Through the VIA Strategic Initiative Fund program, TCU has provided funding for undergraduate student research projects in the College of Science and Engineering. Recipients were announced in late February and include projects in biology, chemistry, computer sciences, engineering, geology, nutritional sciences, physics and psychology. Examples of students' research include:

James Stevens (under the mentorship of Ranjan Muttiah) will apply modern Geographic Information Systems technology to document the historical response of the West Fork of the Trinity River to urban development and growth.

Robin Cooley and Lindsey Willis (under the mentorship of Lyn Dart) will create a community-based participatory project to develop, implement, and test an exercise and nutrition education program for 3rd and 5th graders in the Birdville ISD.

Ryan Gibbons (under the mentorship of Charles Hannon) will address the issue of artificial vision in a smart home. He plans to navigate a robot that would be able to avoid dynamic obstacles through rooms of a smart home.

David Clifton (under the mentorship of Phil Hartman) plans to address how availability of justifiable healthcare and the socioeconomic status of a region influence public opinion concerning healthcare and healthcare professionals.

Students in the College of Science & Engineering will present their research at the Student Research Symposium Friday from 1-6:30 p.m. in the Tucker Technology Center. The presentations are displayed throughout the building for all to tour. There will be food and entertainment and the day will conclude awards for student research. At 5:30 p.m., Amanda Neill from the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) will discuss her findings in Peruvian plant research.

For more information, visit www.srs.tcu.edu.