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News Article

Faculty Research Publication, Measure, Highlights Economic Development Theme

10/05/2012

JONESBORO – One measure of success at Arkansas State University is just that, Measure, the research publication of Arkansas State University.

With a graphic emphasis on the middle three letters (ASU), Measure magazine carries features and news about significant scholarly activities at Arkansas State.

The latest edition is being distributed to key university contacts throughout the region and nation, according to Cheryl Goad Dison, director of research development.

Measure magazine is a showcase of the scholarly activities happening right here at ASU. This publication is one of the strategic initiatives taken on by our office to highlight our faculty and students,” Dison said.

The magazine brings attention to four projects that share an underlying theme of “Economic Development: Discoveries to Change Our World.”

Here is an overview of the featured articles in the latest edition of Measure:

  • Arkansas State’s initiatives to advance the region are coordinated by faculty and staff in the Delta Center for Economic Development (DCED), an outreach service of the College of Business.  The article brings special attention to the Catalyst Innovation Accelerator, a technology-based business incubator based in the ABI Building; the ASU business incubator facility in the Jonesboro Industrial Park; and the new DCED facility on the main campus.
  • The Beck PRIDE Center, housed in the College of Nursing and Health Professions, is carrying out the vision of its namesake donors, Buddy and Charlotte Beck, by assisting wounded veterans as they make the transition back to civilian life.  This is a process that can be very difficult on a number of levels. The Beck PRIDE model for veterans’ services is being evaluated for its suitability to be replicated nationally by other universities.
  • The Center for Digital Initiatives, directed by Dr. Alyson Gill, is at the forefront in creating virtual, interactive online environments and innovative visualizations.  These techniques are beneficial both in the classroom setting and in research.  Sponsored projects have been in areas as diverse as scientific education and heritage studies.
  • High-performance computing, utilizing a specially built system for a consortium of institutions that includes A-State, is opening the door to research in new areas, such as the Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA) Teaching Center.  Dr. Hai Jiang is the university’s champion for utilizing the high performance computing platform, funded in part by the National Science Foundation, for new areas of research.
  • Winning student poster and oral presentations during “Create @ State: A Symposium of Research, Scholarship and Creativity” are highlighted.  This includes the “best overall undergraduate oral presentation” by Brittany Bailey, a communication disorders major, who presented “A Preliminary Investigation of Potential Subtle Middle-Ear Differences in Children with Reading Delays.”

Putting a spotlight on these activities at Arkansas State is important to Dr. Andrew Sustich, interim associate vice chancellor for research and chief research officer.

“We are proud of the innovation and drive of our faculty, staff and students.  MEASURE magazine allows us to share it with the world,” Dr. Sustich explained.

Advance copies of the magazine were distributed first to faculty members attending the fall conference at the beginning of the semester.  Additional copies are available now in campus offices and public contact areas.

Readers of Measure also have the option of seeing online videos that further illustrate each article.  By scanning the associated QR (quick response) code, smart phone users can access the associated video.  The videos also are available at http://vimeopro.com/user10780524/points-of-pride.

Extra copies of the latest edition of Measure magazine are available from the Office of Research and Technology Transfer (ORTT), which is housed at the Arkansas Biosciences Institute, 504 University Loop. 

The magazine articles also are accessible in PDF format through the ORTT web site, http://www.astate.edu/research-transfer.  Designed by Heath Kelly and Michael Johnson in the ASU Office of Publications and Creative Services, the magazine was produced by ASU Printing Services.

For additional information, contact Dison at the Office of Research and Technology Transfer, cgoad@astate.edu or (870) 972-2447.

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