Eberly News

AI may seem intangible, but it has a physical footprint. With support from the Department of English and the Department of Geology and Geography, the WVU Humanities Center welcomed San Diego State University’s Dr. Dustin Edwards, Associate Professor and Director, to campus on April 9. In a recent Q&A, we sat down with Dr. Dustin Edwards as he examines the infrastructure, energy demands, and policy questions surrounding the technologies that power artificial intelligence.

West Virginia University Libraries has selected two Eberly College undergraduate students as 2026 Robert F. Munn Library Scholars Award recipients: Noah Haak, a senior majoring in political science; and Camryn Morgan, a senior double-majoring in English and philosophy.

Martinez, a junior English major minoring in Art History with an emphasis in professional writing and editing, learned about the Rare Book Room through friends who had positive experiences also working with the History Center. As someone who has always loved libraries, Bonnie was drawn to the Rare Book Room and channeled that curiosity into their capstone project.

With support from the Department of English and the Department of Geology and Geography, the Humanities Center welcomed Dr. Dustin Edwards to our campus on April 9. In his presentation, Edwards tracked the policy developments, financial arrangements, and energy configurations that have paved the way for the rapid construction of hyperscale AI data centers in the U.S.

Thirty-eight graduates were inducted as lifelong members into the WVU Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, a national honor society that recognizes outstanding achievement in the liberal arts and sciences, and champions freedom of thought. 

The 2026 Order of Augusta scholars from Eberly College of Arts and Sciences are: Ronalie Abeyratne, graduating with a degree in biology pre-medical and a minor in molecular medicine; Emma Fleming, graduating with dual degrees in English and multidisciplinary media studies; Ella Holley, graduating with dual degrees in international studies and criminology; and Gabriele Smith, graduating with dual degrees in philosophy and multidisciplinary studies.

With World Book Day approaching on April 23, the founding director of the West Virginia University Center for Prison Education and Research says reading can be a lifeline for incarcerated people. Katy Ryan, Eberly Family Professor of Outstanding Teaching at the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, is available to discuss the impact of access to literature on those serving time in correctional facilities.

Four students from the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences were selected to receive the WVU Foundation Distinguished Doctoral Scholarship and the Carl del Signore Foundation Graduate Scholarship. The merit-based scholarship awards help students defray education and research costs as they complete their theses and dissertations.

WVU graduate students are advancing research with WVU Foundation scholarship support. Recipients of the WVUF Distinguished Doctoral Scholarship from Eberly College of Arts and Sciences include: Destinee Harper, Esha Azhar, Ciara Rodriguez, and Jailyn Wilson.

Each spring, WVU recognizes selected faculty members for their exceptional and innovative teaching. This year, the WVU Foundation Awards for Outstanding Teaching honored two Eberly College faculty members for their commitment to impactful instruction: Cody Hood, teaching assistant professor in the School of Mathematical and Data Sciences and Erin Brock-Carlson, associate professor in the Department of English.