Tag: Meet a scientist
-
Meet a scientist: Garett Sansom
Despite starting with very little, Garett Sansom, DrPH, overcame adversity and is now pursuing his passion for environmental health at Texas A&M University. Sansom is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at Texas A&M University School of Public Health. Humble beginnings Although he grew up in Wimberly, Texas,…
-
Meet a scientist: Kung-Hui Chu
Although many come to find their passions early in childhood, Kung-Hui “Bella” Chu, Ph.D. found her career path in environmental studies during her undergraduate studies. Now a professor in the Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Texas A&M University, Chu is an accomplished researcher studying biodegradation of environmental contaminants. The path to discovery As a student at…
-
Meet a scientist: Pao Tai Lin
Pao Tai Lin, Ph.D., began his academic journey pursuing dual undergraduate studies in chemistry and electrical engineering, before discovering his true calling in using optical sciences for water quality monitoring. After earning his master’s degrees in chemistry and optics, Lin went to Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, to pursue his Ph.D. in materials science. During his…
-
Meet a scientist: Ying Li
While some children may find their passion by studying art or history, Ying Li, Ph.D., was fascinated by math and science in his earlier years — a zeal that has continued into the rest of his life. Now a professor in the J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University, Li pursued…
-
Meet a scientist: Audrey McCrary
Article originally written by Cameron Castilaw Science has always been Audrey McCrary’s thing. Growing up, she enjoyed math and sciences classes, particularly the problem-solving challenges they presented. Combined with her family’s love for being outdoors, it is no wonder she chose a field that includes nature and scientific research. “It was always just a natural inclination…
-
Meet a scientist: Bardia Heidari
Article originally written by Cameron Castilaw How can a love for animals lead to a career in water research? For Bardia Heidari, Ph.D., who grew up with dogs, rabbits, turtles and parrots in Tehran, Iran, animals inspired questions about how they interacted with their environment. Now a research scientist for the Texas Water Resources Institute at…
-
Meet a scientist: Dr. Lee Fitzgerald
Biodiversity: that’s a word many biologists are well familiar with. But even before the term was coined by E. O. Wilson in his 1992 book “The Diversity of Life,” Dr. Lee Fitzgerald and his research team were cataloging biological diversity within the country of Paraguay. Fitzgerald, professor and curator of Amphibians and Reptiles in Texas…
-
Meet a scientist: Emi Kimura
While people often find themselves inspired by their childhood surroundings, sometimes what is lacking in that environment can be just as impactful. That was the case for Emi Kimura, Ph.D., who grew up in Kyoto, Japan, an urban city a little larger than Dallas. Despite having never seen farming and knowing little about it, she remembers…
-
Meet a scientist: Shankar Chellam
Article originally written by Cameron Castilaw Shankar Chellam, Ph.D., will admit that education was not the highest on his priority list growing up. Not “a dummy in the field,” as he describes himself at cricket, he attended college on an athletic scholarship. It was there that he found an interest in science that would take…
-
Meet a scientist: Jason Gerlich
Article originally written by Cameron Castilaw The natural environment one grows up in can heavily influence their interests and path in life. Texas Water Resources Institute Research Specialist Jason Gerlich grew up outdoors, happiest when surrounded by agriculture and nature, and pursuing that love has taken him across the world and back to his home state to…
