Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Jamese Sims, MSU Northern Gulf Institute deputy director and strategic advisor for federal partnerships, gives a presentation to U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker and staff during a visit last Monday [Oct. 31] to the university's High Performance Computing Collaboratory in the Thad Cochran Research, Technology and Economic Development Park. Sims discussed how supercomputers housed at MSU benefit federal agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. PHOTO: Megan Bean | Public Affairs

Dzukogi wins 2022 Derek Walcott Prize for Poetry
A Mississippi State University English faculty member is the winner of the third annual Derek Walcott Prize for Poetry, a prestigious prize presented to a living poet who is not a U.S. citizen for a full-length book of poems published in the previous year. Saddiq Dzukogi, a Department of English assistant professor and author of “Your Crib, My Qibla” (University of Nebraska Press, 2021), won a $1,000 cash award from Arrowsmith Press, a reading at the Boston Playwrights’ Theatre and a week-long residency at Derek Walcott’s home in either St. Lucia or in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, during the Walcott Festival this year. “Your Crib, My Qibla” interrogates loss, the death of a child, and a father’s pursuit of language able to articulate grief.

Logan named to SEC Event Security Working Group
A Southeastern Conference working group on event security will review and update policies intended to address post-game spectator incursion on competition fields and courts in the SEC. The SEC Event Security Working Group will also consider strategies to support effective crowd management for the purpose of enhancing the safety and experience of fans, teams, staff and officials, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey announced last Friday [Nov. 4]. The working group, which consists of a cross section of athletics directors, event management directors and campus security personnel from SEC institutions -- including Mississippi State University Associate Athletics Director for Event and Facility Management Jay Logan, has been tasked with consulting with campus and industry experts with a focus on providing policy recommendations for approval by the 2023 SEC Spring Meetings with implementation of any changes planned for the 2023-24 athletic year.

MSU Foundation, Office of Public Affairs win CASE district awards
Mississippi State is among a small group of Southeastern colleges and universities to win a “Best of” CASE District III Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. The MSU Foundation’s 2020-21 Annual Report is a winner in the Fundraising/Annual and Fund Reports category, along with the Office of Public Affairs’ 2021 national commercial in the Video/Commercial category. CASE “Best of” district awards honor the most outstanding programs and individuals of the organization’s eight U.S. regions. The MSU Foundation shifted previous years’ formatting to create a new annual report publication worthy of a keepsake. The MSU OPA national commercial connects MSU baseball’s 2021 College World Series Championship win with academic success in an expansive attempt to better recruit in-state and out-of-state students. Both the annual report and national commercial have won international CASE Circle of Excellence awards in bronze and silver, respectively.

MSU celebrates new Music Building with ribbon cutting
Mississippi State celebrated its new state-of-the-art Music Building with an official ribbon cutting ceremony last Thursday [Nov. 3]. The $21 million project provides a new space for the Department of Music, part of MSU’s College of Education. MSU Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw said in addition to the building’s official opening, “We are also celebrating the outstanding vision, collaboration and hard work of the many individuals who made this building a reality.” Dean of the College of Education Teresa Jayroe said students and faculty eagerly awaited the new facility, which “in concert with the adjacent Kent Sills Band Hall and marching practice facility, offers a competitive and modern complex for our music majors and band members.

Wicker, Boeing visit campus for updates on impactful research, student opportunities
Mississippi State University shared its growing research and development capabilities with U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker and officials from The Boeing Company last week. MSU President Mark E. Keenum and other campus leaders welcomed the visitors for a day of tours and briefings to update them on a wide range of projects that are helping reach solutions to some of society’s most pressing challenges. MSU was also able to highlight its robust national defense research portfolio that includes several Department of Defense partnerships. During the visit last Monday [Oct. 31], Boeing presented the university with a $30,000 donation to fund scholarships and programs for students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, disciplines.

Next-generation uncrewed aircraft system lands at Raspet Flight Research Laboratory
Raspet Flight Research Laboratory at Mississippi State is announcing the acquisition of the largest, most sophisticated uncrewed aircraft system in its fleet, further cementing the lab as a national leader in UAS exploration. The newly designed, remotely piloted Teros -- with a nearly 40-foot wingspan and 600-pound payload -- positions Raspet as only the second entity in the world to secure this autonomous aircraft, according to the manufacturer. Raspet officials also are expected to add another one this fall. “This innovative aircraft typifies the extraordinary aviation research led by MSU as we work to implement uncrewed aircraft systems into the national airspace,” said MSU President Mark E. Keenum. “Most importantly, this aircraft will enhance our researchers’ ability to make new discoveries that benefit our state and our nation, enhancing our capabilities as we continue to grow our UAS partnerships.”

University to honor America’s veterans at annual recognition ceremony Thursday afternoon
Mississippi State University will honor U.S. veterans as part of its annual Veterans Day observance this week. The university’s Veterans Recognition Ceremony takes place Thursday [Nov. 10] in advance of Veterans Day on Friday [Nov. 11]. MSU President Mark E. Keenum will be the featured speaker for the 2 p.m. event on the Drill Field, which is free and open to all. The university’s G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Center for America’s Veterans at Nusz Hall is helping coordinate this event to honor all who have served.

New search committee training and resources in place
Mississippi State University is announcing a new online training module and handbook for university personnel serving on hiring committees. As part of the hiring process, all search committee members will be required to complete the online training offered through Human Resources Management. It is required for all faculty positions and professional positions that have a search committee. The goal of the training and focus on job search process is to ensure the university is attracting the broadest and most diverse applicant pools possible as the university seeks personnel to fulfill its learning, research and service missions. The training also helps to ensure candidates have a positive experience at all stages of the hiring process.

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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Fox to lead Department of Agricultural Economics
Mississippi State University has a new leader in the Department of Agricultural Economics. Sean Fox, an expert in applied research in consumer economics, agricultural marketing and experimental economics, begins his new position Nov. 1 as the department head. Fox comes to MSU from the University of Illinois, where he was professor and head of the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics. In addition to his most recent position, he also has served as director of graduate studies at Kansas State University and as a research assistant at Iowa State University. “Dr. Fox brings three decades of academic experience to the Department of Agricultural Economics,” said Scott Willard, dean of MSU’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station.

Gore named center head of MSU’s Delta region
A long-time Mississippi State University entomologist and researcher has been named head of the MSU Delta Research and Extension Center. Jeff Gore assumed the role on Nov. 1. He has served as interim center head since Nov. 16, 2021. As an entomologist with the MSU Extension Service and a researcher with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, he has been based at the Stoneville station since 2007. “Dr. Gore’s years of experience, along with his relationships with producers, stakeholder groups and MSU faculty and staff, make him uniquely equipped to serve in this role,” said Experiment Station Director Scott Willard. “I am excited to welcome him as center head full time.” “I have no doubt Dr. Gore will do an outstanding job,” said Steve Martin, interim Extension director. “As an accomplished and respected Extension and research professor, he understands the important relationship between Extension education and research activities.”

Ball begins term as EDEN chair
A Mississippi State University Extension program coordinator will serve as chair of the Extension Disaster Education Network, EDEN, for a two-year term. Tom Ball, MSU Extension program coordinator for disaster response and recovery, was officially named chair of the organization during its annual conference in October after serving two years as chair-elect. Ball is based in the MSU Extension Center for Government and Community Development. EDEN is a nationwide collaborative of 140 Extension Service emergency management networks from land-grant and sea-grant institutions. The organization’s mission is to reduce the impact of disasters through research-based education and improve the delivery of services to disaster victims.

Knight named MSU’s first Luckyday Scholars Program Faculty Fellow
Mississippi State Department of Communication Instructor Amy Knight is the university’s first Luckyday Scholars Program Faculty Fellow. Knight’s career has deep roots with the Luckyday Program, having begun her service with the initiative in 2004 as a graduate assistant and then as assistant director in 2006 for two years at the University of Southern Mississippi. MSU’s program, established in 2019 by the Luckyday Foundation in Jackson, welcomed 24 new students this fall. Plans are for a major expansion over the next several years of the university’s program, which engages a community of student scholars in servant leadership through Luckyday’s core values of scholarship, community, service and leadership.