HPU students and faculty attend the 2024 TAS conference. Pictured, from left, are Nolan Godfrey, Dr. Greg Hatlestad, Shayna Oliver, Trevor Bowers, Isabel Clevenger, Victoriano Cooper, Sydney Ben, Ethan Cortez, Cassandra Covos and Dr. Kristen Hutchins.

Howard Payne University students attended the Texas Academy of Science (TAS) annual meeting in March at The University of Texas Permian Basin in Odessa. Representing HPU were eight students and two faculty members, with three of the students giving presentations at the conference.

TAS promotes scientific research in Texas, encourages student learning through research and aims to enhance the professional development of all its members. The organization’s annual meetings, held each spring at different universities around the state, have 16 disciplinary sections. TAS has published a peer-reviewed journal since 1949, titled “The Texas Journal of Science.” For more information about TAS, visit www.texasacademyofscience.org.

“The annual TAS conference is a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn about scientific research done across the state of Texas, while also seeing how science is communicated in our field,” said Dr. Kristen Hutchins, dean of HPU’s School of Science and Mathematics and professor of biology. “This informs our students’ application of scientific communication at HPU as they design, implement and present their senior research projects through the biology program.”

Giving poster presentations at the conference on their independent senior research projects were Sydney Ben of Friendswood, a biology major, and Isabel Clevenger of Brownwood, a biomedical science major. Ben’s project involved her investigation of microinvertebrates in collected soil samples and their impact on soil health and plant abundance. For Clevenger’s project, she tested various produce cleanser methods on how well they removed microbes from organically grown versus conventionally grown produce.

“Presenting at TAS was an experience that I not only enjoyed but learned so much from,” said Ben. “It was exciting getting to see the projects that we had worked so hard for come to fruition, and getting to share the trip with our classmates and professors made it even better.”

Victoriano Cooper of Brownwood, a music-piano major double minoring in chemistry and biomedical science, gave an oral presentation on his summer research work with the Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing (NEXT) Lab at Abilene Christian University.

Also attending the annual meeting were Trevor Bowers of Bangs, a biomedical science and allied health science double major; Ethan Cortez of Bangs, a biomedical science and Guy D. Newman Honors Academy double major; Cassandra Covos of Odessa, a biomedical science major; Nolan Godfrey of Early, a biomedical science major; and Shayna Oliver of Brownwood, a biomedical science major. They traveled with Dr. Hutchins and Dr. Greg Hatlestad, associate professor of biology.

HPU students had the opportunity to connect with 2023 HPU graduate Taylor Jefferis at the TAS conference. Jefferis is a current Ph.D. student at Baylor University in environmental science and recently visited HPU to give a presentation on her graduate school experience. Jefferis enjoyed sharing her perspective with future HPU graduates as they consider their career paths.

“I am so thankful for my time at HPU and for having a community where I can return and share my story,” said Jefferis. “I could not have asked for better professors or a better college experience than what I had at HPU, and I feel just as supported even a year after graduation!”

Dr. Hutchins was pleased with the way the HPU students made the most of the TAS conference.

“I was impressed with the quality of work from our three presenters this year and the professionalism shown by all our attending students,” Dr. Hutchins said. “We had other university scientists complementing our students’ performance and encouraging them to consider graduate school in their fields. It was a networking opportunity and further affirmation for them that their hard work is worth it.”

The students’ independent senior research project posters are now on display in the upstairs hallway of HPU’s Winebrenner Memorial Hall of Science for viewing. For more information about HPU’s School of Science and Mathematics, please visit www.hputx.edu/scienceandmath.