ATU Behavioral Sciences

07/09/2026

Congratulations to Arkansas Tech University faculty member Dr. Julie Mikles-Schluterman!

She has been selected to participate in the 2026 Higher Education Resource Services (HERS) Leadership Institute, a national professional development program that has been serving higher education leaders for more than 50 years.

Read more: https://www.arkansastechnews.com/mikles-schluterman-chosen-for-leadership-institute/

05/08/2026

Congratulations, Dr. Ulsperger!

Congratulations to the 2026 Arkansas Tech University Faculty Award of Excellence winners!

Dr. Soumia Amrine (left), associate professor of chemistry, is the 2026 ATU Faculty Award of Excellence winner in the teaching category.

Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim (middle), professor of curriculum and instruction, received the 2026 ATU Faculty Award of Excellence in the scholarly and creative activities category.

Dr. Jason Ulsperger (right), professor of sociology and criminal justice, won the 2026 ATU Faculty Award of Excellence in the service category.

Read more and access more photos from a faculty recognition event that was held Thursday:

https://www.arkansastechnews.com/2026-faculty-award-of-excellence-winners-named/

04/29/2026

We are happy to share that Dr. Sean Huss, professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice, has been named ATU's Professor of the Year for 2025-26!

Dr. Sean Huss, 2025-26 ATU professor of the year

04/07/2026

Students from Arkansas Tech University recently attended the Louisiana Archaeological Society/Caddo joint meeting in Natchitoches, Louisiana. During the conference, they engaged with current archaeological research from across Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, and had the unique opportunity to participate in traditional dances with members of the Caddo Nation.

Two students represented ATU through research presentations: Mikayla McMurray shared her investigation of a stone tool manufacturing site in southeastern Oklahoma, while Riley Chronister presented a comparative analysis of lithic raw material sources from the Ozark Mountains. In addition to presenting, students connected with professional archaeologists from across the region, helping to build meaningful relationships and strengthen ATU’s presence within the broader archaeological community.

04/06/2026

Dr. Ulsperger and Behavioral Sciences students were proud to answer a call from Brookdale Senior Living to help make their Easter celebration special. Through Project IMPACT, sociology and criminal justice students donated extra-large Easter eggs filled with treats for the residents’ annual Easter egg hunt, bringing a little extra joy to the day.

03/11/2026

Congratulations, Dr. Jason Ulsperger!

He was recognized as Arkansas Tech University faculty member of the month by ATU Faculty Senate on Tuesday, March 10.

Dr. Ulsperger is professor of sociology and criminal justice. He was honored for his leadership of Project IMPACT and its service to the community.

Read more: https://www.arkansastechnews.com/ulsperger-named-atu-faculty-member-of-the-month/

02/25/2026

Arkansas Tech University behavioral sciences students continued their community outreach efforts through Project IMPACT by delivering care packages to residents at a local assisted living facility as part of the initiative’s Pathways to Care program. The service project, entitled “Safety, Socks ...

02/12/2026

Learning lessons on how to serve the elderly and putting that information into action have been among the latest activities by Project IMPACT, an initiative by Arkansas Tech University Department of Behavioral Sciences students. Jenny Riley, senior companion program director for the Area Agency on A...

01/30/2026

Despite recent winter weather delays, sociology and criminal justice students remain committed to community care through Project IMPACT. Through the Pathways to Care initiative, Alpha Kappa Delta and Alpha Phi Sigma students collected over 200 personal care items and $200 in gift cards for the Area Agency on Aging’s Senior Companion Program.

01/22/2026

Mrs. Leigh Swain, an undergraduate anthropology researcher, has received a Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE). Her project, Where Culture Takes Root: Ethnographic Insights into Seed Stewardship and Tradition in the Ozarks, investigates the role of community seed stewards in sustaining regional agricultural heritage and cultural knowledge. Using ethnographic methods, the research examines how seed stewardship practices reinforce community identity, cultivate a shared sense of place, and contribute to long-term cultural resilience. Working under the mentorship of Dr. Joshua Lockyer, the SURF funded project will result in conference presentations, submissions to undergraduate research journals, and applied initiatives, including improvements to ROOST seed bank and the development of a public exhibit for the ATU Center for Heritage and Culture.