Contact: James Carskadon

STARKVILLE, Miss.—A veteran Tennessee teacher and researcher is the new head of Mississippi State’s instructional systems and workforce development department.

Trey Martindale comes to the Starkville university after 12 years at the University of Memphis, where he was an associate professor of instruction and curriculum leadership and a Fellow of the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning.

He succeeds Connie M. Forde, who retired from the College of Education unit earlier this year.

“The College of Education is fortunate to have Dr. Martindale serving in this important leadership position,” said College of Education Dean Richard Blackbourn .“Trey has been successful in his work with a variety of entities in the education community and beyond. This background, coupled with the solid expertise of departmental faculty and staff, bodes well for the future of ISWD.”

A 1998 doctoral graduate in instructional technology from Texas Tech University, Martindale also held faculty positions at the University of West Florida and East Carolina University. For more biographical information, see www.iswd.msstate.edu/about/directory/trey-martindale.

Design and analysis of online learning environments are his areas of primary expertise, with research projects funded over the years by the National Science Foundation, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Education and IBM, among other public and private entities.

With programs in industrial technology, information technology services, instructional technology and educational technology, the MSU department works to prepare students for professional careers in both secondary and higher education, as well as industrial and business operations.

Martindale said the 139-year-old land-grant institution “has a great reputation and our department can play a significant role in preparing teachers and industry professionals for career success.” Expanding and enhancing online programs to help working adults achieve their educational goals in efficient, cost-effective ways are among immediate goals, he emphasized.

“Over the years, I have established an extensive professional network of colleagues in academia, business, education, the military and health care,” he said. “One goal I have is to help connect our students and faculty with that network to facilitate internships, job placement, externally funded projects and research growth.

“We have an outstanding faculty and one of my primary goals is to help them succeed as effective teachers and also to be recognized nationally for their research and funded projects that improve learning outcomes for many kinds of audiences,” he added.

On a personal note, Martindale expressed appreciation to the campus and Starkville communities for being “so welcoming” to him and his family, adding that they “have been impressed with the energy and hospitality of this vibrant town.

“In my opinion, there is no better place to live than a college town and Starkville clearly is a special place,” he said.

For more on the department, see www.iswd.msstate.edu; the College of Education, www.educ.msstate.edu.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.