Telehealth funding for Mississippi: UMMC won a $4.25 million, five-year federal award to expand telehealth access in rural and underserved areas, while also supporting research and training. Mississippi research in the wild: Scientists documented the first known manatee mating behavior in Mississippi waters at the Grand Bay reserve, using drone surveys and publishing the findings in Ecology and Evolution. Coastal and climate-adjacent science: A new method from North Carolina State researchers estimates sea surface temperatures from sparse data more accurately and faster than many current approaches, with implications for weather and climate forecasts. Tech infrastructure for the AI economy: C Spire is expanding its Mississippi fiber network with a new high-capacity corridor between Jackson and Olive Branch to support thousands of organizations. Workforce and leadership in higher ed: Four Mississippi State faculty were named 2026-27 SEC Academic Leadership Development Program fellows. Public health and prevention: A new national school lunch report ranks Vermont No. 1 for school meals access and reach, a reminder that nutrition policy is a learning issue, not just a cafeteria one. Defense testing in Mississippi: Camp Shelby was designated a permissive test range, aiming to speed up battlefield tech development with private-sector partnerships.