Student Success & Undergraduate Affairs Update
Cross-Department Collaboration Supports Physics TA Professional Development
Drs. Mariam Manuel (Mathematics, teachHOUSTON) and Jennifer May (Mathematics) led a professional development session on February 20 for graduate teaching assistants in the Department of Physics. The interactive workshop focused on questioning strategies that help uncover student misconceptions during workshops, tutoring sessions, and laboratory instruction.
Graduate TAs explored how intentional questioning can reveal student thinking, guide real-time instructional decisions, and strengthen conceptual understanding introductory physics courses.
The session was part of an ongoing professional development seminar series for Physics TAs organized by Drs. Israel Portillo, Rebecca Forrest and Saldjana Maric, instructional faculty in the Department of Physics.
NSM Lab Crawl Connects First-Year Students with Research Opportunities
The Office of First Year Programs (OFYP) hosted the NSM Lab Crawl on February 11, giving first-year and transfer students an inside look at research opportunities across the college. During the event, 47 students participated in guided visits to nine NSM laboratories, where they learned about ongoing research and pathways to undergraduate involvement.
The event was supported by OFYP staff, five Student Leadership Team (SLT) members, three Scholar Enrichment Program (SEP) facilitators, and several additional staff volunteers.
Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with the event earning a 4.7 out of 5 rating on the post-event survey.
NSM Faculty and Staff Provide CliftonStrengths Coaching for Students
Ashley Askew, M.Ed., director of special programs and data specialist, and Mariam A. Manuel, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor in teachHOUSTON, have completed the University of Houston’s CliftonStrengths Certification program and are now certified CliftonStrengths coaches.
Since completing the training in December 2025, Askew and Manuel have been offering strengths-based coaching sessions for students, faculty, and staff across the university. These sessions help participants identify their natural talents and explore how their strengths can support learning, leadership, and collaboration.
Access to the CliftonStrengths assessment is chaotic situation incoming and current UH students. Faculty interested in connecting students with mentorship or reflective support through the assessment and coaching process are encouraged to contact Askew (aaskew@central.uh.edu) or Manuel (mamanuel@uh.edu) to schedule a coaching session.
These sessions complement the student experience but do not replace academic advising and are designed to support student growth and success. Through these efforts, NSM continues to strengthen student engagement, development and overall success.
NSM Embedded Tutor Pilot Program
The NSM Embedded Tutor Pilot Program, funded through the Office of the Provost, is currently in its second semester. Embedded tutors support student learning in Calculus I labs under the supervision of Melahat Almus, instructional associate professor in the Department of Mathematics, and in the First-Year Seminar course under the supervision of Kayla Molnar, director of the NSM Office of First Year Programs.
Embedded tutors provide peer-to-peer academic support designed to improve student success and retention. Preliminary program data shows increased student engagement, contributing to stronger academic performance and deeper social connections within the NSM community.
NSM Living and Learning Community Explores Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Undergraduate research opportunities were the focus of the February 18 Living and Learning Community (LLC) program held in Cougar Village 2.
During the session, students learned about ways to identify research opportunities on campus and beyond, including local, national, and international programs. The discussion also covered strategies for contacting faculty mentors and highlighted the Senior Honors Thesis as a capstone pathway for undergraduate research.
The session encouraged students to begin exploring research early in their academic careers and to engage with faculty mentors across the college.
Scholar Enrichment Program (SEP) Update
This semester, SEP is supporting 1,248 students across 18 STEM courses through 51 one-credit academic excellence workshops—the largest number offered in a single semester. A new workshop in Algorithms and Data Structures (COSC 3320) expands support in high-demand courses.
The program now exceeds its goal of offering 50 workshops by 2027, aligning with NSM’s 50th anniversary milestone. Workshops are facilitated by 99 undergraduate peer facilitators, who foster collaborative learning, academic skill development, and student persistence in STEM.
Office of First Year Programs Update
Recruitment, Transition and Retention
College Reviews
The Office of First Year Programs continues to review First-Time-in-College (FTIC) applications for the 2026–2027 academic year admissions cycle for students who were not automatically admitted to their first-choice NSM major. Through the college review process, applications receive a more holistic evaluation that considers the full application packet and completed high school coursework. This process provides qualified students with an additional pathway to pursue their preferred NSM major.
STEM Festival
OFYP staff hosted a table at the Science and Engineering Fair of Houston STEM Festival on February 13, connecting with students and families while highlighting academic programs and opportunities within the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
Student Leadership Team (SLT) Update
Study Nights
The Student Leadership Team hosted Study Nights to support student success in introductory STEM courses. Sessions were held for Calculus I on February 16 and Chemistry I on February 19, providing students with collaborative study opportunities and peer support.
Volunteer Event
SLT members hosted a volunteer event at Project C.U.R.E. on February 27, where students sorted medical supplies for distribution to communities in need. The event received a 5.0-star rating from participating students.
SLT Recruitment
Recruitment for the 2026–2027 SLT cohort is underway. Ten co-chair interviews were conducted in February. Member applications opened on February 23 and will close on March 20.
Faculty and staff are encouraged to direct interested students to the OFYP NSM SLT webpage for more information. Outreach efforts, including media campaigns and tabling events, were held February 10 and 17 in the Fleming Building and Science & Research Building 1.
teachHOUSTON Update
STEMM RISE Model Featured in National STEMM Pathway Programs Newsletter
Drs. Mariam Manuel and Jacqueline Ekeoba (Mathematics, teachHOUSTON) were recently featured in the biannual newsletter of the Association of STEMM Pathway & Bridge Programs for their work on the STEMM RISE model.
The article highlights how the program connects medical students, undergraduate preservice STEM teachers, and high school students through a layered mentorship structure that expands access to science and medicine pathways. It also outlines strategies for building cross-college collaborations, developing research lab partnerships, and engaging community organizations to support student recruitment and participation.
A more in-depth scholarly publication examining medical students’ experiences in the program and the role of layered mentorship in professional identity development is currently in preparation. Co-authors include Drs. Mariam Manuel (NSM), Michelle Carroll Turpin (Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine), Jacqueline Ekeoba (NSM), Montrey Pertile (Engineering), Jerrod A. Henderson (Engineering), and April Peters Hawkins (College of Education).
Science Fair Mentorship Workshop Supports Undergraduate STEM Mentors
Dr. Mariam Manuel (Mathematics, teachHOUSTON) delivered a professional development session on February 2 for mentors with the St. Elmo Brady STEM Academy, focused on coaching students through the science fair process.
The workshop brought together undergraduate mentors from the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and the Cullen College of Engineering who support elementary school students working on science fair projects.
Participants explored strategies for helping students develop research questions, design investigations, and navigate common challenges throughout the research process. The session emphasized approaches that support student curiosity, persistence, and ownership as they move from early ideas to completed investigations.
The workshops are hosted by academy leaders Kahmarrie Robbins, Jerrod Henderson, and Rick Greer.
NSM Faculty Member Invited to Speak in UTSA Grant Writing Course
Dr. Mariam Manuel (Mathematics, teachHOUSTON) was invited to speak on February 26 with graduate students in a grant writing course at The University of Texas at San Antonio, led by Dr. Uchenna Emenaha Miles.
During the session, Manuel shared insights from her experience developing and managing collaborative STEM education grants. The discussion focused on strategies for forming strong research teams, building community partnerships, and aligning project ideas with funding priorities. Students also explored lessons from the grant development process and approaches for designing projects centered on collaboration, mentorship, and meaningful community engagement.
teachHOUSTON Faculty and Staff Updates
Dr. Karen Graham attended the Southwestern Educational Research Association (SERA) Conference in New Orleans, where she presented a session titled “The Leaky Bucket Metaphor: Lived Experiences of Secondary STEM Teacher Residents.” She was also elected member-at-large for a three-year term on the SERA Board.
On February 26, KaDarrius James, teachHOUSTON program director, hosted a campus tabling event to highlight opportunities within the teachHOUSTON program and connect with prospective students.
Drs. Paige Evans, Karen Graham, and Karla Garza also led the second Community of Practice meeting for the project Collaborative Research: Improving Teacher Retention and Effectiveness through Knowledge Sharing (iTREKS): Studying STEM Teachers in High-Need Schools.
The five-year, multi-university iTREKS partnership focuses on recruiting, preparing, and retaining highly effective STEM teachers who remain in high-need school districts. Participating institutions include Alabama A&M University, Middle Tennessee State University, University of Colorado - Colorado Springs, Central Washington University, North Dakota State University, University of Nevada - Reno, University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and the University of Houston.
NSM Career Center Updates
From Research to Reality: Innovation Panel
The NSM Career Center, in partnership with UH Innov8, hosted the From Research to Reality: Innovation Panel on February 17 at the Texas Center for Superconductivity at UH, Houston Science Center.
Featured speakers included Dr. Samaneh Karami, co-founder of LactoCyte Diagnostic; Dr. Shoujun Xu, professor of chemistry at UH; and Dr. R. Tanu Chatterji, director of startup development and UH Technology Bridge instructor. Panelists discussed key aspects of research commercialization, including MVP prototyping, product-market fit, intellectual property, funding pathways, and startup career opportunities.
The event provided students with practical insight into translating research discoveries into viable ventures while highlighting internship and career pathways within the innovation ecosystem. The program aligns with the university’s strategic focus on research commercialization, experiential learning, and entrepreneurship.
How to Land the Job Workshop
At the request of teachHOUSTON, Lee Ann Lawrence, associate director and career counselor in the NSM Career Center, served as a panelist for the How to Land the Job virtual workshop on February 24.
The session supported preservice STEM educators from more than 50 UTeach teacher preparation programs nationwide and covered résumé and cover letter development, strategic use of LinkedIn and a live Q&A session. The workshop provided future educators with practical tools to confidently enter the teaching profession.