Physics students Amy Glazier ’17 and Archit Vasan ’16 won first place in physics for poster presentation and third place poster overall at the Texas Academy of Science annual meeting in March at the Llano River Field Station at Texas Tech University in Junction. The students won a cash prize and were recognized at the event awards banquet. Amy is the daughter of Carri Schreiber and Jay Glazier of McKinney, Texas. Archit is the son of Vinod Vasan and Chand Prabha of Plano, Texas.
The two were among seven students joining Austin College faculty John Richardson, associate professor of chemistry, and Lance Barton, associate professor of biology, at the event. Also presenting research posters were biology students Rose Massey ’16 and Dilan Shah ’17 and chemistry students Alison Chao ’17, Jay Jeon ’17, and Chris Alcorta ’16.
The meeting also included professional development sessions, scientific talks, field trips, and more than 250 presentations of research information by an individual or representatives of research teams. The meeting culminated with presentations by the Academy’s Distinguished Scientist and its Outstanding Texas Educator for 2016, followed by an awards banquet.
The Texas Academy of Science promotes scientific research in the state, encourages research as part of student learning, and enhances the professional development of its professional and student members. First founded by teachers as the Academy of Science in Texas in 1880, the organization as it is now known emerged around 1929 and included a physicist, a botanist, a mathematician, and two biologists as its founding members. Decades later, the Academy continues to promote research through 16 disciplinary sections at the annual meeting each spring.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.