UHCL 2021-2022 Annual Report

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

As University of Houston-Clear Lake approaches the half-century mark since its inception, we have even more cause to reflect on what has sustained us as a strong, enduring part of our region’s landscape. Our university was created to meet a vital demand to educate future engineers, scientists, managers and even astronauts for NASA. While we continue to deepen and expand our partnerships with the aerospace industry, we have created new, meaningful relationships with other partners in our community. We look back at the previous year’s accomplishments with pride while focusing on the future with a sense of clarity and purpose.

Our imperative has always been student success. We believe that happens not only in classrooms, but in preparing students for an upward personal and professional trajectory. Approximately half our incoming students are firstgeneration, Hispanic or minority college students. Each are here to “climb a mountain” towards degree completion and ultimately, a long and satisfying career. We are committed to offering each of them a diverse, inclusive learning community in which to acquire the professional and personal skills they need to remain relevant throughout the decades that will pass as our graduates continue through their professional lives.

That’s why we have implemented a dynamic approach to experiential learning. We believe student success isn’t just about the education we provide, it’s about the careers students achieve after graduation. For our approach to be truly successful, we must equip students with the ability to adapt and embrace inevitable changes in their lives, their workplaces, communities and world. The roadmap that guides us toward this goal is our Impact 2025 Strategic Plan,

which creates the pathways toward collaboration with community partners to provide students with innovative opportunities.

We have worked with internal and external stakeholders, we have sharpened our focus on our vision, values and mission, and we are clear on our intention: UHCL is where students come to transform into agents of change, leaders in their fields, and at the forefront of growth of the communities they serve.

The pages in this report highlight the accomplishments of our students, alumni, faculty and staff. With your support, our story will continue.

Sincerely,

Richard Walker, Ed.D. President

WHO WE ARE

University of Houston-Clear Lake is both a Hispanic and Minority Serving Institution with enrollment of more than 8,500 students and an alumni base of more than 75,000. UHCL currently offers more than 70 undergraduate and 50 graduate degree programs across four colleges: Business; Education; Human Sciences and Humanities; and Science and Engineering. As a student-centered, community-minded and partnership-oriented university, UHCL serves as a destination for lifelong learning, economic growth and global impact.

Our Mission

The University of Houston-Clear Lake places its highest priority on serving a diverse body of students in every aspect of their university experience. UHCL’s teacher scholars provide high quality, student-centered undergraduate and graduate programs that prepare students to thrive in a competitive workplace and to make meaningful contributions to their communities. UHCL fosters critical thinking and lifelong learning through a strong legacy of vibrant community partnerships complementing its historical focus on teaching, research, creative activity, and service.

Our Vision

The University of Houston-Clear Lake will lead as a learner-centered university dedicated to achieving national prominence in transformative education grounded in creative activities, innovative research, and community partnerships that serve regional, state, and global locations. UHCL launches your future!

STATS AND FACTS

Enrollment by Class

9,383

Demographics

UHCL is both a Hispanic- and Minority-Serving institution.

University of Houston-Clear Lake is proud to be a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), with more than 40% of UH-Clear Lake students who identify as Hispanic. UHCL is also a Minority-Serving Institution (MSI). More than 65% of students identify as Hispanic, Black, Asian, or International. What does this mean for students? It means the university offers programs and organizations specifically for Hispanic and minority students to help them succeed. These include:

• African Students Association

• Black Student Association

• Indian Student Association

• National Society of Black Engineers

• Office of Student Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

• Pathways to STEM Careers

• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers

Enrollment by College

POINTS OF PRIDE

Aligning with our strategic plan, every initiative at University of Houston-Clear Lake is centered on a specific formula for success—what we call the Three Ts approach: Transform, Translate, and Transcend. The achievements of our students, combined with the programs we offer for Hawks and community members, serve as our application of the Three Ts and of our points of pride.

Transform

We TRANSFORM students’ lives through experiential learning and workforce readiness, using highly credentialed faculty with real-world experience, focusing upon diverse communities, first-generation students, and lifelong learners.

Kaylee Madden’s internship at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF), Sonia Tom’s internship at Amazon, and UHCL’s partnership with Boeing are just a few ways in which we are transforming lives.

Kaylee Madden’s CBCF Internship

After earning her Bachelor of Science in Finance in 2022, Kaylee Madden became UHCL’s first student to be awarded a coveted two-month internship with the CBCF. She worked in the office of Rep. Andre Carson of Indiana’s 7th Congressional District at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. The CBCF is a nonprofit organization created to offer opportunities for minority students who are interested in politics.

In 2020, Madden started the university’s chapter of SUPERGirls SHINE Foundation, a nonprofit organization aimed at exposing women between the ages of 10-17 in underrepresented communities to leadership opportunities through mentorships to pursue STEM-related careers. She later became a member of the organization’s board and a collegiate ambassador.

“I got interested in SUPERGirls SHINE because of their focus on making an impact,” she said. “SUPERGirls SHINE helped me see how I could help others.”

During the 2022-23 academic year, SUPERGirls SHINE will present the Kaylee Madden Leadership IMPACT award to students who demonstrate leadership, character and initiative to create and make change in the community that results in access and equity for more girls in underserved communities to pursue STEM careers.

Sonia Tom’s Amazon Internship

As a senior majoring in information technology, Sonia Tom wanted to gain experience in something different to see how non-technical areas worked. In the summer of 2022, she got the opportunity of a lifetime when she landed an internship at Amazon Headquarters in Seattle.

She worked on a project team that focused on social media marketing, branding, and recruitment marketing. She also did research on what competitors were posting and how their recruiters were reaching out to candidates. Even though the internship was not directly related to her course of study, she said she learned that every company needed marketing and proven methods to attract good candidates.

Tom said she had a great experience and learned several key lessons. “Always show you’re willing to learn, share your ideas and be open to constructive feedback,” she said. “It’s not just about your GPA. You need to like being around other people and ask a lot of questions. They know you are an intern and you don’t know much, but they want to see you asking questions and wanting to learn.”

Grant Expands Telehealth Autism Project in Africa

Since 2016, the Telehealth ABA World Project at University of Houston-Clear Lake has been educating and coaching parents, teachers and caregivers of children with autism around the globe- an almost round-the-clock effort powered without funds by volunteer board certified behavior analysts.

Loukia Tsami, the project’s program manager and research associate at UH-Clear Lake’s Center for Autism and Developmental Disorders, received an international grant in the spring of 2022 from the Society for the Advancement of Behavioral Analysis (SABA) to help reach people in countries without access to behavioral services where often internet access is sporadic or unavailable.

The $1,000 grant supports continued research in the dissemination of behavior analysis, and was matched with an additional $1,000 from CADD. The funds are broadening services in Kenya, Liberia and Ethiopia.

“We already have many connections and colleagues in these countries, but we have been limited in what we could offer,” Tsami said. “Now we can bring teachers together in a central location that will have internet access and begin having regular training. Parents are also waiting for us to get set up for training on weekends.”

Sonia Tom

Translate

We TRANSLATE knowledge to actionable solutions and interventions by generating and applying research and discovery learning through multidisciplinary approaches to solve crucial social and scientific problems. UHCL’s Environmental Justice Association’s pocket prairie project, the Center for Neurologic Injury and Recovery initiative for brain injury victims, and Jason Nagro’s drone research on western chicken turtles demonstrate ways our students translate their knowledge into measurably improving people’s lives and positively impacting the community in which we live.

UHCL’s Environmental Justice Association’s Pocket Prairie Project

UHCL considers the natural beauty of its campus one of its greatest assets. That’s why the Environmental Justice Association, a newly-formed student organization, decided to bring a garden featuring over 80 native wildflower and grass species, called a “pocket prairie,” to campus.

“We removed non-native, invasive trees and overgrown plants from the acre of land at Entrance 2 and made it a pocket prairie site,” Jeff Fato, cofounder of the association, said. “In doing so, we saved some of the oldest trees on our campus.”

With the help of students and volunteers, the area was seeded months later and began growing beautifully. These plants provide so much to the ecosystem in the area with their root systems, helping increase water infiltration so that rain will inundate the soil rather than create runoff.

Fato said that one of the goals is for the pocket prairie to be a living lab, where people can learn more about recognizing the plants and the benefits of investing in green infrastructure or natural capital, alongside the addition of urban infrastructure.

“We want to inform people of the greater good that is being done by planting these plants, and we want the pocket prairies to be seen as public,” he said. “We are

demonstrating we’re using the best environmental practices possible to create environmental sustainability on our campus.”

Center for Neurologic Injury and Recovery Initiative for Brain Injury Victims

Last winter, the Health and Human Performance Institute (HHPI) launched the Center for Neurologic Injury and Recovery. This initiative aims to identify and help rehabilitate those who have suffered severe neurologic injuries, concussions, or other mild traumatic brain injuries due to intimate partner violence (IPV), sports or occupational injuries. It provides unique services and research while training students working toward a Master of Science in Exercise and Health Sciences to apply the concepts they are learning in class in a hands-on setting.

“The experiential learning opportunities gained from working directly with clients puts the students far ahead of others who are entering the workforce,” said HHPI Clinical Director Joe Hazzard, who also provides oversight and guidance to students.

One aim of the initiative is to raise awareness about signs and symptoms among people who provide resources to IPV victims. Another is to use exercise to begin the path to recovery. “Signs of traumatic head injury are not always obvious, so we teach others how to ask the right questions and recognize subtle signs, and then use gradual exercise as a tool to address the symptoms,” he said.

Hazzard said that research demonstrates the benefits of exercise on brain health in general. He also added that the goal of the initiative is for people to return to their sporting or work environment as quickly and as safely as possible, while giving students in the Exercise and Health Sciences Program the kind of hands-on experience that few others can take into the work environment.

Center for Neurologic Injury and Recovery

Jason Negro’s Western Chicken Turtle Drone Research

Jason Nagro, who is FAA-trained and licensed to fly small unmanned aerial systems, recently used his skills to learn about an elusive, yet critical wetland-dwelling species — the western chicken turtle. While pursuing his Master of Science in Environmental Science, the Environmental Institute of Houston brought him on as a research assistant to work on a study focused on the distribution and habitat of the Western Chicken Turtle in Texas.

“These turtles are reliant upon environmental conditions, so they’re a good species to study to infer what is going on with the overall habitat of

these areas,” he said. “If any part of the pyramid is skewed, the chicken turtles will suffer.”

Drones are a big part of how he collects the needed data. The goal is to find environmental DNA that indicates the turtles are there, or are nearby. Using the drone, he determines where the drone will fly. The drone then records videos, takes still photos and multi-spectrum images, and provides data from a thermal sensor.

He said that his proficiency with drones will enhance his appeal to potential employers when he enters the job market. “My ability to use this technology increases the value of my skill set.”

Janet Rivera

We TRANSCEND boundaries to collaborate across industry and community partnerships to develop our economy, our educational systems, our physical and social ecology, and our quality of life. Dr. Beth Merfish’s appointment as chair of the City of Houston Women’s Commission, the Houston Food Bank’s Food for Change grocery distributions, and Janet Rivera’s Tesla internship confirm our intention to transcend boundaries.

Dr. Beth Merfish Appointed Chair of the City of Houston Women’s Commission

In September 2021, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner appointed Dr. Beth Merfish, associate professor of art history, as the inaugural chair of the City of Houston Women’s Commission, which will advance equality and equity for women in the city by identifying and addressing disparities in healthcare, employment, safety and security across communities and industries, both in Houston’s public and private sectors. The commission will develop and propose policy recommendations, identify gaps in information that need further study, and advise city leaders on ways to improve the quality of life for women throughout Houston.

Houston Food Bank’s Food for Change Grocery Distributions

The Houston Food Bank’s mission isn’t just about feeding students and other members of the community. It’s about helping them achieve their life goals.

As part of its commitment to address food insecurities, the Houston Food Bank continued its Food for Change

(FFC) partnership with UHCL to provide food donations to students twice a week while classes were in session.

From September 2021 to August 2022, 960 grocery orders were filled for students. Each order included 60 pounds of food, including 15 pounds of fruit, 15 pounds of vegetables, 10 pounds of protein, and 20 pounds of dry goods and grains. This equated to 57,600 pounds of food distributed.

Janet Rivera’s Tesla Internship

In January of 2022, Janet Rivera began an internship at the Gigafactory in Austin, a few months before she received her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management. She said it was important to her to work for a company like Tesla, whose values aligned with her own.

“They are a company that believed in electric vehicles before it was trendy or popular,” she said. “They were already ahead with electric vehicles. They are not doing this because others are. They are about cleaner energy because it’s always been their mission.”

She said she chose this career path after a trip in Thailand, where she saw two boys fishing out of necessity from contaminated water. “Seeing that really broke my heart,” she said.

The experience made her want to make a difference. It’s what led her to pursue the four-month internship at Tesla, where her focus was set on environmental management.

QUALITY ENHANCEMENT PLAN (QEP)

IIn August of 2022, UH-Clear Lake launched its Quality Enhancement Plan, “Becoming Aware: Cultural Interactions at UHCL.” This ongoing plan is now integrated into the university’s curriculum and student life. The ultimate goals of the QEP are to:

• Prepare students to thrive, personally and professionally, in a culturally diverse environment.

• Help faculty and staff to give students opportunities to engage in various programs and activities on campus that involve cultural diversity.

The plan was developed to improve student learning in specific areas using specific co-curricular activities and measurable data. With the support of faculty and staff, students will have the opportunity to participate in engaging activities inside the classroom and across campus that will facilitate learning more about themselves, others, and the global environment.

Faculty will modify their classes to include intercultural knowledge, intercultural teamwork, and/or intercultural humility. Events and activities will also emphasize similar knowledge, skills, and attitudes for interacting and working with all individuals.

NEW LEADERSHIP

As University of Houston-Clear Lake accelerates its mission to provide the region with a high-quality education that creates the next generation of leaders and innovators, it has found two new leaders who have taken a front-row seat to continue steering the university toward newer and brighter horizons.

Dr. Richard Walker was appointed to serve at UHCL’s sixth president on May 20, 2022, having previously served as the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services for the University of Houston System and Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services for the University of Houston.

His investiture on January 27, 2023 reminded the university community that for most students, acquiring an education is about climbing personal and professional mountains, with the most important lessons to be learned along the way rather than at the top. His 41-year career in higher

education has been fueled by his passion to see students succeed, not only in the classroom, but to face the world empowered to be difference-makers.

In June 2022, Dr. Walker named Dr. Christopher Maynard as Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, having served in that position on an interim basis since September 2021. His experience as interim provost at Sam Houston State University positioned him to positively impact UHCL’s students, particularly its growing first generation and Hispanic populations. Both share core values of breaking barriers and inspiring social change through education.

With President Walker and Provost Maynard at the helm to propel UHCL forward, the university is prepared to advance its mission, strengthen its foundations, and most critically, expand its lifechanging impact.

Dr. Christopher Maynard

Dr. Richard Walker

Melissa Vela

UHCL ALUMNA FINDS PASSION FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE IN UNEXPECTED PLACE

Melissa Vela was working at a bank while she was attending UHCL, pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Business Management. She thought that people who worked in banking were accountants, financers or investors, but didn’t realize that banks also had business development departments that worked directly with the community until she met Associate Professor of Management Dina Abdelzaher.

Dr. Abdelzaher’s own commitment to community service had a profound impact on Vela. “She definitely inspired me as a role model,” she said. “I looked at her work in her career and her community service work, and it made me realize I needed to think big and think about my purpose.”

I learned from Dr. Dina to think big and to challenge myself,” she said. “I absolutely take her with me into my current role as Vice President, Houston Community and Business Development Manager at JP Morgan Chase.

A “switch” happened when Vela received a business development job at a credit union. “That role required me to get out in the community and that’s when I noted how rewarding it was to build relationships, and how natural that was for me,” she said. “When I first started at UHCL, I didn’t know these roles existed. I didn’t know banks had a community service piece, and that I could be the person who can take that position.”

She said she was hired because she knew the community and the bank recognized her strength. “I learned from Dr. Dina to think big and to challenge myself,” she said. “I absolutely take her with me into my current role as Vice President, Houston Community and Business Development Manager at JP Morgan Chase.”

Vela is a local ambassador for Chase and it’s her job to build and nurture relationships with key community leaders, nonprofit partners, and small businesses at the neighborhood level. She hosts financial health workshops, facilitates non-profit partnerships and offers community programming.

Vela graduated from UHCL in 2014 and said that she had begun her academic career at a different university, then transferred. “At UHCL, I got to have those important one-on-one conversations with my professors that I didn’t get before, and that’s what is special there,” she said. “I see my professors as so valuable. They take the time to guide you and be there for you. When you are at that age and trying to figure out life, it can be overwhelming, but professors like Dr. Dina made it that much easier to get the support I needed.”

In 2022, Vela was named the Marilyn S. Sims Leadership Service Award recipient at the UHCL Distinguished Alumni Celebration. “My time at UHCL prepared me with confidence and exposed me to how things work in corporate America,” she said. “I would not have gotten where I am if I had not gone to UHCL.”

FIRST UHCLTEACH ALUM SAYS PROGRAM INSPIRED HER PASSION FOR MATH EDUCATION

The U.S. Department of Education reports that about 80% of college students change their major at least once. That’s why University of Houston-Clear Lake students can consider joining UHCLTeach even if they’re not necessarily planning to be a teacher. The program, which allows science and math majors to pursue a teaching certification along with their STEM degree, opens the door to many more opportunities.

Gloria Pulido, former vice president of the UHCLTeach’s student organization, Future Educators in STEM, graduated in December with her Bachelor of Arts in Math with a 7-12 certification. She is the first student involved in the UHCLTeach program to graduate and begin a career in education.

“My experience made me a better critical thinker, and I learned more about project-based instruction and how to create a more interactive student setting,” she said.

She added that the UHCLTeach program supports teachers all the way through to graduation with scholarship opportunities and financial support. But most importantly, she said her professors in the Colleges of Education and Science and Engineering gave her the motivation to succeed.

“The faculty are so knowledgeable, and they have shown me, especially through UHCLTeach, that I have the potential to be where they are someday,” she said. “They are always willing to support students and help them find resources. This is what I’ve taken away from my time at UHCL and being involved with UHCLTeach— staying motivated and pursuing opportunities.”

She said her caring professors, including UHCLTeach Master Teacher, Lecturer in Secondary Science and Math Takisha Bolden-Gastile, showed her what she’d like to do someday.

“The organization’s focus is professional development opportunities,” Pulido said. “You find support, not just from your peers, but from other resources and from networking and finding opportunities to aid or substitute teach.”

Pulido, who was hired after graduating by Galena Park Independent School District to teach geometry at North Shore Senior High School - 10th Grade Center, said she believed her experience with UHCLTeach helped her become a more attractive candidate.

“Dr. Bolden-Gastile took me as a research assistant and I presented research at the UTeach conference in Austin,” she said. “I’m now coming back to UHCL to pursue my master’s degree in math education, and I’d like to go for my doctorate and become a professor as well. I believe my new position as a math teacher will start me in that direction.”

Whether students graduate and go into education or industry, UHCLTeach helps students identify others’ learning styles and become a more effective communicator. Graduates from the program can become more attractive medical school applicants, and even for those who don’t intend to teach, learning to communicate science and math concepts to others is a coveted skill throughout industry.

My experience in UHCLTeach made me a better critical thinker, and I learned more about project-based instruction and how to create a more interactive student setting.

Gloria Pulido

FROM UHCL TO NASA AND BEYOND: COMPUTER SCIENCE STUDENT REFLECTS ON INTERNSHIP JOURNEY

Eric Washington said that if he could go back and tell his high school self what he’s doing now, he’d never have believed it. “Before coming to UHCL, I had no idea I could ever work at NASA with astronauts. I would never have imagined I’d be doing this,” he said.

Washington, who is pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, reflected on his journey to landing an internship with Boeing, secured through an agreement signed in September 2022 enabling Boeing to offer engineering students entry-level engineering internships that support multiple projects.

After beginning his academic career elsewhere, Washington quickly realized it wasn’t a good fit for him.

“I came to UHCL after one semester because I thought the degree program was better and more affordable,” he said. “One of the most important things that happened to me when I came to UHCL is getting involved with Pathways to STEM Careers. They really supported me as a first-generation student. I came with the goal of just getting an internship—I didn’t care where.”

He said (Program Director for Pathways to STEM Careers) Andrea Alvarado had consistently kept him informed about opportunities like research assistantships.

“People should know the importance of getting involved with Pathways,” he said. “They are out there to help propel students upward. If you’re a minority or receiving a Pell grant, Pathways is an organization that will open doors for you.”

Through Pathways, Washington received a technical assistantship, and from there, he received a research assistantship with (Associate Professor of Software Engineering) Soma Datta.

“I took a project management lead role in helping her create a virtual biology lab,” he said. “From Dr. Datta, I learned to program using a game engine called Unity. I learned about game design and acquired project management skills. I had a great experience and really enjoyed it.”

But although he was applying for internships at NASA, he was rejected from all of them.

“When I joined the National Society of Black Engineers, I met two students who were NASA interns and they told me to apply again,” he said. “I finally got a NASA internship with the University Space Research Association.”

He learned some programming languages along the way, as well as virtual reality development while at NASA.

“That brings me to my Boeing internship,” he said. “I left my resume with (Strategic Partnerships Internships Coordinator) Bernadina Streeter. She called me and said my experience with VR development and game engines. My exposure to Unity was appealing to Boeing, so they called me.”

After practicing his skills with Streeter, Washington interviewed with Boeing and landed the internship.

“At Boeing, I’m creating a VR tool that allows engineers to demonstrate usage of the Pistol Grip Tool, which drives bolts on the International Space Station,” he said. “We are creating a VR mockup to help us see if a tool fits in certain areas. We’re using VR to find out if astronauts can manipulate the tool to bolt things down.”

He said he remembers his thoughts about what his career path might be back in his high school days.

“I thought I’d get a job in some software company and work at a desk,” he said. “But after listening to the speakers I have heard while at UHCL, and getting the first NASA internship, I knew I would like to stay in aerospace.”

He said his internship at Boeing reaffirmed his desire to stay on this path.

“This internship will make my ultimate career goal happen for me; UHCL is right across the street from NASA,” he said. “This university has given me so many opportunities, and that’s why I’m trying to do a good job for UHCL and Boeing.”

DID YOU KNOW?

50% of UHCL’s first-timein-college student population enroll in a STEM field of study.

Eric Washington

CENTER FOR AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

A History of Supporting Families and Training Professionals in the Community

In 2008, under the leadership of UHCL’s Professor of Psychology Dorothea Lerman, the Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities (CADD) was established to help address the needs of parents, teachers and caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder. The center was the first of its kind in Bay Area Houston, and it has been fulfilling a critical need for struggling families since its inception.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of autism diagnoses in the U.S. went from 1 in 150 in 2000 to 1 in 100 in 2022. As the prevalence of the syndrome increases, the work of UHCL’s expert professors and graduate students has been crucial in supporting autism research as well as in training current and future professionals in the field of behavior analysis.

Severe Behavior Disorders Research Clinic Widens Reach in the Community

Professor of Psychology Jennifer Fritz founded the Severe Behavior Disorders Research Clinic in 2008, when CADD first opened its doors. It offered additional resources to community members seeking support for children exhibiting problem behavior including aggression, self-injury, or property destruction. As the clinic’s director, her mission is to teach students how to work effectively with families and make clinical decisions based on best practice methods backed by scientific evidence. The clinic’s overall goal is to train students to provide each family with exceptional care and effectively decrease the client’s problematic behavior so they can live productive, successful lives. Graduates of the program are uniquely positioned to work with clients engaging in severe problem behavior and help other boardcertified behavioral analysts (BCBA) in the workplace who are less experienced in this specific area.

CADD Extends Its Mission to Pearland

Through the generosity of the Meah Family Foundation, CADD created a satellite facility at the university’s Pearland location in 2019. The expansion accommodated the need to expand the Behavioral Analysis Program to Pearland and made the clinic’s services more accessible to Pearland residents. In collaboration with their professors, graduate students assess clients and create a treatment plan. They also teach parents and caregivers of children with autism how to implement the plan with this goal of reducing their struggles with the behavioral aspects of the syndrome.

Intensive Outpatient Behavior Disorders Clinic

In the last year, CADD’s impact on the community has expanded even further. In fall 2022, CADD began offering another option for families and caregivers of children with autism. The new Intensive Outpatient Behavior Disorders Clinic at UHCL at Pearland is among the very few clinics in Texas that provides behavioral intervention and caregiver training, with no age restrictions, to address severe behaviors in people with neurodevelopmental disabilities that don’t involve a locked psychiatric unit or heavy medication.

The team at CADD, under the guidance of expert professors in UHCL’s Behavior Analysis Program, offer each individual and their caregivers two full weeks of intensive, focused time in which an intervention plan is developed and implemented, with the goal of reducing the problem behavior by 80%. The clinic sees between 22-25 patients of all ages per year.

In order to receive services, a client must have a diagnosis of autism. Due to grant funding provided by the Masonic Children and Family Services of Texas, all services provided by the Intensive Outpatient Behavior Disorders Clinic are free.

Uninterrupted Service

All CADD services continued without interruption via telehealth during the COVID-19 quarantine.

130

Over 130 students have graduated from the Behavior Analysis Program at UHCL, taking with them skills that translate into critically needed interventions for people with autism and severe behavior disorders.

30 100%

The Telehealth ABA World Project, another CADD initiative, empowers parents of children with autism and the professionals who work with them in over 30 countries.

The Behavior Analysis Program boasts a nearly 100% pass rate for students sitting for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst exam.

CADD’s reception area

BUSINESS PROF’S COMMUNITY KEEPS HER CONNECTED TO STUDENTS

When students in Dina Abdelzaher’s class say they know she cares about them and their success, they mean it. It’s not just because of her commitment to their achievement inside the classroom. It’s because they know her supportive nature and generous spirit extends far beyond the confines of the university’s walls.

Abdelzaher, an associate professor of management in UHCL’s College of Business, is the founder and director of Youth for a Better Houston, a nonprofit organization aimed at helping teenagers become happy, productive adults through mentorship, community service projects, and leadership opportunities.

“I feel compelled to do service outside my classroom,” Abdelzaher said. “I see kids in the teenage years as being underserved. There are opportunities for college students, but there’s an unmet need for those in the 12-18-year age group.”

She said during those years, teens could be doing great things, but that’s often not the case. “This is a time when they can go the wrong way because they don’t have a way to fill their time productively and make friends,” she said. “This really can affect their mental health. Without positive influences, they can make poor choices. Making friends through service helps a lot. Every weekend there’s something to do in Youth for a Better Houston.”

Although the group is not directly tied to the Arab community, Abdelzaher, a practicing Muslim, said that many kids in the group are Muslim. “They know everyone is always welcome, and anyone can contribute,” she said. “The group is run by the youth themselves.”

Abdelzaher built the group on a rotating mentorship model, in which kids can rise to leadership by taking charge of service projects. “This is work they can put on a resume or on scholarship applications,” she said. “Every month, they play games with senior

citizens, they participate in sandwich drives for the homeless in the Fifth Ward, and many other activities to serve the community. It’s important to see kids be productive, happy and accepted.”

From a management perspective, Abdelzaher said she applies the same theories that she teaches in her classes at UHCL. “These kids are rising to become the leaders and future managers in our community,” she said. “I see this as developing the same things I’m teaching my college students in kids at a younger age. This is when we teach kids to be team players and not just the boss. This is when we help kids learn public speaking and how to present themselves in a job interview.”

As a professor, Abdelzaher said she believes her service grounds her and helps her remain connected to the community. “We often end up teaching in our own silos,” she said. “Our research can be a form of a silo because we can only talk about it with other academics.”

Now with a group of over 100 kids, Abdelzaher said Youth for a Better Houston’s next project is a carnival for local refugee children. “People say they wish someone else would do these things, but it ended up needing to be me who does them,” she said. “Part of this is about my faith. As a Muslim, you’re taught to give back to your own community—that is core.”

Organizing people to serve together serves her identity as a contributor and as a professor. “You cannot be a good leader without being a good team player,” she said. “If you are not supportive and kind, how can you be a leader? Learning to talk to people who are not like you and understand you must stay focused on the goal and be able to work with people you don’t know is part of management. In time, everyone can become friends and they know they can come together.”

Dina Abdelzaher

Carol Waters

PROF RECEIVES BASU FELLOWSHIP TO SUPPORT UNDERREPRESENTED STEM SCHOLARS: ‘MY HEART HAS ALWAYS BEEN WITH GIRLS IN STEM’

Women make up a quarter or fewer of workers in computing and engineering, and Hispanic and Black workers continue to be underrepresented in the STEM workforce. Assistant Professor of STEM Education Carol Waters is passionate about narrowing that gap. As the recipient of the Basu Fellowship, awarded by the Equity and Ethics Committee of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, she’s committed to helping young scholars, doctoral students and junior university faculty from underrepresented communities develop as education science researchers.

“The aim is to create an emergent scholars’ program,” she explained. “The fellowship will support us as researchers, so that we can go out and support other researchers and students.”

“I represent women who come from a lowerincome background who never thought they could find a place in a STEM-related field,” Waters said. “In our family, we did not have much money. But we were raised to believe that poverty was a state of mind. We were rich with family relationships and books, and that is how I look at my students, many of whom are also struggling financially. My heart has always been with girls in STEM.”

Waters said she had been a first-generation college student who worked through college. “I became a science teacher and I saw that by the 8th grade, girls were no longer engaged in science,” she said. “The boys began to shine, but brilliant girls with great passion and potential start to pull back in science and math.”

Fast forward to today, Waters said she has a passion and love for supporting girls. “I want to be there to tell them they’re good in science and

math and careers in those fields are accessible to them,” she said.

She said her work as a Basu Fellow would give her the opportunity to take a deeper dive into research. “There is a need to support women in STEM, and the purpose of the fellowship is to reach all those who are underrepresented, but for me, women in general are facing challenges in breaking into STEM fields that are currently dominated by men,” she said. “I had people pull me forward. When I taught 8th grade, I created a girls’ STEM group. This is where my passion originated.”

She sees herself in many of her own students who come from a similar background. “A professor who’s a Basu Fellow is working to understand and learn more about underrepresented groups in their own university and around the nation,” she said.

“Everyone has a story,” she continued. “Because my students have a Basu Fellow as their professor, they know I care about their story and I’ll do anything to help them be successful. Sometimes, students who are struggling just need to find a relationship with a professor who will say, ‘You can do this. I hear what you’re saying and I believe in you.’”

PROF’S SUPPORT, OPEN DOOR ENSURE STUDENTS’ RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

A student’s experience in their academic journey can go far beyond simply what exists in the curriculum of their degree program, especially if they have a professor as actively involved in multiple research areas as Dr. Jiang Lu.

“I believe I’m here to help students prepare for their future, and let them know what is going on in research areas so they can make their decisions,” he said. “Based on this, they can go into industry or go into graduate or even Ph.D. programs.”

He said many students came to the university thinking all they need to get their degree is to take some classes. “They don’t think doing research could be one of their goals,” he said. “But many times, when they do research, they are inspired to continue their education. They want to keep going forward.”

Lu, an associate professor of computer engineering in UHCL’s College of Science and Engineering, is an Anthony and Barbara Research Grant Fellow, has nine grants from XSEDE (Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery), a National Science Foundation grant, and about 50 more grant applications in the pipeline. His research areas include high performance computing, wellness and healthcare, and intelligent sensor systems.

“The NSF grant is researching the data science of energy transition,” Lu said. “We are working with several other universities in Texas. Houston is a hub of energy and together, we are researching the data science of energy transition so we can produce energy more efficiently and manage its production by using data science technology. We train undergraduate students to get into this industry, so when they graduate, they are already prepared to work in the field of energy transition.”

Lu said he used his research to help train both undergraduate and graduate students in a summer training camp. Then, students would team up to complete the research. “We receive data from

companies who share with us and give us their data, and we ask the students to create analyses for the needed purpose,” he said. “Perhaps they need to build a model to predict the production of gas. It could be one of many things.”

Ultimately, Lu said it’s about making sure all students know that his door is open to them. “Whether they are graduate or undergraduate students, my policy is that if they have an idea, these ideas can become research projects. They can always come to my door. They can go to my research lab and I will find a place for them,” he said. “There is a way to do those projects. Those ideas can become published papers that can be used to take students to graduate school or into jobs. With the grant money, I can purchase hardware components needed to complete those projects.”

Whether it’s a big or small project, developed or not, Lu said the important thing was for students to share their ideas. “I’m willing to give students the opportunity to find a way to solve the research problem,” he said. “I can open a space and support them so they can achieve it.”

Many students at UHCL need extra motivation and time because they have part-time jobs, families and are packed with credit hours. “Students think they don’t have the time to do this, even if they have the interest,” he said. “They don’t know where the help is. I want them to know there is a door open for them here. Without support, it’s very hard to do good research. I’m willing to listen to all ideas and let’s see what we can do.”

Jiang Lu

Jennifer Maritza McCauley

FINDING SUCCESS AS PUBLISHED AUTHOR GIVES MCCAULEY’S STUDENTS BIG BENEFITS: FROM DRAFTS TO PUBLISHING, IT’S ALL PART OF THE PROCESS

Truly passionate teachers love not only the activity of teaching, they also love the end it serves. That’s one reason Assistant Professor of Literature and Writing Jennifer Maritza McCauley calls teaching one of her great loves. Now acclaimed as the author of “When Trying to Return Home,” a series of stories recently reviewed by the New York Times and further distinguished by being selected to the coveted “Editor’s Choice” list, McCauley says she has even more to offer the students in her writing classes at University of Houston-Clear Lake.

“I’ve always had a book in me,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to write books. I had another experience with a smaller book of poetry, but I’ve always wanted to be a writer, ever since I could write.”

McCauley said she talks to her students about how she develops interesting characters and most of all, that writing is a lengthy process filled with struggle.

“I’m drawn to imperfect people because they give more tension and conflict to my story, and that’s what I tell students about,” she said. “I write about people who are searching and frustrated. If you show them how to give characters a flaw and some obstacles, they can create a storyline out of that.”

What often follows, she said, is a lesson in endurance through what can be a challenging writing process. “I try to make it entertaining and share my own struggles, but in class, we talk about how it’s not a straight line,” she said. “I tell my students, you aren’t going to write something and just get it published. You have to doubt yourself, you have to get frustrated, and you have to go through times when you don’t even know

if you want to write anymore. It’s all part of the process.”

The process she teaches her students is the one she applies to herself as well. “When you instruct students, you teach them what works in a piece, but you also make sure it works in your own piece,” she said. “I show them that I follow my own advice. When they are given writing prompts, I am doing them as well. I’ve always done it that way, and I have written pieces with students that have gotten published.”

McCauley said that she knows when her work is ready to be published when it’s gone through several drafts and edits. “The idea is to wait until that has been done to send it out, because students need to be prepared to get rejection letters,” she said. “I’ve gotten so many of them, so letting other read your work is really important. This is what it’s like to be a published writer. If it’s something they want to pursue, there are lots of ups and downs involved.”

Because there were so many rejections before success arrived with “When Trying to Return Home,” McCauley said she tells her students the journey to publishing is different for everyone. “After a semester with me, I hope students will have completed drafts of things they can work with and publish someday,” she said. “In class, they have to read each other’s work. Teaching them that writing is about listening to a lot of voices, getting feedback and adhering to deadlines that keep them accountable is what will be useful to them if they choose to be writers in the future.”