Other NM universities announcements

Daylight saving time isn't just a seasonal inconvenience – it may also pose significant neuropsychological risks for the hundreds of millions of people worldwide who experience biannual clock shifts, especially those living with chronic mental illnesses. 

That's according to a major new study by a team of researchers from New Mexico State University's College of Health, Education and Social Transformation and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas's Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine.

Drawing on more than 60 studies worldwide spanning chronobiology, psychiatry, neuroscience and public health, the researchers have concluded that the one-hour time shift caused by daylight saving time acts as a population-wide circadian stressor – and that people with depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, PTSD, ADHD and psychotic disorders face amplified risks during the days and weeks following a clock change. The study was published in the journal Brain Sciences.

Giving New Mexico State University freshmen the tools to become leaders on campus and beyond was the idea behind the 1888 Leadership Institute. Established in August 2025, the new leadership program concluded its first year in May 2026. 

A priority for NMSU President Valerio Ferme, the 1888 Leadership Initiative serves as one of the foundations of student success at NMSU with initiative graduates taking student leadership roles and making a positive impact to campus life. The program focuses on fundamental principles essential for being successful Aggies: advocacy, grit, gratitude, integrity, execution and service. 

Shayla Milian Morales, who completed her freshman year, appreciated how participating in the 1888 Leadership Initiative pushed her to try new things. 

WHAT: 2026 Animas and San Juan Water Sheds Conference.

WHO: New Mexico State University, New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute, New Mexico Environment Department and San Juan Watershed Group, Inc.

WHEN: 8 a.m. Wednesday, May 27, and Thursday, May 28.

WHERE: San Juan College School of Energy, Farmington, New Mexico.

Mosquitoes do more than inflict an itchy bite – through the transmission of diseases, they are the world's deadliest animal to humans. Researchers working to control the population of these invasive species need access to a steady supply of food for their lab specimens, and a new meal formula created by New Mexico State University researchers will provide them with just that.

In 2015, biology professor Immo Hansen began working with Ph.D. student Kristina Gonzalez on a meal recipe that worked well for the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits yellow fever, zika and dengue. They named their recipe "SkitoSnack." Since then, Gonzalez has earned her Ph.D. in biology from NMSU and Anjali Karki, a current biology Ph.D. student, joined the SkitoSnack project.

At the heart of New Mexico State University's Las Cruces campus, a tower rises above the profiles of surrounding buildings, standing sentinel and solemn as throngs of chatting students pass by each day on their way to class.

Once part of the university's Quesenberry Field, the tower was built as a memorial to Aggies lost to the Second World War – the culmination of a remembrance effort begun by the university's longtime registrar, Era Rentfrow, who made it her personal duty to reach out to these young men's families and collect their portraits to memorialize their sacrifice.

New Mexico State University celebrated the achievements of its first Leadership Empowerment & Academic Development, or LEAD, cohort during a graduation ceremony held April 30, marking the culmination of a semester-long professional development series for graduate students. 

The event recognized participants' growth in leadership, communication and professional skills, while highlighting their impact within the graduate community. 

Launched this spring by NMSU's Student Involvement and Leadership Programs in partnership with the Graduate Wellness Initiative, LEAD is designed to support graduate students as confident, effective and well-rounded leaders in academic and professional settings. The program included workshops on communication, conflict resolution, delegation, innovation and professional presence, along with opportunities to network with campus and community leaders 

As animal fats become increasingly popular alternatives to seed oils, a research team at New Mexico State University is working to improve how beef tallow performs under the pressures of fast-food restaurants.

The project is a collaboration between Francine Mezzomo Giotto and Gonzalo Miyagusuku-Cruzado, and one of several interdisciplinary studies supported by NMSU's Agricultural Experiment Station and Center of Excellence in Sustainable Food and Agricultural Systems.

"Beef tallow is in high demand right now," said Mezzomo Giotto, an assistant professor of meat science. "It's not only popular for cooking purposes, but also in the beauty industry."

A cohort of students from New Mexico State University and the University of Texas at El Paso successfully completed the 2026 Fourth Industrial Revolution Economy Venture Fellows program, finishing a competitive, one-semester fellowship in venture capital education and applied investment experience. Participants will now begin summer internships at venture capital and partner firms across the region.

The FIRE Venture Fellows program is housed within the Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship at NMSU's Arrowhead Center. The program prepares undergraduate and graduate students from the Borderplex region for careers in venture capital, startups and innovation-driven organizations by addressing long-standing gaps in representation across the investment landscape, expanding access to early-stage capital, and creating experiential learning opportunities connected to real-world investment activity.