In the College of Natural and Applied Sciences (CNAS) at Missouri State University, biology students are transforming curiosity into discovery. They are applying research to questions that span from molecular interactions inside cells to ecological dynamics across prairie landscapes. Graduate students Abhishu Chand and Tabitha Moul are two researchers using their passion … [Read more...] about From microscopic to ecosystem: life in focus
Growing up in rural Audubon, Iowa, surrounded by nature, it is no surprise that Missouri State University junior Jordan Porsch formed an early connection to protecting the natural world. Her mom worked for the Audubon Soil and Water Conservation District, and her dad and brother would take her fishing and hunting. “Conservation was a big deal in my family, and I love … [Read more...] about A big opportunity on the horizon
Join us in congratulating these College of Natural and Applied Sciences (CNAS) faculty members whose distinguished contributions in teaching, research and service earned them an endowed professorship at Missouri State University. Roy D. Blunt Life Science Professors Dr. Deb Finn, associate professor of biology Finn earned her PhD in Ecology from Colorado State University. … [Read more...] about A recognition of excellence
The hum of hundreds of bat scientists in one place is hard to describe. For Dr. Giorgia Auteri, a biology adjunct faculty member at Missouri State University and senior research scientist at Bat Conservation International, the 53rd North American Symposium for Bat Research (NASBR), was a reminder of why scientific community matters. The event took place Oct. 8-11, 2025, in … [Read more...] about Bats, brilliance and big wins
When it rains in Springfield, the water runs into storm drains and creeks. It then flows into larger rivers, becoming part of the city’s story about stream health. Monitoring urban stream health Dr. Debra Finn, associate professor of biology at Missouri State University, studies how these streams change over time. Her lab recently received a grant from the City of Springfield … [Read more...] about Grants for a great cause