MSU recognizes university researchers, innovators with annual awards

MSU recognizes university researchers, innovators with annual awards

Contact: James Carskadon

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State University is celebrating excellence in research and innovation with its annual research awards celebration today [Oct. 8].

MSU's 2025 research awards program on Oct. 8
MSU President Mark E. Keenum speaks during the university's annual research awards celebration Wednesday [Oct. 8]. (Photo by Grace Cockrell)

Among the top 100 research universities nationally, MSU’s robust research and development programs are known for advancing scientific fields, impacting lives and providing world-class learning opportunities for students. MSU President Mark E. Keenum, along with Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan, and Vice President for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble, applauded the significant work carried out every day by the university’s researchers and support staff.

“This celebration is always a highlight for me personally because I am so proud of the work that our scientists and researchers are doing for our state, nation and world,” Keenum said. “I also want to thank our faculty for being outstanding mentors to our graduate and undergraduate students who are aspiring to learn about science and research and giving them opportunities to get involved in the world-class research taking place at our university.”

The awards are co-sponsored by the offices of the MSU vice presidents for Research and Economic Development and the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine.

Portrait of Matthew Brown
Matthew Brown (OPA Photo)

Matthew Brown, Donald L. Hall Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, was presented the program’s top honor, the 2025 Ralph E. Powe Research Excellence Award. The Powe Award is a memorial to the MSU alumnus and longtime research vice president who died in 1996. It is selected at the university level from nominations received from the MSU community.

A broadly recognized researcher exploring the independent origins of multicellularity and comparative genomics, Brown has published more than 70 peer-reviewed papers with nearly 9,000 citations and has secured more than $3.4 million in research funding. He also has served as president of the International Society of Protistologists.

Finalists for the Powe Award were Dan Petrolia, professor and graduate coordinator in the Department of Agricultural Economics, and Sead Sabanadzovic, professor in the Department of Agricultural Science and Plant Protection.

Chosen from a competitive pool of nominations, the other 2025 research award winners include:

DAFVM VP Keith Coble, MSU President Mark E. Keenum, Associate Professor Kristine Evans, Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan
Vice President for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble, from left, MSU President Mark E. Keenum, and Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan, right, present Associate Professor Kristine Evans with the Mid-Career Research Scholar Award. (Photo by Grace Cockrell)

—Kristine Evans, associate professor, Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, and associate director, Geosystems Research Institute, Mid-Career Research Scholar Award;

Vice President for DAFVM Keith Coble, MSU President Mark E. Keenum, Assistant Professor Melanie Boudreau, and Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan
Vice President for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble, from left, MSU President Mark E. Keenum, and Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan, right, present Associate Professor Melanie Boudreau with the Emerging Research Scholar Award. (Photo by Grace Cockrell)

—Melanie Boudreau, assistant professor, Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emerging Research Scholar Award;

Vice President for DAFVM Keith Coble, President Mark E. Keenum, Kasee Stratton-Gadke, Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan.
Vice President for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble, from left, MSU President Mark E. Keenum, and Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan, right, present Professor Kasee Stratton-Gadke with the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award. (Photo by Grace Cockrell)

—Kasee Stratton-Gadke, professor, Department of Counseling, Higher Education Leadership, Educational Psychology, and Foundations, and executive director, Mississippi Institute on Disabilities, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award;

Vice President for DAFVM Keith Coble, MSU President Mark E. Keenum, Research Engineer III David Saucier, and Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan
Vice President for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble, from left, MSU President Mark E. Keenum, and Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan, right, present Research Engineer David Saucier with the Research Professional Award. (Photo by Grace Cockrell)

—David Saucier, research engineer III, Athlete Engineering Institute, Research Professional Award; and

Vice President for DAFVM Keith Coble, MSU President Mark E. Keenum, Associate Director of Sponsored Projects Tina Kinard, and Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan
Vice President for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble, from left, MSU President Mark E. Keenum, and Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan, right, present Associate Director of the Office of Sponsored Projects Tina Kinard with the Research Support Award. (Photo by Grace Cockrell)

—Tina Kinard, associate director, Office of Sponsored Projects, Research Support Award.

Vice President for DAFVM Keith Coble, MSU President Mark E. Keenum, Filip To, Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan
Vice President for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble, from left, MSU President Mark E. Keenum, and Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan, right, congratulate S.D. Filip To for his patent work in the medical device field. (Photo by Grace Cockrell)
Vice President for DAFVM Keith Coble, MSU President Mark E. Keenum, Associate Professor Colleen Scott, and Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan
Vice President for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble, from left, MSU President Mark E. Keenum, and Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan, right, congratulate Associate Professor Colleen Scott for her patent work in biological imaging and optoelectronic devices. (Photo by Grace Cockrell)
Vice President for DAFVM Keith Coble, MSU President Mark E. Keenum, Research Professor Edilberto Redona, and Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan
Vice President for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble, from left, MSU President Mark E. Keenum, and Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan, right, congratulate Research Professor Ed Redona for his patent work with a new rice cultivar. (Photo by Grace Cockrell)

MSU also recognized researchers who developed new intellectual property and patented/licensed new technology. The Office of Technology Management recognized the following individuals for patents received in 2025:

—Dennis Smith and David Wipf, “Polymeric-Coated Electrodes for Sensing Analytes in Liquid and Methods of Making the Same”

—S.D. Filip To, “Wound and Infection Care Bath Systems and Devices”

— Seungdeog Choi, “Common Mode Electromagnetic Interference Mitigation”

—Gregory Burgreen, “Modular Extracorporeal Ambulatory Lung Assist Device”

—Colleen Scott, “Design, Synthesis, and Photophysical Properties of a Novel MIR II Dye for Biological Imaging and Optoelectronic Devices”

—Edilberto Redona and Dwight Kanter, “Rice Cultivar CLHA02”

—H. Wayne Philley, “Bermudagrass Plant Named ‘MSB-1017’”

Learn more about the Office of Research and Economic Development at www.research.msstate.edu or the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine at www.dafvm.msstate.edu.

Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.