Undergraduate research office staff
Linda Blockus
Director
150 Bond Life Sciences Center
University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, MO 65211-7400
Phone: 573-882-5979
Fax: 573-884-9395
E-mail: BlockusL@missouri.edu
Linda Blockus earned her bachelor's degree in biology at Dartmouth College and a master's degree in educational leadership from Boston University. She earned her PhD from Mizzou in higher education with support areas in black studies and educational and counseling psychology. She took a semester of agriculture courses at Ohio State University as an undergraduate and spent a year as a visiting graduate student at Stanford University. As an undergraduate she spent a summer at the Ohio Agriculture Research and Development Center in Wooster researching insect pests of woody ornamental plants (bushes and trees). Blockus' current research interests include college student development, academic concerns of black and other minority students, evaluation and assessment of undergraduate research programs, and student/faculty mentor communication. Blockus is member of the Council of Undergraduate Research (CUR) and serves as a councilor for the new Undergraduate Research Program Directors division of CUR. She is married to neurobiologist Mark Kirk, PhD, and has two daughters.
Brian Booton
Program Coordinator
150 Bond Life Sciences Center
Phone: 573-884-1774
Fax: 573-884-9395
E-mail: BootonB@missouri.edu
Brian worked as an Arts and Science advisor since 1998, usually in the psychology department, up until this past March. He holds degrees in psychology and advertising from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He’ll be working primarily with the UMEB students and in his spare time, he enjoys writing poetry and singing in gospel choirs.
Jessica Omoile
Graduate Research Assistant
150 Bond Life Sciences Center
Phone: 573-882-4818
Fax: 573-884-9395
E-mail: JessicaOmoile@mizzou.edu
Jessica is beginning her master’s degree in educational psychology at Mizzou and is pursuing doctoral work and experience in the fields Community Agency and Counseling. Jessica graduated from MU last spring with a BA in Psychology and a BS in Business Administration. When she is not working, she is volunteering or participating in research.
John Hendel
Public Relations Graduate Assistant
150 Bond Life Sciences Center
Phone: 573-882-4818
E-mail: JDHendel@gmail.com
John Hendel is a Masters journalism student with a focus on magazine writing and narrative. He is from St. Louis and spent the past three years at the University of Missouri, where he earned degrees in magazine journalism and history. A restlessness and interest in travel led him to study abroad twice, first in Cuernavaca, Mexico, during the country's presidential election in the summer of 2006, and then again in London during spring of 2007 as an intern for a free expression magazine. He heads up public relations for the office, which includes designing and composing the newsletter. He likes travel as well as good restaurants, coffee shops, and night life.
Sarah Beyers
Graduate Assistant
150 Bond Life Sciences
Phone: 573-882-4818
E-mail: sjbtf3@mizzou.edu
Sarah Beyers received her Bachelors degree in Psychology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She is currently pursuing her PhD in School Psychology. She loves to watch Law and Order: SVU and can't go a day without chocolate.
Jordan Halane
Student Worker
150 Bond Life Sciences Center
Phone: 573-882-4818
Fax: 573-884-9395
E-mail: jahd46@mizzou.edu
Jordan is a junior BA music major from Sedalia, Mo. On campus, he is involved with QEBH, the Alumni Association Student Board, and the University Singers. He plans on pursuing a master's in education administration. When he is not working, he enjoys playing tennis, singing, watching Scrubs, listening to great music, and drinking sweet tea.
