TAMIU Students Win Top Awards at the 2024 LSAMP Symposium

Students at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) earned top marks at the 2024 Texas A&M University System Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Symposium.

TAMIU student teams won first, second, and third place in the Symposium’s poster presentations Engineering category.   

The first-place award was given to computer engineering majors Luis Leonardo Alvarez Almanza, Daniela Pinto and Francisco Salazar for their project, “Evaluating Convolutional Neural Network Architectures for Access Control.” Their work explores the potential of deep learning to revolutionize access control by creating a more secure and dynamic system. The students were led by Dr. Mustafa Al Lail, TAMIU assistant professor of Engineering.

In second place, double major Computer Science and Systems Engineering majors Jhonny and Jose González won for their project, “Migration and Enhancement of the UML Specification Environment Tool Using Eclipse GLSP.” This innovative tool aims to streamline software development processes for designers. The students were also led by Dr. Al Lail.

Al Lail commented. “I am incredibly proud of what all these students have achieved. Their dedication and research contributions hold immense promise for the scientific community. This experience will undoubtedly be a valuable asset as they pursue careers in graduate school or industry."

Petroleum Engineering major Eleazar Cabezudo Rojas tied in third place for his project, “Visualizing Fractures in Geothermal Potential with Optics.” This research uses optics to visualize fractures in geothermal reservoirs, improving energy extraction efficiency and supporting renewable energy development, thereby reducing fossil fuel reliance and aiding climate change mitigation efforts. He was mentored by Dr. Fatick Nath, TAMIU assistant professor of Engineering.

Additionally, Dr. Nath noted that "Eleazar's success reflects TAMIU's Petroleum Engineering Program's high standards and supportive environment. As a mentor, I've seen how TAMIU empowers students with innovative research, enhancing their skills for future careers. This achievement honors Eleazar's work and emphasizes TAMIU's dedication to knowledge advancement and student success."

Through the guidance of faculty mentors, students received conceptual feedback on their projects as they worked to develop their professional skills for conference presentations and future career opportunities.

Eight TAMIU LSAMP students, including Erick Cervantes and Briana Valdez, presented research projects at the Symposium. Dr. Mahmoud T. Khasawneh, TAMIU director of the School of Engineering and associate professor, and Yahaira Franco, program coordinator, also attended the Symposium.

The Texas A&M System Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (TAMUS LSAMP) is a partnership comprised of Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Texas A&M International University and Prairie View A&M University committed to increasing the number of underrepresented students participating in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

LSAMP is a National Science Foundation (NSF) program designed to foster achievement in minority students seeking science, technology, engineering, and mathematics degrees.

LSAMP students enjoy enriching experiences and activities such as participation in supplemental instruction, mentorships with faculty, an annual LSAMP symposium, financial support to attend and present at faculty-led research conferences, undergraduate research experiences, and more.

For more information on the University’s LSAMP program, visit https://www.tamiu.edu/coas/soen/lsamp/index.shtml.

Registration for Summer and Fall 2024 at TAMIU is now underway. View the registration schedule here: https://www.tamiu.edu/registrar/registration

To learn more about the University’s Registration processes, visit the dedicated Registration Hub at https://go.tamiu.edu/registration. 

Summer Semester II begins Monday, July 8, 2024. The first day of classes for the Fall 2024 semester is Monday, Aug. 26, 2024.  

More of the University’s story is available on its social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube and online at tamiu.edu.

TAMIU students earned top marks at the 2024 Texas A&M University System Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Symposium. Pictured, from left to right, top row: Jhonny González, Erick Cervantes and Jose González; middle row: Eleazar Cabezudo Riojas, Luis Leonardo Alvarez Almanza, and Francisco Salazar; and bottom row: Briana Valdez and Daniela Pinto.