Texas Tech University

OUR & OFM Awards

OFMOURBanner2021

It is our pleasure to take a moment to recognize our outstanding students and faculty

Jump to OUR Awards

Jump to OFM Awards

Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Awards

These incredible undergraduate scholars were recognized for making outstanding contributions through their research and creative activities in the 2021-2022 academic year. Click on the graphics below to expand and view in their own windows.


Andrea Giles: "Andie Giles will be graduating in August 2022 with a major in marketing and a minor in advertising. Andie was vice president of the Dean’s Student Council and the VP Panhellenic Delegate of Alpha Chi Omega. She was one of five selected students to participate in the Rawls Undergraduate Research Program."  Becca Steinman: "She is interested in development throughout the life cycle, but specifically in babies and children. She hopes to use her passion for development in medicine to become a pediatrician. Becca is looking forward to using what she has learned at Texas Tech and at the SIBS Lab to make a difference in the medical world. She loves volunteering with kids, hanging out with friends, and her adorable cat."  Hannah Petry: Bio coming soon  Isaiah George: "My name is Isaiah George, and I am a senior Microbiology major. I will graduate this May 2022 and attend medical school at the TTUHSC School of Medicine this fall. I currently serve in a clinical lab at TTUHSC centered around biofilms and polymicrobial chronic wounds."  Katherine Munson: "I now plan to use the skills I have learned as a research assistant to conduct my own study next spring. My goal after undergraduate is to attend graduate school for Industrial/Organizational Psychology. My grandfather was a psychologist and the first in his family on my dad's side to attend college. I feel as if I am following in my grandfather's footsteps and continuing the family legacy."  Madison Rowe: "I have worked at the Canine Olfaction Research and Education lab here at Tech for over a year now, and have loved delving into research in this setting. Next year, I will be attending veterinary school at Texas A&M, and I hope to continue pursuing research at the graduate level. I am so honored to have gotten this award, and I want to thank everyone who has helped me in this journey. Wreck ‘em!"Sarah Qureshi: "Upon taking classes with Wild Well Control, I am certified in Introductory Drilling Operations by the IADC and am currently taking classes in Python programming and will continue my research this upcoming fall 2022 semester in Machine-Learning."  Sarah White: "I am a fourth year Biochemistry major with aspirations to attend graduate school and pursue a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering. I have been conducting research in the Energy Balance and Body Composition Laboratory in the Department of Kinesiology & Sport Management for three years. In my free time I enjoy working out, baking, and watching true crime documentaries."  Tristan Herring: "Tristan Herring is a recent graduate from the department of psychological sciences. He conducts psychometric research in Dr. Ingram's Personality Assessment and Treatment Seeking lab and cognitive research in Dr. Serra's Learning and Metacognition Lab. His past work has examined judgement of headline frequencies, assessment of veteran suicidality, and symptom validity tests."



Return to Top

Outstanding Faculty Mentor Awards

The Texas Tech University faculty members listed below are recognized for their superb contributions to the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities landscape at TTU. Click on the graphics below to expand and view in their own windows.

Dr. Allie C. Smith: "Her research includes a sponsored research project to validate a handheld bacterial fluorescence imaging device for clinical use, and examining the effects of polymicrobial infections on the efficacy of antimicrobial therapy."  DR. Anastasia Stellato: "She is an expert in companion animal behavior, with a professional background in advising the public on responsible pet ownership, identifying companion animal behavior, and helping owners perform appropriate behavior modifications."  Dr. Branimir Segvic: "He is particularly interested in diagenesis of clay minerals looking to find mineralogical and geochemical clues as to how the clay mineral composition is related to the nature and history of diagenesis in the context of thermal evolution of sedimentary basins."
Dr. Catherine Simpson: "Her current research spans the multifaceted areas that bridge horticulture and urban and peri-urban environments. These projects include water resource and soil sustainability, people-plant interactions, plants for human health, plant nutritional quality and phytochemical composition, functional plant products, and horticultural therapy."  Dr. Dylan Schwilk: "His lab's current research includes investigations of how fire mediates grass-tree interactions in semi-arid woodlands and how drought and fire impact trees in west Texas and New Mexico."  Dr. Erin Hamilton: "Her current research focuses on the social and behavioral dimensions of green buildings, with a focus on how sustainable buildings may support the cultivation of environmentally responsible behaviors and overall wellbeing. She teaches in both the undergraduate and graduate programs and enjoys the creativity of crafting a good research design."
Dr. Grant Tinsley: "His current research interests are the critical evaluation of body composition assessment techniques, the influence of intermittent fasting on resistance training adaptations, and sports nutrition strategies to improve performance and body composition."  Dr. Jacob Kirksey: "His research is broadly focused on issues at the nexus of education and other areas of public policy, which includes student absenteeism and truancy, inclusion and special education, the ripple effects of immigration enforcement, and the teacher workforce."  Dr. Jhones Sarturi: "As the manager for the Ruminant Nutrition Laboratory and the Ruminant Nutrition Center (cattle metabolism area), Dr. Sarturi foster basic and applied research, as well as, empower undergrad and graduate students."
Dr. Kembra Albracht-Schulte: "Dr. Albracht-Schulte's research efforts aim to understand the mechanistic and potentially synergistic effects of exercise and nutrition interventions by conducting clinical and translational research. She currently mentors six undergraduate research scholars."  Dr. Lisa Limeri: "Her lab investigates the impacts of social-psychological factors on undergraduates’ performance and retention in STEM. Her research explores how students’ beliefs about themselves, their abilities, and the nature of science affects their psychological experiences and academic success."  Dr. Mari Isa: She directs the Texas Tech University Forensic Anthropology Laboratory and consults on forensic anthropology casework for the Ector County Medical Examiner’s Office and other agencies in west Texas. At TTU, she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in forensic anthropology, forensic archaeology, and the investigation of cold cases."
Dr. Matthew Siebecker: Often his group measures the rates (kinetics) of soil chemical reactions (e.g., sorption/desorption/redox) and couples experiments in the laboratory with spectroscopic analysis via synchrotron radiation."  Dr. Nick Smith: ""His lab is particularly interested in the extent to which plant acclimation responses might alleviate the impact of global change on ecosystem services. Nick prioritizes maintaining an ope, equitable, and inclusive lab environment for his mentees."  Dr. Oak Hee Park: "Oak-Hee Park has been conducting various research projects related to nutrition, food, health, and consumer behavior... Currently, Dr. Park and her research team expand the obesity prevention project at rural Title I schools to educate next generation who will be a model for healthy lifestyle movement in rural communities in west Texas."
Dr. Riley Krotz: "Riley T. Krotz, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Marketing and AACSRE Emerging Research Fellow at Texas Tech University. Dr. Krotz’s research explores digital marketing and technology in retail and service settings, with a focus on the organizational frontlines, public policy, and blood donations  Dr. Sean Mitchell: "Dr. Mitchell was actively involved in research with multiple mentors, which was a life-changing experience that led him to pursue a Ph.D. As a result, he is passionate about undergraduate mentorship and research. Dr. Mitchell is excited to see his mentees become the next generation of  Dr. Shuichi Kunori: "I also worked on muon tracking detectors before and now helping TTU students to develop a cosmic muon detector for muon tomography. On the physics side, I have been searching for new physics beyond the standard model of particle physics- and currently looking for signatures of dark matter and graviton productions in proton-proton collisions at the LHC."
Thank  Dr. Vijay Hegde: "He joined the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Texas Tech University in 2014 as a tenure track Assistant professor where his research focus is in the basic science area. Using cell and animal models his research interest is to understand how disease states like obesity and diabetes affect aging individuals and their role in promoting comorbidities like cancer.". You All
 

Return to Top

Center for Transformative Undergraduate Experiences

© 2025  Texas Tech University Apr 21, 2023 11:18 AM