Shahid Mukhtar has been awarded both the Phil and Mary Bradley Faculty Award for Mentoring in Creative Inquiry (CI) and the Carr Family Endowed CI for 2026 for his Creative Inquiry “Dissecting Plant Complexity: From Arabidopsis Mutants to Soybean Drought Mechanisms,” which focuses on soybean anatomy and physiology under stress, such as drought.
In this CI, students participate in tissue sectioning, advanced microscopy and histological analysis to assess plant anatomy and analyze how drought and other stressors alter plant tissues, helping them gain a better understanding of how environmental pressures affect agricultural systems.
“Dr. Mukhtar is as enthusiastic about working with undergraduates as he is about his own research,” wrote one student nominator for the Phil and Mary Bradley Faculty Award. “Even from my first conversation with him, I could tell he’s incredibly passionate about what he does and that he’s excited about including new students. He makes sure I know that he believes in me as a scientist … I’ve learned many important research skills, and I feel more confident in the lab because of him.”
Dr. Mukhtar says that the Carr Family Endowed Fund, which was established with a gift from Chalmers and Lori Anne Carr, owners and operators of Titan Farms, provides support for CI projects related to fruit and vegetable crop production, agriculture industries and rural economic development. will help provide students with a more immersive research experience and expand access to research technology to tackle real world agricultural challenges.
Phil and Mary Bradley helped launch the CI program in 2005 with a gift of $100,000. Since that time, they have continued to support CI by endowing the faculty award since 2006. The Bradleys’ generous gift allows each recipient to receive a plaque and salary supplement.
