20 His work centers on bridging technology with educational equity in the U.S.-México border region. His research highlights how A.I. tools such as ChatGPT and Grammarly can be used ethically and effectively in preparing future educators for certification, including the rigorous Science of Teaching Reading exam mandated in Texas. “Participating in the Conference allowed me to share our local experiences in South Texas with a global audience,” Godina said. His presentation built upon findings of his 2025 publication, “Empowering Teacher Candidates of Mexican Descent: Adapting A.I. for Science of Teaching Reading in the Southwestern United States,” in the International Journal of Technologies in Learning. Read more at go.tamiu.edu/godina-aiconf25. TAMIU, UTSA PROFESSORS RELEASE BOOK ON SOCIAL BEHAVIORAL STATISTICS Cambridge University Press recently released a new book on statistics authored by Dr. Roberto Heredia, TAMIU Regents Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Psychology and Communication, and Dr. Richard Hartley, Professor and Chair of the University of Texas at San Antonio’s (UTSA) Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Titled “Social Behavioral Statistics,” the book introduces statistical principles and examples from social and behavioral research and incorporates jamovi, a free open-source statistical software. Dr. Heredia said the authors’ goal was to bring statistics closer to readers. “Our goal was to do away with the mindset that statistics is difficult and that they are not good at math,” he said. Dr. Hartley added, “Our vision was to write a book with the student in mind that simplified the learning process; a book written in simple and clear language to help students understand critical statistical principles.” The textbook emphasizes doing and understanding statistics through practical applications. Dr. Heredia has been a TAMIU faculty member since 1998. Dr. Hartley, a former TAMIU faculty member, has served at UTSA since 2008. Read more at go.tamiu.edu/heredia-socialstats. FACULTY MEMBER CO-AUTHORS PUBLICATION ON DRUG POLICIES IN SOUTH AMERICA, EUROPE A recently co-authored publication by a TAMIU faculty member focuses on the experiences of Argentina, Portugal, and Uruguay in their efforts at depenalization, decriminalization, and legalization/regulation of recreational drugs. The publication, Drug Policy Revolutions: Scenarios, Impacts, and Trajectories, was written by TAMIU associate professor in Social Sciences Dr. Nilda M. García, with Dr. Sebastián A. Cutrona, senior lecturer in Criminology at Liverpool Hope University. Their work presents the successes and challenges in approaching impacts on drug use, public health, and security, while debunking myths surrounding flexible drug policies. “The findings in our book debunk some myths around the adoption and implementation of more flexible drug policies. We observe that softening or removing criminal penalties did not transform any of the three country case studies of this book into a ‘drug paradise,’ as prohibitionists often contend,” García said. The publication offers policy recommendations and lessons from the historical trajectories and reforms in addressing drug consumption and harms, she added. García is also the author of Mexico’s Drug War and Criminal Networks: The Dark Side of Social Media and other peer-reviewed publications. Read more at go.tamiu.edu/garcia-revolutions. Dr. Roberto Heredia Dr. Richard Hartley Dr. Nilda M. García
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