The Office of Graduate Studies, which administers the new program, has awarded 15 fellowships to assist students who are already in the dissertation phase of their degree programs.

The two-semester fellowship is specifically intended to support doctoral students in the final analyses of their research topics and the writing of their dissertations, OGS officials explained. They added that U.S. citizens, permanent residents and international doctoral students are eligible to apply for the program.

Associate Provost for Graduate Studies Karen Butler-Purry said the new program provides several benefits.

“This fellowship provides students with the opportunity to focus solely on the completion of their writing, which then allows our best and brightest graduate students to graduate from Texas A&M University in a timely manner to begin the important work of positively impacting their communities,” she noted.

This fellowship program provides an opportunity for doctoral students who are not supported on graduate research assistantships, to focus solely on completing their dissertation, she said, adding, “This is an initiative to address one of the time-to-degree-completion barriers for doctoral students.” 

The Ph.D. students selected to receive the first fellowships are Jaime Brannan, veterinary pathobiology; Joelle Cruz, communication; Francisco Farias, architecture; Brian Franklin, history; Jen-Huang Huang, chemical engineering; Chundun Prakash Khedun, geology and geophysics; Paula Lorente, landscape architecture and urban planning; Suzanne Matthews, computer science and engineering; Verity McGinnis, history; Ra’sheedah Richardson, teaching, learning and culture; William Richardson, biomedical engineering; Margie Serrato, anthropology; Jeeyoung Shin, teaching, learning and culture; William Smith, recreation, park and tourism sciences; and Catarina Thomson, political science.

Some examples of the students’ work:

Jen (Tony)-Huan Huang is working to further a biological and mechanistic understanding of the vascular, interstitial and cellular barriers to the delivery and effectiveness of molecular medicine to solid tumors. He hopes his work will lead to the discovery of tools to develop and test new strategies capable of overcoming the physiological barriers for improved detection and treatment of primary and metastatic tumors.

Suzanne Matthews’ work is based on high-performance hash-based algorithms for the exchange and analysis of large groups of phylogenetic trees. She hopes her study will help scientists analyze and share tree collections using fast and efficient methods.

Catarina Thomson, in her dissertation, proposes a model that integrates the unconnected democratic accountability arguments set forth in international business relations. Her project contributes to the field’s understanding of how domestic factors influence the initiation of military interventions. “This fellowship is a great opportunity for anyone in the final stages of their dissertation,” says the political science doctoral student. “Not only does it provide a competitive stipend, it also provides doctoral students with the opportunity to focus entirely on working on their dissertations, without having to take on additional projects or employment in or outside of the university. Having such an opportunity is especially appreciated in a time in which budget cuts are becoming common.”

Joelle Cruz’s work encompasses African feminist ethnography as a method to explore the connections between three elements: organizing, peace building and food distribution. The study furthers interdisciplinary conversations in the humanities by bridging literature from each of the three elements.

Brian Franklin, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in history, says the new program helped him overcome an earlier loss of funds.

“Due to budget cuts, I lost my funding over a year ago,” Franklin notes. “With this dissertation fellowship, I will be able to write full-time without worrying about income, insurance or payments of tuition and fees.”

Franklin adds that he plans to engage in teaching American history to undergraduate students. His trips to Mexico, India and Peru have given him opportunities to teach English in underprivileged areas of the world and develop curriculum for learning English as a second language.

Dr. Butler-Purry notes her intent to continue the program as part of the overall efforts to provide support for graduate students.

“As we work to more competitively support our graduate students, we are considering new avenues for resources and defining innovative ways to fund our fellowship programs.”

To learn more about this fellowship program or other university graduate studies fellowships, contact Megan Palsa at meganp@tamu.edu or call 979-845-3631 or visit the OGS website at http://ogs.tamu.edu.

Contact: Lane Stephenson, News & Information Services, 979-845-4662; or Megan Palsa, 979-845-3631 or meganp@tamu.edu.

Aggie expectations — by the media and certainly by the students, former student and other fans — are at fever pitch, with the veteran team coming off a nine-win season that produced a Big 12-South co-championship and a Cotton Bowl appearance. Adding to the high expectations are those top-10 pre-season rankings for the Aggies, including an 8th-place ranking by the Associated Press, the highest in more than a decade.

One thing is for sure:  Kyle Field will be rocking Sunday evening in a fashion that has prompted Sports Illustrated to rate it as the top college football game-day environment in the nation, with Fox Sports chiming in by listing Kyle Field as one of the nation’s 10 best college football stadiums. The 83,002-seat stadium is expected to have an overflow crowd (approximately 86,000) when the Aggies take on SMU, renewing a rivalry that dates back to 1920 when the Mustangs joined the Southwest Conference. That crowd assessment is based in part on a record number of season tickets having been sold for the upcoming season — almost 45,000 to date, which is approximately 4,000 more than ever before. There is also a record 30,000 tickets for students, who will pack the east stands.

Athletic department officials are urging fans to hydrate before the game and take other heat-related precautions because the temperature is expected to be in the high 90s. The department is providing several “cool zones” at the stadium. Their locations and other related information can be viewed online.  

While lots of action is anticipated on the field and with 12th Man Aggie Spirit on display in the stands, the festivities will be building up long before kickoff. It will begin with Midnight Yell Practice Saturday night, where upwards of 30,000 Aggies are expected to converge on Kyle Field. Sports Illustrated rates Midnight Yell Practice as one of the nation’s top three game-related events.

Aggies are urged to maroon out — that is wear the team colors of maroon and white — Kyle Field for this and other football games. T-shirts are on sale for $8 through Friday in front of the Koldus Building and also through http://maroonout.tamu.edu/node/16. Class Councils coordinate the annual sale of more than 50,000 of these shirts so that Aggies can show their support of the 12th Man at home football games. The proceeds will benefit several student organizations.

The increasingly popular Aggie Fan Zone in the plaza and street at the north end of Kyle Field will be in full swing Sunday afternoon, with scores of vendors serving up a variety of tasty treats complemented by a host of displays and activities. The area is expected to be so packed that the university’s safety and athletic officials have restricted vehicular traffic around the areas.  Additionally, thousands of tailgaters will set up at designated areas in areas east of Kyle Field and around Reed Arena, beginning at noon Saturday (in keeping with the policy of allowing tailgating to begin at noon on the day before the day of the game). Tailgating information is available.

Because the game is not on the usual day, special rules are in place for those coming in recreational vehicles. Also, in spite of the Labor Day holiday on Monday (Sept. 5), the university will be open and classes will be in session. RVs in Lots 50, 88 and 12^th Man R (Lot 74) lot must vacate those lots before 7 a.m. Monday. Transportation Services officials say RV owners who are unable to depart by Monday morning can move Sunday night to Lot 100f or Lot 100g located on the south side of Reed Arena two hours after the game. RV customers at Olsen RV Park, Penberthy RV Park and Lot 100e must vacate by 10 a.m. Monday. For more information about RV parking, go online .

To help alleviate some of the parking and traffic congestion in the area, Transportation Services has set up several programs for fans. The “Get to the Grid” program offers free game day shuttles. Other plans are in place for pedestrian and vehicle flow before and after the game. Find out more about these plans as well as available visitor parking online.

In the most recent economic impact study conducted by the Bryan-College Station Convention & Visitors Bureau, Texas A&M athletic events were shown to have an annual impact of $116 million, with the vast majority of that total attributed to football games. Athletic department officials say that figure will almost certainly increase this year and in the future.  

Ticket information for all Aggie Athletics events can be found online.

COLLEGE STATION, Sept. 1, 2011 — Eight Texas A&M University students who served on active duty in the military will attend the Aggie-SMU football game Sunday at Kyle Field as special guests of Interim Chancellor and Vietnam veteran Jay Kimbrough as part of The Texas A&M University System’s ongoing Project Military Friendly.

The vet-students, including wounded veterans, represent worldwide deployments ranging from Iraq and Afghanistan to South Korea, Cuba and the Western Pacific. Each veteran and guest will receive complimentary seating and access to the chancellor’s box at the stadium. They also will be invited to a pre-game dinner hosted by Texas A&M President R. Bowen Loftin.

“These vets represent a special part of the student body at A&M and the A&M System. It’s a privilege to have them join us on the first game of the season. It sets the tone for the welcome mat we set out for these fine young men and women at all our campuses,” said Kimbrough, who was severely wounded as a young Marine in Vietnam and later earned his college degree on the GI Bill.

Student veterans attending as special guests, with branch of service, overseas deployment and specialty, include:

– Jordan Webster, Army, Iraq, Medic

– Justin Holloway, Marine Corps, Cuba, Iraq, Infantry

– Chad Gulseth, Marine Corps, Iraq, Assault Infantry

– Kevin Engleman, Army, South Korea, Iraq, Infantry

– Frank Cisneros, Army, Iraq, Combat Engineer, Tillman Military Scholar

– Jonathan Hartgraves, Army, South Korea, Armor

– Timothy Judkins, Marine Corps, Okinawa, Logistical Vehicle Systems (Dragon Wagons)

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Contact: Rod Davis, (979) 458-6076 or Lane Stephenson, News & Information Services, (979) 845-4662

Silver Taps will be held in memory of seven Texas A&M students who have died since late spring, when the last such observance was held. Silver Taps ceremonies are not conducted during the summer when most Aggies are away from campus.

The ceremony, one of the university’s most solemn traditions, will honor the memories of Andrew James Graf, a sophomore general studies major from Argyle who died June 18; Mark Tyler Johnson, a sophomore general studies major from Arlington who died July 15; Kevin Lee Kwiatkowski, a junior computer engineering major from Brenham who died June 27; Sina Masihabadi, a graduate student in industrial engineering from Iran who died April 1; Jeffrey Allen McFarland Jr., a graduate student in health physics from Alvin who died April 3; Anisha Premal Patel, a freshman molecular and cell biology major from The Woodlands who died July 5; and Alex Camden Sandel, a junior geophysics major from Spring who died May 9.

On the day of the ceremony, all campus flags are flown at half-staff and a list of the names of those to be remembered is posted at the base of the flagpole in the Academic Plaza. The family of each student to be honored is notified of the ceremony and sent a floral arrangement by university officials.

In honor of these students, the campus will be darkened at 10:20 p.m. In the darkness, students, family and friends will silently gather in the plaza in front of the Academic Building. At 10:30 p.m., an honor guard from the Ross Volunteer Company will march across campus from the Corps of Cadets area to the plaza, where its members will fire three rifle volleys to honor the memory of these students. Buglers from the Aggie Band, unseen in the darkness, will play a special arrangement of “Taps.” The tolling of the Albritton Tower bells will signal the end of the ceremony.

In case of rain or dangerous lightning, the ceremony will be moved to Duncan Dining Hall. Free parking in the University Center garage will be available between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. For more information, go http://studentaffairs.tamu.edu/sas/silvertaps.

The first Silver Taps was held in 1898 upon the death of the university’s president, Lawrence Sullivan Ross, and it has changed little from that time.

For more information, contact Student Assistance Services at (979) 845-3113. 

Media contact: Tura King at (979) 845-4670 or tura-king@tamu.edu.

Emil Straube

COLLEGE STATION, Aug. 31, 2011 – Emil J. Straube has been appointed head of the Department of Mathematics at Texas A&M University, effective Sept. 1, announced H. Joseph Newton, dean of the College of Science.

Straube, a widely respected researcher in the field of several complex variables and partial differential equations and a 24-year veteran of the department, replaces Albert Boggess, who has served since 2002 as department head and will return to full-time teaching and research-related duties.

“The math department has made extraordinary progress in the past couple decades, and I believe that even in these difficult financial times, there are many exciting days ahead for Texas A&M mathematics,” Newton said. “I am confident Dr. Straube will be able to lead the department to the next level.”

Newton noted that Straube will provide consistent and capable direction for a department currently ranked 21st overall and 14th among public graduate programs in the most recent National Research Council rankings as well as No. 45 in the world by the Times Education Supplement, the United Kingdom’s leading higher education publication.

“These rankings confirm the department’s amazing rise in stature during the last 20 years,” Straube added. “This achievement is due to the hard work of our faculty, students and staff and to the leadership of my predecessors Bill Rundell and Al Boggess. It is, of course, also a success for the College of Science and Texas A&M University, which have provided the resources for us to be successful. I plan to continue on our path toward becoming a top 10 department among public institutions, in accordance with Vision 2020.”

Straube, a native of Switzerland, received his Ph.D. in mathematics from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in 1983. He held postdoctoral appointments at the University of North Carolina, Indiana University and the University of Pittsburgh prior to being appointed as an assistant professor of mathematics at Texas A&M in 1987.

A decorated researcher and scholar, Straube’s research program has had substantial grant support from the National Science Foundation. He and co-author Harold Boas, fellow professor of mathematics at Texas A&M, shared the Bergman Prize awarded by the American Mathematical Society in 1995 for fundamental work in the study of the regularity properties of the Cauchy-Riemann equations and their consequences for biholomorphic mappings of domains defined in complex Euclidean space.

In addition, he was an invited speaker at the International Congress of Mathematicians in 2006, an honor extended to only the top five percent of mathematicians worldwide. Straube also has had visiting appointments to the prestigious Erwin Schrodinger International Institute for Mathematical Physics (ESI) in Vienna, and he won an Association of Former Students University Distinguished Achievement Award in Research in 1998. He currently serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Mathematical Analysis and Applications (JMAA).

For more information about Straube, visit http://www.math.tamu.edu/directory/formalpg.php?user=straube.

To learn more about the Texas A&M Department of Mathematics, go to http://www.math.tamu.edu.

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Contact:  Shana K. Hutchins, (979) 862-1237 or shutchins@science.tamu.edu or Dr. Emil J. Straube, (979) 845-6028 or straube@math.tamu.edu

Piers Chapman

COLLEGE STATION, Aug. 31, 2011 – Texas A&M University researchers in the College of Geosciences and the Dwight Look College of Engineering are the lead investigators in a $14.4 million project that will investigate the transport and eventual fate of petroleum fluids that have erupted at depth, such as those that resulted from the Deepwater Horizon spill last year.

The research board of the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative announced the award Tuesday (Aug. 30.) Joining Texas A&M in the project are 10 researchers from the University of Texas at Austin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of California at Berkeley, North Carolina State University, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, University of Hawaii, University of Maryland and Georgia Institute of Technology.

Piers Chapman, head of Texas A&M’s Oceanography Department and lead investigator for the project, says the grant “Gulf Integrated Spill Response” will help industry, government and decision-makers better understand and predict how fluids behave in the deep ocean environment.

“The problems start at the wellhead,” he says. “Deepwater Horizon was one of the deepest wells ever drilled, and the first to have a blowout at this depth. No one knew how the petroleum that escaped into the Gulf of Mexico would behave.”

Chapman points out that industry trends are to drill in increasingly deeper waters. The BP well was drilled 6.6 miles beneath the seafloor in nearly a mile of water. “That kind of extreme drilling is becoming the norm,” Chapman says.

Over the three-year period of the grant, the team of researchers will first develop an integrated, multi-scale modeling systems to characterize petroleum-fluid behavior from droplet formation to dispersal throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The second stage is to test the systems in the field to validate the models.

As lead university, Texas A&M through its College of Geosciences has the responsibility to direct the grant, including financial and reporting management. In addition to Chapman, the executive committee comprises oceanographers Robert Hetland and Steve DiMarco and civil engineer Scott Socolofsky from the Dwight Look College of Engineering. Other College of Geosciences researchers are Thomas Bianchi, Ping Chang, Norman Guinasso, Matt Howard, John Kessler, Shari-Yvon Lewis, Istvan Szunyogh and Terry Wade.

“These were the major players in rapid response to the 2010 Gulf oil spill,” says Kate Miller, dean of geosciences, referring to the Texas A&M team. “They have the experience in the Gulf, the technical know-how and the scientific knowledge to help us learn how to better respond to future incidents.”

At least a dozen students will be employed during the project, Chapman says, giving them firsthand experience in cutting-edge scientific investigation.

“In addition, our researchers are also professors who will bring their experiences during the project directly into the classroom,” he says.

BP established the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative as an independent body to administer the company’s 10-year, $500 million commitment to independent research into the Deepwater Horizon incident. This is the second round of funding competitive grants for the initiative. The research board granted $1.5 million to 17 universities in June.

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About research at Texas A&M University: As one of the world’s leading research institutions, Texas A&M is in the vanguard in making significant contributions to the storehouse of knowledge, including that of science and technology. Research conducted at Texas A&M represents an annual investment of more than $582 million, which ranks third nationally for universities without a medical school, and underwrites approximately 3,500 sponsored projects. That research creates new knowledge that provides basic, fundamental and applied contributions resulting in many cases in economic benefits to the state, nation and world.

Contact: Dr. Piers Chapman, Department Head and Professor of Oceanography,  ( 979) 845-7211 or Karen Riedel, Communications Manager, College of Geosciences, Phone: (979) 845-0910 or Cell: ( 830) 822-2439

A: The answer is no, says Brent McRoberts of Texas A&M University. “In at least the last 100 years that we know of, no hurricane has ever hit the California coast,” McRoberts explains. “The reason is that tropical winds generally blow from east to
west, meaning that storms that do form off the Pacific Coast get carried away from our West Coast. It’s not uncommon for storms to turn and hit the Mexican coast, but the water farther north in the Pacific is cold, and those storms tend to weaken quickly. In fact, Hawaii doesn’t get many hurricanes, either. The last big one to hit was Iniki in 1992.”

Q: So does the West Coast ever get hit by strong winds?

A: Yes, but not that often, McRoberts adds. “What’s generally considered to be the worst storm to hit the West Coast was the Columbus Day Storm of 1962,” he reports. “It’s believed to be strongest storm to hit the area since the 1880s. The storm — and it was a storm, not a hurricane — hit Oregon with 130-mile per hour winds, with gusts over 160. Western Washington state also had winds over 90 miles per hour, and Seattle had gusts clocked at over 80 miles per hour. Even in San Francisco, gusts were reported at 60 miles per hour. In less than 12 hours, more than 11 billion board feet of timber was blown down in Washington, Oregon and California and damage estimates were $250 million, and this was in 1962 dollars. A lot of West Coast storms are still judged by the Columbus Day Storm of 1962.”

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Weather Whys is a service of the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at Texas A&M University.

• Stay well hydrated – drink plenty of water.  Start two hours before you go to the game
• Wear proper clothing – loose and light colored
• Apply sunscreen – wear a hat
• Protect your eyes – wear sunglasses
• Avoid beverages that contain alcohol or caffeine

Cool Zones at Kyle Field:

                               ~ East side for both 2^nd and 3^rd decks

                              ~ Misting fans between the 2^nd and 3^rd decks

                              ~ Main First Aid station on ground level west side

                              ~ Netum Steed and McFerrin Indoor Track

• Dehydration. When your body loses water, you can’t cool off fast enough. You feel thirsty and weak.
• Cramps. You can get muscle cramps from the heat even after the event.
• Heat exhaustion. You feel tired, nauseous, headachy, and giddy (dizzy and silly). Your skin is damp and looks muddy or flushed. You may faint.
• Heat stroke. You may have hot dry skin and a high temperature. Or you may feel confused. You may have convulsions or become unconscious. Heat stroke can kill you unless you get emergency medical help.

TAMUtimes, an initiative of the Division of Marketing & Communications, will serve as a hub for information regarding university priorities, campus news and events, as well as spotlighting students, faculty and their teaching and research endeavors.

The site can be accessed at TAMUtimes.tamu.edu.

Visitors to the TAMUtimes.tamu.edu website will find an aggregation of news and events from all colleges and divisions in one central location. Faculty, staff, students, former students and others interested in news about Texas A&M, the Texas A&M University System and related agencies based on campus can subscribe to RSS feeds for each section of the site or for all of its sections.

“What we’re trying to do is pull all of these many messages that are happening across campus and package them in a way where someone can look and see the impact that Texas A&M is having right now and what the priorities are of the university,” said Jason Cook, Texas A&M’s vice president of marketing & communications. “It’s incredibly critical for us to think in that manner as we come off the past legislative session, where a lot of people are questioning the value of higher education. We really need to change the conversation to look at the public good of how Texas A&M serves the state and our country, and I think that this communication vehicle will be a really good tool to help us reach this goal.”

Special features of the site include a “Faculty and Staff” page, where visitors can find campus-specific news and announcements, as well as a weekly message from Texas A&M President R. Bowen Loftin. Another page called “News Outlets” allows visitors to easily navigate to the news, publications, social media accounts and other information from the university’s academic colleges, branch campuses, Aggie Athletics, Transportation Services and more.

In addition to its website, TAMUtimes will also include an e-newsletter delivered each Tuesday and Friday to subscribers. All individuals with a campus email address — one ending in @tamu.edu — will automatically receive the newsletter. For other individuals interested in receiving the publication who are not on campus, subscribing can be accomplished at http://tamutimes.tamu.edu/subscribe/.

Each edition of the biweekly TAMUtimes e-newsletter will feature the top stories from across campus, in addition to headlines from news outlets across the country that feature Texas A&M and its students, faculty or staff and endeavors such as research and public service.

“We expect to grow our subscription numbers exponentially,” Cook said. “The ultimate goal is to inform people not just within the Aggie family, but people outside of Aggieland about the tremendous things that are happening here at Texas A&M.”

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Contact: Krista Smith, News & Information Services, at (979) 845-4645.

Where to find each of the Aggie Hotline categories on TAMUtimes is listed below.

1)      Campus News And Events — News items included in this category can be found under “Campus News” and “Around Campus.”

2)      In Other News — Most of the stories found here, which are typically research stories or other articles of interest from around campus, will be located on the TAMUtimes homepage, under either the “A&M Newswire” or “Research News” feeds. These stories can also be accessed by clicking on the “By Category” tab.

3)      Appointments, Awards And Accolades — Items included here can be located under the “Awards And Recognitions” feed.

4)      Workshops, Seminars And Lectures — These events will be included under either the “Around Campus” or “Campus Announcements” feeds.

5)      FYI — All items that would normally appear under this category can be found under the “Campus Announcements” feed. 

A screenshot of the “Faculty/Staff” page showing where each of the categories will be located using the number printed beside it in the list above can be seen by clicking here.

Aggies around the world are encouraged to don their favorite maroon and white gear and upload their spirited pictures to the university’s Facebook page or email them to socialmedia@tamu.edu. The top three most spirited photos will win special prizes from the MSC Bookstore.

The contest isn’t the only chance Aggies will have to be rewarded for showing their school pride using social media. By checking in at the MSC Bookstore on Foursquare the rest of this week, Aggies can receive 15 percent off all logoed apparel, giving them an opportunity to save on the latest Aggie apparel.

Wearing maroon and white on Friday to participate in College Colors Day is a great way for Aggies to prepare for the season-opening football game against Southern Methodist University at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, (Sept. 4) at Kyle Field, say university officials. Aggies can RSVP to participate in College Colors Day on Facebook by visiting http://tx.ag/maroon and can find out more information by going to http://tx.ag/CCD2011.

A yearly event sponsored by the Collegiate Licensing Company, College Colors Day urges people across the United States to wear the colors of their favorite college or university to promote the college experience. Approximately 200 schools participate in the event, and last year, Texas A&M was recognized as the top participant.

This year, both the cities of Bryan and College Station have issued proclamations declaring Friday as College Colors Day.

“College Colors Day provides an excellent opportunity for Aggies to visually show the true power the Aggie Spirit,” said Texas A&M President R. Bowen Loftin ’71. “I encourage Aggies everywhere to join in on this celebration of spirit. Wear your favorite maroon T-shirt, polo, hat, or in my case, bowtie, to show the world you support Texas A&M.”

Initiated by Collegiate Licensing Company in partnership with NCAA Football, College Colors Day serves as a means to increase public awareness about the achievements and contributions of higher education.

“Aggies are known for traditions and the great pride we carry for our university, and I have no doubt that we will embrace College Colors Day as a way to further show that pride,” said Jason Cook, Texas A&M’s vice president for marketing & communications. “We want Aggies to ‘maroon-out’ their classrooms, offices and communities to not only show their Aggie Spirit, but also to rekindle many rivalries with fans of other universities in time for football season.”

Tickets for the first home football game are still available and can be purchased by calling the 12th Man Foundation ticket center at 1-888-99-AGGIE or visiting www.AggieAthletics.com.

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Contact: Krista Smith, News & Information Services at (979) 845-4645.

Entertainment at Reed Arena Friday evening will also include opening performances by several Aggie student groups, including the Singing Cadets, Aggie Wranglers, Freudian Slip, Fade to Black and Percussion Studio.

The weekend is hosted by the Texas A&M yell leaders, who began the tradition as a way of welcoming all Aggies, both current and former students, back to campus for the first home football game of the new school year.

In past years, the performances would conclude with Midnight Yell Practice at Kyle Field. This year, however, because the opening game with Southern Methodist University is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Sunday (Sept. 4), Midnight Yell is planned for midnight Saturday (Sept. 3) at Kyle Field. 

Aggies are also reminded to wear maroon and white Friday as part of the national celebration of College Colors Day (http://www.collegecolorsday.com/).

Texas A&M students can purchase tickets for the First Yell performance at the 12th Man Ticket Center at Kyle Field by calling 888-99AGGIE (992-4443) or at http://tickets.12thmanfoundation.com/. For more information about First Yell, visit http://yell.tamu.edu or call (979) 845-3534.

Contact: Tura King, News & Information Services, at (979) 845-4670 or tura-king@tamu.edu ;or Krista Bailey at kbailey@stuact.tamu.edu.

Adam Patterson

“Some cat caregivers worry about black spots on the nose of their cat,” notes Dr. Adam Patterson, clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. 

“The concern is if these black spots are cancerous, but in reality the spots are a normal finding in young orange cats,” explains Patterson.  “These black spots can appear on your cat’s nose as well as lips, eye margins, gums and mouth.”

“Usually orange tabbies are more prone to these black spots which is a condition known as lentigo simplex,” notes Patterson.  “These spots are somewhat comparable to freckles in humans and are not itchy or painful.”

”However, there should be concern if you find raised or inflamed spots that cause soreness and pain,” says Patterson.  “Always have these types of spots examined by your veterinarian.”

Dogs can lose pigment on their nose, explains Patterson.  This is not much of a concern as long as the surface of the nose retains its cobblestone appearance.  If the nose begins to crack, scab or smooth over, then veterinary assistance should be sought.  Nutritional disorders, autoimmune diseases and cancer cause these types of signs and often warrant a biopsy of the nose to make a diagnosis.

“Cats and dogs are prone to sunburn and subsequent skin cancer on noses, ears and around the eyes,” notes Patterson.  “Fair-skinned animals with light-colored hair coats are at the most risk.  Limiting sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the summertime here in Texas can reduce the risk for solar damage.”

Your pet’s runny nose may indicate other medical conditions are lingering, states Patterson.  Respiratory infections may manifest themselves as nasal discharge, sneezing, coughing and difficult breathing.  Foreign bodies or tumors in the nasal passages may cause these same signs.  If your pet exhibits any of these health problems, it should be seen by your veterinarian as soon as possible.

“Remember that wet or dry noses are not a sign of illness per se,” explains Patterson.  “Whether your pet’s nose is dry or wet is largely related to the temperature and humidity in their environment.  Lethargy, little or no appetite, weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea and inappropriate urination are some signs that better reflect illness.”

So … know the nose of your pet … it can be a messenger as to the health of your cat or dog in addition to a wet and warm greeting.

ABOUT PET TALK

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University.  Stories can be viewed on the Web at http://tamunews.tamu.edu.

Suggestions for future topics may be directed to cvmtoday@cvm.tamu.edu.

By José Luis Bermúdez, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, professor of philosophy

I boldly challenge former students of Texas A&M’s College of liberal Arts and others who understand the global nature of our society to help us give a credit-bearing international experience to at least 25 percent of our liberal arts students before they graduate.

I am passionate about our responsibility to teach the enduring leadership skills that enable Texas A&M students to excel in today’s global marketplace. Vibrant study abroad experiences play a key role in developing our students’ ability to understand the global dimension of our society.

Last year, approximately 10 percent of the more than 6,200 undergraduates majoring in liberal arts studied abroad in 41 countries. Although this percentage exceeds the national average, we can do better. Our greatest challenge is convincing more students to consider the opportunity.

Why Students Don’t Go

Texas A&M’s International Programs Office (IPO) surveyed graduating seniors to track the number who participate in an international education experience. Almost 70 percent of those who did not study abroad said they believed it was too expensive. The second reason cited was the misconception that study abroad didn’t relate to their degree plan and would delay graduation.

But IPO data showed that students engaging in credit-bearing study abroad were not taking longer to graduate than campus-bound Aggies. Across three classes at A&M, data showed that study abroad slowed graduation for fewer than 1 percent of students. If a student works during the fall and spring semesters or is heavily involved in an organization, he or she could opt for a summer-only experience.

While summer school runs about $4,500 a session, many of the College of liberal Arts’ summer study abroad programs cost double that amount. Yet the average cost to participate in Texas A&M’s reciprocal educational exchange Program—in which students spend a summer semester at a university in another country—is roughly equal to the cost of attending A&M during the summer.

Traveling Freshmen

Timing is key in motivating students to study abroad. The sooner students are introduced to an international experience, the sooner they will investigate going abroad for a semester or a year in subsequent college years. In the College of liberal Arts, that means sending freshmen abroad.

Osmara Garcia says studying at the Santa Chiara Center broadened her world view.

One successful tactic has been weeklong field trips embedded in freshman seminar courses. Faculty who teach the classes also supervise the trips and include an educational component related to the courses.

This greatly reduces costs, which means that support from the college or university goes further.

Just ask communication major Osmara Garcia ’12. A first-generation college student from Brownsville, Garcia depends on financial aid and an on-campus job to pay for college.

In 2009 she participated in a Regents’ Scholars fresh man learning community that offered a trip to A&M’s Santa Chiara Center in Italy during spring break. She and her class mates could afford the trip with support from their Regents’ Scholar ships and the Adriana and Henderson “Sam” L. Buford III ’68 Excellence Fund.

“When we arrived in Florence, I could not believe I was in Italy. I always wanted to travel the world, but this seemed like something rich people could afford, not me,” Garcia said. “But there I was, in Florence on my way to the Santa Chiara Center.”

One week was not enough. Garcia had to find a way to return. “We barely scratched the surface of Italy,” she said. At first Garcia thought she could afford only a summer semes ter, but a one-time $3,000 incentive scholarship from Texas A&M’s Study Abroad Office provided the support Garcia needed to spend the 2011 fall semester at Santa Chiara.

“I want to fully immerse myself in the country’s culture, and one tangible goal is to be fluent in Italian by the time I get back. Most of my communication classes at A&M focus on intercultural communication, and I want to apply that.”

Garcia can’t imagine her undergraduate experience without her travels. “I am much more confident because I have seen another part of the world. Every city was filled with history. I did a research paper focusing on the architecture of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, and researching at the precise location of my topic changed my views. I also became more sympathetic to people who struggle with languages. I am fluent in English and Spanish, but this was the first time I encountered people who do not speak English or Spanish.”

Help Us Write Success Stories

I challenge you to create more success stories like Garcia’s by providing funds for undergraduates—especially freshmen—who hope to study, research, intern or volunteer abroad. Whether a week, semester or year, international study has a definite impact. Surveys consistently indicate students return with greater confidence and possess a broader understanding of diversity and their place in the world.

Excellence fund donor Sam Buford, who holds an accounting degree and is owner and president of an Austin law firm, believes study abroad is vital to future success. “The world has changed so much. All our economies are tied together, and we do business with people from all over the world,” Buford said. “Through travel and exposure to other cultures, students learn people are different and yet the same. It is transformative. I would like to see A&M become a leader in international study.”

Our goal is to make a study abroad scholarship available to every liberal arts freshman by 2015. But we won’t stop there. If Aggie liberal arts majors desire longer trips abroad, we will strongly encourage them. To do so, we must provide each student with a study abroad scholarship between $1,000 and $3,000, in addition to support from the university.

Help us give more liberal arts students the type of life-changing opportunity that Garcia experienced.

The 2:30 p.m. ceremony in Reed Arena is a formal welcoming of new students with all the pomp and circumstance of the commencement ceremonies that will close their time as students a few years in the future. From the colorful spectacle of the opening faculty processional to the symbols and traditions of academia and words of encouragement from accomplished professors, organizers say the event is planned to be a memorable and exciting start for new students.

Convocation organizers point out the Aggie freshmen will have already gone through new student conferences and other orientation programs in which they learn about the university’s traditions and obtain other useful information. They emphasize, however, the goal for Freshman Convocation is to provide a more ceremonial setting to help students focus on the academic aspects of Texas A&M. The program communicates to students their roles both as people who learn from others and as people who contribute to the vitality of the university, they add.

Tizard

Noted faculty member Ian Tizard, professor of veterinary pathobiology and holder of the Richard M. Schubot Chair in Avian Health, will be the keynote speaker.

In the spirit of convocation to motivate incoming freshmen to aspire to greatness inside and outside of the classroom, organizers say Tizard will emphasize that a university like Texas A&M is not an extension of high school, but rather a generator of new knowledge and discoveries.

Tizard notes he will lean on his own research experience while at Texas A&M studying exotic bird diseases in this country and the Amazon to help demonstrate the possibilities available to students. Ultimately, he says he hopes to instill a desire in each incoming freshman to use the tools and knowledge available at Texas A&M to grow professionally and personally and to create a better future for all.

Tizard has been part of the Aggie family since 1982, when he started as department head and professor in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitiology. In 1990, he moved to the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology to become a professor of immunology. Then in 1999, he took his current position as the Richard M. Schubot Professor of Exotic Bird Health.

A native of Northern Ireland, Tizard received his veterinary medical degree from the University of Edinburgh in 1965 and then received his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge in 1969. After graduation, he pursued his fellowship at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, where he quickly became a professor until he moved to Texas to begin teaching at the CVM. In 1996, he became an honorary diplomat in the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists.

In addition to beginning the students’ academic careers, Freshman Convocation gives students a sense of the size, strength and identity of their class and connects them to the university community as a whole, say officials on the convocation planning committee.

Just as with commencement ceremonies, parents and families are invited to attend the hour-long convocation program, which also will include remarks by Texas A&M President R. Bowen Loftin. Faculty members from academic departments will join Loftin, the provost and vice presidents in representing the university’s involvement and commitment to its newest students. To emphasize the formality of the occasion, all faculty representatives will be dressed in full academic regalia.

KAMU-TV will carry Freshman Convocation live at 2:30 p.m. on channel 12.1, Suddenlink cable channel 4 and 700, on DirecTV channel 15 and DISH Network channel 12. A live stream will also be available at http://kamu.tamu.edu. Click on “Watch Now.”

Members of the Class of 2015 and their families are invited to attend a Freshman Convocation luncheon at Sbisa Dining Center. Food Service will be available from 10:45 a.m. until 1:45 p.m. University representatives will be on hand for informal conversation with new students and their families.

Tickets for the luncheon may be purchased in advance online or in person at the MSC Box Office. To avoid lines, advance purchase is suggested. Ticket prices are $9.25 for adults, $6 for children 4-10 years old and free for children three and under. Online ticket sales will close at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 26. All ticket sales are final and non-refundable.

For more details, visit http://freshmanconvocation.tamu.edu/about-freshman-convocation/ or contact Kristin Harper in the Office of the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies at kharper@tamu.edu or (979) 845-3210.

Contact: Kristin Harper at kharper@tamu.edu or (979) 845-3210 or Tura King, News & Information Services, at (979) 845-4670 or tura-king@tamu.edu