Oct. 15, 2021
2021 issue of Discovery Journal highlights undergraduate student research
U of A System Division of Agriculture
@ArkAgResearch
Fast facts
- Discovery research journal available online: https://scholarworks.uark.edu/discoverymag
- Articles detail research by undergraduate students in Bumpers College
- Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station scientists mentor undergraduate researchers
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Student scientists at the University of Arkansas saw their work featured in the 2021 edition of Discovery, the undergraduate research journal of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.
DISCOVERY — The 2021 edition of Discovery, the undergraduate research journal of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, features 10 research and creative projects representing diverse fields of study. The 2021 cover features student scientist Evan Buckner, who conducted research about controlling for fungal disease in Arkansas soybean, under the guidance of assistant professor of plant pathology Alejandro Rojas. (UA System Division of Ag photo by Matt Rainwaters)
Students and their faculty mentors produced 10 research and creative projects documented in this edition. Research was conducted under the mentorship of scientists from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the U of A at Fayetteville. Their work contributes to the knowledge base of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, the research and outreach arms of the Division of Agriculture.
Visit https://scholarworks.uark.edu/discoverymag to view the full issue.
The projects on display in this issue cover a variety of topics representing diverse fields of study:
- Controlling for fungal disease in Arkansas soybean
- Creating a culturally competent children’s library in a preschool setting
- Willingness to pay for Halal and branded poultry in northern Mozambique
- Resiliency in foster children
- Analysis of type of protein in commercial poultry diets and its effect on the health of the birds
- Peer influence on a farmer’s choice of irrigation practice
- Supplementation of beef cattle’s diet with phosphorus and its effect on calf growth and performance
- Observation of tryptophan levels, mood, and food intake in postmenopausal women taking a whey protein supplement at breakfast
- Effect of wheat-soybean double-crop management system on soil properties
- Developing cultural competence among 4-H leaders
In a new feature of this year’s edition, assistant professor and faculty mentor Alejandro Rojas and Evan Buckner, his mentee and the student scientist featured on the cover, explore the relationship between faculty mentor and student.
Bumpers College Dean Deacue Fields described the benefit of Discovery and undergraduate research opportunities for students in his Letter from the Dean. “Based on specific interests and passion, they can go in any number of directions to make a difference and impact the lives of many in the state, across the country, and beyond,” he said. “Research offers a number of directions and options as well, depending on what questions you want to be answered and what problems you want to be solved.”
Beth Kegley, faculty editor of Discovery, said that students and faculty needed dedication and perseverance to complete projects during a difficult year. “The students and faculty who are publishing these articles were also navigating the sudden change to remote learning in the spring of 2020 and the continued anxiety and turmoil of hybrid learning in the fall,” she said.
“This publication signifies untold hours of commitment on the faculty’s part . . . Their time and dedication to the students are deeply appreciated,” Kegley said. “It is this, in conjunction with each student’s desire to persevere and accomplish these projects, that gives us this publication and the opportunity to discover the results of that work.”
To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch and Instagram at @ArkAgResearch.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit https://uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences
Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability, and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policymakers, and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter at @BumpersCollege and Instagram at BumpersCollege.
Media Contact: Gail Halleck
479-575-5670