success at the Darr College of Agriculture.
Interested in speaking with Dr. Hwang? Send him an email to ChinFengHwang@MissouriState.edu or visit him in Karls office 224.