Other NM universities announcements

New Mexico State University didn't offer an accredited social work degree until Alvin Sallee stepped up to lead the fledgling program in the mid-1970s. That was 50 years ago. 

Today, NMSU's School of Social Work is celebrating a half-century milestone that wouldn't have been possible without Sallee's determination to build a department centered on student success and focused on helping New Mexico residents and communities improve their well-being and overcome systemic challenges.

Sallee, the school's first director, will be among the guest speakers at a 50th anniversary celebration from 3 to 6 p.m. Nov. 6 in Corbett Center Student Union's east ballroom on NMSU's Las Cruces campus. The event will include remarks, tributes, alumni recognitions and a reception with a ballet folkórico performance. It is open to NMSU alumni, faculty, staff students and supporters.

For years, New Mexico State University's Department of Mathematical Sciences has hosted its online competition, Math Problem of the Week, where the winner receives $500 for correctly solving the most math problems during the semester. However, as AI becomes increasingly normalized and integrated into student's studies, the Math Problem of the Week has undergone major changes. 

In the past, the process was simple: post a math equation every few weeks, wait for responses and score students accordingly. But during the 2025-26 school year, Prasit Bhattacharya, an associate professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences and a developer of the program, said an unusual trend began to emerge. 

The United States Department of Energy has awarded a $22.1 million grant to New Mexico State University's Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center, funding the center for the next five years and further ensuring that surrounding communities feel safe living close to a radioactive waste repository.

Established in 1991, the CEMRC is part of NMSU's College of Engineering and conducts environmental monitoring in Carlsbad, New Mexico, and other areas around the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming part of the business landscape, creating new opportunities for organizations to improve efficiency, strengthen customer engagement, and support employees. For small businesses, however, knowing where to start can be challenging.

To help Southern New Mexico businesses better understand and prepare for the growing role of artificial intelligence, New Mexico State University Global Campus is partnering with the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance to present AI Readiness for Small Business, an online course designed to help business owners and professionals develop a practical understanding of AI and its potential applications in the workplace.

Giving middle school students and their families an in-person glimpse into careers through college is the goal of the Young Achievers Forum. New Mexico State University will host the annual event from 8 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Corbett Center Student Union.

Young Achievers Forum will bring 200 to 250 sixth- and seventh-grade students from Gadsen Independent School District, Hatch Valley and Las Cruces Public Schools to NMSU to give them an opportunity to experience college. The free event is a collaboration between NMSU and CommUNITY en Acción, a local civic organization of leaders dedicated to furthering education in the community. NMSU students and staff, along with community volunteers, help make the event possible. 

New Mexico State University Museum of Art new exhibitions: "Marietta Patricia Leis: Breathing Lessons" and "Shirley Crow: On the Edge," Admission to all programming is free and open to the public.

Marietta Patricia Leis, is a renowned New Mexico-based artist whose major career retrospective reflects 40 works of multidisciplinary practice across a diverse range of media, including video, painting, photography, sculpture, poetry and sound.

Shirley Crow, based in Tesuque, NM, is a painter who creates abstract works expressing her enduring wonder for the universe and the miracle of being alive. Spanning nearly fifty years, "On the Edge," traces the trajectory of Crow's career, exploring an artistic practice grounded in a lasting sense of wonder about the mysteries of the universe.

New Mexico State University Civil Engineering Assistant Professor Qianyun (Gloria) Zhang is well known on the NMSU campus for her work in mentoring engineering students. Recently, the National Science Foundation recognized Zhang's mentorship and research work with the NSF CAREER Award.

The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is the National Science Foundation's most prestigious award in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education, and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. Activities pursued by early-career faculty build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research. 

The National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH) has launched the first national AI effort built exclusively for public university systems.

"AI is no longer simply an emerging technology; it has critical and lasting implications for student success, academic governance and institutional capacity," said Jessica Todtman, NASH executive vice president. "By leveraging the collective power of public systems, we are moving public higher education beyond fragmented, isolated campus experimentation toward a cohesive, scalable model of readiness."

Enrico Pontelli, dean of New Mexico State University's College of Arts and Sciences and NMSU senior adviser for AI, is among the sitting and emeritus chancellors, system presidents and chief AI officers chosen to leverage collective scale and move public higher education from isolated campus experimentation toward coordinated, sustainable system-level AI readiness. The NASH AI Advisory Board includes 35 leaders from public higher education systems, campuses and the broader AI field.