Reynolds College Blog

Digital Humanities Lab now accepting project proposals

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Missouri State University’s Digital Humanities Lab (DHL) is now accepting project proposals for the 2025-26 fiscal year.

“We are excited to be able to offer financial and tech support for innovative research projects,” said Dr. Heidi Backes, associate professor of Spanish and one of DHL’s original founders. “These will be showcased through our website and in annual events hosted by the lab.”

Those interested in applying or wanting more information can visit the DHL website. The website provides information about the proposal process, the project proposal form and other FAQs.

DHL is accepting proposal applications through March 10, 2025.

About the DHL

The DHL, which opened in Fall 2024, is a collaborative effort between the Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (RCASH) and the Missouri State University Libraries.

Headquartered in the lower level of the Duane G. Meyer Library, the DHL provides resources and guidance for faculty and students to create digital scholarship projects.

The DHL offers multiple hardware and software resources commonly used in the humanities. These include computer workstations, photography and video equipment, scanners, drones and image editing, data analysis and design software packages.

Contact information

For questions related to the lab, contact DHL Faculty Advisory Committee co-chairs RCASH Associate Dean Dr. Jason Jolley and Library Interim Dean Rachel Besara.

Sandel and Brewington attend ALERRT conference

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Missouri State University’s Dr. William Sandel, associate professor and assistant director of Partnerships and Outreach in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice (CCJ), and Cody Brewington, director of MSU’s Public Safety Training Center, recently spoke at the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) conference Dec. 2-5, 2024, in San Marcos, Texas.

Sandel said he and Brewington received a special invitation to discuss the success of their Missouri active shooter training program. They spoke in front of law enforcement, fire, emergency management and school officials from across the country, according to CCJ School Director Dr. Brett Garland.

“Cody and I were honored to be invited to represent Missouri,” Sandel said. Only three other states — Virginia, Iowa and Maryland — were invited to the conference, he added.

MSU’s training program partners with the Missouri Office of Homeland Security, according to Sandel and Brewington. The program has received nearly $400,000 in external funding, Garland noted.

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New book features research of CAR’s Dr. Daniel Pierce

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Research archaeologist Dr. Daniel Pierce of the Bernice S. Warren Center for Archaeological Research (CAR), has published his findings on Aztatlán culture in a new book from University of Utah press.

Click book cover image to learn more.

Edited by Michael D. Mathiowetz and John M. D. Pohl, “Reassessing the Aztatlán World: Ethnogenesis and Cultural Continuity in Northwest Mesoamerica” presents the work of leading West Mexican scholars. The book provides a broad perspective of Aztatlán culture through a variety of different studies, Pierce said.

Pierce’s chapter, “Obsidian Usage and Trade in Postclassic West Mexico,” examines the Aztatlán culture’s obsidian trade. Obsidian is a volcanic glass used to make stone tools such as blades, knives and spear points.

“This book has been in the works for nearly a decade, so it is exciting that it has finally seen the light of day,” Pierce said. “I think it will be the go-to text for anyone interested in West Mexican archaeology, as it is the first volume of its kind.”

The book was published in 2024.

Examining Aztatlán culture

According to Pierce, scholars believe that Aztatlán society, especially its trade activity, helped shape Mesoamerican culture in the American Southwest, including religion, culture and exotic goods.

“The Aztatlán culture of West Mexico dominated western Mexico during the Post Classic period (AD 900-1350),” Pierce said. “Though it is less well known than other Mesoamerican cultures, the Aztatlán were seemingly the link that connected the great cultures of the American Southwest with those in Mesoamerica.”

“They even brought things like chocolate and macaws into the deserts of the southwest,” he added.

Man demonstrating archaeological equipment to group
Dr. Daniel Pierce demonstrates obsidian analysis to university students from Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit in Tepic, Mexico. Photo credit: Maurico Garduño Ambriz.

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MSU’s Dr. Andrew Wasserman publishes book on public art

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Public art serves as a powerful medium for expressing cultural identity, fostering community connections and engaging with our environments.

That’s according to Dr. Andrew Wasserman, assistant professor in Missouri State University’s Department of Art and Design.

In his new book, “The World Atlas of Public Art,” Wasserman embarks on a global survey that highlights the diverse practices of public art over the past six decades.

The landscape of public art has become increasingly complex, Wasserman said. The book was thus inspired by a desire to document how artworks interact with public spaces, as well as the meanings public artworks hold within different contexts.

As a result, the book goes beyond documenting the visual appearance of works to explore what public art signifies for various communities.

Published by Yale University Press, “The World Atlas of Public Art” was recently mentioned in The New York Times.

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Defense and Strategic Studies launches new scholarly journal

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Missouri State University’s School of Defense and Strategic Studies (DSS) has published the inaugural issue of its online journal, “Defense and Strategic Studies Online,” or DASSO.

“We are very pleased to announce the release of the first issue of the DSS program’s flagship publication,” said the Hon. Christopher A. Ford, professor of defense and strategic studies and DASSO’s editor.

“This is one example of the excellent work that helps elevate our academic profile,” said Dean Shawn Wahl of the Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities.

Other members of the editorial board are Dr. Gary L. Geipel, Dr. Kerry M. Kartchner and Col. Curtis D. McGiffin, USAF (ret.).

First issue explores U.S. policy in Asia

DASSO’s first issue features an introductory essay by the journal’s editorial board and articles on American responses to Asian policies.

“The first issue of the journal includes articles on data-driven analysis of Chinese grand strategy, historical lessons for a potential U.S.-China conflict over Taiwan from Thucydides and more recent great power conflicts, and how America’s adversaries strive to weaponize its moral integrity against it,” Ford said.

“This online journal showcases articles, essays, book reviews, and other commentary written by MSU faculty and students, as well as contributions from outside the MSU community,” he added.

The editorial board invites submissions for publication in future issues of DASSO, Ford said. Those interested can email DASSO for more information.

Read DASSO