Ten standout students have been tapped to receive a 2025 Undergraduate Research Grant. Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources leaders took a moment this week to recognize these talented participants.
There was broad representation across Davis College and all the projects were aimed at research questions of regional, national, and global importance, according to college officials. These research opportunities enrich the experiences of students and expand their understanding of quality science, as well as their chosen fields.
New this year is the addition of a graduate student mentor to aid in the undergraduate student’s progress. “Involving graduate students as mentors to the undergraduate students will not only give them a chance to learn how to advise and guide research but also to develop their communication and management skills,” said Davis College Associate Dean for Research Noureddine Abidi.
The college is thankful for the generous gift of Dr. and Mrs. Gordon Davis and the TrUE Scholars undergraduate research experience fund that both support this program, Abidi added. Without these types of funding programs, it would be difficult to fund undergraduate research opportunities, he said.
The funding for the undergraduate grants supported wages for research activities or for supplies to conduct research projects. After completing the project, the students submitted an abstract to a professional society meeting or to a symposium or research conference supported at Texas Tech.
The 2025 Undergraduate Research Grant recipients are:
- Jana Edwards (AFS) Junior | Animal Science | Katy, Texas “The effects of timing postnatal piglet husbandry practice procedures on preweaning growth performance of piglets” Graduate Student Mentor: Bianca Metallo. Faculty Mentor: Tyler Niblett, Tyler Niblett, Assistant Professor of Practice in Swine Production, Department of Animal & Food Sciences
- Abigail Garza (AEC) Junior | Agricultural Communications | Midland, Texas “Promoting Sustainable Cotton on Social Media: Exploring the Influence of Message Themes on Audience Engagement” Graduate Student Mentor: Hannah Gustin. Faculty Mentor: Courtney Meyers, Professor & Graduate Studies Coordinator, Department of Agricultural Education & Communications
- Ahmari Henry (AFS) Senior | Animal Science| Terrell, Texas “Substrate ruminal degradation kinetics of beef cattle diets offered with Saccharomyces cerevisiae during the growing and finishing phases: an in-situ degradability model” Graduate Student Mentor: Beatriz Queiroz Dos Reis. Faculty Mentor: Jhones Sarturi, Associate Professor of Beef Cattle Nutrition & Metabolism, Department of Animal & Food Sciences
- Shin Myat Naing Naing (AAEC) Senior | Singapore “Ethnic population in the United States and vegetable imports” Graduate Student Mentor: Umesh Gautam. Faculty Mentor: Stephen Devadoss, Professor and Emabeth Thompson Endowed Professor, Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics
- Olivia Nelson (AFS) Junior | Animal Science| Forney, Texas “The study of intramuscular adipose tissue and muscle extracellular matrix as a path to improve marbling in beef cattle” Graduate Student Mentor: Mollie Green. Faculty Mentor: Clarissa Strieder-Barboza, Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Sciences
- Lance Nicholas (AEC) Senior | Agricultural Education | Brookshire, Texas “A Case Study Examination of Administrator’s Perceptions of the Impacts of Teacher Turnover in Texas Secondary Agricultural Education Programs” Graduate Student Mentor: Krysti Kelley. Faculty Mentor: John Rayfield, Professor, Department of Agricultural Education & Communications
- Koby Nichols (PSS) Junior | Forsan, Texas “Low-cost industrial wastewater treatment – chitin supported biochar from turfgrass clippings” Graduate Student Mentor: Reshma Panackal Shibu. Faculty Mentors: Julia Shamshina, Assistant Professor, Fiber & Biopolymer Research Institute, Department of Plant & Soil Science and Joseph Young, Associate Professor of Turfgrass Science, Department of Plant & Soil Science
- Colter Pohlman (AAEC) Senior | Hereford, Texas “Analyses of Basis Risk in Dairy Margin Coverage” Graduate Student Mentor: Stanishkar Sunil. Faculty Mentor: Stephen Devadoss, Professor and Emabeth Thompson Endowed Professor, Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics
- Ryan Thornton (NRM) Senior | Cooper, Texas “Assessing risk of microplastic exposure to recreational anglers in Lubbock, Texas” Graduate Student Mentor: Owen George. Faculty Mentor: Scott Collins, Assistant Professor, Department of Natural Resources Management
- Ethan Turegano (AEC) Junior | Agricultural Education | Monahans, Texas “Agricultural Science Teachers’ Perceptions on Artificial Intelligence Adoption, Implementation, and Use in Research Supervised Agricultural Experiences” Graduate Student Mentor: Clarissa Gonzalez Darby. Faculty Mentor: Rudy Ritz, Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Education & Communications
CONTACT: Noureddine Abidi, Associate Dean for Research, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or noureddine.abidi@ttu.edu
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