Dr. Robert Shields, assistant professor of microbiology, and his research group have received an R15 grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue their work. They are investigating the oral pathogen “Streptococcus mutans,” its genetic makeup, and mechanisms to combat its impact on the oral microbiome. Dr. Drew Fleming, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, is also involved with the study. Details are in the online news release.

Dr. Gregory Hansen, professor of folklore and English, was recently inducted as a Fellow of the American Folklore Society during group’s annual meeting in Albuquerque. The scholarly organization recognizes fellows for their excellent contributions to scholarship and for meritorious service to folklore studies. The Folklore Fellows organization is an honorary and service group established more than 60 years ago to advance the study of folklore.

Dr. Po-Lin Pan, professor of strategic communication, Dr. Manu Bhandari, associate professor of strategic communication, and Dr. Lily Zeng, professor of creative media production, are the authors of fast-food brand research in the journal Sustainability. Their research focused on the mediating roles of self-efficacy, brand trust and brand commitment in the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and fast-food consumption. Their research also offered insights into the impact of health-conscious consumers’ brand perceptions on their fast-food consumption. The article is online.

The Proudly Recognizing our Pack Staff (PROPS) subcommittee of Staff Senate has named Kelly Sabin, project program specialist, Office of Institutional Integrity and Title IX, as the latest recipient of the PROPS Award. Read more online about Sabin and her role on the A-State campus. Staff members are selected for the PROPS recognition from a pool of candidates nominated by colleagues.

Dr. Jordan Butcher, assistant professor of political science, was recently invited to participate in a major follow-up analysis of the Nov. 5 elections, titled “U.S. Election Analysis 2024: Media, Voters and the Campaign.” Published only 10 days after the elections, the work is a compilation of the analyses by 88 scholars worldwide. Butcher’s portion, in which she gave particular attention to the participation of women, is available online.