University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
AC-5: Immersive Experience

College of Business Administration-Trans-Atlantic Sustainability Seminar (TASS). • In 2013, the University of Texas-Pan American Office for Sustainability, and the College of Business Administration, in co-operation with Leuphana University (Lüneburg, Germany) held its first Trans-Atlantic Sustainability Seminar (TASS). This two-week seminar allows students to learn and address sustainability initiatives in terms of energy, waste/water management, public policy, and transportation. Students are required to propose research topics and develop sustainability-related strategies. On the final days of the seminar, students present their research findings and strategies to faculty members from each university, official speakers from the local community, and agencies such as The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. This program has since been offered in 2014 and 2015. College of Engineering & Computer Sciences-Rapid Response Manufacturing Center • The Rapid Response Manufacturing Center integrates sustainable practices such as LEAN manufacturing technologies, management, and systems that significantly improve the speed to market of new and refreshed products, speed in response to customer needs, and demand for customized products at mass produced prices and quick delivery time. Faculty and students provide the following services: 1)RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION: Develop and apply emerging technologies to improve the competitiveness of manufacturing companies; 2) INCUBATION: Assist entrepreneurs in the formation of new enterprises; 3) EDUCATION: Provide specialized education focused on rapid response theories and practices; support workforce development through seminars tailored to an industry's specific needs; 4) INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP: Provide a strong innovation and entrepreneurship component which offers opportunities for hands-on experiences in rapid response and real-case industrial projects. College of Science & Mathematics • Center of Excellence in STEM Education: The University of Texas-Pan American recently received a $3.7 million award for four years with a possible $1 million for the fifth year from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) HBCU/MI program to establish a Center of Excellence in STEM Education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). UTPA was one of three institutions across the nation to receive the award. The Center activities are implemented to strengthen STEM academic programs and increase the number of graduates in STEM fields through curriculum reform, faculty development, recruitment and outreach, student research, a dedicated STEM resource program. As the lead institution of the award, The University of Texas-Pan American, along with its South Texas collaborators: South Texas College, Texas A&M International University-Laredo, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, University of Texas-Brownsville, and University of Texas-San Antonio will provide activities to strengthen STEM academic programs and to increase the number of STEM graduates particularly those from underrepresented groups. The grant builds upon the $2.4 million Department of Education grant the University was awarded in 2008-2011. Through a transdisciplinary education model STEM links participants to the greater community and as a result of mutual learning, students and faculty continue to expand each other's knowledge with opportunities for sustainable research and innovation. • Center for Subtropical Studies (CSS): The Center for Subtropical Studies is a multidisciplinary research component of the College of Science and Mathematics at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). The Center supports the research, education, and community service missions of the university by: 1) Focusing on the environmental concerns of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, 2) Providing infrastructure and a forum for discussions of, collaboration in, and implementation of research and educational programs and initiatives involving UTRGV and non-UTRGV entities; 3) Enhancing institutional effectiveness by fostering organized interaction with area civic, business, and political leaders and with regional, national and international organizations with an interest in subtropical studies or the Lower Rio Grande Valley; 4) Providing opportunities for students in the natural sciences through an organized framework of research excellence. As CSS continues its efforts to maintain sustainable environmental integrity in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, it also provides an infrastructure for local business to collaborate in discussion forums with civic areas, political leaders and with regional, national and international organizations. College of Social & Behavioral Sciences •Center for Survey Research: The Center for Survey Research at The University of Texas Pan-American was created by James Lamar, a former dean, in 1998 with the help from political science professors Dr. Jerry Pollinard and Dr. Robert Wrinkle. Since its inception, the Center has completed a number of studies that have been used in scholarly research journals such as Political Research Quarterly, Social Science Quarterly, and the State and Local Government Review. The Center has also been instrumental in a number of grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF), serving as grant evaluator. The Center delivers information and expertise to decision makers, scholars, community leaders and citizens as they seek to forge solutions to urban problems and deal with issues of public policy. The overall goal of the Center is to provide decision makers and scholars with the best possible information to establish sustainable solutions to the challenges they confront. Towards that goal, the Center can provide research technical assistance to governmental nonprofit and profit organizations. Additionally, the center helps fulfill the University’s instructional mission by involving students in survey research and data analysis. Finally, the Center also engages in research and analyses for individuals, agencies, and companies. Academic Centers •The Texas-Mexico Border Health Coordination Office (TMBHCO) offers programs in which UTPA students collaborate with community-based organizations to promote sustainable health services and education, provide technical assistance to communities and institutions, and sponsor health education efforts including conferences and workshops. One sustainability-focused immersive health program, the Risk Assessment of Type 2 Diabetes in Children, educates and screens for Acanthosis Nigricans and performs other assessments during the yearly mandated scoliosis screenings. A second program, The Diabetes Registry, is provides students the opportunity to conduct surveillance, investigate, research, educate, and conduct policy development procedures in order to try and reduce the diabetes hardship through prevention and control of the disease and its complications along the Texas-Mexico border. With support and guidance based on recommendations from UT System institutions, other universities, state agencies, and community partners, the UTPA Border Health Office retains its responsibilities for integrating these strategies for recording, monitoring and evaluation as a comprehensive plan to help create a culture of sustainable health. • Center for Border Economic Studies (CBEST) Sustainable Economic Development Strategies generate substantial economic and employment growth through business development and expanding markets for resource efficiency, sustainability, and clean technologies. The Center for Border Economic Studies (CBEST) is a public policy research unit dedicated to the study of problems and issues unique to the U.S./Mexico border economy and North Tamaulipas. CBEST conducts interdisciplinary research that supports economic development, trade, entrepreneurship, innovation, social mobility, and access. Among its technical reports, the Center publishes the Border Business Brief (BBB), a quarterly newsletter of economic indicators and forecasts of the Rio Grande Valley and North Tamaulipas. CBEST has strategic partnerships with private sectors, foundations, government agencies, research scholars, and non-profits to fulfill its mission. CBEST in concert with affiliated scholars conduct policy-oriented research in five key areas of importance to the border region: Regional economic development and trade; The labor market and immigration; Health and environmental policy; Entrepreneurship and innovation; and Human and social capital development. In cooperation with local, state, national, and international entities the Center for Border Economic Studies (CBEST) works to promote sustainable economic development through its policy oriented research and analysis. Our primary objectives are: 1. Focus on interdisciplinary policy-relevant research in support of sustainable economic development. 2. Publish articles, monographs, books and reports that examine economic, social and political issues in the border region and make them available to policy-makers, business leaders, government officials, academics, students and border community in order to foster informed decision-making. 3. Create strategic partnerships with private sector, foundations, government agencies, research scholars, and non-profits to further policy-relevant research that leads to border area economic development. http://portal.utpa.edu/utpa_main/daa_home/coba_new_home/coba_faculty/faculty_centers/cbest_home •The Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center (TMAC) at The University of Texas-Pan American is a local resource to address the challenges of today's hyper-competitive business environment. TMAC specializes in onsite project implementation and training to enhance employee, community and product safety that generates savings and Return on Investment. The center has an internship program that offers training projects, exposing students to real life scenarios in the field of industry. 20 to 25 students are accepted into the program and upon completion become valuable assets to potential employers due to their hands-on training experience. Through its approach, the program teaches sustainable practices such as cutting cost, efficiency, and achieving profitable growth in the field of manufacturing. •English Language Institute: Established in 1982, the UTPA English Language Institute (ELI) prepares students to enter an academic program and offers all students the opportunity to learn functional use of the English language. This higher education institute also serves as an empowering conduit for teaching language in tandem with sustainability principles through a state-of-the-art audio lab that provides sustainable assessment practices along with knowledgeable and dynamic instructors. While the principles of sustainability within the program influence every student’s field of study, upon completion of the program, students will have acquired a level of English that will enhance their opportunities for advancement in the work place. • South Texas Border Health Disparities Center: The South Texas Border Health Disparities Center focuses on enhancing the institutional capacity of UTPA researchers to conduct health disparities research with a particular emphasis on the prevention of obesity, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease among the largely Hispanic population along the U.S.-Mexico border to create a culture of sustainable health. • Statistical Consulting Center: The Statistical Consulting Center is an educational and research center at The University of Texas-Pan American. The Center offers statistical consulting advice on design of experiments, data management, statistical modeling, and statistical analysis of experiments and studies for developing sustainable economic growth. Our collaborators consist of students, faculty and research groups from The University of Texas-Pan American, as well as researchers from academic and non-academic organizations in the Rio Grande Valley. Provide training to students, assist people in basic practical use of statistics, participate in research projects by providing high quality statistical advice and collaborate with researchers in interdisciplinary research activities.

http://portal.utpa.edu/utpa_main/daa_home/bho_home/bho_risk