Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026                                                                            news@AState.edu

Dr. Timberly Baker, associate professor of educational leadership, has obtained affiliate researcher status at the Johns Hopkins College of Education Institute for Education Policy, specifically for its Homeschool Research Lab. Baker's current research regarding school choice and home education within the American Southern Black Belt are valuable additions to the institute’s Homeschool Research Lab.

Jody Nutt (left), assistant professor and radiation therapy clinical coordinator, was recently elected president of the Arkansas Society of Radiologic Technologists (ArSRT) Board of Directors. Kendall Youngman (right), assistant professor and MRI program director, is the incoming chair of the ArSRT Board. Both Nutt and Youngman also made presentations regarding their ongoing research at the ArST annual conference.

Congratulations to Dr. Barbara Paola Gonzalez Garcia, Campus Queretaro, who recently defended her doctoral thesis. She is one of the founding professors at the Elisia Education Hub. Gonzalez Garcia analyzed the genetic association between endometriosis and hormone-related ovarian cancers. During her doctoral research, she contributed 12 peer-reviewed papers about the application of bioinformatics on the study of several impairing diseases.

Dr. Po-Lin Pan, professor of strategic communication, has been invited to join the editorial board of Health Marketing Quarterly. The journal aims to leverage traditional marketing techniques and research driven strategies, and to further develop key innovative ideas relevant to all health marketing stakeholders, including health consumers, researchers, managers and policymakers. Pan will serve a four-year term.

Dr. Elissa Kana (left), instructor of saxophone, and Dr. Stephanie Hoeckley (right), assistant professor of flute, have been chosen to perform Guillermo Lago’s Four Duo Etudes for Flute and Alto Saxophone in March at the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) national conference at Ohio State University. Their proposal was selected from over 500 applicants. Kana also was invited to adjudicate the final round of NASA’s High School Solo Competition.