Dr. Frank Miskevich - Biology
Frank_Miskevich@tamu-commerce.edu

I am interested in the molecular mechanisms involved during the development of the visual system with the ultimate goal of understanding how the eye and brain function together for learning how to treat vision loss. In particular, I am studying the role of calcium as an important signal that regulates the temporal and spatial expression pattern of other proteins by using the African clawed frog.

Student who chose to work with me will be able to choose from a variety of techniques aimed at studying what proteins are involved in forming the redingote connection in frogs.

Dr. Ben Jang - Chemistry
Ben_Jang@tamu-commerce.edu

This project focuses on the development of the radio frequency (RF) plasma technique to improve the activity and stability of palladium catalysts. By using this method, we are better able to control metal dispersions and the metal-support interactions. The goal is to demonstrate the unique capability of RF plasma technique to improve the efficiency of various industrial catalytic processes.

Dr. Lance Whaley - Chemistry
William_Whaley@tamu-commerce.edu

Isolations are a class of natural products for which there is current research interest due to their demonstrated health benefits. My research project presents an opportunity for students to gain expertise in a broad range of techniques that relate to the isolation, structural characterization, activity determination and biosynthesis of natural products. Many molecular biology laboratory techniques are employed.

Dr. Linda Morales - Computer Science
Linda_Morales@tamu-commerce.edu

My areas of research include computational biology, information security, game theory analysis of networks and general algorithm design and analysis. Students will learn how to perform research to develop and test the efficiency of algorithms for solving complex computational problems in these areas.

Dr. Nikolay Sirakov - Mathematics & Computer Science
Nikolay_Sirakov@tamu-commerce.edu

I am interested in Image Processing (IP), a research field with a broad set of applications in medicine, agriculture, GIS, and the internet. During the past decades, IP attracted the attention of many scientists who have dedicated their research efforts to the field. Students will be introduced to the research world of IP. They will develop and enlarge their theoretical and practical skills in working and manipulation images, that come from the above listed fields. Some of the world-wide advanced methods and tools will be considered.

Dr. Hasan Coskun - Mathematics Hasan_Coskun@tamu-commerce.edu

Interpolation can broadly be defined as creating an approximating function to a given set of values at specific nodes. Many different techniques and interpolating functions are used to solve this problem in lower dimensions. However, general multivariable interpolation techniques are not as many. In this project, we’d like to investigate the efficiency of the elliptic Macdonald functions as multivariable interpolants. More specifically, we’d like to investigate if an improved accuracy or an increased speed in solving the multivariable interpolation problem in specific cases is possible via the use of Macdonald functions.

Dr. Howard Richards - Physics
Howard_Richards@tamu-commerce.edu

Students will run computer simulations on a small cluster of computers. The simulations will model crystal surfaces at thermal equilibrium. The simulations will assume that the crystal surfaces are not flat but are stair-stepped. Analysis of the simulations will help to explain how the steps interact with each other. This will help us to explain the behavior of molecules on the surface of crystals.