Good morning, Fayetteville.

The University of Arkansas created a soft robotic gripper that received a U.S. patent in April and uses built-in sensors to pick blackberries without damage— engineers expect it may help farmers as hand picking remains limited.

The Sam M. Walton College of Business at the U of A announced that its management and strategy faculty were ranked 20th nationally for total research publications and 10th for publications per faculty member in the newly released TAMUGA Rankings.

The rankings (focusing solely on peer-reviewed research in 10 top-tier academic journals) show the high quality and impact of the faculty’s work.

Richard Cassady, a long-time industrial engineering professor at the University of Arkansas and a triple Hokie, was inducted into the Virginia Tech Department of Engineering Education Academy of Distinguished Alumni for his leadership in mentoring students—he founded UA’s first-year engineering program and coaches team-based robotics programs.

The College of Engineering will host a free two-day Teaching Assistant Professional Development Workshop for all engineering graduate students from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug.

11, and Tuesday, Aug. 12 in John A. White Engineering Hall room 337—students must register by Aug. 1.

Engineering Career Connections hosted its inaugural Experience Circles Showcase this spring to celebrate student innovation and mentorship as 20 students worked with industry and faculty mentors on practical projects.

Senior Xavier Taylor-Rouse built an automated nutrient delivery system that monitored plant health — a project that showed how the program bridged classroom learning with real-world skills.

Deborah Korth, senior associate vice provost for student success and academic excellence at Fulbright College, was named the recipient of the 2025 Ro Di Brezzo Service to Teaching Award for her dedication to campus teaching.

She will be recognized at the Faculty Awards Reception on Sept. 25 + receive a $500 teaching enhancement grant and a recognition plaque.

A campus research collaborative awarded seed funding to eight interdisciplinary research teams to pursue projects with potential for future external funding—supporting one year of work that began July 1.

Faculty from several departments attended workshops in March and April that led to 17 proposals before the selections were made—spurring new collaborations across campus.

The U of A is planning four initiatives to improve campus parking—expanding transit services, building a new parking garage, upgrading parking management with real-time data, and refining communication strategies to guide users.

More than 2,000 students and employees provided feedback in a recent survey, and the changes will start this fall as part of a long-term plan.

Crews from Facilities Management are repairing the Union underpass to prepare for the start of classes; traffic now uses temporary signals—vehicles pass one at a time—and the project will run through the end of July.

Drivers should avoid parking in the outer lanes reserved for active traffic flow.

Ozark Enduro Lite Race 2

9 a.m. — Centennial Park — Registration required — Test your skills in a friendly Enduro mountain bike race designed for beginners.

Song Camp 2025

10 a.m. – 3 p.m. — Folk School of Fayetteville — Cost varies — A week-long day camp for kids to explore singing and music-making through cultural songs and fun activities.

Rob Schneider Live Performance

7:30-9 p.m. — JJ's Live — Tickets required — Enjoy laughs with Rob Schneider during his You Can Dooo It! The Tour.

Vincent Neil Emerson Live Concert

8:30-10:00 p.m. — George's Majestic Lounge — Tickets available online or at the door — Enjoy great music from Vincent Neil Emerson with Agalisiga 'Chuj' Mackey while sipping your favorite drinks.

Awakening Vitality: Community Qigong

6:30-7:30 p.m. — Lower Ramble, Fayetteville — Free entry — Experience a gentle outdoor Qigong practice that promotes harmony and connection with nature.

Texas Tailgaters at Party Animals

7-10 p.m. — Baum–Walker Stadium — Ticket prices vary — Experience the circus-like excitement of banana ball with the Party Animals in Fayetteville.

The Songwriters Guitar Workshop

1:30-4:30 p.m. — Folk School of Fayetteville — Price TBA — Explore the integral role of guitar in songwriting through engaging discussions and critiques.

New Found Glory Concert

7:00-9:30 p.m. — JJ's Live — Ticket prices vary — Experience the legendary pop-punk sounds of New Found Glory live in Fayetteville.

Concert with Clipse & Earthgang

8:00 – 9:30 PM — JJ's Live — Tickets available online or at the door — Enjoy a night of great music with Clipse and Earthgang while sipping on your favorite drinks.