Scenes Around NSM
Featured Video: Depth in Dignity
The UH Geophysics team of Professor Rob Stewart, researcher Chaz Clapsaddle and Ph.D. student Presley Greer, used ground-penetrating radar, electromagnetic detection methods, and metal detectors to scan the terrain of Houston’s historic Evergreen Negro Cemetery. In addition to finding graves, Stewart and his team are locating areas that do not have burials. This project is the effort of community groups, such as Project RESPECT and the Shuffield Foundation, the city of Houston and UH, to provide long-overdue dignity to those buried there, including former slaves, World War I veterans, Buffalo Soldiers and early community pioneers. Read More
TC Energy Provides Four, $5,000 Scholarships to Summer Scholars
In celebration of its five-year partnership with NSM, TC Energy provided four, $5,000 scholarships for the fall semester to participants in the TC Energy Summer Scholars Academy. Scholarship recipients were (from left): Ryan Clarke - “Unmatched Dedication Scholarship,” Abel Ruedas - “Highest Performing Chemistry Student Scholarship,” Akayla Shelby - “Highest Performing Calculus Student Scholarship,” and Aariyah Martinez - “TC Energy - Energy Problem Solvers Scholarship.” Also pictured from left: TC Energy’s Eric Miller, Director of Marketing West-U.S. Pipelines, and Trevence Mitchell, Manager, Social Impact, and NSM’s Ashley Askew, Director of Special Programs.
STEM + Chocolate = Fun at UH Take Your Child to Work Day
Everyone loves chocolate! Future Coogs, who are sons and daughters of UH faculty and staff, had an opportunity to learn the science behind this sweet treat at the UH Staff Council’s annual “Take Your Child to Work Day.” Naihao Chiang, assistant professor of chemistry, partnered with the UH STEM Center to provide hands-on activities on how chocolate is sourced and how it’s made. The participants even created their own handcrafted treats!
Strengthening STEM: GM New Teacher Academy
Sixty-eight new STEM teachers participated in the four-day General Motors New Teacher Academy. The event, organized by NSM’S teachHOUSTON and the National Math and Science Initiative, provides support and professional development to recent graduates who have been teaching for up to three years. The participants came from 23 Houston-area school districts or charter school programs. Professional development sessions ranged from hands-on and inquiry-based learning to culturally responsive teaching. Participants gained valuable insight on lesson planning, how to interact with students, and strategies to survive and thrive in the early years of teaching. Funding for the program is also provided by CenterPoint Energy.
Big Bend: Annual Spring Break Field Geology Excursion
The Geologic Field Methods course in the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences is required for Geology, Geophysics, Environmental Sciences (Environmental Geoscience track), and Earth Science majors. It involves six outdoor labs on the UH campus to practice techniques before applying them in two field trips. The class provides the opportunity to learn from the ground up, how to take measurements, and make interpretations in the field. Teaching Assistant Lucille Baker-Stahl documented the Big Bend spring break trip in a field journal covering daily activities and photos. Field Journal
Xin Shi: Dan E. Wells Outstanding Dissertation Award, Spring 2024
Xin Shi’s dissertation, “Advancing Nontoxic, Antimony-based 1-2-2-type Thermoelectric Zintls,” focused on the direct conversion of thermal energy, which is abundant in our environment, to electrical energy, which powers our society. Current thermoelectric materials that can help accomplish this conversion have been laborious to design, and often contain toxic or rare elements. Shi researched fundamental properties of promising thermoelectric materials and developed a new strategy to design and pre-evaluate nontoxic, highly performing thermoelectric compounds. These advances will have an ongoing positive impact on future environmentally friendly energy sources. His advisor was Zhifeng Ren. Shi, a physics Ph.D. graduate, received a certificate and an award of $1,000.