Professors Receive Kilgore Faculty Research Grants

Five professors, from the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, recently received Kilgore Faculty Research Grants.

These professors represent each department in the College; the Department of Agricultural Sciences, the Department of Chemistry and Physics, and the Department of Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences.

The Kilgore Faculty Research Grant is awarded to faculty to promote discoveries in their disciplines, to reinforce known practices and to conduct research leading to publication or presentation.

Faculty recipients include Drs. Sushil Thapa, Joshua Brown, Fernando Diaz-Gonzalez, Juganta Roy, and Talulope Saliu.

Assistant Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences, Dr. Thapa's research is titled: "Improving Water Use Efficiency in Grain Sorghum Using Soil Amendments."

Assistant Professor Dr. Joshua Brown's grant title is "Developing UAV-based methods for detecting GPS transmitters in wildlife telemetry."

Assistant Professor of Biology, Dr. Fernando Diaz-Gonzalez's research is on "The role of epigenetics in the regulation of gene expression"

Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Dr. Juganta Roy's research is on "Mechanistic Understanding of E/Z-Tosylhydrazone Formation: A Theoretical Insights."

Assistant Professor of Biology, Dr. Talulope Saliu's research is titled: “Glucocorticoid-Mediated Cell Cycle Dysregulation Mechanisms Driving Diabetic Myopathy."

Congratulations to these faculty!

Student Interns at North American International Livestock Expo

Senior Agricultural Media and Communication major, Ceara Moffatt, recently finished an internship at the North American International Livestock Expo held in Louisville, KY on Nov. 13-20.

During her internship, Moffatt's responsibilities included: managing the social media accounts, creating reels, photographing livestock shows, and writing blogs.

"Interning at NAILE was honestly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Moffatt said. "Getting to take photos and videos on the green shavings is something I’ve dreamed about forever, and being able to help with social media and write stories on top of that made it even better."

During her internship, Moffatt was assigned the task of writing a feature story about the recipient of the Senior College Academic All-American title. 

The recipient of this award was none other than fellow WTAMU student, Helene Keiser.

This circumstance highlights not only WTAMU's students and their individual strengths, but the work ethic that is instilled in students to pursue honors and internship opportunities.

To read Moffatt's feature story on Keiser click here.

Student Receives Senior College Academic All-American Title

Senior Animal Science major, Helene Keiser, was honored as a Senior College Academic All- American, at the North American Intercollegiate Livestock Exposition in Louisville, KY earlier this month.

The Senior College Academic All-American title recognizes a select group of senior livestock judging competitors who have shown excellence both in the judging ring and in their academic endeavors, including internships, leadership roles, and extracurricular activities.

Keiser is the third student in the history of WTAMU to receive this honor.

"I am extremely honored to be named a 2025 Senior College Livestock Judging Academic All-American," Keiser said. "This award not only represents my time as a livestock judge, but also encompasses my time on other competitive teams, industry internships and events, and leadership roles. This award not only helps me close a chapter on marking cards for the Buffs, but is a nod to all my coaches, teammates, supporters, and mentors that have poured their time and energy into me since I started college."

Keiser is a current member of the Livestock Judging Team, and has previously participated as a member of WT’s Meat Judging Team, Meat Animal Evaluation Team, Equestrian Team, Meat Science Quiz Bowl Team, and the Academic Quadrathlon Team. Keiser also serves the Department of Agricultural Sciences as an Ag Ambassador.

Keiser was named WTAMU Intern of the Year for 2024. Keiser has had internships with meat processing and food industry companies such as Johnsonville, LLC, and Tyson Foods.

Keiser is the second Senior College Academic All-American to be coached by Mr. Michael Semler, Livestock Judging Coach and Instructor in the Department of Agricultural Sciences. 

Congratulation to Helene Keiser for this outstanding accomplishment!

Dr. Ty Lawrence Named Regents Professor

Professor of Animal Science and Caviness Davis Distinguished Chair in Meat Science, Dr. Ty Lawrence, was recently named Regents Professor by the Texas A&M University System.

The Regents Professor title honors professors who have shown great performance in teaching, research and service during this past school year and through the length of their career.

Dr. Lawrence was chosen as one of the 17 faculty members throughout the Texas A&M University System for 2024-2025 to receive this honor.

Dr. Lawrence now joins the 14 recipients of the Regents Professor Award at WTAMU, since the award's start in 1996.

Dr. Lawrence serves as Director of the University Meat Laboratory and the Beef Carcass Research Center, while teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses.

“Being named a TAMUS Regents Professor is a humbling honor," Dr. Lawrence said. "While the Regents Professor title is bestowed upon an individual, its essence lies not solely in personal achievement but as a testament to collective effort. The work that led to this recognition is evidence of collaborative colleagues both on-campus and at other universities, unparalleled industry support, outstanding students, world-class facilities, and a terrific family at home. I did not do this alone.”

Congratulations on this achievement, Dr. Ty Lawrence!

Student Named 2025 American Division Rachel Hamilton Award Winner

Junior Agriculture Education major, Lyndsey Pancost, was recently named as a recipient of the Rachel Hamilton Memorial "Spirit" Award at the International Meat Judging Contest, held on Nov. 16.

The Rachel Hamilton Memorial "Spirit" Award honors Hamilton who was passionate about meat judging and was known for her optimism and dedication to her team.

Today, this award is given to a member of each team that exemplifies this attitude and outlook on life.

"To be recognized by my teammates in this way is truly humbling," Pancost said. "The spirit I showed was simply a reflection of the teammates and coaches I was fortunate to be surrounded by, who encouraged, supported, and lifted me up, making it easy to reciprocate. Their positivity, work ethic, and belief in one another created an environment where we grew close and connected as more than just teammates, for which I’m incredibly grateful."

Congratulations, Lyndsey!

#ICYMI

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