CANR honors 2025 Global Scholars in Research
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EmailThe CANR has named Douglas Bessette, Ph.D., Jongkyoo Kim, Ph.D., Raju Pokharel, Ph.D., and Josh Vanderweide, Ph.D., as the 2025 Global Scholars in Research
The Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources has named Douglas Bessette, Ph.D., Jongkyoo Kim, Ph.D., Raju Pokharel, Ph.D., and Josh Vanderweide, Ph.D., as the 2025 Global Scholars in Research. The Global Scholars will be honored at the CANR Faculty and Staff Awards reception on May 8.
The Global Scholars Program supports established, early and mid-career faculty members with seed funding and travel support for two years. Selected annually by the CANR International Programs Office, scholars work to strengthen and expand their global linkages, networks and collaborative programs across the college's core missions in research, education and outreach.
Douglas Bessette, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Community Sustainability, focusing on clean energy and community energy development. His research interests include understanding support for and opposition to utility-scale renewable energy systems, such as wind and solar, and the siting, operation and adoption of such systems at various scales. Bessette advocates for broader community influence and control over renewables and economic development, helping align energy development outcomes with community values.
Jongkyoo Kim, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Animal Science. His research bridges animal science and food science, driving sustainable advancements in livestock production to address climate change and the need for more efficient food production systems. His focus on beef involves improving meat productivity by utilizing natural growth promotants to reduce the beef industry’s carbon footprint. By increasing efficiency, his research aims to reduce the number of animals required to meet global demand, benefiting both sustainability and food security.
Raju Pokharel, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of Forest Resource Economics in the Department of Forestry. His research focuses on forest product supply chains, resource utilization and forest carbon. He evaluates market opportunities for mass timber, bioenergy and biochar, and assesses the economic tradeoffs of timber products under carbon management strategies. Pokharel manages the Forest Economics and Resource Management (FERM) Lab, supporting research, teaching and extension activities to improve forest product supply chains, advance the circular bioeconomy and address the impacts of human activity and climate change.
Josh Vanderweide, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Horticulture. His work involves investigating best practices for blueberry and strawberry production systems, focusing on improving flavor through various techniques and studying the environmental physiology and abiotic stress tolerance of berry crops. Vanderweide’s extension program targets commercial berry producers and industry stakeholders, offering research-based recommendations, educational presentations and curated programming. He received his Ph.D. from Michigan State University in 2020 before moving to the University of British Columbia as a Postdoctoral Fellow.
The Global Scholars Program began in summer 2019 after Karim Maredia was named director of CANR international programs. The program focuses on faculty development initiatives that grow the college’s global footprint and form lasting international partnerships.
