United States/Mexico Relations

 Events 2015

• January 23, 2015 - First Bi-national Meeting with Webb County and City of Laredo

This was the first bi-national US Burgos Basin Consortium Meeting held at TAMIU to address the economic opportunities and challenges of the Burgos Shale Basin in Northern Mexico.  Mayor of Laredo Pete Saenz and Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina welcomed the group, followed by presentations and discussions in regards to the coordination of border leadership and a regional border project to unify the U.S./Mexico border as a "Global Energy Region".

• January 30, 2015 - Conference with Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI)

This was a "Discussion and Overview of Best Practices for Solutions to Problems Facing the Transportation Industry:  Highways, Pipeline, and Rail".  Some of the speakers included Dr. Cesar Quiroga, Senior Research Engineer (TTI); Dr. David Newcomb, Research Engineer (TTI); Dr. Edgar Kraus, Research Engineer (TTI); and Dr. Ioannis Tsapakis, Assistant Research Scientist (TTI).

To see the full agenda and presentations for the day, click here. 

• February 4, 2015 - "Awakening Kindness" Conference and music by Grammy Award Nominee Nawang Khechog

Nawang Khechog, a former Buddhist monk and the first Tibetan to ever be nominated to the Grammy Awards came to our University to sign his new book Awakening Kindness and present a flute concert.  Khechog aims to utilize music as a means to inspire non-violence, compassion, spirituality, and freedom.  Please click here to see the flyer for the event with Grammy Award Nominee, World renowned flutist and author, Nawang Khechog.

• February 25, 2015 - Meeting with Director of the Instituto Tecnológico Nacional de México

The Director of the Instituto Tecnológico Nacional de México, Maestro Manuel Quintero Quintero visited Texas A&M International University and held a meeting with Maria Eugenia Calderón-Porter, Assistant Vice President for the Office of Global Initiatives, and with the new Director of the School of Engineering, Dr. Guillermo Domínguez. Present at the meeting was the Deputy Director of Higher Education of the State of Tamaulipas, Dr. Julio Martínez Burnes, and the Director of the Instituto Tecnológico de Nuevo Laredo, M.C. Efrain Beltrán Beltrán.

• February 25, 2015 - Presentation by Banda Nacional de Guerra

The Institutos Tecnológicos from all over Mexico celebrated a week of Bandas de Guerras Nacionales, and our friends from the Instituto Tecnológico de Nuevo Laredo brought a presentation to Texas A&M International University.

• February 26, 2015 - Memorandum of Agreement Signing with the Government of Tamaulipas

The Governor of Tamaulipas, Mr. Egidio Torre Cantú, visited our University for an energy plan discussion and to sign a Memorandum of Agreement between the Government of Tamaulipas and TAMIU.  The energy plan discussed provides unique opportunities for binational and regional synergy focused on energy success.  Laredo's strategic location, University and strong energy industry align as special strengths for this effort.  Our University is developing it's Petroleum Engineering Program and other energy-focused  initiatives that can benefit from such binational relations.  The governor of Tamaulipas was joined by Mayor Pete Saenz, community members, and TAMIU administrators.

• April 15, 2015 - Binational Consortium

The Office of Global Initiatives and Dr. Ray Keck, TAMIU President, hosted representatives from the Government of the State of Tamaulipas, the City of Nuevo Laredo, and the City of Laredo, as well as guests from Laredo Development Foundation, CODEIN, and CANACINTRA Nuevo Laredo for a presentation/planning meeting to form the Consortium.

• April 17, 2015 - International Executive Seminar Series - Measuring Success as Regional Partners

This was our yearly event with Instituto Tecnologico de Nuevo Laredo; and this year we hosted over 70 their Industrial Engineering students who enjoyed a series of presentations on topics of interest in their field of study and opportunities available to them as upcoming graduates. 

• Presentations:
  • "Eagle Ford Shale / Who are we?", by Maria Eugenia Calderón-Porter, Assistant Vice President for the Office of Global Initiatives.
  • "Impact Analysis of the Eagle Ford Shale Oil and Natural Gas", presented by Professor Gerardo J. Pinzon, STEM Advisor & Lab Manager, from the School of Engineering of Texas A&M International University.
  • "Graduate Studies Opportunities" by Leiza Noche buena from the A.R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business, and by Suzanne Alford and Monica Gonzalez from the Office of Graduate Studies and Research.
  • "Logística para la transportación de energéticos: Gas, petróleo y energías renovables", by Federicho Schaffler PhD., Director of the Texas Center for Border Economic & Enterprise Development.
  • "La Historia de Eagle Ford y más", by Brandon Seale, from Howard Energy.

• April 30, 2015 - Memorandum of Agreement Signing with Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Múzquiz (ITSMZ)

A Memorandum of Agreement was signed with ITSMZ from Coahuila, México.  Signees were Ing. Marco Antonio Cardozo Montoya, Director of ITSMZ and Dr. Pablo Arenaz, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at TAMIU.

• May 13-14, 2015 - Binational Consortium Meeting

Meeting with the Government of the State of Tamaulipas and local officials from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas and Laredo, Texas.

• June 23, 2015 - Oil and Gas Workshop for Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León

A five-day Oil and Gas Workshop for Chemical Engineers from the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon.  Speakers included Dr. Guillermo Dominguez, Dr. Steve Mondragon, and Engineer Robert Porter.

• June 29, 2015 - Mapping Industrial Clusters in the U.S.-Mexico Border Region

A one-day conference with the Woodrow Wilson Institute at TAMIU.  Attendees included clusters, economic development professionals, and industry representatives that work in a binational environment with trade across the border.  Topics include:  analyzing economic development strategies to foster growth, identifying key industries & supply chains, and exploring what government and businesses can do together to foster their growth.

• July - August 2015 - Accelerated English as a Second Language Summer Program for two groups

A Summer Intensive ESL course offered to Mexican undergraduate students from Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, and another group of Mexican engineering students from the Institutos Tecnológicos in Mexico. 

• September 4, 2015 - Conference with Instituto Tecnológico Nacional de México

Dr. Ofelia Angulo, Director of the Tecnológicos from the Northern Region of México came to our campus along with representatives from the Tecnológicos around Mexico to discuss possible joint projects.  Guest list included representatives from the Tecnológicos from Nuevo Laredo, Piedras Negras, Matamoros, Hermosillo, and Ciudad Juarez.

• October 2, 2015 - High Level Economic Meeting headed by Congressman Henry Cuellar

The Office of Global Initiatives in partnership with Congressman Henry Cuellar, hosted this high level economic dialogue with representatives from the U.S. and Mexican Federal Government Energy Sector, followed by a Memorandum of Agreement signing between Texas A&M International University and Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, and Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey.

• October 14, 2015 - International Executive Seminar - "Measuring Success as Regional Partners" for Engineering Students

This was a full-day workshop with Instituto Tecnologico de Nuevo Laredo, where we hosted about 50 of their Civil Engineering students on topics of interest in their field of study and opportunities available to them as upcoming graduates.  Some of the topics covered were "Futuro del Ingeniero en la Región Fronteriza, y lo que se Espera del Profesionista con la Reforma Energética" presented by Dr. Guillermo Dominguez, "Risk Management" by Dr. Gerardo Pinzón, and "Opportunities for Graduate Students at TAMIU" by Suzanne Alford from the Office of Graduate Studies & Research and Leiza Nochebuena from the College of Business.

• October 16, 2015 - International Executive Seminar - "Measuring Success as Regional Partners" for Accounting and Business Administration Students

This was a full-day workshop with Instituto Tecnologico de Nuevo Laredo, where we hosted about 50 of their Accounting and Business Administration students on topics of interest in their field of study and opportunities available to them as upcoming graduates.  Some of the topics covered were "La Economía de la Frontera México-Estados Unidos en Transición:  Círculo de Influencia" presented by Dr. W. Federico Schaffler, "Perfil del Profesionista del Día de Hoy:  ¿Que Esperan las Empresas del Profesionista de Hoy?" by Dr. Heriberto Garcia, "Oportunidades de Negocio en la Región Fronteriza" by Alaster Love, and "Opportunities for Graduate Students at TAMIU" by Suzanne Alford from the Office of Graduate Studies & Research and Leiza Nochebuena from the College of Business.

• November 16, 2015 -  Mexican Journalist and Author Elena Poniatowska Honored

Famed Mexican Journalist and Author Elena Poniatowska, long considered Mexico's Grande Dame of Letters, received an honorary doctorate from Texas A&M International University at the TAMIU Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Theater.  Poniatowska also had the opportunity to speak about the current political climate in Mexico, the plight of women, arms proliferation, and the Night of Tlatelolco.  The event was open to the public.

• December 11, 2015 - Petroleum, Energy and Gas Forum:  Border Report

A Forum with the regional Cámara Nacional de la Industria de Transformación (CANACINTRA) offices and local governments, presided by Ing. Rodrigo Alpizar, National President of CANACINTRA.  The event was headed by Dr. Ray Keck, President of TAMIU, Dr. Guillermo Dominguez, Director of the School of Engineering of TAMIU, Mayor Pete Saenz, City of Laredo, Consul Phillip Lindermann, U.S. Consulate General in Nuevo Laredo, Consul Gamaliel Muñoz, Mexican Consulate General in Laredo, Texas, Ofelia Garza, President of CANACINTRA Nuevo Laredo, and Maria Eugenia Calderon-Porter, Asst. Vice President for Global Initiatives.  Also present were representatives of the public, private and academic sectors of cities and states that share a border with Texas.