Southern Miss News - Top Stories, May 2018
In case you missed them, here are a few of the top, recent stories from The University of Southern Mississippi. We are happy to help arrange interviews with faculty connected to these stories. We also have a list of faculty experts who can provide insights on major topics in the news. To schedule an interview, email mediaexpertsFREEMississippi. For a full list of USM media experts visit: http://news.usm.edu/resource/usm-faculty-experts-media-requests.
Earlier this month, The University of Southern Mississippi held its 2018 Spring Commencement ceremonies.
-The University conferred approximately 1,900 degrees to candidates participating in Commencement exercises at Reed Green Coliseum on the Hattiesburg campus and at Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi. Outgoing Trustees, Dr. Douglas Rouse and Ms. Christy Pickering, served as speakers for the ceremonies in Hattiesburg and on the Gulf Coast, respectively.
-The late civil rights pioneer Clyde Kennard was awarded a posthumous Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, in recognition of his efforts to desegregate higher education in Mississippi by attempting to enroll at Mississippi Southern College, now USM, from 1955 to 1959.
USM's faculty and students in the STEM disciplines continue to demonstrate their level of quality and competitiveness at the national level.
-Dr. Douglas Masterson, associate provost and professor of chemistry, was recently chosen as one of 50 national Advocatesby the Society for Science and the Public to assist underrepresented students in finding opportunities to participate and compete in science research competitions. Masterson will serve as one of six Lead Advocates who will mentor groups of Advocates. He will also help other scientists and educators prepare high school students to enter their research into competitions, while working closely with students themselves.
-Doctoral student Abagail Williams earned a prestigious Graduate Student Research Program Award from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. She is one of only 60 graduate students nationwide to earn the honor.
-Five high-achieving polymer students, who are also members of the University's Honors College, have earned distinction from several national scholarship programs: William “Blake” Martin, from West, was selected as a 2018 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow; Erin Carter, from Jonesville, North Carolina, was chosen by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association as a 2018 Earnest Hollings Scholar. She is also a 2018 Goldwater Scholarship Honorable Mention; Michael Sandoz, from Long Beach, was selected as both a 2018 Goldwater Scholarship Honorable Mention and 2018 Udall Scholarship Honorable Mention; and Nathaniel Prine, from Petal, and Sarah Swilley, from Madison, received anHonorable Mention for the 2018 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.
And the University's National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) continues to partner with INTERPOL to provide valuable information for industry professionals.
Twenty-four senior police officials participated in a hands-on training course offered by NCS4 and INTERPOL's Project Stadia in Lyon, France. Participants studied crisis and crowd management, violence, and terrorism in preparation for some of the biggest challenges found in securing major sporting events. This session is the second of six modules leading to the International Sport Safety and Security Professional Certificate. A first of its kind in the realm of major event security, the courses can be delivered to national police forces in INTERPOL-member countries upon request.