The Texas A&M University System’s 14th Annual Pathways Symposium hosted by Tarleton State University was completed on November 3, 2017. The symposium a venue for students to showcase their research efforts, network with faculty, gain exposure to graduate and post-graduate opportunities, and form lasting collaborative relationships for future research.
Ten undergraduate and graduate students from the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences (CAHS) participated in this symposium among 43 students from PVAMU. The CAHS students’ gave poster presentations covering different topics related to agriculture, crop production, food science, animal science, natural resources and environmental management, nutrition, and human sciences.
The three CAHS student winners are Yassine Cherif and Asja Jackson, two undergraduate students who competed in the Agricultural Category, and Gayland Johnson, a Human Sciences major who competed in the Agriculture M.S. student category.
Yassine Cherif won First Place in undergraduate Agriculture category for his poster presentation titled “Evaluation and Calibration of Empirical Methods for Daily Reference Evapotranspiration Estimation in Northwest Texas”. Yassine conducted this work under the mentorship of Dr. Ripendra Awal, CARC Research Scientist, and Dr. Ali Fares, the Associate Director of Research.
Asja Jackson was the Third Place prize winner in the undergraduate Agriculture category; she presented her work on “The Study of Caprine Casein Hydrolysate as a Prebiotic.” Her research was conducted under the supervision of Dr. Adela Mora-Gutierrez, a CARC Research Scientist, with technical help from Jeneanne M. Kirven, a CARC Research Technician.
Gayland Johnson secured the First Place Winner in the Poster Session of the M.S. Agriculture Category with her work titled: “Empty Plates, Full Load: Food Insecurity and Homelessness at a Historically Black University”. She was supervised by Dr. Danielle Y. Hairston-Green, a CEP Program Specialist, and Dr. Nathan Mitchell, a faculty member of the Division of Social Work, Behavioral & Political Sciences in the Brailsford College of Arts and Sciences.
Research Scientists Drs. Peter Ampim, Ripendra Awal, Richard Griffin, and Aruna Weerasooriya supported CARC student researchers at this event and also served as judges.
Participants from PVAMU
Yassine Cherrif (Left) and Gayland Johnson (Right) with Dr. Carmen Carter, Acting Dean, Graduate Studies
Yassine Cherif next to his poster at the symposium
Asja Jackson next to her poster at the symposium
Ripendra Awal Ph.D.
Research Scientist
(936) 261-5092
riawal@pvamu.edu
Laura E. Carson Ph.D.
Research Scientist
(936) 261-5010
lecarson@pvamu.edu
Ali Fares Ph.D.
Associate Director for Research
(936) 261-5019
alfares@pvamu.edu