Distinguished Faculty Lecturer nominations sought Lamar University is seeking nominations for the 2018 honoree in the Distinguished Faculty Lecture Series, sponsored by ExxonMobil. LU faculty, staff, students, alumni, and retired faculty and staff are invited to nominate outstanding teacher/scholars for the award, which is now in its 32nd year. The deadline for nominations is February 28, 2018. Previous honorees are not eligible. The honor supports applications for the prestigious Regents' Professor, and includes a $3,000 stipend. The 2018 recipient will be announced in May at a meeting of the Faculty Senate. During the fall semester, on a date to be announced, the honoree will present a lecture to the Lamar Community and university guests in the University Theatre. The text of the lecture will be published and posted to the Faculty Senate website. Copies will be sent to the library at each institution in Texas State University System and to other universities throughout the United States. Each nominee must be a full-time faculty member at Lamar University who clearly expresses the university ideal of searching for knowledge through critical inquiry on his or her own discipline, and who supports and appreciates critical inquiry in the other disciplines of the university according to selection guidelines. Nominees must have completed one year of service and be currently teaching at least nine credit hours. The DFL committee that selects the lecturer is composed of faculty members and representatives from the student body, staff, administration, alumni and faculty retirees. The entire university and general community are invited to nominate prospective lecturers, and the committee selects the honoree based on the professor's proposed topic and on his/her professional background and recognized teaching/presentation skills. Nominees may nominate themselves, but nominations must be submitted to Dr. Dorothy Sisk, Co-Chair, Distinguished Faculty Lecture Award Committee, by e-mail siskda@lamar.edu. Additional information is available by phone at (409) 880-2316 or by the e-mail listed above. The committee strongly encourages previous nominees for the lecture to consider submitting again to the selection committee. Many previous recipients of the award were faculty who were nominated multiple times before receiving the honor. Students: Make an Appointment with Success Do you want to gain new study strategies and start your semester off strong? Make an appointment with LU Success! Our LU Success Partners will help you set academic goals and offer tips and strategies to reach them. It's FREE, so visit lamar.edu/stars to submit a request form or call (409) 880-7137 to make your appointment today! Spring 2018 Thesis and Dissertation Workshops The College of Graduate Studies will host its Spring 2018 Thesis-Dissertation Workshops daily on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, February 6-8, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Galloway 124. You need attend only one day to meet the mandatory workshop requirement for your thesis-dissertation approval process. If you are completing a thesis or dissertation this semester, and you have either never attended a workshop or it has been more than one year since you attended one, then plan to attend one of these dates. Each day will feature a visit from Jennifer Ravey, director of the LU Writing Center, and a presentation by Casey Ford, graduate studies editor, who will share vital information about your thesis-dissertation process, from approvals to formatting to editing and more. Please arrive no later than 3 p.m., and be sure to sign in as a record of your attendance. See you soon! IT Hot Topic - Wi Fi Security Lamar University provides two types of wireless networks. Find out what they are and which one you need to be part of by visiting our Wi Fi Security page! Also learn about off-campus wireless security and find answers to some wi fi questions you may have. Campus presentation by candidate for Director of International Student Programs and Services Wednesday, January 24 1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m., Family and Consumer Sciences Building, Room 106 Topic: "Transforming an Office of International Student Programs and Services from 'Good to Great' in today's American Higher Education" On behalf of Dr. Bello-Ogunu and the Division of Global Diversity, Inclusion and Intercultural Affairs, students, faculty, and staff are invited to attend a campus-wide presentation by Dr. Nithy Sevanthinathan, a finalist for the above position. Please view the candidate's resume and cover letter. Please join us and thank you for your continued support for Diversity and Inclusive Excellence at Lamar! An Entrepreneur’s Journey – Armed with a Physics Degree Jan 26, 2018, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Archer Building Room 108 Anthony George graduated in 1988 with a B.S. in Physics from Lamar University. After just three years in industry, he founded his first company Control Dynamics International which designed and engineered data acquisition and automated control systems for the Oil and Gas industry. Today, he is CEO of Nautical Control Solutions, the maker of the patented product FuelTrax, which helps marine vessels of all types optimize fuel consumption and reduce carbon emissions, saving vessel owners and charterers millions of dollars a year. He is the original inventor of FuelTrax which relies heavily on fundamental principles of physics, principles he learned while attending Lamar University. Today's presentation will be a walk through a 30-year career, focusing on lessons learned as an entrepreneur with a focus on FuelTrax and how what he learned at Lamar University, specifically in his physics classes, was integral in the invention of what has become the number one Electronic Marine Fuel Management (EFMS) system in the world. Humor in Aluminum: Twisted Tales from the Texas Historical Markers Files January 29, 2018 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., University Reception Center, 8th Floor, Mary and John Gray Library The Official Texas Historical Marker Program of the Texas Historical Commission boasts more than 17,000 markers, far more than any other state. Mining the state's files, former THC Chief Historian Dan Utley, author of "Humor in Aluminum: Twisted Tales from the Texas Historical Marker Files" and other books brings to light for the first time some of the challenges of maintaining one of the nation's most successful public history endeavors. His behind-the-scenes stories are filled with humor, irony, and good old-fashioned Texas orneriness, providing insights that speak to the collective goal of preserving vestiges of the past for the future. The reception, lecture and book signing are open to all students, faculty, staff and the public and is sponsored by the Center for History and Culture of Southeast Texas and the Upper Gulf Coast. Michael Wienert Entrepreneurship Lecture Series Presents Johnny Cupcakes 12:30 p.m., January 31, University Theatre The College of Business presents Johnny Cupcakes: Blueprints for Getting Any Small Business, Passion, or Idea Off the Ground, in the Michael Weinert Entrepreneurship Lecture Series. Over the past decade Johnny Cupcakes, founded by speaker Johnny Earle, has grown from a "joke" to a multi-million dollar, highly exclusive t-shirt brand driven by a community of world-wide collectors. Johnny shares his story of how he took his t-shirt brand from the trunk of his rusty car at age 19, with a learning disability, to some of the world's most sought after retail locations. REDtalks Presents: Time Management in the College World January 31 2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m., Mary and John Gray Library, 6th Floor College students often find time management to be a challenge. This REDtalk will provide students with time management tactics to help them adapt to the college setting and excel academically. Sponsored by STAR Services, REDtalks are presentations by faculty, staff, and students sharing expertise and advice to help students succeed at Lamar University. Faculty and staff are also invited to attend. For more information, visit lamar.edu/redtalks. 2018 Research Enhancement Grants (REG's) and University Scholar Research Enhancement Grants applications and University Scholar nominations will open FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 2018 at 8 a.m. All submissions must be done using LU Competition Space. Please review the guidelines when the competition opens as changes will have been made. DEADLINE TO APPLY IS FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2018 at 5 p.m. Lamar University 4400 MLK Blvd., PO Box 10009, Beaumont, Texas 77710