Nearly 500 students at the University of Alabama highlighted their research and creative projects during the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Conference on March 27.
Among the participants and presentations were:
Elizabeth Bury of Bentonville -- Presentation: "Mechanical Properties of Dispersions of Galinstan into Thermoset and Thermoplastic Polymers" in the Engineering, Transportation and Energy category.
Ariana Rivera of Bentonville -- Presentation: "Optimization of Electronic Chemical Sensors" in the Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Mathematics and Water category.
The 12th annual conference is hosted by UA's Office for Undergraduate Research and the Office for Research and Economic Development.
Poster presentations are grouped by research areas -- instead of by academic colleges or departments -- to align with national trends of using interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving.
The conference spurs interest in research among undergraduate students and helps students polish their communication skills, said Dr. Kim Bissell, director of the Office for Undergraduate Research.
All-State Coding Competition
Northwest Arkansas will be well represented at next month's All-State Coding Competition.
Seventeen teams qualified for the state competition by winning regional contests held around the state on March 14. Eight of those teams were from Benton or Washington county schools, according to a news release from the Arkansas Department of Education.
The winning teams from Northwest Arkansas included:
• Tyson School of Innovation (Springdale): James Cassady, Benjamin Easterling and Abigail Herrera
• Fayetteville High School: Jan Bobda Tagne, Andrew Ritter and Lucas Faupel
• Gentry High School Conversion Charter: Matthew Anderson, Jonathan Brinkley and Carson Stell
• Haas Hall Academy Rogers: Lucas Jaggernauth, Bradley Baltz and Austin Parker
• Haas Hall Academy Fayetteville: Daniel Whitmire, Julian Sanker and Owen Bell
• Rogers Heritage High School: Allyson Hayes, Luis Guerra and Adam Siwiec
• Rogers High School: Garrett Chrisman, Brady Self and Jack Norris
• Rogers New Technology High School: David Daniel and Westley Taylor
The All-State Coding Competition will be held at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, on May 18. Each member of the first-place team will receive $2,000. Second-place team members will receive $1,000 and third-place team members will receive $500 each. All awards will be deposited into 529 college savings plans.
In addition, schools that register or sponsor the first-, second- and third-place teams will receive $10,000, $6,000 and $4,000, respectively, to support their computer science programs.
Delaware Valley University
Harrison Cato of Pea Ridge has been accepted for admission at Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, Pa.
Grantham University
John Reed of Van Buren graduated with an online MBA project management degree from Grantham University, a 100 percent online university.
Southern Arkansas University
Simon Tursky of Van Buren was part of Southern Arkansas University Theater's spring musical production of Sister Act at Harton Theatre in April.
Tursky is a junior performing arts: musical theater major, and was assistant sound designer and sound board operator for the play.
Washburn University
Alisha Medlock of Fort Smith was recently initiated into Lambda Nu, the national honor society for the radiologic and imaging sciences. Ten Washburn University (Topeka, Kan.) students were initiated in the 2019 class.
Arkansas Tech University
Arkansas Tech University student Matthew Owens of Green Forest, agriculture business, was presented a scholarship from Governor Hutchinson, Arkansas Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward and State Plant Board Director Butch Calhoun at the State Capitol recently.
Funding for the scholarships comes from civil penalties collected by the Arkansas Agriculture Department's State Plant Board. Arkansas State University, Southern Arkansas University, the University of Arkansas and Arkansas Tech University receive $5,000 annually and have their own process for awarding scholarship funds to students and setting the amount each student receives for respective programs.
Pittsburg State University
Lauron Hey of Garfield was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Hey is pursuing degrees in business management and marketing at Pittsburg State University.
Hey is among approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.
Northwest Arkansas Community College
Northwest Arkansas Community College honors student Reece Hodgson was recently awarded the University of Arkansas Honors College Fellowship. The scholarship provides $18,000 each year (for up to four years) for tuition, room and board, research projects, and study abroad opportunities at the U of A. Hodgson plans to transfer to the U of A in fall 2019.
Arkansas Tech University
Governor Hutchinson, Arkansas Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward and State Plant Board Director Butch Calhoun presented $20,000 in scholarships at the State Capitol recently to students from four Arkansas universities with agricultural programs. The universities included Arkansas State University, Southern Arkansas University, the University of Arkansas and Arkansas Tech University.
Local scholarship recipient from Arkansas Tech University included Matthew Owens of Green Forest.
"Farmers provide so many things that are essential to life: beef, pork, poultry, and even catfish; cotton for clothes and lumber for houses and paper. I am pleased that you have chosen to follow thousands before you who have learned the best methods to produce the highest yields. In choosing a career in agriculture, which is our state's largest industry, you have chosen a rewarding path. Thank you in advance for the contribution," said Governor Hutchinson to scholarship recipients.
Funding for the scholarships comes from civil penalties collected by the Arkansas Agriculture Department's State Plant Board. Each institution receives $5,000 annually and has its own process for awarding scholarship funds to students and setting the amount each student receives for respective programs.
Arkansas State University
The following local residents were recently initiated into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society.
Kevin Ross of Fort Smith, Tammy Stevens of Ozark, Ashley Marcum of Fayetteville, Stephenie Brozek-Dean of Bella Vista, Georgia Littleton of Magazine and Shannon Resor of Rogers were initiated at Arkansas State University.
Northwestern University
Laina C. Suarez of Bentonville was named to the dean's list for both fall and winter quarters at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., for Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, with a grade point average of 3.70 or above. She is a freshman and graduate of Shiloh Christian School in Springdale.
Arkansas Tech
Forty students have been selected for inclusion in the 2019 edition of Who's Who at Arkansas Tech University.
Who's Who selection is based upon academic achievement, service to the community while enrolled at Tech, leadership and involvement in co-curricular activities and the potential for continued success.
Arkansas Tech students must meet the following criteria in order to be eligible:
• Be full-time students; undergraduates must be currently enrolled in at least 12 hours, graduate students must be currently enrolled in nine hours, graduate assistants in at least 6 hours
• Have completed at least 90 hours by the end of the fall 2018 term; graduate students must have completed at least 12 hours by the end of the fall 2018 semester
• Have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.75; graduate students must have a cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.25
• Have not previously received this honor (both undergraduates and graduates)
Local 2019 Who's Who at ATU honorees with their year in school, hometown or native country, major field of study and parents/spouse (when applicable) include:
• Mason Cline, senior, Springdale, psychology; son of Tami and Murry Cline.
• Aaron Collier, senior, Charleston, biomedical sciences; son of Anita and Terry Collier.
• Carly Copeland, senior, Lamar, elementary education; daughter of Donna and Jody Copeland.
• Morgan Davis, senior, Paris, business education; daughter of Rhonda and Jason Davis.
• Mallory Heft, senior, Charleston, biomedical sciences; daughter of Tara and Mark Heft.
• Sydnie Henson, senior, Fort Smith, communication; daughter of Stacy and Craig Henson.
• Olivia Karnes, senior, West Fork, rehabilitation science; daughter of Tracy Anderson and John Karnes.
• Kyler Keddie, senior, Greenwood, management and marketing and economics and finance; son of Marka and Eric Keddie.
• Wyatt Norris, senior, Springdale, management and marketing; son of Sheila Norris.
• Maggie Silva, senior, Hackett, nursing; daughter of Michelle and Joe Silva.
• Hannah Simmons, senior, Subiaco, English; daughter of Sarah and Kurtis Simmons.
• John Sisco, senior, Greenwood, biomedical sciences and psychology; son of Cathy and Jim Sisco.
• Sydney Stone, senior, Clarksville, psychology, sociology and criminal justice; daughter of Tanja and Brett Stone.
• Megan Tucker, senior, Fort Smith, business data analytics and management and marketing; daughter of D'Wan and Paul Tucker.
• Madison Vigil, senior, Ozark, business education; daughter of Katrina and Chris Vigil.
• Mitchell Williams, junior, Bentonville, management and marketing and economics and finance; son of Sheryl and Tim Williams.
• Brooklyn Woodworth, senior, Harrison, biomedical sciences; daughter of Dana and Shawn Stark.
Blue Mountain College
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics has named Kyler Mahar of Springdale as a 2019 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete with Blue Mountain College in Kansas City, Mo. To be nominated by an institution, a student must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5.
Delaware Valley University
Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, Pa., has announced that Harrison Cato of Pea Ridge has enrolled as a new student for fall 2019.
Graceland University
Jessie Fuller of Coal Hill earned the role of Weird Sister in Macbeth at Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa.
Webster University
Maggie Clark of Bentonville and Pierce Abplanalp of Fayetteville from the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University in St. Louis, Mo., recently designed, constructed and performed Love's Labours Lost, a new musical based on the play by William Shakespeare with songs by Michael Friedman and book adapted by Alex Timbers.
NAN Our Town on 04/25/2019