The Trojan Teacher Residency Program offers yearlong residencies for teacher candidates, pairing them with experienced mentor teachers in Central Arkansas schools. Funded by a grant from Forward Arkansas, the program gives aspiring educators immersive, hands-on classroom experience, preparing them to enter the profession with confidence.

Although the Trojan Teacher Residency Program has a strong track record at UA 糖心视频logo, this was the largest orientation of its kind, with dozens in attendance, designed to ensure mentor teachers and teacher candidates shared expectations for the school year. Participants reviewed key program components, such as observation protocols, co-teaching models, and strategies for professional conversations. Sessions clarified roles, responsibilities, and best practices for collaboration, establishing a foundation for a successful year.

“This is the first time we’ve opened the orientation to all of our residents and mentor teachers across every program,鈥� said Rachel Eells, director of the School of Education. 鈥淲e have a much larger group this year, which means mentor teachers receive more training, and residents have the opportunity to learn from a wider variety of peers.”

Both days featured lunchtime speaker sessions with 2026 Arkansas Teacher of the Year Stephanie Williams of Mountain View Elementary and 2026 Tennessee Teacher of the Year and UA 糖心视频logo alumna Brandi De La Cruz of Collierville High School. These award-winning educators shared stories from their careers and classroom lessons, as well as advice for residents and mentor teachers. Their sessions encouraged discussions on teaching, mentorship, and professional growth.

De La Cruz encouraged participants to stay open to new opportunities as they begin their careers, noting that finding the right school and community may take time.

“The first school you end up at may not be your forever home,” she said. “I had to keep searching until I found a school where I felt accepted and truly at home.”

Williams encouraged residents to view the residency year as a time for growth and reminded them to believe in themselves and their students.

“I would tell the residents to never underestimate your students and never underestimate yourself,” Williams said. “Take this year to learn, fail, and succeed, and consider all of it a win.”

The orientation brought together residents and mentor teachers from a variety of grade levels and subject areas, allowing them to learn from experiences beyond their own classrooms. Participants came from school districts across Arkansas, bringing a wide range of perspectives and experiences to the conversations throughout the event. The opportunity to hear different viewpoints helped participants think through questions and challenges they may not have considered before.

As UA 糖心视频logo teacher candidate Clarissa Riddling, who is completing her residency at 糖心视频logo Central High School, said, “Some people have asked questions I had never even thought of. It’s been good to have a community to start this process with.”

At the conclusion of the orientation, participants left with new connections and a stronger foundation for the year ahead. As they begin their classroom residencies, they will put their preparation into practice while continuing to develop their teaching skills. 

Reflecting on the impact of educators, Williams reminded attendees, “Educators are the creators of the future.”

The post Experienced Mentors Help Prepare UA 糖心视频logo Teacher Residents appeared first on News.

The achievement places UA 糖心视频logo alongside many of the world’s leading universities,
technology companies, and research laboratories, highlighting the university’s contributions to
cutting-edge AI research.

The paper was co-authored by Agarwal, director of the Collaboratorium for Social
Media and Online Behavioral Studies (COSMOS) Research Center, Maulden-Entergy Chair, and
Donaghey Distinguished Professor of Information Science at UA 糖心视频logo, along with
collaborators from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and the University of Florida.

COSMOS is an interdisciplinary research center that studies online behavior and develops data
analytics tools to better understand online communities and emerging cognitive threats in online information environments.

鈥淣eurIPS is where many of the most influential advances in AI are first introduced,鈥� said
Agarwal, whose research on cognitive security has been recognized by the U.S. Department of
War, NATO, the Five Eyes intelligence alliance (consisting of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States), the World Health Organization, and other
organizations. 鈥淗aving a paper accepted means the research has undergone an extremely
rigorous peer-review process and has been recognized by leading experts in the field as making a meaningful contribution to advancing AI.鈥�

As one of the world鈥檚 most selective AI conferences, the acceptance process is highly
competitive, drawing thousands of submissions from top universities, research labs, and
technology companies across the globe.

鈥淎cceptance reflects both novelty and technical excellence,” said Agarwal, an Arkansas
Academy of Computing fellow, an Arkansas Research Alliance (ARA) fellow, and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Distinguished Visitor and Senior Member. 鈥淔or COSMOS and UA 糖心视频logo, it demonstrates that the research being conducted here is competing successfully on a global stage alongside some of the world’s leading AI institutions. It reinforces that impactful, internationally recognized AI research is being developed right here in Arkansas.鈥�

Agarwal and his team鈥檚 paper introduces MANGO: Multimodal Attention-based Normalizing
Flow Approach to Fusion Learning, a new framework designed to improve how AI systems learn from and combine multiple types of information, including images, text, and other data sources.

The research centers on multimodal AI, a type of artificial intelligence that learns from multiple
forms of information 鈥� such as text, images, or audio 鈥� simultaneously. While people naturally combine different sources of information to understand the world around them, AI systems often struggle to do so effectively because the data doesn’t always match up in obvious ways. MANGO is designed to help AI better understand and combine different types of data. Unlike many existing AI models that simply merge information together, MANGO identifies which sources are most relevant and how they relate to one another, allowing AI systems to make more accurate and reliable decisions.

鈥淭he real world is inherently multimodal, so if we want AI to better understand people and
complex environments, it needs to learn from multiple sources simultaneously rather than
treating each independently,鈥� Agarwal said.

Research like this helps AI evolve to provide more context-aware analysis, enabling systems to
make more informed and trustworthy decisions.

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into daily life and industry, MANGO could improve
applications across various fields. In healthcare, it could help physicians make more informed
decisions by analyzing medical images alongside patient records and clinical notes. In self-
driving vehicles, it could improve safety by allowing AI to better interpret data from cameras,
radar, and other sensors. The technology could also strengthen security by analyzing social
media to identify coordinated influence campaigns or emerging cognitive threats through the
combined analysis of text, images, videos, and patterns of online behavior.

鈥淯ltimately, research like this helps build AI systems that are more reliable, more explainable,
and better suited for solving complex real-world problems,鈥� Agarwal said.

The publication also reinforces the COSMOS Research Center’s role as a hub for collaborative,
interdisciplinary AI research. By partnering with researchers at UA Fayetteville and UF, the
project demonstrates how UA 糖心视频logo is contributing to advances at the highest levels of the international AI community.

鈥淭his publication further demonstrates that UA 糖心视频logo is producing AI research that is
recognized at the highest international level,鈥� Agarwal said. 鈥淚t enhances the university’s
visibility within the global AI community, strengthens our research collaborations, and creates
new opportunities for our students to work on cutting-edge problems.鈥�

Looking ahead, Agarwal and his collaborators plan to expand MANGO to work with additional
data types, larger AI foundation models, and real-time decision-making environments while
continuing to improve the transparency and reliability of AI systems. Their goal is to develop AI
systems that not only achieve high performance, but also operate reliably in complex applications where accuracy and trust are essential.

Disclaimer: This research was funded in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation, U.S.
Army Research Office (awards W911NF23S0001, W911NF2410078, and W911NF2510147), U.S. Office of Naval Research, U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research, U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Australian Department of Defense Strategic Policy Grants Program, Arkansas Research Alliance, the Jerry L. Maulden/Entergy Endowment, and the Donaghey Foundation at the University of Arkansas at 糖心视频logo. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding organizations.

The post UA 糖心视频logo Professor Nitin Agarwal鈥檚 AI Research Published at World’s Top Artificial Intelligence Conference appeared first on News.

“Play in Arkansas” examines how people have created joy through play, and how the history of play can contribute to understanding of both past and present, said Marta Cieslak, director of UA 糖心视频logo Downtown. Research also illustrates both the “immense impact childhood play has on us,” as well as that play is “essential to our well-being — necessary for physical and mental health.” 

The exhibit, which opened July 10, remains on display through Dec. 15, and is free and open to the public Monday鈥揊riday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To schedule an individual or group visit to the exhibit, at 333 President Clinton Avenue, email聽downtown@ualr.edu.听

“It’s great that this is available — I love it — I’ll be bringing some folks down here” to see this exhibit while it’s on display, said Aaron Rhoades, a native of Central Arkansas who attended the exhibit’s opening night. “There’s something for everyone.”

Rhoades spent 13 years in Myrtle Beach, S.C., but moved back to Central Arkansas last year because he “missed the sense of community,” a sense that was embodied by this exhibit.

“I really appreciate this type of local history,” he said. 

The memories section of the exhibit, where individuals were invited to share their personal reflections on childhood play, is a favorite of Cieslak’s, as it demonstrates how “the community collaborates with us, and contributes to what we do at the university,” she said. “We work across disciplines to connect with the community,” and community members could also loan toys for the exhibit in addition to sharing their childhood play memories for the display, gestures that both require “a lot of trust.” 

Nader Afsordeh, who says Star Trek has “always had a special place in his heart,” contributed some of his childhood toys to the exhibit. On opening night, he explained he wanted to see them displayed alongside the rest of the exhibition.

“It’s interesting, the history of play, and it’s really cool to see” the cross-section of toys, along with their context and explanations, he said. “The older toys are very different than toys today — it was a very different world — I’ve enjoyed” the exhibit. 

Americans actually preferred handmade toys over mass-produced items until the second half of the 20th century, and “Play in Arkansas” has myriad examples of the former, including a pair of “handmade mountain dolls” from Arkansas, and even a handmade checkerboard from the Spencer Polk family that dates to the 1800s, said Cieslak, a historian and history professor. Another section of the exhibit, “Play in the Time of Hardship,” spotlights how toys aided individuals through trying circumstances, such as the handmade wooden snake crafted by a Russian prisoner of war in France during World War I. 

UA 糖心视频logo Downtown collaborated with several partners on this exhibit, including: Arkansas State Archives (Julienne Crawford and Dr. David Ware), Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) Butler Center for Arkansas Studies (Danielle Afsrodeh and Brian Robertson), Old State House Museum (Samantha Ashley and Lark Buckingham), and the UA 糖心视频logo Center for Arkansas History and Culture (Emily Summers Yarberry and Dr. Jess Porter), Cieslak said. “Although loaning items across institutions is a fairly standard practice, let me stress that we never take it for granted, (as) it does require a substantial amount of work from the loaning curators and teams,” but all four organizations “are absolutely terrific to work with.” 

Carlie Cowgill, programming and administrative assistant at UA 糖心视频logo Downtown — and a graduate of UA 糖心视频logo’s Master of Arts Public History program — is the exhibit’s co-author, participating in every stage of this exhibit’s development, Cieslak noted. Additionally, Stacey Griggs Matchett, a summer intern for UA 糖心视频logo Downtown, was also involved in researching and developing labels for a section of the exhibit. 

Cieslak has heard from several individuals who have explored the exhibit, then experienced memories of their own childhood play rush back to their minds, which “makes this all worth it,” she said. “Hearing that brings such a smile to my face.” 

Despite closing in the 1940s, McLeod鈥檚 Amusement Park — more commonly known as Happy Hollow — remains fresh in the memories of many Arkansans who have visited “Play in Arkansas,” which highlights the attraction along with other “Arkansas Classics” in Hot Springs, such as Oaklawn Park, the city’s historic bathhouses, an alligator farm, and an ostrich farm, as well as non-Hot Springs sites like Eureka Springs and Crater of Diamonds State Park, she said. “I learned so much about Happy Hollow through this process, and it’s one of the classics in Arkansas.”聽

Located in the historic River Market District, UA 糖心视频logo Downtown is where university students, faculty, and staff meet with the public to discuss, exchange, and implement ideas that aim to make the world a more just and equitable place for all. It serves as a hub of learning, service, and collaborations across the lines of scholarly disciplines, fields of community activism, and individual backgrounds.

Following “Play in Arkansas” will be an exhibit — scheduled to debut in February 2027 — highlighting the history of UA 糖心视频logo, as it celebrates its centennial year in 2026-27. 

“We’re very excited to be part of the Centennial festivities and celebrate 100 years of UA 糖心视频logo,” said Cieslak. 

The post New UA 糖心视频logo Downtown Exhibit Examines History of Play appeared first on News.

By expanding the CORE Cybersecurity Clinic through the CLN, UA 糖心视频logo is creating new opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience while meeting needs in communities across the state, bringing together students and faculty from 11 colleges and universities. The CLN extends cybersecurity services to more communities than any one institution could alone, while fostering collaboration, shared expertise, and experiential learning. Through this network, the CORE Cybersecurity Clinic is expanding to Ouachita Baptist University, the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope-Texarkana, and North Arkansas College of the University of Arkansas this fall.

“Every partner site is another place where our students get to apply what they鈥檙e learning to a real problem with real stakes,” said Dr. Sandra Leiterman, director of cybersecurity education and outreach. “That kind of experience is hard to replicate in a classroom, and it鈥檚 what makes our graduates ready to contribute on day one.”

The CORE Cybersecurity Clinic鈥檚 goal is to make cybersecurity expertise available to organizations such as small nonprofits, school districts, health clinics, rural utilities, and small businesses that provide essential services but lack their own cybersecurity staff. These organizations face increasing cyber threats and lack access to costly risk assessments or enterprise security programs.

CORE Center teams, made up of students and faculty experts, work directly with organizations to evaluate their systems, identify vulnerabilities, and deliver actionable recommendations. The clinic identifies the most likely ways hackers could attempt to gain access, then provides prioritized recommendations and safeguarding strategies to help organizations anticipate the top threats and proactively strengthen their defenses.

For Nathan Thomason, a student researcher at the CORE Center, those experiences helped launch his career.

“UA 糖心视频logo’s CORE Center provided me with a foundation of excellence to rely on throughout my studies as an undergraduate student and at the beginning of my cybersecurity career,” Thomason said.

He said working directly with Arkansas organizations and emerging cybersecurity technologies gave his education a deeper sense of purpose.

“The opportunities to engage with my local community and pursue bleeding-edge cybersecurity technologies that I was presented with as a researcher allowed my studies to have a measurable impact on my community,” he said.

The clinic鈥檚 work is also shaped by ongoing research at the CORE Center, where faculty and students are developing new approaches to cybersecurity defense. Rather than remaining in the research phase, many of these ideas are tested and refined through the clinic鈥檚 work, allowing researchers and students to evaluate new methods while providing clients with recommendations informed by the latest cybersecurity research.

One of the center鈥檚 newest research projects explores how artificial intelligence can help organizations identify the most likely paths a cyberattack could take through their systems and prioritize the security improvements that will have the greatest impact. The CORE Center is also collaborating with the Institute for AI Policy and Strategy, a national nonpartisan AI policy think tank, on initiatives that support cybersecurity policy and the protection of the nation鈥檚 critical infrastructure, helping connect the center鈥檚 applied research with broader national conversations about emerging cyber threats.

The clinic also provides students with valuable, real-world experience beyond the classroom. Working with organizations across Arkansas, they learn not only how to identify cybersecurity risks but also how to explain technical concepts in ways that help non-technical leaders make informed decisions. Those communication skills are just as critical as technical expertise in preparing students for careers in cybersecurity.

“Working at the CORE Center has been wonderful because it’s given me real-world experience in my field,” said Divija Vijay, a sophomore double majoring in computer science and cybersecurity. “On the projects I get to work on, I’m always learning new concepts and technical skills. It’s a really supportive environment that genuinely cares about our growth.”

Through the CLN, the CORE Center is helping schools, nonprofits, utilities, and businesses better understand their cybersecurity risks while giving students opportunities to gain practical experience addressing the challenges organizations face every day.

“Arkansas has cracked the code for making these partnerships work,” said Dr. Philip Huff, director of the CORE Center and assistant professor of computer science. “Communities across the state need practical help defending against cyberattacks, and our students are ready and able to meet that need. Now our job is to clear the path so these partnerships can thrive and strengthen cybersecurity across Arkansas.”

The post UA 糖心视频logo Expands Cybersecurity Support for Arkansas Communities appeared first on News.

The team鈥檚 proposal focused on The 78 鈥� a 62-acre site along the South Branch of the Chicago River that is planned to become Chicago鈥檚 78th neighborhood. The development includes the future McDonald鈥檚 Park stadium, a major sports and entertainment destination, in partnership with the Chicago Fire FC soccer team, designed to support year-round activities.

Representing UA 糖心视频logo were students Brennan Gasaway, Ashley Lopez, Isabel Hortelano, Kodiak Cannedy, and Ryan Hunt, who competed as BAIKR Development, a team name built from each member鈥檚 initials. The team developed the award-winning proposal with guidance from industry experts Siteng Ma and Andy Ahitow, while Elizabeth Small, an instructor of real estate, served as the academic advisor throughout the competition. 

鈥淒eveloping this pitch taught us patience, discipline, commitment, and teamwork,鈥� the team said. 鈥淎s the project evolved, we all became deeply invested in the vision, and receiving this recognition validated the hard work and passion we put into it.鈥�

The proposal centered on creating a mixed-use district guided by the principle of 鈥減eople first, buildings second,鈥� with an emphasis on building a development that complemented the surrounding neighborhoods while supporting long-term activity beyond stadium events. 

Taking Ma鈥檚 advice to follow the 鈥淟ive, Work, Play鈥� concept, the team focused on creating a development that complemented the existing neighborhoods and future McDonald鈥檚 Park stadium while giving the 78th neighborhood its own identity.

For 鈥淟ive,鈥� the students envisioned a walkable residential community with a mix of affordable and market-rate housing designed for students, families, and working professionals, creating a stable environment year-round.

For 鈥淲ork,鈥� the proposal introduced office, retail, hospitality, and educational spaces anchored by a Culinary and Hospitality Institute designed to support workforce development and generate daily activity within the district.

For 鈥淧lay,鈥� the team incorporated restaurants, entertainment venues, hospitality spaces, and public gathering areas intended to extend activity beyond game days while supporting both residents and visitors. 

As the project developed, the team focused on creating a district that could sustain activity beyond major stadium events. With McDonald鈥檚 Park serving as a major anchor for the district, the team introduced the Culinary and Hospitality Institute as a second anchor tenant designed to support workforce development, hospitality training, and year-round engagement. 

鈥淲e wanted to stay focused on building a community that recognized and included the people already surrounding the space,鈥� Hortelano said. 鈥淎 big part of our approach was making sure the development felt welcoming and connected to the existing neighborhoods rather than creating something that isolated or displaced them.鈥�

Small encouraged the students to look beyond the site itself and understand the surrounding demographics as real people and neighborhoods, a perspective that shaped many of the team鈥檚 design decisions throughout the project. 

鈥淲e could see how much the team genuinely believed in its pitch, and we were impressed with how they created an ecosystem that could grow organically with the surrounding community over time,鈥� one competition judge said.

Throughout the development of their pitch, team members reached out directly to industry professionals and businesses to test ideas and refine the proposal鈥檚 feasibility. 

鈥淲e were all really surprised how open all of the professionals we spoke to were,鈥� said the team, 鈥淲e spent a lot of time on the phone or talking over email about all of our options, and which made the most sense for the development.鈥�

As the team refined the project, members said their collaboration became one of the group鈥檚 greatest strengths.

鈥淏ecoming friends made everything much easier,鈥� Lopez said.

What began as a competition project ultimately became a collaborative learning experience that challenged the students to think beyond the classroom. Through countless conversations, revisions, and real-world outreach, team members said they developed stronger friendships, discovered their individual passions within the project, and gained a deeper understanding of how thoughtful developments can shape communities. Their success at the Eisenberg Competition reflected not only the strength of their proposal, but also the teamwork and shared vision behind it.

The post UA 糖心视频logo Building Chicago鈥檚 78th Neighborhood: UA 糖心视频logo Students Capture National 鈥楤est Pitch鈥� Title UA 糖心视频logo appeared first on News.

UA 糖心视频logo students and Donaghey Scholars Honors Program members Zane Austin and Nistha Neupane are bringing national attention to campus innovation after winning a competitive startup pitch event through America250, an initiative marking the United States鈥� 250th anniversary. Their nanotechnology-based company, NanoLit, earned both national recognition and funding through the event.

The competition, , invited student teams from colleges across the country to pitch early-stage ventures to a panel of prominent entrepreneurs and investors. Out of applicants nationwide, only 30 semifinalist teams were selected to travel to California鈥檚 Bay Area for in-person pitching and evaluation.

NanoLit was designed to address the harsh side effects of chemotherapy by creating a more targeted treatment approach that reduces damage to healthy cells.

鈥淭he hair loss, nail bed damage, and loss of immune function that we see in cancer patients are due, at least in part, to the effect of chemotherapy,鈥� Austin said. 鈥淏y formulating a drug that is highly selective towards tumor cells, we can mitigate these dangers without compromising the efficiency of the drug, and overall improve patient outcomes鈥�

Their goal is to develop a drug that maintains treatment effectiveness while reducing harm to healthy cells, potentially improving patients鈥� quality of life during cancer care.

For Neupane, the research carries personal significance.

鈥淥ncology is a field I have dreamt of being in for so long,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e had the opportunity to get to know the field of oncology from the clinical setting for two years, and from behind the fume hood for four years. On top of that, I went through my own tumor operation that put many things into perspective for me.鈥�

The startup grew out of years of undergraduate research in Dr. Noureen Siraj鈥檚 lab at UA 糖心视频logo, where both students worked on nanotechnology-related projects and developed the foundation for NanoLit.

The competition itself was unlike anything the students had ever experienced before. Throughout the event, participants were filmed as part of the competition experience while pitching and networking with fellow founders and judges.

鈥淔rom day one, we were taken on a full filming set, had our hair and makeup done, and had microphones placed on us,鈥� Neupane said. 鈥淚t was like our own small moment of being on reality TV, undergraduate Shark Tank edition.鈥�

The judging panel included high-profile figures such as Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, the CFO of OpenAI, and former U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios along with other prominent entrepreneurs and investors.

Austin and Neupane said the experience felt surreal, as it gave them the opportunity to present their work to entrepreneurs and innovators who have played major roles in shaping technological and financial innovation in the United States over the past several decades.

鈥淚 was entirely starstruck when we had the opportunity to meet individuals like Rosie Rios and Tim Draper,鈥� Neupane said. 鈥淭o have such influential people be so interested in our startup felt like we had stepped into an entirely different world 鈥� the world of entrepreneurs.鈥�

Austin said the experience also reinforced the value of the work the team has been pursuing in the lab for years.

鈥淭his was the pinnacle of my undergraduate career, that鈥檚 for certain,鈥� Austin said. 鈥淭his experience meant seeing that what we鈥檝e been doing in the lab actually matters.鈥�

Competing alongside students from institutions such as Stanford, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Pennsylvania initially felt intimidating, the students said, but the experience ultimately reinforced their confidence in the research happening at UA 糖心视频logo. 

鈥淏eing able to put UA 糖心视频logo on the map and have students from universities like Johns Hopkins and Stanford be so impressed by our work puts into perspective how well we have done on our journey so far,鈥� Neupane said. 鈥淚t became so clear to me why Dr. Siraj has pushed us so hard the past few years to prepare us for opportunities like this.鈥�

The team ultimately advanced as one of 10 finalists and received $25,000 in grant funding to continue developing NanoLit.

Part of the awards package was a scholarship to Draper University, an entrepreneurial training program founded by venture capitalist Tim Draper, which Austin plans to attend. 

鈥淚 will be taking this opportunity over the summer to go and learn everything I can about building a business from the ground up,鈥� he said.

Neupane, a graduating senior, said this experience highlighted both the potential of NanoLit and the opportunities still ahead for the company. Meeting entrepreneurs and professionals from a wide range of fields also gave her a new perspective as she prepares to begin medical school at the University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine as part of the Class of 2030.

鈥淭his gave me a different type of passion and respect for the role that business and marketing play in medicine, and it is certainly something I hope to learn more about going into medical school and beyond,鈥� she said. 

Both students said they believe their success came down to a combination of passion and communication.

Neupane said their willingness to openly share their ambition for advancing oncology research helped set them apart, noting that judges described their pitch as 鈥渋nsane鈥� in the best way.

Austin added that a key part of their training in Dr. Siraj鈥檚 lab was learning how to make complex science accessible. He said being able to clearly communicate their ideas to judges without a technical background ultimately played a major role in their success.

鈥淲e weren鈥檛 afraid to show them our big dreams and passion for this field,鈥� Neupane said.

From the research lab to the national stage, Austin and Neupane鈥檚 journey showcases how UA 糖心视频logo students are transforming big ideas into meaningful change.

The post UA 糖心视频logo Students Win National Startup Competition for Cancer Research Venture appeared first on News.

Collins brings more than 20 years of professional experience working in 糖心视频logo and will oversee University Television while teaching courses in non-linear video editing and studio production.

Having lived and worked in the 糖心视频logo community for more than two decades, Collins envisions University Television becoming a valued community partner that highlights the people, programs, and stories that define both the city and the UA 糖心视频logo campus.

鈥淚 know there are so many wonderful stories to tell, and UA 糖心视频logo is a big part of that community,鈥� Collins said.

During the spring semester, Collins will assess the current state of University Television and collaborate with campus partners to develop a strategic plan for its future. His goal is to shape the station into a central content hub that tells the stories of UA 糖心视频logo while providing students with hands-on experience that prepares them for careers in the industry.

Collins said he hopes to build students鈥� skills by emphasizing strong storytelling and maintaining a clear point of view, noting that evolving technologies 鈥� from new camera systems to artificial intelligence 鈥� are tools that support, rather than replace, effective storytelling.

鈥淚 hope we can develop student-led projects that give them real-world experience while also building portfolio work they can be proud of,鈥� Collins said. 鈥淗aving worked in 糖心视频logo for more than 20 years, I also hope to use my connections to help students secure internships and jobs.鈥�

Collins will help expand hands-on learning opportunities for students while strengthening University Television.

The post UA 糖心视频logo Welcomes University TV Director Brant Collins appeared first on News.

Tarpley, a native of Russellville, spent two months working with , where he helped transform raw land surveying data into detailed design files that engineers use to plan infrastructure projects.

鈥淚 was initially hesitant about going, but I realized this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,鈥� Tarpley said. 鈥淚 had never been out of the country before, and I didn鈥檛 want to miss the chance to see the world, learn new skills, and grow both personally and professionally.鈥�

Through World Endeavors, a global internship program, Tarpley secured a position with TST Engineering, where he gained hands-on experience in land surveying and digital modeling. He worked with advanced tools like laser scanning software and ground-penetrating radar technology to map project sites and detect materials within structures. These are technologies he had never encountered in the U.S. before.

鈥淭hey would bring me the data points collected by the survey machines, and I would simulate the points and draw where manholes, fences, and other topographic features were,鈥� he explained. 鈥淭hat way, the engineers could reference the file and design around these obstacles. It really helped me understand how the data collection connects to the design process and bridged the gap between the two.鈥�

The experience also deepened Tarpley鈥檚 understanding of engineering from an international perspective. He collaborated with colleagues from Ireland, France, Turkey, and Brazil, learning how engineering, design, and construction differ across countries.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just working with people who think and act like you,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was a new level of communication. I had to focus on how I explained things and learned how others approached problems differently. That experience will make me a better engineer.鈥�

A Hands-On Approach to Career Readiness

The internship aligned closely with UA 糖心视频logo鈥檚 emphasis on experiential learning. Civil and construction engineering students are required to complete 800 hours of work experience before graduation, a requirement that Tarpley says is critical for career readiness.

鈥淵ou鈥檒l never be able to analyze every situation just by what a textbook says,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been out there and encountered things that aren鈥檛 covered in the classroom. That kind of experience is invaluable for understanding how work happens in the real world.鈥�

Tarpley鈥檚 time in Dublin also reinforced his career goals. When he graduates in May 2027, he plans to continue working with, the professional services firm where he is currently employed as an engineering intern.

While the internship was the centerpiece of his summer abroad, Tarpley also took full advantage of his time in Europe. On weekends, he explored Ireland鈥檚 natural beauty in seaside towns like Howth and Bray, hiked scenic trails, and visited historic cities including Galway.

He also traveled beyond Ireland, exploring Stirling, Edinburg, Brussels, Paris, Rome, Heidelberg, and Lucerne, and even attended the British Open Golf Tournament. One highlight was visiting Heidelberg, Germany, where his mother is originally from.

鈥淭he architecture in Heidelberg was beautiful. It felt like walking through a fairytale,鈥� Tarpley said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 something about Dublin and Galway too. They were just a joy to be in. When everyone around you is having a good time, you are too.鈥�

Looking back, Tarpley says the experience not only taught him valuable professional skills but also changed the way he views the world and his future.

鈥淚t was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ven though I was hesitant to go at first, I will never regret it. I learned about different lifestyles, gained new perspectives, and it even made me appreciate what I have here at home. It鈥檚 something I鈥檒l carry with me for the rest of my life.鈥�

At UA 糖心视频logo, Tarpley is a member of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program and vice president of the student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers, where he helps students prepare for intense competitions that involve building concrete canoes and steel bridges. These competitions provide students with additional opportunities to apply their classroom knowledge in real-world settings.

Whether designing infrastructure in Arkansas or collaborating on projects abroad, Tarpley is confident that the skills and perspectives he gained in Dublin will shape his career for years to come.

鈥淪tudying and working abroad showed me how engineering is done differently around the world,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an experience that will stay with me as I continue building my career.鈥�

The post UA 糖心视频logo Engineering Student Gains Global Experience Through Internship in Ireland appeared first on News.

Mann鈥檚 research on the 1950 Independence Savings Bond Drive, a massive postwar campaign that sent replica Liberty Bells to each state, the Truman Presidential Library, Annecy, France, and Tokyo, Japan, has resulted in a digital exhibit, and several public lectures. Her biographical entry on William Wilson Campbell, the longtime volunteer state savings bond director, is featured in the Encyclopedia of Arkansas.

Mann’s work will be featured in a forthcoming museum exhibit for the Arkansas State Capitol that will be a part of America 250 celebrations. Her work is helping to illuminate how these bells, forged from the spirit of postwar optimism, continue to shape America鈥檚 sense of identity and symbolism today.

Mann recently shared her findings during an 鈥淓venings with History鈥� lecture titled 鈥淪elling America on Independence: The 1950 Savings Bond Drive and Its Replica Liberty Bells,鈥� held in November in the Ottenheimer Auditorium at the Historic Arkansas Museum.

鈥淚 specifically chose this project knowing that America鈥檚 250th birthday was right around the corner,鈥� Mann said. 鈥淎nniversaries are moments of reflection. They invite us to think about who we are, what we value, and how our symbols have evolved over time.鈥�

A Forgotten National Campaign

In the early 1950s, the U.S. Treasury Department faced a challenge. The war bond drives that had helped finance World War II were ending, and officials needed a new way to encourage Americans to keep buying savings bonds. Their solution was a patriotic marketing campaign centered on a timeless symbol: the Liberty Bell.

The Treasury鈥檚 Savings Bond Division commissioned exact reproductions of the Liberty Bell for every U.S. state and territory. Cast in France, shipped to the U.S., and mounted on trucks by Navy personnel, the bells toured their assigned states between May 15 and July 4, 1950. These celebrations were accompanied by parades, music, and calls to 鈥淪ave for Your Independence.鈥�

鈥淭he Treasury Department wanted people to see saving as not just a personal virtue but an act of citizenship,鈥� Mann explained. 鈥淭hey linked thrift and patriotism in a very deliberate way. They sold the idea that saving for your family鈥檚 future was also saving for America鈥檚 future. This savings bond campaign helped shape the idea of the American Dream.鈥�

Arkansas鈥檚 replica Liberty Bell now stands as part of the Bicentennial Monument on the State Capitol grounds, where Mann first encountered it while teaching a course called History with Objects. That classroom project sparked what has now become a multi-year national research initiative.

Research That Rings Across the Nation

Mann鈥檚 digital exhibit, 鈥�,鈥� hosted through the ArcGIS StoryMaps platform, has already attracted more than 1,000 views from visitors across the U.S. and around the world. It is the first scholarly resource to compile archival documents and photographs from the National Archives, Truman Presidential Library, and other collections into a public, interactive format.

鈥淭his is the first exhibit that makes use of original government records from the National Archives and the Truman Library,鈥� Mann said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting to make that material accessible to everyone 鈥� not just academics, but teachers, students, and anyone interested in American history.鈥�

Mann鈥檚 semester-long research leave during the fall 2024 semester allowed her to travel to major archives in Washington, D.C., Texas, and Kansas with support from the Moneyhon Research Fund and the Truman Library Foundation.

鈥淚t was glorious,鈥� Mann said. 鈥淎t a teaching-focused university like UA 糖心视频logo, having time for focused research is invaluable. The university鈥檚 investment in my work allows me to give back by sharing these stories with students and the public.鈥�

Mann鈥檚 work has sparked collaboration well beyond the classroom. She is partnering with the Arkansas Secretary of State鈥檚 Office and the Daughters of the American Revolution to raise $45,000 for the restoration of Arkansas鈥檚 replica Liberty Bell, which has weathered decades outdoors. The goal is to restore the bell in time for it to ring on July 4, 2026, during the America 250 celebrations.

At the same time, Mann is designing a new exhibit called 鈥淎merican Symbols鈥� that will open at the Arkansas State Capitol in summer 2026. The exhibit will explore icons such as the Liberty Bell, the American flag, and the Pledge of Allegiance through interactive displays and digital storytelling, featuring contributions from UA 糖心视频logo students.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been wonderful to involve students in this project,鈥� Mann said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e helped research primary sources, design teaching materials, and even attend planning meetings at the Capitol. It鈥檚 an opportunity for them to learn how history connects to civic life.鈥�

For Mann, the story of the replica Liberty Bells is a reflection of how Americans have used symbols to define themselves through changing times.

鈥淓ach generation sees the Liberty Bell differently,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n 1950, it was a symbol of postwar optimism and civic duty. In 1976, it became part of the Bicentennial celebration. And now, as we approach America鈥檚 250th, it reminds us to think about what independence and unity mean today.鈥�

The post UA 糖心视频logo Historian Rings in America鈥檚 250th with Research on Replica Liberty Bells appeared first on News.

The innovative app, developed by James Dempsey, a senior computer science major from White Hall, uses augmented reality (AR) to bring detailed, interactive 3D models of insects to life on a user鈥檚 phone or tablet. Through the app, users can explore how insects move, what they sound like, and even learn key facts about their habitats, diets, and lifespans 鈥� all in the palm of their hand.

鈥淭he app detects image targets and creates a 3D representation of the insect on that target, placing it into real space,鈥� Dempsey explained. 鈥淥nce the insect appears, it鈥檚 animated and makes noise. You can interact with it 鈥� make it fly, show its wings, or crawl 鈥� and you鈥檒l also see facts about the insect, including its scientific and common names. It鈥檚 all available on your handheld device.鈥�

The concept behind Insects AR started years ago as a creative marketing idea for a pest control company, which wanted animated business cards that would display virtual insects. Years after UA 糖心视频logo鈥檚 Emerging Analytics Center (EAC) brought that idea to life, the concept resurfaced in a team meeting, where Dempsey agreed to bring it to life in a new and educational way.

鈥淭he idea didn鈥檛 just get lost to time,鈥� Dempsey said. 鈥淚t got brought into the future.鈥�

Working alongside another student programmer and a creative team led by Jason Zac, lead artist, who designed the app鈥檚 art, animation, and sound, Dempsey spent months building and refining the project. The additional students who worked on the app include William Andrew Nickols, Dalen Villa, Cecily Mobley, and James McMath. The result is an app that blends technology and science education in an engaging, user-friendly way.

鈥淲hen we start a project like this, we begin with brainstorming and storyboarding, then assign tasks across the art and development teams,鈥� said Tom Coffin, operations manager at the EAC. 鈥淧rojects like Insects AR give students experience with industry-standard tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Autodesk 3ds Max, while also introducing them to cutting-edge areas like computer vision, real-time rendering, and even AI integration. These skills are directly applicable to careers in software development, game design, and beyond.鈥�

For Dempsey, Insects AR was more than a portfolio piece. It was a chance to dive deep into emerging technologies and gain valuable experience in mobile development.

鈥淚 learned how to develop mobile applications, how to use Unity, how to work with augmented reality, and how to apply computer vision for spawning digital models,鈥� he said.

Users simply download the app and point their device at special image targets available on the EAC website or on handy cards. The app then projects an animated, life-like insect model into the real world, even when viewed from different angles.

The project also represents Dempsey鈥檚 broader interests in technology and its applications. After graduation, he plans to work in the tech industry in 糖心视频logo for a few years before pursuing a master鈥檚 degree, with a growing interest in social computing and data analysis.

The Insects AR project is part of the EAC鈥檚 expanding portfolio of augmented and virtual reality applications, which include research into AI-driven virtual environments, interactive simulations, and immersive educational tools.

Coffin said projects like Insects AR show how UA 糖心视频logo students are helping shape the future of interactive technology.

鈥淭his project highlights the power of hands-on learning and collaboration,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ur students are learning theory while building tools that have real-world applications.鈥�

Insects AR is available now for Android devices on the Google Play Store, and work is underway to bring it to the Apple App Store in the near future. Users can access the required image targets directly from the Emerging Analytics Center website to start exploring the insect world in augmented reality.

鈥淲e鈥檙e proud of James and the work our student team has done,鈥� Coffin said. 鈥淭his app is a perfect example of how UA 糖心视频logo students are using technology to make science more engaging and accessible.鈥�

The post UA 糖心视频logo Student Brings the World of Insects to Life with New Augmented Reality App appeared first on News.