7th Annual Pathways Student Research Symposium Prize Recipients Named

LAREDO, TX -- Student award recipients have been named for last week’s 7th Annual Texas A&M University System Pathways Student Research Symposium hosted by Texas A&M International University (TAMIU).

This was the first time the Pathways Symposium was held at TAMIU. It featured over 350 academic presentations on diverse topics. Undergraduate and graduate students from throughout the A&M System’s 11-member campuses and comprehensive health science center attended. Over a year in the planning, the event was hosted by TAMIU’s Office of Graduate Studies and Research.

Results are grouped according to discipline and award recipients according to classification and home campus.

Agriculture
Doctoral recipients: first place, Rajorshi Sen Gupta, Texas A&M University (A&M). Second place: Suheb Mohammed, A&M. Masters recipients: Justin Tanner, first, and Juan Raygoza, second, both from Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMU-K). Undergraduate recipients: first place, Natalie Delahoussaye, Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) and second place, Roel Lerma, TAMU-K.

Business and Computer Information Systems
Doctoral recipients: first place, Jun Huang, Texas A&M International University (TAMIU); second place, Ahmed Elkassabgi, TAMIU. Masters recipients: first place, Zhiqiang He, TAMIU; second place, Julian Gelvez, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC). No undergraduate awards given.

Computer Science
Doctoral recipients: no awards. Masters recipients: Sri Ganesh Anaparthi, Texas A&M University-Commerce (TAMU-C); second place, tie, Dilip Baluguri, TAMU-C and Anh Tuan Do, TAMU-CC. Undergraduate recipients: first, Matthew Caudill, Texas A&M University-Texarkana (TAMU-A) and second, Donald May, TAMU-C.

Education
Doctoral recipients: first place, Jose Lopez, TAMIU. Second place: Guadalupe Cortinas, TAMIU. Masters recipients: first, Angelique Geyer, TAMU-K, and second, Dustin Perry, TAMU-C. Undergraduate recipients: First place, Sonia Mares, TAMIU and second place, Taylor Flowers, TAMU-CC.

Engineering
Doctoral recipients: first place, Jose Cabezas, TAMU-K. Second place: Prajay Gor, also TAMU-K. Masters recipients: Henry Gonzalez, first, PVAMU and Ekundayo Ogungbe, TAMU-K. Undergraduate recipients: first place, Evan Cherry, A&M and second place, Natalie Rocha, TAMU-K.

Social Sciences – Humanities
Doctoral recipients: first place tie, Laura Di Ferrante, TAMU-C and Fay Williams, PVAMU. Second place: Yvonne Clarke, PVAMU. Masters recipients: Amber Harris, first, Tarleton State University (TSU); Mary K. Croft, TAMU-C. Undergraduate recipients: first place, Jessica McCurry, TSU and second place, Jamie Snider, TAMU-C.

Social Sciences – Humanities (Oral)
Doctoral recipients: first place, Daniel Redo, A&M. Second place, tie: Sandra Shu-Chao Liu and Sergio Pizziconi, both TAMU-C. Masters recipients: Cindy Schwing, first,TAMU-K and Shelly Fox, second, TAMU-CC. Undergraduate recipients: first place, Cristina Suarez-Machuca, TAMU-K and Luis Aguila, second place, TAMIU.

Environmental Science
Doctoral recipients: first place, Russell Carvalho, Texas A&M University-Galveston (TAMU-G). Masters recipients: Shaya Seward, first, A&M and Preethi Talla, TAMU-K. Undergraduate recipients: first place, Noe Saenz, TAMU-K and Allison Carlin, second, TAMU-G.

Life Science
Doctoral recipients: first place, Srinivasa Pothula, A&M, no second place awarded. Masters recipients: Rafael Calderon, first, TAMU-CC, and second, Andrew McInnes, TAMU-G. Undergraduate recipients: first place, Jessica Perez, TAMIU and Esteban Cantu, TAMU-K.

Physical Science
Doctoral recipients: none awarded. Masters recipients: first place tie – Santhikala Akkisetty, TAMU-K and Satyanarayana Ghanta, TAMU-K; second, Geetha Birudala, TAMU-K. Undergraduate recipients: first place tie - Jose Garza, TAMIU; Arielle Scott-Turner, PVAM; second place, Hikma Jemal, TAMU-C.

Overall Winners
Doctoral recipients: first place, Daniel Redo, A&M. Second place: Srinivasa Pothula, A&M. Third place, Laura Di Ferrante, TAMU-C. Masters recipients: first place, Angelique Geyer, TAMU-K; second place, Rafael Calderon, TAMU-CC and third place, Andrew McInnes, TAMU-G. Undergraduate recipients: first place, ties, Evan Cherry, A&M; Jessica Perez, TAMIU and Jessica McCurry, TSU.

Pathways Research Symposiums bring together current graduate students, promising undergraduates and faculty in all disciplines to share their research outcomes and innovative approaches to staying abreast of their communities.

Dr. Jeff Brown, Symposium organizer and TAMIU dean of Graduate Studies and Research, said TAMIU was honored to host the prestigious statewide academic event.
“The TAMIU administration, faculty and students were honored to host the 7th Annual Texas A&M University System Pathways Student Research Symposium, and we all enjoyed the opportunity to learn about the diverse student research taking place at our A&M System institutions, ” Dr. Brown said.

Next year’s 8th Annual Pathways Research Symposium will be held at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, TX next November.

The A&M System educates more than 115,000 students and reaches another 15 million people through service each year. With nearly 27,000 faculty and staff, the A&M System has a physical presence in 250 of the state’s 254 counties and a programmatic presence in every Texas county. In 2008, externally funded research brought in almost $676 million to help drive the state’s economy.

For additional information, contact the TAMIU Office of Graduate Studies and Research ata 956.326.3023, email jbrown@tamiu.edu or visit http://www.tamiu.edu/pathways/

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu