{"id":78520,"date":"2026-08-04T14:43:04","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T21:43:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=78520"},"modified":"2026-08-04T14:44:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T21:44:39","slug":"in-the-spotlight-august-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/in-the-spotlight-august-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"In the Spotlight: August 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In the Spotlight:\u00a0August 2026<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Kudos to these faculty,\u202fstaff\u202fand programs.\u202f<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Do you have a spotlight item to share with the NAU community?\u202f<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">E-mail your announcements to\u202f<\/span><a href=\"mailto:Inside@nau.edu\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Inside@nau.edu<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u202for use\u202four\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/news.nau.edu\/news-tip\/#.YEjwNWhKg2w\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">online submission form<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u202f<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_78521\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-78521\" style=\"width: 525px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2026\/08\/3865_public_service_academy_20260730.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-78521\" src=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2026\/08\/3865_public_service_academy_20260730.jpg\" alt=\"Ginger Spencer (Assistant City Manager, City of Phoenix), Paul Helford (NAU School of Communications Emeritus Faculty), Adrian Fontes (Arizona Secretary of State), Sara Rinfret (NAU Master of Public Administration Program Director, Professor, Politics &amp; International Affairs), Yvonne Luna (NAU Vice Provost for Academic &amp; Workforce Development), Eric Deschamps (NAU Director of Workforce Development), Nicole Lance (CEO, Lance Strategies &amp; Interim Public Management)\" width=\"525\" height=\"298\" srcset=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2026\/08\/3865_public_service_academy_20260730.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2026\/08\/3865_public_service_academy_20260730-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/402\/2026\/08\/3865_public_service_academy_20260730-768x435.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-78521\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left to right: Ginger Spencer (Assistant City Manager, City of Phoenix), Paul Helford (NAU School of Communications Emeritus Faculty), Adrian Fontes (Arizona Secretary of State), Sara Rinfret (NAU Master of Public Administration Program Director, Professor, Politics &amp; International Affairs), Yvonne Luna (NAU Vice Provost for Academic &amp; Workforce Development), Eric Deschamps (NAU Director of Workforce Development), Nicole Lance (CEO, Lance Strategies &amp; Interim Public Management)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"5\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">NAU welcomed more than 150 public service professionals, managers, and executive leaders from across Arizona for the inaugural High Country Public Service Academy (HCPSA), a first-of-its-kind professional development experience designed to strengthen leadership, innovation, and collaboration across the public sector. Hosted by NAU&#8217;s Master of Public Administration\u00a0program in partnership with NAU Continuing Education and the School of Communication,\u00a0the\u00a0inaugural academy welcomed\u00a0a number of\u00a0Arizona leaders and public servants, including Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, Arizona Board of Regent Steve Peru, Flagstaff Mayor Becky Daggett, Flagstaff City Manager Joanne Keene, Mesa City Manager Scott Butler, Phoenix Assistant City Manager Ginger Spencer and Sedona City Manager Anette Spickard, among other distinguished speakers from government, higher education and the nonprofit sector.\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sara\u00a0Rinfret<\/span><\/b>, professor in the Department of Politics and International Affairs,<span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0led the\u00a0event.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"3\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Diego Mu\u00f1oz<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u00a0assistant professor in the Department of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences,\u00a0authored\u00a0the article\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2606.20803\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cPlanet-Planet Secular Migration Predicts a Stellar Obliquity-Period Anti-Correlation\u201d<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0that was published in\u00a0the AAS Journals. The article provides a fossil record of hot Jupiter migration.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"3\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Will Grundy<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">, research professor in the Department of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences,\u00a0authored the\u00a0article\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2607.27589\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cRotation and Mutual Eclipse Events Season in the Kuiper Belt\u201d<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0will be published\u00a0in the Astronomical Journal, while his article\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2607.05600\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cTracing the source of carbon oxides on the large moons of Uranus\u201d<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0was accepted\u00a0in the AAS Planetary Science Journal.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"3\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Professors <strong>Ma<\/strong><\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">rk Loeffler<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Steve Tegler<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">,\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Will Grundy<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, and graduate student\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Will Burris<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0from the Department of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences\u00a0published the article\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.3847\/PSJ\/ae81af\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cInfrared Band Strength of Molecular Oxygen in Astrophysical Ices\u201d<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0in The Planetary Science Journal.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"3\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Josh Emery<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, professor in the Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science,\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Lucas McClure<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0and NAU alum\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Brittany Harvison<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0co-authored the\u00a0article\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2607.16518\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cThe Polana-Eulalia Complex with JWST NIRSpec: Connections to Bennu, Ryugu, and Outer Solar System Bodies,\u201d<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0which\u00a0was accepted by the Planetary Science Journal.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><a class=\"search-results-excerpt-link\" href=\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/in-the-spotlight-august-2026\/\">In the Spotlight:\u00a0August 2026\u00a0 Kudos to these faculty,\u202fstaff\u202fand programs.\u202f\u202f\u00a0 Do you have a spotlight item to share with the NAU community?\u202f\u202f\u00a0 E-mail your announcements to\u202fInside@nau.edu,\u202for use\u202four\u202fonline submission form.\u202f\u202f\u00a0 NAU welcomed more than 150 public service professionals, managers, and executive leaders from across Arizona for the inaugural High Country Public Service Academy (HCPSA), a first-of-its-kind professional&hellip;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-78520","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-faculty-staff","category-spotlight"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78520","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\/3019"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=78520"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78520\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78530,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78520\/revisions\/78530"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78520"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=78520"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=78520"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}