Professor Opening New Doors for Student Researchers
A student inquiry prompted Dr. Brian Barringer to explore the development of an interdisciplinary program in the study of cannabis. That was the fall of 2019. Today, the UW-Stevens Point Cannabis Science Certificate is the first of its kind in the state. The program provides a solid scientific foundation in the history and myriad uses of cannabis, cannabis cultivation and phytochemistry.
Barringer is one of several faculty who lead the 9-credit program offered online at the undergraduate level. The Department of Biology chair and professor is highly regarded statewide for his active research in plant ecology with a special emphasis on Cannabis sativa. Cannabis plant tissues have shown the ability to absorb toxins from soil, pointing to agricultural and economic impacts of hemp. His academic record, high impact instruction and unwavering support for his faculty and students earned his 2025 recognition with the Excellence in Teaching, Scholarship, and Service Award.
In 2023, Barringer proposed an expanded research path, looking into the removal of PFAS, synthetic chemicals, from soils using hemp plants, along with alfalfa. The team, that includes his biology and chemistry colleagues—professors Ann Impullitti, Joe Mondloch, and Shannon Riha— and a faculty from the College of Natural Resources in soil and waste resources, was awarded a Universities of Wisconsin Innovation Grant totaling over $174,000. The work aims to determine where toxins are stored in plant tissues and how soil properties influence remediation; research that integrates student learning with environmental solutions.
Mentorship that Matters
A first-generation college student and former carpenter, Barringer found his path to academia through transformative undergraduate research experiences at UC-Davis in northern California.
“Getting involved in research absolutely changed my life,” he said. “It gave me direction.”
His work as an undergraduate took him from labs and greenhouses on campus to international field sites in both South Africa and Kenya. These experiences inspired Barringer to pursue graduate school and remain at the intersection of teaching and discovery. Today, he works to provide those same life-changing opportunities for his own students.
Dr. Amy Springer, a UWSP alumna and now lab manager and academic colleague, recalls how Barringer’s mentorship helped launch her scientific career. After joining his lab as a student in 2014, she conducted field research with him in California and continued working in his lab through graduation.
“Brian didn’t just grade a few assignments and send me on my way, he made a long-term investment in my life that changed the course of my future,” she wrote in her support letter. “I would not have succeeded in academia without him.”
That commitment to mentorship continues to define Barringer’s impact. Mary Joy Relagio, a 2025 biology graduate, credits him with helping her rediscover confidence and direction during a critical academic juncture.
“He was the first person to tell me I could do something meaningful in this role,” Relagio said. “Taking risks and trying new things really motivated me.”
Under his guidance, she conducted original research on lead exposure in hemp and co-presented PFAS-related research supported by a major grant. Like many of Barringer’s students, she left UWSP with critical lab, data analysis, and communication skills, well prepared for graduate school and beyond.
The ongoing experimentation and analysis of the untapped benefits of hemp attracts a lot of interest from other campuses and from the public. Barringer is eager to shine the spotlight on the promising cannabis research and highlight the value in it. Yet, it’s equally important for him to foster meaningful educational opportunities.
Barringer’s influence is felt in classrooms, labs and student organizations across campus.
“What motivates me is opportunities for students and opportunities for me to interact with students,” said Barringer.
Among the organizations serving students at UWSP, Barringer is a dedicated advocate for The Alliance of Non-Traditional Students (ANTS). The unit is a resource to accommodate the unique needs of about a third of students enrolled who fit the categorization of nontraditional. Executive board president Ellen Whalley said ANTS serves as a base for students, often commuters to campus. It’s a place to leave belongings, print course materials, socialize over lunch, or just de-stress.
Barringer knows from his own experience that this group of students may find it most challenging to stay enrolled with their added family or full-time work obligations.
“He gets it. We know we can count on him,” Whalley said. “He has been in our shoes.”
He has written letters in support of funding for ANTS to retain this important group of scholars. What is best for students is at the core of everything he does.
“I want them to feel like I’m in their corner,” he said. “I feel fortunate to have great colleagues and students. They can inspire me every day.”
Since joining UWSP in 2013, Barringer has been honored multiple times for his teaching and mentorship, including the Excellence in Teaching Award (2016) and UWSP Mentorship Award (2020, 2021 and 2024). He has served as the Department of Biology department chair since 2020.
He integrates relevant research into his ecology and plant biology courses. Through field and lab work experiences, he leads students from a diverse background of majors in the skills they will need to be successful.