Racer Report: June 22-26
By MSU Public Relations | Jun 25, 2026
MURRAY, Ky. — The latest Murray State University Racer Report includes student, faculty, staff and alumni accomplishments, announcements, upcoming campus events and more for the week of June 22-26.
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Researchers from Murray State University’s Department of Computer Science and Cybersecurity Network Management program recently collaborated on a research paper titled “Evaluation of Neural Network Architectures for Intrusion Detection in Resource-Constrained Embedded Network Systems,” which has been accepted for presentation at the International Conference on Ubiquitous and Future Networks 2026 and will be held on July 7-10 in Milan, Italy.
The paper was collaboratively authored by Dr. Hassan Mistareehi, assistant professor of computer science; Dr. Zheng Zhang, assistant professor of computer science; and students Rizwan Syed, Md Sultan Al Nahian and Ezana Fekadu from the Department of Computer Science, together with Dr. Abdulrahman Yarali, professor of cybersecurity and network management. Mistareehi will represent the research team and present the paper at the conference in Milan.
The research received very positive evaluations from the conference's peer reviewers, recognizing both its technical merit and its relevance to emerging cybersecurity challenges.
“The study addresses a critical issue in modern cybersecurity: protecting resource-constrained embedded and Internet of Things devices from increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks,” said Mistareehi. “As embedded systems become integral to smart homes, healthcare devices, industrial control systems, transportation networks and other connected environments, effective intrusion detection has become essential. However, these devices often have limited computational power, memory and energy resources, making traditional security solutions impractical.”
“The research evaluates different neural network architectures to determine how advanced artificial intelligence techniques can be deployed efficiently on constrained embedded systems while maintaining strong intrusion detection performance,” Yarali added. “The findings contribute to the development of more secure and resilient next-generation connected systems, helping address one of the most pressing cybersecurity challenges facing modern digital infrastructure.”
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For as long as WKMS has been around, it has been a supporter of local music, but recently a local musician reciprocated that support.
With the May release of (Re) Planting by the Signs, a new deluxe edition of her critically acclaimed album from 2025, western Kentucky's S.G. Goodman is pledging a portion of the album's proceeds back to her local public radio station.
Royalties from a new homespun cover of the title track by Senora May and Tyler Childers will be directed to WKMS.
The cover, which to Goodman's knowledge is the first time the couple has recorded a song together, was recorded in the very cabin where they met.
A Murray State University alumna, Goodman is no stranger to the campus that houses the station. She credits one of her first sold out shows to promotion she received after winning the WKMS Battle of the Bands.
In the years since, she's come back to do interviews, gotten her fellow musicians on tour to sign posters and albums to donate and advocated publicly for WKMS during the federal defunding of public media in 2025.
The album is available streaming on all platforms today. Available streaming platforms can be found here: bit.ly/4w16v80.
Read more about Goodman’s album on WKMS’s website: bit.ly/4uUQ9gg.
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Baptist Health Paducah recently partnered with Murray State University’s School of Nursing and Health Professions to donate two anesthesia machines to support the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Program.
“At Baptist Health Paducah, we are committed to investing in the future of healthcare, “said Christy Parrish, director of surgical services at Baptist Health Paducah. “Partnering with Murray State University is an opportunity to provide meaningful, real world training tools for students while strengthening the pipeline of highly skilled anesthesia providers in our region.”
“This donation is an incredible gift to our program and our students,” said Murray State University’s Nurse Anesthesia Assistant Program Administrator Dr. Amy Cook. “Having access to anesthesia machines allows students to gain critical experience in a realistic setting, reinforcing classroom learning and helping them develop the skills needed in the healthcare field.”
These machines will give students hands-on experience with the same technology used in clinical settings to strengthen skills and better prepare them for a career in healthcare.
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Dr. Cristopher Craig, Tom W. Hutchens Endowed Professor and Professor of Management, will participate in an upcoming webinar on June 30 titled "How Case Teaching is Evolving – and What This Means for Writing, Publishing and Using Cases". An award-winning educator and scholar, Craig’s research examines strategy, sustainability, climate change and management education, with publications across leading journal and teaching case outlets. Learn more about the webinar at bit.ly/4eCr57Z.