Madhav Nepal

Madhav Nepal

Professor

Biography

I envision a world where access to quality education transforms lives, regardless of background. My own journey as a first-generation student, beginning with teaching in Nepal immediately after completing 10th grade, has instilled in me a deep passion for education.

Over the past 30 years, I have had the privilege of teaching students of all ages, from pre-K through university level, while simultaneously leading a research group exploring a variety of areas from natural history to the molecular mechanisms of stress regulation in plants.

Leading by example, I am driven to inspire the next generation, proving through my own experience that education can break barriers and create lasting change.

Education

  • Ph.D. in plant systematics (botany) | Kansas State University
  • Credential of Readiness (CORe) | Harvard Business School, Harvard University
  • M.S. in plant physiology | University of Northern Iowa
  • B.S. in botany (thesis on ethnobotany) | Tribhuvan University, Nepal

Academic and Professional Experience

Academic Interests
  • Plant systematics and ethnobotany
  • Bioinformatics and genomics of crops and wild relatives
  • Plant population genetics

 

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 (Department of Teaching, Learning and Leadership; 2014-current)
  • Teacher Education Faculty (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 adviser (2021-current)
  • F.O. Butler Foundation trustee (2019-2022)
  • Higher Learning Commission – NCA Accreditation Steering Committee (2018-2019)
  • Center for Enhancement of Teaching and Learning Advisory Council (2016-2020)
  • Administration Search Committee – member (two)
  • 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, 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 subcommittee (chair, 2021-2022)

Professional Memberships:

  1. Botanical Society of America Board – Committe on Committees (2023-current), Development Committee (2024-current); IMPACT Subaward Committee (2019-2022); Teaching Section chair (elected; 2015-2018); vice chair and program director (2012-2015)
  2. American Society of Plant Biologists – member
  3. Sigma Xi chapter president (2013-2014, 2020)
  4. South Dakota Honor Society of Agriculture president (2015-2016)
  5. Ecological Society of America
  6. Genetics Society of America

Other Activities

  • Founding faculty member of Institute for STEM Education Enhancement
  • Founding faculty adviser of Bio-Micro Graduate Student Association
  • Founding faculty advisor of SDSU Graduate Student Council

Research and Scholarly Work

Areas of Research
  • Plant systematics, molecular phylogenetics and comparative genomics
  • Plant species identification and management (biodiversity and conservation)
  • Stress responsive gene identification and characterization (crop improvement)
Awards and Honors
  • Distinguished Service Award, 2024 (Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College, SDSU)
  • Teacher of the Year 2024 finalist (Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College, SDSU)
  • Planting Science Senior Mentor Scientist Recognition, 2024 (Botanical Society of America)
  • SDSU Inaugural Global Achievement Award, 2022 (Office of International Affairs)
  • F.O. 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, 2014 (South Dakota Honor Society of Agriculture)
  • Tom Cheesbrough Excellence in Teaching Award, 2014 (Department of Biology and Microbiology, SDSU)
Grants
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture: Genomics of Juneberry (Nepal; 2025-2027)
  • USDA NIFA Toward 7Gen Food and Agriculture: Immersive Learning Experiences And Rural Networking (7Gen-FnA-iLEARN; Nepal et al. 2021-2025)
  • National Science Foundation RCN-UBE: The Wokini Undergraduate Biology Education Network (Heiberger and Nepal; 2021-2022)
  • NSF Synthetic Biology (Butzin, Nepal, Fernandez; 2019-2024)
  • NSF Rural Enhancement of Math and Science Teachers (REMAST Phase-III; Vestal, Nepal, Browning, Miller and White; 2020-2025)
  • USDA-NIFA; Future Agriculture and Science Taskforce – Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (FAST-REEU; Nepal, Bott-Knutson, Janaswamy, Mathew and White; 2018-2022)
  • South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotional Council Three-Way Interactions among Soybean, Soybean-aphids and Soybean Cyst-nematodes (with F. Mathew, A. Varenhorst; 2017-2018)
  • USDA-NIFA; iLEARN (Nepal, White, Browning and Miller; 2016-2019)
  • USDA-NIFA; AES Wokini Projects: Genetic Resource Development for Wild Edibles and Medicinal Plants (Nepal; 2020-2023)
  • USDA-NIFA; AES Hatch Projects: Stress Responsive Gene Characterization in Crops and their Wild-Relatives (Nepal; 2013-current)
  • DOE/South Dakota Board of Regents; Science and Technology Resources for Engagement Activity Modules (STREAM-2; 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: Stress Responsive Genes Characterization in Soybeans (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
  • Department of Education – South Dakota Board of Reagents (SETI^2, SETI^2-PhaseII, STREAM 1) (Browning, Nepal and Miller; NCLB, Title II Grant) (2012-2013 and 2013-2014)
  • NSF-REMAST Robert Noyce Scholarship Program (Vestal, Nepal, Browning, Emo and Miller; 2007-2012)
  • SDSU Academic and Scholarly Excellence Initiative, Institute of STEM Education Enhancement (ISEE; Miller, Nepal, Browning, Vestal and Emo; 2010-2011)
  • USDA Forest Service: Genetic Structure of Invasive Falcaria vulgaris (2010-2012)
  • SDSU Research Scholarship Fund 2010: Native-Invasive Hybridizations in Mulberries (2009-2010)
Publications

*Corresponding author

Journal Articles

  1. Adhikari, B., Ringgenberg, E., Smith, G., Johnson, R., Parajuli, S., Carstens, J.D. and *Nepal, M.P. 2026. Reporting Mitochondrial Genome of North American Native Morus rubra L. (Red Mulberry). Discover Plants (Accepted)
  2. Parajuli, S., Adhikari, B. and *Nepal, M.P. 2025. . Scientific Reports 15, 5297 (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-88880-x
  3. Vestal, S.S., Burke, R.S., Browning, L.M., Hasselquist, L., Hales, P.D., Miller, M.L., *Nepal, M.P. and White, P.T. 2025. . Education Science 15(1), 85. DOI: 10.3390/educsci15010085
  4. Adhikari B., Parajuli S. and *Nepal, M.P. 2025. . Scientific Reports 15, 13403
  5. Adhikari, B., Pradhan, B., Parajuli, S. and *Nepal, M.P. 2024. Genome-Wide Identification of WRKY Transcription Factors in Amborella trichopoda, the Basal Flowering Plant Species.
  6. Stagner K., Weber, A., Nepal, H.P. and *Nepal, M.P. 2024. . Life Science Reports 1(1):1-24. DOI: 10.62812/FRUE4067
  7. Johnson, R.M. Nepal, H.P. and *Nepal, M.P. 2024. . Life Science Reports. 1(1): 25-35. DOI: 10.62812/MGJP4087
  8. Andersen, E.J., Ali, S. and *Nepal, M.P. 2021. Necrotrophic Fungus Pyrenophora tritici-repentis Triggers Expression of Multiple Resistance Components in Resistant and Susceptible Wheat Cultivars. Journal of Plant Pathology. 37(2):99-114
  9. *Xue, J., Takken, F.L.W., Nepal, M.P., Maekawa, T. and Z. Shao. 2020. Editorial: Evolution and Functional Mechanisms of Plant Disease Resistance. Frontiers in Genetics. 11:593240
  10. Andersen, E.J, *Nepal, M.P, Nelson, D., Mermigka, G., Purintun, J.P. and P.F. Sarris. 2020. Wheat Disease Resistance Genes and their Diversification through Integrated Domain Fusions. Frontiers in Genetics 11: 898
  11. Neupane, S., Mathew, F.M., Varenhorst, A.J. and *Nepal, M.P. 2019. Transcriptome Profiling of Interaction Effects of Soybean Cyst Nematodes and Soybean Aphids on Soybean. Scientific Data 6:133
  12. Neupane, S., Purintun, J., Mathew, F.M., Varenhorst, A.J. and *Nepal, M.P. 2019. Molecular Basis of Soybean Resistance to Soybean Aphid and Soybean Cyst Nematode. Plants. 8(10): 374
  13. White, P.T., Browning, L.M., Miller, M.L., Vestal, S.S., Lemke, M. and *Nepal, M.P. 2020. Perceptions and Usages of Online Teaching Resources by South Dakota Science and Agriculture Teachers. Proceeding of South Dakota Academy of Sciences. 99:101-117
  14. Andersen, E.J., Ali, S. and *Nepal, M.P. 2019. Transcriptomic Changes in Wheat During Tan Spot (Pyrenophora tritici-repentis) Disease. BMC Research Notes 12:471
  15. Neupane, S., Varenhorst, A.J. and *Nepal, M.P. 2019. Transcriptome Profiling of Induced Susceptibility Effects on Soybean/Soybean Aphid Interaction. BMC Research Notes. 12:325
  16. Neupane, S., Schweitzer, S.E., Neupane, A., Andersen, E.J., Fennell A., Zhou, R., *Nepal, M.P. 2019. Identification and Characterization of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) Genes in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Plants. 8(2): 28
  17. Neupane, S., Andersen, E.J., Neupane, A. and *Nepal, M.P. 2018. Genome-Wide Identification of NBS-Encoding Genes of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Genes. 9:384
  18. Andersen, E.J., E. Byamukama, S. Ali, Y. Yen and *M.P. Nepal. 2018. Disease Resistance Mechanisms in Plants. Genes. 9(7): 339
  19. Neupane, S., Andersen, E.J., Ma, Q., Mathew, F., Varenhorst, A. and *Nepal, M.P. 2018. . Biochemical Genetics. 56 (4):397–422
  20. *Nepal, M.P., E.J. Andersen, S. Neupane and B.V. Benson. 2017. Comparative Genomics of non-TNL Disease Resistance Genes from Six Plant Species. Genes. 8(10):249
  21. Andersen, E.J. and *Nepal, M.P. 2017. Genetic Diversity of Disease Resistance Genes in Foxtail millet (Setaria italica[L.] . Plant Gene. 10: 8–16
  22. Nanda-Kafle, G., Seale, T., Flint, T., Nepal, M.P., Venter, S.N. and Brözel, V.S. 2017. Distribution of Diverse Escherichia coli between Cattle and Pasture. Microbes and Environments, 32(3): 226–233
  23. Andersen, E.J. and *Nepal, M.P. 2017. Data on Genome-Wide Identification of CNL R-genes in Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv. Data in Brief. 13: 259–273
  24. Andersen, E.J., Ali, S., Reese, R.N., Yen, Y., Neupane, S. and *Nepal, M.P. 2015. Diversity and Evolution of Disease Resistance Genes in Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Evolutionary Bioinformatics.12:99-108
  25. *Nepal, M.P. and B.V. Benson. 2015. Soybean Disease Resistance Genes and Their Evolutionary Divergence. Evolutionary Bioinformatics. 11: 49–63
  26. Andersen, E.J., Shaw, S.R. and *Nepal, M.P. 2015. Genome-Wide Identification of Disease Resistance Genes in Aegilops tauschii Coss. (Poaceae). Proceedings of the South Dakota Academy of Science. 94:281-295
  27. *Nepal, M.P., M.H. Mayfield and C.J. Ferguson. 2015. Breeding System and Sex Ratio Variation in Mulberries. Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 9(2):383–395
  28. Benson, B.V., *Nepal, M.P., Davison, L.G., Duwadi, P.B. and Moore, B.G. 2014. In Silico Analysis of Cis-Regulatory Elements of Disease Resistance Genes across Six Plant Species. Proceedings of the South Dakota Academy of Science. 93: 133–144
  29. Piya, S., *Nepal, M.P., Butler, J.L., Larson, G.E. and Neupane, A. 2014. Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Sickleweed (Falcaria vulgaris) in the Upper Midwest USA. Biological Invasions 16(10): 2115–2125
  30. Neupane, A., *Nepal, M.P., Benson, B.V., MacArthur, K.J. and Piya, S. 2013. . Plant Signaling and Behavior 8 (11): e27189
  31. Piya, S. and *Nepal, M.P. 2013. Characterization of Nuclear and Chloroplast Microsatellite Markers for Falcaria vulgaris (Apiaceae). American Journal of Plant Science. 4: 590-595.
  32. *Nepal, M.P. and D.J. Wichern. 2013. Taxonomic Status of Red Mulberry (Morus rubra, Moraceae) at Its Northwestern Boundary. Proceedings of the South Dakota Academy of Science. 92: 19–29
  33. Neupane, A., *Nepal, M.P., Piya, S., Subramanian, S., Rohila J.S., Reese, R.N. and Benson, B.V. 2013. . Evolutionary Bioinformatics. 9: 363–386
  34. *Nepal, M.P. and C.J. Ferguson. 2012.. Systematic Botany. 37(2): 442–450
  35. Piya, S., *Nepal, M.P., Neupane, A., Larson, G.E. and Butler, J.L. 2012. Introduction History and Spread of Falcaria vulgaris Bernh. (Apiaceae) in the United States Based on Herbarium Records. Proceedings of South Dakota Academy of Science. 91:113–129
  36. *Nepal, M.P., M.H. Mayfield and C.J. Ferguson. 2012. . Phytoneuron 26:1–6
  37. Woods, T.M., Strakosh, S.C., Nepal, M.P., Chakrabarti, S., Simpson, N.B., Mayfield, M.H. and Ferguson, C.J. 2005. . SIDA Contributions to Botany 21: 1695–1725
  38. *Nepal, M.P., V.N.P. Gupta, O.R. Vetaas, and R.P. Chaudhary. 1999. Utilization of Plant Resources of Makalu-Barun Buffer zone, Eastern Nepal by the Rais and the Sherpa Communities. Proceedings of Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, pp. 1359–1370

Teaching Modules

  1. Chang, J., Ritter, B., Feller, D. and Nepal, M.P. 2024. Soil Health Class-2: Soil pH. iLEARN Teaching Resources. Volume 6 (1): 156-165
  2. Chang, J., Ritter, B., Feller, D. and Nepal, M.P. 2024. Soil Health Class-2: Soil pH. iLEARN Teaching Resources. Volume 6 (1): 146-155
  3. Little Eagle, M., Janis, M. and Nepal, M.P. 2023. Lakota Ethnobotany for South Dakota Middle School Students. iLEARN Teaching Resources. 5(1): 136-145
  4. Janis, M., Little Eagle, M. and Nepal, M.P. 2023. Lakota Ethnobotany for South Dakota Middle School Students. iLEARN Teaching Resources. 5(1): 126-135
  5. Roy, S., Abrahamson, M., Nepal, M.P. and Butzin, N.C. 2022. Exploring Bacterial Diversity through Hand-printing and Bacterial Art. iLEARN Teaching Resources 4(2):95-105
  6. Nelson, L.S., Roy, S., Bohnet, B.J., Chase, T., LaBelle, B., Nepal, M.P. and Butzin, N.C. 2022. Teaching Central Dogma of Biology Using Cell Free Environment. iLEARN Teaching Resources. 4 (1):81-94
  7. Kovash, I., Hossain, T., Mitchell, M., Roy, S., Nepal, M.P. and Butzin, N.C. 2022. Exploring Bacterial Diversity through Hand-printing and Bacterial Art. iLEARN Teaching Resources. 4 (2): 106-125
  8. Pourier, A., Pomarleau, W., Nelson, D., Cutler, K. and Nepal, M.P. 2022. Teaching Medicinal Plants Used by Native Americans. iLEARN Teaching Resources. 4 (1):69-80
  9. Pourier, A., Pomarleau, W., Nelson, D., Cutler, K. and Nepal, M.P. 2022. Teaching DNA Extractions from Fruits (Strawberry, Banana, Kiwi and Watermelon). iLEARN Teaching Resources. 4 (1):61-68
  10. Scott, C.W. and *Nepal, M.P. 2020. Teaching Natural and Artificial Selection in Production Agriculture. iLEARN Teaching Resources. 3 (1):49-60
  11. Burwitz, S, Roe, K.M. and *Nepal, M.P, Browning, L.B., Miller, M.L. and White, P.T. 2019. Recycling Aluminum. iLEARN Teaching Resources. 2(3):43-48 
  12. Chang, J. and Nepal, M.P. 2019. Using Drones for Precision Agriculture. iLEARN Teaching Resources. 2 (2):38-42
  13. Colombe, S., McLaughlin, J., Nepal, M.P., Browning, L.B., Miller, M.L. and White, P.T. 2019. Sustainable Agriculture Lesson for Middle School Classrooms. iLEARN Teaching Resources. 2:34-37
  14. *Nepal, M.P. and E.J. Andersen. 2019. Using Publicly Available GenBank Data to Teach Plant Phylogeny in High School Classrooms. iLEARN Teaching Resources. 2:23-33
  15. Mueller, J.M., Edwards, L., Browning, L.B., Miller, M.L, White, P.T. and *Nepal, M.P. 2019. Understanding Greenhouse Gases. iLEARN Teaching Resources. 2:18-22
  16. Hoover, A., Blaha, B., Englin, J., Browning, L.B., Miller, M.L, White, P.T. and *Nepal, M.P. 2019. Using a Case Study Approach to Teach Invasive Species and Climate Change. iLEARN Teaching Resources. 2:10-17
  17. Kruse, T., Forcier, L., Browning, L.B., Miller, M.L, White, P.T. and *Nepal, M.P. 2019. Climate Change within a Biome. iLEARN Teaching Resources. 1:5-9
  18. Colombe, S., Browning, L.B., Miller, M.L, White, P.T. and *Nepal, M.P. 2018. . iLEARN Teaching Resources. 1:1-4
  19. Carter, A., White, P.T., Hasselquist, L., *Nepal, M.P. 2018. . Curriculum Resources - Open PRAIRIE (more than 2,900 downloads since 2018)

Extension Articles

  1. Mathew, F., Okello, P., Kleinjan, J., Osborne, S., Nepal, M.P., Varenhorst, A. and Byamukama, E. 2017. Understanding the Relationship Between Soybean Cyst Nematode and Fusarium on Soybean. South Dakota Soybean Leader, May-June, 19
  2. *Nepal, M.P. and Benson, B.V. 2014. Understanding Plant's Disease Surveillance. Growing South Dakota iGrow (formerly), South Dakota Extension Magazine
  3. *Nepal, M.P. 2006. Is White Mulberry a Threat to Red Mulberry on Konza? Tallgrass Gazette, Spring 2006: 1-2

Book Chapter/Lab Manuals

  1. *Nepal, M.P. and Purintun, J. 2021. Systematics of the Genus Morus L. (Moraceae): Taxonomy, Phylogeny and Potential Responses to Climate Variability. In Genetic Improvement of Mulberry in Context of Climate Change (M.K. Razdan and T. Dennis Thomas, Eds.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, USA
  2. Chaudhary, R.P., Nepal, M.P., Gupta, V.N.P. and Vetaas, O.R. 2002. Traditional Use of Plants by the Indigenous Peoples of Makalu-Barun Buffer Zone, Eastern Nepal. In: Chaudhary, R.P., B.P Subedi, O.R. Vetaas and T.H. Aase (eds). Vegetation and Society: Their Interaction in the Himalayas. Tribhuvan University, Nepal and Bergen University, Norway. Pp. 83–97
  3. *Nepal, M.P. 2021. General Botany Laboratory Manual, Pandemic Edition. South Dakota State University. 75 p.
  4. *Nepal, M.P. and Wake, C.M. 2017. General Botany Laboratory Manual, 3rd Ed. South Dakota State University. 112 p.
Mailing Address:
McFadden Biostress Laboratory 252C
Biology & Microbiology-Box 2140D
University Station
Brookings, SD 57007
Office Location:
Edgar S. McFadden Biostress Lab
Room 252C
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Related Links
Nepal Lab
FAST@ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ (Future Agriculture and Science Taskforce – Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates; USDA Award No. 2018-67032-27712)
iLEARN@SDSTATE (Immersive Learning Experiences And Rural Networking; USDA Award No. 2017-68010-25956)
Honors Society of Agriculture@SDSTATE
NSF REMAST@ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ (Rural Enhancement of Mathematics And Science Teachers)
Associated Areas
Students in a lab looking at samples.
Department of Biology and Microbiology