Tag Archives: Feature – WT Staff

WTAMU instructor wins Athletic Trainer Award

Posted on by Matthew Watkins
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The National Athletic Trainer’s Association recently announced the 2012 winners of the Most Distinguished Athletic Trainers award. Among the winners was WTAMU’s Lorna Strong, the Sports and Exercise Science department head and instructor.

“I’m both honored and humbled to be honored by the national organization for my efforts,” Strong said.

The award recognizes NATA members who demonstrate exceptional commitment to leadership, volunteer services, advocacy and distinguished professional activities as an athletic trainer. Recipients are also involved in service and leadership activities at the district and national levels.

“I enjoy the opportunities that I get to have here on campus and in my district and national involvement,” Strong said. Continue reading →

Listen Up!: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Posted on by Maria Molina
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Listen Up! The Prairie's Podcast.

Listen Up! The Prairie's Podcast.

Get your headphones and listen up to our latest episode about the Theater’s department’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”!

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download

International professors reveal how they became part of WTAMU

Posted on by Jordan Fry
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Web Editor’s Note: This story is Part three of a three part series.

Dr. Rajan Alex

India

Associate Professor of Computer Science

Dr. Rajan Alex came to America to pursue his master’s degree because he wanted to get a better degree than was available to him in India.

“The quality of education at the university level is much better,” he said. “Professors have the choice to set up their own curriculum to teach the courses. This makes the degree competitive.”

Alex explained that the education system at the university level in India is much more structured and the faculty doesn’t have the freedom to create their own curriculum.

He feels this lessens the competitiveness of a degree because students aren’t exposed to different aspects of the area of study. Instead, every student learns the same exact material.

Alex received a master’s degree in mathematics from New Mexico State University. He went on to receive a master’s degree in computer science and a Ph.D. in applied mathematics from Texas Tech University.

Teaching was not Alex’s first career choice until he was given the opportunity to be a teaching assistant while in grad school.

“It gave me a liking towards the teaching profession,” he said.

He came across an ad for a teaching position at WT while he was finishing grad school at Texas Tech in 1995.

“I just applied for the teaching position and I got the job,” he said.

Alex teaches courses in computer science, programming and theoretical computer science. He has also taught courses in data structures, discreet structures, databases and net-centric computing.

Alex said he has a very good relationship with his students and that they treat him well.

“They think I know too much,” he said. “Too much math.”

Alex said that during his time here, he has never had a negative evaluation from a student.

“I’ve never had an evaluation that said, ‘this guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about,’” he said. “After this many years, I think I would have had negative feedback if it was the case.”

Dr. Alex said he still has students who have graduated come back to see him. He feels that is a good sign of a good professor.

“As a teacher, I want my students to feel like they are getting the best from me,” he said.

The teaching position he holds at WT is the only teaching position he has held and he doesn’t see that changing.

“I absolutely enjoy WT. That’s why I’ve been here so long,” he said. “I fit into this system and I don’t see any reason to leave.”

Dr. Enyonam Osei-Hwere

Ghana

Assistant Professor of Communication

Before coming to America and receiving a master’s degree in international affairs and a Ph.D. in mass communication from Ohio University, Dr. Enyonam Osei-Hwere had no interest in leaving Ghana.

“Ohio University recruited me, but I had no interest,” she said. “I had a really great job with the Ford Foundation and I was newly married, so I turned them down.”

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Agricultural Air Quality facility studies local odor

Posted on by Ryan Schaap
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Tyler Brown, assistant grad student. Photo by Ryan Schaap.

Tyler Brown, assistant grad student. Photo by Ryan Schaap.

The Agriculture Air Quality facility is doing research on poultry, beef and swine farms to measure the air quality. This research has involved a USDA farm near Waco, where Dr. Eddie Caraway, research associate at WTAMU, and his research team are taking samples of the air to determine what impact the odor has on air and soil quality. The study of the sense of smell is called olfactometry. There are about six labs across the U.S.A that have tests on olfactometry.

“We are doing a three-year study,” Caraway said. “We laid down an area of chicken litter where we measured nutrients that was absorbed by the soil from the litter produced by the poultry farm.”

Caraway got his bachelor’s degree in biology in 2002. He transferred to agricultural air quality and started his research in 2005 at WT. He has been working with USDA and Texas A&M University at College Station doing odor research at the Waco farm. Continue reading →

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IT answers to common problems on WT’s system

Posted on by Jes Roskens
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Many programs, devices and systems keep WTAMU running. However, most students only notice them when they stop working. The IT department decided to shed light on some of the most common issues students face.

Why does the Internet slow down?

Geography is the enemy for the buffer-phobic student, Chief Information Officer Jim Webb said. WT is a part of a statewide network called the Lonestar Education and Research Network (LEARN). Due to LEARN not having a strong presence in the Panhandle area, WT gets a much smaller bandwidth as opposed to another TAMUS (Texas A&M University System) universities, such as Galveston. This will change soon with the installation of fiber-optic cable from Canyon to Lubbock, allowing WT’s total bandwidth to increase almost tenfold by April 2012. Continue reading →

Buff Allies program revived but in danger of dying

Posted on by Lisa Hellier
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Buff Allies is a program formed by WTAMU faculty and staff members to provide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students a supportive safe zone to discuss any issues they might have.

“[It provides] a safe place for the students to come talk about issues that they might not feel comfortable talking about just anywhere on campus,” Dr. Mo Cuevas, Social Work assistant professor and Buff Ally, said.

One of Buff Allies’ goals is to raise awareness of issues the LGBT community faces and to educate others. Continue reading →

Marga Gore chosen as staff member of the month

Posted on by Lisa Hellier
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Marga Gore working at the Financial Aid Office. Photo by Lisa Hellier.

Marga Gore working at the Financial Aid Office. Photo by Lisa Hellier.

Financial Aid Counselor Marga Gore was named as WT Staff Member of the Month.

“Marga is a hard worker. She is always doing something,“ Terri Faver, a financial counselor, said.

At the Financial Aid office, there is a sense of community amongst the employees. Everyone jokes around with one another and they have fun, but there is also an underlying support system. Her co-workers are happy to see her get this award. Continue reading →

Students compete in research conference at A&M

Posted on by Ashley Hendrick
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WTAMU graduate and undergraduate students will travel down to the Texas A&M campus in College Station to attend the 8th Annual Texas A&M University Systems Pathways Symposium Research Conference on Nov. 11.

The TAMUS Pathways Symposium is a student research conference hosted by a different Texas A&M System school every year. It allows students from a variety of majors to come together and share their research with fellow students and faculty in their field.

“(The symposium) is a way to bring everyone together and get to know each other,” Dr. Robin Capt, associate dean of Graduate School and Research, said. “It provides a venue for them to decide to work on a masters or doctorate somewhere else.”

21 WT students will be attending the conference and will present in a variety of categories such as Agriculture, Humanities, and Computer Science.

“There’s a category for everyone,” Capt said. “It may not be your major, but you can find a place to be in there.”

The students will present their research in front of a panel of experts who will judge and critique accordingly. Dr. Cathy Clewett, assistant professor of Physics at WT and one of this year’s judges, said it’s not always about the presentation itself, but what happens behind the scenes.

“When I am looking at undergraduates, I look to see how much the students were involved with the research,” Clewett said.

Brian Yates, graduate student of Environmental Science said nine years’ worth of research competition within the Texas A & M System, however, has birthed a touch of rivalry among a couple of schools. Yates presented last year at the conference and will present this year.

“If we can beat (Texas A & M) it’s a pretty big deal,” Yates said. “Especially since they have a lot of big environmental science stuff going on.”

Despite bragging rights and a few potential prizes students can receive for placing in the competition, the most valued aspect of the symposium is networking.

“It’s a good way to promote yourself,” Yates said. “If you’re an undergrad and you present at these things, you may talk to somebody who may end up being your future graduate advisor.”

Clewett said along with networking, simple communication is also an important factor in the symposium.

“It’s important to talk about your research,” Clewett said. “A big part of what you do as a scientist is communicate.”

Dr. O’Brien wins Tricycle Race

Posted on by Krystina Martinez
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(L-R) Dr. James Webb , Dr. Patrick O’Brien and Dan Garcia. Photo by Krystina Martinez.

(L-R) Dr. James Webb , Dr. Patrick O’Brien and Dan Garcia. Photo by Krystina Martinez.

On Oct. 31, WTAMU administrators faced off in a tricycle race to benefit the State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC). Dr. Patrick O’Brien took first place.

“We decided to increase the excitement this year by having a tricycle race,” Becky Lopez, WT assistant director of personnel and SECC alum executive, said. “We spoke to Dr. O’Brien and the VP’s and they were all for it.”

Jars with pictures of campus leaders travelled around campus. Students could put money in for their favorite administrator. Continue reading →

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