Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw presents a family Bible to homeowner Keyana Triplett during the dedication of the newest Maroon Edition Habitat for Humanity home in December. Built by volunteers this past fall, the Azalea Lane residence is the 11th home that Mississippi State University and Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity have completed together. PHOTO: Beth Wynn | Public Affairs

Brown Johnson completes APLU Food Systems Leadership Institute
A Mississippi State University faculty member and director of the Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory is among the newest fellows of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities’ Food Systems Leadership Institute. Ashli Brown Johnson, associate professor in MSU’s Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology, recently completed the two-year leadership program. “I am incredibly grateful to the MSU administration for sponsoring me to take part in such a remarkable leadership program,” she said.

Hunt named Sharp Professor of Human Dimensions
The College of Forest Resources at Mississippi State University is honoring a wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture faculty member with the esteemed Sharp Professorship. “We congratulate Dr. Kevin Hunt on this great honor,” said George Hopper, dean of the College of Forest Resources and director of the Forest and Wildlife Research Center. “For nearly 20 years, Dr. Hunt’s research in human dimensions as it pertains to wildlife has helped answer critical questions for stakeholders invested in protecting our nation’s wildlife resources.” Hunt’s career has focused on the study of human dimensions -- specifically how humans interact with wildlife.

DAFVM Spotlight Employee: Chris Sowers
Chris Sowers works for the Mississippi State University Extension Service Office of Agricultural Communications as print manager. He oversees the intake of jobs, quality control, and logistics. “The best part of the job has to be the people that I get to see every day,” Sowers said. “I have been fortunate to work with amazing people over the years.” The job chose him, he said. He learned the responsibilities of his position quickly and decided that this job was a really good fit for him. He said being a part of Ag Communications and seeing what they produce is really rewarding.

DAFVM Spotlight Employee: Tashmia Turner
As an Extension agent, Tashmia Turner serves as a connection from Mississippi State University to the people of Madison County. She conducts community-based workshops and provides research-based information on any topic related to the family. Her favorite part of her job is being a resource in the community. She finds delivering information to people that could potentially enhance the quality of their lives very rewarding. “I chose this career because I have the opportunity to educate and engage with the people who need it most.” Turner said.

MSU celebrates newest Community Engagement Award winners
Mississippi State is recognizing four outreach projects with the university’s second annual Community Engagement Awards. Two awards -- winner and honorable mention -- were given in four categories. These include community-engaged service; community-engaged teaching and learning; community-engaged research; and scholarship of engagement. Winning projects received $3,000, and honorable mention projects were awarded $750 to further community-engagement activities. To be honored with a spring 2020 reception, recipients were selected by MSU’s Center for Community-Engaged Learning, Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President, Office of Research and Economic Development, and the Division of Student Affairs.

Starkville-MSU Community Band enters 17th year, seeking musicians
Mississippi State’s band staff again is inviting university faculty, staff and graduate students, as well as Golden Triangle residents with previous band experience, to participate in the Starkville-MSU Community Band. Practice sessions will take place 6:30-8:30 p.m. each Monday during the spring semester at the MSU Band and Choral Rehearsal Hall, located at 72 Hardy Road on the Starkville campus. A $20 participation fee is required, which can be paid at the first meeting on Monday [Jan. 6].

Information needed for 2020 youth summer camps
The MSU summer camp page is ready to be updated with your 2020 camp information. Please login at http://ce.extension.msstate.edu/add-summer-camp to enter information about your upcoming summer camps. Only MSU employees have the ability to access the summer camp information site using their MSU NetID and Net Password. Once submitted, your camp information will be reviewed, approved and posted. If you have any questions or have any trouble entering your information, please contact Amber Shultice at 662-325-1457 or ams257@msstate.edu.

Smoke-free policy enhances healthy environment
Mississippi State University is a smoke-free campus. Official policy prohibits the use of any combustible or vapor products anywhere on campus property including university buildings, university grounds, university vehicles, parking areas and sidewalks. The smoke-free campus policy is part of the university's commitment to creating a healthy environment for all members of the campus community. Use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, hookah or other similar devices are prohibited by this policy.

The Office of Public Affairs provides Maroon MEMO as a general information
resource for Mississippi State University employees.

Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.

MSU, NOAA celebrate Orion supercomputer
Mississippi State University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration celebrated one of the country’s most powerful supercomputers as the fall semester drew to a close. MSU and NOAA leaders held a Dec. 18 ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Orion supercomputer, the fourth-fastest computer system in U.S. academia. Funded by NOAA and managed by MSU’s High Performance Computing Collaboratory, the system is powering research and development advancements in weather and climate modeling, autonomous systems, materials, cybersecurity, computational modeling and more. “Mississippi State has a long history of using advanced computing power to drive innovative research, making an impact in Mississippi and around the world,” said MSU President Mark E. Keenum.

MSU receives NSF funding to build testbed for 5G, advanced wireless technologies
Industry and researchers soon will be able to test 5G and other advanced wireless technologies at Mississippi State University. MSU is receiving $1 million in National Science Foundation funding and $2 million in equipment donations to build an advanced wireless testbed as part of the Aerial Experimentation Research Platform for Advanced Wireless, or AERPAW, an NSF and industry-sponsored project focused on integrating unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, into 5G networks to increase connectivity. principal investigators on the project are Vuk Marojevic, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, and Robert Moorhead, director of the Northern Gulf Institute, both faculty members in MSU’s Bagley College of Engineering.

Hopper announces summer retirement
Mississippi State’s George M. Hopper, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Forest Resources, is announcing his plans to retire this summer, effective June 30. Also leading MSU’s Forest and Wildlife Research Center and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Hopper has been a senior administrator within MSU’s Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine since joining the university in 2005. A native of Vicksburg, Hopper earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from MSU and a doctorate from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Bully’s Closet and Pantry set to open this week
Starting with the spring semester and an official ribbon cutting this week, Mississippi State students will have access to nutritious food, clothing and other necessities at the new Bully’s Closet and Pantry. A collaborative effort between the university’s Division of Student Affairs and the Student Association, Bully’s Closet and Pantry is part of the MSU Food Security Network, a broader initiative to meet students’ basic needs throughout their time at the state’s leading university. A 10 a.m. ribbon cutting will take place on Friday [Jan. 10] at 120 Morgan Ave. on the Starkville campus.