Student Research Presenters
October 9, 2014
UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications
UT Tyler Students Participate in UT System LSAMP Undergraduate Research Conference
October 9, 2014
Media Contact: Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)
October 9, 2014
Students from The University of Texas at Tyler and Tyler Junior College participated in the 2014 UT System Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Undergraduate Research Conference held at UT El Paso.
The students presented posters of their undergraduate research projects conducted under the supervision of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics faculty mentors during the LSAMP Summer Research Academy held at UT Tyler.
Now in its 22nd year, the UT LSAMP program is supported by funding from the National Science Foundation and provides undergraduate research experiences to encourage students from underrepresented populations to pursue graduate-level studies in STEM. TJC is UT Tyler’s community college partner in the UT LSAMP program.
UT Tyler participants are listed by hometown with their research field, faculty mentor and research poster title.
DIANA – Mikayla Adkison, biology, Dr. Blake Bextine, UT Tyler associate professor, “Exploration of the Viral Community within Potato Psyllids (Bactericera cockerelli).”
EUSTACE – Samuel Cline, biology, Dr. Lance Williams, UT Tyler associate professor, “Long-term Water Quality Testing at Ft. Polk, La.”
HOUSTON – Ivan Battle, electrical engineering, Dr. Melvin Robinson, UT Tyler assistant professor, “Handwritten Digit Recognition.”
TYLER – Anissa Morris, biology, Dr. Neil Ford, UT Tyler professor, “Behavioral Responses to Predatory Attacks in Checkered Garter Snakes on Different Dietary Regimens.”
WINONA – Adam Huffman, electrical engineering, Dr. Hector Ochoa, UT Tyler assistant professor, “Implementation of OMP Algorithm on an ARM Processor.”
CALIFORNIA – Jamie Williams, biology, Dr. John Placyk, UT Tyler associate professor and Dr. Joshua Banta, UT Tyler assistant professor, “Developing Genetic Protocols for the Endangered Texas Wildflower, Leavenworthia texana.”
In addition, UT Tyler chemistry major Randy Sronce of Belton gave an oral presentation titled, “Deposition of Gold Nanoparticles on Silicon via a Galvanic Displacement Using a Block Copolymer.” Sronce conducted research at ETH – Zurich, Switzerland as a participant in the UT LSAMP Summer Research Academy Abroad Program. UT Tyler civil engineering major Isaac Aguilar of Tyler also presented a research poster titled, “Assessing Performance of Pavement by Investigating Hot Mix Asphalt Layer.” Aguilar conducted his summer research at UT El Paso.
TJC participants listed with their UT Tyler faculty mentors and research poster titles are: David DeClerck of Tyler in chemistry with Dr. Neil Gray, UT Tyler chair and professor of chemistry and biochemistry, “Organic Reactions at Polymer-Coating Interfaces: Decontaminating Coatings for Chemical Warfare Agents” and David Morman of Van in computer science with Dr. Nary Subramanian, UT Tyler associate professor, “Simulations for Computer Security Education.”
Gray accompanied the student delegation. Dr. Stephen Rainwater, UT Tyler Lecil and Barbara Chandler Professor of Computer Science, participated in his role as UT Tyler LSAMP program campus director.
For more information about the UT Tyler LSAMP Summer Research Academy, contact Rainwater, 903.566.7235 or srainwater@uttyler.edu.
One of the 15 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler features excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 8,000 high-ability students. UT Tyler offers courses at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine as well as a location in Houston.
Student Researchers: (from left) Adam Huffman, Ivan Battle, Anissa Morris, Mikayla Adkison, Jamie Williams, Randy Sronce and Samuel Cline. Not pictured: Isaac Aguilar, David DeClerck and David Morman.