Eight students from Howard Payne University’s School of Science and Mathematics recently attended the Texas Academy of Science (TAS) conference at Angelo State University. Six of the eight gave poster presentations about recent projects. Five of the six were seniors presenting research projects, and one was a freshman presenting her research completed during HPU’s first annual Summer Research Symposium.

Seniors presenting research projects were Brandon Diaz, a senior from Crosby majoring in biomedical science; Kailyn Duffey, a senior from Buda majoring in biology; Taylor Jefferis, a senior from Pampa majoring in biology; Cynthia Montalvo, a senior from Bossier City, Louisiana, majoring in biomedical science and the Guy D. Newman Honors Academy; and Ethan Straach, a senior from Coleman majoring in biomedical science.

Also attending were juniors Sydney Ben of Friendswood majoring in biology and the Guy D. Newman Honors Academy, and Isabel Clevenger of Brownwood, majoring in biomedical science. Yesenia Brunette, a freshman from Early majoring in biomedical science, presented her research from the summer symposium.

Representing HPU at the recent TAS conference were students (back row, from left) Ethan Straach, Kailyn Duffey, Brandon Diaz, Cynthia Montalvo, (front row, from left) Isabel Clevenger, Taylor Jefferis, Yesenia Brunette and Sydney Ben. 

All of HPU’s biology and biomedical science majors complete an independent research project during their senior year. This year, HPU’s science faculty decided to take juniors to the Texas Academy of Science conference to give them the experience of seeing science communicated in various ways and also to see a variety of topics that may give them ideas for their own projects next year. HPU’s faculty also invited the seniors to present their senior projects at the conference.

“This was our largest group of presenters at TAS in many years,” said Dr. Kristen Hutchins, professor of biology and department chair. “I am incredibly proud of their hard work in preparing for the event as well as their encouragement of each other as they practiced and gave peer feedback along the way. They were professional presenters and gained wonderful experience in learning how to communicate scientific research.”

According to its website, the Texas Academy of Science has been promoting science excellence in Texas since TAS’ founding in 1880. TAS is an affiliate of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and its mission is to foster student mentorship and research excellence through annual scientific meetings and the publication of the Texas Journal of Science.

For more information about HPU, please visit www.hputx.edu.