Research

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Last Updated: May 21, 2025, 10:15 AM

CALPS Research

Take a look at some of the research underway here in CALPS. We expect and welcome even first-year students into ongoing research. Sustainability, food and plastics-waste mitigation, precision agriculture, biomedical engineering, and integration of AI are among our current projects.

Our research facilities spread all over campus—including Thompson Woods and Campus Lake. Every faculty researcher has available at least one lab of their own, and we maintain multiple research centers for every area of our college. The breadth and depth of research possibilities here means you will certainly find the area that drives your passion for a career in science, technology, agriculture or education.

Our faculty are as passionate about teaching as they are about their individual research projects. Our open-door policy builds camaraderie, mentorships, and a real connection to the academic discipline you’ve chosen.

Research Highlights

School of Agricultural Sciences

  • Dr. Jay successfully launched the Bull Test program, advancing livestock research and evaluation.

  • Hosted the inaugural Agriculture Preview Day, with 37 prospective students in attendance.

  • Welcomed new faculty:

    • Dr. Billy Ram – Precision Agriculture

    • Dr. Jones Graceli – Animal Physiology and Genetics

  • Currently conducting interviews for the open Soil Fertility faculty position.

School of Biological Sciences

  • Completed a successful cluster hire of four new tenure-track faculty focused on global change and sustainability:

    • Dr. Marie-Sophie Garcia-Heras – Ornithology, birds of prey

    • Dr. Iris Holmes – Herpetology, wildlife diseases

    • Dr. Michael Grundler – Herpetology, evolutionary biology

    • Dr. Laís Petri – Community ecology, conservation biology

School of Chemical & Biomolecular Sciences

  • Opened the new Gower Translational Research Center, featuring:

    • SIUC Mass Spectrometry Facility

    • Ultrafast laser spectroscopy laboratory

    • 500 MHz NMR spectrometer

    • Portable clinical MRI scanner

  • Funded by a generous gift from alumni Bob and Beth Gower.

School of Earth Systems & Sustainability

  • Led nearly 30 externally funded research projects over the past year.

  • Published 40 peer-reviewed journal articles, with more than a dozen student co-authors.

  • Delivered over 30 presentations at national and international conferences.

  • Hosted the Annual Student Research Showcase and Awards Reception, presenting over $33,000 in student scholarships and awards.

  • Welcomed Dr. Derek Gibson, whose research uses lake sediments to study physical geology.

School of Forestry & Horticulture

  • Secured nearly $2 million in externally funded grants during the past year.

  • Research areas include:

    • Watershed Science and Water Quality

    • Wildlife Biodiversity Conservation

    • Vegetable and Fruit Production and Green Infrastructure

    • Cannabis Science

    • Forest Ecology and Fire Management

    • Conservation Social Science

  • Welcomed Dr. Amanda Weidhuner as a tenure-track faculty member specializing in Urban Horticulture.

School of Physics and Applied Physics

  • Engaged in advanced research across fields such as:

    • Quantum Computation

    • Nanoscale Materials and Structures

    • Astrophysics

  • >Promoted science literacy through:

    • Public lecture series

    • Educational outreach in schools

    • Astronomy observation events

SIU Illinois Soybean Center

  • Supports soybean research and student training.

  • Over the past 3 years:

    • Published nearly 40 peer-reviewed journal articles

    • Trained over 50 undergraduate and graduate students

    • Averaged $1.6 million/year in external grant funding

SIU Fermentation Science Institute

  • Service Laboratory supports campus researchers and external businesses at the local, national, and international levels, completing 1,399 analyses on 900 samples in FY24.

  • Certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury Tax and Trade Bureau.

  • Manages the Core Facility for Ecological Analysis.

  • BS in Fermentation Science is one of ~12 programs nationally.

  • BioLaunch construction completed in collaboration with:

    • Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research

    • SIU Fermentation Science Institute

    • SIU Research Park

  • Includes:

    • Biotechnology Core (e.g., Illumina Nextgen Sequencing, qRT-PCR, pilot bioreactors, protein purification, cryostorage)

    • Analytical Core supporting the Core Facility for Ecological Analyses

  • Student teams create and market products, including the SIU-branded Saluki Brew Works beer.

  • Hosts the only university-affiliated malthouse in the U.S.

  • Leads the iFERM Hub (Illinois Food, Entrepreneurship, Research and Manufacturing) with expansions into brewing, distilling, enology, and cheese production.

  • Maintains over a dozen industry partnerships offering internships and co-op opportunities.

  • Organizes Carbondale Brewfest in partnership with Carbondale Main Street.