Following are news brief items from the Fort Smith metro.
UAFS ‘Research Den’
The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith is launching the “Research Den,” a new monthly series featuring “casual, curious conversations with university researchers,” according to the university.
Four student researchers will present at the inaugural research den at 6 p.m., Aug. 26, at the Center for Economic Development’s first-floor classroom at the Bakery District. Each talk will last approximately 10 minutes and will be followed by a question-and-answer period. The jargon-free evenings of research and discovery are free and open to the public.
“UAFS has some truly innovative research and ideas on campus, and I think it would surprise people to see the big ideas our faculty and students are tackling,” said Taylor Martinez, director of research and sponsored programs. “Research Den is our way of opening our doors and letting the community see what’s really going on here. These aren’t just academic exercises. Our faculty and students are working on questions that matter to Fort Smith, to Arkansas, and beyond.”
Willow McFerran, a senior studying biological science, leads the areawide Bioblitz, an iNaturalist project turning every citizen into a scientist by logging biodiversity. Shelby Zink, a senior biology major, dives into the secret lives of amphibians, complete with the impact of human influence, from Arkansas to Appalachia.
Chris Edwards, a senior studying biology, combines old-school fieldwork with cutting-edge machine learning to explain how Arkansans impact aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Emily Kelley, a senior biology major, shows how citizen scientists help map Arkansas’s alligators, lizards, and turtles.
FMS Public Hearing
The Department of the Air Force is seeking public input on a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) related to expansion of the foreign military pilot training center at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith.
Growth in the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program is bringing additional F-35 fighter jets to Ebbing, with the planned number rising from 24 to 26. The expansion requires a new EIS and community input. The draft “includes infrastructure construction, demolition, and renovation activities; additional personnel to support the FMS PTC mission; and changes in aircraft operations at Ebbing ANG Base/FSRA and corresponding airspace units,” according to the Air Force.
There will be a public hearing via Zoom set for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., on Sept. 4. An in-person hearing is set for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Sept. 9, in Exhibit Hall A, at the Fort Smith Convention Center.
To register to attend the virtual public hearing, visit www.fmsptceis.com. Links and instructions will be distributed after registering and prior to the virtual public hearing. The virtual hearing can be accessed by phone at 1-888-788-0099, Webinar ID: 886 2955 7361, Passcode: 048921.
Link here for the draft EIS.
ACHE, ARCOM Agreement
The Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) and the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM) have signed a formal linkage agreement between the ACHE Master of Science in Biomedicine (MSB) program and the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) program.
This agreement creates structured academic and professional development pathways that expand opportunity and access to osteopathic medical education, according to both entities.
Following are terms of the agreement.
• Guaranteed Acceptance
ACHE MSB students who earn a minimum 3.2 GPA in the fall semester, maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA at completion of MSB program, remain in good conduct standing, and meet all admissions requirements will be guaranteed acceptance to ARCOM.
• Guaranteed Interview
ACHE MSB students who complete the program with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA in good standing are guaranteed an interview with ARCOM.
“This agreement reflects our continued commitment to student success and to strengthening the pathway to medical education in Arkansas and beyond,” said Kyle Parker, ACHE president and CEO.
Degen Grants
Grants totaling $442,104.00 were awarded in July by the Fort Smith-based Degen Foundation to the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education, the Eastern Oklahoma Medical Center, the Community Dental Clinic, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Diamond Hills.
The Arkansas Colleges of Health Education received a grant in the amount of $389,587 to purchase new high-fidelity manikins, and hospital beds for the simulation lab, and place $10,000 in the Registered Student Organizations of ACHE.
“The integration of high-fidelity pediatric manikins and an additional labor and delivery high-fidelity manikin into the curriculum will significantly enhance student doctor education, patient safety, and overall patient outcomes,” Degen noted. “The addition of pediatric high-fidelity manikins represents a new and vital expansion of the curriculum, demonstrating the institution’s growth and commitment to advancing medical education.”
The Eastern Oklahoma Medical Center received a $28,867 grant to purchase equipment for training purposes. The equipment includes an AXEL Patient Simulator, a full bodied simulator with real-time speech and built-in audio-visual recording capabilities. AXEL scenarios help build critical thinking, decision-making, and priority-setting skills, according to Degen.
The Community Dental Clinic, a United Way Agency, was awarded a $19,400 grant to purchase three Cavitron 300 Ultrasonic Scaling systems to update their dental hygiene equipment. This will equip the clinic with the latest technology for effective periodontal treatment and oral health maintenance.
The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Diamond Hills, a United Way agency, received a $4,250 grant to help establish Community Hygiene Closets in their units in Alma, Mountainburg, Mulberry and Paris to ensure all children have access to essential care.
“By providing basic hygiene supplies, these closets help promote health, dignity, and confidence, reducing barriers to participation in school, work, and community life,” Degen noted.
The Degen Foundation was formed with some of the proceeds following the 2009 sale of Fort Smith-based Sparks Hospital.