Congratulations to Dr. Sarath Nonis, professor of marketing, who has been selected as November Professor of the Month by the Program-Level Assessment Committee and Office of Assessment at A-State. In an online video, he discusses his approach in the classroom, helping students to grasp the importance of developing an adequate framework of information needed for accurate business analysis and the decision-making process.

Congratulations to Dr. Bert Greenwalt, professor of agricultural economics, who was named recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas. Greenwalt was recognized for a number of professional achievements including his work on the annual Agribusiness Conference, which he co-founded in 1995. Details are online.

Dr. Veena S. Kulkarni, associate professor of sociology and interim department chair, is co-author of an article published by an Indian news media subsidiary of NDTV. The article is titled, "Obesity and Non-Communicable Diseases: How Alarming is the Rising Trend?" It notes an increasing frequency of obesity and related problems in poor and developing countries where malnourishment also continues to be a problem. The article is online.

Dr. Cherisse Jones-Branch, professor of history, gave the annual address for the Southern Association for Women Historians. The title was " 'Been a Guinea Pig in this Race': Annie R. Zachary, Arkansas Homemaker, Farmer and Politician." The group met during the Southern Historical Association's fall conference in St. Pete Beach, Fla. She also helped conceptualize the "Foot Soldiers for Freedom" exhibit which continues on campus this week.

Dr. Michael B. Dougan, distinguished professor of history emeritus, spoke recently to the Garland County Historical Society in Hot Springs. His topic was Joe Strecker, a Hot Springs cafe owner whose prosecution for being a Communist ended up in the U.S. Supreme Court in 1939 as Kessler v. Strecker. Dougan also authored the entry on Strecker for the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture.