Monday, August 31, 2015
Texas Tech University
Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics
(806) 742-2821
RE: Research Faculty Biographies
Carlos Carpio
Agricultural Economist
carlos.carpio@ttu.edu
(806) 834-8244
Research Focuses
 Demand Analysis
o Investigate factors that affect demand for food
o Investigate links between food choices, nutrition and food security
 The Economics of Food Production
Research Methods
 Development of theoretical and empirical economic models
 Survey design, implementation and analysis
 Statistical/econometric modeling
International Connections
 Honduras and Ecuador
Benaissa Chidmi
Industrial Organization/Demand Analysis/Applied Econometrics
Research Focuses
benaissa.chidmi@ttu.edu
(806) 834-7986
 Market Structure and Industry Competitiveness
 Demand and Price Analysis
 Marketing of Agricultural and Food Products
Common Research Methods
 Econometric Medialization in Marketing of Agricultural and Food Products
International Connections
 Morocco, Mexico, and China
Michael Farmer
Natural Resource Economist
michael.farmer@ttu.edu
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(806) 834-6996
Research Focus: Long Run Land Use Change
 Integrate high resolution individual and ecological site level data to estimate the effects of
policies on future land use patterns.
 Stochastic Impact Evaluation of Engineering-Ecological-Economic Models (largely by statistical
reduction of model redundancies to isolate impacts)
 Identify Household diversity using household level data to estimate the effects of regional plans
on diverse subgroups to assure full and open representation.
Techniques
 Endogenous sorting in multiple equation regressions
 Spatial Statistics, Hierarchic Modeling, Bayesian Inference
International Connections
 Malaysia, Ethiopia, and Cambodia
Darren Hudson
Combest Endowed Chair for Agricultural Competitiveness
darren.hudson@ttu.edu
(806) 834-0546
Research Focuses
 Impacts of changes in policy and economic conditions on global cotton and textile markets
 Policies affecting food and marketing performance and international trade
 Technology adoption, natural resources, and other factors affecting agricultural
competitiveness
 Behavioral economics and risk assessment
Common Research Methods
 Structural modeling, surveys, and economic experiments
International Connections
 Brazil, Ethiopia, Central Asia, and Central America
Phillip Johnson
Agribusiness Finance/Water Conservation/Water Management
phil.johnson@ttu.edu
(806) 834-0474
Research Focuses
 Water Policy
 Water Management
 Sustainability of Production Systems
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Common Research Methods
 Enterprise Budgeting
 Capital Budgeting
Kelly Lange, Farm/Agribusiness Management Focus
kelly.lange@ttu.edu
(806) 834-8914
Research Focuses
 Intergenerational transfers of farm and ranch businesses
 Financial literacy for young and/or beginning farmers/ranchers
 Incorporation of personal financial planning with farm and agribusiness management planning
Common Research Methods
 Intergenerational transfer models, econometric analysis, qualitative research methods
Conrad Lyford
Agricultural Economist / Agribusiness and Health
conrad.lyford@ttu.edu
(806) 834-6881
Research Focuses
 Approaches to improve human health and nutrition
 The linkage between agricultural production and health
 Increasing the value and return from agribusiness production and marketing
Common Research Methods
 Value chain analysis, behavioral economics, cost benefit analysis
International Connections
 Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, and Malawi
Jaime Malaga
Agricultural Economist
jaime.malaga@ttu.edu
(806) 834-7041
Research Focuses
 Analysis and Modeling of International Agricultural Trade with emphasis on impacts of Free
Trade Agreements and trade policies.
 Agribusiness Marketing including analysis of food distribution chains
 Competitiveness analysis with emphasis on West Texas: cotton/textile, livestock/meat, and
feed grains/sorghum.
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Common Research Methods
 Econometrics, simultaneous equation models, forecasting and simulation, time series analysis.
International Connections
 Mexico, Spain, China, India, Ethiopia, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Honduras, and Ukraine
Adam Martin
Economist
adam.martin@ttu.edu
(806) 834-1650
Research Focuses
 Institutional analysis (how rules affect knowledge and incentives), especially of economic
development
 Institutional evolution (how rules develop)
 Fundamental uncertainty and entrepreneurship
Common Research Methods
 Analytic Narrative / Case Study
 Triangulation
International Connections
 Czech Republic and United Kingdom
Olga Murova
Agricultural Economist
olga.murova@ttu.edu
(806) 834-3257
Research Focuses
 International development
 Sustainable rural development
 Efficiency and productivity analysis
Common Research Methods
 Regression analysis, optimization, forecasting
International Connections
 Ukraine, Russia, Dominican Republic, and Philippines
Shaikh Rahman
Economist
shaikh.m.rahman@ttu.edu
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(806) 834-0505
Research Focuses
 Grid pricing and contracting in beef cattle industry
 Climate change economics
 International development
Common Research Methods
 Economic modeling, regression analyses, and simulation techniques
 Nesting biophysical growth model for beef cattle into economic model
International Connections
 Kenya and Bangladesh
Eduardo Segarra
Farm Level PLUS Decision Making Improvement
eduardo.segarra@ttu.edu
(806) 834-3885
Research Focuses
 Productivity Enhancement – Efficiency, Profitability, and Competitiveness
 Natural Resource Use and Environmental Optimality – Sustainability of Production Systems
 New/Emerging Technology Development/Adoption Evaluation
 Private/Public Policy Priority Setting and Implementation
Common Research Methods
 Budgeting, Benefit-Cost Analysis, Welfare Impact Evaluation, Mathematical Optimization,
Statistics, Econometrics
International Connections
 Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil, Ethiopia, and China
Chenggang Wang
Natural Resource Economics/Water and Land focus
chenggang.wang@ttu.edu
(806) 834-6238
Research Focuses
 Optimizing water use efficiency under limited irrigation water supply
 Testing the changing capacity of the Ogallala Aquifer as a resource for adaptation to climate
change
 Evaluating the impact of land reform on grassland degradation in Western China
Common Research Methods
 Econometric analysis of observational data, optimization modelling, simulation analysis
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International Connections
 China and Sri Lanka
Ryan Williams
Environmental & Resource Economist
ryan.b.williams@ttu.edu
(806) 834-6195
Research Focuses
 Water-Energy Nexus – water for agriculture, valuing groundwater, hydraulic fracturing, wind
energy, municipal water
 Valuing the Environment – household willingness to pay for ecosystem services (playa lakes),
consumer preferences for environmental attributes (food production and packaging)
 Laboratory experiments for applied economics problems in agriculture and natural resources
Common Research Methods
 Contingent valuation surveys, GIS, discrete choice statistical models, laboratory experiments,
optimization models
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Monday, August 31, 2015
Texas Tech University
Department of Agricultural Education & Communications
(806) 742-2816
RE: Research Faculty Biographies
Matt Baker
Capacity building of ANR programs of Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s)
matt.baker@ttu.edu
(806) 834-6358
Research Focuses
 Institutional strategic planning
 Development & evaluation of entrepreneurship education programs
Common Research Methods
 Qualitative & quantitative methods embedded within expertise-, participative-, and impactoriented program evaluations
International Connections
 Nigeria and Kenya
Amy Boren
Agricultural Education – International Focus
amy.boren@ttu.edu
(806) 834-7273
Research Focuses
 Youth engagement in agriculture and rural community food security
 Women as leaders in community food security
 Community resilience
Common Research Methods
 Qualitative and quantitative
International Connections
 Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Nicaragua
Todd Brashears
Agricultural Leadership
todd.brashears@ttu.edu
(806) 834-2135
Research Focuses
 Effective training techniques to impact workforce behavioral change
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Leadership characteristics of effective leaders
Organizational Culture/Climate
Common Research Methods
 Survey Research Methods
International Connections
 Bahamas, Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Belize,
Colombia, France, Italy, and Canada
Scott Burris
Agricultural Education/Teacher Preparation
scott.burris@ttu.edu
(806) 834-8689
Research Focuses
 Effective teaching strategies/methods
 Relationship between bio-physiological measures and cognitive functions
 Success, retention and attrition of secondary agriculture teachers
Common Research Methods
 Human subjects survey research
 Developing interest in bio-physiological measures
International Connections
 Costa Rica and Nicaragua
David Doerfert
Agricultural Communications
david.doerfert@ttu.edu
(806) 834-4477
Research Focuses
 Information seeking & analysis behaviors that influence decision-making in the following
contexts:
o Water management/conservation by agriculture producers and public
o Purchase and consumption of agriculture products.
 Advancement of agricultural communications in higher education
o Development of critical, creative and systems thinking abilities in higher education students.
o Influence of emerging technologies on curriculum, instruction, and professional
development.
Common Research
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Methods Quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques measuring achievement,
aptitude, attitudes, and psychosocial constructs.
Evaluation techniques including needs assessment, formative, developmental, summative, and
impact evaluation.
Steve Fraze
Teacher Certification & Agricultural Leadership
steven.fraze@ttu.edu
(806) 742-2816
Research Focuses
 Water sustainability and management
 Teacher training and development
 Undergraduate program development
Common Research Methods
 Survey Research, Delphi, and Focus Groups
Courtney Gibson
Agricultural Communications
courtney.d.gibson@ttu.edu
(806) 834-8766
Research Focuses
 Implementation and impact of social media during agriculturally-related crises
 Effectiveness and influence of graphic and document design within the agricultural industry and
with agricultural messages
 Scholarship of teaching and learning with a focus on innovative classroom technologies and
teaching techniques
 International agricultural communications
Common Research Methods
 Qualitative research: grounded theory, content analysis, focus groups, interviews, case studies
Erica Irlbeck
Agricultural Communications
erica.irlbeck@ttu.edu
(806) 834-6708
Research Focuses
 Risk and crisis communications
 Agriculture in television
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Social media
Curriculum development/improvement
Common Research Methods
 Qualitative research, content analysis
International Connections
 Belize
Courtney Meyers
Agricultural Communications
courtney.meyers@ttu.edu
(806) 834-4364
Research Interests
 Online media use in agricultural communications
o Role of social media
o Developing best practices for emerging media use
o Agriculture’s representation online
 Scholarship of teaching and learning
o Improving agricultural communications curriculum
o Service learning
 Communicating broader impacts of agricultural research
o Needs assessments
o Message testing
o Evaluating communication or educational efforts
Rudy Ritz
Agricultural Education/Secondary Agriscience Teacher Education
rudy.ritz@ttu.edu
(806) 834-4807
Research Focuses
 Beginning agriscience teacher work and family balance
 Water conservation outreach and education (Texas Alliance for Water Conservation)
 Innovative water conservation technology transfer
Common Research Methods
 Descriptive, Correlational, and Quasi-experimental methods in behavioral sciences including
survey research
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Jonathan Ulmer
Teacher Education in Agriculture
jon.ulmer@ttu.edu
(806) 834-6672
Research Focuses
 STEM integration in Agricultural Education
 Teacher Development
 Cognitive Discourse and Behavior (Bloom’s Taxonomy)
 Program Evaluation
Common Research Methods
 Survey design, instrument development, Delphi
International Connections
 Costa Rica and Uganda
5
Monday, August 31, 2015
Texas Tech University
Department of Animal & Food Sciences
(806) 742-2805
RE: Research Faculty Biographies
Michael Ballou
Nutritional Immunologist / Dairy Focus
michael.ballou@ttu.edu
(806) 834-6513
Research Focuses
 Immunological factors that contribute to the increased risk for infectious disease
 Biological markers of diseases
 Investigate management strategies, including nutrition, that reduce risk or severity of disease
Common Research Methods
 Cell culture & animal models, flow cytometry, histopathology, ELISA, hematology, clinical
chemistry
International Connections
 Brazil, Ethiopia, and Philippines
Bryan Bernhard
Ruminant Nutritionist – Beef Cattle Focus
bryan.bernhard@ttu.edu
(806) 834-4373
Research Focuses
 Improving the growth and efficiency of feedlot cattle through mineral supplementation and
growth-promoting technologies
 Effects of heat stress on finishing cattle performance and well-being
 Utilizing confinement for cow/calf production systems
Common Research Methods
 Animal models, behavior recording technology, ELISA, and hematology
Heidi Brady
Equine Sciences; Equine-Assisted Therapies
heidi.brady@ttu.edu
(806) 834-8484
Research Focuses
 Effects of Hippotherapy on Gross Motor Delay in young children
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Benefits of Therapeutic Riding on children with autism
Collaborative research Concussion in Rodeo Participants, Anthelmintic Practices in Performance
Horses (with Missouri State)
Collaboration within TTU/TTUHSC for Equine-Assisted Therapy research
 TTUHSC - Gait Analysis Laboratory, TTUHSC Rehabilitation Sciences, Dept. of Pediatrics
 TTU - AFS, Plant and Soil Sciences, Natural Resources Management, Burkhart Center for Autism
Mindy Brashears
Food Safety and Security
mindy.brashears@ttu.edu
(806) 834-4274
Research Focuses
 Determine prevalence of pathogens and control measures in pre- and post-harvest food
production environments
 Determine sustainable food production methods to produce safe and wholesome foods in
developing countries with an emphasis on protein needs
 Validation Studies for real world implementation of food safety practices.
Common Research Methods
 Conventional Microbiological Isolation Methods, Rapid Microbiological Detection Techniques,
Environmental Surveillance, SENSITITRE Antibiotic Drug Resistance Testing, In Plant/Field
Validation Studies, Simulation Studies in Pathogen Processing Lab
International Connections
 Honduras, Mexico, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Haiti, El Salvador,
Belize, Nicaragua, Panama, and Barbados
Chance Brooks
Meat Scientist – Meat Quality and Safety
chance.brooks@ttu.edu
(806) 834-3517
Research Focuses
 Meat Palatability (tenderness, juiciness, flavor)
 Meat Color and Stability (packaging, display, storage)
 Nutritive Value of Meat
 Pre- and Post-harvest Food Safety Intervention and pathogen survey
Common Research Methods
 Analytical and affective panels; Texture analysis; Volatile analysis with SPME and GC/MS;
Neutral and polar lipid analysis with GC; Antioxidant capacity - various methods including HPLC
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w/ UV; Proximate analysis; Spectrophotometry; Spoilage bacteria enumeration; National
surveys
International Connections
 U.S. Meat Export Federation – Caribbean, Central and South America
Tiffanie Brooks
Attending Veterinarian/Director of Animal Care Services
tiffanie.brooks@ttu.edu
(806) 834-8588
Supportive Research Focuses
 Stress and Welfare
 Farm Animal, Companion Animal, Lab Animal
 Surgical support
 Protocol formulation assistance
Marie Bugarel
Molecular microbiology applied to food safety
marie.bugarel@ttu.edu
(806) 834-7142
Research Focuses
 Molecular characterization of Salmonella strains isolated from bovine lymph nodes
 Antimicrobial resistance characterization of E. coli strains isolated from bovine
 Development of serotyping assays for Salmonella
Common Research Methods
 Cell culture, PCRs (conventional, real-time, and reverse-transcription), whole genome
sequencing, mutagenesis, antimicrobial resistance testing
International Connections
 France and Germany
Henk den Bakker
Biostatistics / Bioinformatics /Genomics
henk.c.den-bakker@ttu.edu
(806) 834-0770
Research Focuses
 Population genetics and genomics of (foodborne) pathogens
 The microbiome in sickness and health
 Genomics of food spoilage organisms
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Common Research Methods
 Next generation sequencing, comparative genomics, pipeline and algorithm development,
bioinformatics, statistics
International Connections
 UK, France, Chile, China, and Thailand
Alejandro Echeverry
Food Safety Engineering / Food Microbiology
alejandro.echeverry@ttu.edu
(806) 834-8733
Research Focuses
 Validation of Interventions / pathogen control in meat production environments
 Shrimp Farms Biosecurity and control measures / FSIS Equivalency for foreign producers
 Antibiotic Resistance Profiles of Salmonella & Food Production Animal flora
Common Research Methods
 Microbial culture methods, ELISA, BAX, IMS, PFGE, Sensititre
International Connections
 Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Nicaragua
Andrea Garmyn
Meat Scientist, Beef Palatability Focus
andrea.garmyn@ttu.edu
(806) 834-6559
Research Focuses
 Consumer testing and flavor analysis of beef samples
 Impacts on-farm practices have on growth performance, carcass quality, and eating quality of
New Zealand beef and lamb
 Evaluation of growth promotion technologies on cutability, palatability, and shelf-life of dairy
and beef cattle
Common Research Methods
 NIR proximate composition, trained analytical sensory, consumer sensory, mechanical shear f
International Connections
 New Zealand, Australia, Honduras, and Brazil
Sam Jackson
Growth and Nutrition / Sheep and Goats
4
sam.jackson@ttu.edu
(806) 834-7185
Research Interests
 Sheep and Goat Production Systems
 Growth and Animal Composition
 Composite Hair Sheep Breed Development
 Pre-Harvest Food Safety
International Activities
 Brazil, Mexico, and Honduras
Bradley Johnson
Muscle Biology/Growth Biology
bradley.johnson@ttu.edu
(806) 834-7057
Research Focuses
 Factors affecting postnatal skeletal muscle hypertrophy in meat animals
 Molecular mechanisms controlling marbling development in beef cattle
 General feedlot growth and management
Common Research Methods
 Cell culture & animal models, muscle biopsy, histology
International Connections
 Brazil, South Korea and Indonesia
Guy Loneragan
Veterinary epidemiologist
guy.loneragan@ttu.edu
(806) 834-1291
Research Focuses
 Systems thinking and systemic change in complex human-centered systems
 Ecology of Salmonella in livestock production systems
 Control of pathogens in livestock and food production
 Antimicrobial use and resistance
 Population-based animal-health and production modeling
Common Research Methods
 Molecular characterization, microbiology, epidemiology
International Connections
 France, UK, Australia/NZ, Uruguay, and Argentina
5
John McGlone
Animal Behavior, Physiology and Welfare
john.mcglone@ttu.edu
(806) 834-8275
Research Focuses
 Pig welfare in commercial settings
 Pig behavior
 Dog behavior
 Cat behavior
 Commercial development of behavioral products
Common Research Methods
 Comparative medicine (animal models of human disease)
International Connections
 Brazil and India (others over time: France, Australia, and Ireland)
Markus Miller
Meat Scientist / Meat Quality, Safety, Security Focus
mfmrraider@aol.com
(806) 834-0837
Research Focuses
 International and US Meat Quality and Shelf Life-Tenderness, Juiciness, Flavor, Color,
Preservation.
 International and US Meat Safety-Pathogens/Training/Capacity Building
 Meat Micro Nutrient Security/Insecurity
 Technology use (Beta Agonist, Implants, Feed Additives) in Meat Animals
Common Research Methods
 Sensory panels, Mass Spec, GC, NMR, Foss, Leco, Shear force etc
International Connections
 Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, Europe-More than 20 countries around the globe.
Joe Neary
Animal Health and Well-Being/ Bovine Focus
joe.neary@ttu.edu
(806) 834-4442
Research Focuses
 Pulmonary hypertension and right heart failure of cattle
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Development of large animal models of human cardiopulmonary disease (Dual benefit)
Common Research Methods
 Pulmonary pressure measurement, echocardiography, field necropsy and tissue collection,
histopathology, hematology, clinical chemistry
International Connections
 UK
Kendra Nightingale
Molecular Microbiologist/Foodborne pathogen focus
kendra.nightingale@ttu.edu
(806) 834-8727
Research Focuses
 Food microbiology and food safety
 Molecular ecology and evolution of human foodborne pathogens
 Pathogenesis of human foodborne diseases
Common Research Methods
 Field sampling, microbiology, rapid detection/confirmation methods (molecular &
immunological), molecular subtyping (band-based & DNA sequence based), next generation
sequencing (genome & transcriptome), gene expression analyses, cell culture, and animal
infection models
International Connections
 Turkey, Thailand, Afghanistan, France, Scotland, Bahamas, and Uruguay
Marcos Sanchez-Plata
Global Food Security and Food Safety
marcos.x.sanchez@ttu.edu
(806) 834-6503
Research Focuses
 Implementation and validation of food safety management programs
 Risk-based preventive control measures applied for food safety
 Pathogen control programs in food production and processing
Common Research Methods
 Conventional Microbiological Isolation Methods, Rapid Microbiological Detection Techniques,
Environmental Surveillance, SENSITITRE Antibiotic Drug Resistance Testing, In Plant/Field
Validation Studies, Simulation Studies in Pathogen Processing Lab
International Connections
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All countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, UK, Turkey, and South Korea,
Sam Prien
Assisted Reproduction/Domestic and Exotic Species
samuel.prien@ttuhsc.edu
(806) 743-2358
Research Focuses
 Non-invasive embryo evaluation
 Improving cryopreservation and thaw form sperm, oocytes and embryos in a production setting
 Improvement of semen sample quality
 Use of hormone algorithms to predict breeding success
Common Research Methods
 Cell, gamete and embryo culture, & animal models, andrology, microscopy, clinical chemistry
Translational Research
 Application of research to both human and animal reproduction
Alexandra Protopopova
Companion Animal Behavior and Welfare
a.protopopova@ttu.edu
(806) 834-2882
Research Focuses
 Factors that improve the well-being and adoption likelihood in animal shelters
 Animal-assisted therapy/ interventions/ community programs
 Abnormal behavior in dogs
Common Research Methods
 Behavioral recording (video, automated technologies, live), statistical modeling, evaluation of
stress physiology
Inter-Departmental Connections
 Burkhart Center, College of Education, Department of Biological Sciences, Department of
Psychology
Anoosh Rakhshandeh
Nutritional Immunologist/ Monogastric focus
anoosh.rakhshandeh@ttu.edu
(806) 834-3622
Research Focuses
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Impact of immunological and environmental stressors on nutrient utilization, partitioning and
requirements
Digestive physiology and barrier function in swine
Developing nutritional strategies to mitigate the negative effect of stressors on swine
Common Research Methods
 Molecular, cellular, metabolic (isotope tracer and metabolomic techniques), and whole-animal
approaches
International Connections
 Canada and Germany
Ryan Rathmann
Beef Cattle Specialist
ryan.rathmann@ttu.edu
(806) 834-7820
Research Focuses
 Evaluation of growth enhancing technologies and alternative feedstuffs on feedlot and carcass
performance, animal health and welfare, and beef palatability
 Investigation into management practices of semi-confined/confined cow-calf systems to
improve reproductive performance, calf health, and economic viability
 Efficacy of livestock selection practices for genetic improvement of beef systems
Common Research Methods
 UGC certified carcass ultrasound technician
Jhones Sarturi
Beef Cattle Nutrition and Metabolism
j.sarturi@ttu.edu
(806) 834-4926
Research Focuses
 Strategies to evaluate and improve nutritional profile of feedstuffs
 Evaluation of byproduct strategies to adapt cattle to finishing diets
 Fermentation profile of water-efficient crop silages, and byproduct/roughage blends
 Investigate feed additives effects on cattle growth performance and digestive tract microbial
efficiency
 Cattle intake behavioral evaluation
Common Research Methods
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Growth performance pen studies; ruminally and duodenally cannulated cattle; in situ and in
vitro incubations; feedstuff nutritional composition; gas chromatography; spectrophotometry;
and pilot experimental silos
International Connections
 Brazil
Leslie Thompson
leslie.thompson@ttu.edu
(806) 834-8715
Food Science and Food Safety
 Research Focuses
o Composition, quality and safety of foods
 Common Research Methods
o Proximate analysis, atomic absorption, GC-MS, sensory analysis, chemical characterization
of foods, microbiological methods
 International Connections -Mexico, Honduras
Equine-Assisted Therapy
 Research focus
o Efficacy of hippotherapy in children with developmental delay
o Traumatic brain injury in rodeo athletes
Sara Trojan
Beef Cattle Nutrition and Management
sara.trojan@ttu.edu
(806) 834-6825
Research Focuses
 Inter-relationships among water use for crop and forage production, relative to beef cattle
performance
 Evaluation of feedstuff utilization by beef cattle
 Development and management of improved, low-water use grazing systems for beef cattle
production
Common Research Methods
 Animal models, proximate nutrient analysis
International Connections
 Honduras and Bahamas
10
Monday, August 31, 2015
Texas Tech University
Department of Landscape Architecture
(806) 742-2858
RE: Research Faculty Biographies
Christine Casanova
Landscape and Garden Design
christine.casanova@ttu.edu
(806) 834-7713
Research Focuses
 Sustainable Urban and Suburban Landscapes
 Teaching and Learning in Design Education
Common Research Methods
 Qualitative feedback and post-design reflection
Charles Klein
Landscape Architecture
charles.klein@ttu.edu
(806) 834-8409
Research Focuses
 Service learning
 Combining service learning with study abroad
 Applied research projects (Zeric Landscape Design Studio)
 Preventing Obesity by Design (POD)
Common Research Methods
 Qualitative, phenomenology, survey
International Connections
 Mexico and Yucatan
Alon Kvashny
alon.kvashny@ttu.edu
(806) 834-2362
Research Focuses
 Site Planning
 Site supervision
Common Research Methods
 Application of research
1
International Connections
 Brazil and Israel
Yi Luo
Licensed Landscape Architect/Urban Planner & Researcher
yi.luo@ttu.edu
(806) 834-5873
Research Focuses
 Landscape performance evaluation
 Sustainable development and assessment
 Cost-benefit analysis of sustainable design strategies
 Quantify/ monetize environmental and social benefits of sustainable developments
 Storm water management/ Low Impact Development (LID)
 Urban landscape ecology
Common Research Methods
 Quasi-experiments, correlational research, case study
International Connections
 China
Louis Mills
Landscape Architect/Environmental Planner
louis.mills@ttu.edu
(806) 834-8101
Research Focus
 Sustainability
 Coastal zone planning
 Scenic quality assessments
 Green Roofs & Walls
Common Research Methods
 AutoCAD, Sketch up, computer graphics, environmental/population models, SPSS
International Connections
 Australia, South Africa, Virgin Islands, Pacific Northwest and British Columbia
Sohyun Park
Environmental Planner
sohyun.park@ttu.edu
2
(806) 834-1710
Research Focuses
 U.S. Battlefield preservation and management strategies
 Quantification of pattern and functions of parks and open spaces
 Urban revitalization through ecological restoration/naturalization
 The relationship between urban morphology and ecosystem services
Common Research Methods
 Geographic Information System, Landscape connectivity modeling, Geodesign, Social survey
International Connections
 South Korea and Brazil (potential)
3
Monday, August 31, 2015
Texas Tech University
Department of Natural Resources Management
(806) 742-2841
RE: Research Faculty Biographies
John Baccus
Wildlife Ecologist / Habitat and Population Focus
john.baccus@ttu.edu
(806) 834-4774
Research Focuses
 White-tailed deer management
 Exotic deer management
 Private lands management
 Endangered species management
Common Research Methods
 GIS, National Land Cover Mapping, Distance Sampling, Mark
International Connections
 South Korea, Mexico, and China
Matthew Barnes
Aquatic Ecologist / Invasion Scientist
matthew.a.barnes@ttu.edu
(806) 834-2122
Research Focuses
 Improving predictions of biological invasions, including which species will invade, where they
will find suitable habitat, how they will arrive, and what types of impacts they will have
 Detection of rare species in the environment using genetic surveillance techniques i.e.
environmental forensics
Common Research Methods
 Species distribution modeling, field observation and laboratory experiments, quantitative
polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), environmental DNA (eDNA)
International Connections
 China and Uruguay
Clint Boal
Wildlife Ecologist / Avian Ecology Focus
clint.boal@ttu.edu
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(806) 834-6579
Research Focuses
 Developing/improving management strategies for species of conservation concern
 Predator ecology and predator-prey interactions
 Influences of human activities (e.g., urbanization, energy development, researcher disturbance)
on behavior and ecology
Common Research Methods
 Field based research, mark-recapture, radio/GPS telemetry, video surveillance, experimental
trials with trained animals
International Connections
 British Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, Japan, and Taiwan
Warren Conway
Wildlife Ecology/Management
warren.conway@ttu.edu
(806) 834-6579
Research Focuses
 Wildlife habitat relationships; population ecology
 Shorebird/waterfowl/waterbird population ecology/conservation, and ecotoxicology
 Ungulate population ecology; movements; habitat use
Common Research Methods/Techniques
 Telemetry; mark-recapture models; camera surveys; molecular analyses; ICP-MS; standardized
surveys, etc.
Robert Cox
Plant Ecologist/Restoration Ecology Focus
robert.cox@ttu.edu
(806) 834-3530
Research Areas
 Distribution and management of invasive species
 Monitoring vegetation change and response to disturbance
 Wildlife response to habitat changes
 Response of native prairies to drought
 Effect of smoke on seed germination
Common Research Methods
 Field measurement and analysis of plant communities, direct seeding experiments, laboratory
seed germination testing, field assays of seedbank density
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Brad Dabbert
Wildlife Ecology/ Quail Focus
brad.dabbert@ttu.edu
(806) 834-1248
Research Focuses
 Influences of man and the environment on quail demographics
 Management activities to increase quail population size
 Immunological factors that contribute to the increased risk for infectious disease
Common Research Methods
 Bobwhites and scaled quail in the lab and field, drone, GPS radio transmitters, ELISA,
hematology, clinical chemistry
Bart Durham
Aquatic Ecology & Conservation
bart.durham@ttu.edu
(806) 720-7709
Research Focuses
 Reproductive ecology of prairie stream fishes
 Age and growth of fishes
 Written communication and professionalism in science
Common Research Methods
 Histology, otolith microchemistry, field sampling, hydrologic models
Teaching Focus
 Improving written and oral communication and professionalism skills in CASNR students to help
them prepare for the job market and to be successful in their career
Philip Gipson
Wildlife Ecology/Ranch Management
philip.gipson@ttu.edu
(806) 834-6996
Research Emphasis
 Mammalian predator & prey interactions
 Responses of wild animals to agriculture and habitat enhancement
 Minimizing conflicts between wildlife and people
Common Research Methods
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Field investigations under natural conditions, non-invasive camera traps, scent dogs, and DNA
analyses of feces and hair
Traditional radio telemetry and capture-mark-release-recapture
International Connections
 Canada and Paraguay
Tim Grabowski
Fisheries Biology, Ecology, and Conservation
t.grabowski@ttu.edu
(806) 834-4388
Research Focuses
 Behavioral and physiological ecology of fishes
 Fish reproductive ecology and early life history
 Conservation of threatened and endangered aquatic species
 Aquatic landscape ecology
Common Research Methods
 Biotelemetry, fish age and growth estimation, passive and active acoustic survey methods
International Connections
 Iceland, Uganda, and United Kingdom
Kerry Griffis-Kyle
Wetland Ecologist
kerry.griffiskyle@ttu.edu
(806) 834-2619
Research Focuses
 Biodiversity of wetlands in arid and semi-arid lands
 How anthropogenic disturbance effects populations and communities of wetland dependent
organisms
 Spatial connectivity of wetlands for planning landscape level management
 Vulnerability of wildlife populations to climate change
Common Research Methods
 Field studies and experiments (wildlife sampling, water quality, habitat assessment), spatial
modeling, climate vulnerability analyses
International Connections
 Mexico and Costa Rica
4
Blake Grisham
Climate Response Modeling/ Avian Focus
blake.grisham@ttu.edu
(806) 834-7492
Research Focuses
 Integrating weather and climate science data into ecological field studies
 Conservation and management of birds
 Applied ecological statistics and demographic modeling
Common Research Methods
 GPS telemetry, point and line transects, occupancy modeling, information theory, multimodel
inference
International Connections
 Canada and Russia
Reynaldo Patino
Aquatic Scientist
reynaldo.patino@ttu.edu
(806) 834-6483
Research Focuses
 Reproductive biology
 Ecotoxicology and endocrine disruption
 Water quality and harmful algal blooms
Common Research Methods
 Cell culture & animal models, cell & molecular biology, histopathology, ELISA, water
quality/quantity monitoring & data mining, trend analysis
International Connections
 Mexico, Japan, and Argentina
Allison Pease
Aquatic Community Ecologist
allison.pease@ttu.edu
(806) 834-2339
Main research areas
 Functional shifts in aquatic communities (fish, macro-invertebrates) in response to
environmental change
 Aquatic food-web structure and feeding ecology
 Fisheries conservation
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Common Research Methods
 Stable isotope analysis, functional traits, fish morphology, multivariate community analysis, gut
contents analysis, stream habitat assessment
International Connections
 Mexico
Gad Perry
Conservation Biology / International Research & Development
gad.perry@ttu.edu
(806) 834-2339
Research Focuses
 Invasive species
 Endangered species
 Environmental ethics
 International collaborations
Common Research Methods
 Behavioral observations, ecological surveys, radio tracking
International Connections
 British Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Guam, Israel, and others
Carlos Portillo
Geographic Information Systems/Remote Sensing
carlos.portilo@ttu.edu
(806) 834-7309
Research Focuses
 Investigating observation methods for ecosystem monitoring and ecological studies (UAV,
Phenology cams, hyperspectral and multi-spectral image analysis, near real-time satellite image
processing and analysis)
 Tropical forest degradation, deforestation and regeneration patterns
Common Research Methods
 Satellite Image processing, GIS overlay analysis, Field validation of remote sensing products,
image time-series analysis for change detection.
International Connections
 Costa Rica, Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, and Canada
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Richard Stevens
Quantitative Ecologist/Conservation Biologist
richard.stevens@ttu.edu
(806) 834-6843
Research Focuses
 Endangered species research
 Effects of anthropogenic habitat modification on structure of communities
 Bat and small mammal ecology
Common Research Methods
 Univariate and multivariate analyses, null models, phylogenetic and spatial analyses
International Connections
 Colombia, Brazil, and Paraguay
Robin Verble-Pearson
Fire Ecologist/Entomologist
robin.verble@ttu.edu
(806) 834-5112
Research Focuses
 Use of prescribed fire to meet land management objectives
 Wildland fire effects on animal populations and communities
 Insect heat tolerance
Common Research Methods
 Thermal tolerance assays, ant identification, insect community sampling, mixed models analysis,
fire effects monitoring, vegetation monitoring
Carlos Villalobos
Range Animal Nutrition and Grazing Management
c.villalobos@ttu.edu
(806) 834-5248
Research Focuses
 Habitat management, focusing on practices such as grazing management, range animal
nutrition, wildland and prescribed fire, range-wide management plans and integrated natural
resources management plans. Particularly interested in research and outreach involving
rangelands/grazing-fire interactions, and habitat manipulation
 Research work has covered basic and applied aspects of supplemental protein and energy to
enhance grazing animal productivity.
Common Research Methods
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Measurements of vegetation response to defoliation, chemical chemistry, Animal performance
and behavior, Forage quality and productivity.
International Connections
 Mexico, Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru
Mark Wallace
Wildlife habitat relationships
mark.wallace@ttu.edu
(806) 834-6979
Research Focuses
 Big game elk, deer, antelope habitat selection & management
 Urban wildlife – habitat relationships and management in urban setting
 Research ethics: both ethical conduct of field vs. lab research with wild animals, and RCR (safety,
ethical considerations) wildlife research differs from IACUC concerns for lab research
Common Research Methods
 Field ecology, Telemetry – new techniques: implants, VIT; capture & handling of wild animals,
population-habitat modeling
International Connections
 Mexico and Canada
8
Monday, August 31, 2015
Texas Tech University
Department of Plant & Soil Science
806-742-2838
RE: Research Faculty Biographies
Noureddine Abidi
Biopolymer Chemistry/Materials Science
n.abidi@ttu.edu
(806) 834-0621
Research Focuses
 Cotton fiber cell wall composition and development
 Relationships between structural properties of cotton fibers and their physical properties.
 Functionalization of cotton fibers/textiles.
 Transformation of biopolymers to bioproducts
Common Research Methods
 Analytical & physical chemistry, carbohydrate analysis, physical & chemical characterization,
materials science
International Connections
 Belgium, China, and Morocco
Dick Auld
Plant Genetics and Crop Diversity
dick.auld@ttu.edu
(806) 834-0316
Research Focuses
 Screening Crops (Castor, Guar, Safflower, & Sesame) for Potential Adaptation to the Texas High
Plains.
 Developing Crop Cultivars and Germplasm for Enhanced Production and Crop Quality.
 Developing Enhanced Stress and Herbicide Tolerance in Cotton and Sorghum.
Common Research Methods
 Chemical mutagenesis, NMR Oil Content Analyses, GC Determination of Fatty Acid
Concentration, and Screening for Non-GMO Herbicide Tolerance
International Connections
 Brazil
Mark Burow
1
Molecular Genetics and Breeding
md.burow@ttu.edu
(806) 834-5717
Research Focuses
 Identification of genes in peanut, and use of genomics for marker-assisted breeding
 Release of peanut cultivars with improved edible seed quality – early maturity and high oleic oil
 Breeding cultivars with tolerance to water deficit, heat, or salinity
 Development of oilseeds or algae for biofuels or cooking oil
Common Research Methods
 Next generation sequencing, SNP analysis by GBS, Kasp, Fluidigm systems
 Seed quality – NIR, GC
International Connections
 Burkina Faso, Ghana, Senegal, India, and Brazil
Sanjit Deb
Soil Physics and Hydrology
sanjit.deb@ttu.edu
(806) 834-1373
Research Focuses
 Soil and water resources management in water-limited and irrigated agricultural production
systems
 Soil-water-plant-atmosphere relationships under different land use and management systems
 Vadose / unsaturated zone flow and transport processes
 Spatial and temporal variability of hydrologic processes and soil properties
Common Research Methods
 Lab and field experiments, agro-hydrological modeling, GIS applications, geostatistical analysis
Peter Dotray
Weed Specialist
peter.dotray@ttu.edu
(806) 834-3685
Research Focuses
 Develop effective, sustainable, and profitable weed management systems in cotton and
rotational crops grown in the High Plains
 Herbicide-resistant weed management
 Biology/Ecology of weeds
 Proof of concept of herbicide tolerant crops
Common Research Methods
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Applied agricultural research in overhead irrigation, drip irrigation, and rain-fed environments
Dean Ethridge
Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute
dean.ethridge@ttu.edu
(806) 834-7484
Research Projects
 Foam Indigo Dyeing of Cotton Yarns: Machine Design and Process Control
 Evaluating the Market for Waste Cotton Fibers between the Farm Gate and the Retail Gate of
the Supply Chain
 Evaluating the Net Impacts of China's Cotton and Polyester Policies on Cotton's Global Market
Share of Textile Fibers
 Textile Performance Evaluation of Selected High Plains Cotton Varieties
 Establishing Protocols for Real-time Determination of Ring Spinning Potential of Cotton
International Connections
 Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Israel, and Pakistan
Ed Hellman
Viticulture/ Wine Grape Focus
ed.hellman@ttu.edu
(806) 746-6101
Research Focuses
 Environmental influence on grape berry composition & quality
 Grapevine physiology in relation to climatic adaptation
 Wine grape variety and rootstock evaluation
 Economic feasibility of robotic applications for vineyard management
Common Research Methods
 Field studies, LI-6400XT Portable Photosynthesis System, GC-MS
International Connections
 France and Chile
Eric Hequet
Textile Engineering/Fiber Phenomics/Breeding
eric.hequet@ttu.edu
(806) 834-0621
Research Focuses
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Metrology and development of new measurement methods to assess fiber, yarn, and fabric
quality.
Modeling the relationships between fiber and yarn properties.
Guide and advise cotton breeders, biotechnologists, and agronomists to optimize fiber quality.
Develop a better understanding of the impact of the genotype and the environment on gene
expression (phenotype) for fiber quality
Common Research Methods
 Cotton fiber phenomics lab, textile processing, cotton breeding
International Connections
 Germany, Switzerland, France, Australia, Brazil, and Ethiopia
Brendan Kelly
Cotton Fiber Phenomics
brendan.kelly@ttu.edu
(806) 834-0326
Research Focuses
 Multivariate analysis of fiber properties and their relation to yarn properties.
 Quantification and utilization of distributional characteristics of cotton fiber quality.
Common Research Methods
 High Volume Instrument, Advanced Fiber Information System, FAVIMAT, MATLAB
International Connections
 Australia, Ethiopia, Switzerland, and Germany
Katie Lewis
Soil Chemistry and Fertility
katie.lewis@ttu.edu
(806) 834-4974
Research Focuses
 Evaluate the impact of cropping systems and management strategies on soil health or quality
 Investigate soil fertilization and management strategies aimed at optimizing nutrient use
efficiency
 Determine the feasibility of utilization of new fertilizer formulations and products
Scott Longing
Entomologist
scott.longing@ttu.edu
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(806) 834-1965
Research Focuses
 Insect Conservation - Southern U.S. Endemic Insects
 Freshwater Biological and Habitat Assessment
 Water Quality
 Insect Pollinators on the Southern High Plains
Common Research Methods
 Biological assessment, watershed studies, stream habitat assessment, insect distributional
studies, multivariate analysis of ecological communities
International Connections
 UK and Canada
Cynthia McKenney
Ornamental Horticulturist/ Native Plants
cynthia.mckenney@ttu.edu
(806) 834-0722
Research Focuses
 Breeding and selection of drought tolerant natives for dry landscapes
 Sustainable vegetable and fruit production
 Best management practices for crops in semiarid environs
Common Research Methods
 Traditional breeding and plant selection techniques
 Field trials for plant branding organizations
International Connections
 Kenya and Malawi
Terry McLendon
Plant Ecologist and Ecological Modeler
terry.mclendon@ttu.edu
(806) 834-6835
Areas of Research
 Ecosystem modeling: Upper Llano River watershed, San Antonio River watershed, San Antonio
Bay marshes
 Plant ecohydrology: vegetation water use, watershed yields
 Vegetation dynamics: succession, climate fluctuations, grazing
International Experience
 Australia, Indonesia, and Peru
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Venugopal Mendu
Cell wall biology/Plant molecular biology
venugopal.mendu@ttu.edu
(806) 834-6327
Research Focuses
 Translational research & knowledge integration: Identification and characterization of cotton
fiber developmental genes using model plant system (Arabidopsis) and applying the knowledge
to improve the cotton fiber.
 Arabidopsis cell wall biosynthesis and biofuel applications
Common Research Methods
 Gene amplification, cloning, transgenic plant development, GC-MS, HPLC, PCR, Q-PCRs
International Connections
 China, India, Brazil, Burma, Ethiopia, and Malaysia.
Thayne Montague
Plant Physiology / Environment Interactions
thayne.montague@ttu.edu
(806) 834-7311
Research Focuses
 Estimation of plant water requirements and irrigation strategies
 Woody ornamentals, grapes, olives
Research methods
 Field / greenhouse trials: gas exchange (LI-COR 6400 XT), water potential, evapotranspiration,
estimation of Plant Factors, Campbell Scientific dataloggers, weather stations, etc.
Jennifer Moore-Kucera
Soil Microbial Ecology/ Environmental Microbiology
jennifer.moore-kucera@ttu.edu
(806) 834-5485
Research Focuses
 Linking soil microbial structure (community composition) with function (biogeochemical cycling)
 Microbial transformations of soil C and N as impacted by management decisions
 Identifying key microbial assemblages responsible for C storage and sustainability in natural and
managed ecosystems
Common Research Methods
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Soil enzyme assays, 16S, ITS microbiome sequencing, biochemical assays, 13C stable isotope
tracking, C and N analyses, soil fractionation
International Connections
 South Africa and Kyrgyzstan
Russell Plowman
Urban Horticulturist
russell.d.plowman@ttu.edu
(806) 834-0647
Research Focuses
 Hydroponic production of heirloom vegetables
 Environmental impact on urban plantings
 Best management practices for specialty crops
Common Research Methods
 Hydroponics
 LED lighting
 Nutrient management
 Head load measurement
Glen Ritchie
Crop Physiology - Cotton and Sorghum Focus
glen.ritchie@ttu.edu
(806) 834-4325
Research Focuses
 Water deficit stress
 High throughput phenotyping
 Crop rotation
Common Research Methods
 Imagery, soil water measurements, other sensing systems, plant mapping
International Connections
 Brazil and China
Jyotsna Sharma
jyotsna.sharma@ttu.edu
(806) 834-2637
Plant Ecology and Conservation Program Components
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Plant / community ecology
Plant / habitat conservation
Population genetics
Research Approach
 Molecular biology, and field-based approaches
International collaborations
 UK, Latin America, and Canada
Theo Udeigwe
Soil Science (Environmental Soil Chemistry)
theo.udeigwe@ttu.edu
(806) 834-6664
Research Focuses
 Soil, water, and environmental chemistry
o Chemistry and fate of pollutants and wastes in soil/water systems
o Water quality
o Soil management: Chemistry and reuse of waste materials for remediation purposes
 Soil fertility and nutrient management
o Micronutrient fixation kinetics and modelling
o Agricultural management practices impacts on soil and environmental quality
o Chemistry of nutrients in agroecosystems
 Agronomy
o Row crop production (soybean, cotton, corn, and sorghum)
Common Research Methods
 Wet chemistry, spectrometry, chromatography, combustion…
International Connections
 Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, Liberia, South Africa, Jordan, and China
David Weindorf
Soil Science / Pedology – Land Use Management
david.weindorf@ttu.edu
(806) 834-5287
Research Focuses
 Soil spatial variability across landscapes
 In-situ soil assessment via proximal sensors
 International translational soil classification
Common Research Methods
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Visible near infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (VisNIR DRS), portable x-ray fluorescence
(PXRF), electromagnetic induction, standard soil characterization
Active International Connections
 India, Romania, Italy, Spain, Hungary, South Africa, and China
Chuck West
Forage Physiology / Grazing Systems
chuck.west@ttu.edu
(806) 834-4160
Research Focuses
 Understanding water-use of pastures as affected by grazing and hay management
 Promoting forage quality with improved forages with low input costs
 Demonstrating efficient irrigation management in area row crops
Common Research Methods
 Photographic and radiometer reflectance analysis of vegetation
 Simulation modeling of pasture growth and water use
Institutional and Agency Connections
 Regional Land Grant universities, Texas Water Development Board
Jason Woodward
Plant Pathologist – Row crop emphasis
jason.woodward@ttu.edu
(806) 834-7467
Research Focuses
 Cotton, Peanut and Corn Disease Management
 Development of integrated disease management strategies
 Screening plant genotypes and chemical compounds
 Economic analysis of agronomic and disease management decisions
Common Research Methods
 Field, greenhouse and laboratory studies
International Connections
 Australia and Haiti
Robert Wright
Plant Genetics, Evolution, and Improvement (Breeding)
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robert.wright@ttu.edu
(806) 834-0163
Research Focuses
 Gene Efficacy: phenotypic and molecular assessment of gene performance
 Trait Heredity: delineate gene numbers, position, and structure within the genome
 Evolution: examine the roll of speciation, domestication, and improvement in altering plant
genomes
Common Research Methods
 DNA/RNA: PCR, electrophoresis, Southern/Northern, Next-Gen sequencing
 Computational Analysis: large datasets, complex inheritance, genetic and phenotypic data, DNA
sequences
International Connections
 Australia, Belgium, Brazil, China, France, and Vietnam
Wenwei Xu
Corn Breeder
wenwei.xu@ttu.edu
(806) 834-0763
Research Focuses
 Genetic improvement of drought and heat tolerance, aflatoxin resistance, earworm and fall
army worm resistance
 Development of short to full season corn for grain and silage use
 Determination of genetic and physiological mechanisms of abiotic and biotic stress tolerance
 Water management to maximize genetic potential and water use
Common Research Methods
 Conventional and molecular breeding methods, DNA makers, immunoassay, managed drought
stress through subsurface drip irrigation
International Connections
 China and Turkey
Joey Young
Turfgrass Science and Management
joey.young@ttu.edu
(806) 834-8457
Research Focuses
 Turf selection and management to conserve water in residential lawns
 Evaluating water retention products for homeowner use
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Determine cost benefit analysis of homeowners in designing a water-conserving landscape and
reducing overall water usage
Reducing soil salinity levels without increasing irrigation levels
Common Research Methods
 Visual turf quality, digital image analysis, NDVI, soil moisture content, canopy temperature, soil
nutrient and water testing
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