Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Tempting treats are on display at the State Fountain Bakery, which is preparing special offerings for Valentine's Day on Monday [Feb. 14]. The bakery is a decades-old tradition at Mississippi State and features a wide selection of freshly made cakes, pies, cookies, donuts and more. It is open inside Colvard Student Union Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. PHOTO: Jarvis Mace | Public Affairs

Inaugural Research Week set for April 11-14
Mississippi State will showcase the innovative research taking place across campus with the inaugural annual Research Week April 11-14. Sponsored by the Office of Research and Economic Development, Research Week will celebrate the MSU faculty, staff, and students advancing their fields and making an impact in Mississippi and across the globe. Research Week will foster knowledge of the wide variety of scholarly and creative activities happening on our campus and promote awareness of the many resources that support research at MSU. Units and organizations across campus are encouraged to host events in conjunction with Research Week. To submit an event or lean more information about Research Week, visit www.research.msstate.edu/initiatives/research-week.

Black Alumni Weekend 2022 welcomes former Bulldogs back to campus
The Mississippi State University National Alumni Association is proud to welcome alumni back to campus Thursday [Feb. 17] through Sunday [Feb. 20] for Black Alumni Weekend 2022, or BAW22. With the theme “50 Years of Athletic Inclusion,” the weekend is a collaborative effort led by the BAW22 Executive Planning Committee in conjunction with the Black Alumni Advisory Council and the 137-year-old alumni association. Co-chaired by MSU alumni Crystal Jackson Vincent of Wylie, Texas, and Zwan Landfair of Olive Branch, the BAW22 planning committee is comprised of African-American alumni representing multiple generations of MSU students, preparing what they hope is a meaningful event that increases alumni involvement, while raising support for student scholarships.

MSU celebrates Black History Month with special events in February
Mississippi State is hosting a variety of programs on the Starkville campus to commemorate Black History Month, including a series of interdisciplinary conversations on race, racism and class, and a lecture by a former president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP. The 2014-2017 president of the NAACP, Cornell William Brooks, is a special guest for The Orators Lecture Series on Feb. 21, at 4 p.m. in Colvard Student Union’s Fowlkes Auditorium. Brooks is the professor of Practice of Public Leadership and Social Justice at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. The series, begun by MSU’s Shackoul’s Honors College, invites speakers that represent various campus disciplines and topics to engage the university community in research, course work, and public forums.

ORED launches seed funding and internship programs to grow research success
The Office Research and Economic Development is pleased to announce the launch of two new pilot programs designed to grow research success at Mississippi State University: the Advancing Collaborative Research Program (ACR) and the Faculty Leadership Internship Program (FLIP). Consistent with ORED goals to spur interdisciplinary research and establish new partnerships within and beyond the institution, ACR is meant to encourage both internal and external collaborations; enable new teams and/or new lines of research; and advance high-potential, high-impact activities to the next level. As part of developing talent and leadership within the MSU research enterprise, ORED is piloting the FLIP -- a six-month program designed to provide faculty with an in-depth, first-hand experience that broadens and deepens understanding of how research administration operates.

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.

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.

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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Balakrishnan joins College of Architecture, Art and Design as associate dean of research
Bimal Balakrishnan is Mississippi State’s new associate dean of research for the College of Architecture, Art and Design. Before beginning his new role at the state’s leading university this semester, Balakrishnan served since 2018 as chair of architectural studies at the University of Missouri, where he taught for 10 years and was the founding director of the Immersive Visualization Lab. “We are extremely pleased to welcome Dr. Balakrishnan to the college as our associate dean of research,” said CAAD Dean Angi Elsea Bourgeois. “He brings a wealth of experience across our shared disciplines."

França representing women in wood science
Tâmara França, assistant professor in the Department of Sustainable Bioproducts in the College of Forest Resources at Mississippi State University, has been selected as a woman ambassador of wood science. In 2021, the Society of Wood Science and Technology (SWST) sought calls for nominations for “Women Ambassadors Creating the Future of Wood Science.” França was nominated and then selected by the SWST committee as one of 16 women from around the world chosen to celebrate women in wood science. França’s story will be part of a traveling SWST-sponsored exhibition that traverses the globe encouraging women and young girls to pursue a career in wood science and technology.

Carr, Johnson named SEC Trailblazers
In conjunction with the Southeastern Conference's 50th anniversary of Title IX celebration, Mississippi State's Samye Johnson and Ann Carr, along with a distinguished group of individuals from all 14 SEC member institutions, will be honored during the 2022 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament, March 2-6, in Nashville, Tenn. Known as SEC Trailblazers, this group has contributed to the advancement of women and the growth of women's athletics at their universities and within the Southeastern Conference. Johnson was a four-sport athlete and volleyball coach at Mississippi University for Women before serving as the Mississippi State volleyball coach and serving as an Assistant AD and Senior Women's Administrator. Carr is a 28-year veteran in athletic administration at Mississippi State, following a solid four-year career as a student-athlete on the women's basketball team.

Mississippi Cyber Initiative gathers stakeholders to address state and national cyber challenges
As part of an ongoing initiative to address state and federal cyber workforce and security challenges, public and private stakeholders gathered last week at Camp Shelby for the Mississippi Cyber Initiative’s Quarterly Cyber Summit. Led by Mississippi State University, the Mississippi Cyber Initiative is a statewide effort to broaden the state’s capabilities and coordination in a field that will play a key role in Mississippi’s economy for decades to come. “Our goal is to put a blanket of cybersecurity across Mississippi, and we can only do that through collaboration,” said Jim Martin, MSU associate vice president for corporate engagement and economic development.