MOU between UTRGV and Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas promotes strong collaboration

By Gail Fagan

 

EDINBURG, TEXAS – DEC. 4, 2015 – A new Memorandum of Understanding signed Dec. 3 between The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, the state university of Tamaulipas, Mexico, will provide new collaborative opportunities to students, faculty and staff at both border institutions.

The MOU, signed by UTRGV President Guy Bailey and Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas Rector C. P. Enrique C. Etienne Pérez del Río, provides for cooperative efforts to promote academic interchange of faculty and students, joint research projects, exchange of academic publications, reports and other information, and collaborative professional development, among other activities as approved by both institutions.

Bailey said the signing formally continues a relationship that has been in place for more than 25 years.

“Our institutions share much in common. We both have medical schools and both of our medical schools will be dealing with similar kinds of issues,” Bailey said. “There is a synergy there. Also, each of our universities have programs that are attractive to faculty and students. So faculty and student exchanges are very strong. Finally, many of our students have connections across the border. This is a great opportunity for us to build for the future.”

Pérez del Río, who became his university’s rector in 2014, said he aims to lead his university from being “good” to “excellent,” and to produce graduates who not only are qualified, but also have strong values.

“We have established three goals or three areas of action – academic quality, research and internationalization of the institution,” he said, and cited some of their recent international awards and certifications for academic endeavors. “I am very proud to offer our university to you. We can do many great things together.”

The academic heads of both universities – Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Havidán Rodríguez and UAT’s Secretario Académico Dr. Marco Aurelio Navarro Leal – also spoke at the ceremony.

“We look forward to continuing to collaborate, expand and strengthen our partnerships,” Rodríguez said. “One of our core priorities is to become a gateway to the Americas. We are working hard to strengthen and expand our international programs to become a much more global institution.”

Navarro Leal said the border relationships that already exist in terms of families, the economy and growth already make this a strong region, and that there will be growing opportunities for students to fill needed positions in areas like technology and the space industry. Research will be important in medical technology, he said, and in meeting the countries’ common challenges of maintaining clean air and water.

“We need to start working together in terms of how we are going to prepare our students to face these new challenges,” he said.

The Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, based in Cd. Victoria, Tamps., has the highest enrollment in the state of Tamaulipas, serving about 40,000 students in 26 academic units, colleges and schools located in Reynosa, Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo, Tampico, Cd. Mante and Valle Hermoso. In addition to a medical school, it also has research and knowledge transfer centers.

The UTRGV Office of Global Engagement hosted the MOU ceremony, which was attended by deans and academic leaders from both institutions. The OGE oversees International Programs and Partnerships, International Admissions and Student Services and the Language Institute.

Dr. Dennis Hart, UTRGV associate provost of the OGE, said UTRGV is looking for strategic partnerships.


“We want partners that are aligned carefully with our goals and our needs and where we can fit with them,” he said. “What we are hoping for here is an effective relationship with our medical schools, our business schools and other schools, as well. They are a strategic partner.”

UTRGV holding town hall meetings with deaf community to learn their healthcare needs

By Jennifer L. Berghom

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS –DEC. 3, 2015 – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is reaching out to the deaf community to find out how it can better serve Valley residents with hearing challenges.

Linda Nelson, UTRGV senior director of Clinical Operations, and Dr. Shawn Saladin, associate dean for Research and Graduate Programs and associate professor of Rehabilitation Services and Counseling for the UTRGV College of Health Affairs, have been conducting town hall meetings with deaf and hard of hearing residents throughout the Valley to find out what services they would like to see offered in the community. On Dec. 1, they met with residents at José De Escandón Elementary School in McAllen.

UTRGV plans to use the information to determine how to best serve the community in health clinics it plans to open with its hospital and other healthcare partners.

Previous meetings were held in Rio Grande City and Edinburg, Saladin said, and about 20 people attended each session.

“They’ve been very productive meetings,” he said.

In addition to having Sign interpreters available for patients who are deaf or hard of hearing, some residents also suggested a speaker series and other health education events.

“A lot of people want education from us,” he said.

MEETING SCHEDULE

All the meetings are from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

DEC. 3: Harlingen - Regional Academic Health Center Auditorium, 2102 Treasure Hills Blvd.

DEC. 17: Mission - Speer Memorial Library Community Room, 801 E. 12^th St.

JAN. 7, 2016: Port Isabel - Port Isabel Community Center, 213 Yturria St.

JAN. 12, 2016: Brownsville - UTRGV Brownsville Campus, Salon Cassia Room 2.402.

JAN. 19, 2016: Raymondville - Raymondville Rural Technical Center, 700 FM 3168.

JAN. 26, 2016: Weslaco - Location to be determined.

Communication students address sexual assault, rape prevention at Gender Comm Expo

By Vicky Brito

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS –DEC. 2, 2015 – Sexual assault and rape are difficult topics for discussion for many people. But the communication department at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley got the conversation going in Brownsville on Wednesday, during the Gender Comm Expo for the Prevention of Sexual Assault and Harassment.

Dr. John Cook, associate professor and chair of the UTRGV Communication Department, said the goal of the event was to spread awareness through a difficult dialogue event.

Difficult dialogue events promote religious, cultural and political pluralism, he said, as well as academic freedom on campuses.

“Sexual assault is not a crime of passion, it is a crime of violence,” Cook said. “Our event is about the awareness and prevention of sexual assault.”

The event began with a free speech alley held on the Main Patio. Students had a two-minute platform to speak on the issue.

Senior English major Kendall Banda and junior psychology major Brisa Gonzalez presented facts and statistics on sexual assaults on college campuses:

• About 20 percent of women and 4 percent of men will be sexually assaulted while attending an institution of higher education.
• The assailant is more often than not someone the victim knows.
• An estimated one-third of people who were sexually abused as children will be assaulted as an adult.
• About 32,000 pregnancies occur as a result of rape.
• Most of these crimes often go unreported.

Danielle Banda, a UTRGV junior communication major, shared some common misconceptions about sexual assault and rape, and stressed that assailants will use a variety of manipulation tactics to commit their crime.

“People make statements like, ‘Look at the way she is dressed. Or, look how much she drinks. She’s asking for it.’ Those are false statements,” Banda said. “No one asked to be abused, injured or violated.”

The second part of the event continued in Salón Cassia, where a five-person panel answered questions about rape and sexual assault posed by student communication major moderators Ann Jacobo and Esai Torres.

The panel consisted of UTRGV Chief of Police Raul Munguia; Associate Professor of Philosophy Cynthia Jones; Valley Baptist Medical Center Forensic Nurse Examiner Laura Dominguez R.N.; UTRGV Director of the Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX Coordinator Alicia Morley; and Cameron County Assistant District Attorney Omar Saenz.

Munguia fielded the first question, which was about the number of sexual assault and rape cases during the school year at UTRGV.

“The numbers are mostly very low,” he said. “However, one of the things that we don’t track are assaults occurring outside of our jurisdiction. That is an issue and a challenge that we have.”

Munguia then was asked what steps a student should take to report an assault.

“If a victim is not comfortable with calling the police department, there are other avenues they can use,” he said.

A good alternative is to contact Student Health Services, or Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Moderators asked panelist Jones what steps an individual can take to prevent sexual assault or rape.

“I think that is a bad question,” Jones said, because the problem is with the rapist, not the victim.

“If you get assaulted, it’s not your fault,” she said. “We need to address the people who rape.”

Panelist Dominguez stressed the importance of seeking medical attention quickly after a sexual assault, and cited a 96-hour window for gathering medical evidence after a sexual assault or rape.

“There are studies that say maybe 120 hours, but the sooner the better,” she said.

ADA Saenz spoke to the long-term impact on the victim, and encouraged reporting rapes so the process of healing can begin.

“The number of ways it effects your life is major,” Saenz said. “I think what we can do as a panel, and as a service to young people, is to inform you.”

Saenz said many do not know what “consent” is; he defined it as two individuals who make a rational decision. 

UTRGV honors veterans in Brownsville, Edinburg campus ceremonies

By Jennifer Berghom and Vicky Brito

BROWNSVILLE & EDINBURG, TEXAS – NOV. 11, 2015 – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley honored veterans with two simultaneous ceremonies on its Brownsville and Edinburg campuses on Wednesday.

Students, faculty, staff and veterans gathered at the Chapel Lawn on the Edinburg Campus and on the Main Lawn of the Brownsville campus.

The events were sponsored by the ROTC, Student Involvement, Student Veterans of America (SVA), Veterans Services and Veterans Upward Bound (VUB), a federally funded program to prepare and assist eligible veterans to access and pursue higher education.

“It’s a great honor to honor our veterans, and we have a number of our veterans here from World War II, the Korean War, and from all of our conflicts since that time. Thank you so much for being here,” UTRGV President Guy Bailey said at the Brownsville ceremony.

He pointed out that the ceremony began at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, to commemorate the date and time of the ending of World War I in 1918.

“We should always remember that we’re here because they were there, and it’s very important,” Bailey said. “We can't honor them enough.” 

UTRGV Vice President for Student Success Dr. Kristin Croyle, who spoke at the Edinburg ceremony, expressed her appreciation for veterans and praised UTRGV’s student veterans for the contributions they make to the campus community.

“When they come to campus, our student veterans make campus a better and richer place for all of us,” she said. “They bring a level of discipline and dedication to their work here that is an inspiration to our students and to our faculty and our staff. They support each other and support other students, and advocate for what they know is right, and the right way that we should treat our students.”

Eloisa Tamez, a U.S. Army veteran, UTRGV professor of nursing and keynote speaker at the Brownsville event, said the nation’s veterans symbolize the freedom we enjoy. Tamez, whose father was a veteran, served as a nurse for 27 years when she joined the nursing service workforce.

“It is my belief that we nurses are the best patient advocates and must take this role seriously, so our veterans receive optimal healthcare, always,” she said. “This has always been my commitment to our veterans, and I assure that all personnel in my work of service knew that and practiced it.”

Those at the Edinburg event heard from guest speakers, Capt. David Weiss of the U.S. Army National Guard, and former U.S. Army Sgt. Lynette Linn, who talked about their experiences in the military and about the importance of taking time out to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving their country.

“When you live your lives, make sure it’s a testament to those who are no longer able to live theirs,” Weiss said.

Both campus ceremonies had the presentation of colors and a 21-gun salute. At the Brownsville ceremony, three cannon salutes honored those currently serving in the military, those who served in the past and those who died while serving.

Students said they appreciated that UTRGV was honoring veterans and that the university is providing services for student veterans and their loved ones.

Patrick Roberts, UTRGV’s chapter president of the SVA, served eight and a half years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He said it is important for student veterans to have resources available to them, to help them adjust from military to college life.

“There’s a huge transition phase that many veterans go through, getting out of the military. And having a department like the Veterans Services Center and an organization like the Student Veterans of America chapter here at UTRGV and at other campuses across America, helps bridge that gap,” he said. “It helps that transition process. It gives veterans a place to go to, other veterans to talk to and feel welcome, to feel like they can be themselves until they get used to being around everyone else.”

Quentin Cammack, a U.S. Navy veteran who earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from UTRGV legacy institution UT Brownsville, said Veteran’s Upward Bound helped him with a variety of needs when he was a student, like helping him enroll in classes and submitting paperwork for the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill.

“I don't normally look back at people that helped me, but I appreciate them helping me,” an emotional Cammack said. “Looking back at me attaining a bachelor’s degree was a very important thing. My mom and dad never finished college and, for me, it was a big feat to prove that I can do it, and to also help show my daughter that she can do this, too. Just put your mind to it and focus hard, and one day you can attain your goals.”

In honor of those who have taken a term of military service, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the Student...

Posted by The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on Wednesday, November 11, 2015

UTRGV seeks community’s votes to win Tree Campus USA Service Learning Project Award

VOTE: www.ArborDay.org/vote

By Karen Perez

EDINBURG, TEXAS – NOV. 4, 2015 – The Office for Sustainability at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is looking at the possibility of bringing its award-winning tree care practices to the community.

UTRGV is one of three universities selected as a finalist in the Tree Campus USA Service Learning Contest by an internal judging committee from the Arbor Day Foundation, a nonprofit conservation and education organization.

Voting to select the winning campus begins Nov. 9 and ends Nov. 13. The public is encouraged to vote once a day by visiting www.arborday.org/vote.

The winning school will receive $10,000 and Tree Campus USA swag to create a service learning project that engages its students in a tree planting or maintenance project in a low- to moderate-income area of the community.

The other contenders in the large-school category are the University of Alabama, Birmingham, and the University of Pennsylvania.

The contest follows the UTRGV Edinburg Campus’s recent designation from the Arbor Day Foundation as a 2014 Tree Campus USA university for meeting five core standards of tree care and community engagement – including creation of a campus tree-care plan and a service-learning project.

Tree Campus USA is a national program created in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation and sponsored by Toyota.

If awarded, the Office for Sustainability will provide each resident of the Lynchburg Neighborhood of Edcouch with a tree, a tree care kit, and bilingual training at a workshop to foster a beautiful, livable community. An additional three trees will be planted inside the upcoming community center area, which includes a playground.

The project would be a collaborative effort with Proyecto Azteca, a local, nonprofit, self-help housing program. Proyecto Azteca placed 32 families from the colonias and housing authorities into energy-efficient, affordable homes they helped build in 34 lots purchased in the Lynchburg Subdivision. The subdivision is the first silver LEED-certified neighborhood in South Texas. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices.

The service learning project would provide students with hands-on learning on environmental issues, maintaining tree health, and working with diverse community values, said Marianella Franklin, UTRGV’s chief sustainability officer. Additionally the trees would add energy efficiency, aesthetic appeal, and increase the economic value of the houses in the neighborhood.

“This community service project is intended to help us all come together, and what greater way to come together than to plant trees,” Franklin said. “Trees exemplify unity, and that’s what we’re trying to create here – that collaborative unity of one region, which is the Rio Grande Valley, extending a hand to help each other.”

The winner will be announced the week of Nov. 16. Vote for UTRGV Nov. 9-13 by visiting www.arborday.org/vote. 

For more information on UTRGV’s Office for Sustainability like its Facebook page.

South Texas Integrated Team Collaborative for Health (STITCH) Symposium, December 4, 2015

Interprofessional Education & Practice in the Rio Grande Valley: OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES
Kenneth Shine, MD Former Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, The University of Texas System	Eron Manusov, MD Chair of Family and Preventative Medicine, UTRGV Co-Investigator, VIDAS Grant	Deepu V. George, Ph.D. Assistant Clinical Professor for Family and Preventive Medicine, UTRGV Principal Investigator, Si Texas Grant
Rebecca E. Stocker, LCSW Executive Director, Hope Clinic	Holly Borel, MBA Associate CEO, Chief Operating Officer Tropical Texas Behavioral Health	Eddie Olivarez Chief Administrative Officer, Hidalgo County Health Department
Kenneth Shine, MD Keynote Speaker
December 4, 2015 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. UTRGV CESS Building 1407 E. Freddy Gonzalez | Edinburg, Texas
You are invited to submit a poster for the inaugural STITCH IPE Symposium. Click below for more information.
This symposium was made possible through the generous support of the United Health Foundation Grant, VIDAS: Colonia Integrated Care Program Due to limited seating, advanced registration is recommended. For additional information, email maria.salinas1@utrgv.edu or call (956) 665-6401.

Campus Carry Town Hall Meeting: Edinburg & Brownsville

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley invites you to a

Campus Carry Town Hall Meeting

9:00 - 10:00 am Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015

Edinburg Campus – Student Union Theatre, #1.102. 

Click here for the map.

12:00 - 1:00 pm Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015

Brownsville Campus – Student Union, El Gran Salon. 

Click here for the map.

9:30 - 10:30 am Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015

Brownsville Campus – Student Union, El Gran Salon.

Click here for the map.

12:00 - 1:00 pm Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015

Edinburg Campus – Student Union Theatre, #1.102. 

Click here for the map.

The forum will gather ideas, suggestions and feedback from UTRGV students, faculty and staff regarding the implementation of Senate Bill 11.
  
The legislation requires public universities and colleges to allow concealed handgun license holders to carry weapons beginning in August 2016 and allows institutions to establish reasonable rules regarding campus areas excluded

from the requirement.
   
Read the legislation here (PDF).

For more information, please visit www.utrgv.edu/campuscarry.   

You may also provide input on SB 11 at campuscarry@utrgv.edu.

Midnight Madness, Basketball Season Kick Off: Friday, Oct 23

Midnight Madness 6:00 pm •  Edinburg: Parking Lot F (see map)

Join the annual school spirited event this Friday, October 23 at 9 p.m. for music, entertainment, contests, and cool prizes. 

You can look forward to a student organization dance off, the premiere of your UTRGV men’s and women’s basketball teams, a glow stick rally and more! 

Be one of the lucky members in attendance for your chance to win prizes such UTRGV gear, free Blue Wave car washes for a year, an Apple TV, and Spurs basketball tickets. 

Upload your photos to Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #UTRGVMadness to see yourself on the video board during Midnight Madness. 

Doors open at 8:30 pm. We'll see you Friday at the UTRGV Fieldhouse! 

Tailgate and burning of the school letters will be at 6 pm.

Archer Center Graduate Program in Public Policy Information Session.

Graduate Program in Public Policy Information Sessions
Archer Center Program Manager: Steve Alvarez

Edinburg Campus
Date: Thursday, October 22, 2015

Information Sessions: 10-11:00 am

Location: STUN 2.406, Sage Room

Brownsville Campus
Date: Thursday, October 22, 2015

Information Session: 2-3:00 pm

Location: SUNI 2.20

Deadline: Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Applications available online at: http://www.archercenter.org/application-process1.html. Should you have any questions, please call (956) 665-3386 for information. 

Summer 2015 Graduate Program in Public Policy Fellows

Lora Martinez | UT Pan American
Lora Martinez is a graduate student at The University of Texas – Pan American (UTPA) pursuing a Public Administration degree with an emphasis in Nonprofit Management. She has a Nonprofit minor from The University of Texas at San Antonio and a Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP) credential from the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance.  Lora has interned at several youth development nonprofit organizations in San Antonio, Dallas, and in her hometown of Edinburg, Texas and is currently working as a Graduate Assistant for the UTPA Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), an Army leadership training program for university students. Her interest in youth development stems from her background growing up with foster children and hopes to one day contribute to aiding youth in need. Before graduate school, Lora traveled extensively in South East Asia where she taught English for a year at a rural elementary school in South Korea.

Alessandra Rios | UT Pan American
Alessandra Rios is pursuing a Master's in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance at The University of Texas-Pan American. She is from Lima, Peru and received her Bachelor’s in Business Administration from The University of Texas-Pan American (2013) Summa Cum Laude in Finance and Economics. As an undergraduate, Alessandra was active in different student organizations and helped organize the Border Economic Development and Entrepreneurship Symposium and The Finance Insurance Real Estate (FIRE) Symposium. She received the Dean’s Scholars Award consecutively from 2011 to 2013 and the VIP Economics Award in 2013 for her work and leadership. She was also named to the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. She also works as a Graduate Assistant for the Dean of the Economics and Finance Department. Alessandra is interested in finding solutions for the banking industry preventing fraudulent activities and reducing the illegal outflow and inflow of money around the world.

Dr. Temple Grandin to speak at UTRGV

"I am different … Not less." – Temple Grandin, Ph.D. Temple Grandin, Ph.D., is the most accomplished and well-known adult with autism in the world. A best-selling author, Dr. Grandin, who was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME Magazine in 2010, is coming to Edinburg, Texas to shine a light on the world of autism and the welfare of livestock animals. Dr. Grandin, who presently works as a professor of animal science at Colorado State University and speaks around the world on both autism and cattle handling, will be on the UT Rio Grande Valley Campus in Edinburg for a two-day special event. Hear from and get inspired by Dr. Grandin, an accomplished inventor, author, speaker and animal welfare expert, whose life was featured in a full-length HBO film – “Temple Grandin” – starring Claire Danes. She has written numerous best-selling books on autism including “The Way I See It: A Personal Look at Autism and Asperger’s.” Discover how Dr. Grandin is inspiring millions with her story and how her work is transforming the livestock industry. Monday, October 26, 2015 9:30 a.m. My Experiences with Autism (Performing Arts Complex) Tuesday, October 27, 2015 10 a.m. Understanding Cattle Behavior (Performing Arts Complex) Tickets will be available for pick up at the Human Development & School Services Office EDUC 1.272 at the UTRGV Campus in Edinburg. For more information, call (956) 665-3466 or (859) 536-9857 or email johnlowdermilk@utrgv.edu. Tickets are free to the public and can be picked up at the Human Development & School Services Office EDUC 1.272 Edinburg Campus, or you can email mailto:johnny.salinas01@utrgv.edu to reserve tickets.

Attention Graphic Designers in the RGV: UTRGV 2015 President's Holiday Card Contest

The Office of the President is seeking your help in designing the first official 2015 winter holiday card for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Contestants are encouraged to submit general illustrations or campus photographs that are distinctive and/or iconic to the Rio Grande Valley region.

The contest will determine artwork only; words or messages are not to be included in final submissions.

Awards

• 1st place $1,000 UTRGV scholarship
• 2nd place $500 UTRGV scholarship
• 3rd place $500 UTRGV scholarship

Who May Enter

Any UTRGV student in good academic and judicial standing may submit artwork (limited to one entry per person), along with the official entry form. Submissions without the entry form will not be considered.

How to Enter

Entries will be accepted until Friday, November 6.

Artwork must be submitted electronically and include an official entry form.

Submissions may be sent to umc@utrgv.edu or via the UTRGV OneDrive via my.utrgv.edu. A CD or USB drive may also be delivered to one of the following Office of the President locations:

One West University Blvd.
BRHP 2.212
Brownsville, Texas 78520

1201 W. University Dr.
SSBL 6.105
Edinburg, Texas 78539

2102 Treasure Hills Blvd.
Suite 3.100
Harlingen, Texas 78550

Design Specifications

• Finished size: 7" x 5" with a .25” bleed.  Safety zone 6.75”x 4.75”.
• Landscape or portrait orientation.
• All artwork must be CMYK at 300 dpi.
• Accepted formats: PDF, EPS, AI, TIF, JPEG (full quality, uncompressed only). If sending AI or EPS files, please convert all text to outlines.
• Please submit artwork on USB, CD, at umc@utrgv.edu or via the UTRGV OneDrive at my.utrgv.edu.
• Digital artwork that does not meet the resolution and quality requirements will not be considered.

Reproduction Rights

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley will retain all reproduction rights to submitted artwork with credit given to the artist. UTRGV agrees not to sell any of the artwork or any reproduction of the artwork.

Artists warrant that they are the sole proprietor of the artwork and agree to assign all copyright and other intellectual property rights in the artwork to UTRGV. Entries must be original concept and constitute an original work and must not infringe on the protected rights of other artists or violate any applicable copyright laws.

Judging

All entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges selected by the Office of the President. Artwork will be judged on creativity and artistic merit.

The winner will be notified by email or phone.

Deadline

The deadline for the contest is Friday, November 6, 2015.

For more information about the contest, call UTRGV University Marketing and Communications Office at (956) 665-2741 or email umc@utrgv.edu.

http://utrgv.blogspot.com/2015/10/attention-graphic-designers-in-rgv.html

Live Twitter Conversation with Soledad O’Brien

Join in on a Twitter Conversation between award-winning Journalist and former CNN Anchor, Soledad O’Brien and UTRGV Vice President of Governmental & Community Relations, Veronica Gonzales.

Friday, Oct. 2, 2015

Live Twitter Conversation

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Follow, Tweet & Re-Tweet

#LIAUTRGV

Have a Live Conversation with Soledad O’Brien! 

Don’t forget to attend her “I Am Latino In America” Tour on Monday, Oct. 5 at 7:30 PM at the Performing Arts Center

FREE EVENT

Live Feed

#liautrgv Tweets

Three UTRGV Teams made it to The Space Grant Consortium Design Challenge

Congratulations to the 3 teams that made it to the 2015 Design Challenge Teams by the Texas Space Grant Consortium. The teams are:

CHRONOS

Intelligent Lighting Control System, Semester I of II
Department Represented: Engineering Physics
Team: Angelica Cortez*, Alberto E. Vilano Reyna, Aaron Barrera, Christian Yair Miranda Solis, Andrea Karina Martinez, Diana Mendoza Ramirez, Miguel Angel Payns Villalobos
Faculty Advisor: Yong Zhou
Mentored By: George Salazar, NASA JSC

MARSTEK

Mars Drill Design And Automation, Semester I of II
Department Represented: Mechanical Engineering / Computer Engineering
Team: Raul Alberto Espinosa Perez*, Yeznith Del Pilar Gutierrez, Jorge Eduardo Lecea, Silvia Fabiola Perez Hinojosa
Faculty Advisor: Yong Zhou
Mentored By: Dr. Hum Mandell, University of Texas Center for Space Research

MOTTIOXIS

Intelligent Lighting Control System, Semester I of II
Department Represented: Mechanical Engineering
Team: Christian Feliciano*, Mario Alonso, Aaron Millan, Israel Vasquez
Faculty Advisor: Yong Zhou
Mentored By: James P. Smith, NASA JSC

-----------------------------------------------------------

About the Design Challenge

Sponsored by NASA and administered by the Texas Space Grant Consortium, since Fall 2002, the TSGC DESIGN CHALLENGE is a unique academic experience offering undergraduate students an opportunity to propose, design and fabricate a solution to a topic of importance to NASA and its mission.

DESIGN CHALLENGE topics are submitted by researchers working with NASA or its contractor community on current projects of interest. Student teams work on the topic of their choice over the course of one or two semesters. The overall experience pairs the student team and faculty advisor with a research-directed mentor; and provides student team members with an opportunity to engage in scientific research, hands-on design, space-related career opportunities, meeting presentation and educational outreach.

As DESIGN CHALLENGE teams progress through a series of Levels and Option Areas, they are involved in taking a real-world research topic of interest from the idea-stage to an actual workable design.

Because progress is team-directed, the overall program is able to accommodate a variety of design sequences taught in institutions of higher learning throughout the State of Texas [one-semester design, two-semester design, design and build, etc.]. Six team-directed increments [BASE, three specific design Levels, and two Option Areas] allow teams to decide how far they will take the design initiative while accumulating funds to support the team's effort. Up to two teams per year per institution will be fully-funded to participate - based upon availability of projects and funding.

Monetary awards are made available to individual teams upon satisfactory completion of design Levels. Teams are also eligible to receive travel grant funds to support team travel to the end of semester Design Challenge Showcase and assist student-members with off-campus learning, site visits, outreach ventures or meeting participation.

Read more at TSGC.UTEXAS.EDU