TAMIU Business Faculty Receive Research Award

Two Texas A&M International University faculty members were recognized recently for their collaborative research projects on communication channels.

Dr. Rolando Peña-Sánchez, assistant professor of quantitative methods, and Dr. Richard C. Hicks, associate professor of management information systems, recently wrote a paper entitled, "Faculty Perceptions Of Communications Channels" and received an Outstanding Achievement in Research Award during the 2004 College Teaching & Learning Conference, held at the Wyndham Palace in Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

The paper reports a study of communications between students and faculty outside of the classroom. Specifically, the effectiveness of telephone, face-to-face and electronic mail communications were compared.

The study found the researchers perceive email as the most efficient of the three media with regard to retention, accuracy and efficiency. Face-to-face meetings during office hours were preferred for confidential or confrontational interactions.

The Conference was attended by 365 academics from throughout the United States. A total of 350 papers were presented during the four-day conference. Papers that were accepted for presentation were peer-reviewed, and those nominated for research awards were subjected to a second round or reviews by the Conference organizers.

Dr. Peña-Sánchez joined TAMIU in 1999. He holds a doctoral degree in statistics from Rice University and both an M.S and a B.S. from the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León. His research interests are on the economic impacts of NAFTA on the maquiladora industry along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Dr. Hicks joined TAMIU in 1993. He holds a doctoral degree in management information systems from the University of Texas at Austin, an M.B.A. from Boston University and a B.S. from Troy State University. His research interests focus on knowledge management and expert systems development and use in business.

For further information, please contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at 326-2180, e-mail pais@tamiu.edu or visit offices located in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 268.

University office hours are 8 a.m - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.