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Madhav Nepal

MadhavNepal2020

Title

Professor

Office Building

Edgar S. McFadden Biostress Lab

Office

252C

Mailing Address

McFadden Biostress Laboratory 252C
Biology & Microbiology-Box 2140D
University Station
Brookings, SD 57007

Biography

I am a passionate educator with teaching experience of over 30 years. My teaching journey began right after my 10th grade in Nepal and I have taught all levels of students from preK-20. My research group is interested in projects ranging from natural history to molecular mechanisms related to stress regulation in plants. Being one of the first-generation college and school students, I believe in making a difference through excellence in teaching and research as well as leading by example to inspire and engage next generation of students.

Education

  • Ph.D. in biology | Kansas State University
  • HBX-CORE | Harvard Business School, Harvard University
  • M.S. in biology | University of Northern Iowa
  • B.S. in biology/botany | Tribhuvan University, Nepal

Academic Interests

  • Systematics
  • Bioinformatics
  • Comparative genomics
  • Plant population genetics

Founding Faculty Member of Institute for STEM Education Enhancement (ISEE@SDSTATE)
Founding Faculty Adviser of Bio-Micro Graduate Student Association (BMGSA)
Founding Faculty Advisor of SDSU Graduate Student Council (GSC)

Academic Responsibilities

  • General Biology-Honors (BIOL 151/L; Enrollment capped at 70)
  • General Botany (BOT 201/201L: Spring, High enrollment course)
  • Biology Survey II (BIOL 103/103L; Spring, until 2012)
  • Evolution (BIOL 373; Fall, until 2015)
  • 7-12 Science Methods (SEED 413; Fall)
  • Molecular Plant Physiology (BIOS/PS 664; Spring, until 2018)

Committees and Professional Memberships

Committees:

Department of Biology and Microbiology

  • Curriculum Committee (2012-2016, 2021-2022)
  • Executive Committee (2022-current)
  • Tenure and Promotion Committee (Chair, 2021-2022)
  • Graduate Thesis and Dissertation Advisory Committees
  • Faculty Search Committees

College Level

  • Internal Advisory Board- College of Natural Sciences (2020-2022)
  • Academic Appeal Committee for Teachers Certification Program (Dept of Teaching, Learning and Leadership; 2014-current)
  • Teacher Education Faculty (TEF; 2009-current)
  • Honors College Faculty Advisory Committee (2014-2020)
  • College of Education and Human Sciences -Admission and Scholastic Standards Committee (2014-Current)

University Level

  • Faculty Senate President (2021-2022)
  • Faculty Senate Vice President (2020-2021)
  • Graduate Student Council Advisor (2021-current)
  • F. O. Butler Foundation Trustee (2019-2022)
  • Higher Learning Commission-NCA Accreditation Steering Committee (2018-19)
  • Center for Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) Advisory Council (2016-2020)
  • Administration Search Committee- member (2)
  • University Committees
    • Tenure and Promotion Committee (2022-current)
    • Committee on Committees (Chair, 2020-2021)
    • Academic Affairs (2012-2013)
    • Academic Appeals (2018-2020)
    • Faculty Budget (2021-2022)
    • Intercollegiate Athletics Board (2018-2019)
    • International Affairs (Chair, 2016-2018; member 2015-2016)

South Dakota Board of Regents (System Academic Affairs)

  • Natural Science Discipline Council (Chair, 2018-2022)
  • Biology Discipline Council (Ad-hoc; Fall 2013)
  • State Representative, WICHE - Interstate Passport Initiative (Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education - Natural Sciences Group, 2015-2022)

South Dakota

  • Department of Education- Science Advisory Council (2017-2019)

Botanical Society of America

  • Committee on Committees (Board member, 2023-current)
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion-Impact Award sub-committee (Chair, 2021-2022)

Professional Memberships:

  • Botanical Society of America-Teaching Section Chair (Elected; 2015-2018)
  • Botanical Society of America- Vice Chair and Program Director (2012-2015)
  • American Society of Plant Biologists-member
  • Sigma Xi Chapter President (2013-2014)
  • South Dakota Honor Society of Agriculture President (2015-2016)
  • Ecological Society of America
  • Genetics Society of America

Awards and Honors

  • SDSU Inaugural Global Achievement Award (Office of International Affairs, 2022)
  • FO Butler Excellence in Teaching (2021)
  • Samuel Noel Postlethwait Award for Outstanding Service to Teaching Section of the Botanical Society of America   (2018)
  • Honor Society of Agriculture (Gamma Sigma Delta) Past President Recognition (2017)
  • Honor Society of Agriculture Distinguished Service Award (2017)
  • Edward Patrick Hogan Award For Teaching Excellence (2016)
  • Sigma Xi Past President Recognition (2015)
  • National Academies Education Fellow in the Life Sciences (2015 National Academies Northstar Summer Institute on Undergraduate Education in Biology)
  • Gamma Sigma Delta Teaching Award (South Dakota Honor Society of Agriculture; 2014)
  • Tom Cheesbrough Excellence in Teaching Award (Department of Biology and Microbiology, SDSU; 2014)
  • Lee Olson Travel Award (Department of Biology and Biology, SDSU; 2014)
  • 2014 Outstanding Faculty Award nominee (Biology and Microbiology Graduate Student Association)
  • 2014 CE Bessey Teaching Award nominee (Botanical Society of America)

Grants

  • USDA NIFA 7Gen-FnA-iLEARN (Nepal et al. 2021-2025)
  • NSF RCN-UBE: The Wokini Undergraduate Biology Education Network (Heiberger and Nepal; 2021-2022)
  • NSF Synthetic Biology (Butzin, Nepal, Fernandez; 2019-2024)
  • NSF REMAST Phase-III (Vestal, Nepal, Browning, Miller and White; 2020-2025)
  • USDA-NIFA; FAST-REEU (Nepal, Bott-Knutson, Janaswamy, Mathew and White; 2018-2022)
  • South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotional Council (with F. Mathew, 2017-2018)
  • USDA-NIFA; iLEARN (Nepal, White, Browning and Miller; 2016-2019)
  • USDA-NIFA; AES Hatch Fund (Nepal; 2013-2018)
  • DOE/SDBOR; Science and Technology Resources for Engagement Activity Modules (STREAM) (Browning, Nepal and Miller; 2015/2016)
  • NSF-REMAST Robert Noyce Scholarship Program –Phase II (Vestal, Nepal, Browning, Miller and Bertolini; 2014-2016)
  • South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotional Council (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
  • Department of Education - South Dakota Board of Reagents (SETI^2, SETI^2-PhaseII) (Browning, Nepal and Miller; NCLB, Title II Grant) 2012/13 and 2013/2014
  • NSF-REMAST Robert Noyce Scholarship Program (Vestal, Nepal, Browning, Emo and Miller; 2007-2012)
  • SDSU Academic and Scholarly Excellence Initiative (Miller, Nepal, Browning, Vestal and Emo; 2010-2011)
  • USDA Forest Service (2010-2012)
  • SDSU Research Scholarship Fund 2010 (2009-2010)

Areas of Research

  • Plant Systematics
  • Molecular Phylogenetics
  • Comparative Genomics
  • Advancement of knowledge (Plant Evolution)
  • Plant species identification and management (Biodiversity and Conservation)
  • Stress responsive gene identification and characterization (Crop Improvement)