College of Science News Archives
NSF Graduate Teaching Fellows - 5/19/2008
$2.4 million has been awarded from the National Science Foundation and the Texas Pioneer Foundation for “Project Flowing Waters.” Aquatic resources and environmental geography doctoral candidates will develop science research and teaching skills through Project Flowing Waters, a five year program in partnership with SMCISD. (more)
Kodosky Foundation gives $20,000 gift to Mathworks Junior Summer Math Camp - 04/24/2008
The Mathworks program at Texas State University-San Marcos has received a $20,000 gift from the Kodosky Foundation in support of Mathworks Junior Summer Math Camp (JSMC). (more)
Texas Rivers Systems holds annual conference - 04/25/2008
The Texas River Systems Institute at Texas State University San Marcos will host the conference “Forecast: Climate Changes Impacts on Texas Water” April 28-30 at the Texas State Capitol Expansion in Austin. (more)
Dr. Ben Martin awarded National Science Foundation CAREER honors, $400,000 grant - 03/05/08
Ben Martin, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry has received a prestigious CAREER award from the National Science Foundation. The CAREER award is given to young teacher-scholars who most effectively integrate both advanced research and a strong educational component into their profession. (more)
Microbiology alumna featured on ABC Good Morning America - 02/14/08
Mary Kay Koenig, a 1996 Texas State University-San Marcos microbiology alumna, was featured on Good Morning America on Jan. 23, after she successfully diagnosed a mystery illness that plagued a four-month old baby. (more)
Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District annual essay contest benefits Edwards Aquifer Research and Data Center's Aquatic Science Adventure Camp - 02/14/08
For over ten years, The Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District has held an annual essay contest for Austin-area high school students. Winners of the contest each receive $1,500 to the institution of his/her choice. The District has extended this program to include four scholarships to the Edwards Aquifer Research and Data Center's Aquatic Science Adventure Camp at Texas State University in San Marcos for summer 2008. (more)
American Foundry Society (AFS) Scholarship Awards - 2/5/08
AFS continues its support of the engineering and technology programs at Texas State by awarding scholarships to seven outstanding students. (more)
Texas State, CCTech announce alliance to develop novel nanotech - 2/1/08
The Nanomaterials Application Center of Texas State University-San Marcos and Composite Ceramic Technologies, LLC (CCTech) of Austin announced a collaborative effort expediting the commercialization of CCTech's advanced ceramic composites. (more)
College of Science Rising Stars - 1/14/08
College of Science senior student, Christian McArthur, is featured on the Texas State University homepage. In "Bobcat Profiles," Christian (computer science major) talks about his university experience and career plans. (more)
Stechschulte awarded Foundry Educational Foundation Scholarship - 1/10/08
Texas State University-San Marcos student Kelly Stechschulte was recently awarded the Keith D. Millis Special Scholarship from the Foundry Educational Foundation. (more)
Dr. Chris Nice, Department of Biology, appointed associate editor of Evolution, the journal for the Society for the Study of Evolution (more) - 1/10/08
Olson's "Predicting Moonbows" named #24 on Outside Magazine's 100 big ideas for 2007 - 12/10/07
Dr. Don Olson's research work on moonbows at Yosemite was named #24 in Outside Magazine's 100: The Big Ideas and Visionary Giants You Need to Know, December 2007 issue. (more)
Dr. Michael Forstner appointed to the Alexander/Stone Chair in Genetics - 12/2/07
Dr. Michael Forstner, Department of Biology, has been appointed to the Alexander/Stone Chair in Genetics. The Alexander/Stone Chair is named in honor of former professor of biology, Mary Louise Alexander and her teacher and mentor, Dr. Wilson Stone. The funds from this six year appointment will be used to support students, laboratory equipment and supplies, and to otherwise directly contribute to achieving research goals that would be impossible without the benefit of Dr. Alexander's investment in the future of genetics and genetics research in the Department of Biology here at Texas State. Forstner's group will continue in the spirit of Dr. Alexander's work, compiling evidence of the genetics underlying animal populations both here in Texas and in other countries with current collaborators and projects. Understanding the effects of recent (historical) changes to native habitats and the consequences to wildlife populations is of particular interest in Dr. Forstner's work. (more)
Don Olson named first recipient of Joann Cole Mitte Faculty Grant for Excellence - 12.1.07
Don Olson, professor of physics at Texas State University-San Marcos, has been named the university's first recipient of the Joann
Cole Mitte Faculty Grant for Excellence. The competitive $25,000 award, funded by the Roy F. and Joann Cole Mitte Foundation of Austin, will fund a future research project by the team of Olson and Marilynn Olson, Department of English, with assistance from Russell Doescher, Department of Physics. (more)
Mathematics, Football, Texas State & Physics graduate student Nick Clark – a winning combination! - 10/25/07
Top National Football Foundation (NFF) National Scholar-Athlete honors are going for the first time in Texas State University history to College of Science physics graduate student, Nick Clark (’07 mathematics, magna cum laude). As a National Scholar-Athlete, Clark is one in an elite class of 15 student-athletes from across the country who are being recognized for contributions in the classroom, on the field and in the community. (more)
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry recognized for fluorinated polymer patent and technology transfer research - 10/25/07
During a trip to present research papers at Japanese universities in 1996 by retired distinguished professor emeritus John Fitch and current professor Patrick Cassidy, the pair was approached by Nippon Shokubai, a maker of chemicals with offices in Tokyo and Osaka. The company was looking for a new product, one that could insulate and protect other materials from extreme heat. The organization gave a grant to Fitch, Cassidy, Kunio Kimura, Yuhiko Yamashita, and Reddy Venumbaka, the current director of the Institute for Environmental and Industrial Science at Texas State. (more)
Texas State biology professor, Dr. Sandra West, named AAAS Fellow - 10/25/07
Texas State biology professor, Dr. Sandra West, has been elected as an AAAS Fellow for her distinguished contributions to science education policy and its impact on laws and regulations in the fields of safety, facilities, teacher certification, and curriculum standards. Dr. West will be formally inducted as an AAAS Fellow during the spring 2008 AAAS Fellows Forum in Boston. The AAAS Fellows tradition began in 1874; the AAAS Council bestows this honor upon members whose efforts “on behalf of the advancement of science or its applications are scientifically or socially distinguished.”
College of Science Rising Stars - 09/25/07
Two students from the College of Science, Geoffrey Miller and Jesus Serna, are featured on the Texas State University homepage. In "Bobcat Profiles", Geoffrey (mathematics major/computer science minor) and Jesus (industrial engineering major/math and business minor) talk about their experiences at Texas State (more-miller) (more-serna)
Microbiology undergraduate student publishes research - 09/25/07
Undergraduate microbiology major, Veronica Huerta, has been studying traditional medicinal plants with Dr. Dhiraj Vattem , Assistant Professor in the Nutritional Biomedicine and Biotechnology Department of Family & Consumer Sciences at Texas State. In Fall 2006, as part of her research component in the HLSAMP Scholars Program, Veronica began work with Dr. Vattem's research team on the use of herbs, spices, and medicinal plants in combating chronic disease. Their research has been published in the Journal of Medicinal Plants Research (Vol. 1(2), pp. 038-049, September 2007) (more)
Chupacabra? Texas State testing DNA of strange Cuero creature - 08/31/07
Remains of a dog-like creature dubbed "chupacabra" have been shipped to the Department of Biology at Texas State, which is currently running tests to divulge the classification of the animal in the lab's Beckman-Coulter CEQ 8800 DNA sequencer. (source: Texas State University News) (more)
Golding forms long-term partnership with Department of Defense - 08/22/07
"There is a lot of criticism given to the DOD and its military spending," said Terry Golding, the Roy F. and Joann Cole University Chair in Materials Science and Engineering at Texas State University-San Marcos. "But it also creates all kinds of new technology that wouldn't be here if driven only by commercial forces." (source: Texas State University News) more
Society of Physics Student Chapter wins Blake Lilly Prize - 7/17/07
The College of Science's student chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) has won an award in recognition of one of their outreach activities. The Blake Lilly Prize recognizes SPS chapters who make an effort to positively influence the public about physics. more
Dr. Timothy Bonner, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, to receive 2007 Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activities -07/07/07 more
Texas State molds leading role in cast metals engineering -06/28/07
The Texas chapter of the American Foundry Society (AFS) and officials from the College of Science and Department of Engineering and Technology at Texas State University-San Marcos have signed a memorandum of understanding establishing an endowed professorship in cast metals engineering. more
Director of the Center for Nanophase Research, Dr. Gary Beall is named to the Board of Directors of NaturalNano, Inc. -06/07/07
NaturalNano, Inc., an innovative materials science company, today announced the election of Dr. Gary W. Beall to its Board of Directors. more
Mastering Yosemite’s Moonbows: Texas State Physics Professors Don Olson and Russell Doescher publish their findings in Sky and Telescope -05/12/07
A team of astronomers from Texas State University-San Marcos has applied their unique brand of forensic astronomy to the rainbow’s nocturnal cousin, unraveling when and where this little-know natural phenomenon can be viewed in the remote California wilderness. [more]
H-LSAMP Scholar Lissette Gomez is named 2007 College of Science commencement speaker and outstanding graduating senior
-05/05/07
University President Dr. Denise Trauth will present Lissette with the 2007 Sallie Beretta
Outstanding Senior Woman Award during spring 2007 commencement ceremonies. [more]
2007 Houston-Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Scholars Participants
Six students in the Houston-Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Scholars Program in the College of Science have been selected as 2007 participants in summer REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) programs across the country. [more]
Texas State Researcher Sheds Light on Ball Lightning - 11/20/2006
It glows bright blue-white or orange. It seems to float in the air. And it may help to solve one of nature’s most spectacular mysteries: the phenomenon of ball lightning.
When Texas State engineering professor Karl Stephan read that some researchers at Israel’s Tel Aviv University had produced objects that acted in many ways like ball lightning, he decided to try the experiment himself. “I’ve never witnessed ball lightning in person, but the subject has fascinated me for years,” Stephan says. “So when we figured out that reproducing their experiment was possible in our lab, we decided to do it.” Stephan’s collaborator, Prof. John A. Pearce of U. T. Austin’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, directs the Process Energetics Laboratory at UT’s Pickle Research Campus, which has the specialized high-power microwave equipment Prof. Stephan required. [more]
College of Science Seminar Series - 10/30/2006
On November 3 from 4-5 p.m. in Supple Building Room 116, the College of Science will host the second event in its College Seminar Series emphasizing diversity and excellence in interdisciplinary research and education.
Steve DeCaro teaches High School and Advanced Placement Physics at Mattituck HS on Long Island in NY. He is also the head baseball coach and coached High School football for 19 years. He received his BS in Physics from New York Institute of Technology and his MA in Applied Physics from State University of New York at Stony Brook. [more]
Mix it up - 10/19/2006
Dr. Selina Vasquez-Mireles, Math Department
Dr. Sandra West, Biology Department
Improving student performance in science and math is the highest priority in secondary education at all levels – national, state, and local. The strong link with teacher quality requires a major rethinking of both how teachers and students are taught math and science as well as the production and retention of high-quality experienced science and math teachers. [more]
College of Science Seminar Series - 10/16/2006
On October 5, the College of Science will kick off its College Seminar Series emphasizing diversity and excellence in interdisciplinary research and education. The first speaker is a former Mathematics Professor from Texas State, Dr. Paul Kennedy. Dr. Kennedy, a Professor of Mathematics at Texas State for 16 years, has been at Colorado State University since September of 2003. During that time he has established a very successful and nationally recognized program in Mathematics Education. His address to the College, entitled “Access to Mathematics: Interventions that Work,” will include a discussion of the National Science Foundation Center for Learning and Teaching in the West doctoral programs in math/science education. He will also highlight some of the online courses and research that he is working on at Colorado State. [more]
New Discovery in Plant Science - 10/16/2006
We all have seen how plants grow. When we put a seed on soil and water it, a tiny plant will emerge from it and grow towards sunlight. Though it seems like a very simple process that we experience everyday the underlying biological process involved in plant growth is not a simple one. The plant hormone auxin influences plant growth in numerous ways. Scientists have known about the existence of auxin since 1880, since Charles Darwin described its action in plants. [more]
Linking Night Sky Painting to Historical Events - 06/03/2006
Don Olson, professor in the Department of Physics at Texas State, specializes in applying astronomy to problems in the humanities. In addition to teaching physics courses, Olson teaches a Mitte Honors Program course called "Astronomy in Art, History, and Literature."
Recent projects have included an analysis of night sky paintings by Vincent van Gogh, a study linking the origin of the blood-red skies in Edvard Munch's The Scream to volcanic twilights following the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883. [more]
First Durrenberger Scholarships for Women in Science Awarded - 06/03/2006
Weldon Durrenberger, a 1933 graduate of Texas State, in memory of his late wife, established the Gwen S. Durrenberger Endowed Scholarship in Science. This has made possible the awarding of substantial scholarships that will enable young women to engage in promising careers with the knowledge that they have the support to be successful in their chosen field. [more]
Student Academic Computer Grant - 05/29/2006
Drs. Gadalla and Winek (Department of Engineering and Technology) received a Student Academic Computer grant for three dual processor engineering workstations that they will share with the Physics department. They should have them operational by Summer Session I, 2006.
[more]
Advanced Research Program grants - 05/29/2006
Two proposals, to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's Advanced Research Program (ARP), submitted by faculty in the College of Science at Texas State University-San Marcos were funded this year. The goals of the program are to:
[more]