Other NM universities announcements

A team of New Mexico State University students recently took the national stage at the 2026 Hult Prize West Nationals, hosted by the University of Arizona's W.A. Franke Honors College in Tucson, to present "Hormona", their innovative startup focused on accessible hormone health tracking.

After winning NMSU's local Hult Prize Pitch Competition in October 2025 as part of the Bold Idea Conference, Team Hormona advanced to the national round of this globally recognized social entrepreneurship challenge. Team members Sydnee Johnson, a business major, Alyssa Hernandez and Melissa Torres, both biology majors, pitched their venture – an at-home device that enables individuals to conveniently monitor and track key hormonal changes. Their solution empowers users to identify potential health concerns early, better understand their bodies, and make more informed decisions. It brings together biology-driven research with a clear market need.

Author, poet and non-profit founder Sheila Black will take the podium at an upcoming public reading at New Mexico State University, where she'll share her exploration of midlife, love, loss and recovery in her newest poetry collection "Cinnamon Fire." Her reading begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 24 at NMSU's CMI Theater in Milton Hall, Room 171.

Black's presentation is part of the Nelson-Boswell Reading Series hosted by La Sociedad para las Artes. The reading is free and open the public and copies of "Cinnamon Fire," along with another of her books "For the Loneliness of Walking Out," will be available for purchase.

The National Science Foundation's Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) is the NSF's most prestigious award. It recognizes the impact of junior faculty's success in research and education integration and will fund their quest for five years.

Last month, New Mexico State University astronomy assistant professor Juie Shetye received a 2026 CAREER Award, demonstrating her inspirational leadership for undergraduates and empowering them to become involved in research and pursue advanced degrees. This highly competitive award will run through 2031. Its title is "Hunting Magnetic Fingerprints on the Sun--A Tale of Flare-Jet Connections."

Shetye's research on space weather has come up with a prediction algorithm that can warn humans when a solar flare might occur.

The New Mexico State University Board of Regents will award longtime NMSU supporter and philanthropist Wanda R. Bowman an honorary Doctor of Letters in recognition of her decades of service to the university and the Las Cruces community. NMSU President Valerio Ferme will present the degree during commencement ceremonies beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, May 15, at the Pan American Center, 1810 E. University Ave. 

Honorary degree recipients are distinguished individuals whose contributions have meaningfully shaped the educational, business, scientific and cultural life of New Mexico and the nation. Since 1927, when the first honorary doctorate was awarded to horticulturist Fabián García, NMSU has conferred 172 honorary doctoral degrees, recognizing individuals both during their lifetimes and posthumously. 

The New Mexico State University College of Engineering invites students, faculty, staff and community members to attend a public lecture and expert panel focused on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances contamination in New Mexico's water systems. 

Titled "PFAS in New Mexico: What's in Our Water – And What Comes Next?", the event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon May 1 in Hernandez Hall, Room 103 on the NMSU Las Cruces campus. 

A full class schedule, work, family and other life obligations can make it difficult for many undergraduate students to gain research experience early in their careers. The Discovery Scholars Program (DSP) at New Mexico State University offers a more flexible option for students to explore their interest in research and expand their professional and academic opportunities.

Through DSP, students select a faculty member to mentor them through a research project of their choosing. Together, students and mentors develop a research plan, set development goals and define project milestones.

"The students are really driving this," said Michèle Shuster, associate dean of research in the College of Arts and Sciences and co-director of DSP. "Some students are brought onto their mentor's project and develop their own component. Others come up with their own ideas. It's a whole range."

Student designers at New Mexico State University are turning recycled materials into runway-ready looks as part of this year's Aggie Fashion Week, highlighting creativity, sustainability and personal expression through original designs. 

The weeklong celebration will culminate in the annual Sustainable Fashion Show at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 23, in Aggie Lounge at Corbett Center Student Union. The free, public event will feature student-designed collections inspired by this year's theme, "Reimagine," with garments created from repurposed and recycled materials.

The New Mexico State University community gathered to celebrate the institution's heritage and honor leaders who shaped the university at its annual Founders Day event April 15 at Traders Plaza on the Las Cruces campus.

This year, NMSU's Employee Council honored the "A" Mountain Staff Award recipient, Lizely Madrigal, University Technology Solutions and Support director, and the newest Aggie Legend, Garrey E. Carruthers, an educator and public servant. Additionally, NMSU support staff members were honored as part of Administrative Professionals Day.