Maroon MEMO: Employee News (Mississippi State University)

Nicholas Fitzkee, a professor in the Department of Chemistry, is the recipient of the 2023 Ralph E. Powe Research Excellence Award, Mississippi State's top research honor. Presenting the award during the university's annual research celebration is, from left, Vice President for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble, President Mark E. Keenum and Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan. PHOTO: Grace Cockrell | Public Affairs

Satellite-based tool in development by MSU researchers takes guesswork out of soil sampling
Mississippi State scientists are reaching for the stars to successfully maintain healthy soils on earth, developing a high-tech tool with potential to aid farmers around the world. Along with 11 other academic institutions, Mississippi State is receiving $300,000 from a $9 million National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant to develop projects to help maintain or improve soil productivity, environmental health and sustainability. MSU’s research team combines the expertise of three assistant professors from the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering -- principal investigator Vitor S. Martins and co-investigators Nuwan Wijewardane and Xin Zhang, all scientists in the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. Postdoctoral fellow Lucas Ferreira also supports all aspects of the research.

MSU joins Age-Friendly University Global Network
Mississippi State’s commitment to providing quality educational opportunities to all learners, no matter which season of life they are in, has earned the university membership in the Age-Friendly University Global Network through 2028. Member institutions are committed to promoting positive, healthy aging and enhancing the lives of older people through innovative educational programming, research agendas, curriculum development, online education, well-being activities, arts and culture programs, and civic engagement opportunities. MSU is the first member from the Magnolia State, as well as the Southeastern Conference.

Funderburk among 2024 Governor’s Arts Awards recipients announced by Mississippi Arts Commission
The Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) has announced the recipients of the 2024 Governor’s Arts Awards, including Brent Funderburk for Excellence in Visual Arts and Education. Funderburk is a William L. Giles Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Mississippi State University, where he served as Art Department head and taught for 36 years. He has been recognized with the University’s highest academic, teaching, and research honors, including the Southeastern Conference Faculty Excellence Award (2016), the John Grisham Teaching Award, the Ralph E. Powe Faculty Research Award, and the Burlington Northern Faculty Excellence Award, among others. For 36 years, MAC has partnered with the Governor’s Office to host the Governor’s Arts Awards, the state’s most prestigious award for living artists.

2023 MSU Excellence in Community Engagement Award nominations now open
Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to apply for a 2023 Mississippi State University Excellence in Community Engagement Award on behalf of a project in the following categories: Community-Engaged Service, Community-Engaged Research, Community-Engaged Teaching and Learning, and Scholarship of Engagement. A $3,000 award will be given in each of those areas to recognize outstanding work and support its continuation. Projects that achieve honorable mention will receive $750. Applicants should be aware that the MSU CE Awards are not a grant proposal process but a recognition of existing projects. Project submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 27. Community Partner feedback forms are due by 5 p.m. on Nov. 3.

Nomination period open for 2024 MSU Online Teaching Award
The nomination window for the 2024 Mississippi State Online Teaching Award is open now until 5 p.m. Jan. 7. In its sixth year, the award acknowledges and rewards an MSU online instructor who employs best practices to engage, inspire and support students in an online environment. Potential nominees include faculty members, instructors or lecturers of a Campus 5 course taught in the current academic year. The winner will receive a $500 award along with registration to attend an online education-related conference similar to OLC, UPCEA or USDLA. The winner will be notified in April.

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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University celebrates excellence in research, innovation with annual awards
Mississippi State University celebrated excellence in research and innovation with its annual research awards celebration last week. Among the top 100 research universities nationally, MSU’s robust research and development programs are known for advancing scientific fields, impacting lives and providing world-class learning opportunities for students. MSU President Mark E. Keenum, along with Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan, and Vice President for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble, applauded the significant work carried out every day by the university’s researchers and support staff. “I want to say thank you for what you do and how you represent this institution,” Keenum said. “You are doing important work for our state, our nation and our world."

Price named general manager of WMSV radio station
Mississippi State’s “Voice of the Bulldogs” is the new general manager of the university’s WMSV radio station. Neil Price will become the WMSV general manager effective Oct. 1. He remains Learfield/MSU Bulldog Sports Properties’ radio play-by-play announcer and “Voice of the Bulldogs” for MSU football and men’s basketball and host of coaches’ shows, a role he has held since 2017. division of MSU’s Office of Public Affairs, WMSV 91.1 FM is the university’s noncommercial, community station providing news, sports and music programming to those within a 70-mile listening area of campus. Since its creation in 1994, the station has won more than 50 state and national awards. As general manager, Price assumes the responsibility of planning, organizing and supervising broadcasting operations of the radio station.

On national stage, MSU Films' documentary ignites conversation about stress on the farm
The landscape in Washington, D.C., is a stark contrast to Will Gilmer’s everyday view. His 600-acre farm in Sulligent, Alabama, with 400 cattle and row crops grown to feed them is the reason he traveled to the nation’s capital. Gilmer has been vocal about the challenges of managing the family farm that his great-grandfather started 100 years ago. “The suicide rate on a dairy [farm] is very high. It’s bad. And a ton of that comes from the feeling that ‘I’ve let my family down,’” said Gilmer in the documentary “On the Farm” produced by Mississippi State University’s MSU Films. The film illustrates the stress associated with farming through the personal stories of Gilmer and three other farmers. Earlier this month, Gilmer joined agricultural leaders, organizations and Mississippi State representatives at USDA headquarters for a farm stress and suicide prevention briefing.

Crocker graduates from FEMA’s National Emergency Management Executive Academy
Mississippi State University’s emergency manager is among the 12th cohort in the country to complete the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Emergency Management Executive Academy. Brent Crocker graduated last month in Emmitsburg, Maryland, after completing four weeks of courses created to support the advancement of the emergency management profession at strategic policy and executive leadership levels. “We appreciate Brent’s commitment to continued learning and development in his role as director of emergency management at MSU. Brent’s expertise is invaluable to our overall campus safety efforts, and we are fortunate to have his leadership here,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Regina Hyatt, who also serves as incident commander for the university’s Crisis Action Team.