Dr. Brandon Kemp (left), Coe Professor of Engineering, and Cheyenne Sheppard, instructor, electrical engineering, presented their paper, “Modeling Optical Manipulation Using the Field-Kinetic and Canonical Formulations of Electrodynamics” at the SPIE Optics & Photonics conference in San Diego. Kemp and Sheppard reviewed their recent progress toward resolving the momentum of light in matter and compared the optical forces predicted by microscopic and macroscopic formulations of electrodynamics.

Dr. Lonnie R. Williams, special assistant to the chancellor, received the Leadership Legacy Award at the annual Arkansas Summit on African American Males (ArSAAM) at A-State. ArSAAM, a statewide coalition of higher education institutions and community organizations, works to improve education and employment outcomes for young men across Arkansas. Williams was recognized for leadership, contributions to African American history, helping students, and community work.

Research by Dr. Veena S. Kulkarni, associate professor of sociology, was published in the Journal of Family Issues. Using a nationally representative sample of census data, she examined the relationship between living arrangement and household income across the six major Asian immigrant groups, as compared to whites. While there is a positive correlation between living arrangements and income levels, notable variations exist among Asian groups.

Mary Melton has been promoted to associate director of Publications and Creatives Services. The promotion reflects her exemplary contributions to the university's design and marketing initiatives. Melton began her A-State career as a graphic design intern, and joined the staff full-time in 2005 after earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design. Her familiarity with the university and its graphic design standards have proved invaluable.

Dr. Thilla Sivakumaran (left), executive director, Division of Global Strategies & Outreach, and Dr. Kelly Damphousse, chancellor, participated in a panel on the current and future national context for online degree delivery during the American Association of State Colleges and Universities annual meeting in Phoenix. They discussed A-State's use of online education as a strategy for reaching working professionals and those bound by time and place.