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 Wednesday [Oct. 8].
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.
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:
—Kristine Evans, associate professor, Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, and associate director, Geosystems Research Institute, Mid-Career Research Scholar Award;
—Melanie Boudreau, assistant professor, Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emerging Research Scholar Award;
—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;
—David Saucier, research engineer III, Athlete Engineering Institute, Research Professional Award; and
—Tina Kinard, associate director, Office of Sponsored Projects, Research Support Award.
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.