No Limit

Pond's Ponder

One of the many things I have come to appreciate at WTAMU is how great things occur and why!

“There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.”

- Ronald Reagan

REMINDER

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Happy THANKSgiving!

The Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels this Thursday, Nov. 28.

In honor of the holiday season, the COANS Dean's Team would like to share what they're thankful for this Thanksgiving.

What are you thankful for?

Dr. Lance Kieth, Associate Dean of External Relations and Recruiting:

"God and my co-workers: Amy, Darci, Paige, Lexi, Callie, Gretchen, Brock and Dr. Pond."

Dr. Brock Blaser, Assistant Dean of Academic Programs:

"I’m thankful for family at home, in the office and in the classroom!"

Mrs. Amy Newton, Business Administrator:

"The goodness of God and French fries."

Ms. Gretchen Henley, Senior Academic Advisor:

"I am thankful for the amazing community we have built here in Canyon, from my work family, to my friends who have become as close as family."

Mrs. Darci Hess, Administrative Associate:

"My husband, my family and my friends. I am also very thankful that I can wake up every day and have the opportunity to work at a great place with the best people!"

Mrs. Callie Cross, Curriculum Coordinator:

"I am thankful for change and the opportunities it fosters for growth and discovery. This Thanksgiving, I am especially grateful for the recent changes that have led me back home to WTAMU!"

Ms. Paige Brandon, Graduate Assistant:

"The little things in life."

Ms. Lexi Metz, Graduate Assistant:

"I am thankful for my family, friends, and a place like WT to call home!"

A Word to the WISE

On Nov. 9, Dr. Carolyn Bouma, Associate Professor of Biology, and Dr. Carla Eichler, Assistant Professor of Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences, volunteered at the Woman In Science Endeavors (WISE) annual conference.

Drs. Bouma and Eichler presented on "Germ Welfare," performing an experiment to demonstrate how germs are spread. They began by applying powder on one girl's hand, then proceeding with a line of handshakes. They determined the "germs" from one handshake were passed onto the hands of five other participants.

The conference hosted 67 presenters teaching 21 different activities and was attended by 275 participants from 27 schools.

New Insights into Leadership

Clint Savoini, Executive Sales Representative at Elanco Animal Health, recently led an Insights Discovery training session for students in the AGRI 7303 PhD Leadership course. Insights Discovery is a powerful tool that helps individuals develop a better understanding of themselves and others, leading to more effective and positive working relationships.

The training, based on four color energies, helps participants identify their strengths and challenges. By gaining insight into their own personality traits and those of their colleagues, individuals can improve communication, collaboration and productivity in the workplace. One of the key benefits of Insights Discovery is its reminder that personality is not fixed; each person can adapt their behavior to suit different situations.

The doctoral students who participated in the training included Mason Carter, Megan Eckhardt, Megan Eikner, Kasi Schneid, and Daniel Young, as well as course instructor, Dr. Lance Kieth, Couch Family Professor of Extension Education. This experience undoubtedly provided them with valuable tools and insights to enhance their leadership skills and relationships within their professional environments.

Miss All-American Livestock Judger

Abby Scholtz, senior Agricultural Media and Communication major, was named a 2024 All-American by the Intercollegiate Livestock Coaches Association, in collaboration with the American Society of Animal Science, for her academic excellence and commitment to livestock judging.

This year marked the 25th anniversary of the All-American program, aimed at recognizing students who remained dedicated to collegiate livestock judging, while also excelling in academic performance, university and industry activities and community service.

Scholtz was one of twelve honorees representing eight universities. The average GPA of this year's recipients was an impressive 3.95. She was honored during the 119th National Collegiate Livestock Judging Contest awards program on Nov. 19 in Louisville, Kentucky.

"This academic All-American honor is something that I have been praying about and working towards for four years," Scholtz said. "I am beyond grateful to the Lord, my family, friends, coach and teammates for helping me achieve this and believing in me all the way until the end of my collegiate judging career."

In addition to being a member of the Livestock Judging Team, Scholtz is an Agricultural Ambassador for student recruitment, a student worker in the COANS Department of Agricultural Sciences and a Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter member. Outside of the College, she is the creator and host of the podcast, "Limitless with Abby Scholz," where she interviews agriculture industry experts and WTAMU faculty and students.

Previously, Abby has helped coordinate the Tri-State Fair Livestock Judging Contest and the Buff Branding Steer and Heifer Show. She also served as a logistics intern for Cargill, in Amarillo, and as a cattle clerk intern for Magnum Feedyard in Wiggins, Colorado.

After judging collegiately for Northeastern Junior College, she competed for the WTAMU Meat Animal Evaluation Team and the WTAMU Livestock Judging Team.

Abby will graduate in May 2025 with plans to pursue a career in the feedlot industry, coupled with professional speaking.

Research Highlight

Cole Phillips, M.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies student, and Kyryl Shtefiienko, senior Physics major, worked on a project that was published in the American Physical Society Physical Review B on Nov. 18.

The researchers studied how electronic properties of a material called kagome superconductor CsV3Sb5 changes when pressure is applied, finding that pressure causes a sudden shift in magnetoresistance patterns and the disappearance of high-frequency oscillations. Computer simulations suggest this shift is due to a pressure-induced change in the material's electronic structure, which could influence properties like superconductivity and charge density waves.

Dr. Keshav Shrestha, Assistant Professor of Physics, and alum Thinh Nguyen '21, '23 both assisted in the research.