Inside TXST

TXST Graduate College to host 16th annual Graduate Student Research Conference on April 8

More than 80 graduate students from various disciplines at TXST and other institutions in Texas will present their research or projects in the form of a poster session.

April 3, 2025
Kate Malazonia

The Graduate College at Texas State University is hosting the 16th Annual Graduate Student Research Conference (GSRC) at the San Marcos Campus on April 8 from 4-6 p.m. in the LBJ Student Center Ballroom. More than 80 graduate students from various disciplines at TXST and other institutions in Texas will present their research or projects in the form of a poster session.

GSRC will open with welcome remarks from The Graduate College, followed by a faculty panel, Navigating the Research Journey: Tips and Strategies for Graduate Students. Attendees are encouraged to engage with presenters, network, and enjoy snacks while learning about innovative graduate student research.

The conference is free and open for all TXST faculty, staff, and students, including undergraduate students. The conference provides an ideal platform for creating synergy and fostering the exchange of ideas and innovation. The following graduate students are among those showcasing their research at this year's conference:

Headshot of Scott L. Barrett.

Scott L. Barrett

Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization, Ph.D.

Advancement of Renewable Energy via Organic Chemistry

Collaborators: Nathalia Sauceda, Bekzat Abubakirov, Josue Nieves, Edith Collins, Len Mouer, William J. Brittain, Ph.D., and Christopher Rhodes, Ph.D.

“My project is focused on the application of chemicals capable of storing energy not only for batteries, but also for heat storage solutions,” Barrett said “I have been driven by a passion for healing the Earth and fortunate to be supported over a decade by the NSF PREM program and my professor Dr. Brittain, as well as my parents — Stephanie and Joseph Soltero. With the support of our university and driven by a shared commitment to making a positive impact on the world, our projects bridge the gap between theoretical science and practical commercialization. By transforming innovative research into real-world solutions, we strive to address global challenges and contribute to a sustainable future.”

Headshot of Myriah Allen.

Myriah Allen

Applied Anthropology, Ph.D.

Unearthing the Past: Raw Material Sources from 4 Contact Period Sites in the Texas Panhandle

“My research focuses on Indigenous groups—specifically the Tierra Blanca and Garza cultural complexes—in the Southern High Plains of eastern New Mexico and western Texas,” Allen said. “Although these classifications are still loosely defined, I find them useful for examining how Spanish colonialism and livestock entered the region during the Coronado expedition [1540–1542]. One key distinction I've observed is that Garza complex sites are located further south and contain Garza points [a specific type of projectile point], while Tierra Blanca sites to the north lack these points. By expanding my research on basecamp sites, I aim to clarify the definitive distinctions between these groups and better identify which groups occupied the overlapping landscapes they once shared.”

Headshot of Tilak Chaudhary.

Tilak Chaudhary

Aquatic Resources and Integrative Biology

Grassland Soil Respiration Remains Stable Despite Nutrient Enrichment and Soil Disturbance

Collaborator: Jason P. Martina, Ph.D.

“The effect of global changes, such as nutrient enrichment and the conversion of grasslands into cultivated land, on carbon input is well understood, but their effect on soil respiration, which is the primary source of carbon loss from terrestrial ecosystems, is poorly understood,” Chaudhary said. “Therefore, I am investigating soil respiration at a site located at USDA-ARS Temple, Texas, which is part of a globally coordinated experiment called Disturbance and Recovery Across Global Grasslands Network, to better understand grassland carbon sequestration under global changes. It is one of the chapters of my dissertation, which I believe will help land managers and policy makers and will contribute to improving global climate models.”

Headshot of Ernesto Ayala.

Ernesto Ayala

Educational and Community Leadership, Ph.D.

Fail Better y No Te Rajes: How to Build Authentic Learning Communities in Public High School Math Classrooms

Collaborators: Alicia Hernandez Sánchez, Samantha Radovich, Joaquin R. Sánchez

“Understanding the skills, values, and principles necessary to build authentic learning communities is essential for transforming classrooms into spaces of critical inquiry, collaborative growth, belonging, and meaning –making,” Ayala said. “In a time where some educational systems are navigating inequity and disconnection, these questions are not only relevant — they are critical for the health of public education and democracy.  Preliminary findings from collaborative research work with students and families in a geometry classroom in the South Valley of Albuquerque, New Mexico, have shown that sharing power in the teaching and learning process with students and families by the instructor has yielded powerful learning outcomes for all involved.”

The GSRC is sponsored by the IDEA Center, The Division of Research, the College of Applied Arts, McCoy College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Fine Arts and Communication, the College of Liberal Arts, and the College of Science and Engineering.

Visit the Graduate Student Research Conference for more details about the GSRC, including how to register to attend.

If you require accommodations due to a disability in order to participate, call 512-245-3451 or email the Office of Disability Services at least 72 hours in advance of the event.

For more information, contact University Communications:

Jayme Blaschke, 512-245-2555

Shilpa Bakre, 512-408-4464