Dr. Tanja McKay, professor of entomology, and director of the environmental sciences and molecular biosciences programs, is collaborating with colleagues at Kansas State, Nebraska and the U.S. Department of Agriculture on a three-year, $324,963 grant aimed at crop protection and pest management. With cooperation from rice mills, they are studying new technology for the rice milling industry, using insecticide netting around storage facilities to control for damaging insects.

Research by Dr. Zahid Hossain, associate professor of civil engineering, and former graduate student Tariq Morshed has been published in the International Journal of Pavement Research & Technology. They studied various expensive and time-consuming elastic recovery and fatigue tests for polymer-modified binders, and made recommendations that better predict deformation and fatigue life of asphalt pavement. Their work is supported by the U.S. Department of Transportation through the TranSET Consortium.

Congratulations to Dr. Russ Hannah, senior associate vice chancellor for finance and associate chief financial officer, on his selection for a major award from the Arkansas Society of Certified Public Accountants. In February he will receive the group’s Public Service Award, which recognizes CPAs who have distinguished themselves through their public service activities. Hannah has performed volunteer work with Rotary Club, Foodbank of NE Arkansas, United Way and several other organizations.

Best wishes to Karen Fullen, program director, Title IV-E Academic Partnership in Child Welfare, who retired Friday after 22 years of service. Starting her social work career in 1979, she progressed through all levels, from front-line case worker to executive staff. Fullen served a three-year gubernatorial appointment to the Arkansas Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board, and was recognized in 2007 as Social Worker of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers state chapter.

The Kays Foundation Board of Directors recently recognized the long-time contributions of Dr. Tom Bishop, emeritus professor of mathematics and computer science. Bishop retired from the Kays board at the end of 2020, concluding 16 years of service. He served five years as vice president of the board, and four years as chair of the grants committee. Bishop was a faculty member from 1970 until his retirement in 2002.