The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering news for faculty and staff
Happening
Lunchtime Food Trucks will be at the Shaw Building's picnic area on the corner of East Paul Dirac Drive and Pottsdamer Street starting at 11:00 am. Lunch truck tentative schedule here.
COE Cafe: Fall 2025 Hours - Mon - Fri, 7:30am - 3:00pm | Menu
Q&A Welcome Week, August 25-29, 2025, 8:00am – 4:00pm, B Atrium, (Amwake)
Assistant Dean for Administration Search Committee Meeting, August 27, 2025, 10:00am - 11:00am, B202 for Zoom viewing (Brown)
IGNITE Event: Access to Capital for Startups, featuring Chris Edwards, Regional President of MidSouth Bank, August 28, 2025, 10:30am-11:30am, at IGNITE Tallahassee 1729 W Paul Dirac Dr. Innovation Park.
Labor Day Holiday, September 1, 2025, College closed
IGNITE Networking Mixer, September 4, 2025, 4:30pm-6:00pm, Ignite Tallahassee located in Innovation Park. Register here.
Kickoff: Quantum Bites Brown Bag Lunch, September 12, 2025, 12:00pm-1:00pm, at IRCB in 3070. (Guo)
FSU Career Center Staff Drop-in Advising, September 16 from 1:00pm until 4:00pm, A atrium vending area, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
EDGE Involvement Fair, September 17, 2025, 4:00-6:00pm; A & B atriums, (Amwake)
STEM Resume Cafe, September 25, 2025, 10:00am - 2:00pm, A Atrium (Lazar)
Engineering Ambassador Network (EAN) SE Workshop, September 26-28
STEM Career & Internship Fair, September 30, 2025, 9:00am-3:00pm, All common areas. (Lazar)
FSU Seminole Futures, October 1, 2025, all majors career fair
AIAA Guest Speaker, FSU alumnus and NASA's Assistant Launch Director Jeremy Graeber talks about his career journey and experience, October 3, 2025, 5:00pm-6:00pm, AME Auditorium (Jacobs)
Quantum Bites Brown Bag Lunch, October 10, 2025, 12:00pm-1:00pm, at IRCB in 2070. (Guo)
FAMU Homecoming, October 18, 2025
ORNL Student Workshops, October 15, 2025, 8:00am-5:00pm, IRCB (Keller)
FSU Discovery Days, October 20-24, 2025, TBD (Shearer)
Engineering Ambassador Network (EAN) SE Workshop, October 24-26, 2025, TBD (Keller)
FSU Homecoming, November 1, 2025
Veteran's Day Holiday, November 11, 2025, College closed
Quantum Bites Brown Bag Lunch, November 14, 2025, 12:00pm-1:00pm, at IRCB in 2070. (Guo)
Joint Management Council Meeting, November 18, 2025, 2:00pm - 3:00pm, Location B202 (Brown)
Thanksgiving Day Holiday—No Classes, November 26-28, 2025 (Wednesday-Friday)
Last Day of Classes, December 5, 2025
Final Exams, December 8-12, 2025
Quantum Bites Brown Bag Lunch, December 12, 2025, 12:00pm-1:00pm, at IRCB in 2070. (Guo)
Fall Semester Ends, December 12, 2025
Bookmark college events webpage.
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Guest Lecture, 10/3
AIAA Student Chapter invites students, faculty and staff to a lecture featuring FSU alumnus and NASA's Assistant Launch Director Jeremy Graeber, who will talk about his career journey and experience. October 3. 2025, AME Auditorium. Refreshments will be served.
2025-26 Florida Space Grant Consortium Opportunities for students
Senior Design Projects and NASA Competitions
The NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium will be supporting senior design projects (up to $750 for each project), NASA Competition participation (up to $2000) and other student competitions for the 2025-26 Academic Year.
Examples of NASA competitions are
- NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge
- 2026 Lunabotics Challenge
- University Student Launch Initiative
- NASA’S 2025 Human Lander Challenge (HuLC)
- 2025 RASC-AL Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts – Academic Linkage Competition
In addition, FSGC and the Florida Space Institute have a list of senior design projects developed and managed by FSI.
Project and process info here.
For application procedure and rules for submission of proposals please go here.
2025-26 Senior Design Projects at Kennedy Space Center (US citizens only)
Not offered this year
FSGC will provide support to student clubs like SEDS, AIAA etc (through a faculty advisor) for STEM-related student projects.
For application procedure and rules for submission of proposals please go to
Travel Grant for Students (US citizens only)
FSGC will be supporting student travel requests (up to $750 for each project).
For application procedure and rules for submission of proposals please go to
Internship opportunity at Cislune, Inc
One opportunity for an internship, during Fall of 2025 or Spring 2026, at Cislune Inc., located at Los Angeles, CA. Cislune develops lunar mining, ISRU, and construction tech through NASA SBIR/STTR awards. Space Grant interns join in real R&D that advances the Lunar Ecosystem.
For inquiries regarding all projects, please email jaydeep.mukherjee@ucf.edu.
First Fridays Quantum Bites Brown Bag Lunch Series
Local Achieve Academy Needs Donations of School Supplies
Achieve Academy serves students from age six through 8th grade for the 2025-26 school year. The school features a unique multi-grade classroom structure designed to teach based on each student’s learning level rather than age alone. Your will go toward purchasing items for our classrooms, library and technical resources, and supplies for after-school programs and more.
Your donation will help us create a learning environment where our students can thrive and reach their full potential. We understand the commitment this donation requires. However, every donation is an investment in the future of our school's students and education, and they are fully tax-deductible. Donations can be dropped off at the front desk in the Dean's Office, B202, through September 30, 2025.
- Pencils, Pens, Erasers, Highlighters, Dry Eraser Markers, etc.
- Crayons, Colored Pencils, etc.
- Loose Leaf, Construction and Copy Paper
- Kleenex Tissues, Paper Towels
- Glue and Glue Sticks
- Clorox/Lysol Multi-Purpose Wipes
- 3 Ring Binders 1.5
- 3 Prong Folders with pockets and Subject Dividers
- Post It Notes, Index Cards
Or you can donate via PayPal <The Achieve Academy> or mail a check payable to The Achieve Academy at the address listed below.
Thank you for being part of our team here at The Achieve Academy at 2529 Hartsfield Road, Tallahassee, FL 32303 | 850-765-0022
Dr. Adriane Peters, Ed.D.
Reminder Early Registration for Ethics in Engineering 2026 Opens Soon!
Federal Research Updates
Federal Research UpdatesOffice of Research | Information for Researchers HerE
Campus Safety Updates & Emergency Preparedness Information
At Florida State University, the safety and security of everyone on campus remains our top priority. The university uses a comprehensive, multi-layered approach to campus safety, integrating a top-notch campus police department, advanced technology, robust emergency management protocols, and dedicated security personnel. These coordinated efforts are designed to protect students, faculty, staff, and visitors alike, ensuring a secure environment that supports learning and collaboration.
As we begin the fall semester, we'd like to take the opportunity to introduce you to some new technology tools and resources, reiterate the various means by which FSU supports the campus community during emergencies, and encourage you to review emergency preparedness materials.
CAMPUS SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS
As is the case every summer, the university has been diligently working on campus enhancements. This fall, you will see new technology tools, such as panic buttons and lockdown buttons, installed in academic spaces throughout campus.
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Panic Buttons: These are blue in color and are silent alert buttons that send a direct alert to the FSU Police Department’s dispatch center. Use these in emergencies involving active assailant threats. When activated, they trigger immediate police dispatch. Remember to also physically lock the room where the panic button is being activated.
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Lockdown Buttons: These are yellow in color and marked “Lockdown.” When activated, doors are automatically locked, and FSU Police are immediately dispatched to the building. No one from outside the room can enter except FSU Police.
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Door Locks: Doors to academic spaces that are not equipped with centrally managed electronic locks have thumb-turn or push-button locking systems.
All of these new enhancements comply with university guidelines, ADA standards and building codes.
Our University Communications team collaborated closely with Public Safety to create an educational video that will teach you when and how to use these tools properly.
We encourage everyone to check classrooms, offices, and other university facilities at the start of each semester to know what technology is available in each location. DO NOT push panic or lockdown buttons to test them.
WATCH: How to Use Door Locks and Lockdown/Panic Buttons in Classrooms
In addition to these security enhancements, you will see an increased security presence at the Student Union. Throughout the semester, FSU Police officers also will hold office hours at the Union. Times and dates will be announced.
FSU ALERT
FSU ALERT is the official emergency notification and warning system of Florida State University. In the event of a situation or condition, occurring or imminent, that poses an immediate threat to the health, safety, or general welfare of students, faculty, staff or visitors to the university, an FSU ALERT will be issued. The FSU ALERT emergency notification system uses multiple methods for disseminating emergency information, including email, text messages, alerts.fsu.edu and social media.
WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY
Having a well-defined plan is essential for ensuring safety and achieving positive outcomes in the event of an emergency. We recommend that you review our Emergency Preparedness Guide and develop a personal emergency plan. In addition, FSU has Emergency Action Guides for many of the potential hazards we face in Florida and at FSU. Each guide provides protective action steps and best practices on how to respond to an emergency situation, including hurricanes, tornadoes and active threats.
ACTIVE THREAT TRAINING
The FSU Police Department will continue to offer Active Threat Training this fall, and participation is strongly encouraged. This training provides information and skills for responding during an active threat situation by understanding and applying the Run, Hide, Fight strategy.
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Upcoming dates for faculty/staff trainings are Aug. 26, Sept. 2, Sept. 9, Sept. 16 and Sept. 30. To register, visit hr.fsu.edu.
- You may also watch this short video to become familiar with the fundamental principles of the Run, Hide, Fight strategy or watch a recorded training session.
We appreciate your commitment to fostering a safe and resilient campus environment. By staying informed, participating in available trainings, and familiarizing yourself with the resources and protocols provided, you will help ensure that Florida State University remains a place where everyone can thrive. As a reminder, mental health and resiliency resources are available for all students, faculty and staff anytime, anywhere. Visit response.fsu.edu to check out support tools and resources.
Thank you for your ongoing support and vigilance. We wish you all a successful and secure semester ahead.
Fall 2025 FSU Department Part-Time Job Fair
The Career Center is excited to announce our Fall 2025 FSU Department Part-Time Job Fair - the perfect opportunity for FSU departments, institutes, labs, offices, units, colleges, schools, etc. to recruit students seeking paid, on-campus opportunities!
Reserved for on-campus, paid part-time employment opportunities only, this fair will take place on Wednesday, September 3rd at the Dunlap Success Center (100 South Woodward Avenue Tallahassee, FL 32306) from 1:30 – 4:30PM.
While the fair is free of charge for our campus partners, it will be capped at 60 registrations due to space limitations, Registration and details HERE.
REMINDER: New Mental Health Training Replacing Kognito
This new training was built in-house by FSU experts and campus partners to better reflect the realities of our community. It promotes mental health awareness, teaches suicide prevention strategies, and introduces participants to the C.A.R.E. steps—FSU’s structured approach to recognizing and responding to individuals in distress. The course equips employees with tools to engage in meaningful conversations that encourage help-seeking behaviors and contribute to a safer campus.
Please review the instructions for completing this important training requirement.
HOW TO REGISTER
For employees who previously completed Kognito: All current employees are highly encouraged to complete the new Mental Health Awareness training by the end of the Fall 2025 semester and may revisit the course content annually.
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Register via OMNI HR
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Course Name: Mental Health Awareness Online
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Course Number: COKOG2
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For assistance, refer to the Training Registration Guide or contact training@fsu.edu.
For new hires: Mental Health Awareness training remains part of New Employee Orientation (NEO).
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Register via OMNI HR
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Course Number: CONEO1 – Faculty/Staff
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Course Number: CONEO2 – OPS Employees
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Note: Completion of NEO automatically grants credit for both NEO and Mental Health Awareness.
To monitor completion reports by department: Department Representatives can run the query FSU_HR_TRN_BOG_MH to return employees by Department ID who have and have not completed the required training.
Refer to the Monitoring Mental Health Awareness Training Completion guide for additional information.
Questions? Contact Training & Organizational Development at training@fsu.edu or (850) 644-8724.
Find FSU Resources at response.fsu.edu
We hope you are having a fantastic summer and are finding ways to beat the heat. Whether new to FSU or returning to campus, we want you to know that your FSU community is always here for you. The resources listed below are available to help support your well-being, and we encourage you to reach out as you see fit. Thank you for showing kindness and support of one another.
To access important resources and updates, visit: RESPONSE.FSU.EDU
FSU Counseling & Psychological Services
FSU Employee Assistance Program
FSU University Health Services
Need to Know
Engineering Our Future
We identified five strategic priorities to focus on for the next five years. For each of these priorities, we set goals with identified metrics for our college:
Engineering Faculty Promotions for Fall 2025
Several joint college faculty members received promotions and tenure at the start of the 2025 academic year. These new titles and tenure statuses became effective in August 2025. Please join us in congratulating these faculty members, who are vital to our engineering education and research enterprise. Read the full story here and share your congrats on social media!
- Jamel Ali, Ph.D. – Promotion to Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering
- Bayaner Arigong, Ph.D. – Promotion to Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
- Shonda Bernadin, Ph.D. – Promotion to Professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
- Tarik Dickens, Ph.D. – Promotion to Professor in the Department of Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
- Rebekah Downes, Ph.D. – Promotion to Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
- Daniel Hallinan Jr., Ph.D. – Promotion to Professor in the Department of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering
- Jerris Hooker, Ph.D. – Promotion to Teaching Faculty III in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
- Kimberly Hunter, Ph.D. – Promotion to Teaching Faculty III in the Department of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering
- Brandon Krick, Ph.D. – Promotion to Professor in the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
- Lichun Li, Ph.D. – Promotion to Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
- Carl Moore, Ph.D. – Promotion to Professor in the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
- Unnikrishnan Sasidharan Nair, Ph.D. – Promotion to Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
- Manoj Shah, Ph.D. – Granted tenure as Distinguished Professor of Engineering in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
- Robert Wandell, Ph.D. – Promotion to Teaching Faculty II in the Department of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering
- Qian Zhang, Ph.D. – Promotion to Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Opportunities for Faculty and Staff
New LEED Training Workshops - Fall Webinars
With the LEED exam changing in 2026, the new LEED Training Workshop sessions are an excellent way for students to build their expertise in sustainability and earn their credentials before the new, more challenging exam is implemented.
LEED Green Associate Certification: Fall Enrollment
- LEED is the #1 Sustainability Certification: LEED is a scorecard to rate Green Buildings, but, people can also become LEED accredited highlighting their expertise about what it takes to work and build sustainably.
- Valuable Credential: Adds an industry-recognized certification that boosts employability.
- Open to All: Works for students of any major, with no prior experience required.
- Lifetime Credential: Students who pass before 2026 get to keep their credential for life and won't have to take the more difficult new exam.
- Affordable: Discounted pricing makes it accessible for all students.
Our workshops focus not just on passing the test, but on providing a deep understanding of the material to ensure that your knowledge is solid and practical. This approach significantly improves your chances of success, especially considering the exam's historically low pass rate.
LEED Green Associate (GA) Training - Webinar and Online self-paced options:
Live webinars that can be streamed on any of the following dates:
1. September 6 2025 – 1:00PM – 5:30PM EDT
2. October 4 2025 – 1:00PM – 5:30PM EDT
3. November 15 2025 – 1:00PM – 5:30PM EST
4. December 20 2025 – 1:00PM – 5:30PM EST - OR -
5. On-demand recordings completed at your own pace
The above options (1-5) are all identical.
Register for a live online seminar or start today with our on-demand recorded workshop completed anytime at your own pace here.
Both options offer comprehensive training, practice exams, valuable tips, and required textbooks - all led by a USGBC Faculty member. It's the most efficient and affordable way to master the material without breaking the bank!
Cost: $200 with the coupon code ‘green’ for $100 off! (Non-students $300)
Please contact the instructor Lorne directly with any questions at info@leadinggreen.com
Google AI Pro for Students
Google Gemini: Free Pro Plan for Students.
Free for 1 year. Get unlimited chats, image uploads, and quiz generations with more access to our 2.5 Pro model, Deep Research, and Audio Overviews, plus 2 TB of storage. Just for Students. Offer ends October 6, 2025.
Danfoss Faculty and Graduate Fellowship Program
We are excited to announce Danfoss Faculty Fellowship and Graduate Research Fellowship Program. Please see the attached program announcement, interest of areas and POCs at Danfoss and University of Southern Denmark (USD) to discuss and establish collaborative research.
Each department chair can nominate up to two (2) faculty (PIs) and their graduate students (one student per faculty PI) for the Danfoss Fellowship Program. Please discuss with your Chair if you are interested in being nominated. Nominations must be submitted as a single pdf file by 5 pm EST, September 15, 2025, via email to Dr. Richard Liang. Download the program info sheets here.
Please let Dr. Kim Jacobs and me know if you have any questions about this program.
Thank you!
Richard Liang
FSU HR: Fall 2025 HR Bootcamp Sessions
This message has been approved by Renisha Gibbs, Associate Vice President for Human Resources and Finance & Administration Chief of Staff, for distribution to all Deans, Directors, and Department Heads.
HR Bootcamp classes are now open for registration. While the core audience for these courses has traditionally been department representatives, we encourage department managers and leaders to attend whenever possible.
The HR Bootcamp training series provides comprehensive overviews of HR and department timeliness, tasks, deadlines, and processes. Please share this information with managers in your department.
Participants who complete Bootcamp I and II receive a digital training badge for HR Bootcamp. Bootcamp I must be completed to register for Bootcamp II. HR Bootcamp III is not required for the digital credential but is strongly encouraged for departments working with Faculty and Graduate Assistants.
HR Bootcamp I – Compensation and Employment & Recruitment
Date: September 11, 2025
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Training Center
Course Number: HRBC01
Session Number: 0010
Capacity: 50
HR Bootcamp II – Employee Data Management and Attendance & Leave
Date: September 24, 2025
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Training Center
Course Number: HRBC02
Session Number: 0011
Capacity: 50
HR Bootcamp III – Faculty and Graduate Assistants
Date: October 1, 2025
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Location: Training Center
Course Number: HRBC03
Session Number: 0009
Capacity: 50
Registration:
Registration Instructions: Registration Guide
Questions? For questions about registration, contact training@fsu.edu.
ORNL Opportunities Newsletter August 2025
Please find here the August edition of the ORNL Opportunities newsletter, produced for our Core Universities.
All internship-related questions can be addressed to education@ornl.gov, and graduate-related ones can addressed directly to William Jenks. Download the newsletter PDF here.
FAMU HR: Upcoming Trainings Calendar
Click here for the latest Upcoming Trainings calendar.
Dissertation and Thesis Defenses
Dissertation Defenses - TBA
THESIS DEFENSES - TBA
For full defense announcement info click here.
Good to Know
Challenger Learning Center Tutoring Returns
Astro hopes everyone’s first week of school is off to a stellar start!
Our free math tutoring program, Mission: Math, returns on September 4th from 4–7 PM.
Open to all K–12 students, each participant can select a one-hour time slot. Tutoring is offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
New FSU ID Cards for COE Joint Faculty
FSU is issuing new ID cards for our FAMU faculty in the College of Engineering. These new cards are designated "COE Joint Faculty" rather than "Courtesy" at FSU. This change reflects our efforts to better recognize and integrate our faculty within the college community, as outlined in Article 4 of the Memorandum of Agreement between FAMU and FSU and the One College goal of the COE Strategic Plan.
To obtain your new ID card, drop by the FSU card office.
FAMU-FSU Engineering Career Services Liaisons
Sean Collins - sean.collins@famu.edu
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Sr. Career Specialist, Career Services Liaison at FAMU-FSU College of Engineering | https://cpdcenter.famu.edu/
FSU - TBD Career Liaison for the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
Drop-in Career Advising at the Career Center (No Appointment Necessary):
- DROP-IN ADVISING WILL BE CLOSED DURING SUMMER BREAK, AUGUST 4 - 15.
Pre-Scheduled Career Advising Appointments with a Career Advisor (located at The Career Center):
- Login to NoleNetwork
- Click appointments on the menu bar options
- Click request a new appointment
- Select Virtual Career Advising
- Click search at the bottom
- Select your preferred appointment time to complete the booking process by following any additional prompts
- You will get a confirmation email and can always log back into your NoleNetwork account to update, change, or cancel your virtual career advising booking
Career Docs (Virtual Document Review):
- Students can submit their resumes, cover letters, and other career-related documents for online review and feedback via Career Docs - https://canvas.fsu.edu/enroll/3LWPX7
Job Fairs and Events | Jobs, Internships & Experience | Plan Your Career
Things to Do
Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee
Hollywood Movies at the IMAX | Call (850) 645-7796 to Buy Tickets
Faculty and Staff tickets are $11. Check out all the new movies now playing, here.
Resources
Engineering Career Services
Virtual and F2F advising hours here.
FAMU Academics
Undergraduate Links to academic info, student services, student life and more.
Grad Links to academic info, grad student services and more.
FSU Student Academic Resources
Undergraduate Links to academic info, official university announcements and public health information.
Grad Links to graduate student academic info, official university announcements and public health information.
Online Scholarship Search
FAMU Scholarships
FSU Scholarships
In Case of Emergencies
Call 9-1-1. If you have concerns about your safety while on the engineering campus, call FSU Police 850-644-1234.
The Engineering Library Circulation Desk
Hours are: Monday - Friday – 8am to 5pm | (850) 410-6328 | A225 & A248
College Lost and Found
Student Services in B111 is the college lost and found location. If you've found something, drop it off here and if you've lost something, check here first!
Need a Mental Health Break?
Welcome to the Breakroom, B226-H, which is available for one person at a time, from 9:00 am - 4:50 pm on normal business days. Reserve a 50-minute slot using this link.
FAMU Counseling Services and Support
Check online here for more information about individual or group counseling services.
To schedule an appointment, you can walk in or contact the office by phone at 850-599-3145.
If you are experiencing a crisis and need to speak with a counselor when our office is closed, call BetterMynd for FREE at (844) 287-6963.
FSU Employee Mental Health & Wellbeing Support
If you are struggling, please visit the Employee Mental Health & Wellbeing Support page for a list of on-campus and community resources.
If you are in crisis or need immediate intervention, contact FSU PD at (850) 644-1234. To reach the 24/7 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, call 988.
Questions? Contact the Employee Assistance Program at (850) 644-2288.
Want to add something to the next issue?
Email us! Deadline is Wednesday for Monday publication.