Dr. Khang Tran and Tamas Forgacs (Mathematics) had a paper accepted for publication in the Journal of Mathematical Analysis and Applications. “Polynomials with rational generating functions and real zeros” proposes a way to generate large families of polynomials whose zeros lie on the real line. While working on extensions to these results, Dr. Forgacs and Dr. Khang hope to connect two research areas in mathematics — one in analytic number theory and one in operator theory — so that known results in one may lead to new results in the other.

Dr. Tamas Forgacs (Mathematics) has received National Science Foundation grant funding to support faculty and student research. The Faculty and Undergraduate Research Student Teams [FURST] program, founded by the National Science Foundation, aims to connect faculty and students among primarily undergraduate institutions in an effort to aid the development of research programs of junior faculty, and to strengthen the culture of making research part of an undergraduate education across such institutions.

Dean Paul Beare (Kremen School) and colleagues from the CSU Chancellor’s office and Sacramento State were selected to receive a $2.7 million National Professional Development grant by the U.S. Department of Education. The project, College-Ready English Learners: Preparing Teachers to Foster English Language Development Using the Expository Reading and Writing Curriculum, will provide professional training to high school teachers in support of the development of English learner students’ academic literacy and language.

Orlando Leon (Chief Information Officer) has been invited to serve on the 2017 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference (Planning) Committee. EDUCAUSE is a nonprofit association and the foremost community of IT leaders and professionals committed to advancing higher education.

Janell Morillo (Student Affairs) represented Fresno State’s chapter of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi at the 44th Biennial Convention held July 28-30 in Atlanta, Ga. Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Morillo is past president of the chapter.

Denise Biggert (Craig School) was elected 2016-17 president of the Fresno State chapter of Phi Kappa Phi national honor society. Other new officers are Thomas Loewenheim (Music), past president; Mitzi Lowe (Health and Human Services), president-elect; Jim Marshall (Research and Graduate Studies), vice president; Lisa Hardamon (Smittcamp Family Honors Program), secretary-treasurer; Shirley Armbruster (University Communications), public relations. New at-large board members are Janell Morillo (Student Affairs), Nora Chapman (Arts and Humanities), Scott Moore (Continuing and Global Education), Saeed Attar (Smittcamp Family Honors College), Tina Beddall (Admissions and Records), Rudy Sanchez (Faculty Affairs), Dave Tyckoson (Library) and Dmitri Rogulkin (Institutional Effectiveness).