Other NM universities announcements

New Mexico State University Police arrested a suspect wanted in three arson incidents committed in the early hours of May 3 and May 4 on the NMSU campus.

Robin Appleton, 58, is charged with three counts of arson over $500 and one count of larceny in connection with the recent incidents. All charges are fourth-degree felonies.

NMSU Police investigated the incidents that occurred within a 24-hour period in which palm trees were set on fire near the Delta Zeta sorority residence, between Hardman and Jacobs Undergraduate Learning Center and Domenici Hall, and between Branson Library and Foster Hall.

New Mexico has crossed a major milestone in its mission to become a regional leader in reforesting lands burned by severe wildfires.

Federal, state and local officials gathered with community members in Mora County on April 27 to break ground on the New Mexico Reforestation Center, marking a turning point for forest management in New Mexico. NMRC is a collaborative project founded by New Mexico State University, New Mexico Highlands University, the University of New Mexico, and the state Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department's Forestry Division. 

New Mexico State University's Arrowhead Center NM FAST program is accepting registrations for a virtual workshop designed to help early-stage New Mexico founders understand how Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer awards shape their financial strategy, taxes, and overall runway. The workshop, "SBIR Funding, Taxes & Runway Strategy," will be held on Wednesday, May 27, from 9 to 11 a.m. MDT via Zoom. 

Led by Kevin Culver, an expert in R&D tax strategy and startup financial planning, the session will cover Section 174, R&D tax considerations, and how to manage non-dilutive funding while building a scalable company. Participants will learn how to align tax strategy with R&D activities, avoid common pitfalls, and make informed decisions that extend runway and support long-term growth. 

New Mexico State University biology professor Kathryn Hanley was selected as the 2026 Professor of the Year by Conference USA, an NCAA Division I athletic conference. CUSA is made up of universities primarily located in the Southern and Western United States that compete at the highest level of college sports.

The 2026 CUSA Professor of the Year was voted on by the member institution's provosts. The award comes with plaque and $15,000 to be presented in the fall at an athletic event chosen by NMSU.

"All of the CUSA nominees are amazing," Hanley said. "I am pleased to be honored, but anyone on that list could have been the winner. I think when students look at a university, having award-winning professors makes a difference when they make choices. That's their gateway into knowing the professor better and knowing what they can learn from them. It also gives them a sense of confidence in the quality of the professors."

Dianne Christensen, New Mexico State University professor and Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service Family and Consumer Sciences agent, didn't imagine serving as the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences national president. 

"I never aspired to this, to be honest," she said. "I was western region director, and that was enough for me, but the president's council was recruiting, and they approached me about running." 

Despite a personal health issue with a large benign brain tumor that required brain surgery, radiation and losing vision in her left eye in 2024, Christensen decided to run for NEAFCS president. The position is a three-year commitment and requires service as president elect, president and past president. Each role includes substantial national leadership responsibilities on behalf of NEAFCS as well as the Joint Council of Extension Professionals board.

The Hunt Center for Entrepreneurship at New Mexico State University's Arrowhead Center is supporting graduate students and recent graduates in applying to the Stanford Ecopreneurship Global Intensive, an eight-week summer program that connects founders with Stanford faculty, Silicon Valley investors, and a global community of sustainability entrepreneurs. 

The program, known as EcoGlobal, is a partnership between Stanford's Doerr School of Sustainability and Stanford Graduate School of Business. Through its participation in the EcoGlobal university ecosystem, the Hunt Center is helping facilitate access for NMSU students to this highly competitive global program. Applications for NMSU participants close Monday, May 4, 2026. 

Delegations from around the world convened in New York this April for the annual National Model United Nations conference. The New Mexico State University Model United Nations team (MUN) worked tirelessly to prepare, and their hard work was recognized with the highest recognition given by the conference – the Outstanding Delegation Award.

The 2026 Model U.N. event continued NMSU's long-term winning streak. The team has secured top honors in 19 of the last 20 years, only missing 2020 due to the COVID pandemic cancellation.

New Mexico State University's Arrowhead Center NM FAST program is making a final call for applications to its Larta Institute commercialization cohort, with a Friday, May 1, deadline for New Mexico-based deep-tech startups pursuing federal Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer funding.

The cohort, offered at no cost, will admit up to 20 New Mexico startups and begin on May 7, 2026. Programming includes five virtual workshops delivered every other week, covering customer discovery, sales and marketing strategy, SBIR/STTR Phase I application development, intellectual property strategy, and pitching and investor readiness. Participants also receive one-on-one advisory with Larta Principal Advisors, written Phase I proposal reviews, and SBIR/STTR mentorship through submission.