Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Walter Diehl (left), associate dean for research for the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of biological sciences, presents a Mississippi State cowbell to Jon Jarvis, director of the National Park Service. Jarvis visited campus last Tuesday. PHOTO: Megan Bean | University Relations

UMagazinology features BCoE's Momentum
A recent redesign of the MSU Bagley College of Engineering's Momentum magazine has caught the attention of UMagazinology, a blog that chronicles changes, trends and accomplishments of university magazines across the country. Momentum is produced by the BCoE’s publications and communications office, which is composed of Heather Rowe, Susan Lassetter and Todd Dickey. University Relations photographers Megan Bean, Beth Wynn and Russ Houston contribute the professional photography.

Sign up now for Mentors in Training
The Maroon Volunteer Center at Mississippi State details a number of volunteer opportunities for the campus community in its current newsletter, including Starkville Community Market board nominations, Bulldogs on the Move, Humane Society volunteer training, United We Feed, and more.

PCSM Diversity Award nominations being accepted
The President's Commission on the Status of Minorities is accepting nominations for the 2013 MSU Diversity Awards. The annual awards program is designed to recognize individuals and teams of individuals who have demonstrated a significant commitment to enhancing diversity at Mississippi State.

Thursday presentation celebrates Walter Anderson
Veteran Mississippi State art professor Brent Funderburk will discuss the life and works of one of the state's most famous artists during a free campus program Thursday, Jan. 24. "Walter Anderson: A World Vision of Art and Nature" will be the topic of his 3:30 p.m. presentation in Giles Hall's Robert and Freda Harrison Auditorium. Funderburk will provide an in-depth look at the lifelong creative investment of the late Jackson County artist, naturalist and writer (1903-65).

Mohawk? Elvis? BCoE welcomes NASA engineers
The world watched last August as the Curiosity rover descended onto the surface of Mars. Later this month, two of the project's most visible engineers will visit Mississippi State to share how this unmanned mission does more than satisfy idle curiosity. Bobak "Mohawk" Ferdowsi and Adam "Elvis" Steltzner will begin their Jan. 29 visit with robotics demonstrations from high school participants from the Mississippi BEST competition. The day's events will continue at 6 p.m. in the Colvard Student Union with the men's presentation, which is free and open to the public.

New art faculty exhibit underway
New faculty in Mississippi State's Department of Art are showcasing their artwork during an exhibition running through Feb. 23. Titled "New Associations: Works by New Faculty in the Department of Art," the show in the gallery in McComas Hall will feature works by Adrienne Callander, Neil Callander, Gregory Martin and Suzanne Powney.

Policy reminders from University Health Services
University Health Services at Mississippi State reminds the campus community of several important policies for its patients to keep in mind when seeking treatment, parking, refilling a prescription online, and privacy.

This Week in Mississippi State Sports, 01/21/13
Men's Tennis plays Rice in Houston, Texas, on Monday at noon, and then hosts LSU on Saturday at 1 p.m. as part of ITA Kickoff Weekend, which will be followed by a Sunday match against Auburn or Indiana... Men's Basketball travels to Fayetteville for a game Wednesday at 8 p.m. (CSS-TV), and then hosts Florida at 7 p.m. on Saturday (FSN-TV)... Women's Basketball hosts Texas A&M on Thursday an 7 p.m., and then Ole Miss at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

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Collins to speak at MLK Unity Breakfast on Monday
Each year, the nation celebrates Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and legacy on the third Monday in January, which this year is on the 21st. That day, Mississippi State will hold the Community MLK Unity Breakfast, a free celebration that this year features a keynote address by Maj. Gen. Augustus L. Collins, adjutant general of the Mississippi National Guard.

Lambert joins volleyball staff
Samantha Lambert, the winningest volleyball coach in Rhodes College history, has been added to head coach Jenny Hazelwood's volleyball coaching staff at Mississippi State. She assumes her duties with MSU volleyball in February. A native of Lancaster, N.Y., Lambert rang up 261 wins in 14 seasons as head coach at Rhodes College in Memphis from 1999 to 2012.

Williams in Mass Communication and Society
When selecting a video game to play, opting to turn on your Wii may provide a different experience than playing your Xbox, according to a study from Mississippi State University. “My research also says that while motion controls can enhance your connection to the game, we aren't necessarily to the point where home gaming technology makes the player feel immersed and surrounded by the game,” said Kevin D. Williams, associate professor of communication.

Horstemeyer to be honored by two national orgs
The spring semester will be twice as nice for one Bagley College of Engineering professor as two national organizations grant him elite status. Mark F. Horstemeyer, a chair professor in mechanical and computation engineering, will join Mississippi State colleague James C. Newman, aerospace, in being recognized as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Engineering Section at its annual meeting in February.