Office of the Graduate School Spotlight

MSU Graduate Research Students, Cecilia Langhorne and Nat Calatayud are working in Partnership with the Memphis Zoo - to Increase the Endangered Toad Species.

Plastic storage crates in a sunny lab at Mississippi State University are the new homes of 52 endangered Boreal toads, native to the Colorado Rockies.

Boreal toad numbers have dwindled to dangerous levels in recent years, and MSU has partnered with the Memphis Zoo to find a way to increase the population.

Nat Calatayud, a post-doctoral fellow from Mexico who earned her doctoral degree in Australia in marsupial reproduction, is working on the project. She is under the supervision of Scott Willard, head of MSU’s Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology, and Andy Kouba of the Memphis Zoo.

"We’re trying to optimize the reproduction protocols for these toads," Calatayud said. "We want to get the toads to reproduce in captivity so the young can be raised and released to the wild."

There is a large Boreal toad population in the wild in Alamosa, Colo., but those in captivity there don’t reproduce as prolifically. Those in captivity in the South don’t breed at all.

"In Colorado, they usually hibernate naturally from November to summer, and this is believed to be a major trigger of their reproductive cycle," Calatayud said. "Here, we do not hibernate them in the lab."

Working with Calatayud are Cecilia Langhorne, a doctoral student in physiology from Scotland; and Trish Rowlison, a master’s student in physiology from Missouri.

"We are trying to figure out what hormones to use to get the Boreal toads to reproduce in captivity without hibernation," Langhorne said. "We’re trying to override hibernation and use hormones to induce breeding, but this is proving to be a fine science."

The toads look very similar to Mississippi-native Fowler toads, but they have a few differences. For one thing, Boreal toads are sluggish when compared to their Mississippi cousins.

Calatayud can turn her back on a toad resting on a lab bench without fear the toad will escape. Fowler toads are quick to hop away when presented the opportunity.

Boreal toads have the distinctive warts toads are known for, but their feet are more webbed than those of a Fowler toad. The amphibians come in a range of shades of gray, brown, black and green. They even can change color slightly to match their environment.

Unlike Mississippi Fowler toads, which have a call, Boreal toads are silent except for a slight chirp when they are picked up. They also have a long natural lifespan in Colorado. One toad found in the wild in 2011 had been tagged in 1995.

Their bellies make them unique. Three to four toads live in each plastic toad habitat, complete with a pool area, sand beach and artificial cave. Belly pictures, along with their names, are posted on the side of each plastic crate to help with identification.

"The underside of a toad is like a thumbprint on a human," Calatayud said. "It’s how we identify them. No two are alike."

To show just how distinctive they are, each toad has been given a name. Visitors to the toad lab can meet Diane, Beyoncé, Linus, Zsa Zsa and Elvis, who has definitely not left the building.

The Boreal toads eat a typical toad diet of mealworms, crickets and wax worms. In the winter, they eat twice a week, but in warmer weather, they are fed three times a week.

Calatayud, Langhorne and Rowlison, along with master’s graduate Lindsay Bullock from Ripley, care for the toads and conduct research on Assisted Reproductive Technologies, or ART. Right now, they are tracking hormone levels in the toads.

"It’s a bit hard to draw a blood sample from a toad, so we get them to pee in a dish each day, and we test the hormones found in the urine," Calatayud said.

Toads urinate on nearly every child who picks one up at home, so the process of getting a toad to pee is not very scientific. The researchers gently hold the toad under the armpits and stroke its belly while it is suspended over a Petrie dish.

At one time, the lab was collecting urine samples from all 52 toads a day, but now they collect samples twice a month from the entire population and daily from a much smaller group.

Kouba, director of conservation and research at the Memphis Zoo, said the partnership between MSU and the zoo has been a great program for both institutions, creating new graduate student and post-doctoral fellowship positions to address critical areas of conservation for declining populations.

"Advances in biochemistry, molecular biology and cryobiology are being applied to saving amphibians, like the Mississippi gopher frog, a locally endangered species that is relying upon MSU studies for its long-term genetic management and survival," Kouba said.

This program is funded by two Institute of Museum and Library Services grants and a Morris Animal Foundation grant.

"By working together on these programs, the Memphis Zoo and MSU are able to combine resources and expertise to create a unique learning environment for future scientists interested in various disciplines related to conservation ecology," Kouba said. "Thanks to passionate scientists like Nat, Cecilia and Tricia, I am encouraged that there is a more hopeful future for threatened amphibians."

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences graduate student earned a national award from Ambrosia Symbiosis Research Group

Graduate student Nathan Little of Charleston, received the annual student award titled "Appreciation for the Natural History of Insect Pests" in biology of insect pests. His paper on subterranean termites was described as the most interesting and novel peer-reviewed research paper among more than 20 applications that were reviewed this year from students around the world. The award is sponsored by the TREE Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to tree research, exploration and education. The award is conferred by the Ambrosia Symbiosis Research Group. The title of Little's paper is "Preference of Native Subterranean Termites for Wood Containing Bark Beetle Pheromones and Blue-Stain Fungi," and it was published in the Journal of Insect Behavior. The Tallahatchie County native earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in forest products from Mississippi State University. He is pursuing a doctorate in entomology under the advisor of John Riggins.

GOLDEN KEY INTERNATIONAL HONOUR SOCIETY, MSU

Reinstating GK in MSU:

After seven years, the GK was reinstated at MSU in 2013. Recently, we had a program to recognize the new members. Chapter advisor of Golden Key, Dr. Chris Snyder, was the keynote speaker for the event and shared a message with the students focusing on taking risks and exploring academic interests. Dr. Lynn Hamrick, from University of Alabama, spoke about reinstating Golden Key at MSU. Every year GK recognizes 4 honorary members. Dr. John Ford, Mrs. Karin Lee, Mr. Dan Coleman, and Dr. John Lamberth were the Honorary Members for 2013. The Golden Key general meeting will be held very soon, where in we will discuss about participation of members any the coming volunteer activities.

ABOUT GK:

The Golden Key International Honour Society recognizes undergraduate and graduate students who stand top 15% academic performance in their class. Membership into the GK is many through invitation. As an international honor society with more than 400 chapters at colleges and universities around the world, Golden Key is committed to a high standard of scholastic achievement, and an era of integrity, innovation, respect, collaboration and diversity. Golden Key offers its members exclusive opportunities and connections through $1,000,000 in scholarships and awards, partnerships with major corporations, career advancement and graduate programs. The Society also works with university faculty and administrators to develop and maintain one of the highest standards of education in the world.

The 3 pillars of Golden Key: Academics, Leadership and Service.

ACADEMICS:

Golden Key recognizes high-achieving students for their commitment to academics—undergraduates for being in the top 15% of their class, and top-performing graduate students. Since it was established, Golden Key has recognized more than 12 million undergraduate and graduate students for their intellectual achievements. In addition, our Society has awarded $10 million in scholarships and awards to members in all fields of study.

LEADERSHIP:

Members cultivate leadership skills that will serve them throughout their personal and professional lives. Golden Key provides opportunities to develop these skills locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, bringing like-minded people together to further a shared purpose. These experiences are invaluable in helping each member grow, both as an individual and as a leader.

SERVICE:

Giving back is a core value of Golden Key. Chapters organize service activities that benefit local and international communities. The service projects range from educational projects to community outreach events. The goal is to have a positive impact on local neighborhoods and society as a whole.

MSU students win StudyMississippi honors

Two Mississippi State students have received top honors by the international education consortium StudyMississippi. Senior Katja Walter and doctoral student Aparna Krishnavajhala were named the 2012 StudyMississippi International Students of the Year in the undergraduate and graduate categories, respectively.

Established in 2011, StudyMississippi is a network of educational institutions throughout the state working to connect international students and professionals with educational and training opportunities in Mississippi.

Walter is a graphic design major and a native of Wasserburg Am Bodensee, Germany. She is president of the German Club, a member of the Montgomery Leadership Program, in addition to other clubs, councils and honor societies on campus. Walter also works with the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center to develop new programs for international students at MSU.

Walter said the award came as a pleasant surprise.

"There are so many great international students here, so I did not expect this," Walter said. "But I am really thankful for StudyMississippi and this award. It's encouraging to know that international students can be recognized for their hard work, and it pushes me to work even harder."

Krishnavajhala, a doctoral student in Veterinary Medicine Science, is a native of Chandavaram, India -- a small village which she continues to impact through her service. She supports Krishnavajhala Mallikharjuna Vara Prasad Sarma Rural India Education Fund, which provides uniforms, books, and other supplies to local students. Krishnavajhala said her passion to help others motivates her to succeed so that she can have the most impact.

"I will make my village different. My vision is 100 percent literacy in my village," Krishnavajhala said.

Krishnavajhala also was named the best doctoral student for the College of Veterinary Medicine in 2011. She is a member of the Starkville Multi-Culture Lion's Club.

"Mississippi State University is honored that we have not one but both students to be selected for this accolade," said MSU International Institute Director Benjy Mikel. "They have represented MSU well and it is a testament to the quality of all the students who make up the Bulldog Nation."

"All the credit goes to Katja and Aparna for their hard work and extraordinary services to our campus and local community," added Lokesh Shivakumaraiah, interim manager of MSU international education.

For more information on StudyMississippi, visit http://www.studymississippi.learnhub.com. For more on Mississippi State, visit http://www.msstate.edu. .

Bagley College of Engineering - Swalm School of Chemical Engineering

Erick S. Vasquez, a Ph.D. Graduate Student in Chemical Engineering, has received a number of research and awards since joining MSU in 2009. In 2012, he represented MSU at the 2012 National Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) conference. Most recently Erick was selected to present his research as part of the Excellence in Graduate Research Symposium at the 245th ACS National Conference (April 7-11, 2013, New Orleans, LA).

Mississippi State University-Department of Instructional Systems and Workforce Development

Kellie Shumack, a MSU Ph.D. graduate has been very successful since graduation Fall 2007. Dr. Shumack is an assistant professor of instructional technology and was recently named Department Head of Foundations, Technology, & Secondary Education at Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM). In 2012 Dr. Shumack won both the Excellence in Teaching Award and the Emerging Professional Award for the AUM School of Education. Delta Pi Epsilon awarded her the Outstanding Doctoral Research Award in 2010 for research related to her dissertation, which was completed under the direction of Dr. Connie Forde. Dr. Shumack is also co-author of two textbooks published by Cengage Learning.

Awards received at the Council of Research Workers in Animal diseases (CRWAD)

Kevin Howe, Ph.D. student in the Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, received an award for outstanding graduate student presentation at the Fall 2012 annual meeting of the Council of Research Workers in Animal diseases (CRWAD), American College of Veterinary Microbiologists, Molecular Section, Chicago, IL. His presentation was entitled "Evaluation of Invasion by Nonpathogenic Salmonella enterica serovar Kentucky in Poultry Intestinal Epithelial Cells".

Sanaz Salehi, Ph.D. student in the Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, received an award for outstanding graduate student presentation at the Fall 2012 annual meeting of the Council of Research Workers in Animal Diseases (CRWAD), Association for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Food and Environmental Safety section, Chicago, IL. Her presentation was entitled "The Role of Flagella in the Attachment of Salmonella enterica serovar Kentucky to Broiler Skin".

Mr. Francis Annan, a 2012 M.S. graduate of the Mississippi State University Department of Agricultural Economics received the Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award

Mr. Francis Annan, a 2012 M.S. graduate of the Department of Agricultural Economics at MSU received the Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award at the February 2013 annual meeting of the Southern Agricultural Economics Association. Mr. Annan's thesis research, conducted under the direction of Dr. Jesse Tack, evaluated whether contemporary methods in spatial statistics could be used to improve the performance of the Federal Crop Insurance Program. His findings suggested that these alternative methods greatly improved rating efficiencies relative to currently employed techniques. The current debate surrounding the U.S. Farm Bill suggests an increased reliance on the crop insurance program. Therefore, this topic is of particular interest among policy makers. Mr. Annan is currently a PhD student at Columbia University in New York.

The Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Mississippi State University is positioned to be a major contributor of African American Ph.D. graduates in Computer Science. Two new graduates of the program have joined the faculty of Mississippi institutions of higher learning. Dr. F. Chevonne Dancer (Fall 2012) is an instructor at Jackson State University, and Dr. Robert A. Elliott (Fall 2012) is a new faculty member at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

Natalie Nations selected as the 2013 recipient of the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools Outstanding Master's Thesis award in the category of Humanities and Fine Arts

Natalie Nations (Master of Arts in English, May 2012), is the recipient of the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools 2013 Master’s Thesis Award in the category of Humanities and Fine Arts. This award recognizes the most outstanding student thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of a master’s degree program in this field during the past two years. As the winner of this competition, she will be awarded $1000 and recognized at a special awards reception held during the 2013 CSGS meeting in Greenville, South Carolina in February.

Natalie’s thesis was selected from nominations from among the 200 graduate schools within the 15 states that comprise the CSGS. This award recognizes Natalie’s insightful analyses of American literature and showcases the outstanding graduate program in the Department of English at Mississippi State University.

Natalie’s thesis, "Defining Freedom: A Historical Exploration of Richard Wright’s Black Boy, Alice Walker’s Meridian, and Ernest Gaines’s The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman," explores the influence of the Civil Rights Movement on Southern literature. After learning she was selected for this recognition, Natalie responded, "I am honored to receive this award from the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools. I felt that my thesis dealt with important issues of the past and of today in regards to race and the need to continue our own individual efforts to establish equality. I hope this award will prove to my students that hard work and dedication to school can pay off and provide major recognition." Natalie is currently teaching English II, Creative Writing, and Public Speaking at Meridian High School in Meridian, Mississippi.

MSU Student receives National Transporation Award

STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State doctoral student Jamie L. Boydstun is being honored as the National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness Student of the Year.

A former Winston County resident now living in Starkville, Boydstun is a graduate research assistant at the university's nationally recognized Social Science Research Center. She recently was selected in competition among students with research interests and experience in various transportation areas.

Boydstun completed MSU bachelor's and master's degrees in sociology in 1992 and 2009, respectively.

As this year's NCITEC winner, she will receive a $1,000 award and have travel expenses covered to attend the 2013 Transportation Research Board's annual meeting in Washington, D.C. As part of the mid-January meeting, she formally will be presented the honor at the Council of University Transportation Centers awards banquet.

Boydstun currently is exploring the social aspects of transportation. With assistant sociology professor Guangqing Chi, she has completed one research project titled "Gasoline Price Changes and Residential Relocation: Evidence from the American Housing Survey, 1996-2008."

Their research won a second-place award at the Fourth Annual Transportation Workshop held earlier this year at MSU.

NCITEC was founded in January as a University Transportation Center under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation. A consortium of MSU, universities of Denver and Mississippi and Louisiana State and Hampton universities, it works to promote the development of an integrated, economically competitive, efficient, safe, secure, and sustainable national intermodal transportation system. For more, visit www.ncitec.msstate.edu.

With support from the organization, Boydstun and Chi are involved in a new project to examine intermodal transportation systems by using the 2009 National Household Travel Survey. It is the first attempt to comprehensively understand passenger usages of the intermodal transportation system.

Under the supervision of professor Lynne Cossman, she is completing a doctoral dissertation that explores how the relationship between obesity and morbidity has changed across cohorts.

In the future, she plans to investigate links between health and transportation, including explanations for increasing obesity prevalence in relation to transportation and transportation's role in socioeconomic differences of medical care access.

A Former MSU Graduate Student, Dr. Francis O. Adeola, recently received The Stanford M. Lyman Distinguished Book Award

This award was established in memory of Stan Lyman in order to honor MSSA members whose recently published work makes a significant contribution to the field of sociology. Dr. Adeola is currently a faculty member at the University of New Orleans, Department of Sociology.

Francis O. Adeola: HAZARDOUS WASTES, INDUSTRIAL DISASTERS AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RISKS: LOCAL AND GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL STRUGGLES. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011. Reviewers: Dr. Dennis McSeveney and Dr. Dennis Peck

The author reviews what is becoming an increasing large literature on hazardous and toxic waste in terms of their risk as a social problem and as a cultural by-product of technological progress. There are several foci in this book, a book that is rich in a review of an extensive literature. Included is a discussion of the adverse effects resulting from exposure to hazardous and toxic waste, and extensive discussions of the classifications of hazardous wastes, as well as the characteristics of and the consequences resulting from exposure to each type for humans and the environment. It covers electronic waste and persistent organic compounds. Brief selective case studies published over several decades are used to further demonstrate the deleterious effects of a problem that is only too conveniently overlooked by business, government and the body politic. There are many other issues discussed, such as legislative imperatives that are passed as a result of disasters, but the primary focus is on issues that pertain to social inequality, the quest for environmental justice and the numerous endangerments that led to the evolution of and often forceful advocates of environmental social movements.

Mississippi State Welcomes Six New Fulbright Students this Semester

Mississippi State is welcoming six new Fulbright scholars this semester who chose the university to study in the fields of engineering, public policy and administration, mathematical sciences and biological sciences.

"We welcome you and are very honored that you have selected Mississippi State to pursue your studies," said Jerry Gilbert, provost and executive vice president, during a recent luncheon with the new students. The international scholars had the opportunity to meet one another and talk with administrators and faculty members during the informal lunch, as well as share their past experiences in their native countries.

Fulbright is the nation's flagship international exchange program, established in 1946 under legislation introduced by Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas.

"Having this significant number of Fulbright scholars at MSU brings added prestige to the MSU Graduate School relative to other graduate schools across the country, and increasing the number of graduate Fulbright scholars on campus is part of our strategic plan," said Lou D'Abramo, dean of the graduate school and associate vice president for academic affairs. "MSU is right up there with other Very High Research Activity institutions," he added.

The new Fulbright students are:

• Mohammad Al Boni of Syria, a master's student in computational engineering.
• Job Otieno Bonyo of Kenya, a doctoral student in mathematical sciences.
• Carlos Cabrera of Dominican Republic, a master's student in animal nutrition.
• Rosanna Carreras de Leon of Dominican Republic, a master's student in zoology.
• Anara Kozhokanova of Kyrgyzstan, a master's student in computer science.
• Gina Paola Rico Mendez of Colombia, a doctoral student in public policy and administration.

D'Abramo said these new Fulbright scholars are in addition to those who continue to pursue their studies on campus, including Ibrahim Abdoulahi of Niger; Zadia Codabux of Mauritius; Suha Gharrawi of Iraq; Mohammed Nadeem of Pakistan; and Hok Roth of Cambodia.

In addition to encouraging foreign nationals to study and conduct research in the United States, the program also enables Americans to engage in similar activities abroad. Faculty members also are eligible to participate in the Fulbright program to teach, lecture and conduct research abroad.

Undergraduate AGEM Students Perform Summer Research

Three undergraduate students, Damion Proctor, Saxon Perez, and Demarcus Carter, participated in the Alliance for Graduate Education in Mississippi (AGEM) Summer Research Program June 1 through July 31. The mission of AGEM, supported by the National Science Foundation, is to support the progress of underrepresented minority students toward completion of the doctorate in STEM fields. The MSU AGEM program is coordinated in the Office of the Graduate School. These students performed hypothesis-driven research in the laboratories of faculty mentors and presented posters at the Undergraduate Research Symposium sponsored by the Shackouls Honors College on July 26.

Damion Proctor, a chemistry major, was mentored by Dr. Todd Mlsna from the Department of Chemistry. His poster was entitled “Hydrodeoxygenation of guaiacol and furfural”. Saxon Perez, a food science and technology major, was mentored by Dr. Wes Schilling and Alessandra Pham from the Department of Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion. Her poster was entitled “Effect of soy fiber and modified food starch addition on the yields, quality, and consumer acceptability of deep-fat fried chicken nuggets”. Demarcus Carter, a food science and technology major, was mentored by Dr. Taejo Kim and Dr. Juan Silva from the Department of Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion. His poster, entitled “Development of a novel detection kit for Vibrio vulnificus in raw oysters”, was selected for the AGEM Best Poster Award. He was presented a plaque and a $100 scholarship at a luncheon celebrating the efforts of these students and their mentors on July 31. The three students praised their mentors and the opportunity to perform hands-on research and noted that the summer research experience reinforced their plans to pursue doctoral degrees after completing their undergraduate studies.

Michael Crosby, Graduate Student in the Department of Forestry

Received National and International Honors and Awards at MSU

2011. David M. Moehring Memorial Award for Outstanding Doctoral Student, MSU College of Forest Resources.

2011. Wilkinson, D.W. and M.K. Crosby. Imagery depicting tornado damage in Mississippi. On display – Looking at Earth exhibit in the Smithsonian Institute’s National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C.

2011. Presented paper, Crosby, M.K. and M.T. Booth. Development of a geodatabase for use in forestland management. 25th International Cartographic Conference. Paris, France Also received travel award to help offset costs from U.S. National Committee to the International Cartographic Association.

2011. Best Student Paper – Southern Forestry and Natural Resources Management GIS Conference, Athens, GA. Crosby, M.K., Z. Fan, M.A. Spetich, T.D. Leininger, and X. Fan. Remote sensing of forest health indicators for assessing change in forest health.

2010. Finalist – United Kingdom Fulbright Student Fellowship Program, Institute of International Education.

2010. Wilkinson, D.W. and M.K. Crosby. Rapid assessment of forest damage from tornadoes in Mississippi. Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing 76(12): 1298-1301. Published as ‘Highlight Article’ with Cover Image.

2009. Poster Award (Third Place) – Society of American Foresters Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL. Crosby, M.K., D.W. Wilkinson, E.B. Schultz, and T.G. Matney. Determination of carbon losses in an urban setting using Landsat TM.

2009. Best Student Presentation – Southern Forestry and Natural Resources Management GIS Conference, Athens, GA. Crosby, M.K., D.W. Wilkinson, T.L. Jones, E.B. Schultz, and T.G. Matney. An index for carbon release potential following a catastrophic wind event.

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Srishti Srivastava is Awarded Top Honors

Srishti Srivastava received the "BEST PAPER AWARD" at the IEEE 10th International Symposium on Parallel and Distributed Computing 2011 (ISPDC 2011), Cluj-Napoca, Romania, July 6-8, 2012, with the paper: "Enhancing the Functionality of a GridSim-Based Scheduler for Effective Use with Large-Scale Scientific Applications", Srishti Srivastava, Ioana Banicescu, Florina Ciorba and Wolfgang Nagel, In Proceedings of the IEEE 10th International Symposium on Parallel and Distributed Computing, (ISPDC 2011), Cluj-Napoca, Romania, July 6-8, 2011, pp. 86-93, IEEE Computer Society Press.

American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists Honors CVM Graduate Student

Flavia Girao Ferrari, of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, was selected as the recipient of the 2012 AAVP-Merck Outstanding Graduate Student Award. This award is provided by the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists to honor a graduate student or a recent graduate for outstanding performance in graduate study in veterinary parasitology. The recipient will get center stage at the annual meeting and be given 30 minutes to present the highlights of their research. Flavia's presentation is entitled, "Spotted fever group rickettsiae, Rickettsia parkeri and “Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae”, associated with the Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum." She will be presenting her research on Sunday, August 5 at the AAVP meeting in San Diego, CA.

Cochran Receives Top Honors in the Warren S. Barham Ph.D. Graduate Student Paper Competition

Diana Cochran, Ph.D. student in the Dept. of Plant & Soil Sciences, received the first place award in the Warren S. Barham Ph.D. Graduate Student Paper Competition at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the Southern Region, American Society for Horticultural Science held in February 2012 in Birmingham, Alabama.

MSU Forest Products Students Receive Top Honors

Three Forest Products Department students recently swept the 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place positions in the technical forum of Forest Products Society, International Convention in Washington, DC, June 3-6.

First Place. Vaibhav V. Joshi. "Remediation of Pentachlorophenol (PCP) contaminated groundwater by native and known PCP degrading bacterial communities." Adviser Dr. Lynn Prewitt.

Second Place. Onder Tor. "Driving Torque Properties of Screws and Effects on Screw Withdrawal Resistance in Wood-based Composites." Adviser Dr. Jilei Zhang.

Third Place. Badamkhand Sukhbaatar. "Application of Sugarcane Bagasse Hemicelluloses for Preparation of Biodegradable Films." Adviser Dr. El Barbary Hassan.

MSU student researcher honored for pathogen discovery

A Mississippi State University doctoral student’s research on a life-threatening, food-borne pathogen was honored at a recent international conference.

Dong-Ryeoul Bae, a researcher at MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine in the Department of Basic Science, submitted a poster presentation about his research on Listeria to the American Society for Microbiology. It earned an Outstanding Student Poster award at the organization’s June meeting in San Francisco.

The American Society for Microbiology is the oldest and largest single life science membership organization in the world. Bae’s award honors exceptional research efforts by future leaders in microbiology. Only 40 abstracts total were selected from the four divisional groups. The conference was attended by more than 8,000 people representing 72 countries.

Bae said Listeria monocytogenes is a potentially deadly food-borne pathogen that can be found in ready-to-eat foods, including deli meat, vegetables and fruits, and transmitted to humans. The pathogen causes listeriosis, which has a mortality rate of up to 30 percent.

Bae found a gene, which he named Listeria Celluose-binding Protein, or LCP, that plays an important role in the ability of the Listeria bacteria to attach to food surfaces.

"The results of this study will be useful in understanding how Listeria attaches to fruits and vegetables and grows on the surfaces of ready-to-eat foods. The results will also contribute to the development of strategies in vegetable and fruit decontamination, preservation and storage," Bae said.

His research was supported by grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. Bae is originally from South Korea and received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Gyeongsang National University and North Dakota State University, respectively. He transferred from The Ohio State University in 2008 to work with Dr. Chinling Wang at the CVM’s Department of Basic Science. Bae received his doctorate degree from MSU in May and plans to continue his postdoctoral research on Listeria at MSU under Wang’s direction.

MSU Graduate Student Gets Top US Honor

A Mississippi State graduate student completing her degree by distance learning is receiving the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Anna Cole of Raceland, La., a master's degree major in interdisciplinary sciences, is among nearly 100 across the United States being honored with the highest recognition for teachers of mathematics and science. She also is receiving a $10,000 cash award.

Additionally, the award includes travel to Washington, D.C., where she and the other honorees will be recognized formally, participate in various professional development sessions and meet with government policymakers.

Certified to teach chemistry and biology, the veteran educator has more than two decades of classroom experience. She leads beginning and advanced chemistry classes, along with laboratory sections, at Central Lafourche High School.

Cole said she enrolled in MSU's interdisciplinary sciences graduate program to elevate her skills as a high school chemistry teacher in her hometown. She learned of the program through a colleague who successfully had completed the program with an emphasis is geosciences.

After learning that the distance graduate program was available for a focus on chemistry, Cole said she jumped at the opportunity. She expects to complete the master's program next year.

"I've been waiting for a long time for an online degree with emphasis on chemistry so that it can help me in my classroom," she noted. "It has taken my content to a completely different level."

During the coming school year, Cole also will teach advanced placement and dual enrollment sections. This will be the first year that A.P. classes are available at her school.

"This has helped me implement some of the higher level concepts that need to be instituted in those classes," she said.

Cole received her undergraduate degree from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux and was nominated for the Presidential Award by NSU chemistry professor Glenn Lo. As she explained, Lo did so because of his interactions with her former students, whom he found well prepared in the chemistry subject area.

In response to the nomination, Cole was required to answer a series of science education essay questions and provide proof of students' academic growth under her direction.

For more information about Mississippi State University, see www.msstate.edu.

George Awuni, MSU Doctoral Student to be Part of the Future Leaders Forum in Washington, D.C.

The many accomplishments of a Mississippi State graduate student are being rewarded with both a highly sought invitation and a $5,000 scholarship to be part of the Future Leaders Forum in Washington, D.C.

George Awuni, a native of Ghana now residing in Starkville, is pursuing a doctorate in entomology and plant pathology. Of only a dozen U.S. university students selected from nearly 100 who applied to attend last week's forum, he was the only one selected for the scholarship--recognition of his first-place ranking among the applicants.

The Future Leaders Forum is organized by the Association for International Agriculture and Rural Development, an organization representing professionals involved in international development work.

With the exception of travel, the scholarship covered Awuni's expenses while at the meeting, which was part of AIARD's annual conference.

Before enrolling at MSU, Awuni completed a master's degree at Tuskegee (Ala.) University and a bachelor's at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in his home country.

Prior to beginning graduate-level studies, he worked for nearly two decades in Ghana's Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Additionally, he won election to his district assembly (where he was agriculture subcommittee chair), and helped establish and lead a community-based organization working on local development projects.

In his FLF application, Awuni observed that a United Nation's World Food Program study found more than a billion people worldwide struggling in extreme poverty and hunger, of which women constitute more than 60 percent.

"While pursuing my studies and working with the agriculture ministry in Ghana, it occurred to me that poverty reduction and the transformation of livelihoods in developing countries can only be achieved by a concerted effort of all stakeholders in the agricultural sector, both national and international," Awuni wrote.

He went on to note that, after completing his MSU doctorate, he plans "with enhanced enthusiasm and experience, to continue these noble goals of poverty intervention work, this time at the international level."

University Relations News Bureau (662) 325-3442 Contact: Sammy McDavid June 14, 2012

The Preparing Future Faculty Program (PFF)

The Preparing Future Faculty Program (PFF) is designed for graduate students who desire to become the future faculty at institutions of higher learning. The capstone course for the program is offered during Maymester and its content complements and enhances an array of professional development activities in which the students participated during the previous fall and spring semesters.

When Ph.D. students complete their graduate studies, they are commonly expected to rapidly assume the role of professional teacher and researcher. The PFF program provides a foundational understanding and knowledge of teaching, research, and service to develop and promote skills to meet the unique challenges that will confront these students as they assume leadership roles in their field. The course is specifically designed to help students secure faculty positions or take advantage of postdoctoral research opportunities. Guidance and instruction concerning some critical needs and challenges to achieve success in academia will be provided through a variety of presentations and corresponding discussions and exercises that constitute the course. Topics of presentation and discussion will include time management, elements of research publication and books, conference presentation, grants and contracts, responsible conduct in research, managing a research lab and the students who work there.

This year, 22 participants were selected and represent 5 colleges on campus. The Program is offered through the combined efforts of the Office of the Graduate School, the Teaching and Learning Center, and the Mitchell Memorial Library. Dr. Meghan Millea, College of Business, coordinates the Program, including the Maymester course.

The consensus of the group was, "The PFF course will establish a high level of confidence for graduate students pursuing a professional career at other universities".

The 2012 Graduate Student Association Annual Awards Banquet

The Graduate Student Association (GSA) Annual Awards Banquet was held April 24, 2012 in Memorial Hall – Coskery Auditorium. At this event the outstanding research and teaching efforts of MSU graduate students were recognized. Over 80 graduate students, graduate faculty, administration and staff were in attendance. Dr. Jerry Gilbert, Provost and Executive Vice President, was the keynote speaker and gave an informative, thought provoking, and inspiring talk, focusing on the personal value of a graduate education and importance of graduate education at the university, state, national and international levels.

The recipients of awards from the 2012 GSA Symposium were presented plaques of recognition by the Aaron Rollins, GSA President and Dr. Lou D’Abramo, Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. The recipients are:

• Malik Kaya, PhD, Most Innovative Research -Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dr. Chuji Wang, Major Professor.
  Title: Monitoring Concrete Structure Cracking Using Fiber Loop Ringdown Technique
  Monitoring Water in Concrete and Grout Structure by Using Fiber Loop Ringdown Technique
• Prashanti Manda, PhD, Best PhD Oral Presentation - Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Dr. Susan M. Bridges, Major Professor
  Title: Cross Ontology Data Mining in the Gene Ontology
• Terence Norwood, MPPA, Best M.A. Oral Presentation – Department of Public Policy and Administration - Capstone Group, Jefferson Davis County – M.A. Research Award
  Title: Capacity Building through 4-H in Jefferson Davis County
• Suresh Lokhande, PhD, Best Poster Presentation - Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Dr. K. Raja Reddy Major Professor
  Title:Temperature Effects on Cotton Growth and Reproductive Performance and Fiber Quality
• Qi Li, PhD, Best Research - Department of Forest Products Dr. Philip H. Steele, Major Professor
  Title: Investigation on Catalytic Pyrolysis of Lignocellulosic Biomass Using Py-GC/MS

The Donald Zacharias GraduateTeaching Assistant (GTA) of the Year Award, named in honor of the former President of MSU (1985-1997), recognizes two outstanding GTAs (Master's and Doctoral) who contributed significantly to the academic advancement of students and the growth of MSU through their exemplary leadership abilities and outstanding classroom teaching techniques.

The recipients of the 2012 Graduate Teaching Assistant Award
Shanna Litchfield, PhD - Business Administration with a concentration in Management, Dr. Allison Pearson, Major Professor Lavanya Challagundla, PhD - Biological Sciences, Dr. Lisa Wallace, Major Professor Natalie Nations, MA – English Department, Dr. Lara Dodds, Director of Graduate Studies

The Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) of the Year Award recognizes one outstanding who contributed significantly to the growth of MSU through their exemplary leadership abilities and outstanding research, GRA (Doctoral).

The recipient of the 2012 Graduate Research Assistant Award
Leonel Mejia, PhD – Agricultural Sciences with a concentration in Poultry Science
Dr. Chris McDaniel, Major Professor

The Graduate Service Assistant (GSA) of the Year Award recognizes one outstanding GSA who contributed significantly to the productivity and growth of MSU through Service.

The recipient of the 2012 Graduate Service Assistant Award
Jamey Matte, MPPA - Public Policy and Administration
Dr. Eddie French, Major Professor

Dr. Karen S. Coats selected as Associate Dean of the Office of the Graduate School

The Office of the Graduate School is excited to announce that Dr. Karen S. Coats has been selected to be the Associate Dean of the Graduate School, effective May 1, 2012. She assumed the role of Interim Associate Dean July 1, 2011.

Dr. Coats earned a Ph.D. in Veterinary Medical Sciences with an emphasis in virology from Louisiana State University in 1987, and completed a three-year postdoctoral fellowship at the Tulane Primate Research Center. She joined the MSU faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences in 1990 where she conducts research in the field of retrovirology and immunology, mentors graduate students, and teaches in the microbiology curriculum. She serves in a national-level leadership role in her discipline as a member of the Council Policy Committee of the American Society for Microbiology.

Dr. Coats, selected as a John Grisham Master Teacher in 1998, has received many awards and honors at Mississippi State University including:

• the inaugural Outstanding Graduate Student Mentor Award sponsored by the Office of the Graduate School and the MSU Alumni Association (2011)
• the MSU Alumni Association Faculty Recognition Award for UndergraduateTeaching (2005)

We asked Dr. Coats to describe her philosophy of the role of the Graduate School in the mission of Mississippi State University as she joins the staff as Associate Dean. She responded,

"Mississippi State University achieved the rating of "very high research activity university" by the Carnegie Foundation due in large part to the efforts of graduate faculty and graduate students. By requiring the highest level of ethical and programmatic standards in graduate education, by offering support to graduate faculty and graduate students, and by assisting in the recruitment of a talented and diverse graduate student population, the Office of the Graduate School plays a vital role in the success and reputation of this institution. OGS is staffed by an amazing group of dedicated professionals whose purpose is to serve and promote graduate education at our institution. I have enjoyed working with them this year. I am honored to have been selected as the Associate Dean, and I look forward to working with the faculty, staff, and students of Mississippi State to promote excellence in our graduate programs".

MSU Graduate Students Named 2012 Presidential Management Fellows

Dr. Lou D'Abramo , Dean of the Graduate School and Associate VP for Academic Affairs, Mary Bruce Alford, 2012 PMF Finalist, Dr. Karen Coats, Associate Dean of the Graduate School.

Dr. Lou D'Abramo , Dean of the Graduate School and Associate VP for Academic Affairs, Jesse English, 2012 PMF Finalist, Dr. Karen Coats, Associate Dean of the Graduate School.

Dr. Lokesh Shivakumaraiah, President-StudyMississippi Consortium and Interim Manager of International Education, MSU International Institute, presents an iPad2 to Ademola Oladunjoye while Dr. Benjy Mikel, Executive Director of MSU International Institute, looks on.

2011 Study Mississippi International Student of the Year

"I encourage every international student to come to Mississippi State University to Graduate School. The faculty and graduate staff are very receptive, and Mississippi State students are very welcoming. My relationship within the Graduate School has been outstanding, and the staff has been willing to help as much as possible. The correlation between the Office of the Graduate School and the International Institute is remarkable which made for a "problem-free application process."

~ Ademola Oladunjoye

Read article . . .

Ph.D. Student Wins Collins Award

Stacey Mann, Ph.D. candidate received the 2011 Bill Collins Award from the Southeastern Conference on Public Administration (SECOPA) held in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Collins Award is presented each year for the best paper presented to the Conference by a doctoral student. This is the largest conference in the south for public administration. Mississippi State had an exceptional turnout at the Conference with a number of Ph.D. students as well as faculty presenting their research.

Mann's award winning contribution was "Human Resources and Emergency Planning: Preparing Local Governments for Times of Crisis." "In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Goodman and Mann (2008) found that many locales along the Mississippi Gulf Coast did not have plans that addressed human resources (HR) issues in the aftermath of a disaster, and many vital employees were not included in the emergency planning process. The authors concluded that if involved in planning, HR managers could address typical HR issues such as compensation, retention, recruitment, and task re-orientation that become more difficult following a disaster."

Mann is only the second student from Mississippi State University to win this prestigious award. Dr. Edward French, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Graduate Coordinator within the Department of Political Science & Public Administration at Mississippi State University, was the first Mississippi State student to receive this honor in 1999. Mann considers this award truly special, because it represents "the constant mentoring of Dr. Doug Goodman and Dr. P. Edward French." Dr. French recently was selected "as the Dean's Eminent Scholar," and Mann is excited "to follow in Dr. French's footsteps" and "to represent this outstanding university, its faculty, staff, and administrators is an honor that [she] will forever cherish." She attributes much of her success to the "responsive" professors in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at MSU. They "truly have an open door policy. Anytime I approached them about working on research with me, they welcomed me with open arms." Mann is very appreciative of her department head in Communication, Dr. John Forde, "who was one of the leading supporters of [her] doctoral studies."

A native of Daphne, Alabama, Stacey Mann has returned to her home state as an assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Management at Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, Alabama. She is currently working on grants to help minorities build resilient communities and will be creating a consulting firm for human resources and emergency planning. She also serves as an advisor for the student chapter of the International Association of Emergency Managers at Jacksonville State University and is the alumni coordinator for the department.

Preparing Future Faculty Program Initiated at MSU

Preparing Future Faculty (www.preparing-faculty.org) is a national movement designed to transform the way that graduate students who aspire to faculty careers in academia are trained. A certificate will be awarded to recognize completion of the program. Participation requires a small time commitment during the fall and spring semesters, choosing from an array of workshops and other activities designed to increase knowledge of the various facets of university operation. These activities are followed by enrollment and successful completion of a Maymester course that is the capstone to the program. This year, 14 participants were selected and they represent five colleges on campus. The Program is the result of the combined efforts of the Office of the Graduate School, the Center for Teaching and Learning, and the Mitchell Memorial Library. The program is supervised by Dr. Meghan Millea, College of Business, who teaches the Maymester course.

Fall 2010 Preparing Future Faculty Participants from left to right:

Front: Beth Stokes (Forest Products), Erinn McComb (History), Kylie Nash (Industrial & Systems Engineering), Stephanie Pink (Political Science & Public Administration), Jonelle Husain (Sociology), Sreepriya Pramod (Biological Sciences), Nimisha Srivastava (Applied Physics, Interdisciplinary Curriculum)

Back: Migelhewa Kaumal (Chemistry), Philip Mason (Sociology), Ernest Kwaku Kraka (Plant & Soil Sciences), Bin Jia (Aerospace Engineering), Michael Adam (Instructional Systems & Workforce Development), Jaime E. Curbelo (Life Sciences/Animal Physiology, Interdisciplinary Curriculum)

Not Pictured: Sheri Anders (Curriculum, Instruction & Special Education)

Broadcast meteorology faculty and students recently won first place for the second consecutive year in the WxChallenge, a competition that is considered by many to be the national championship of weather forecasting. 76 institutions from Canada and the United States participated in the competition during the year with 46 full teams eligible for cumulative team awards. The competition ran from September through early April.

Graduate students on the WxChallenge team from left to right: Michael Carter, Heather Hyre, Lynnsey Myers, Sandra Theiss. Not Pictured: Stephanie Matheson (Distance Learning Graduate Student)

Ratessia L. Lett was recently awarded a 2010 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF-GRFP). NSF awards fellowships to students who demonstrate the potential to contribute to strengthening the vitality of the U.S. science and engineering enterprise. Lett is a doctoral student in Mechanical Engineering. Additional information about Lett and the NSF Fellowship Award program is available by visiting the OGS Announcements and News page.

Mississippi State University-Department of Instructional Systems and Workforce Development

Kellie Shumack a MSU Ph.D. graduate has been very successful since graduation Fall 2007. Dr. Shumack is an assistant professor of instructional technology and was recently named Department Head of Foundations, Technology, & Secondary Education at Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM). In 2012 Dr. Shumack won both the Excellence in Teaching Award and the Emerging Professional Award for the AUM School of Education. Delta Pi Epsilon awarded her the Outstanding Doctoral Research Award in 2010 for research related to her dissertation, which was completed under the direction of Dr. Connie Forde. Dr. Shumack is also co-author of two textbooks published by Cengage Learning.