Rep. Cuellar Announces $260,700 in Federal Funding for TAMIU Research
At a press conference Thursday, Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28) announced $260,700 in federal funding for Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) research.
TAMIU faculty members will use this funding to purchase a Self-Driving Car Studio Bundle, a complete turn-key research and teaching laboratory for self-driving vehicles. The award is provided through the DOD’s 2024 Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-serving Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program.
Leading the initiative are principal investigator Dr. Muhammad Hasan, associate professor in TAMIU’s School of Engineering, and co-principal investigator Dr. Tariq Tashtoush, associate professor, School of Engineering.
TAMIU students and faculty will use the Self-Driving Car Studio Bundle to develop algorithms for self-driving vehicles that can prioritize different metrics such as average delay or average emissions. The lab will also research how self-driving cars can be optimized for resilience, fault tolerance, and combat situations.
Cong. Cuellar joined Mayor Victor Treviño and TAMIU Acting President Juan Castillo in making the announcement.
“This lab will enable students across TAMIU’s engineering programs to modify code and engage in research opportunities. The lab will also be used for outreach to local middle and high school students. At least 100 under-represented students will be able to develop core algorithms for self-driving vehicles to steer them towards STEM careers,” Cuellar explained.
Castillo said the University appreciates Congressman Cuellar’s ongoing support of its pursuit of research funding and the opportunities it provides TAMIU students.
“Daily, our faculty and staff work diligently to provide our students with exceptional learning opportunities. Research funding support like that provided by Congressman Cuellar helps to ensure that our students can engage in relevant and rewarding hands-on research opportunities. Such experiences are unmatched by online programs, but anchor TAMIU’s commitment to exceptionality,” Castillo said.
Registration for the Wintermester and Spring 2025 at TAMIU begins Nov. 4, 2024 at 8 a.m.
WalletHub recently ranked TAMIU 8th among Texas’s Top Ten Universities in its College & University Rankings 2025.
TAMIU has also been recognized as one of the nation's Top Ten-ranked Southern Colleges in Washington Monthly Magazine's 2024 College Guide "Best Bang for the Buck," ranking #5. The Magazine also awarded TAMIU a # 2 ranking for low net price.
Niche awarded TAMIU an overall grade of A-. Other Niche TAMIU rankings included being recognized as the #4 Best Value in Texas, #7, Top Public Universities in Texas, and the #11 Best College in Texas.
A total of 23 TAMIU programs have been ranked among the top nationwide, according to online source Intelligent.com's 2025 rankings.
More University news and information can be found online at tamiu.edu and from TAMIU’s social channels on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.
