Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Researchers at Mississippi State's Advanced Composites Institute observe the robotic stitching equipment used at the center to develop stronger, lighter composite material through methodical fabric stitching. The research carried out at ACI is helping to realize the full practical and economic benefits of stitched composite materials. PHOTO: Beth Wynn | Public Affairs

Hodge honored with endowed scholarship
A new scholarship endowment in the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering will honor B. K. “Keith” Hodge, professor emeritus in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Established through a gift from Michael Hall, a 1995 mechanical engineering graduate, the scholarship serves as a way for Hall to honor his former professor for which the award is named. Hall wanted to help give others a chance to experience the opportunities he had as a student at MSU, and the honorary scholarship seemed a fitting means to both ends. To both Hodge and Hall, Mississippi State represents hope and a home. They envision that this engineering scholarship will continue to uphold the standard of excellence provided by the Bagley College, while also enabling more ambitious students to pursue their goals from their “home away from home” at MSU.

Spring general faculty meeting Tuesday afternoon
The Office of the President and the Robert Holland Faculty Senate invite all faculty to the spring meeting of the General Faculty at 2 p.m. on Tuesday [Feb. 1] in Colvard Student Union’s Foster Ballroom, Section U. Interested members of the campus community are also welcome. The program will include updates from President Mark E. Keenum, Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw, Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan, and Vice President for Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble. The MSU Television Center will provide a livestream of the meeting at https://vimeo.com/event/1739170 for those unable to attend in person or who prefer to watch online.

Pierce, state’s Poet Laureate, launches podcast to bring poetry to life for next generation
Mississippi State English Professor Catherine Pierce -- named Mississippi’s Poet Laureate in 2021 -- now hosts a poetry podcast to help the genre come alive for Mississippi students. “The Mississippi Poetry Podcast,” a bi-weekly 15-minute production featuring poems and conversations with Mississippi poets, is housed on Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s Mississippi Arts Hour webpage, http://msartshour.mpbonline.org. “One of the real joys of teaching poetry is helping people see that poetry is a living, breathing, vibrant contemporary art. I wanted to find a way to bring that same message to all Mississippians,” Pierce said. “We’re calling this ‘a podcast where poetry comes alive for listeners,’ and that’s exactly what I hope it will be.”

MSU Foundation announces 2022 officers, incoming members for board of directors
The Mississippi State University Foundation is announcing 2022 leaders and incoming members for the board of directors that guides the fundraising arm of the nearly 144-year-old land-grant institution. Incoming officers with new one-year terms that began Jan. 1 include three alumni: Anthony L. Wilson of Gulfport as chair; Rodger L. Johnson of Atlanta, Georgia, as vice-chair; and Paul J. Karre of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, as treasurer. Rounding out the remaining board officers are MSU personnel. John P. Rush, vice president for development and alumni, is the board’s president and CEO; Janet H. Carraway, executive director of finance, is chief financial officer; and Jack McCarty, executive director of development, serves as board secretary. All are MSU graduates.

Community-Engaged Learning Fellows applications available for 2022-2023
Applications are now available for Mississippi State University's 2022-2023 Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) Fellows program. The CEL Fellows program supports instructional faculty and staff in integrating community-engaged learning into their formal or non-formal teaching. Sponsored by the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President and the Center for Community-Engaged Learning, CEL Fellows learn community-engaged learning theory, course design and pedagogy. Community-engaged learning is a high impact educational practice that improves student engagement, learning and development, social responsibility, and active citizenship. Applications are due by Feb. 25.

Undergraduate Research and Creative Discovery website connects students, faculty
The Undergraduate Research and Creative Discovery website is designed to connect Mississippi State undergraduate students seeking research experiences or creative discovery opportunities with faculty who have projects and are interested in undergraduate help. Now is the time to submit (or revise) your entries to the URCD website at www.urcd.msstate.edu. This is open to faculty in all disciplines who are seeking undergraduate researchers. MSU research personnel can submit details about their project, and students can search for available opportunities. Students are seeking opportunities now, so please do not hesitate to share your projects. Questions can be directed to Director of Undergraduate Research Anastasia Elder at ace24@msstate.edu.

Virtual Fulbright information session Feb. 23
The Office of Prestigious External Scholarships in the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College invites the MSU community to an interactive group presentation to learn about student opportunities for U.S. citizens to pursue graduate or professional study, conduct research or teach English through the Fulbright program. During the session, attendees will find out about the types of Fulbright awards, application components, tips, and get questions answered. Following the program overview, attendees will enter a breakout room with their Fulbright Program Adviser(s) (FPA) to learn more about applying through their institution. The event will take place from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 23.

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 complete policy is available at www.policies.msstate.edu/policy/91301.

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Marshall named executive director of Ulysses S. Grant Association, Presidential Library
A Mississippi State Civil War historian, researcher and author is the new leader of a national association and university presidential library. Anne Marshall, associate professor in the MSU Department of History, has been named executive director of the Ulysses S. Grant Association and the U.S. Grant Presidential Library. Both are housed in the university’s Mitchell Memorial Library and curate the 18th president’s papers, while preserving a vast array of artifacts and memorabilia. Employed by MSU in 2006 as an assistant history professor, Marshall follows the USGA leadership of John Marszalek, who has served as executive director and managing editor since 2006. Marszalek, an MSU William L. Giles Distinguished Professor Emeritus, continues with the association as contributing editor, working to complete the annotated memoirs of Civil War General William T. Sherman.

Chambers named AAAS Fellow
Mississippi State’s Jan Chambers has been selected for a prestigious honor from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, or AAAS. Chambers, a William L. Giles Distinguished Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, is part of the 2021 class of AAAS Fellows, one of the most distinct honors within the scientific community. Chambers was nominated for the AAAS fellowship by MSU Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw, with two independent AAAS Fellows also submitting letters of support. “Dr. Jan Chambers is most deserving of this honor from AAAS, and I am proud of her selection to this prestigious group,” Shaw said.

Robertson, Gardner awarded $600K grant to examine juvenile justice system
Two researchers from the Social Science Research Center at Mississippi State University are receiving $597,000 from the National Institute of Justice to examine the practices of the Mississippi juvenile justice system. Angela Robertson, a research professor and associate director at the SSRC, and Sheena Gardner, an assistant research professor, are teaming up on the three-year project titled “Research on Juvenile Court Intake Practices and Reoffending.” “The SSRC has a long history of work with juvenile justice, and we are excited to see where this latest research will lead and the impact it will have on our state,” said Devon Brenner, interim center director.

Hui, Smith awarded inaugural humanities fellowship
Alexandra Hui, an associate professor of history, and Pete Smith, an associate professor of communication, are recipients of the first humanities fellowship awards from Mississippi State University's Institute for the Humanities, receiving $1,000 and one course release this spring to allow dedicated time for humanities-related research. “Many people applied for this first round of the fellowship, which shows a need for more funding and time for humanities scholarship,” said Julia Osman, director for the Institute for the Humanities and an associate professor of history. “We are thrilled to award it to Alix and Pete, because they fit exactly the faculty we are hoping to help -- someone who has become embroiled in service and teaching post-tenure and could use some support, mostly time, in order to work through research and make solid writing progress.”

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