Kristen Franyutti, assistant professor of drawing and fiber, has received an Individual Artist Fellowship grant from the Arkansas Arts Council. The grants program recognizes the talent among creatives living in the state. Independent panels annually select artists in six categories to receive unconditional $5,000 grants each. Franyutti’s award is in the category, “Performing Arts: Fashion and/or Costume Design.” The award announcement is online.

Congratulations to Dr. Niamat Hossain, assistant professor of engineering management, who has co-authored three research papers that have been published recently in high impact journals in his field. He is corresponding author for all three publications: an article in the Journal of Industrial Information Integration, another paper in Computers & Industrial Engineering, and the third article in Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment.

Dr. Saúl Esparza, assistant professor of management and strategy, Campus Querétaro, is collaborating with the presidency of the Directive Board in the Local Congress of Querétaro to develop a legal framework that fosters effective participation from the academic, scientific and technological communities within the state. The initiative aims to integrate a diversity of high-profile professionals into state agencies and organizations in order to improve public resource management.

LaDawn Lee Fuhr, corporate relations director for KASU, presented a paper at the annual International Country Music Conference in Nashville. In "6 Degrees of Cash and Chips: The Musical Alliance of Johnny Cash and Chips Moman," she explores the connections between the two music titans, including the founding of the group The Highwaymen, and how Moman's affiliation with Cash helped bridge the latter part of Cash's career.

Congratulations to Britney Hall, data assessment coordinator for advanced programs, Department of Educational Leadership, Curriculum and Special Education, who has been selected by a Staff Senate committee as the latest PROPS (Proudly Recognizing Our Pack Staff) award recipient. More information about Hall and why she won the recognition is online. PROPS winners are selected from a pool of candidates created from nomination forms.