Dr. Kunkel earned his bachelor's degree in animal husbandry and his master's degree in biochemistry and nutrition from Texas A&M University and his doctorate in biochemistry from Cornell University.

He has taught courses in principles of animal nutrition, general biochemistry, biochemical genetics, enzymes, large animal nutrition, food and humanity and issues in animal agriculture. His early research interests focused on magnesium in animal nutrition, urinary calculi, ruminal development and carbohydrate metabolism and the basis for genetically variable growth in animals. Current interests include the human nutrition-agriculture interface, the missions of science and education for agriculture and curricular reform.

Dr. Kunkel has been involved in many national initiatives, including the National Curriculum Project in Ethics and Policy in Agriculture, the Social Science Agriculture Agenda Project, the USDA Integrated Curriculum Development Project and the Institute of Medicine Committee on Dietary Guidelines Implementation. Professional memberships include the American Society for Nutritional Sciences and the Agriculture, Food, and Human Values Society. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and of the American Society of Animal Science.