Welcome back to the start of the 2016-2017 academic year.   I look forward to seeing each of you at your departmental meetings this week (engineering met last week).  Here are some dates for your calendar:

Aug 17     Showcase on Teaching and Learning – The program looks great.  See you there!

Aug 18    All Faculty Luncheon – 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM, PSU Ballroom.  FREE LUNCH!

Aug 19    STEM LLC Welcome Event (3-5 PM) – All department heads and faculty involved in STEM LLC should attend to be introduced to students!  Temple Hall Courtyard (east side of building)

Aug 21   New Student Convocation

Aug 22   Fall 2016 Classes Begin

Aug 24   CNAS All-College Meeting at 3:30 PM, Temple 003 – President Smart and Provost Einhellig will be joining us.

Aug 25   CNAS Student Expo, 3:30-6:30, Temple 002

A NOTE FROM CHRIS CRAIG:

 I wish to be one of the first to welcome you back for the 2016-2017 academic year.  This will be a good one, with nearly 106 new to campus or who have been hired at some point prior during the past academic year.  At New Faculty Orientation, folks will receive the course policy statements for the syllabus.  There has not been any substantive changes, but I did want you all to be aware that the Disability Resource Center (DRC) has moved from PSU 405 to Meyer Library Suite 111.  The new Director is Justin Lozano, who has already hit the ground running with new initiatives and ideas for support of our students with disabilities.  The link to the policy library where the up-dated course syllabi statement for Disability Accommodations and other standing statements can be located here.  In addition, please look for the notice from Computer Services next week that outlines the technology and emergency exit information for those classrooms and instructional settings where we have record of your teaching for the fall semester.  Again, wishing all of you the best for the new academic year.  Please give us a ring if there is anything we can do to help you as we begin the 2016-2017 Academic year.

 Faculty Development

• Faculty Research Grants It is the responsibility of the applicant to deliver the completed proposal (and have it signed by department head and dean before making copies and sending it to Graduate College).  Applicants must make seven copies of the signed original and get them to the Graduate College (CAR 306) by 5:00 p.m. on the day of the deadline for distribution to the Faculty Grants Committee. The fall deadline is Monday, October 3.
• Summer Fellowships It is the responsibility of the applicant to deliver the completed Summer Faculty Fellowship application (and have it signed by department head and dean before making copies and sending it to Graduate College).  Applicants must make seven copies of the signed original and get them to the Graduate College (Carrington 306) by the deadline. The application deadline for a Summer Faculty Fellowship is Monday, October 31.
• Sabbaticals It is the responsibility of the applicant to deliver an electronic original of the completed application to their College Dean’s Office by no later than Monday, October 31.

Citizen Scholar Award Nominations – Nominations due by 5:00 p.m. on Thu, Sep 15

The Board of Governors is once again soliciting nominations for the annual Citizen Scholar Award. Since the award was created in 2007, fifty-three exceptional students have been chosen to receive this prestigious honor, and the Missouri State University Board of Governors is expecting to recognize six more outstanding students this fall.  If you are a faculty or staff member who knows of a student who excels academically and exemplifies the Public Affairs mission, please download the nomination packet from the Citizen Scholar homepage  and submit it to the Office of Student Affairs. Please be sure to read the “Criteria for Consideration and Selection” sheet, and provide sufficient details in your submission.  Recipients will receive an engraved memento and recognition on a plaque in the Plaster Student Union Parliamentary Room (PSU 313). In addition, the Citizen Scholars are recognized at the Board of Governor’s meeting on December 15, at a Board of Governors breakfast on December 16, and at various times throughout the academic year.  Questions or comments may be directed to the Office of Student Affairs in Carrington 200 or call 417-836-5526.

FACULTY HIGHLIGHTS

• Kevin Mickus: Congratulations on your agreement with Environmental Works for an electrical resistivity survey on east Kearney!
• Paul Durham – Distinguish Professor Paul Durham and his colleagues P. L. Hawkins and Loren Cornelison (MS grad and research staff in Paul’s lab) received a poster award at a national meeting.  Below is the university news item about the award. In addition, click to see a video of Paul and some of his students talking about their research on TMJ pain. Durham, MSU’s director of cell biology and the Center for Biomedical and Life Sciences (CBLS), and his colleagues were honored by the American Academy of Orofacial Pain. At an international meeting of nearly 600 attendees, Durham and his colleagues won the poster award. Their poster, “Vagal Nerve Stimulation Inhibits Activation of Trigeminal Nociceptive Neurons in a Model of Trigeminal Sensitization,” displayed their research project. The project focused on determining whether stimulating a specific nerve (the vagal nerve) could stop the activation of certain neurons which could cause migraines and temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD).
• Dan Beckman, Associate Dean, took a Study Away group to explore the Snake River Ecosystem. Here they are in Yellowstone.

(l to r) Amy McKee, Natalie Venette, Amber John, Miranda Keller, Kyle Ess, Jordan Shalla, Kayla Gunn

 ICYMI (in case you missed it) …

• Dr. Alicia Mathis was interviewed on KSMU about her research: What fish talk about

31^st Showcase on Teaching and Learning on Wednesday, August 17, 2016  Please call at 6-3059 or email the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning to register.

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

• Student Resources page on our website is being updated to get ready for the fall. Check it out and forward to your students. If you have any suggestions, please let Jorge or David know.

CALENDAR

Aug 15           All Faculty and Graduate Students Report to Work

Aug 15-16      New Faculty Orientation and Graduate Student Orientation

Aug 17           Showcase on Teaching and Learning

Aug 18           All Faculty Luncheon – 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM, PSU Ballroom

Aug 21           New Student Convocation

Aug 22           Fall 2016 Classes Begin

Aug 24         All-College Meeting at 3:30 PM, Temple 003 – President Smart and Provost Einhellig will be joining us.

Aug 25           CNAS Student Expo, 3:30-6:30, Temple 002

Aug 25            CNAS Leadership Team Meeting, 2:00 PM

Aug 30            CNAS/STEM Mentor Night, 7:00-8:00, Temple 001

 

Sep 7              MTH/KME picnic, 5:00, Phelps Grove park

Sep 10            Ozarks Mini Maker Faire

Sep 12-19       Public Affairs Week

Sep 15             CNAS Leadership Team Meeting, 2-3:30 PM

Sep 18             BIO Picnic & Scholarship reception, 12:00-4:00, Springfield Lake

Sep 24             Fall Showcase

Sep 26             State of the University Address, 12:15 PM, PSU Theatre

Sep 27-29       Academic Integrity Days

Sep 28             Majors Fair

Sep 28             STEM Lecture at Library Center – Dr. Paul Schweiger, 7:00-8:00

Sep 29             CNAS Leadership Team Meeting, 2:00-3:30 PM

 

Oct 15            Homecoming 2016!

Oct 27-28     Missouri State Outreach Water Conference 2016

Nov 7            CNAS STEM Career Discovery Expo (4-6 PM)

Dec 16          Fall Commencement

MEDIA           

• Tune in every Thursday morning at 9:45 AM for 5-minute STEM SPOTS on KSMU hosted by Dr. David Cornelison.
• Check out CNAS blog and CNAS NewsWatch for more information.
• CNAS NEWS posted by University Communications – news.missouristate.edu/tag/cnas

As always, please submit items for the next CNAS NEWS!