Reynolds College Blog

CAR research archaeologist Christopher Bodine presents at NASA symposium

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Missouri State University Research Archaeologist Christopher Bodine recently presented his work at the “NASA and Archaeology from Space” symposium, held Sept. 18-19 at NASA’s Space Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Bodine, who works at the Bernice S. Warren Center for Archaeological Research, presented “Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR): SAR Data for Detection and Preservation in North American Archaeological Contexts.”

Symposium attendees came from a diverse range of organizations and institutions, Bodine noted. These included NASA, the National Laboratories system, UNESCO, North American and European universities and private industries.

Many of these individuals have been essential in developing and applying arial remote sensing techniques in archaeology, he added.

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MSU Anthropology students dominate Santa Fe conference

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Five anthropology students from Missouri State University gave impressive performances at the Society for Applied Anthropology (SfAA) conference March 26-30.

Two of those students, senior anthropology major Jacob Rosecrans and senior anthropology major McKennzee Newton, won first and second place honors, respectively, for their research poster presentations.

Senior anthropology major Brianna Rodgers and junior anthropology and agriculture double major Kyra Uphoff presented their research on the benefits of student-led college clubs, fielding questions from both faculty and students throughout the entire conference.

Junior sociology major Isabella Rossi gave an oral presentation of her research on public housing in St. Louis.

“All presented as undergraduates,” said Dr. Mary Willis, head of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology (SAG). “That’s a huge accomplishment given that undergraduates are less likely to do their own research compared to graduates and less likely to have the chance to present.”

“Every single one of them was poised, confident, and able to talk about their research in clear, straightforward and engaging ways,” said associate professor Dr. Marnie Watson. “Their work was at the level of the graduate students and faculty who presented at the conference.”

“In fact, several people expressed amazement that our undergraduate students were able to engage so professionally with others at the conference,” she added.

The students were accompanied to the conference by Willis, Watson and instructor Jason Shepard.

During their stay, the students visited Pecos National Historical Park and several museums in Sante Fe’s Museum Hill. After the conference, the group enjoyed a celebratory dinner at Jambo Café, a Sante Fe restaurant that was featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”

“We didn’t realize that we would have so much to celebrate,” Willis said. “When I was looking at the posters before the award ceremony, another conference attendee said to me, ‘Wow, Missouri State really dominated the awards this year’.”

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Criminal justice students win big at annual conference

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Members of the Missouri State University chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma, the international criminal justice honor society, made an impressive showing at the annual conference in Chicago, Illinois, March 20-22, 2024.

Three of those students—Joshua Woolfington, Jordan Allen and Sierra Sankey—garnered top prizes in various competitions.

But as executive student officers of the organization, they also coordinated the entire conference under the guidance of their chapter advisor, Ivy Yarckow-Brown.

They were also assisted by provisionary members Taigen Mitchell and Madison Korp, who attended the conference to learn more about future leadership opportunities within the organization.

Currently, Woolfington is president, Allen is secretary and Sankey is treasurer of Alpha Phi Sigma.

MSU nabs top prizes

Woolfington, who graduates this May with a master’s in criminology and criminal justice, earned first place in the Graduate Knowledge test. He was awarded a $750 cash prize for his efforts.

Woolfington has a conditional offer with the Lincoln, Nebraska, police department after graduation. He is especially interested in working in investigations and hopes someday to be a chief of police or possibly work within a federal agency.

Meanwhile Allen, a junior double major in criminology and criminal justice and psychology, won first place in the Undergraduate Knowledge test. She also won a cash prize of $750.

Woolfington won the same prize in 2023.

Both Woolfington and Allen said they relied on the knowledge they have acquired through their program at Missouri State to prepare for the exam competitions.

“For the Knowledge Test, everything I learned during my undergraduate career at Missouri State, combined with what I have learned while doing my master’s, prepared me for it,” Woolfington said.

For her preparation, Allen said she was already studying for four different exams that she would have to take once she returned to Springfield.

“I also looked through a couple of my old notebooks to refresh my memory on past course material,” she said.

“I had heard that this test was difficult, and I admit that it was difficult,” Allen continued. “In the end, I was really happy to see all my hard work in academics pay off.”

Allen, who will graduate in 2025, plans to attend graduate school, then work in correctional counseling to help individuals transition out of incarceration. [Read more…] about Criminal justice students win big at annual conference

Dr. Sid Dobrin to speak on artificial intelligence April 16-17

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Generative Artificial Intelligence expert Dr. Sid Dobrin will be on the Missouri State University campus to speak at two events as part of English Week, hosted by the Department of English.

Faculty workshop April 16

Dobrin will conduct a faculty workshop on Tuesday, April 16 in Glass Hall, Room 486, starting at 9:30 a.m.

He will address questions many faculty have about how to use AI in the classroom.

“Since the release of OpenAI’s GhatGPT in November 2022, higher education has begun to adjust from the ‘deer in the headlights’ phase to serious considerations about how GenTech will integrate into college-level education,” Dobrin said.

The faculty workshop will spark conversation on how to build assignments that introduce students to GenAI tools, methods and best practices.

“While resistance to GenAI in the classroom remains prevalent across the country – and the world, to be honest about it – increasingly educational institutions are beginning to ask conceptual and application questions about using GenAI,” Dobrin said.

Dobrin said the presentation will demystify how AI and GenAI work and then address several possibilities for how to think about generative technology moving forward.

Dobrin seeks to discuss the potential risks of introducing AI and how to maintain teaching philosophies and objectives in the introduction of AI to students. The workshop will address AI literacy’s significance concerning workplace preparedness and the connection between education and employment. Additionally, participants will engage in a collaborative activity to create assignments supported by GenAI.

The workshop is free, but registration is requested by Friday, April 12 so lunch can be planned.

Register for workshop

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English department hosts tenth annual undergraduate literature conference April 18-19, 2024

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The Department of English will host the tenth annual MSU Undergraduate Literature Conference (ULC) April 18-19, 2024, in Hill Hall, Room 001 on the Missouri State University campus.

The ULC welcomes papers that examine a piece of literature or a cultural text (film, television series or video game). Previous presentation topics have ranged from Chaucer to disability studies to graphic narrative.

Past presenters have included students from MSU, Drury University, Evangel University, Ozarks Technical Community College, College of the Ozarks, Webster University, University of Florida and New York University-Shanghai.

Student submissions are being accepted until Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, through the conference website. A conference schedule will be available in early March.

The conference is free and open to the public.

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