Welcome to the 2024 Research Scholars Symposium, where we celebrate another impressive year of groundbreaking discoveries by our first‐rate faculty and student researchers. The quality and diversity of the research being done at Tarleton State University is exceptional.
Tarleton State researchers are championing, among other topics, plant‐based materials to improve water safety; innovative smart climate practices; enhanced rural communications and healthcare; healthier pollinators for increased food production; and greater transportation efficiency.
Our university will continue to commit resources to research designed to serve regional, state and national needs as we dare to imagine a better world.
Today these researchers will exhibit their work to allow you to learn about their discoveries and leave with a new appreciation for the energy it takes to move ideas from the lab to the marketplace.
My sincerest appreciation to Dr. Rupa Iyer and the Division of Research, Innovation, and Economic Development for providing this valuable academic forum.
The next generation of engineers, educators, healthcare professionals, creatives, scientists, communicators, and entrepreneurs will come from Tarleton State University, and Tarleton will be recognized as the premier comprehensive public university in the country.
You can count on it.
Dr. James Hurley
President
I am pleased to welcome you to the 2024 Division of Research, Innovation, and Economic Developments’ (RIED) Research Symposium. This year we are excited to showcase 76 faculty‐mentored student research projects of some of the best and brightest from our campus community. This includes 38 research projects funded by the President’s Excellence in Research Scholars (PERS). The funding has enabled student researchers to take part in their projects from vision to proof of concept.
Last year we started the elevator pitch competition for our undergraduate poster session, this year we are pleased to add the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition in collaboration with the Tarleton College of Graduate Studies. 3MT is an academic event that challenges Ph.D. and Master’s degree students to present their research in just three minutes in a language appropriate to a non‐specialist audience. The addition of the 3MT competition to the RIED Research Symposium exemplifies a significant enhancement in promoting research communication skills among our graduate students.
The posters and oral presentations featured illustrate Tarleton’s commitment to robust discovery and research. Our university
continues to climb the Higher Education Research and Development rankings due to many of the innovative thinkers you will see and hear from. They think big and push boundaries to make life better for us all.
Thank you for taking time to explore Tarleton’s scholarly and creative endeavors. We’re doing more and achieving more, and our work is more vital than ever.
Dr. Rupa Iyer
Vice President, Division of Research, Innovation and Economic Development