CATALYST
CATALYST
Interim Dean: John Frederick, Ph.D.
Editor: Ryan Schoensee
Contributing Editor: Lauren Crawford
Graphic Designer: Coral Díaz
Copyeditor: Ashley Festa
Student Writers: Adine Bahambana, Kendall Green, Anastasiia Gordeeva, Md Mohsin, Kainaat “Kayo” Rahmat, Gauri Raje, Alex Roush, Sara Timmons
Contributing Writer: Olivia Schneider
Student Artists: Alyssa Kornegay, Caitlin Williams
COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION
Associate Dean for Graduate Studies: Nicolas Large, Ph.D./HDR
Associate Dean for Research: José Lopez-Ribot, Pharm.D./Ph.D.
Assistant Dean for Operations: Tracy Beasley, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies: Timothy Yuen, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean for Fiscal Administration: Mike Findeisen
Assistant Dean for Instruction, Assessment and Faculty Development: Terri Matiella, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean for Faculty Support: Mostafa Fazly, Ph.D.
Student Writers
Adine Bahambana
Computer Science
Kendall Green
Developmental and Regenerative Sciences
Anastasiia Gordeeva Chemistry
Md Mohsin Physics
Kainaat “Kayo” Rahmat Psychology
Gauri Raje Biotechnology
Alex Roush Environmental Science
Sara Timmons Biology
Student Artists
Alyssa Kornegay Biochemistry
Caitlin Williams Biology
Catalyst is a student-produced magazine featuring contributions from writers, artists, and graphic designers across campus.
Message from the Dean
Greetings from the College of Sciences. I am thrilled to share that we have achieved some exciting progress within our college, highlighted by growth and change in several areas.
We reached a record enrollment of 6,680 for the fall 2024 semester, which is several hundred more students than the previous year. We’ve also awarded over 1,000 science degrees during the 2023-24 academic year, and we will celebrate hundreds more science graduates as they cross the stage at fall commencement on Saturday, Dec. 14. Additionally, our faculty increased to over 330 members to meet our new enrollment demands, and our research expenditures surpassed $50 million, a new record, in the past year.
Thanks in part to this growth, our college stands at the crossroads of several new initiatives that will shape the future of our city and university. Foremost among these is the exciting integration of UTSA and UT Health San Antonio into one institution, a major turning point just announced in August. At the same time, UTSA is also planning the establishment of a new college focused on artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, computing and data science. The College of Sciences is deeply embedded in both these initiatives, and all of this forms the context for our national search for a new dean.
The plans for a new college reflect the reality that one of the key areas shaping the future of our society is AI. Notably, this was recognized this fall in the Nobel prizes awarded in both physics and chemistry. In this issue of Catalyst, we explore how many of our faculty are using AI to enhance both teaching and research to achieve a deeper understanding of our world and our universe. Flip forward to page 9 to learn more.
Although we are in the middle of many transitions, the core of what we do, and what our friends in the community have supported, remains the same: We are committed to advancing discovery and to training the next generation of scientists and professionals. The college may look different than it did a decade ago or even just a year ago, but we remain focused on this core mission. With this singular focus, we continue to evolve and adapt—and that’s something to celebrate.
I deeply appreciate the continued support from our friends in the community. Your contributions are essential to our success and are helping us shape a bold future for UTSA and San Antonio. As always, thank you for your support!
JOHN FREDERICK, PH.D. Professor, Chemistry Interim Dean, College of Sciences
The COS dean’s search is ongoing and we expect by the next issue to celebrate the announcement of our new dean.
Congratulations
u The American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) awarded Lacy Barton (Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology) a 2024 Grant for Junior Faculty for her research on the impact of parental age on embryonic germline development.
u Several faculty were each awarded $4,000 Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)–UTSA STEM Education & Student Success Faculty Collaboration mini-grants: Philipp Schmidpeter (Chemistry) for his work with UTSA’s American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) Student Chapter; Lorenzo Brancaleon (Physics and Astronomy) for leading introductory physics bootcamps; and Donna Degen (Integrative Biology) for two research ventures, the Effect of Moisture on Antibiotic Production of UTSA Bioswale Soil Isolates and an Analysis of the Antimicrobial Properties of Seven Central Texas Algae.
u Aimin Liu (Chemistry) was elected as one of two co-vice chairs of the July 2025 Enzymes, Coenzymes and Metabolic Pathways Gordon Reference Conference. Liu will also serve as co-chair of the 2026 conference.
u The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) awarded Alexey Soshnev (Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology) nearly $250,000 in funding for a research project that will investigate transcription factors (TFs), which are DNA-binding proteins that recognize short sequence motifs and regulate nearby genes.
u In August, about 100 of Texas’ planetary scientists gathered at UTSA San Pedro I for the second annual Texas Area Planetary Science (TAPS) meeting. The TAPS meeting series is supported by a grant from the Heising-Simons Foundation and aims to strengthen interactions within the Texas planetary-exoplanet science and astrobiology community and foster collaborations and partnerships between institutions and researchers. Xinting Yu (Physics and Astronomy) founded the TAPS meeting during
her first year at UTSA to cultivate a space for collaboration while solidifying UTSA as a leading hub for space research.
u NASA awarded a Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities (NSTGRO) fellowship to Geosciences graduate student Austin Patridge for his lunar landing pad bricks materials research. Learn more about Patridge’s research on page 24.
u José Lopez-Ribot (Molecular Microbiology and Immunology) was recognized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for his lifetime contributions to the field of medical mycology. Lopez-Ribot is nationally recognized for developing strategies to diagnose, prevent and treat candidiasis.
u Seven UTSA students and alumni were awarded prestigious Graduate Research Fellowships from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to advance their graduate research education. The science students who earned the awards were Mariah Antopia ’22, (Biology), Marissa Coppin ’24, (Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology), Ernesto Flores ’24 (Physics and Astronomy), William Hughes ’24 (Chemistry), and Brandon Garcia-Castaneda (Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology).
u Lulu Zhang (Physics and Astronomy) was granted 12 hours of observation time on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Zhang applied for time on the JWST in Cycle 3 through the General Observer Program. The cycle received 1,931 proposals, of which 253 were selected, including Zhang’s. With his time, Zhang will dive into supermassive black holes, which will help to understand the birth and evolution of galaxies. Zhang was also recently selected for the Postdoctoral Research Fellow of the Year Award from the UTSA Graduate School.
u The Department of Computer Science’s M.S. in computer science degree was awarded in the top 12 of Fortune magazine’s Best
In-Person Master’s in Computer Science for 2024.
u San Antonio middle school students now have the opportunity to design, build and test lunar lava tube habitat models made in afterschool programs with recyclable materials and simple supplies. These students are part of a new four-year program created through a grant and partnership between NASA and the WEX Foundation, a local nonprofit dedicated to STEM education, along with UTeachSA, UTSA’s teacher recruitment and training program.
u UTSA Honors College student Mitchell Foster (Integrative Biology) was selected for the Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Foster is the first UTSA student to be named a Hollings scholar and one of just 130 undergraduates in the country to receive the award this year.
u College of Sciences students Dylan Moran (Chemistry), Hamza Patwa (Physics and Astronomy) and Lance Schwegman (Molecular Microbiology and immunology) were named Barry Goldwater Scholars. This prestigious national scholarship is awarded to undergraduate students who intend to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics or engineering.
u The Department of Computer Science was awarded a three-year, $500,000 grant to encourage and prepare more students for computer science careers. Jianwei Niu, professor and principal investigator, is leading the project along with five other Computer Science faculty: John Heaps (contact PI), Kevin Desai, Amanda Fernandez, Mitra Bokaei Hosseini and Rocky Slavin.
u Hongjie Xie (Earth and Planetary Sciences) was inducted into the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Xie will study snow cover changes in Iceland to better understand the effects of climate change, providing data that could inform policy decision-making.
Good to Know: Lindsey Macpherson
As told to Kendall Green
Lindsey Macpherson is an associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology. Her lab focuses on understanding how taste information is conveyed from the tongue to the brain. Macpherson received her Bachelor of Science in molecular biology with a minor in cognitive science at The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and her Ph.D. in chemical and biological sciences from Scripps Research Institute in San Diego. Upon completing her Ph.D., she returned to UCSD for a postdoctoral position in neuroscience researcher Charles Zuker’s lab. When Zuker took his lab to Columbia University in New York, Macpherson followed him to continue her postdoctoral work.
“When I was finishing up my postdoc, I knew I was ready to have my own lab. UTSA had an ad out for a biochemistry position, and I was a little hesitant to apply. But to my surprise, I was invited to do an interview. I liked the idea of coming to an undergraduate-heavy institution, since my Ph.D. and postdoc institutions had very few undergraduates. I was offered the position in the fall of 2017.
“The overall theme of the lab is looking at how taste connectivity and its function can change over time. In the lab, my students have been able to successfully observe the activity of gustatory neurons in the geniculate ganglia and nodose ganglia. Our lab has implemented an in vivo fluorescence assay where we can see when neurons have been activated and track this activation over time. More recently, my Ph.D. students have been looking at the effects of chemotherapy on the taste system. We also eventually plan to look at COVID-19 effects on the taste system because that’s a big question people constantly have for me.
“To me, being a faculty member is enjoyable because each day is different; there’s always new and exciting things happening. I really enjoy interacting with students and living vicariously through everyone in my lab, so it’s been great!
“Outside of the lab, my husband and two kids keep me busy. We go to a lot of soccer games, and my daughter plays piano. Kids’ activities are a big thing. We also really like to go hiking or biking around town when the weather is nice.”
Macpherson’s Recommended Reading:
u Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway
“A fun combination of hard-boiled detective fiction and sci-fi together.”
u Exhalation by Ted Chiang
“A really great collection of short stories that uses science fiction as a way to explore philosophical questions.”
u The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin
“Three novels that explore a post-apocalyptic world and a complex mother-daughter relationship.”
The College at a Glance
5,345 AN INCREASE FROM 5,022 SCIENCE STUDENTS IN SPRING 2023
COMPUTER/MATHEMATICS SCIENCE
Computer Science 1,659
Mathematics 198
LIFE SCIENCES
PHYSICAL SCIENCES
Chemistry 315
Earth & Planetary Sciences 96
Physics and Astronomy 184
Integrative Biology 2,454
Molecular Microbiology & Immunology 214
Neuroscience, Developmental & Regenerative Biology 225
At publication time, 1,054 students had graduated with a science degree for the academic year 2023-2024. This number will increase after fall commencement, which is scheduled for Dec. 14 at the Alamodome.
Hundreds of science students celebrated earning their degree at spring commencement on May 17, 2024. 38
Degrees Awarded
UTSA’s Multidisciplinary Approach to Conservation and Emissions Reduction Research
Researchers from the College of Sciences are tackling complex environmental problems with creative solutions
By Alex Roush
Environmental issues are often transboundary, making them difficult to address. UTSA’s multidisciplinary and holistic approach to conservation and emissions research brings international collaborators and scientists together from across departments within the College of Sciences to research topics like the impact of land use on soil health, carbon emissions and renewable energy.
Earlier this year, assistant professor Allison Veach (Integrative Biology) and professor and department chair Saugata Datta (Earth and Planetary Sciences) received a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant to investigate the microbiological and physicochemical properties important to soil health, as well as relevant land-use impacts across Central and South Central Texas. To do this, they will measure local soil and look specifically at the microbes and nutrients present. Veach and Datta are also interested in citizen science, or research conducted with participation from the public, and making research accessible to everyone through the use of a groundbreaking new tool: the Foldscope. Made of just paper and a
140x magnification lens secured with magnets, Foldscopes are a low-cost alternative to the traditional light microscope, with kits starting at just $9.99. Veach originally envisioned distributing the kits in her classes, but she has now expanded her idea to include providing Foldscopes to interested San Antonio community members. Veach and Datta are supported by Ph.D. students Alec Graves and Hannah Martinez.
The Coalition for Regenerative Ecologies and Agriculture (CREA) was established at UTSA in the spring in collaboration with Philips College with funding from the USDA Collaborative Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grant. CREA prepares students for careers in regenerative ecology and agriculture through three experiential learning opportunities: the Fellows Program; the Study Abroad Program in Veracruz, Mexico; and the Farm Internships. Co-located in Veracruz (the second-most agriculturally productive state in Mexico), CREA is driven by its partnerships and transnational collaboration.
learn about the process and challenges of maintaining hives
Assistant professor of practice Amelia King-Kostelac (Integrative Biology), principal investigator of CREA, explained, “UTSA students are getting hands-on learning with these regenerative practices through partnerships with local nonprofit organizations like Gardopia Gardens and the San Antonio Food Bank—both of which are hosting UTSA student interns this semester—as well as by working directly with Terra Advocati and Estampa Verde’s partner farms and ranches across Veracruz.” Estampa Verde, one of CREA’s Veracruz-based partners, is committed to supporting silvopasture—a land use management practice that integrates trees, forage and grazing animals on the same land—and farming practices that maximize carbon capture, support healthy soil and reduce runoff. Estampa Verde works with farmers and ranchers to implement the soil management system Keyline Design using the plant vetiver and agroforestry, a land use management system that integrates trees with crops or pasture.
The Department of Chemistry is also making waves in sustainability research. On the emissions side, associate professor Zachary Tonzetich is working alongside Texas Tech University researcher Anthony Cozzolino, with support from a WelchX pilot grant, to develop a way for carbon dioxide to be converted from a greenhouse gas into a raw material, which could then be converted into chemical products. If successful, the project will be revolutionary for climate change mitigation and removing harmful greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.
Assistant professor Fang Xu (Chemistry) is leading efforts in renewable energy. Funded by a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Basic Energy Sciences grant, Xu is working with Darío J. Stacchiola from Brookhaven National Laboratory to understand borophene’s potential as a renewable energy source. Borophene is the two-dimensional form of the chemical element boron
that could potentially act as a catalyst for renewable energy thanks to its new structural and electronic properties. “We aim to experimentally synthesize borophene layers, using scanning tunneling microscopy to visualize the hollow sites, deposit single atoms of noble metals on the borophene layers, and finally test how the materials would activate small molecules such as hydrogen and CO2,” said Xu. “The idea of using a single atom catalyst may provide milder reaction conditions, and thus require less energy consumption.”
How Can I Reduce My Carbon Footprint as a Student?
u Find alternative ways to commute to campus: Ride a bike, take the Roadrunner Shuttle or carpool.
u If you discover a classroom or office is extremely cold in the summer, contact the facility team to adjust the temperature.
u Use a reusable bag instead of plastic whenever possible, such as when shopping at the Roadrunner Pantry.
u Upgrade your lights to LED bulbs.
Students
for meliponas (a type of stingless bee native to Veracruz) from Estampa Verde Operating Director Antonio Carrillo Bolea.
UTSA students gather a dataset of soil samples from parking lots on campus.
Image
Credit: A. King-Kostelac
AI in the College of Sciences
From advanced nuclear material studies to genome analysis and AI-driven classroom tools, AI is shaping the future of science education and innovation in the College of Sciences.
By Md Mohsin
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping scientific research by processing large-scale scientific data and generating patterns, predictions and models. Amanda Fernandez, an assistant professor in the Computer Science Department at UTSA, describes AI as “technologies that are capable of learning, perceiving, scheduling, viewing, thinking, reasoning—essentially doing some form of human cognition.” The College of Sciences is at the forefront of integrating AI into scientific studies–applying AI to nuclear material characterization, genome data analysis and bone marrow cancer detection.
In physics and astronomy associate professor Elizabeth Sooby’s Extreme Environments Materials Lab at UTSA, researchers study materials used for advanced nuclear energy systems. They synthesize uranium compounds and perform high-temperature analyses. Fernandez’s Vision & AI Lab collaborates with Sooby’s lab to use computer vision to analyze micrographs, or images as data. If there is porosity in a sample that researchers in Sooby’s lab have made, the researchers can label it in images. Then
Fernandez’s group trains a machine learning model to recognize what the pores look like and how to calculate pore density. “And it does pretty well,” said Sooby. “We’ve had some projects with close to 90% pixel accuracy,” which Sooby said is comparable to the repeatability of various researchers labeling the same phenomena.
In 2022, Sooby received an award funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science Early Career Research Program. This prestigious recognition, with nearly $750,000 in grant funding over five years, was the first award of its kind to be received by a faculty member at UTSA. The grant supports Sooby’s research on utilizing AI to study complex melting phenomena of uranium compounds while developing a technology to more efficiently discover and develop materials for high-temperature applications.
In the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, assistant professor Luan Vu plans to use AI to study immune system responses to respiratory infections early in life. Vu hypothesizes that severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection
during early life sets the stage for immune responses in the lungs later in life, potentially predisposing individuals to respiratory complications partly by causing changes in how certain genes are turned on or off in immune cells, known as epigenetic modifications. These changes do not alter the DNA sequence itself but affect how genes are expressed, which can have a lasting impact on immune cell behavior. AI can help in this process by analyzing vast amounts of genomic and epigenetic data to identify patterns, predict modifications and uncover regulatory mechanisms that would otherwise be time-consuming to detect. “Working together with assistant professor Yuxuan Du from the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, we want to train an AI model to scan the entire genome of these cells to detect any such changes,” explained Vu. “AI will allow us to efficiently identify specific modifications triggered by RSV infection, accelerating our understanding of epigenetic changes and revealing important insights that would be challenging to uncover using conventional methods.”
Vu and Du are also collaborating with Dr. Vo Minh Hien from City Children’s Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to use AI-cytology to detect bone marrow cancer in children. In the diagnosis process, bone marrow cells are collected and placed on a slide for assessment. Traditionally, this assessment is done manually by a pathologist, which can be time-consuming. AIcytology assists by analyzing the digital slides, allowing for rapid classification and differentiation of cells. “We don’t want AI to be playing the doctor; we want AI to assist them,” emphasized Vu.
The AI-cytology system is trained to scan slides for cell type and morphology, identifying and counting different subsets of bone marrow cells while distinguishing between normal and abnormal cells. This analysis recognizes specific markers and abnormalities that are critical in diagnosing bone marrow cancers. The results are then provided to a pathologist, who makes the final diagnosis based on the frequencies of these different cell subsets, as classified by AI. This approach not only speeds up the diagnostic process but also helps improve accuracy by reducing the potential for human error during cell classification.
When it comes to using AI in the classroom, Fernandez is a proponent of introducing students to AI in their very first computer science class. With tools like Microsoft Copilot, which is the only UTSA-approved AI tool, students can learn the responsible use of LLM (large language models) before they begin experimenting with using it to write code. “As LLMs have become more prevalent in the last few years, I and other computer science educators have been investigating when and how to introduce them as a new tool to our students,” explained Fernandez.
Fernandez has begun introducing AI to entry-level computer science classes due to the prevalence of these new tools as well as the fact that Copilot is built into many IDEs (integrated development environments) used for programming.
“There is significant work around creating AI chatbots for computer science courses; however, a few colleagues and I have been focusing on teaching students how to use these tools in a secure way.”
Fernandez and other computer science faculty have designed smaller modules to introduce the basics of prompt engineering and software verification so that students know how to get the responses they need and are able to verify that the code created by the LLMs is correct and not malicious.
“We give higher-level guidance rather than specific tool-based instructions so that students can learn how to use any tool,” added Fernandez.
The opportunities for using AI to assist with research at UTSA are endless. “Whatever we do, and when we want to expedite and do something more efficiently, AI can jump in and help us,” said Vu. However, the growing presence of AI also brings challenges, particularly when it comes to effectively integrating AI into other fields of research. The challenge lies in combining AI with domain—specific expertise—ensuring that AI models are trained correctly, understanding the unique data
Fernandez helps a computer science student with a project that utilizes artificial intelligence to accelerate scientific discovery.
requirements of different fields, and bridging the knowledge gap between computer science and specialized areas like biology or clinical medicine. “That’s why we need to address these challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration,” explains Vu. Collaborations across UTSA College of Sciences departments help bridge these gaps, ensuring AI is seamlessly integrated into diverse areas of research to unlock its full potential. “Our lab has a lot of data,” said Sooby. “Dr. Fernandez has many great ideas on how to improve different machine learning methods, especially for computer vision, and so she leverages the data we have. Her AI tools help us use more of the data than we typically would. It may take up to 10 hours for a single image to be analyzed. We can analyze a couple of images and train the AI algorithm to analyze the rest, giving us better statistics on our data which helps us understand the results.”
Vu leads interdisciplinary AI research alongside Du and UTSA
Ph.D. student Shayne Wang, while also collaborating beyond UTSA with Tran Thi Lan Anh, a genomic researcher at Ghent University in Belgium, and Ph.D. student Le-Xuan Thang at the
University of Minho in Portugal. Together, they integrate diverse expertise to advance AI solutions and strengthen research across disciplines and borders, with the invaluable contributions of all team members driving their collective efforts.
Looking forward, integration with UT Health San Antonio may play a significant driving force for AI at UTSA. “I think there are going to be quite a number of applications that are going to open for the College of Sciences,” said Fernandez. “It is very difficult for us to integrate a lot of the biological data, such as anything that requires HIPAA [the federal law restricting release of medical information] compliance—they are experts on that side.”
UTSA’s commitment to using AI in scientific research, teaching and interdisciplinary collaboration positions the university as a leader in the field of computer science. With limitless opportunities and a growing emphasis on collaboration, the future of AI applications at UTSA will surely make impactful contributions across diverse disciplines.
Preparing Future STEM Teachers
Fostering innovative teaching methods for aspiring educators and research opportunities for students
By Sara Timmons
UTeachSA is a collaborative effort between the College of Sciences and the College of Education and Human Development. The program recruits and trains students to become highly qualified STEM teachers by offering unique opportunities for undergraduates majoring in math and science fields. Although some students in the UTeachSA program may have an initial interest in teaching, this interest is frequently cultivated throughout their academic journey rather than being a pre-existing aspiration. By offering compact degree plans, early teaching experiences, guidance by experienced teachers and financial assistance, UTeachSA provides a platform for raising the quantity and quality of math and science teachers in secondary schools.
Carey Walls, associate director of UTeachSA and a passionate advocate for STEM education, has spent 30 years fostering the next generation of science educators. Walls became involved with
the program’s predecessor, GE2MS, at The University of Texas at Austin in 2013. In 2016, GE2MS transitioned into the UTeachSA program, which is based on a nationally recognized STEM teacher preparation program from the UTeach Institute.
Walls oversees the administration and daily operations of UTeachSA, while also teaching two pedagogy courses required for students in the certification program. The UTeachSA program results in eligible teaching certification upon successful completion. It is designed specifically to prepare students to meet the requirements for obtaining a teaching certificate while earning their STEM degree.
“I love watching my students grow through two consecutive semesters,” Walls said. “It is so rewarding to see them in action in the classroom as they practice teaching.”
CULTIVATING SPACE EDUCATORS
To support students’ interest in space exploration and research, UTeachSA is partnering with the WEX Foundation, a San Antonio nonprofit dedicated to STEM education, on an $800,000 grant that the foundation recently received from NASA to advance space science education for middle school students. This grant supports the foundation’s New Worlds Await You Next Generation (NWAY-II) program, designed to enhance space science education in local middle schools. The program focuses on bringing space industry concepts into schools, particularly to those with students from underrepresented groups.
This partnership is part of a broader effort to prepare UTeachSA students to incorporate space and NASA-related material into their future classrooms. WEX’s project-based curriculum, centered around a space habitat project, will give UTeachSA student teachers handson experience to pass on to their students. Through this effort, the WEX Foundation and UTeachSA aim to make STEM and space science more accessible and inspiring for young learners.
“Teachers are badly needed in the classroom, yet TEA [the Texas Education Agency] imposes more and more challenges and obstacles for pre-service teachers each year,” said Walls. The requirements for obtaining certification have become more demanding, leading to circumstances where uncertified individuals are hired to fill urgent vacancies, potentially undermining longterm teacher retention and stability. “Pre-service teachers have been failing to complete the arduous testing and certification requirements set forth by TEA, which can be both stressful and costly,” added Walls.
The impact of UTeachSA on its students is profound, as highlighted by alumni Matthew Miley ‘24 who now teaches mathematics at Kingwood Park High School in Houston. “The UTeachSA program isn’t just your ordinary teaching program,” said Miley. “It’s a family. The advisers, professors and staff go above and beyond to make sure future secondary STEM educators are prepared to leave their mark on the next generation of students. Thanks to the UTeachSA program, I feel like a veteran teacher and coach while only being in my first year.”
Miley credits his UTeachSA professors for equipping him with essential skills to plan and execute lessons, master content and build relationships with students. “I found my love for teaching in this program and wouldn’t be where I am today without UTeachSA,” he said.
NPRE Program: Building the Next Generation of Collegiate Researchers
While UTeachSA focuses on training future STEM educators, the Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology Pre-Freshman Research Experience (NPRE) program helps recent high school graduates who have been admitted to UTSA gain valuable research experience to prepare them for college. This eight-week summer program gives incoming UTSA freshmen the chance to work in university laboratories, diving into college-level scientific research.
Funded by San Antonio-based nonprofit STEMSTART Enrichment, the NPRE program pairs each recent high school graduate with a mentor who guides them through research projects in fields such as neuroscience, biology and regenerative medicine. By immersing students in these environments, the program aims to spark their interest in pursuing STEM degrees and careers.
Now in its second summer, the NPRE program continues to support the retention of students entering STEM fields at UTSA. Through practical lab experience, incoming UTSA students not only gain technical skills but also learn how to navigate the world of scientific research. For many, this experience provided by STEM labs at UTSA solidifies their commitment to contributing to future discoveries in science.
UTSA’s New Strategic Faculty-Hiring Focus Areas
The College of Sciences is well represented in every key area.
UTSA’s new transdisciplinary effort brings together intellectually diverse researchers by strategically hiring clusters of faculty scholars to augment existing UTSA expertise in six key areas:
The focus areas were determined by the Clustered and Connected Hiring Program (CCP), which is a program within the university’s Strategic Faculty-Hiring Initiative. Since 2019, the CCP has been the mechanism to recruit and hire researchers in targeted areas addressing some of today’s most significant challenges. The Clustered and Connected Hiring Program builds upon past faculty cluster-hiring initiatives, which focused on strengthening UTSA’s expertise in analytics and data sciences, artificial intelligence, brain health, cybersecurity, human performance, quantum information science, social and environmental challenges in Latin America, and virtual and augmented reality.
The new cluster hires will be funded in part by The University of Texas System Board of Regents’ Research Excellence Program, which was created to help UTSA and other Emerging Research Universities within the UT System recruit researchers to dramatically grow their national prominence and federal funding opportunities.
Cluster hiring is a process that aims to supplement departmentally based hiring practices and norms. With a presence in all six focus areas, the College of Sciences is a major contributor to UTSA’s goal of growing its research enterprise, creating new knowledge and further positioning itself as a premier public research university.
UTSA will be able to hire approximately 40 new faculty positions over the next several years. The program’s intent is to attract new, mid- to senior-level faculty who will add expertise in research areas that will enhance competitiveness, help solve societal needs and advance the university’s capacity to meet UT System and state goals as outlined by the Texas Legislature.
“The College of Sciences is well-positioned to play a pivotal role in advancing each of these areas,” said John Frederick, interim dean of the College of Sciences and a professor in the Department of Chemistry. “We are actively involved in every hiring cluster identified by the university, and we eagerly anticipate welcoming exceptional scholars in each of these focus areas.”
The CCP process engages current UTSA faculty members to propose concepts for the concurrent hiring of multiple positions across colleges. Faculty members were tapped to help identify the key disciplines and knowledge areas where UTSA should focus on hiring more faculty.
A collaborative group from the Office of Research and Academic Affairs, including the college deans, reviewed the proposals.
Research Highlight Reel
The College of Sciences is a key contributor to the university’s discovery enterprise with its faculty leading research ventures across every focus area.
Artificial Intelligence
Headed by Dhireesha Kudithipudi, professor of computer science, the MATRIX AI consortium fosters transdisciplinary teams that span academia, government, industry, and healthcare to make tangible differences for human well-being.
Brain Health
The Brain Health Consortium, led by Jenny Hsieh, professor and chair of the Department of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, is a collaborative team of researchers with expertise in stem cells/precision medicine, neuroscience, biomedical engineering, psychology and cognitive learning. These researchers use transdisciplinary approaches to advance our basic understanding of the brain in order to prevent and treat the most debilitating brain disorders.
Microbiome and Human Health
Karl Klose, professor of molecular microbiology and immunology, is a leader in biomedical research and serves as the director of the South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID). He manages a laboratory dedicated to the study of bacterial pathogenesis, or how bacteria cause disease, with the goal of developing effective vaccines and therapeutics.
Submissions were evaluated on many factors, including the ability to enhance national or international distinction and campus leadership in a priority area; multi-college, cross-disciplinary composition and diversity of backgrounds and perspectives; ability to increase funding for federal research grants to meet UT System and state goals; and ability to concretely link existing scholarly and program capacities along with demonstrated commitment to utilizing collaborative and convergent research approaches.
Space
Physics and Astronomy assistant professor Richard Anantua’s modeling and simulation of the plasma physics of Sagittarius A, the supermassive black hole in the center of the Milky Way galaxy, recently helped make the firstever image of Sagittarius A possible. In January, Xinting Yu, assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, led a study published in Geophysical Research Letters that shows the “magic islands” on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, are likely floating chunks of porous, icy, organic solids—not the gas bubbles previous research suggested.
STEM Education
Carey Walls, lecturer in the Department of Mathematics, is the associate director of UTeachSA, a collaborative effort between the College of Sciences and the College of Education and Human Development. The program is designed for undergraduate STEM majors interested in exploring a career in education. Learn more about UTeachSA on page 12.
Transdisciplinary Materials Research
Physics and Astronomy associate professor Elizabeth Sooby’s Extreme Environments Materials Laboratory (EEML) studies high-temperature synthesis and thermal analysis of uranium bearing and other high-temperature intermetallic compounds with applications in the energy sector.
Adapted from the August 2024 UTSA Today story “UTSA announces new strategic faculty-hiring focus areas” by KC Gonzalez.
Faculty Spotlight: Jessica Gehrtz
By Gauri Raje
Jessica Gehrtz, assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics, began her teaching journey at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in secondary mathematics education. She then moved to Colorado and taught middle school math for six years before attending graduate school at Colorado State University.
“I was always interested in higher education, starting from when I was a middle school teacher,” Gehrtz said. “I knew I wanted to study math, and teaching was one way that I can share my love for math with others. And then, when I started graduate school, I was intending to pursue a Ph.D. in mathematics, and that was when I learned about math education research.”
As a graduate student, Gehrtz worked on projects that gave her first-hand exposure to teaching and learning practices in math departments across the United States. These experiences solidified her desire to improve teaching and learning of mathematics, especially at the university level.
Next, Gehrtz worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Georgia until 2020, when she joined UTSA and continues to research math education.
Gehrtz’s research focuses on how STEM faculty think about and incorporate evidencebased practices. “Research has shown that evidence-based practices lead to positive
student outcomes and positive student experiences in classes,” Gehrtz said. “Some examples of evidence-based practices include student collaboration in groups, instructor facilitation of a whole-class discussion, problem-based learning, and think-pair-share, which is when students work on a problem individually, then discuss with a partner, then share with the class. I try to understand how faculty are thinking about evidence-based practices and also how to best support them in including these practices in their teaching.”
In collaboration with fellow mathematics faculty member Priya Prasad, Gehrtz is working on a project designed to support faculty in incorporating more evidence-based practices. “The project aims to facilitate faculty’s professional development and help them implement new and innovative teaching methods. This includes developing teaching practices that actively engage students,” Gehrtz said. “In particular, the project is focused on incorporating more student-centered activities in college algebra classes at UTSA and draws on practices that have been shown to be effective in secondary education.
“I think having that community of instructors, where we’re all trying new things and sharing what we’re doing in a non-critical way—we’re not evaluating; we’re just supporting each other in a collegial way—I think we’ve seen some really positive impacts,” Gehrtz added. “We’re still looking at what the impacts are on student outcomes. We’ve seen lower failure rates of the college algebra course since we’ve
started doing the project, but we’re still digging into that data.”
Gehrtz’s qualitative data-collection methods include classroom recordings and interviews with faculty and students. These interviews, surveys and recordings are then used to identify patterns and analyze teaching practices in the context of a broader research question.
“The first part of analysis is really rigorous,” Gehrtz said. “We identify patterns by systematically going through the data, drawing on theoretical and analytic frameworks, and marking every time we see similarities, differences or patterns.”
Given the complexity of the data-collection process, combing through data can be a challenge, especially when it comes to identifying insightful trends and patterns to focus on.
For Gehrtz, much of the process of identification and analysis happens during conversations with colleagues and collaborators, when she assesses the nuances of new contributions to the mathematics education field.
“A lot of my work is trying to understand what faculty are thinking so that I can learn how to best support them in navigating the change and evolution that we need to do as college faculty,” Gehrtz said. “Ultimately, it’s for improving learning experiences for our students.”
Awesome Alum: Kaitlyn Varela
By Alex Roush
Kaitlyn Varela began her academic journey at UTSA expecting to become a medical doctor, but her involvement in several research programs led her in a new direction. As an undergrad, Varela participated in the UTSA Rising Researchers program, a research training and support program designed to provide an introduction to laboratory research and aid in a successful transition into college life. In the program, she learned important skills like lab safety and understanding scientific papers. Varela then took part in the UTSA Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE) program, which is a federally funded program that supports underrepresented students conducting biomedical research. Through RISE, she learned about the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) and how to find funding for graduate school. The program also allowed Varela to attend her first research conference.
Varela graduated from the College of Sciences and Honors College in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry, and she earned her Ph.D. in chemistry from UTSA in 2024. She completed her dissertation in assistant professor of chemistry Francis Yoshimoto’s lab, where she used organic chemistry to understand biological processes within Artemisia annua, a plant with antimalarial properties. Thanks to her outstanding research and academic performance, Varela was awarded an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and a Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship to support her graduate research. Throughout her time at UTSA, she also co-authored six peer-reviewed articles: four published in the Journal of Natural Products, one in the Journal of Chemical Education and one in Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry
Recently, Varela was one of eight recipients of the Merck Research Award sponsored by the American Chemical Society’s Women Chemists Committee. This award allowed her to travel to the society’s national meeting in Denver to present her doctoral research. The August conference was a five-day gathering of top chemists to exchange ideas and present new findings.
Shortly after completing her Ph.D., Varela joined Amplified Sciences, a clinical stage diagnostics company, as a postdoctoral researcher. Amplified Sciences provides innovative diagnostic tests that enable earlier detection, risk stratification and monitoring of challenging diseases. She now works to develop diagnostic tests to enable the earlier detection of diseases, using the organic chemistry expertise she learned at UTSA to benefit humanity.
Varela looks back fondly on her time at the university. “UTSA was my home for seven years,” she said. “From the beginning, I felt welcomed, and my professors did a great job of leading me toward success. I wouldn’t be the scientist I am today without the mentors I had. I have been continually inspired by the drive, passion and commitment of the staff and my peers at UTSA. I’m proud to be a Roadrunner because of those values and the lasting effect they’ve had on my life.”
#ThisIs WhatA Scientist Looks Like
Brittney Jackson
By Anastasiia Gordeeva
In the bustling world of college life, where students often struggle to balance classes and social activities, Brittney Jackson stands out as a remarkable exception. A senior biology major, Jackson isn’t just excelling in her studies—she’s also co-captain of the cheerleading team and a science mentor at the College of Sciences’ Student Success Center.
“I’m a person who’s happiest when my plate is full,” Jackson said, her enthusiasm palpable even through a Zoom interview. “I’m the happiest when I have something going on all day.”
Jackson’s journey into the world of science began with a simple curiosity about how things work. Her innate inquisitiveness and a desire to help others led her toward a career in medicine. “I want to leave the world better than I found it,” she explained, revealing her aspirations to become an obstetrician gynecologist like her mother.
But Jackson’s passions extend beyond the laboratory. She’s been a cheerleader since the age of 3, mastering power tumbling and stunting along the way. Now, as a co-captain of UTSA’s cheerleading team, she brings the same dedication to athletics as she does to her studies.
So, how does she manage it all? “I live by my Outlook calendar,” she said. Color-coded blocks help her visualize her schedule, ensuring she allocates time for classes, cheerleading practice, mentoring others and studying. But it’s not just about time management. Jackson emphasizes the importance of sleep, challenging the common college narrative of all-nighters and caffeine dependency. She recommends a full eight hours of sleep, noting that proper rest makes her more efficient and focused.
As a science mentor, Jackson draws from her own experiences to guide fellow students. She recalls feeling overwhelmed as a freshman, taking on 18 credit hours while adjusting to college life. “I had to learn what works best for me,” she reflected. This journey of self-discovery now fuels her passion for mentoring as she helps others navigate the challenges of college life. She encourages students to ask for help when needed, noting that everyone feels
It’s always scary until you take your first step.
lost at some point in their college journey. “It’s always scary until you take your first step,” she said. “Just start.”
She says her role as a peer mentor has also strengthened her identity as a scientist. Interacting with peers and mentees has deepened her appreciation for the diverse pathways in science while confirming her own.
As she prepares to trade her pom-poms for a stethoscope, Jackson is embracing the balancing act, taking pride in both her scientific pursuits and athletic achievements. “I’m proud to say that I’m a biologist now,” she said.
Venus Stanton
By Adine Bahambana
Venus Stanton is a first-generation college graduate from Texas. He graduated from Texas State University in 2022 with his biochemistry undergraduate degree. He first majored in business and then switched to computer science, but he didn’t find his calling until he branched out and took biology and chemistry classes. Fascinated with both disciplines, Stanton decided to major in biochemistry. His internship at the MD Anderson Cancer Center McBride Laboratory sparked his interest in research. “People have to discover their motivation one way or another, and for me it just happened to be getting into research,” Stanton said.
Alongside his school and research obligations, Stanton worked as a learning assistant in the National Science Foundation (NSF) STEM Equity Learning Communities project, a program at Texas State University aimed at redesigning outdated curricula in biology, chemistry, physics and math. His faculty mentors in the program encouraged him to pursue graduate studies at UTSA. “What drew me to UTSA was it is an inclusive school,” Stanton said. “There are a lot of first-generation students here.”
As a doctoral candidate in the molecular microbiology and immunology (MMI) graduate program, Stanton’s research focuses on Vibrio bacteria, a source of Vibrio infections such as cholera. Specifically, he’s researching the flagellum in the bacteria that allow the bacteria to move, helping the bacteria to thrive and spread. “The flagellum is this tail-like appendage, and it allows the bacteria to move at extremely fast speeds,” Stanton said. “Their average speed is about 120 microns per second. For context, that would be like if someone who was 6 feet tall was able to move at 600 feet per second.”
Stanton was awarded the opportunity to present his findings at the International Meeting on the Biology of Vibrios in Peru in October. “This was like my album debut,” Stanton said. “These are the people who will probably facilitate your future job position, and if not that, then you know they could be future collaborators.”
Stanton wants to help open doors for other students to pursue their doctoral degrees, especially students from underrepresented communities.
What drew me to UTSA was it is an inclusive school. There are a lot of first-generation students here.
“People ask me, ‘How do you get involved in research? How do you join a lab?’ And I always tell them that the fact that they’re even asking is already so important,” he said. Stanton frequents welcoming parties and other social events hosted by his department and helps undergraduate students, especially first-generation students, in whatever way he can. “I think it’s my calling in a lot of ways to be a beacon for other first-generation students in similar situations,” Stanton said.
Looking forward, Stanton is excited to understand as much as he can about our world. In addition to microbiology, he is interested in the microorganisms that have yet to be discovered on the ocean floor. “They’re the original inhabitants of this planet, and I think we can kind of learn everything we ever need to know if we just study them,” he said.
Kailey Perrino
By Kainaat “Kayo” Rahmat
UTSA’s exceptional cybersecurity program is ranked fifth in the country according to Forbes magazine, a fitting statistic for San Antonio, which is the second-largest cyber hub in the United Status. The computer science field emphasizes interdisciplinary knowledge and technical proficiency—both of which computer science senior Kailey Perrino has mastered during her time at UTSA.
Perrino was initially attracted to UTSA because of its National Centers of Academic Excellence accreditation from the National Security Agency. “I felt that I would be able to find a community of like-minded and career-focused individuals if I pursued a career here in San Antonio,” she said.
Perrino’s interest in computer science began when she took a high school course that introduced students to the gamification of cybersecurity, which employs interactive challenges and simulations to create an engaging and rewarding learning experience.
“I loved learning about how technology can be used to help people,” said Perrino. “In computer science, you learn how to design and create solutions for a variety of problems, and with the college’s cyber operations track, you learn how to build tools related to cybersecurity.”
Perrino is the current president of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) at UTSA. ACM is the leading technology-focused organization on campus, dedicated to providing technical workshops, professional development opportunities and social events through its various sub-organizations. Perrino has found ACM to provide a highly supportive environment for her and her peers.
“Cybersecurity has always been an expansive field, but my favorite part about the community at UTSA is that everyone wants to see you succeed and will do all they can to help get you to where you want to go,” she said.
ACM encourages members to engage in hands-on activities and attend networking events coordinated by their peers. These activities include hackathons, which are fast-paced challenges designed to test participants’ knowledge and skills while addressing realworld security issues. The diverse array of projects and networks at UTSA enables students to acquire new skills, collaborate effectively and connect with potential employers in San Antonio’s growing tech industry.
I felt that I would be able to find a community of like-minded and career-focused individuals if I pursued a career here in San Antonio.
Perrino also served as the technical officer for Women in Cybersecurity at UTSA (WiCyS). Connecting with other women who share similar interests has helped Perrino develop a plan for her future. WiCyS gave her insight into the jobs available in the computer science field and revealed niche fields that fall under the umbrella of information technology.
Perrino aspires to one day give back to UTSA through mentoring future computer scientists, as she credits much of her success to the encouragement and support she received during her time as a student. She values the robust support network available at UTSA and hopes it continues to expand. As Perrino finishes her degree and begins her job search, she reflects on how much she has valued her community during her time at UTSA.
“The most fulfilling aspect of my academic career has been successfully connecting with my peers through our work,” she said, “because nothing is as rewarding as winning with a team.”
GIVING Powered by Philanthropy: New Frontiers in Alzheimer’s Disease Research at UTSA
By Olivia Schneider
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most devastating neurodegenerative disorders, affecting millions worldwide. According to the National Institute on Aging, experts suggest that more than 6 million Americans, most of them 65 or older, may have AD. “After reaching 60 years old, your risk of developing Alzheimer’s doubles every five years,” said George Perry, a world-renowned expert in Alzheimer’s disease research and the Semmes Foundation Distinguished University Chair in Neurobiology at UTSA. Currently, there is no cure for the disease.
With support from the Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation, researchers at UTSA are working toward a cure by better understanding Alzheimer’s disease and using advanced technology to discover new potential therapeutics for people with AD.
UNDERSTANDING ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
Perry and fellow faculty member Germán Plascencia-Villa are conducting research to gain a deeper understanding of AD. Using simplified cellular models that mimic the areas of the brain affected by AD along with historical data from AD patients, they can better understand how the disease manifests—and where new drug targets may exist.
Their research focuses on two key factors believed to contribute to AD: the release of mitochondrial DNA in the brain, a process which may cause inflammation, and oxidative stress, when the brain is exposed to excessive reactive oxygen species, which are unstable molecules and can damage cells.
Plascencia-Villa’s research has revealed the presence of unusual forms of metals such as copper and iron in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s, which may cause inflammation that accelerates neuronal damage and death.
“What is unusual is that we identified stable metallic iron in the brain—the first time it has ever been identified in any condition in the human body,” Perry said. “You would expect the iron to rust—like steel wool exposed to water and air—which is what is in the brain.”
Researchers still do not fully understand the function of these metals, and attempts to remove them have produced mixed results in patients.
“It’s important to understand the mechanism—how the binding of the metals to plaques functions in the disease. With that understanding, we can proceed to develop therapeutics.”
ADVANCING AD TREATMENT
Developing effective and safe new drugs is costly and timeintensive—it can take decades for new therapies to get approved and reach patients. To accelerate treatment options for patients, Plascencia-Villa and Perry are exploring options to repurpose existing drugs to treat AD.
Their research has identified several promising antiinflammatory drugs and therapeutic drug combinations that may help slow the progression of the disease. In addition to getting effective treatments to patients faster, affordability is a priority in their work. By focusing on repurposing existing, low-cost drugs, the team aims to make Alzheimer’s treatments more accessible to all.
INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES
Perry and Plascencia-Villa are using computer analysis to screen large numbers of drug compounds and predict their effects on cellular systems. Combining advanced algorithms and their novel discoveries about AD, the team matches specific cellular processes in the brain with existing, Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs, dramatically speeding up the identification of viable treatments.
Perry and Plascencia-Villa are also collaborating with experts in bioinformatics and artificial intelligence (AI) applications to analyze the relationships between AD-related molecules to discover novel drug targets.
In the future, the team will use a novel microscopic technique equipped with AI image processing to have a clearer picture of cellular damage and to better track how repurposed drugs impact cellular models.
This interdisciplinary approach—combining neuroscience, drug development and AI—offers a promising pathway toward discovering new Alzheimer’s therapies.
LOOKING AHEAD
Thanks to generous investments by the Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation, the Semmes Foundation, the Lowe Foundation, the San Antonio Medical Foundation, and the Jean and Kenneth Ladensohn Endowed Research Fund, the research conducted by Perry and Plascencia-Villa represents a hopeful step toward finding new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease— and one day a cure.
George Perry
Peek Inside the HAMsTER Lab
Led by Earth and Planetary Sciences professor Alan Whittington, the Heat and Mass Transfer and Experimental Rheology (HAMsTER) Lab is composed of petrologists and planetary scientists applying high-temperature materials science techniques to understand volcanic activity on Earth and other planets.
Researchers are involved in sampling active and ancient lava flows. They collaborate with the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design, as well as other partners on lunar in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) projects. Their studies focus on the thermodynamics and rheology of lavas from the Earth, Moon, and Mars, as well as different lunar, Martian, and asteroid regolith simulants with the goal of optimizing the production of ISRU construction materials.
Geosciences graduate student and lab member Austin Patridge received a NASA-funded Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities (NSTGRO) fellowship. His research involves comparing Apollo samples with terrestrial simulants to identify suitable materials for constructing lunar landing pads. These materials must withstand the physical and thermal demands of repeated rocket takeoff and landing. Follow along as he explores the calorimetry of the materials.
Calorimetry is the process of measuring the heat released or absorbed during a change of state, such as through crystallizing, melting or boiling.
“I’m using
“I loaded a mineral sample that has been synthesized to mimic the surface of the moon into the high-temperature calorimeter, lowered the furnace on the sample and prepped it for the experiment.”
“I created a petrographic thin section of Stillwater anorthosite and am viewing it using a trinocular microscope. This terrestrial material closely resembles the anorthosite found on the Moon.”
“I took out sintered preliminary bricks of CSMLHT-1 from our furnace at 1,095°C (~2,000°F). I pressed the bricks together via different methods to see which method gave the most cohesive brick.”
“I sintered three preliminary bricks. The nearest, a control with no additives, was the crumbliest and least successful. The middle brick showed slight improvement with the addition of 2 weight percent of water. The farthest brick was the best, maintaining shape and cohesion after adding 5 weight percent water to mimic the ‘wet sand’ effect of lunar regolith in vacuum.”
our very precise 200.00 mg scale to weigh our sample for the differential scanning calorimeter.”
Which two colleges collaboratively host UTeachSA? Flip to page 3 to check your answer.
