STEM Education & Workforce Pipeline: The University of Arkansas College of Engineering is leaning on its residential Engineering Summer Academy to make college feel familiar for future biomedical engineering students like Gabi Cardenas, who credits repeated campus summers with helping her choose UA. Biomedical Research Funding: UA’s Arkansas Integrative Metabolic Research Center is expanding with an $11.2 million NIH award to grow faculty and research capacity focused on metabolism in disease and repair. Battery Materials Innovation: Nano One says it successfully produced LFP cathode material and tested battery cells using battery-grade lithium carbonate from Standard Lithium’s South West Arkansas project, reporting performance near 155 mAh/g on first discharge. Space & Learning Tech: A Kansas State Salina student team built an immersive VR/AR game, “ISS: Rupture,” to teach youth how astronauts might detect micro air leaks aboard the International Space Station. Public Health & Food Safety: FDA and CDC began onsite inspections at Taylor Farms’ Mexican plant as a Cyclospora outbreak tied to iceberg lettuce reaches thousands of cases, including Arkansas. Wildlife & Livestock Risk: UAPB extension warns New World screwworm is spreading in Texas and New Mexico and urges Arkansas sheep and goat producers to treat it as an active threat. Local Tech in Government: Fayetteville named Jennifer Walker as chief of staff and Keith Macedo as chief information officer to support city growth. Privacy Tech Backlash: Flock Safety is tightening safeguards for its license plate reader network, including shorter data retention and limits on data sharing, as more communities question surveillance.