Dr. Xiuzhen Huang (left), associate professor of computer science, is corresponding author for an article recently published in the Journal of Genome Biology, "Bridger: a New Framework for De Novo Transcriptome Assembly Using RNA-seq Data." Dr. Carole Cramer, professor of biology, is a co-author. This journal has an impact factor of 10.5, one of the largest ever for a professional journal publishing research by an A-State faculty member. See the article online.

A paper by Dr. Veena S. Kulkarni, associate professor and director of graduate studies in sociology, has been published in the peer-reviewed journal, World Development. The article, "Women's Empowerment and Prevalence of Stunted and Underweight Children in Rural India," investigates whether a mother's empowerment, as measured by educational attainment relative to the father's, prevalence of domestic violence, and autonomy with respect to mobility outside the home, is related to children's nutritional status.

Pam Towery (left), assistant professor of nutritional science, Dr. Elizabeth Nix, associate professor of nursing, and Bilinda Norman, assistant professor of nursing, are co-authors of an article that appears in the Southern Early Childhood Association's professional journal, Dimensions of Early Childhood. In the article, titled "Breakfast Blitz: An Innovative Nutrition Education Program on Breakfast," the authors suggest ideas for a healthy morning meal, along with informational resources. The article is online.

Dr. Temma Balducci, associate professor of art, will speak for Women's History Month on "Women, Femininity and Public Space in European Visual Culture, 1789-1914," on March 19, 3:30 p.m., in Wilson Hall 216. Although the 19th century Parisian boulevards have been central to theorizations of gender, Balducci will focus on the windows along the boulevards, arguing that domestic architecture was equally significant in determining how Parisians related to each other and the outdoors.

Dr. Lonnie R. Williams, associate vice chancellor for Student Affairs, will serve as a judge at the annual Arkansas Phi Beta Lambda State Leadership Conference next month in North Little Rock.  Phi Beta Lambda, which emphasizes innovative leadership and career development programs, is the college division of Future Business Leaders of America. More than 290 students from 18 post-secondary institutions across the state will compete in more than 60 events.