System Symposium Offers TAMUG Students an Opportunity to Shine

November 20, 2009

On Friday, November 13 and Saturday, November 14, 2009 seven students from Texas A&M University at Galveston traveled to Laredo to participate in the Texas A&M University System Pathways Symposium. The event offered students an opportunity to showcase their specific research areas of interest and study. It was held at Texas A&M University International.

Undergraduate Allison Carlin placed second in the Environmental Science category. The senior, whose faculty mentor is Dr. Christopher Marshall, presented her poster on “Microanatomy & Biomechanics of Weddell Seal Mystacial Vibrissae.”


Graduate students Shaya Seward, Joe A. Carlin, and Michael Bell presented posters in the category of Environmental Science, and Andrew McInnes presented a poster in the Life Science category. Seward, an Oceanography student, placed second for her poster on “Looking at dioxins in sediments of the Houston Ship Channel system.” Her faculty mentors are Dr. Patrick Louchouarn and Dr. Robin Brinkmeyer. Carlin presented his poster on “Evidence suggesting hyperpycnal flow within a low gradient river delta.” His faculty mentor is Dr. Tim Dellapenna. Bell presented his poster on “Restoration: construction design influences aquatic community composition.” His faculty mentor is Dr. Anna Armitage. McInnes, a Marine Resources Management student, placed second in the Life Sciences category and placed third Overall as a Master’s level winner. His poster focused on “Breeding Success of Great Egrets at Smith Oaks, High Island, Texas.” His faculty mentor is Dr. Susan Knock.

Doctoral student Russell Carvalho presented his poster titled “Diversity Patterns in Deep-sea Macrofauna at the Sigsbee Abyssal Plain, Gulf of Mexico” and was awarded first place in the Environmental Science category. Carvalho is studying Oceanography. His faculty mentor is Dr. Anja Schulze. Doctoral student Chan K. Jeong presented his poster on “New Estimates of Extreme Wave Heights for the Gulf of Mexico” in the Engineering category. His faculty mentor is Dr. Vijay Panchang.

Each winner was given a certificate. McInnes received a cash prize for placing as an overall winner, in addition to the certificate. All participants in the symposium were able to discuss their research with faculty and colleagues from across the TAMU System, allowing them new opportunities to network and gain experience participating in a judged presentation.

Many of these students will participate in the TAMUG Research Symposium that will next take place in April 2010. Students who participated in the Pathways Symposium will have numerous opportunities to further present their research posters at local, regional, state and national conferences in the coming months.

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