Three graduate researchers from Texas Tech’s Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources have been recognized among the top presenters at the university’s 25th Annual Graduate Student Poster Competition, an event that highlights the ability of emerging scholars to translate complex research into clear, public-facing narratives.
‘We are proud of the accomplishments of our graduate students. This reflects the outstanding work of our faculty in the Davis College.'
Held March 5 in the Student Union Building’s Red Raider Ballroom, the competition brought together graduate and postdoctoral students from across disciplines. Participants were challenged not only to demonstrate the rigor of their research, but also to communicate its significance to non-specialized audiences using poster presentations as visual guides.
“We are proud of the accomplishments of our graduate students. This reflects the outstanding work of our faculty in the Davis College,” said Noureddine Abidi, associate dean for research in the college and interim associate vice president for research and innovation at the university. “We appreciate the dedication of our faculty to mentoring and advising our graduate students.”
The annual competition, organized by university officials, is open to all current graduate students and postdoctoral researchers at Texas Tech. Entrants are evaluated on both the quality of their research and their effectiveness in presenting it professionally to a broad audience.
Among this year’s honorees were two scholars from Davis College:
Gaurav Raturi, who earned first place in the Postdoctoral Division, presented research titled “Global Atlas of Microbial Diversity and Functional Potential in Crop Microbiomes.” Working within the Department of Plant and Soil Science’s Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Raturi specializes in plant-microbe interactions, including rhizobacteria and mineral-microbe dynamics that influence plant growth. He conducts his research under the guidance of Trivedi Pankaj, an associate professor focused on microbiome analysis. Before joining Texas Tech, Raturi held research appointments at the National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute in Punjab, India. He earned a doctorate in biotechnology from Panjab University in 2023.
Amanda Newman received second place in the Biological Life Sciences I category for her poster, “Effects of Roadways on Bat Activity and Distribution in East Texas.” A master’s student in the Department of Natural Resources Management, Newman studies wildlife acoustics, mammalogy and geographic information systems. She is advised by Richard Stevens, department chair and the Caesar Kleberg Endowed Professor of Wildlife Conservation. Newman, who earned her bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech in 2022, is originally from Thoreau, New Mexico.
Simita Roy received second place in the Social Sciences II category for her poster, “Voices of the Delta: Crowdsourcing Environmental Change in Coastal Bangladesh.” A master’s student in the Department of Landscape Architecture, she is focused on ecological resilience, participatory environmental monitoring, and climate-responsive landscape systems. Roy is advised by Rui Zhu, an assistant professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture at Texas Tech . Roy, who earned her bachelor’s degree from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) in architecture, is originally from Bangladesh.
Although the competition was conducted in person, organizers also provided a virtual submission option for distance learners, allowing participants to submit recorded presentations. Entries were judged by a panel composed of faculty members and representatives from the Lubbock community.
CONTACT: Noureddine Abidi, Texas Tech Interim Associate Vice President for Research & Innovation and Davis College 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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