Congratulations to Dr. Argelia Lorence, professor of metabolic engineering and Vaughn Professor in Science, who co-authored a major paper from a National Science Foundation research project. She and colleagues are examining the effects of heat stress on growth of rice. The team describes a gene that controls the size of rice grain under the stress of high nighttime temperatures. Their paper was published online in New Phytologist.

Dr. Po-Lin Pan, professor of strategic communication, has been invited to join the editorial board of the Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, published by the Broadcast Education Association and one of the top-ranked journals in the field. The journal presents timely research about new developments, trends and innovations in electronic and digital communication to advance scholarly discoveries and real-world solutions. Pan will serve a three-year term.

Carnesha Ben, a staff member in the Counseling Center, was named recipient of the Team Player Award during the Distinguished Performance Awards ceremony on Oct. 16. Among her many attributes, she was recognized for collaborating with other departments on services for both current and future A-State students. She also serves as a mentor to students and has made numerous presentations to student organizations.

Jeannie Cossey, a staff member in Academic Affairs and Research, is this year's recipient of the Unsung Hero Award, presented at the Distinguished Performance Awards ceremony. Nominators said Cossey exemplifies what professionalism, consistency and a helpful attitude can mean. Always happy to work "behind the scenes," Cossey assists associates who get overwhelmed, and she helps keep the team organized with the array of paperwork the office prepares annually.

Lauren DeFazio, a staff member in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, was named Rookie of the Year at the Distinguished Performance Awards ceremony. DeFazio was cited for helping to make her associates' jobs easier, more streamlined and less stressful. She attended training on various instructional technologies so she could assist faculty transitioning to online instruction, and ensured that needed materials and technology were available.