An orchestral composition by Dr. Derek M. Jenkins, assistant professor of music theory and composition, has been released on ABLAZE Records' Orchestral Masters Vol. 7. His piece, “Of Vigils and Storms,” was recorded in the Czech Republic by the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra. The piece is a fanciful take on his childhood memories of weathering destructive storms and the stillness afterwards. The recording is available digitally and on CD.

Dr. Ruth Owens will be the new director of the Faculty Center, effective June 1, Provost Alan Utter announced today. Currently associate professor of Spanish and coordinator of the bachelor’s degree program in world languages education, she joined A-State’s faculty in 1997. Utter said her professional background and experience have prepared her well to help promote best practices in teaching and learning. Details are online.

Brianna Lucas Larson, assistant professor of theatre and dance, recently co-authored an article for the 2021 issue of the Musical Theatre Educators’ Alliance Journal with James Stover, a faculty member at Purdue University Fort Wayne. Their article, titled “Introducing Tools from Michael Chekhov to Expand Your Musical Theatre Performance Pedagogy,” was included in the Teacher’s Toolkit section of the journal.

Dr. Cherisse Jones-Branch, professor of history and dean, Graduate School, is co-host of Arkansas PBS’s new digital series, “So You Want to Talk About Race.” Set to premiere as Black History Month begins, the program will air on the Arkansas PBS YouTube channel beginning Wednesday, Jan. 27. She is working with New York Times author Ijeoma Oluo, author of the book on which the series is based.

Dr. Federica Catti, assistant professor of chemistry, Campus Queretaro, is the lead author of research published recently in Carbohydrate Research. She and associates used various techniques to characterize two crystalline forms of Gaxilose, a diagnostic drug used for lactose intolerance. They are seeking to determine how a more effective formulation of the drug could be made available. The article is online.