Highlander Highlights: Week of Dec. 8, 2025

Highlander Highlights shares with readers some of the extraordinary research and accomplishments happening on and off campus through the tireless work and curiosity of our students, staff and faculty.

Collier helms Center for Applied Analytics

Zach Collier, assistant professor of management, has been named director of the Center for Applied Analytics (formerly the Center for Innovation and Analytics). The center focuses on practical applications of analytics to solve real-world problems, including teaching students about how analytics can be used in their careers and working with local organizations to use analytics to develop insights into business problems.

"We plan to host speakers during the academic year who are experts in analytics across a variety of disciplines and application areas," Collier said. "We will promote analytics education through workshops and training sessions and also work with faculty to pursue applied analytics research. One idea that we are excited about is organizing analytics competitions where teams are given datasets and then compete to generate solutions and pitch recommendations to complex problems. I look forward to leading this new center and working with partners across the university to advance the study and practice of analytics."

More information about the center is available here.

Boyd presents research at Australian symposium

Donna Boyd, eminent professor of anthropological sciences and director of Radford's Forensic Science Institute, co-presented a paper at the 27th Symposium of the Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Society in Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 13 with co-author Jade de la Paz of the University of Otago, New Zealand.

The paper was entitled: "Exploring the Global Development and Use of Standards in Forensic Anthropology."

This research evolved from Boyd's participation and leadership in the American Academy of Forensic Sciences' Academy Standards Board, of which she is vice-chair, and the Organization of Scientific Area Committees of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, both of which have as their goal the creation of national standards for forensic science. With this presentation, these standards for conducting forensic science case work and research were distributed to a global audience.

We Are Radford winner for December

The We Are Radford employee recognition program is a monthly honor recognizing an individual whose daily interactions with students and colleagues represent the best of the Radford University experience. The winner for December is Jessica Fenton, an instructor of undergraduate nursing.

"Professor Fenton goes above and beyond for the nursing students," her nominator wrote. "She ensures each student has what they need for their individual success. She acts as an advocate for her students."

Employees who have served at least one year at Radford are eligible to be recognized for upholding the university's core values.

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