University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
AC-9: Research and Scholarship

In order to complete the research inventory, we accessed our universities FARS (faculty activity reporting system) database, contacted department chairpersons, and Engagement Survey data. Each university faculty member was contacted and their respective vitae were reviewed for sustainability content.

Retrieved from http://www.utrgv.edu/research/know-us/research-centers/index.htm The UTRGV Research Centers of Excellence are designed to focus on issues of pressing local and global concern such as diabetes, environmental sustainability, competitive and emerging technologies, and economic growth. The South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute (STDOI) complements UTRGV’s School of Medicine to advance medical research, develop better treatments and, ultimately, improve the health of residents in South Texas and beyond. Targeting the prevalence of diabetes and obesity in the region, the STDOI is led by Dr. Sarah Williams-Blangero, a renowned genetics and infectious diseases specialist, and her acclaimed 22-member research team. The Center for Advanced Radio Astronomy (CARA) was created with the mission to create future leaders in space exploration and related technology development. CARA’s network of collaborating institutions includes NASA’s JPL, NASA Goddard, the US Naval Research Laboratory, the University of New Mexico, the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, and Peking University. CARA currently runs three integrated research/education programs: the Arecibo Remote Command Center (ARCC), the Low Frequency All Sky Monitor (LoFASM), and STARGATE. These projects focus on training, mentoring and enabling students to actively involve in high priority research efforts, and contribute to scientific discoveries. The Center for Advanced Manufacturing concentrates on improving manufacturing processes and streamlining production of goods and services on both sides of the border, and on giving the region a competitive advantage and opportunities for sustainable economic prosperity. The South Texas Coastal Research Center supports research focused on the sustainability of the shoreline, management of marine-based food sources, environmental and ecological ocean health, management of water resources (including wetlands), regional vulnerability to disasters and disaster mitigation, preparedness and response. Additionally, the center provides incomparable field-based education for aspiring scientists. The Nanotechnology Center for Excellence focuses on creation of technology that can provide a more affordable way to make nanofibers. Nanofibers are one-one hundredth the size of a human hair and can have myriad uses from water filtration to wound care. In addition to that it provides many Valley students a chance to work with faculty on the development of polymeric and nanoparticle-based materials and devices. The center also aims to increase the number of refereed reviewed publications, faculty retention and the number of undergraduate students entering graduate school and entering the workforce in emerging technologies. The Center of Commercialization (CIC), strategically located in the Mid-Valley at WEDC (Weslaco Development Center) and under the supervision of the College of Business and Entrepreneurship, focuses on working with university, college faculty and students to encourage the commercial exploitation of ideas developed in their labs. Additionally, the center reaches out to the local community leaders and small business owners in an effort to identify ideas that have not been pursued due to lack of support. The center also encourages the region to take advantage of the center’s resources, which assist researchers, start-ups and entrepreneurs in pioneering new technologies, businesses and partnerships. The Office of Engaged Scholarship & Learning hosts the Engaged Scholar Symposium, which celebrates undergraduate research, service learning projects, and creative works.