College of Arts and Sciences, Texas Tech University

Happy Fathers Day from the College of Arts & Sciences! Let's conduct a science experiment: tag your dad if he has a better stache than Raider Red!

🚑 Behind the Siren: When Research Protects Heroes. 🚒
Did you know that frontline heroes, like firefighters, face health risks far from the fire line? Our students and faculty at TTU are tackling a critical question: Are current wellness standards for first responders truly keeping them safe over their entire careers?
Our latest research dives into new national guidelines, revealing concerning trends regarding cardiac risk for older firefighters. This isn't just theory—it’s vital data that demands policy change to ensure our community's heroes can remain healthy and active well into retirement.
This is the power of the College of Arts & Sciences: applying rigorous academic study (kinesiology, physiology) to solve real-life public health challenges. We are committed to science for service! ❤️
Learn how TTU research is advocating for first responder safety: https://asttu.com/ResearchFirefighterSafety
Check out the Arts & Sciences News & Updates page:
https://asttu.com/COAAS

We are thrilled to celebrate Dr. Amanda Laubmeier, recipient of this year’s Chancellor's Council Distinguished Research Award in STEM!
Dr. Laubmeier’s groundbreaking work in Biomathematics and population ecology is a perfect example of how complex mathematics can solve real-world agricultural problems. Her research focuses on insect interactions in agricultural ecosystems—examining everything from how insects consume crops and spread plant diseases to how they provide biological control and pollinate flowers.

Thanks to a recent National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER program grant, Dr. Laubmeier’s upcoming project will investigate how to better inform mathematical models with data in systems where seasonal fluctuations complicate expected behaviors.

"I am excited to continue this research with colleagues at Tech - collaborators in Biological Sciences, Plant & Soil Science, and the Museum help me ground mathematical results in real-world applications." — Dr. Amanda Laubmeier

Thank you, Dr. Laubmeier, for your incredible commitment to innovation, collaboration, and STEM excellence at Texas Tech University! 👆

Day One and Already Crushing It! ⏰🔬

In her annual address, National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt emphasized the critical need to strengthen the U.S.'s STEM pipeline to remain a global leader in innovation.

Texas Tech University is answering this call to action. As highlighted by Dr. Ramkumar's recent article, through the College of Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Research Academy (CASURA), Texas Tech provides short-term summer fellowships that connect undergraduates with research labs and hands-on experience, helping build vital skills for future STEM leaders.

This institutional effort aligns perfectly with expert guidance. As Associate Dean Ernest Smith notes: “Building and strengthening a multidisciplinary and STEM pipeline begins with opportunity starting at the undergraduate level of academia... An early start in research is truly the way to go.” (Smith).

This week, we are thrilled to welcome Juan Diego Garcia, a Physics and Mathematics undergraduate, to the Nonwovens & Advanced Materials Laboratory. He joins us supporting the vital research of graduate student Mirza Khyum.

Talk about day-one dedication: Because our new nanotechnology instrument was manufactured in Turkey, our team had to coordinate with the manufacturer at 7:00 AM Texas time. Juan was ready and working alongside Mirza at 7:00 AM sharp on his very first day.

Engaging the next generation of scientists is a true passion for our laboratory. A sincere thank you to Dean Tosha Dupras, Associate Dean Ernest Smith, and Physics Chair Professor Sungwon Lee for their continued support of these vital programs.

Research is the way to go! 🔴⚫️
📸 Pictured: Undergraduate Juan Garcia, left, and graduate student Mirza Khyum, right, setting up the nanotechnology instrument at 7 AM.

Great insights from Dr. Seshadri Ramkumar on fostering research curiosity early. He highlights how programs like CASURA build a vital STEM pipeline for students. Read the full article for more information: https://asttu.com/DrRamkumarTextileResearch

Big congratulations to our High Energy Physics group on hosting the prestigious International Conference on Calorimetry in Particle Physics (CALOR 2026) last week! 🎉 Hosted jointly with The University of Texas at Arlington, TTU reinforced its global leadership in experimental particle physics & detector R&D.

Thank you to co-chairs Dr. Akchurin and Dr. Andrew White, and the entire organizing committee. And a shoutout to A&S Dean Tosha Dupras and Dr. Heppert for their support! 🚀🔬

The 21st International Conference on Calorimetry in Particle Physics (CALOR 2026), jointly hosted by Texas Tech University and The University of Texas at Arlington, was successfully held last week (June 1–5) in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The conference brought together researchers in experimental particle physics, nuclear physics, astroparticle physics, and related fields for in depth discussions on the latest developments and innovations in calorimetry and its applications.

We extend our sincere appreciation to the conference co chairs, Dr. Akchurin (Texas Tech) and Dr. Andrew White (The University of Texas at Arlington), for their outstanding leadership in making this event a success. We also thank Dr. Madrid, Dr. Feng, and SWL for their service on the Local Organizing Committee. In addition, we express our deep gratitude to Dr. Heppert, Vice President for Research & Innovation, and A&S Dean Tosha Dupras for providing financial support from the TTU side for CALOR 2026.

By once again hosting this prestigious international conference—following the highly regarded 2012 meeting—our High Energy Physics group has further strengthened its global reputation and leadership in detector R&D for experimental particle physics. CALOR 2026 showcased not only the vitality of the field but also Texas Tech University’s growing impact on the international research landscape.

Congratulations to the HEP group on this outstanding achievement!

https://web.cvent.com/event/45985898-e3a4-451b-a9f4-cd103944fc32/summary

📸 Drop a photo of you and your best friends in the comments below.
Whether it’s a throwback to orientation or a photo from graduation, let’s fill the feed with some Red Raider love! ❤️🖤

Happy National Donut Day from the College of Arts & Sciences! Match your major or department to a donut in the picture below and drop your letter or number in the comments! 👇

The College of Arts & Sciences at Texas Tech University is incredibly proud of Dr. Lenka Halamkova for presenting her groundbreaking, non-invasive fentanyl detection research at Pittcon, a premier global conference for analytical chemistry and laboratory science!

Congratulations to Dr. Lenka Halamkova on presenting her research at Pittcon, one of the world's premier conferences for analytical chemistry and laboratory science.

In her presentation, Dr. Halamkova presented a multi-modal approach to fentanyl detection combining nail analysis with mechanistic protein studies. She demonstrated that ATR-FTIR and Raman spectroscopy with machine learning can detect fentanyl exposure in human nail clippings with 85-96% accuracy, offering a non-invasive forensic tool.

To understand why detection works, she investigated fentanyl's interaction with butyrylcholinesterase as a model protein. Enzyme kinetics revealed mixed inhibition, while Raman spectroscopy with machine learning (92% accuracy) confirmed structural changes in aromatic residues and protein backbone. This demonstrates that fentanyl causes detectable structural changes in susceptible proteins, including the keratin-based changes in nails that enable their detection method.

College of Arts and Sciences, Texas Tech University
TTU Environmental Toxicology

🧠 The Science of Compliments: Did you know that a simple compliment is an act of recognition? It's powerful! ✨

Today is "Say Something Nice Day," and we believe in the creative power of your words. Let’s use it to celebrate our community! ❤️

Drop a comment below and give a sincere, specific shout-out (or even just one word!) to someone who deserves some praise today. 👇

The College of Arts & Sciences extends a warm congratulations to Dr. Joseph McMillan for securing federal funding to tackle this critical public health challenge.

🦟 Determining Epidemiological Risk for Mosquito-Borne Illness

The Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) is one of the deadliest viruses transmitted by mosquitoes in the United States, yet epidemics of the virus in mosquitoes and humans are unpredictable. While infection in humans is rare, it has a very high mortality rate, and survivors are often left with permanent neurological damage.

Dr. Joseph McMillan received a two-year grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease for a project examining this sickness. This funding supports research using stochastic modeling techniques in combination with historical records of EEEV infection prevalence in mosquitoes to test various ecological hypotheses related to the epidemic potential of EEEV during a given transmission season. This research will ultimately provide more insight into how EEEV outbreaks occur.

College of Arts and Sciences, Texas Tech University