An associate professor of forest resource management, Kidd joined the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture in 2016. Her research and teaching interests include forest resources management, forest ecology, dendroecology, and forest disturbance and restoration ecology.

“I am very honored to receive this award, as I feel it is a testament to my passion for teaching and desire to inspire future natural resource leaders,” Kidd said. “This award reflects the excellent mentors within my college and at previous institutions.”

Kidd actively mentors undergraduate research and serves as a research advisor to graduate students while maintaining an active portfolio of research grants and professional publications, as well as professional and university service. She also serves as faculty advisor to the student chapter of the Society of American Foresters.

Prior to joining SFA, Kidd served as a postdoctoral associate for Virginia Tech’s Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation. Kidd holds a doctoral degree in forestry from Virginia Tech, a Master of Science in forest resources from the University of Arkansas at Monticello, and a Bachelor of Science in biology from Campbell University.

Kidd is the recipient of this year's Teaching Excellence Award for the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture.

This is one in a series of 2022 Teaching Excellence Award features.

Faculty members from the College of Sciences and Mathematics served as mentors to STEM Academy students, helping them with research ideas and teaching them how to implement and analyze data.

Under the faculty members’ direction, the students advanced to the Texas Science & Engineering Fair held at Texas A&M University. Two students advanced to the Regeneration International Science and Engineering Fair in Georgia. Projects covered everything from the decomposition rates of fetal pigs to determining which soil treatment is best for plants.

SFA’s STEM Academy is a partnership with the Nacogdoches and Lufkin independent school districts.

Each year, SFA hosts two student-centered research conferences: the Undergraduate Research Conference and the Graduate Research Conference. During these events, students present their papers and posters.

The URC will run from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, in the Baker Pattillo Student Center. The top scholar presentations start at 4 p.m. in the BPSC Theater, and the poster presentations begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Twilight Ballroom. Food and refreshments will be available.

One research project from each of SFA’s six colleges and one from a regional college is chosen as top scholar. Seven additional outstanding student research projects are selected by each college and designated as finalists. Finalists present a research poster during the conference. View the 2022 top scholars and finalists.

The GRC will run from 1 to 5 p.m. April 21 at Steen Library. Archived presentations may be viewed online at grc.sfasu.edu.

SFA’s University Marketing Communications office is hosting a casting call to find students willing to help tell the Lumberjack story by starring in videos, advertisements, recruitment materials, news articles and other promotional efforts. We’d love for faculty and staff to help us spread the word.

All students are encouraged to register, and no previous experience is necessary. We want to tell all sorts of stories featuring all sorts of students!

Students can register online at gosfa.com/castingcall and are asked to complete the form by Wednesday, April 13, to be included in marketing pieces for the coming fall semester. Forms submitted after that date will be held for future marketing efforts.

Employees are asked to share the registration link with their classes or interested students.

The SFA Faculty Senate will meet in a regular session at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 13, via Zoom.

Dr. Lorenzo Smith, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, will present an update from the Office of the Provost. The meeting’s agenda includes discussions of Latin honors, policy reviews, 4SP priorities, withdrawal dates, changes to the Faculty Senate’s standing rules and Faculty Senate officer elections.

For more information, contact your senator or the Faculty Senate chair, Brian Uriegas, at uriegasb@sfasu.edu.

SFA Gardens will host its annual Garden Gala Day Plant Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 9 and 10, at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center.

The sale will feature more than 300 varieties of hard-to-find, “Texas tough” plants, including Texas natives, edibles, heirlooms, tropicals, perennials, shrubs and trees, with an emphasis on pollinator-friendly selections, as well as exclusive SFA introductions. The featured plants are extensively trialed before being offered to the public and are produced by SFA Gardens staff members and volunteers.

Parking will be available at the Janice A. Pattillo Early Childhood Research Center. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early and bring a wagon to haul their plants. For more information, call (936) 468-4404. A full list of available plants is on the SFA Gardens website.

Faculty, staff and community members are invited to join the Office of International Programs for a presentation about Vietnam at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 13, in the Ferguson Building, Room 371.

The event will include a presentation led by an SFA international student from Vietnam who will introduce us to the country as well as its traditions and lifestyle. A Q&A session will follow the presentation.

The presentation will also be on Zoom.

Zoom ID: 969 3179 2093

Passcode: 615899

For more information, contact Anna Crenshaw at (936) 468-1608 or crenshawaj1@sfasu.edu.

SFA faculty, staff and students are invited to the Lone Star Legislative Summit sessions running throughout the day tomorrow in the Baker Pattillo Student Center.

This year’s free panel discussions, which run from 9:10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the BPSC Theater, will be co-hosted by State Sen. Robert Nichols, R-District 3, and State Rep. Travis Clardy, R-District 11. Session topics include immigration, education, infrastructure, energy, health care and social media.

“The Nacogdoches County Chamber has reached out to students and faculty on the SFA campus as well as across our community and East Texas, inviting all to attend the summit,” said Ted Smith, government affairs co-chair at the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce. “We have to keep in step with those who will make decisions for us in the 88th Texas Legislative Session.”

LSLS, a biennial program founded by the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce in 2006, kicks off with a reception at 5 p.m. today at The Fredonia Hotel. To view the agenda and register, visit nacogdoches.org/lsls. Attendees may be asked to show identification before entering meeting rooms. Follow #LSLS2022 on social media.

The Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Organization of Asian Excellence are co-hosting "Asian Talks" from noon to 1 p.m. April 20 in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Grand Ballroom.

Keynote speaker Curtis Tran, junior finance major who established OAE, will talk about COVID-19 and its effect on Asian communities in the United States and across the globe.

The event is free and open to the public. Food will be provided. For more information, contact Veronica Beavers at vbeavers@sfasu.edu or at (936) 468-1073.

Softball

SFA - 5 vs. Texas Southern University - 1

Baseball

SFA - 4 vs. The University of Texas at San Antonio - 14

Members of the double reed music faculty will present the recital program “Dreaming in Color” at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 10, in Cole Concert Hall.

The performance will feature Dr. Margaret P. Fay, visiting assistant professor of bassoon, and Graham Mackenzie, adjunct instructor of oboe, accompanied by Dr. Thomas Nixon, SFA collaborative pianist.

The concert of “whimsical works” of living composers will include “Dreaming in Colours” by HyeKyung Lee, “Four Personalities” by Alyssa Morris and “The Wildflower Trio” by Jenni Brandon.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. To purchase tickets, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit finearts.sfasu.edu. For additional information, contact the SFA School of Music at (936) 468-4602.

The Music Preparatory Division, in partnership with the Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau, continues to add sponsorships to its first Music and Arts Festival, slated for April 23 in downtown Nacogdoches.

The family friendly outdoor music festival is from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and takes place predominantly on the downtown square. It will feature student music and dance performances, local artists, exhibit booths, children’s games and more, according to Alba Madrid, director of the Music Prep program in the School of Music. Music Prep students, SFA student musicians and community musicians will perform on several downtown stages and in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House, and local artists will exhibit works throughout downtown.

The sponsorship deadline has been extended to tomorrow. Additionally, local merchants can be a part of the festival by showcasing their businesses at booth spaces that will be located around the square and along Main Street and/or by donating door prizes to be given away during the festival.

For more information about sponsorships, contact Madrid at (936) 468-1291 or musicprep@sfasu.edu. For more information about Music Prep, visit sfamusicprep.com.

Artist Adriana Corral will serve as juror for the 27th Texas National, SFA’s acclaimed art competition and exhibition, which opens tomorrow and runs through June 30 in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

Art patrons and community members will have an opportunity to participate in a “juror’s chat” session with Corral at 5 p.m. tomorrow to be followed by an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m.

Texas National features an assortment of art from various media, according to Erik Ordaz, exhibition coordinator for Cole Art Center. Prizes will be awarded for first, second, third and best in show at the juror’s discretion.

The Wind Ensemble will present the program “Primaries” for its final concert of the spring semester at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Grand Ballroom. Admission is free.

The concert features pieces that are considered staples in the wind band literature along with the SFA premiere of “Yellow Red Blue” by Paul Dooley, according to Dr. Tamey Anglley, director of bands at SFA and director of the Wind Ensemble.

The program also includes Richard Strauss’s Serenade for Winds, Op. 7, which will be conducted by graduate student Abbigail Ramsey; “Overture to Candide” by Leonard Bernstein, which is transcribed for band by Clare Grundman; and Paul Hindemith’s landmark piece, Symphony in B-flat.

For additional information, contact the School of Music at (936) 468-4602.

The School of Theatre will present William Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” nightly at 7:30 p.m. through Saturday, April 9, in Kennedy Auditorium.

General ticket prices are $15, adult; $10, senior (62+); $7.50, SFA faculty/staff; $7.50, youth; and $5, student. Purchase tickets at boxoffice.sfasu.edu or call (936) 468-6407. For questions about the play, contact the School of Theatre at (936) 468-4003.

Two of Charles Darwin's notebooks believed stolen two decades ago were recently returned to the Cambridge University Library in a pink gift bag with the following note:

"Librarian

Happy Easter

X"

One of the notebooks contains Darwin's famous 1837 "Tree of Life" sketch. An investigation is ongoing.