TAMIU Noyce Scholars Participate in Western Conference in San Francisco

Four Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) students had an opportunity to travel and present research at the Western Regional Noyce Conference (WRNC) in San Francisco, CA this November.

Program coordinator Dr. Runchang Lin, TAMIU associate professor of Mathematics, accompanied TAMIU students Dalila Castillo, Julian A. Flores, Kimberly García and Genaro Villalobos.   They presented their research project, “Components of Effectiveness Experiences for Noyce Scholars and Potential Applicants” at the Conference.

Noyce Scholars are TAMIU students who have been selected to receive Robert Noyce Mathematics Scholarships funded by a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation.  The students plan to become future mathematics teachers.

All said they found the Conference experience both engaging and enlightening.

“Attending the WRNC gave me the opportunity to expand my range of resources for the continuation of my student teaching and as a future teacher. The experience itself was incredible and very nourishing to my exposition skills,”  said student Dalila Castillo.

Julian Flores agreed.

“The experience was unlike anything I have ever been a part of. The collaboration between universities across the country provided new perspective on how I want to teach. It has given me strategies that I can immediately implement in classrooms, ” Flores said.

Kimberly Garcia said the experience will make her a better teacher.

“I am very fortunate to be part of the Robert Noyce Scholarship Program. The Western Regional Noyce conference offered many opportunities that would make me a better teacher in the future,” Garcia said.

Student Genaro Villalobos said he appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with others at the Conference.

“The conference was very useful to collaborate with ideas from other Noyce programs in the region. Some of those ideas contributed to aspects of being a successful teacher. It was an amazing experience."

The students are all enrolled in the BA in Mathematics 7-12 Teacher Certification Program at TAMIU.

For additional information on the Noyce Scholarship Program, contact Dr. Rohitha Goonatilake, TAMIU professor and principal investigator of the NSF grant, at 956.326.2569 e-mail harag@tamiu.edu or visit offices located in the Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Center, room 312 E.

Spring Semester 2015 classes begin Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2014 at TAMIU.

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