This feature in the Watauga Democrat highlights the career of Kaaren Hayes, who recently retired after 36 years with App State’s Parent to Parent Family Support Network. Parent to Parent provides free support to families who have a premature baby or a child with a disability, or to families who are grieving the death of a child. Hayes was with Parent to Parent since its inception in 1988, and she became program director in 1998. Hayes graduated from App State in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in child development.

In this feature in TIME magazine, health experts explain why people should focus on foods in addition to proteins before and after workouts. Dr. David Nieman, professor in App State’s Department of Biology, notes that carbohydrates matter just as much as protein when working out, as well as fruits, nuts, dark greens and other plants. Nieman is director of the Human Performance Lab at App State’s North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis.

NCInnovation approved $5.2 million in funding for eight research projects at seven North Carolina public universities. One of the projects to receive funding is App State’s beehive improvement and monitoring system, developed by Dr. Rahman Tashakkori, professor and chair in the Department of Computer Science. The Beemon system presents a unique and innovative tool for decreasing honeybee die-off and increasing hive production by allowing beekeepers to monitor hives with efficient and accurate data.

Dr. Melanie Honeycutt of Burke County Public Schools was named the 2024 North Carolina Technology Director of the Year. She has been an educator for 32 years and has served as Burke County Public Schools’ chief information officer since 2013. Honeycutt is a two-time alumna of App State, where she earned a master’s degree in library science in 1999 and a doctorate in educational leadership in 2013.

Dr. Maggie Sugg, associate professor in App State’s Department of Geography and Planning, is the featured guest in this episode of the Environmental Health Chat podcast from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. In the episode, Sugg talks about how climate disasters affect mental health in youth, as well as some strategies to promote mental health resilience in young people and communities affected by natural disasters.