Other NM universities announcements

If you've ever sat down to a relleno plate at your favorite restaurant and marveled at how much room for gooey melted cheese there is inside those big, flavorful chile pepper pods, you might owe a little thank you to Roy Nakayama, the man who helped turn the 'NuMex Big Jim' chile cultivar into the world's largest pepper pod and left an indelible mark on chile consumption in the United States.

Building on the work of horticulture researchers like Fabián García, Nakayama's collaborative research projects at New Mexico State University spanned more than three decades and produce some of the most popular green chile varieties on the market. By some estimates, the cultivars developed by Nakayama and his collaborators bring in more than $10 million per year for producers in New Mexico.

New Mexico State University astronomers Wladimir Lyra and Daniel Carrera have known each other since Carrera began his Ph.D. in Sweden in 2012. Carrera's adviser was Lyra's longtime collaborator, Anders Johansen, an astronomy professor at the Lund University in Sweden.

"It's been 12 years, and I've been witness to the excellent work that Daniel has been doing in the field and the impact that he's been having," said Lyra, an NMSU associate professor in the Department of Astronomy. "After his Ph.D., Daniel did a postdoc at Penn State and then moved to Iowa after that. I was positively surprised and very happy to hear that he was interested in coming here."

Near the entrance of a 40-foot container farm installed at New Mexico State University's Grants campus, dozens of 4-day-old kale plants lined a horizontal nursery bed, sprouting at various lengths in shades of electric green from miniature patches of densely packed soil.

Further inside, instructor Gabriel Garcia flipped a switch. Instantly, red and blue LED lights engulfed the space, illuminating the intricate vertical farming system in a shocking pink glow.

Through New Mexico State University's Fashion Merchandising and Design program, undergraduate student Lizbeth Nuñez learned the intricacies of custom boot-making and the importance of craftsmanship – and earned an internship to boot.

"This internship opportunity at Rocketbuster Handmade Custom Boots allowed me to develop valuable skills such as attention to detail, project management and working with a team of wonderful individuals," she said. "Moreover, working closely with passionate professionals has inspired me to pursue a career that values creativity and precision."

New Mexico State University biology assistant professor Adriana Romero Olivares is among women from around the world featured in the book titled "Determined to be Extraordinary: Spectacular Stories of Modern Women in STEM."

The book reveals the personal stories of 27 active female scientists who have overcome hurdles to achieve success. The women are from a range of backgrounds, ethnicities, classes and cultures.

"I grew up with my family and no scientists nearby, just my parents not really knowing that you could pursue a career in science, that I could become a biologist," Romero Olivares said. "But I had experiences during my childhood that maybe subconsciously played a crucial role in me appreciating the environment and feeling very protective of it."

Portales, NM – Dec. 13, 2024 – The Eastern New Mexico University Board of Regents affirmed the ENMU Administration's November recommendation of a zero percent tuition and fee increase for ENMU students for the 25-26 school year.

With continued substantial state support, strong enrollment, and improved retention of students, another zero percent tuition and fee structure was made possible.

A Southwest Border Cultures Institute (SBCI) grant last year gave a much-needed boost to support Julia Smith's efforts to restore and digitize the films of the late Orville Wanzer, a pioneering yet under-recognized filmmaker from the 60s, 70s and 80s whose influence helped shape the evolution of "the modern western" and independent avant-garde cinema in the United States, particularly in the borderland region.

Wanzer was hired as a New Mexico State University English professor in 1959. He also taught photography, film history and created the first filmmaking program at NMSU. Wanzer died in 2019 at age 88.

Three months into his job as a student firefighter for New Mexico State University's Fire Department, Arath Ronquillo responded to a fateful incident that helped pave his way to earning a bachelor's degree in nursing.

Ronquillo will be among a class of more than 1,200 students who receive degrees this week at NMSU.

NMSU will host a commencement ceremony for recipients of master's and doctoral degrees at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, at the Pam American Center, followed by a separate ceremony for recipients of bachelor's degrees at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, also at the Pam American Center.