The Kays Foundation board approved a grant application from Dr. Brook Fluker, associate professor of biological sciences, for acquisition of two electrofishing units to replace existing equipment that is more than 20 years old and no longer reliable. The backpack unit and boat unit represent the most up-to-date systems, preferred and used by most researchers and fisheries and wildlife agencies. The $46,612 grant will enhance teaching and research resources for faculty and students.

Christy Brinkley, director, Office of Behavioral Research and Evaluation, is leading a six-person team to conduct evaluation services for the Arkansas Research Alliance, which secured an $8 million grant to launch a new statewide, cross-sector program, AR-NETWORK. OBRE personnel helped develop the evaluation section of the proposal, and now will contract and carry out the evaluation. They also will assess the ongoing success of the project.

Dr. Mickey Latour, dean, Agriculture, was a recent guest author for Talk Business and Politics. LaTour summarized the College of Agriculture’s strategic vision for the state workforce, explaining its plan that is built around a defining theme of “Experiencing Agriculture Beyond the Classroom.” He cited the college’s partnership with Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry, which helps address childhood food insecurity, entrepreneurial experiences for students, and the Agriculture Academy for leadership development. The article is online.

Dr. Anahita Izadyar, professor of chemistry, has been selected as a guest editor for a special issue on “Electrochemical Sensors and Bioelectronic Devices for Medical, Environmental, and Food Applications” in the journal Sensors. Published by MDPI, which promotes open scientific exchange across disciplines, Sensors is a leading peer-reviewed journal in the field. The special issue is scheduled for the 2025–2026 publication period. Details are online.

Dr. Marcus Tribbett, associate professor of English, recently contributed the chapter “A Cabdriver Sings the Blues,” an essay on New Orleans bluesman Mem Shannon, to the book Voices and Visions: Essays on New Orleans’s Literary History, edited by Nancy Dixon and Leslie Petty and published by the University Press of Mississippi. As general editor of Arkansas Review: A Journal of Delta Studies, Tribbett continues to edit and produce three issues of the journal annually.