The Kays Foundation board of directors has awarded a $7,750 grant to Dr. Shivan Haran, associate professor of mechanical engineering, in support of his proposal to organize and conduct robotics competitions. This will be a facet of the College of Engineering and Computer Science’s ongoing outreach and interaction with STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) students from area middle and high schools. Students participate in hands-on learning through the competitions.

Dr. Katharine Camden (left), assistant professor, and Kacie Altom (right), associate professor, nursing, have received approval of their proposal to the Kays Foundation for a $5,000 grant. The funds will be used to purchase adult and pediatric manikins, automated external defibrillators, bag valve masks and first-aid supplies for use in Basic Life Support (BLS) training. Students and faculty have to complete BLS certification and get it renewed every two years.

Dr. Donna Kirkwood, program coordinator, Childhood Services, contributed a case study to a new book published by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The book is designed for use in higher education coursework, professional development in early childhood programs, or stand-alone study.  Kirkwood’s case study invites early educators to reflect on effective teaching practices and explores relationships between the early education program and the families served.

Dr. María de la Soledad del Río, professor of physics and mathematics, Campus Querétaro, made a presentation about the zoning project for the Querétaro Wine Region at the 44th World Meeting of the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) in Cádiz, Spain. OIV involves 49 member states from around the globe. Del Río’s work is being supported by CQ, Freixenet and the Wine Cluster of Querétaro.

Two articles by Dr. Erick P.C. Chang, associate professor of management, have been published by MoneyGeek, an online personal finance resource. In a Q&A piece, he offered guidance to entrepreneurs who are arranging start-up financing for a new business. In the second article, Chang gave advice and tips on leveraging military experience to veterans who want to start their own business.