Research Interest Groups

Artificial Intelligence
This RIG brings together research and creative activity in AI and machine learning at Mizzou. Join us to learn and collaborate with others in a highly interdisciplinary environment. Discussion topics include, but are not limited to, promising research and funding opportunities; AI development and innovation; applications of AI to widely varied problems; and ethical use of AI. 

Who can join: Investigators and creators from across Mizzou who are researching and/or using AI technologies and methods

Meetings: Complete our brief form to be notified of upcoming meetings.

Contact: Clintin Davis-Stober, Frederick A. Middlebush Professor of Psychology
stoberc@umsystem.edu

Collaborative for Missouri Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (C MO PAT) 
We are a consortium for researchers, community practitioners, students and advocates dedicated to advancing the science and practice of psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) in Missouri.

C MO PAT rests on four pillars: research, education, advocacy and policy. Our mission is to collaborate across disciplines and sectors to advance PAT research, policy and practice in ways that are ethical, effective and equitable, creating access to PAT for those who need it most. The group will encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, highlight emerging opportunities to facilitate workforce development in PAT (e.g., host training and continuing education workshops), foster innovative research projects and seek funding for these projects.

Who can join: Open to research and teaching faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs. and community practitioners especially from the helping professions, such as social work, nursing, psychology and counseling.

Meetings: See meeting dates and register to attend. 

Contact: Dani Adams, assistant professor, social work
dagvf@health.missouri.edu

Consortium for Interpersonal Violence Interventions in Context (CIVIC)
CIVIC is a researcher-led initiative focused on cross-disciplinary knowledge exchange and collaboration among scholars and practitioners researching interpersonal violence in local, state, national and international contexts.

The initiative aims to break down silos that often hinder fruitful communication and collaboration among researchers in different disciplines and to foster rigorous, interdisciplinary research to improve our understanding of and responses to interpersonal violence.

Who can join: Members represent a variety of disciplines within the University of Missouri System, including social work, political science, human development and family science, public health, law and criminology.

Research and teaching faculty, staff and postdocs studying interpersonal violence (from any discipline) are welcome. 

Contacts:

• Rachel Wechsler, Mizzou associate professor of law, co-chair
• Annah Bender, UMSL assistant professor of social work, co-chair

Email: civic@umsystem.edu
CIVIC website

Family and Relationships Research Network of Missouri (FARR-net)
FARR-net is composed of faculty, students and research and extension specialists affiliated with the UM System. Scholars in the network conduct research with diverse families in all stages of life on important relational processes such as harmony, conflict, resilience, interpersonal violence, positive parenting and child development.

The aim of our research is to learn more about close personal relationships and improve the lives of Missouri youth, families and relationships over the lifespan. 

Who can join: Scholars from just about any social, behavioral and/or health science discipline who study the importance or influence of close, interpersonal relationships

Current member disciplines include psychology, interpersonal communication, human development and family science, sociology, psychiatry and social work.

We welcome research and teaching faculty, staff, graduate students and postdocs.

Meetings:  We meet six times a year at 11 a.m. over Zoom on the second Friday of September, October, November, February, March and April.

Contact: Nicole Campione-Barr, professor, psychological sciences
campionebarrn@missouri.edu

Hand and Limb Optimization Research Group
We are a group of orthopaedic hand surgeons with grant-funded research seeking to understand patient perspectives on their care and answer questions related to peripheral nerve recovery, limb optimization in patients with amputation and targeted muscle reinnervation and other areas.

Areas needed: Physical medicine and rehabilitation, occupational therapy, psychology and bioengineering

Who can join: Research and teaching faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students and postdocs

Meetings: First Monday of every month, Missouri Orthopaedic Institute, Room 4070 (Zoom option available).

Contact: Daniel London, assistant professor, orthopaedic surgery
d.london@health.missouri.edu

Interdisciplinary Reproduction and Health Group Seminar Series (IRHG)
The goal of IRHG is to highlight transdisciplinary precision research taking place in the reproductive health field, provide opportunities for collaboration among researchers to build their own research efforts and promote clinical/researcher activity across the University of Missouri System and our partners.

The IRHG was established through a faculty-driven, grassroots effort in 2016 to develop an integrative, interdisciplinary program that transcends traditional departmental, college and UM System boundaries to foster excellence in reproduction, health research and education at Mizzou.

Who can join: The overarching theme of the IRHG is to address broad challenges to reproduction and health of humans and animals by conducting basic, clinical and translational research and training the next generation of scientists. We employ integrative and multidisciplinary approaches to conduct cutting-edge research in reproduction, genomics and health; optimize opportunities for training in those fields; and facilitate transfer of knowledge from the laboratory to the classroom, clinic (human and veterinary), field (animal agriculture and wildlife management) and community (information, policy and education).

Open to research and teaching faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students and postdocs.

Meetings: First Wednesday of every month (invited speaker seminar) and third Wednesday of every month (work-in-progress seminar) at 4 p.m., Atkins Seminar Room, NextGen Precision Health building

Contacts: 

• Ciro Amato, assistant professor of surgery and urology
  camnf@health.missouri.edu
• Wipawee Winuthayanon, associate professor, obstetrics, gynecology and women's health
  w.winuthayanon@health.missouri.edu
• Mackenzie Lynch, program coordinator, NextGen Precision Health 
  lynchmm@umystem.edu

Neural Control Working Group
We are interested in neurophysiology as it relates to how the nervous system (both central and peripheral) controls physiological systems. We strive to train the next generation of neurophysiologists through immersion in cutting-edge neuroscience techniques. We range from investigators trained on single cell approaches through to whole systems physiologists. 

Areas needed: Physiology and neuroscience

Who can join: Research and teaching faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students and postdocs

Meetings: Journal clubs are every other Tuesday in the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center conference room 132;. Investigators from PIs to undergraduate trainees present new research articles and/or projects and grants in progress.  

Contact: Carie Boychuk, associate professor, biomedical sciences
boychukc@missouri.edu

NextGen Cardiovascular, Muscle and Metabolism Science Seminar
We highlight transdisciplinary precision research taking place in cardiovascular, muscle and metabolism fields; provide opportunities for collaboration among researchers to build their own research efforts; and promote clinical/researcher activity across the University of Missouri System and our partners. 

Who can join: Anyone interested in studying cardiovascular, muscle and metabolism science and similar or developing topics within these fields can join, including research and teaching faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students and postdocs.

Meetings: Noon on the second Monday of each month, Atkins Seminar Room, NextGen Precision Health building; see our website for more details 

Contacts: 

• Scott Rector, professor, nutrition and exercise physiology and medicine
  rectors@health.missouri.edu
• Mackenzie Lynch, program coordinator, NextGen Precision Health 
  lynchmm@umystem.edu

NextGen Neuroscience Seminar
Our goal is to highlight transdisciplinary precision research taking place in the neuroscience field, provide opportunities for collaboration among researchers to build their own research efforts, and promote clinical/researcher activity across the UM System and our partners. This biweekly event facilitates interdisciplinary conversations among University of Missouri researchers at all levels.

Who can join: Research and teaching faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students and postdocs interested in learning about neuroscience and relative topics within the field, including imaging, data science and others

Meetings: 4 p.m. on the first and third Monday of the month, Atkins Seminar Room, NextGen Precision Health building; see our website for more details

Contacts: 

• Smita Saxena, professor, physical medicine and rehabilitation
  smitasaxena@health.missouri.edu
• Zezong Gu, vice chair of research; professor, pathology and anatomical science
  guze@missouri.edu
• Mackenzie Lynch, program coordinator, NextGen Precision Health 
  lynchmm@umystem.edu

Show Me Implementation Collaboration
Our network is interested in implementation research across disciplines, settings and sectors. 

Who can join: Research and teaching faculty, staff and postdocs from any discipline 

Meetings: We aim to meet at least once a year in person and once a year virtually. Main topics of interest are areas of possible collaboration including implementation research.

Contact: Lisa Ferguson, associate director of research, School of Nursing
lafhwn@missouri.edu

Social Capital
We are a group of interdisciplinary faculty and academic staff offering a forum for Mizzou researchers, practitioners and innovators to explore social capital and its applications to issues and problems in society. The goals of this RIG are to foster connections, encourage interdisciplinary collaborations, highlight emerging research and practice, generate innovative research projects, and pursue funding for the study and application of social capital. Most importantly, our core purpose is to build and mobilize social capital among RIG members.

Social capital consists of the relationships and connections between people and organizations that facilitate cooperation and collective action. It is vital to human endeavors and wellness, an essential resource for individuals, groups, institutions and society.

Who can join: Open to research and teaching faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs and practitioners from any discipline.

Meetings: We aim to hold two RIG meetings per semester and one or two RIG events per academic year (networking, workshops, guest lectures, discussion groups or group collaborative events).

Contact: Steven Henness, senior evaluator, Assessment Resource Center, College of Education and Human Development
hennesss@missouri.edu

Social Impact Lab

We are a multidisciplinary research community dedicated to turning innovative ideas into rigorous research that improves population health and well-being. Our research frequently utilizes policy and population-level datasets, quasi-experimental study designs, and advanced statistical methods to produce causal insights that inform decision-making and policy development. 

The lab is structured into three core areas: economics, law and policy, and public health. Each supports independent research while contributing expertise across cores to foster collaboration, enhance research outputs and broaden impact. The lab is designed to foster rigorous idea exchange, methodological refinement, and the sharpening of research through regular interaction and thoughtful feedback.

See our website for more information. 

Who can join: Research faculty and postdocs can formally affiliate with the Social Impact Lab.

Contact: Michael Pesko, Social Impact Lab director and J. Rhoads Foster Professor of Economics, peskom@missouri.edu
General inquiries: socialimpactlab@missouri.edu