A swallowtail butterfly sporting bright yellow hues rests on a purple coneflower planted in beds near the G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery statue by McCool Hall. As it draws nectar, it unknowingly assists in the essential cross-pollination process, a part of the intricate ecosystem carefully tended by the university's dedicated Campus Landscape team. PHOTO: Grace Cockrell | Public Affairs
Granger honored by national society
A Mississippi State faculty member is being recognized by the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society for his exceptional dedication to service. Joshua Granger, assistant professor in the College of Forest Resources, is the national selection for the Phi Kappa Phi Ray Sylvester Distinguished Service Award for 2024-2026. The honor is given to a member who represents the society’s principles through achievements and activities. Honorees are renowned professionals in their field. “I love being an active member of our MSU Phi Kappa Phi chapter, and being nominated and recognized for the work that I truly love doing is just a real honor and privilege,” Granger said.
Li awarded U.S. Department of Energy Faculty Explorer Award
Mississippi State’s Gang Li, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, has been honored with the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Technology Transitions’ Faculty Explorer Award. Li received the $4,000 award for his interest, ideas and materials promoting energy entrepreneurship at the collegiate level. He joins a group of 10 national collegiate faculty members to receive the award, part of the OTT’s inaugural EnergyTech University Prize Faculty Track. “We are deeply grateful for this recognition and the faith placed in us by the DOE. It solidifies our commitment to leveraging the rich resources and talent within Mississippi, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and nurturing an entrepreneurial spirit among our students,” Li said.
McConnell recognized for technical writing
A Mississippi State University assistant professor in the Department of Forestry, was recognized as the Forest Resources Association National Technical Writing Award winner. Eric McConnell, also a scientist in the university’s Forest and Wildlife Research Center, received the award at the FRA’s Annual Meeting in Nashville. Technical releases are published four times a year by FRA and are almost entirely written by members of the association. “I am honored to receive this award from the Forest Resources Association. They are a key consumer of research-based information to support the wood supply system’s public policy interests with government leaders. I am humbled to have been nationally recognized by the 350 organizations and businesses comprising the FRA membership,” McConnell said.
Math discovery provides new method to study cell activity, aging, MSU research shows
New mathematical tools revealing how quickly cell proteins break down are poised to uncover deeper insights into how we age, according to a recently published paper co-authored by a Mississippi State researcher and his colleagues from Harvard Medical School and the University of Cambridge. Galen Collins, assistant professor in MSU’s Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology, co-authored the groundbreaking paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, or PNAS, in April. “We already understand how quickly proteins are made, which can happen in a matter of minutes,” said Collins, who is also a scientist in the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. “Until now, we’ve had a very poor understanding of how much time it takes them to break down.”
Robinson transitions to leadership role at Institute for Humanities
Mississippi State University’s Morgan Robinson, an associate professor in the Department of History, is the new leader of the College of Arts and Science’s Institute for the Humanities and begins her duties this fall. “I am grateful to Dr. Julia Osman, the immediate past director, for building up a lively and sustainable institute over the course of the last six years. We have all enjoyed the fruits of having a vibrant and engaged center for the humanities on campus, and that is the legacy that I hope to continue: to keep highlighting the important work being done by humanities practitioners here at Mississippi State, and the fruitful -- and sometimes surprising -- connections that can be made across departments and colleges, and between the university and its surrounding community,” said Robinson, an MSU faculty member since 2018.
MSU hosts upcoming summer science and engineering symposium
The Mississippi Academy of Sciences Summer Science and Engineering Symposium will be held July 30 at Mississippi State University and is open to high school and college students conducting agricultural or engineering research. Raja Reddy, Giles Distinguished Professor in MSU’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and a scientist with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and symposium chair, shared a few details about the event. “The Mississippi Academy of Sciences Summer Science and Engineering Symposium includes poster and rapid-fire 3-minute oral presentations from high school, undergraduate and graduate students from across the state to showcase innovative research. The event is a forum for collaboration and networking with the opportunity to win awards across several disciplines.”
Free learning opportunities via LinkedIn Learning available to faculty, staff and students
Sharpen skills. Explore new interests. Increase professional value. These and other results are now available via no-cost learning opportunities to Mississippi State faculty, staff and students through MSU’s new agreement with LinkedIn Learning. A popular, online education platform, LinkedIn Learning’s 20,000-plus courses are available to campus via a quick login using their MSU NetID email addresses. “Whether it’s a faculty member looking to add a supplemental resource to their course or professional development plan, a student looking to add a certification badge to their existing LinkedIn profile, or a staff member itching to venture into new areas of technology, there’s a wealth of information available to the entire MSU Bulldog family at no cost to them,” said Brent Fountain, MSU vice provost.
Reminder: University policy addresses employee political activity
With campaigning for elected offices underway this year, Mississippi State's Office of General Counsel offers the following reminder of the university’s policy on political activities. There are several basic guidelines that university employees should keep in mind when engaging in any form of political activity. MSU employees are encouraged to review OP 01.14: Political Activities in its entirety and to understand their rights and responsibilities.
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.
The Office of Public Affairs provides Maroon MEMO as a general information
resource for Mississippi State University employees.
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