Dr. Kelly Damphousse, chancellor, has joined the board of directors of the Arkansas Research Alliance.  The alliance is a public-private partnership that invests in research to stimulate tech-based innovation, encourages collaboration among industry, government and academia, and strengthens economic opportunity. Two A-State faculty members, Dr. Argelia Lorence, metabolic engineering, and Dr. Brandon Kemp, electrical engineering, previously have been named ARA Fellows.

Nikki Arnell, associate professor of graphic design, served as judge for three American Advertising Federation awards chapter competitions this month. These awards, the nationally recognized Addys, recognize both professional and student entries in competition. The Gulfport-Biloxi, Mobile Bay, and Pensacola chapters each asked Arnell to be on judging panels after she was guest speaker for the separate chapters over the past year.

Dr. Gregory Hansen, professor of folklore and English, has written a chapter, "Cultural Heritage and Public Folklore: Tales of Tradition" for Cultural Heritage Care and Management: Theory and Practice published by Rowman & Littlefield. Hansen's chapter explores ways U.S. folklorists have developed ways to present and interpret material culture and intangible cultural heritage through public folklife programming, and have advocated polices for safeguarding heritage resources.

Dr. Khem K. Aryal, assistant professor of English, was guest editor of a special issue of the Snow Jewel Journal, published by Grey Sparrow Press. The America-Nepal special issue contains poems by a dozen poets each from the United States and Nepal, including arguably the best living American poet, Robert Bly, and a few more from other countries. The journal is in its eighth year.

Dr. John Mello (left), professor of supply chain management and director of the Center for Supply Chain Management, and Dr. Shane Hunt, professor of marketing and R.M. (Bob) Wood Endowed Professor in Sales Leadership, have co-authored an article in the Transportation Journal with Mello's daughter, Dr. Abby Mello of Towson University. They researched driver control practices from the driver's viewpoint. The article is available online.