MTSU faculty and staff took to WGNS Radio recently to share information about ongoing scientific research, new course offerings in the emerging virtual reality technology and a recently launched initiative by Todd Art Gallery.

The details were shared during the Feb. 19 “Action Line” program with host Bart Walker. The live program was broadcast on FM 100.5, 101.9 and AM 1450 from the WGNS studio in downtown Murfreesboro. If you missed it, you can listen to a podcast of the show here.

MTSU faculty and staff recently appeared on the WGNS Radio “Action Line” program with host Bart Walker. Pictured are, top left, professor Elliot Altman, director of the Tennessee Center for Botanical Medicine Research at MTSU; top right, Rick Rishaw, preparator for MTSU’s Todd Art Gallery; and bottom, from left, assistant professor Stephanie Dean from the MTSU Department of Media Arts, and assistant professor John Merchant from the Department of Recording Industry. (MTSU photos by Jimmy Hart)

Guests and their topics were as follows:

• Dr. Elliot Altman, director of the Tennessee Center for Botanical Medicine Research at MTSU, discussed the Center’s ongoing studies with nonpsychotropic cannabinoids, which are derived from hemp.

House Speaker Beth Harwell led a delegation of Tennessee legislators to campus Feb. 5 to learn more about the center and its research. MTSU invited the state lawmakers to illustrate the development and research underway and showing the medicinal strides being made. The research would be pertinent if Tennessee expands on a medical cannabis patient program.

• Assistant professor Stephanie Dean from the MTSU Department of Media Arts and assistant professor John Merchant from the Department of Recording Industry discussed MTSU courses in interactive media/virtual reality and the cross-disciplinary nature of the courses.

The university now offers a Bachelor of Science in Interactive Media. The degree is designed to help students embrace a world of new possibilities with hands-on skills built on a foundation of concept and theory to not only succeed in this exciting field, but to help invent it.

• Rick Rishaw, preparator for MTSU’s Todd Art Gallery, discussed the new “Saturdays at Todd” community outreach initiative.

The gallery is now open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each Saturday through May for exhibits, receptions, workshops, and other creative activities. Thus far, Saturdays at Todd has featured discussions/workshops on printmaking and figure drawing.

As preparator, Rishaw ships and receives artwork and installs all of the exhibits. He works with artists directly and indirectly to develop exhibits.

The gallery is free and open to the public. Weekday hours are Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Todd Gallery is part of the MTSU Department of Art and Design.

Students, faculty and staff who are interested in guesting on WGNS to promote their MTSU-related activities should contact Jimmy Hart, director of news and media relations, at 615-898-5131 or via email at jimmy.hart@mtsu.edu.