Recent Faculty and Staff Honors
Janice E. "Jan" Chambers, a William L. Giles Professor at Mississippi State, has been appointed to a major advisory position with the Environmental Protection Agency. She is now the vice chair of the federal agency's Human Studies Review Board, a congressionally mandated committee reviewing scientific and ethical research of human subjects. Chambers heads the Center for Environmental Health Sciences, a unit of MSU's College of Veterinary Medicine. 11-13-2009
Taylor V. Adams is the president-elect of the Mississippi Association of Governmental Purchasing and Property Agents. The Columbus native and Starkville resident has been purchasing agent in the university's procurements and contracts office for the past three years. 11-13-2009
"T.S. Eliot's Parisian Year," published by the University Press of Florida, is a new scholarly study by Nancy D. Hargrove, a William L. Giles Distinguished Professor Emerita of English at MSU. The book uses journals, newspaper accounts, guidebooks, and other material to illustrate in detail the extensive influences of the poet's Parisian year. Also included are more than 40 period illustrations that give insights into the time. 11-13-2009
Richard M. Kaminski, associate dean of the College of Forest Resources, is the Wildlife Society's 2009 selection for the Caesar Kleberg Award for Excellence in Applied Wildlife Research. A 25-year member of the MSU faculty, Kaminski also holds the college's James C. Kennedy Endowed Chair of Waterfowl and Wetland Conservation. 10-23-2009
George M. Hopper, dean of the College of Forest Resources was among 12 U.S. delegates to the 13th World Forestry Congress in Argentina. Organized by the State Department, the meeting is a forum for governments, universities and the private sector to exchange views and formulate global recommendations on forests and the practice of forestry. 10-23-2009
Giselle Thibaudeau is the new associate director of Mississippi State's Shackouls Honors College. An associate professor who continues as director of the university's Electron Microscope Center, Thibaudeau came to MSU in 1994 after serving as a molecular biology research associate at Princeton University. She will coordinate the Honors Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program, research-related student travel awards and the college's annual Undergraduate Research Forum. 10-23-2009
Management professor James J. "Jim" Chrisman is the associate editor of the Journal of Business Venturing. Also in his seventh year as editor of Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, he is the first individual simultaneously holding major editorial duties with two leading professional journals serving the field of entrepreneurship. 10-23-2009
Tim Barnett of Mississippi State's College of Business is a newly elected member of the Southern Management Association's leadership team. A professor in the university's management and information systems academic department, he is vice president and program chair-elect, a position that begins a multi-year track taking him to the SMA's presidency in 2013. 9-8-2009
Jack Blendinger, a professor of educational leadership in the College of Education, won his fourth straight national title (2006 through 2009) at the 2009 USA Canoe and Kayak Olympic Sprint National Championships held August 20-23 in Gainsville, Georgia. He also played a major role in helping the Lanier Canoe and Kayak Club (LCKC) racing team capture its eighth national championship. Competing in kayak races at distances ranging from 500 to 5,000 meters, Blendinger won four gold medals, one silver medal, and one bronze medal. 8-31-2009
Marita Gootee is among 10 Mississippians whose work is being featured in the Mississippi Museum of Art's 2009 Mississippi Invitational. A member of the university faculty since 1986, she was selected from more than 100 artists for inclusion in the seventh installation of the biennial exhibition of contemporary visual art. 8-10-2009
William Batchelor, head of Mississippi State's department of agricultural and biological engineering has been named a Fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. He was among 15 inducted recently by the organization for accomplishments in teaching, research and administration. It is the group's highest honor. 8-10-2009
Cathy Grace, founding director of MSU's Early Childhood Institute, will receive the 2009 Winter-Reed Award for her contributions to public education at a ceremony Sept. 21. The Mississippi Association of Partners in Education launched the award in 2007 to honor former Gov. William Winter and Tupelo businessman Jack Reed Sr. for their support of public education. 7-20-2009
Mark Horstemeyer, professor of mechanical engineering and Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems chair, has received the Thomas A. French Award for alumni achievement from the Ohio State University. 7-15-2009
William Anthony Hay, associate professor of history, has been elected a Fellow of Britain's Royal Historical Society. Before joining the MSU faculty in 2003, he worked for three years at the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia, Pa. Founded in 1868 with a charter from Queen Victoria, the RHS is considered the leading organization in Great Britain promoting the professional study of the past. Its 3,000 Fellows are elected on the basis of their original contributions to historical scholarship and include scholars from around the world. 6-18-2009
Cathy Grace, the founding director of the Early Childhood Institute at Mississippi State, is being tapped to direct the early childhood development policy program of a national advocacy organization. Grace was chosen by the non-profit Children's Defense Fund to assume a yearlong post as the liaison between the Washington, D.C.-based organization and members of Congress, government policy makers and members of other advocacy groups. A professor in the College of Education, she will be working to promote the inclusion of critical educational principles in various pieces of legislation, among other duties. 6-18-2009
Connie Forde, a senior member of the instructional systems and workforce development faculty, was selected president of the Pi Omega Pi national council. Pi Omega Pi was established more than 80 years ago to promote scholarship and service among students and teachers in business education. It currently has more than 54,000 members spread among 25 chapters. Forde will assume her two-year presidency in 2013. 5-7-2009
A veteran Mississippi State academic administrator now is the permanent director of the university's Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems. Roger King, previously associate dean of research and graduate studies for MSU's Bagley College of Engineering, was appointed to the position he has held on an interim basis since July. 5-4-2009
Six MSU faculty members have been honored for their achievements by the alumni association and the Office of Academic Affairs. Seen here with President Keenum (center) are (l-r) Keith Coble, Giles Distinguished Professor; Allison Pearson, Giles Distinguished Professor; Karyn Brown, Jefcoat Excellence in Advising Award; Lanna C. Miller, Jefcoat Excellence in Advising Award; Christopher Monson, Grisham Master Teacher Award; Rachel McCann, Alumni Association Faculty Recognition Award, Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Recipient. 4-22-2009
Janice E. Chambers, a William L. Giles Distinguished Professor in Mississippi State's College of Veterinary Medicine, is the first woman to receive the international Society of Toxicology's Education Award since its inception in 1975. She directs the college's Center for Environmental Health Sciences and is currently the principal investigator of a $10 million Center of Biomedical Research Excellence grant from the National Institutes of Health. Chambers was recognized in 2005 as the first and only woman to receive the American Chemical Society/Agrochemical Division's International Award for Research and also was honored with the Burroughs Wellcome Toxicology Scholar Award. 4-22-2009
Lanny Pace, professor in pathobiology and population medicine and executive director of the Mississippi Veterinary Diagnostic and Research Laboratory System, was presented the National Institute for Animal Agriculture’s President’s Award at the annual meeting March 31 in Louisville, Ky. 4-9-2009
Janos Radvanyi, who holds the Radvanyi Chair in International Studies, was presented a special resolution by the Mississippi Senate commending his service and designating him an "Honorary Ambassador for the State of Mississippi." Radvanyi has been at Mississippi State since 1972, and founded the Center for International Security and Strategic Studies a decade later. 4-8-2009
The campus President's Commission on the Status of Minorities recently recognized four individuals for demonstrating "a significant commitment to enhancing diversity" and "promoting the concept of diversity and improved cross-cultural understanding through their positive interactions with others. Seen here with President Keenum (center), they are Maria White, Robert Damm, Erdogan Memili, and Alexander Washington. 4-8-2009
Richard M. Kaminski was named holder of the James C. Kennedy Endowed Chair in Waterfowl and Wetlands Conservation in Mississippi State's College of Forest Resources. Kaminski, a 25-year faculty veteran at the university, also was promoted to associate college dean. He is a professor of wildlife and a nationally recognized North American waterfowl and wetlands scientist. 4-8-2009
Tommy Stevenson, assistant dean for diversity programs and student development in the university's Bagley College of Engineering, was named the Black History Honoree for MSU by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning. In this position, he works to recruit minority students to the college and enhance the experiences they have while at Mississippi State. 2-20-2009
Head softball coach Jay Miller has been selected to the prestigious position of head coach of the USA Softball Women's National Team, the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) and the USA Softball Women's National team selection committee announced recently. A long-time veteran of the United States coaching ranks, Miller will now lead the four-time Olympic medal-winning team as it enters the 2009 season. 2-17-2009
Thomas E. "Tom" Lacy Jr., of aerospace engineering has received the Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award from the Society of Automotive Engineers International. The Pennsylvania-based organization of some 90,000 members in nearly 100 countries selected the associate university professor on the basis of his teaching and curriculum development, research and emphasis on student leadership. 2-17-2009
Tony Luczak director of golf and coordinator of the MSU Golf Course, recently was honored with a regional award. Luczak was recognized as Regional Club Fitter of the Year for the Southwest region by Callaway Golf Co. The recipients of Callaway's annual awards are honored for their exceptional achievements using a Callaway Golf Custom Fitting cart at their facilities. 2-11-2009
Burnette Hamil will help put more creativity in high school classrooms and provide more search opportunities for future science teachers through a $1.24 million grant from U.S. Department of Education's Office of Post-Secondary Education. Working with five other faculty at MSU, the associate professor in the department of curriculum, instruction and special education will coordinate with Starkville and Noxubee high schools during the life of the five-year grant. 2-6-2009
