Just off campus, crews with the Missouri Department of Transportation have been hard at work resurfacing portions of Stadium Boulevard. What looks like regular maintenance is actually part of an innovative collaboration between Mizzou, Dow (the global material science company), and MoDOT.

Students and researchers from the Mizzou Asphalt Pavement and Innovation Lab (MAPIL) — located in our College of Engineering — are creating more sustainable asphalt pavement mixtures by incorporating recycled materials such as plastic and tire rubber. To test this mixture in real-world conditions, it was applied to a nearly two-mile stretch of Stadium Boulevard. Researchers are hopeful that this is the first step towards greener, more durable driving surfaces that also reduce landfill waste.

Through key partnerships such as this one, Mizzou faculty and students are helping generate cutting-edge solutions that benefit our state and world.

— Mun