College of Science and Mathematics 2023 Summer Newsletter

Science and Mathematics

MESSAGE FROM THE College Dean

The spring semester for the College of Science and Mathematics has been the conclusion of an outstanding academic year for Tarleton and COSM. Tarleton closed the Forward, Together fundraising campaign by exceeding the revised goal of $125 million. The College of Science and Mathematics played an integral role in the campaign benefiting from the continued support of the COSM alumni and donors to assist the growth and enhance the quality of the academic programs in COSM. During the 2022-2023 academic year, COSM experienced an 11% growth in the number bachelors’ degrees award to students from our program and continues to see a steady growth in overall student enrollment.

The program proposal to add a doctoral program (Ph.D.) in applied mathematics was approved by the Texas A&M Board of Reagents in May and is now at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for final approval from the State. If all goes smoothly, the program should launch with the first students enrolling in the program in the fall of 2024. Efforts are already underway to ensure a smooth launch of a

There are many additional changes underway for COSM. This will be my last newsletter as COSM Dean. I have accepted a position at Georgia Southern University as Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics and start in the fall. I have enjoyed my time at Tarleton serving as the Dean of COST and now COSM. It has been a pleasure getting to know the COSM faculty, staff, students, and alumni during the past three and half years.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dr. Phil Sudman has been appointed Interim Dean of COSM while a national search is conducted for a permanent replacement. The College will be in great hands with Dr. Sudman. Dr. Ryan Morgan has also left Tarleton for a position at Chadron State University where we will serve as Dean of Graduate Studies and the School of Business, Math, and Science. Dr. Daniel Marble has been appointed as interim department head for the Department of Chemistry, Geoscience, and Physics. Dr. Eileen Faulkenberry, COSM Associate Dean, began serving as Interim Dean of the Honors College at Tarleton during the spring semester. Dr. Max Sanderford

been appointed Interim Associate

Best wishes for continued success!

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS Faculty Spotlight

Bio Questions

Name: Nancy Summer

Rank: Instructor

Home department: Mathematics

How long have you been a faculty member at Tarleton? Since 2014 (8 years)

Where did you get your Master’s Degree?

Tarleton State University

Other Areas: My B.S. is in Electrical Engineering from Wichita State University. I worked at Boeing as a Flight Controls Engineer in Wichita, KS and then later got my PE license and worked for a small consulting firm in Springfield, Illinois specializing in fish hatchery design.

Fun facts: I am an animal lover and currently have a dog, a cat and a rescue squirrel.

Discussion Questions

What classes do you regularly teach?

Precalculus & Calculus 1

Why do you find teaching so rewarding?

I enjoy working with students and helping them to succeed. I enjoy making connections with students and staying in contact to keep up with their academic and professional success. One of my former students who now teaches high school science in Houston sent me a message on Mother’s Day!

How do you work to engage students in your classroom?

I like to employ investigative activities to introduce new material and then have students work in groups or independently on problems so they have some practice prior to attempting homework.

What teacher most impacted your choice to going to teaching as your chosen career?

My high school math teacher, Mr. Glaser. Why? I wanted to be a teacher but he pushed me to go into engineering – my engineering degree has been instrumental in helping students see the real-world applications of mathematics. My engineering students are always interested in hearing about my experiences in the field and the importance of pursuing a professional engineer’s license. (I earned my P.E. license for Electrical Engineering when I lived in Springfield, Illinois.)

What is your favorite class to teach and why?

Calculus. The applied problems are so interesting! The applied problems are so interesting! The students get to see the connection between the mathematics they have been learning and real-world problems they will encounter in their chosen career fields.

Nancy Summer, Instructor

Tarleton College of Science and Mathematics Presents Annual Alumni Awards

Tarleton State College of Science and Mathematics 2023 Annual Award recipients enjoy professional success as leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers. Awards were presented in early March. “This year’s honorees demonstrate the wide range of career paths available with a STEM education from Tarleton,” said Dr. Michael Huggins, Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. “They inspire our current students and exemplify the impact of our exceptional educational experiences.”

As part of the awards program, several recipients participated in a panel discussion, reviewing career opportunities and sharing their professional journeys with current STEM students and faculty.

Ed and Welba Dorsey received the Outstanding Philanthropist Award, given for direct financial support or gifts in kind to the college. Ed, a 1964 Tarleton graduate, is a retired Vice President of Alcon

Labs. In 1997 the couple established the Edwin D. and Welba C. Dorsey Academic Scholarship Endowment, which awards more than $10,000 in scholarships annually.

Alumni of the Year honors, given to graduates with distinguished career accomplishments, went to Dr. Alfie Pino and Ted Pettijohn. Pino, a 1999 Tarleton graduate, is a physician and co-founder of Allied Anesthesiology and Nucleus Healthcare Group. Pettijohn, from the Class of 1983, is President of Arcanum and Raven Butene-1.

Warren Bluntzer, Cody Yarborough and Doug Meador were named Outstanding Alumni for sustained distinguished accomplishments and contributions to society. Bluntzer is a 1971 graduate; Yarborough, Class of ’87, is the CEO of Lifestyle Biotechnologies; and Meador, a 1998 graduate, is Chief Operating Officer –Commodities and Finance for Macquarie Group.

Young Alumni Awards were presented to Sam Kieschnik, a 2005 and 2008 graduate now working as an urban biologist for the Texas Parks and Wildlife

Mathematics

Tarleton.

Dean of COSM, Dr. Michael Huggins

Kennedy. Walker is the Chief Medical Officer for BS&W Health Texas Provider Network, and Kennedy is a partner at Central Tax Leader at RSM US. Walker and Kennedy received their awards for remarkable professional achievement and dedication to their community and the university.

Former mathematics professors Joe Cude and Dwayne Snider received the Retired Faculty Award, which recognizes former College of Science and Mathematics colleagues who continue to support Tarleton, the college and the students.

Department, and 2009 graduate Justin Russell, a partner with Prensorus Energy. The award highlights alumni who have exhibited dedication, commitment and service to the College of Science and Mathematics.

Honored with the Professional Achievement Award were Brent Walker, Class of 1987, and 1980 graduate Kristi

“This year’s honorees demonstrate the wide range of career paths available with a STEM education from

They inspire our current students exemplify the impact of our exceptional educational experiences.”

Tarleton Math Education Team Earns TAMUS Chancellor’s Academy Honor

The Tarleton State University Mathematics Education Team — Melissa Eubank, Dr. Eileen Faulkenberry, Dr. Elizabeth Riggs, Dr. Kathy Smith and Michael Warren — received the Texas A&M University System Chancellor’s Academy of Teacher Educators Award for the 20222023 academic year. Winners were recognized at the Chancellor’s Century Council Annual Banquet Thursday, at the Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center.

A math education team from Tarleton was recognized with the Chancellor’s Academy of Teacher Educators at a ceremony at Texas A&M earlier this month. The team is, from left to right, Dr. Eileen Faulkenberry, Dr. Kathy Smith, Michael Warren, Melissa Eubank, and not pictured, Dr. Elizabeth Riggs.

The award, first presented in 2011, honors individuals and university teams making exemplary contributions to innovation and continuous improvement in teacher preparation. Each year up to three individuals and three university teams may be inducted into CATE. Two individuals and three teams won the award this year.

“The mathematics education faculty at Tarleton is dedicated to preparing the best K-12 mathematics teachers in the state,” said Dr. Smith, who heads the Tarleton Department of Mathematics. “We are thrilled to receive this prestigious award and be recognized by our university and the Texas A&M System.”

Eubank, a Tarleton faculty member since 2013, is the Director of the Tutoring and Learning Center.

Dr. Faulkenberry is the interim Dean of the Honors College and an educator at Tarleton since 2013. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Henderson State University in 1996 and her master’s from Oklahoma State University in 2001. She earned a PhD in mathematics education in 2003, also from Oklahoma State.

Dr. Riggs is a two-time Tarleton alumna, graduating with her bachelor’s in 1992 and her master’s in 1995. She earned an EdD in curriculum and instruction from Baylor University in 2003.

Dr. Smith also holds two degrees from Tarleton, her bachelor’s and master’s in education in 1984 and 1990, before earning her PhD in 2000 at Georgia State University.

Warren is a math Assistant Professor and the Graduate Program Coordinator. He joined the Tarleton faculty in 2009.

As of 2021, CATE had inducted 87 faculty for individual contributions to teacher preparation.

President Hurley with COSM faculty members; Dr. Eileen Faulkenberry, Dr. Kathy Smith, Michael Warren, Melissa Eubank, and Mrs. Hurley

Faulkenberry, Hurley

Tarleton Launches High-Performance Computing Research Fellowship

An anonymous gift to Tarleton State University’s College of Science and Mathematics has created a fresh research opportunity for graduate students interested in highperformance computing.

The High-Performance Computing (HPC) Graduate Research Fellowship in Mathematics is the college’s first since Tarleton earned the elevated designation of Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education at year’s end 2021.

“We are extremely grateful for the visionary friends who invest in Tarleton, publicly or anonymously, to create opportunities that promote interdisciplinary discovery,” said Dr. Diane Stearns, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Graduate research fellowships like this will bring even more talented students to Tarleton and propel our reputation as a leader in innovation.”

Opened a dozen years ago with grants from the NVIDIA Corp., Mellanox Technologies and the Provost’s Office, the university’s High-Performance Computing Lab is a collaborative research hub for all Tarleton researchers — faculty and students.

HPC has the ability to process data and perform complex calculations at high speeds. For perspective, a laptop or desktop with a 3 GHz processor can perform around three billion calculations per second. While much faster than any human can achieve, it pales in comparison to HPC solutions that can perform quadrillions of calculations per second.

More than 400 national presentations have come from work done in Tarleton’s HPC lab.

“HPC is transforming every aspect of our world,” said Dr. Michael Huggins, Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. “It is the foundation for scientific, industrial and societal advancements — everything from streaming a live sporting event, tracking a developing storm or analyzing stock trends. This new fellowship takes our STEM discovery to the next level.”

In addition to mathematics, the college offers degree programs in biology, biomedical sciences, biotechnology, chemistry, environmental science, geoscience, physics and statistics. Learn more at www.tarleton.edu/cosm.

“We are extremely grateful for the visionary friends who invest in Tarleton, publicly or anonymously, to create opportunities that promote interdisciplinary discovery.”

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Diane Stearns

“HPC is transforming every aspect of our world. It is the foundation for scientific, industrial and societal advancements — everything from streaming a live sporting event, tracking a developing storm or analyzing stock trends. This new fellowship takes our STEM

Dean of COSM, Dr. Michael Huggins

Tarleton Celebrates Record $15 Million in Lifetime Giving from Career Educators

In 2012 Drs. Lamar and Marilynn T. Johanson conveyed their ranch — about 1,700 acres and all mineral rights in San Saba and Mills counties, then valued at some $5 million — to The Texas A&M University System for the benefit of Tarleton State University. They retained the right to live on the property. Today the couple joined university leaders to celebrate a $9 million increase in their life estate gift, bringing their total philanthropic support to almost $15 million — a record for Tarleton. The two spent more than six decades in education, Lamar at Tarleton for 40 years and Marilynn at Texas public schools in 1961-1995.

“Two of Tarleton’s most generous donors, Lamar and Marilynn have poured their heart and soul into transformational learning,” said university President James Hurley. “There’s no way to count the lives that have been changed by their leadership and amazing generosity, or the thousands yet to benefit. We are profoundly grateful.”

Mr. Lamar Johanson, Dr. Eileen Faulkner, Dean Michael Huggins, Dr. Wayne Davenport, and Mrs. Marilynn Johanson

In 2021 the Johansons decided to execute their life estate gift early and allow the university to sell the San Sabra property, as originally planned, to expedite endowed scholarships for Tarleton students.

The roughly 800 acres along the Colorado River in Mills County will remain home to Tarleton’s Timberlake Biological Field Station, established in 2015, to advance environmental research, engage students in scientific discovery and promote stewardship of the natural world. A $2.5 million endowment will ensure care and oversight of the property.

“Tarleton and education have been integral parts of our lives, providing us with many eventful and unique opportunities,” Lamar said. “We are blessed to be able to give back to the university that is so dear to our hearts.”

Lamar served 18 years as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and was the inaugural Executive Director of Tarleton University System CenterCentral Texas in Killeen (now Texas A&M University-Central Texas) before he retired in 2001. The Texas A&M University System recognized his leadership that year by confirming him as Dean Emeritus, College of Arts and Sciences, and Professor of Biological Sciences. He spearheaded efforts to establish associate and baccalaureate degree programs in nursing and the medical laboratory sciences program in the core of downtown Fort Worth’s Medical District, and he advocated for constructing and helped design Tarleton’s science building, which now bears his name.

In addition to teaching in Hico, Marilynn’s career included a stint at Stephenville High School. A Tarleton Distinguished Tarleton Alumna (2015), she served as an education specialist with the Texas Education Agency and as an elementary school and high school principal in the Strawn and Goldthwaite independent school districts. She served as President of the Texas Vocational Homemaking Teachers Association and Texas Vocational Teachers Association, and Vice President of the Region IV American Vocational Association, which named her Outstanding Classroom Teacher of the Year.

The Johansons continue their association with Tarleton, attending and volunteering at athletic and academic events. Both received the All-Purple Award, recognizing those who go above and beyond in supporting Tarleton athletics. Lamar has been on the Texan Club board of directors since

Schlumberger Renews License for Donated Geoscience Software Package

The oilfield services company Schlumberger Limited has renewed Tarleton State’s license for PETREL, a $7.4 million software package it first donated to the university in 2016.

The platform, developed by Schlumberger, benefits the exploration and production sectors of the petroleum industry. It enables users to interpret seismic data, perform well correlation, build reservoir simulation models, examine reservoir simulation results, calculate volumes, produce maps and design development strategies to maximize reservoir exploitation.

PETREL has become an industry standard, allowing for 3D modeling of seismic and well log data and turning 2D isolated information into 3D integrated images.

“The PETREL software is an invaluable educational tool for students in the geology program,” said Dr. Michael Huggins, Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. “It gives them experiences using professional, real-world tools as part of their academic studies at Tarleton.”

Students use the software suite in the petroleum geology concentration of the geoscience bachelor’s program, including courses in well log analysis, petroleum and subsurface geology, and seismic interpretation.

“This is an example of the many resume building experiences provided to STEM students in the College of Science and Mathematics,” Dr. Huggins added.

“The PETREL software is an invaluable educational tool for students in the geology program. It gives them experiences using professional, real-world tools as part of their academic studies at Tarleton.”

Dean of COSM, Dr. Michael Huggins

Petroleum Experts Renews Tarleton

Petroleum Experts Limited has renewed the user licenses for a petroleum engineering and structural geology software package the Houston-based company donated in late 2019 to Tarleton State University’s Department of Chemistry, The MOVE software is valued at more than $2.5 million. Geoscientists and engineers use MOVE in any geological setting and across a variety of industry sectors. At Tarleton the

“This generous gift continues to provide our students access to relevant industry technology, which equips them to be competitive in the workplace,” said Tarleton President James Hurley. “We’re grateful for this

The donation specifically benefits students in Tarleton’s geoscience programs at both the undergraduate and master’s levels. The programs help prepare for careers in geology, environmental science, petroleum geology,

“We in the geoscience program are excited to continue our collaboration with Petroleum Experts, and our students have already demonstrated the great benefits they receive from hands-on training with elite industry software,” said interim department head Dr. Ryan Morgan. “The impacts of donations like this are

The software enables scientists in the oil and gas industry to dynamically model oil reservoirs, production and injection wells, and surface pipeline networks as an integrated production system.

The MOVE suite provides a platform for integrating and interpreting data, cross-section construction, 3D model building, kinematic restoration and validation, geo-mechanical modeling, fracture modeling, fault

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