Kelly to serve as Arkadelphia Rotary guest speaker, August 15

The Arkadelphia Rotary Club will meet Friday, August 15, 2014, at Western Sizzlin, 106 WP Malone Drive, for its weekly meeting. Dr. Jess Kelly, assistant professor of biology at Ouachita Baptist University, has been invited to speak regarding his forensic research with a rare beetle in Clark County. Rotarians and guests are invited to attend. For more information on the guest speaker, please read his brief biography below. 

DR. JESS KELLY, assistant professor of biology at Ouachita Baptist University, will share forensic science contributions from Ouachita Baptist and the 2013 discovery of a rare and endangered beetle in Clark County that is important to the field. Kelly earned a doctorate in biology from Baylor University, and a masters in applied limnology with a minor in applied statistics from Stephen F. Austin State University where he also earned a bachelor of science in biology and chemistry. 

He previously served as a former director of compliance and professor of forensic science at Baylor where he was named Most Outstanding Professor in 2008-2009. At Ouachita Baptist University, he was named the Lavell Cole Most Inspirational Professor for 2012-2013. Kelly has 5 publications and 100 professional presentations as part of his body of work.

Kelly is married to his wife, Elizabeth, and they have three sons: Justin (OBU student in Japan this year), Donovan (former OBU student) and Noah (future OBU student). This is the family's 5th year in Arkadelphia.