K-State Current - January 23, 2019

K-State Current is a weekly news update for the Kansas Board of Regents to apprise the Regents on a few of the many successes and achievements made by K-State faculty, staff and students.

K-State News

Kansas State University wins 42 awards for promoting higher education Kansas State University's creative teams collectively received a record-setting 42 awards from District VI of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, or CASE.

The awards highlight the best practices in alumni relations, fundraising, public and governmental relations, advancement services, special events and communications among an association of educational institutions. The awards were presented at the District VI Conference Jan. 13-15. District VI includes educational institutions in Kansas, Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

"K-State again won the most awards out of all the educational institutions in District VI and the most awards in recent university history," said Jeff Morris, vice president for communications and marketing. "This accomplishment is a direct result of a collaborative effort of the Division of Communications and Marketing, K-State Alumni Association and the KSU Foundation to advance higher education in the state of Kansas."

The Division of Communications and Marketing received 11 awards; the KSU Foundation received 15 awards; the K-State Alumni Association received 14 awards; and K-State Olathe received two awards.

"It is so gratifying to be recognized by our peer institutions," said Amy Button Renz, president and CEO of the K-State Alumni Association. "These honors reflect the outstanding effort, creativity and dedication of our staff, who strive every day to successfully accomplish our mission to lead and inspire lifelong involvement that will benefit Kansas State University and all members of our Wildcat community."

The KSU Foundation's K-State Family Scholarship Program and the K-State Alumni Center stained glass mural unveiling of "A Spot I Love Full Well" won awards in the platinum category and will compete in the international Circle of Excellence awards.

"We are very proud of the talent here at the KSU Foundation, both in communications and fundraising," said Greg Willems, president and CEO of the KSU Foundation. "In particular, we are proud that the K-State Family Scholarship Program was recognized with a platinum award for fundraising. We thank the many generous donors who have fueled the program's success."

The following is a list of the awards received by the teams:

• Grand gold awards for the summer 2018 Good for K-State magazine in the general interest magazines category; the summer 2018 Good for K-State magazine in the individual fundraising publications category; and the 2017-2018 hype video in the long video category.

• Gold awards for the Evening of Gratitude invitation; the fall 2017 Good for K-State magazine in the publications category and in the individual fundraising publications category; the summer 2018 K-Stater magazine in publications design category and special issues magazines category; Student Governing Association Green Week poster; Alumni Career Services Facebook live videos in the best uses of social media category; K-State tumbler giveaway in the alumni relations innovative use of technology category; the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance website; the winter 2017 K-Stater magazine for magazine publishing improvement; the August 2018 @K-State alumni e-newsletter; the June 2018 @K-State alumni e-newsletter; fall 2017 Seek magazine research publication; Hale Library fire recovery communications in the strategic communications-issues and crisis management category; and K-Stater magazine articles in the excellence in news writing category.

• Silver awards for the K-State Alumni Excellence Award and Wall of Distinction in the regular alumni program category; Innovation & Inspiration Campaign event invitations; e-newsletter cartoon ad and admitted student Instagram livestream tied in the best uses of social media category; targeted admissions landing pages in the innovative uses of technology category; KSUnite in the single-day events category; and the Hale Library long video in the fundraising videos category.

• Bronze awards for the K-State Valentine's Day Card in the multipage publications/folders category; #KStateKind Random Acts of Kindness Engagement Initiative in the best uses of social media category; the Coming Full Circle layout in the fall 2018 K-Stater magazine and From the Ashes layout in the spring 2018 K-Stater magazine tied in the editorial design category; Influence Tomorrow website; K-State Olathe school counseling digital marketing campaign; APDesign large viewbook and mini viewbook in the student recruitment publications category; KS-Sci mood board in the visual identity systems; K-State fight song 90th anniversary in the special events multiday category; and the College of Engineering Transformational Investments video, the College of Architecture, Planning & Design scholarship banquet thank-you video, the Harold and Olympia Lonsinger gift to K-State video, and the gratitude for the Berney family video all tied in the fundraising short video category; the 2018 KSU Foundation brand spot; and K-State Olathe general news writing.

USDA robotics initiative funds research to reduce chemical application and advance crop production

Agricultural producers annually spray nearly $15 billion worth of chemicals yet still lose 37 percent of crop yield to pest damage. As the industry moves to sustainably intensify production to feed a growing population, a high priority is to reduce farmers' costs by making fewer, more efficient chemical applications, and at the same time limiting impact on the environment.

This is the focus of research at Kansas State University recently funded by a five-year, $882,920 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the National Robotics Initiative 2.0: Ubiquitous Collaborative Robots.

Ajay Sharda, assistant professor of biological and agricultural engineering in the Carl R. Ice College of Engineering, is principal investigator for the project titled "An autonomous insect Sense, Identify, and ManagePLatform, or SIMPL, to advance crop protection."

Co-principal investigators are Dan Flippo, assistant professor of biological and agricultural engineering, and Brian McCormick, associate professor of entomology and interim head of the entomology department.

The goal of the project is to develop a vision system to sense and identify presence of insects in order to conduct site-specific targeted chemical applications using autonomous robotic systems.

"This research will create a paradigm shift in sustainable crop production and provide new opportunities for using intelligent operating systems to improve pest control applications and reduce yield gaps," Sharda said.

The proposed computer vision approach to locate insect incidence and severity, as well as use of a decision tool to conduct directed spray employing an autonomous robotic system, he said, will be a fundamental change from existing techniques of agricultural chemical spray applications.

"Involving both graduate and undergraduate students in creating this platform to advance crop protection," Sharda said, "will help to make Kansas State University one of the top institutions engaged in the development of smart autonomous systems for agriculture."

K-State Faculty Highlights

School of Music, Theatre, and Dance professor wins best director award

Jerry Jay Cranford, assistant professor in the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, won the 2018 BroadwayWorld Kansas City Award for Best Director of a Musical (Professional) for "Newsies."

Regional productions, touring shows and more were all included in the awards, honoring productions that opened between Oct. 1, 2017, through Sept. 30, 2018.

"Newsies," also choreographed by Cranford, was performed in summer 2018 at the Coterie/Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City.

Cranford also directed and choreographed "Hairspray," which was named Best Musical (Professional). The musical was performed in summer 2018 at the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri.

He is currently nominated for Best Director of a Musical (Professional) by the Omaha Arts and Entertainment Council for "Newsies," performed in summer 2018 at the Rose Theatre. Winners will be announced at the council's annual gala on Jan. 27.

Cranford also recently joined the KCMOliere: 400 in 2022 College and University Education Committee and is representing K-State.

High-ranking USDA-NIFA officer to lead K-State’s Food Science Institute

Jeanette Thurston has been selected to lead Kansas State University’s Food Science Institute, beginning June 17.

For the last 10 years, Thurston has held positions of increasing responsibility at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, advancing basic and applied research, education, extension and strategy in the area of food safety.

“Dr. Thurston comes to us with a great reputation as a national leader, problem solver and innovator,” said Ernie Minton, the interim dean of the College of Agriculture and interim director of K-State Research and Extension. “Her impressive work at NIFA demonstrates that she is adept at working with a wide array of stakeholders while driving strategy for a large organization and diligently advancing food science and safety. We think she meets and will raise our world-class standards for K-State’s Food Science Institute.”

The institute was established in 2001 to integrate expertise in food science across the university. FSI facilitates undergraduate, graduate and online education programs and provides both research and technical assistance for food industries. Nearly 50 nationally and internationally recognized faculty from five colleges and 11 departments serve as teachers, mentors, researchers, and extension specialists in the areas of food chemistry, food microbiology, food safety, veterinary medicine, cereal science, dairy science, meat science, food service, sensory analysis, food engineering, human nutrition, and product development.

Thurston holds a Ph.D. in soil, water and environmental science and microbiology, a master’s in environmental science, and bachelor’s in microbiology – all from the University of Arizona.

For the last three years, she has served as NIFA’s science program officer. Among her responsibilities are serving as the champion for NIFA’s science portfolio, providing strategic support and counsel to top leadership regarding the agency’s science programs and helping develop and execute an annual budget of roughly $1.5 billion.

From 2009-2015, Thurston was a national program leader for food safety at NIFA, leading science programs and serving as a liaison to land-grant and other universities, national laboratories, industry partners, federal agencies and other stakeholders.

She began her career as a research microbiologist with the Agricultural Research Service where she established and managed a public-health microbiology research lab on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“I’m thrilled to be joining KSU’s College of Agriculture as the Food Science Institute director this summer,” Thurston said. “The Food Science Institute team is a phenomenal team of nationally- and internationally-respected scientists who provide world-class education, extension and research programs, and food-system solutions to industries, communities and individuals.

“I am looking forward to helping this team continue meeting and advancing the FSI mission of developing and promoting sustainable food systems that are necessary for human well-being, community development, and food industry competitiveness in the U.S., Kansas, the Great Plains and similar regions worldwide through integrated education, research and extension.

K-State Student News

Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Week activities

Dear K-State Family:

I hope you are well rested coming off the holiday break and ready for an exciting spring semester!

We are thrilled to introduce a great Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Week of activity and celebration. We are incredibly grateful to the many dedicated individuals who have come together to create a wonderful arrangement of events.

The week's activities include:

Saturday, Jan. 26

• Our celebration will begin with the Leadership Studies Day of Service. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon beginning at the Leadership Studies Building. Volunteers can contact Kaitlin Long at kaitlinl@k-state.edu to sign up or to receive more information.

Monday, Jan. 28

• The College of Agriculture diversity programs office will host a lecture by James P. Jackson titled "Witnessing the Dream" at 5:30 p.m. in 137 Waters Hall. There will be time for a Q&A session and light refreshments. Co-sponsor representative Alicia Luarks of Ardent Mills will also give remarks.

Tuesday, Jan. 29

• A lecture sponsored by the College of Business Administration by Derrick L. Nelson, corporate inclusion and diversity manager of Commerce Bank titled, "Why Must I Embrace the Power of Inclusive Leadership" will take place from 1-2 p.m. in 1088 College of Business Building.
• At 3:30 p.m., the Commerce Bank Presidential Awards Reception will take place at the K-State Alumni Center. We encourage the entire campus community to attend this reception and congratulate our award winners who have done so much to advance K-State diversity, contribute to the success of historically underrepresented students, and promote inclusive excellence. We are grateful to Shawn Drew and Commerce Bank for their support of these awards through the years.
• At 5:30 p.m., a session on "Professional Development for Student Leaders," sponsored by the College of Agriculture, will take place in Weber Arena. This is an opportunity for students to explore involvement in agriculture student organizations.

Wednesday, Jan. 30

• The College of Arts and Sciences will host its fifth annual Teach-In from noon to 3 p.m. in Forum Hall at the K-State Student Union. Faculty members will speak on social justice issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
• The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. will host its annual MLK Lecture and Candlelight Vigil. The lecture will begin at 7 p.m. in Forum Hall at the K-State Student Union. K-State alumnus Tre Walker will lead the lecture.

Thursday, Jan. 31

• The MLK Luncheon will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the K-State Alumni Center Ballroom. This year's program will feature speaker Chris Jones, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman Technical Services. His keynote speech is titled, "Getting to the Heart of Authentic Leadership." Luncheon attendees are encouraged to make their reservations by filling out and submitting the online reservation form. Tickets are $15 each.

Friday, Feb. 1

• The K-State faculty/staff Affinity Groups will have their annual Brown-bag Discussion from noon to 1 p.m. in 227 K-State Student Union. The groups will discuss contemporary social justice issues and how they can work better together to advance social justice on our campus.
• The week's observance will conclude with the Laying of the Wreaths Ceremony at 2 p.m. at the MLK bust in front of Ahearn Field House. The procession will begin at the K-State Student Union welcome desk and end at the MLK bust. We are grateful to the Office of the President, Office of General Counsel, K-State Athletics, K-State Alumni Association, Office of the Provost, Office of the Vice President for Student Life, Diversity and Multicultural Student Affairs, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc., and the College of Veterinary Medicine for providing wreaths. The Laying of the Wreaths Ceremony gives us a moment to pause at the end of an eventful week to reflect and recommit to the mission of Martin Luther King Jr.

It is our hope that you will be able to join us for as many of these events as possible as we come together to celebrate the legacy and influence of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

A special thank you to the MLK Observance Week committees, Diversity and Multicultural Student Affairs, the Division of Student Life, the Office of the President, the various colleges and student organizations, and advocates for social change across our university who have contributed to this great celebration.

May we all come together to honor each other and to continue our great work toward equity and justice. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education."

Much appreciation,

Adrian Rodriguez
Associate Vice President for Student Life
Diversity and Multicultural Student Affairs

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