{"id":74242,"date":"2025-03-17T07:40:10","date_gmt":"2025-03-17T14:40:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=74242"},"modified":"2025-03-17T10:56:28","modified_gmt":"2025-03-17T17:56:28","slug":"in-the-spotlight-march-17-21-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/in-the-spotlight-march-17-21-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"In the Spotlight: March 17-21, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Kudos to these faculty, staff and programs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Do you have a spotlight item to share with the NAU community?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">E-mail your announcements to <\/span><a href=\"mailto:Inside@nau.edu\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Inside@nau.edu<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, or use our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/news-tip\/#.YEjwNWhKg2w\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">online submission form<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\u25cf&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Nick Smallwood<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, a senior videographer for NAU-TV, won the CASE District VII Rising Star Award at the annual district conference in San Francisco. The Rising Star Award recognizes professionals with fewer than seven years of experience whose early career accomplishments demonstrate innovation, creativity and leadership.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\u25cf&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Political science doctoral student <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Richard Mbayo <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">will be running for the Parliament of Uganda in January 2026, beginning work on his campaign this semester.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\u25cf&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Department of Sociology associate professor <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Katsuya Oi <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">co-authored the article \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0277953625000942\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">The generation of hope: Optimism and cognitive status among Black Americans born before 1964<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u201d published in Social Science &amp; Medicine. The study examines how dispositional optimism and the presence of certain personality factors influence the likelihood of developing dementia among older Black Americans.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\u25cf&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Department of Anthropology professor <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sharon Moses<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> was promoted to fellow status in the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Fellow status is given to academy members demonstrating an active commitment to forensic science fields through substantive research, publications and curricula.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\u25cf&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Students and faculty from the <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">College of Social and Behavioral Sciences<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> contributed to a special social science and policy section of the journal <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/toc\/rpay20\/47\/1\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Practicing Anthropology<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Department of Anthropology professor <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Lisa Hardy <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">and Department of Social Work assistant teaching professor <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Brandie Reiner <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">co-authored the section\u2019s introduction, \u201cThe State of Policy in Practice: A Social Science Perspective.\u201d Other contributions to the section include \u201cInspiring Civic Engagement Through Bioarchaeology and Biological Anthropology\u201d by anthropology professor <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Corina Kellner<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, \u201cAnthropological Insights for Water Policy\u201d by anthropology associate professor <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Lucero Radonic<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and \u201cAnthropological Engagement in Lyme Disease Advocacy\u201d by interdisciplinary health graduate student <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Carly Thompson-Campitor<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\u25cf&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Department of Politics and International Affairs professor <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sara Rinfret<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> was appointed to the\u00a0 Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration\u2019s (NASPAA) Governance Roles Review Taskforce. This group will create a framework defining NASPAA governance roles to streamline decision-making and ensure transparency within the organization.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\u25cf&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Department of Politics and International Affairs assistant professor <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Yixin Liu <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">won the American Political Science Association&#8217;s Paul Volcker Junior Scholar Research Grant for his project \u201cBig Brother is Being Watched: Can Nonprofit Oversight Mitigate Environmental Injustice?\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\u25cf&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Department of Anthropology professor <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Kelley Ann Hays-Gilpin <\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">will give the 2025 Distinguished Lecture in the Art of the Ancient Americas, titled &#8220;Artifacts and Ancestors: Exploring Archaeological Collections with Hopi and Pueblo Artists,&#8221; on April 1. This event is hosted by the Johns Hopkins University Department of the History of Art.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\u25cf&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\">Students from the <strong>NAU Green Fund<\/strong> accepted the Crescordia Award for Circular Economy Solutions at Arizona Forward&#8217;s 43rd annual Environmental Excellence Awards on March 8. NAU was recognized for its USEFULL program, which saves 25,000 pounds of single-use plastics every year through the implementation of reusable takeout containers at three on-campus dining locations.<\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\u25cf\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\u25cf&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\">Nearly 50 medical anthropologists from three Arizona universities\u2014including eight faculty members and graduate students from <strong>NAU<\/strong>\u2014attended the annual Medical Anthropology in Arizona Symposium in Tempe, Arizona, on Feb. 28. The symposium aims to foster relationships between medical anthropologists across the state to facilitate collaborative research initiatives.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><a class=\"search-results-excerpt-link\" href=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/in-the-spotlight-march-17-21-2025\/\">Kudos to these faculty, staff and programs. Do you have a spotlight item to share with the NAU community? E-mail your announcements to Inside@nau.edu, or use our online submission form. Nick Smallwood, a senior videographer for NAU-TV, won the CASE District VII Rising Star Award at the annual district conference in San Francisco. The Rising&hellip;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":96,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-74242","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-spotlight"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74242","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/96"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74242"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74242\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74242"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74242"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74242"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}