Wednesday, June 10, 2026

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Announcements

• Amy Swinford (Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory) has been named interim director of the Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases, part of AgriLife Research, effective June 1. 
• Jake Mowrer (Agriculture and Life Sciences) is the new director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Soil, Water and Forage Testing Laboratory. 
• Lynnette Watkins (Texas A&M Health) was named regional associate dean for Brazos Valley/Houston with the Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine, where she will help expand clinical partnerships across the state. 
• Simon North, who has served as interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences since September 2025, was appointed dean, effective June 1. 

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News-Media Coverage

• Babak Taheri (Agriculture and Life Sciences), Tech + Savvyed, about how inaccurate, intrusive and deceptive hotel booking chatbots can make users uncomfortable enough to reduce engagement and discourage bookings, though clear AI disclosure may help rebuild trust. 
• Jessica Yorzinski (Agriculture and Life Sciences), Earth.com, about how American crows’ black feathers contain ultraviolet color patterns invisible to humans that may help birds identify age and navigate complex social interactions. 
• Jiabi Du (Galveston), The Daily News Galveston County, about high-resolution 3D ocean models and robotic field data used to simulate Gulf water movement, improving predictions of storms, pollution and ecosystem impacts. 
• Jon Jasperson (Business), Financial Times, about how business schools are responding to growing competition in the executive education market and how universities can differentiate themselves by combining technical skills with business context and leadership development. 
• John Nielsen-Gammon (Arts and Sciences), Texas Public Radio and ABC 13, about a study analyzing more than 40,000 storm events across major Texas cities that found that urban landscapes can intensify some thunderstorms and increase flood risks while weakening certain cold-front storms. 
• Jonathan Reid (Arts and Sciences), News Nation, about why the Karmelo Anthony murder trial has become a broader public flashpoint over race, self-defense and trust in the justice system, even though race is not central to the legal case itself. 
• Krishna Bhattarai (AgriLife Research – Dallas), Seed World, about the development of climate-smart crops optimized for indoor farming systems using genomics, disease resistance screening and artificial intelligence-driven breeding approaches. 
• Luis Tedeschi (Agriculture and Life Sciences), ABP Daily, about how artificial intelligence and precision livestock technologies are transforming ruminant nutrition into a data-driven system that links animal health, feed efficiency and whole-farm sustainability. 
• Manuel Chavarria (Agriculture and Life Sciences), NBCDFW, about research on turf management technologies, including grow-light systems and field preparation methods, in preparation for the Argentina vs. Honduras match coming to Kyle Field. 
• Mohammad Naraghi (Engineering), ASME, about the development of a lightweight, customizable “super foam” that absorbs up to 10 times more energy than conventional padding. 
• Patrick Suermann (Architecture) and team, Sciencemag, about research using robotics, automation and lunar resources to develop construction techniques that could support long-term human settlement on the moon.  
• Richard Kreider (Education and Human Development), Lad Bible, about how creatine can support exercise performance, but higher doses provide diminishing returns and may increase side effects like stomach discomfort and water retention. 
• Wizzie Brown (Agriculture and Life Sciences), Better Homes & Gardens, about study findings that coffee grounds do not kill red imported fire ants. 
• Xinming Wu (Agriculture and Life Sciences), Energy Innovation Review, about a unified artificial intelligence framework and benchmark, CIG-Bench, to improve and standardize subsurface imaging. 
• Yanling Mayer (Texas Real Estate Research Center), The Austin Post, about how rising foreclosures in Austin and San Antonio are linked to falling home prices, higher mortgage costs and reduced equity, with overall rates remaining below pre-pandemic levels. 

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Articles From Colleges and Schools

• Benjamin N. Montemayor, Arham Hassan, Aniqua Salwa, Anka A. Vujanovic and Snehi Bajracharya (Public Health) found that childhood trauma and simultaneous use of multiple substances were strongly linked to higher rates ofdepressive symptoms among college students, highlighting the importance of integrated approaches to student mental health. Study Links Childhood Trauma and Simultaneous Substance Use to Higher Rates of Depression in College Students 
• Daniel Roelke, Jessica Labonté (Galveston) and team found that cyanotoxin-producing algal blooms in inland lakes have the potential to disrupt key processes in the Nitrogen cycle in downstream coastal systems. Drs. Daniel Roelke and Jessica Labonté at Texas A&M University at Galveston Have Study Published in Inland Waters Journal 
• Jiabi Du (Galveston) uses supercomputing-based 3D ocean models to simulate Gulf of Mexico water dynamics and particle movement, supporting environmental forecasting and coastal management. Mapping the Digital Deep: The Mission To Model Invisible Ocean Dynamics in 3D 
• Junhyoung “Paul” Kim, Marcy Ory (Public Health) and Dan Zhang (Education and Human Development) are developing an artificial intelligence (AI) communication device that analyzes video interactions to generate personalized summaries that improve communication and care for people with autism and dementia. School of Public Health Joins $4.1 Million Project To Create AI-Powered Communication Device  
• Karun Kaniyamattam (Agriculture and Life Sciences) is using artificial intelligence (AI)-driven decision modeling and predictive tools to help livestock producers improve animal health, profitability and sustainability while reducing environmental impacts and antimicrobial use. Research Harnesses AI Decision Modeling To Improve Livestock Sustainability 
• Kate Creevy (Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences), chief veterinary officer for the Dog Aging Project, found that metabolic biomarkers associated with lifespan are remarkably similar in dogs and humans, offering new insight into aging biology across species. Dogs and Humans Are More Alike Than We Thought, Texas A&M Study Finds 
• Ki Eun Kang, Carol L. Goldsmith, Arnold Vedlitz (Government and Public Service) and Itza Mendoza-Sanchez (Engineering) found that living near visible pollution sources increases residents’ concern, but that concern does not necessarily lead to political action. ISTPP Research – Perceptions, Not Just Proximity: What Truly Drives Public Support for Environmental Health Policies? 
• Lei-Shih “Lace” Chen (Public Health) and team conducted a systematic review to compile a more comprehensive list of symptoms associated with infantile epileptic spasms syndrome to help improve prompt diagnosis. Scientists Compile First Complete List of Symptoms for a Severe Childhood Epilepsy 
• Marcia Ory, Junhyoung “Paul” Kim (Public Health), Xuemei Zhu (Architecture) and Zheng O’Neill (Engineering) are developing a smart home app that integrates sensors, wearables and connected devices to help caregivers monitor safety risks and support independent living for people with dementia. A Smarter Home Could Help Ease the Strain of Dementia Care 
• Matthew Malecha (Architecture) and team developed a guidebook that helps local governments assess wildfire risk and strengthen mitigation strategies using data-driven planning tools. Texas A&M and Cal Poly Use Data To Help Communities Prevent Wildfire Risk 
• Nandita Sarker, Taehyun Roh, Garett Sansom, Nusrat Fahmida Trisha and Nishat Tasnim Hasan (Public Health) found that adults exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke had approximately 1.5 times higher levels of cadmium, a cancer-causing toxic metal, in their blood compared to those in smoke-free environments. Even Secondhand Smoke Can Leave Cancer-Causing Cadmium in the Body 
• Patrick Suermann (Architecture), Robert Ambrose (Engineering) and other researchers are focused on developing lunar construction to support sustained human presence on the moon. Rovers, Regolith, Robots: The Blueprint for the Moon 
• Peter Nghiem (Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences) and team developed the Myok9 cell line, a lab-grown canine muscle cell model that allows researchers to evaluate therapies in the laboratory before moving into animal studies, helping reduce animal use while supporting therapeutic development. Texas A&M Researchers Develop Lab-Grown Muscle Cells To Reduce Animal Use in Research 
• Qingsheng Wang, Tylee Kareck and Chi-Yang Li (Engineering) found that the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven data centers is increasing fire risks from batteries, electrical faults and equipment failures, highlighting the need for improved safety standards. Chemical Engineers Fight Data Center Fires 
• Robert Chapkin, Yang-Yi Fan, Michael Salinas, Destiny Mullens, Laurie Davidson, Jennifer Goldsby (Agriculture and Life Sciences), Ivan Ivanov,  James Cai (Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences) and Arul Jayaraman (Engineering) found that combining dietary fiber with certain healthy fats may trigger a cancer-fighting process called ferroptosis, potentially reducing colorectal cancer risk by targeting dangerous cells before tumors develop. Research Reveals Diet Combination That Triggers Colorectal Cancer Cell Death 
• Shuo Feng, Brian Colwell, Sunghyun Chung, Adam Barry, Huishan Wang (Public Health) and Christopher Thompson (Education and Human Development) conducted a meta-analysis that found moderate carbohydrate intake may provide the greatest health benefits by lowering cardiovascular disease risk and LDL, or “bad” cholesterol. Consuming a Moderate Amount of Carbs Could Lower Cardiovascular Risk While Also Keeping ‘Bad’ Cholesterol Down 
• Weihsueh Chiu (Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences) led efforts to use artificial intelligence to predict chemical toxicity while also estimating how reliable those predictions are, helping researchers better identify chemical risks and knowledge gaps. Are the Chemicals Around You Actually Safe? AI Is Helping Find Out 
• Whitney Garney (Public Health), Kelly Wilson (Nursing) and Kristen M. Garcia (Telehealth Institute) found that youth are more likely to seek healthcare when clinics are trustworthy and easy to navigate, but barriers across family, system and policy levels still limit access to care. Healthcare Providers Say Trust and Clarity Are Key To Encouraging Young People To Seek Treatment 
• Yoon Joo Jo (Arts and Sciences) examined how households interpreted the 2025 tariff policy and found that research-based findings from the previous U.S.-China tariff war could influence expectations, but deeply held prior beliefs often reinforce partisan divides. How Americans Read Tariff Policy: The Role of Partisanship in Economic Expectations 
• Yubin Zhou, Tianlu Wang, Brendan McKee and Tatsuki Nonomura (Institute of Biosciences and Technology) developed an artificial intelligence switch that utilizes caffeine to control engineered proteins and cells, creating a potential safety mechanism for future cell and gene therapies.  AI Brews a Caffeine-Powered Safety Switch for Future Cell Therapies 

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Accomplishments

• Cafer Acemi (Engineering) received the Acta Student Award for his research accelerating the discovery of high-temperature alloys. 
• Dylan Pham (Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences) was named a NASA Space Health Postdoctoral Fellow for his project, “Impact of Simulated Microgravity and Aging on Ocular Artery and Neural Retina Function.” 
• Gayle Glenn and Alicia Spence (Dentistry) were honored by the Dallas County Dental Society as Dentist of the Year and Faculty Member of the Year, respectively.   
• Ioannis G. Economou (Qatar) received the 2026 European Federation of Chemical Engineering Michael L. Michelsen Award for his internationally recognized research combining thermodynamics with applications in materials, energy and environmental engineering.  
• Joshua Allen (Dentistry) received two awards: the Shafer Award from the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, and the Clinical Graduate Research Award from A&M Dentistry. 
• Katherine Kissmann (Sponsored Research Services) was selected for the 2025 Julia Jacobsen Distinguished Service Award by the National Council of University Research Administrators. 
• Larry Tadlock (Dentistry) received the James E. Brophy Award during the American Association of Orthodontists’ annual session for his distinguished service to orthodontics and the organization. 
• Mark Benden (Public Health) was named a fellow by the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers thanks to his pioneering work in ergonomics. 
• Shannon Baker (AgriLife Research) represented the U.S. as one of three scientists receiving the 2026 Jeanie Borlaug Laube Women in Triticum Early Career Award at the 4th International Wheat Congress in Bologna, Italy. 
• Shawn Gibbs (Public Health) received two honors from the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA): the 2026 Birkner Award for professional leadership and education, and designation as an AIHA Fellow for his significant contributions to the industrial hygiene profession.  
• Wendy Jepsen (Arts and Sciences) received a Fulbright Award to expand her work studying water insecurity and the human-environment relationship to the Mekong River Delta in Vietnam. 
• Xin Chen (Engineering) earned the National Science Foundation’s Early Career Development Program Award for his work on artificial intelligence-based control for power grids. 

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Funding

• Teresa A. Davis (Agriculture and Life Sciences) received a $10.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to support a project titled, “An Integrated Approach To Using Precision Nutrition, Responsive Agriculture and Behavioral Research To Reduce Diet-Related Chronic Disease.”  
• Aichong Sun (Transportation Institute) received a $4 million grant from the Texas Department of Transportation to support a project titled, “Travel Surveys and Special Data Requirements.”  
• Sanjay Antony Babu, Nithya Rajan, William L. Rooney, Sakiko Okumoto (Agriculture and Life Sciences) and Aniruddha Datta (Engineering) received a $3.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to support a project titled, “Developing Field-Deployable Low N2O Emission Sorghum Hybrids Using Biological Nitrification Inhibition and Nitrogen Fixation.”  
• Rodney D. Bowersox (Engineering) received a $3.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to support a project titled, “University Consortium for Applied Hypersonics 2.0.”  
• Lucas Krakow (Bush Combat Development Complex) and Swaminathan Gopalswamy (Engineering) received a $2.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to support a project titled, “Teaming for Human-Machine Integration.”  
• Michael Golding (Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences) received a $2.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to examine how paternal alcohol use before conception may influence offspring health, including developmental disorders, chronic disease and accelerated aging. 
• Rahul Srinivasan (Medicine), Marco Iskander (Engineering), Alex Keene and Lane Baker (Arts and Sciences) received a $2.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to support a project titled, “Bionic Electronics: Subcellular Effects of Electric Fields at Biological Interfaces.”  
• Alexandra Walsh (Engineering) received a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to support a project titled, “Autofluorescence Lifetime Microscopy for Label-Free Detection of Cell Metabolism for Cell Biology Research.”  
• Quentin Michaudel (Arts and Sciences) received a $1.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to support a project titled, “Click and Modify: Design of Editable SuFEx Linchpins for the Expedient Construction of Drug-like Compounds and Polymers.”  
• Thomas Scullion (Transportation Institute) received a $1.5 million grant from the Texas Department of Transportation to support a project titled, “Pavement Testing, Forensic Analysis and Pavement Design Support for the Fort Worth District.”  
• James Creel (Bush Combat Development Complex), Arthur Dogariu, Boris Leonov and Richard Miles (Engineering) received a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to support a project titled, “Advanced Hypersonic Diagnostic Development and Implementation Base.”  
• Peter Davies (Institute of Biosciences and Technology) and Wehshe Liu (Arts and Sciences) were awarded a Dementia and Alzheimer's Initiative seedling grant from Texas A&M Health for their proposal to deliver medication past the blood-brain barrier. 

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Professional Development

• Research Development Services offers faculty development programs and research funding workshops to assist in the process of applying for grants.            
• Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) offers virtual workshops that meet the face-to-face requirements of University SAP 15.99.99.M0.04. Please note that it is the responsibility of each college or school (with support or information from individual principal investigators) to ensure that all student and postdoctoral researchers associated with them are compliant with the RCR training requirements.            
• High Performance Research Computing offers an ongoing series of short training courses for beginning, intermediate and advanced researchers.            
• University Libraries presents a series of online workshops in research-related subjects, such as managing citations, managing research data, searching databases, and publishing and copyright.      
• The Animal Welfare Office (AWO) offers virtual workshops that meet the continuing education requirements for investigators as described in the “Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals” (“the Guide”). Common topics include understanding and applying Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) guidelines and crafting a well-written animal use protocol. Course offerings change quarterly.     

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Events

• Kelsi West (AgriLife Research Center for Managed Technology Services) and Megan Bergeron (Research Development Services) are co-hosting a webinar titled “Data Management Plans for Grant Proposals” on Wednesday, June 24, from 12:00-12:30 p.m. Please visit the link to register. 

How to Submit an Item to Research Bulletin       

• Send: Research-related news about Texas A&M faculty, staff or students at our colleges, schools or member agencies, including honors, publications, presentations and appearances in news media.       
• Note: The Research Bulletin does not publish links to scholarly or peer-reviewed journal articles. If your work appears in a journal, please work with your college or school communications team to develop a news story, then submit the link to that story for inclusion.       
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