Dr. Elizabeth Hood, Lipscomb Distinguished Professor in agricultural research, gave an invited keynote address at the 17th Euro Biotechnology Congress in Berlin, Germany. Her talk, titled "Industrial Enzymes Produced in Maize," was the premier presentation on using plants to produce bio-based products. In the follow-up report on the conference, Hood and other keynoters were cited for their highly informative presentations and making the conference "top notch."

Dr. Annette Hux (right), associate professor of special education, along with Dr. Alicia Shaw and Dr. Rob Williams, assistant professors of education, co-authored an article published in the National Forum of Teacher Education Journal. Through a survey of Northeast Arkansas educators, they assessed the relative level of acceptance held by various constituencies toward full inclusion in the classroom, respective of its effect on students' academic performance and social confidence. The article is online.

Kim Vickrey, professor of graphic design, was a keynote speaker and the only presenter for Artistry in Motion, an international equestrian workshop in California. Vickrey's presentation showcased her digital imagery from recent graphic design-infused photographs taken over the last year in Europe and the U.S., emphasizing her creative process in working with design, photography and conceptual development. She discussed her techniques with participants over a four-day period.

Dr. Justin Castro, assistant professor of history, has written an essay that will be included as a chapter in the second edition of the book ¿Que Fronteras? Mexican Braceros and a Re-examination of the Legacy of Migration, edited by Paul López and published by Kendall Hunt. The essay is titled "Mexicans and Arkansas Cotton: Braceros, Race, and Civil Rights in the Post-World War II South."

Peggy Wright, instructor in political science, accompanied students in the Master of Public Administration program to the campus of Delta State University where they joined students from Washington State and Saudi Arabia to visit the Delta Center for Culture and Learning. The students are studying the importance of communications in community engagement and economic development. Their visit coincided with Grammy Museum Mississippi’s "Take Me To The River: Live" program.