Space science program featured in state guide

MSU’s space science program has been featured in the 2015 Kentucky Economic Development Guide.

Published by the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, the guide features articles and information about businesses and industries that have an impact on the state’s economy.  According to the guide, the aerospace industry in Kentucky had

$7.6 billion in imports in 2014, and aerospace products account for 20 percent of total state exports. MSU is not only deeply involved in aerospace commerce in Kentucky, it is also training students for careers in space science, astrophysics and aerospace engineering.

Students at MSU gain hands-on experience in the design, construction, launch and monitoring of satellites. MSU is playing a crucial role in the development of cubesats and nanosats, which are used for a variety of applications by NASA and other aerospace firms. Students also play a role in satellite and spacecraft testing.

To read about MSU’s space science program in the Economic Development Guide, visit http://www.siteselection.com/cc/kentucky/.

For more information about MSU’s space science program, visit http://www.moreheadstate.edu/eass/.

Master's in communication offered completely online and may be completed in as little as one year

The Graduate School at MSU offers a number of degree programs that may be completed online, in addition to offering programs that may be completed in as little as one year. The master's in communication at MSU provides students with both of these opportunities.

A master's in communication is an excellent option for undergraduate students who wish to continue their studies and professionals currently in the field who are looking to acquire additional skills and education for career advancement.

Through a balance of core and specialty courses, students may broaden their knowledge of the communication field while learning the theory and practice necessary to raise their communication competence to higher levels. Specialty courses explore diverse areas such as organizational, intercultural, and small group communication, advanced public speaking, popular culture and communication media, and media criticism.

Students receive individualized learning in the program through directed research as well as internship courses, and students may choose to complete a thesis.

To learn more about the master's in communication program at MSU visit www.moreheadstate.edu/MA_communication.

For a complete list of graduate programs available at MSU visit www.moreheadstate.edu/gradprograms.

MSU joins NASA All Sky Fireball Network

Morehead State University has recently joined sites throughout the eastern and southern U.S. as part of the NASA All Sky Fireball Network.

The network is coordinated by NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office (MEO). The MEO equips network sites with black and white cameras which will have a full view of the sky overhead and will observe objects in the night sky which are brighter than the planet Venus, called fireballs.

The cameras at each site will have an overlapping view with those nearby, allowing measurement of the height and speed of meteors. The data collected can be used to create models of the meteor environment in Earth’s vicinity, which aids space craft engineers in designing space vehicles.

The meteor and cloud cover data collected through the All Sky Fireball Network can be mined for research purposes by students and faculty in Morehead State’s Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics.

MSU Physics professors Ignacio and Jennifer Birriel initially applied for membership in the All Sky Fireball Network in 2013. Jennifer Birriel said inclusion in the network will aid in research she and Ignacio are currently working on involving artificial skyglow. The University of Kentucky and the Cincinnati Observatory Center have also been included in the network.

MSU Art Education student named finalist in prestigious competition

Photographer’s Forum magazine is an award-winning quarterly publication dedicated to quality reproduction of photography across the United States and Canada. Each year the magazine hosts an international competition allowing thousands of college students to submit their work for publication. Out of more than 17,000 submissions, MSU student Kristin Gunn is a finalist in the competition and is one of approximately 200 students who will be published in the annual book.

Kristin Gunn is an Art Education student who studies photography as part of her curriculum and contributes her success to the encouragement and support from her family and MSU faculty members. “One of the main reasons I decided to attend MSU is because they have such a strong art department,” Gunn said. “After much persuasion from my photography professor, Lee Ann Paynter, and my parents, I decided to enter six of my black and white photographs into the contest. Lee Ann is such a great asset to MSU, she knows the best ways to give us constructive criticism with our photography to help us grow and capture better work. I owe much of my recent success to her.”

Winning photos will be published in the November 2015 issue of Photographer’s Forum Magazine and exhibited at the Brooks Institute. All contest finalists will be published in the hardcover book “Best of Photography 2015.”

To view Kristin's work visit www.pfmagazine.com.

Learn more about opportunities and programs available to students in MSU's Department of Art and Design at www.moreheadstate.edu/arde.

Online CIS degree offers convenience, flexibility

Morehead State’s Computer Information Systems (CIS) online degree program offers students a convenient, flexible way to finish their degree.

Students can take CIS courses online to earn a Bachelor of Business Administration with a Computer Information Systems track.  All of MSU’s business programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

The online CIS program is flexible, allowing a student to study at their own pace and in a way that fits into their busy schedules. It is an ideal program for business professionals seeking to earn a degree.

A degree in CIS prepares graduates for a wide range of technology-based careers, including network and database administration, web administration, programming, development and more. It also prepares students to continue their education in a master’s degree program.

MSU’s School of Business Administration offers several online degrees designed to help people reach their educational goals in a flexible way. For more information on all of the available programs, visit the School of Business Administration website.

Chemical Dependency Counseling program and minor helps combat substance abuse in Kentucky

The abuse of drugs and alcohol is a problem impacting families across Kentucky. According to a recent 2015 survey released by Interact for Health and the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, one in four Kentucky adults say they have friends or family members who have suffered from misuse of prescription pain relievers. Counseling and treatment are critical factors in helping people overcome abuse and addiction. MSU offers coursework that prepares students for careers to help combat substance abuse across the state.

We offer a master’s degree program in sociology with a chemical dependency counseling concentration as well as an undergraduate minor in chemical dependency counseling. Courses in the minor and master’s program are approved by the Kentucky Alcohol and Drug Certification Board and will prepare students to achieve certification to serve as alcohol and drug counselors.

The minor consists of five courses (including a practicum) and students may select two additional electives in areas such as health, nursing, psychology, sociology and social work.

A minor in Chemical Dependency Counseling complements degrees in social work, nursing, sociology, criminology and psychology.  Any MSU student may choose to pursue this minor.

To learn more about MSU's Chemical Dependency Counseling programs visit www.moreheadstate.edu/chemicaldependency.