Engineering
25 June 2026
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Volume 2, Issue 1 (2026)Read More
Featured Content
- Life Sciences25 June 2026
Distribution and impact of cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) in northern Mississippi
Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) is a non-native, rhizomatous grass that has invaded the southeastern United States. It forms dense mats that outcompete native plants, alters decomposition and microbial assemblages, and has highly flammable litter that alters fire behavior, affecting native plant communities. Though surveys for cogongrass have been conducted in southern Mississippi, the degree of cogongrass infestations in northern Mississippi has remained unclear and concerning. This study aimed to update cogongrass location data for the state and identify problem areas to guide state invasive plant management efforts. To provide a starting point, previously documented cogongrass locations were synthesized from natural history collections. From January to December 2025, roadside and ground surveys of cogongrass were conducted and resulted in over 75 patches identified in 31 counties in northern Mississippi. All cogongrass patches were less than 0.04 hectares in size and near heavily disturbed areas. Two cogongrass patches were found in and along streams, including one along Sand Creek on Mississippi State University North Farm. Additional surveys were conducted along 4.7 km of Sand Creek and located another 38 disjunct patches, ranging from a few individuals to 0.02 hectares in size. This study demonstrates that cogongrass has established and spread in northern Mississippi, but most patches are still small and treatable. Future research should continue to monitor the spread of cogongrass in northern Mississippi, as well as mechanisms of cogongrass spread through riparian areas.
Current Articles
Most Popular Articles
- Humanities1 January 2025
Shakespeare’s Portia: A Feminist Icon but Figure of Hierarchy
In Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, Portia achieves a level of agency that few Shakespearean women do with her wealth and wit despite having to conform to her father’s wishes for her marriage with the casket test. Through dressing as a man during Antonio’s trial, Portia even assumes a physical appearance that reflects her skill in gaining influence and gives her more power over the men. Because of her ability to assert control in her home and the courtroom, literary critics often present Portia as a feminist icon. However, Portia restricts other characters like the Prince of Morocco and Shylock in the same way that the men in the play restrict her. She does not stop the cycle of abuse but simply becomes the oppressor instead of the victim–a fact that many critics hint at but often fail to analyze further. In analyzing Portia's agency as the product of discrimination in this article, I recognize that Portia’s character illustrates the way one subjugated character can gain power over her oppressors by subjugating others, and while Portia rightfully remains a hero for many of the characters, audience members, and literary critics as a woman who gains agency, she manipulates hierarchies to suit her needs. - Humanities1 January 2025
Traveling Jack: Tracing Settler Identity Through Appalachian Folklore
Archaeology and Folklore have long had a tense relationship, but in an era of archaeology focusing more and more on the current and descendant communities it is imperative for archaeologists to begin engage folklore traditions in their work. By engaging archaeology and folkloric methods both fields can benefit. In the case of this study, I have used the "Traveling Jack" story, a common folk tale with English, Scottish, Irish, and Appalachian versions that involves a young man using his wits to overcome a series of challenges to achieve various happy endings, to trace Scottish and Irish settlement and reinvention in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States South. By analyzing various "Traveling Jack" tales and comparing motifs across cultures I argue that Scottish and Irish identities are maintained in Appalachian identity through "Traveling Jack" tales. - Social Sciences1 January 2025
Addressing Economic Instability and Workforce Turnover in Early Childhood Education: The Role of Stipends, Wage Supplements, and Professional Development
Child care workers are vital to early childhood education, yet they face persistent economic instability, low wages, and high turnover rates. To address these challenges, states and policymakers have implemented stipends, wage supplements, and professional development programs aimed at improving financial security, job satisfaction, and workforce retention. This literature review examines the effectiveness of these initiatives across the United States, drawing on theoretical frameworks such as Vroom’s Expectancy Theory and Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory to contextualize their impact. Research indicates that financial incentives significantly reduce turnover, while professional development fosters job satisfaction and career advancement. However, sustainability concerns remain, particularly with the expiration of temporary funding sources like the American Rescue Plan. The review highlights gaps in long-term research, equity considerations, and regional disparities, emphasizing the need for continued investment to ensure a stable, skilled, and well-compensated early childhood education workforce. - Life Sciences1 January 2025
Impacts of Southern Pine Beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmerman) on Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.) Canopy and Water Use in the Homochitto National Forest, Mississippi, USA
Abiotic and biotic forest disturbances can have many impacts to forest ecosystem services, including to forest water use. Studies on impacts to forest evapotranspiration have been conducted on the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) in western North America, but not on the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis), which is a native pest of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata), in the southeastern United States. Stressed pine trees produce pheromones that attract southern pine beetles and, with enough stressed trees, beetle populations can quickly grow to epidemic levels and attack healthy trees, which results in widespread tree mortality. This study aimed to examine the impact of southern pine beetle spots on canopy density and evapotranspiration in loblolly pine stands in the Homochitto National Forest from 2012-2021. Locations of documented beetle spots from the USDA Forest Service were used to extract normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values using Landsat satellite observations on Google Earth Engine, and evapotranspiration data at stand level from the OpenET platform for two years pre- and post-southern pine beetle detection for comparative analysis. Results demonstrate that southern pine beetle outbreaks reduce NDVI and evapotranspiration, but also highlight that other factors (e.g., understory vegetation) can result in stand-by-stand variation in hydrologic cycle impacts. Further, this study demonstrates that satellite observations can provide critical environmental data on impacts of forest pests. By understanding the relationships between biotic disturbance agents and forest water use capability in forest ecosystems, we can improve our understanding of the impacts of forest disturbance agents on ecosystem services and possibly help direct management of forest stands impacted by these disturbances. - Humanities1 January 2025
“We understand each other, then”: Binaries at Play in The Reluctant Fundamentalist
As the United States grappled with the fallout of the September 11th terrorist attacks, another, subtler conundrum was arising. As Mohsin Hamid writes in The Reluctant Fundamentalist, a chasm of difference arose between the First World and the Third. In Derridian terms, the United States grew to center itself, forming its own complete national identity that defied the Third World's cultural realm. In his writing, Hamid viciously attacks this deepening realm of cultural difference by taking aim at the violent domineering and heteronormative American culture whose imposition in the Middle East served to severe any ties between the two cultures. In this essay, I extrapolate on research by Aldalala'a (2012), Benmoh (2016), and Tilwani (2021), in conjunction with post-structural analytic theory to illustrate how Hamid deconstructs the binary opposition that the First World created against itself and the Third World. - Social Sciences1 January 2025
Literature Review: Investing in Early Childhood Education Pays Dividends
Early childhood education (ECE) programs, which include publicly sponsored pre-kindergarten, Head Start, and private child care centers, are vital to child development, family stability, and economic success. Benefits of early childhood education (ECE) include better lifetime wages, higher tax revenues, and less dependence on public assistance programs. Research has repeatedly shown that ECE offers a substantial return on investment (ROI). Federal funding for early childhood education is still scarce despite current data. This review of the literature looks at the long-term social, economic, and employment effects of ECE investments in the US, emphasizing how they can boost economic growth, increase labor participation, and lower inequality. A cost-effective way to enhance future generations' family financial security and societal well-being is to increase access to universal, high-quality early childhood education programs.