Faculty & Staff

Dr. Wendy Xie, professor of Chinese at Appalachian State University, reads Mulan with her students at the Watauga County Public Library International Storytime event. They read Mulan in both English and Chinese for those in attendance. International Storytime is a series of storytelling events by Appalachian State University faculty members and students during the spring 2026 semester, sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for Student Success. The next story time will be Thursday,

Library hosts reading of Mulan for International Storytime series [faculty featured]
Jan 21, 2026

Dr. Wendy Xie, professor of Chinese at Appalachian State University, reads Mulan with her students at the Watauga County Public Library International Storytime event. They read Mulan in both English and Chinese for those in attendance.

Faculty & Staff, Outreach & Community Engagement
A logo featuring the text "Boone Docs Film Festival: Celebrating Life in Appalachia."

February 27-28: 5th Annual Boone Docs Film Festival
Jan 16, 2026

BOONE, N.C. — The fifth annual Boone Docs Film Festival, a showcase for short documentaries celebrating the people who live and work in Appalachia, returns in late February to Boone. The 2026 Boone Docs Film Festival includes five events across two days – Feb. 27 and Feb. 28.

College News, Events, Faculty & Staff
Dr. Zachary Russell

Dr. Zach Russell discusses NC Innovation research on Spectrum News
Jan 13, 2026

Two NC Innovation grant recipients explain how their research is moving from the lab into the real world. Dr. Zachary Russell of Appalachian State University discusses an AI-powered microscope designed to help farmers diagnose parasites faster, while Dr.

Faculty & Staff, Grants & Research
Erik Martella sits on a stone wall and smiles while pouring himself a glass of red wine.

Demystifying Wine for the Next Generation [faculty featured]
Jan 9, 2026

As both an educator and winemaker, Erik Martella has spent decades thinking about how people encounter wine, not just as a beverage, but as an experience shaped by history, hospitality, and human connection.

Faculty & Staff
Ann Wortinger is a lecturer and content development coordinator for the Veterinary Technology program in the Department of Rural Resilience and Innovation at Appalachian State University.

Ann Wortinger discusses vet techs' role in diabetes education in Veterinary Practice News
Jan 9, 2026

One area in which veterinary technicians excel is client education. In the case of a pet recently diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM), this becomes a critically important skill.

Faculty & Staff
From left to right, Trevor McKenzie, Sammy Osmond, Jackson Lewis, and Grayson McGuire. (Photo by Rusty Williams)

In Lansing, North Carolina, A Music Festival Used Stringband Tunes To Drive Ongoing Hurricane Recovery Efforts [faculty featured]
Jan 7, 2026

All across Appalachia, communities have historically leaned on music to help get work done. Whether tending the garden or marching along the picket line, music has been a way to keep people motivated and rally them around a cause.

Faculty & Staff
Dr. Brett Taubman is a professor and the director of the Fermentation Sciences program in Appalachian State University's A.R. Smith Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences.

Dr. Brett Taubman authors chapter in upcoming ACS Symposium Series volume
Jan 6, 2026

BOONE, N.C. — Dr. Brett Taubman, professor and director of the Fermentation Sciences program in Appalachian State University's A.R.

Faculty & Staff