CHANCELLOR’S 3 THINGS TO KNOW
Welcome to the September edition of @ The Flagship! The fall semester is well underway and our students, staff and faculty are to be applauded for their ongoing commitment to excellence while adapting to the changes that we’re all facing due to COVID-19. And, as a testament to the dynamism of our people and community, we have a lot of great news to share this month! Here are 3 Things to Know right now:
Record-High Research: We’re celebrating a nine-year high for research funding as the university’s external funding for research surpassed $150 million in FY2020. We can all take great pride in how university research impacts Mississippians, the nation, and people around the world. It fuels economic growth, leads to new innovations and helps the university fulfill its mission of providing the best opportunities for our students. Check out the special section below highlighting how our research makes a difference in everyday life.
Great Indeed: Wow! For over a decade now, the university has been recognized as a “Great College to Work For” in a special insert of the Chronicle of Higher Education. Twelve years running is a distinction we can all celebrate because our culture is built by all of you, the countless individuals who go the extra mile and contribute to who we are as a caring community. This accomplishment also reflects our strong commitment to fostering a supportive home for our faculty and staff. I’m tremendously grateful for the time and talent that our faculty and staff dedicate to our mission each and every day.
White House Expertise: We were honored to host Dr. Deborah Birx from The White House Coronavirus Task Force on the Oxford campus on Sept. 12. As a trusted national leader in the fight against the pandemic, she shared tremendous insights into what’s working across the country and encouraged us to remain focused on what she called “the pathway to staying open.” Dr. Birx supported steps we have taken across a number of areas, including the leadership of our Medical Center since the emergence of the virus, our Contact Tracing Team staffed with our own faculty and staff experts, the newly launched surveillance testing program and the quality of our dashboard to keep our community apprised of key metrics. University and local leaders enjoyed productive conversations and gleaned a number of takeaways to improve our COVID prevention efforts during her visit
Looking ahead, I’d like to share two quick reminders:
1) Please take a few moments to complete the 2020 Census. You can respond online, by phone, or by mail, but the deadline is Sept. 30. Federal funds are allocated to states and municipalities based on population, so the census results directly affect funding for critical areas like transportation, school lunches and support for firefighters.
2) Oct. 5 is the deadline to register to vote for the November general election. As Americans, participating in elections is one of our highest civic obligations, and it’s a tremendous honor and responsibility with which each and every one of us has been entrusted.
Until next month, stay well and masks up!
Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor
TOP STORIES
Among the Best
For the 10th consecutive year, the university ranks among the top 100 public universities across the nation in the annual U.S. News & World Report ranking of America’s colleges and universities. Ole Miss remains the highest-ranked university in Mississippi, and we were recognized as a top Best Value School among public universities.
Living Out a Legacy
Ole Miss senior defensive back Jaylon Jones has been named the winner of the 2020 Chucky Mullins Courage Award. A native of Allen, Tex., Jones becomes the 30th recipient of the award.
Making it Possible
The seven-story expansion at Children’s of Mississippi will bear the name of the couple whose philanthropy and leadership made it possible. The Kathy and Joe Sanderson Tower at Children’s of Mississippi more than doubles the square-footage of pediatric hospital space at the state’s only children’s hospital.
FLAGSHIP FACTS
Remarkable Research for Everyday Life
This fall, the university reached its highest level of research funding in the past nine years thanks to the tremendous work of our outstanding researchers, the leadership of Vice Chancellor for Research Josh Gladden, and the support of our Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. This list is a snapshot of recent influential, innovative and fascinating research conducted at
Ole Miss.
Detecting Tornados — By “listening” to tornadoes through infrasound, researchers at our National Center for Physical Acoustics hope they may be able to develop technology to revolutionize the detection and tracking of tornadoes — and greatly improve tornado warning methods.
Helping People Who Stutter — Faculty and student researchers in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders are investigating ways to improve stuttering. The department’s Stuttering Science, Therapy, Advocacy and Research Lab focuses its research on the science of stuttering in the search for new treatment options.
Creating New Skincare Products — Researchers in the School of Pharmacy received a patent jointly with Woodcliff Skincare Solutions Inc. for a line of skin care products derived from the aloe vera plant with clinically observed effects of enhanced skin firmness and wrinkle reduction.
Building a Better Brace — Two Class of 2020 graduates are hoping to create a better knee brace with “DataBrace,” which improves mobility and tracks movement. The inspiration and initial design of the smart knee brace took shape under the mentorship of faculty in the Department of Biomedical Engineering.
Saving Energy — Two researchers from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry are studying ways to improve the methods and technologies we use to harness the power of the sun.
Testing Materials in Outer Space — New nano-reinforced materials created at the Center for Graphene Research and Innovation left Earth in November 2019 on a journey to the International Space Station, where they are being tested for impact protection and to see if they can improve the shock absorption of future spacecraft.
Eliminating Hepatitis C in Communities — An emergency medicine researcher at UMMC is studying the best ways to identify who should be tested for hepatitis C infection in emergency department settings. Raising infection awareness through testing reduces one of the significant healthcare barriers to treatment.
Increasing Access to Food — Three professors are creating a food prescription program that is expected to improve access to fresh fruits and vegetables for Mississippi households who lack regular access to healthy foods in order to increase food security and food access.
Studying Oysters — Graduate students in the Environmental Toxicology program researched the impact of excess freshwater in the Mississippi River on oyster populations, discovering the serious consequences of heavy rainfall in 2019.
