Recognizing UTEP’s top researchers

President Heather Wilson attends UTEP’s research Forum.

Elisha Nuñez, Staff Reporter • September 20, 2022

UTEP professors and ancillary staff have carried out a tremendous amount of research over the years and the research forum, held this year at 4 p.m. Sept. 13 in UTEP’s Undergraduate Learning Center, is a way to highlight the ongoing research happening.

Many students may not be aware that the very professors teaching them every day are the same researchers behind some great discoveries and research milestones.

As more discoveries and projects are proposed by the UTEP community, it is time for these great milestones to be recognized. Grants which were given to faculty and staff for their achievements were also recognized during the event, which will allow recipients to pur-sue their goals.

“I’m here because we received a new grant as part of a team at engineering,” said Ana Martínez, a postdoc researcher at UTEP.

“We are working with Dr. Eric MacDonald. We are doing 3-D printing of batteries, and today we are here because we were awarded a new machine, a new 3-D printer,” said Alex Maurel a post-doc at UTEP.

The research forum appears on campus every three months, and this time, more than a hundred staff members were presented with grants they earned, as explained by Roberto Osegueda, UTEP’s vice president at the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects.

“In this year, for example, we had a record number of awards. We have 254 grants that have come in through the year. So, every four months we do an event (where) we recognize everybody who gets a grant,” said Osegueda. “We give them a certificate and a plaque, but what is important is that there is a campus-wide recognition for what they do. Everybody is attending. You know, typically we may have 150 people around, so it gives (people) visibility of all the activities that are going on campus in one sitting.”

UTEP allows everyone to take part in the research forum. The forum opened with an introduction from President Heather Wilson Ph.D., who was then followed by Osegueda, who welcomed attendees and recognized many patents for their achievements.

“I’m here to receive an award for a grant that I just recently was receiving in July, it’s a two-phase award that phase that funds me for the last phase of my doctoral dissertation and then the first phase of my postdoctoral position, which is going to be for the course of four years,” said Victoria Castro, a Ph.D. candidate at UTEP’s Bio-Sciences Department. “It’s super exciting, (I am) really thrilled.”

As the night went on, over 104 awards were announced, a record for UTEP’s staff and faculty. The forum, which occurs around every three to four months, is an event where people can see the goals and capabilities that fuel UTEP’s status as Tier 1 research university. The next research forum should take place around December, and it is open for all the community to see.

Elisha Nuñez is a reporter and may be reached at [email protected].

About the Contributors

Elisha Nuñez, Staff Reporter

Elisha Nuñez is a multimedia journalism student with a minor in marketing at the University of Texas at El Paso. He works as a reporter for The Prospector, and loves to write about arts, culture, and people. This semester, he wishes to do more freelance work for publications in and outside of El Paso. After graduation, he would like to experience multiple positions at different places, and even has plans for continuing his current education outside of the U.S.

Roman P. Carr, Contributor/Photographer

Roman is a sophomore, majoring in digital media production at the University of Texas at El Paso. He works as a photographer for the Prospector and freelance photographer. He likes to play football and workout in his free time.