Biographical Sketch
Jeffrey
M. Osborn joined the faculty of Truman State University in 1991, where
he currently serves as Professor and Chair (Convener) of Biology,
Director of the Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics Talent
Expansion Program, and Chair of the University-wide Undergraduate
Research Committee. He is a recipient of the Walker and Doris Allen
Fellowship for Faculty Excellence, Truman's highest award for
recognizing outstanding faculty who have greatly contributed to the success
of Truman and its students.
Dr. Osborn received a B.S., with
honors, from Texas State University-San Marcos, where he majored in
Biology. While pursuing the baccalaureate degree, he participated in
an undergraduate research project and served as an Undergraduate
Laboratory Instructor. He remained at Texas State University to
complete an M.S. in Botany. While pursuing the M.S. he served as an
Instructor and received the W. E. Norris Award for outstanding
graduate research in Biology. He then earned a Ph.D. in Plant Biology
from Ohio State University. His doctoral research was supported in
part by grants from the National Science Foundation, Sigma Xi, and
Ohio State. During his final year as a doctoral student, he served as
a University-wide Presidential Fellow and received the R. Butler Award
for outstanding Ph.D. research, teaching and service in Plant Biology.
Dr. Osborn's
teaching experience has covered a broad range of areas, including
introductory-level Biology and Botany courses. He has also taught
numerous upper-level classes and seminars; some of these include
Comparative Plant Morphology, Paleobotany, Plant Anatomy, and several
Microscopy-based courses. In addition, he has taught an
interdisciplinary course titled Understanding Biology through Art. He
employs an array of pedagogical methods and directly incorporates
research projects into his courses. In addition, he has contributed
to curricular reform efforts both at Truman and at the national level.
Dr. Osborn is a teacher-scholar; he
and his students conduct research in the broad area of plant
evolutionary biology, studying both fossil and living plants. The
majority of their work is phylogenetically oriented and considers
evolutionary relationships among seed plants based principally on the
study of pollen development and morphology. He is also interested in
pollination biology, including the evolution of pollination mechanisms
and the functional role that pollen plays in particular syndromes.
Dr. Osborn has received over $3.65
million in funding at Truman; his research, teaching, and curriculum
development efforts have been supported by the National Science
Foundation, J. William Fulbright Foundation, Natural Sciences and
Engineering Research Council of Canada, Petroleum Research
Fund, Botanical Society of America,
International Water Lily and Water Gardening Society, as well as
intramural grants. He has received the Outstanding Researcher Award
from the Kirksville Chapter of Sigma Xi. Dr. Osborn has mentored
numerous undergraduate research students, and he has authored 27
research articles, numerous published abstracts, and several book
reviews.
Professor Osborn has spent research
leaves from Truman at the Swedish Museum of Natural History, the
University of Alberta, the University of Kansas, and
conducting fieldwork in Antarctica.
Dr. Osborn currently serves as the
Program Director and on the Executive Board of the Botanical Society
of America (BSA). As BSA Program Director, he coordinates and plans
the scientific and educational program at the annual Botany
conference, which draws approximately 750 presentations and 1,000
registrants each year. He also currently serves on the Peer Review
Committee for the Council for International Exchange of
Scholars Fulbright Senior Scholar Program and on the External Advisory
Board of the State of Oklahoma's IDeA Network of Biomedical Research
Excellence Program, funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Osborn has also served the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) as
an Executive Board member, Chair of the Biology Division, Biology
Councilor, Chair of the Nominations Committee, Facilitator at CURLs
Institutes on "How to Institutionalize Undergraduate Research", and
member of the national Speakers Bureau. He is also a Past-President
of the Kirksville Chapter of Sigma Xi, and is an active member of
Project Kaleidoscope, a national alliance focused on strengthening the
nation's undergraduate science and mathematics community.
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