Texas A&M Engineering SoundBytes

Explore the world of student startup businesses in this episode of Just a SEC. Join our student hosts as they talk with chemical engineering undergraduate Ben Omonira about his experience with entrepreneurship and what he's learned during his time working on Lazarus, his non-lethal bullet.

Throughout history, ships have had to battle waves, facing the risk of going past their tipping point and capsizing. Whether on a family cruise, participating in a sailing competition or serving on a military vessel, when people are out in open waters, it’s imperative to make sure somebody is working to make being out in the water it as safe as possible.

Naval architect and professor in the Department of Ocean Engineering, Dr. Jeffrey Falzarano has more than 30 years of experience researching and developing new ways to keep ships and their crews safe. His team’s current research focuses on two areas — designing wave-energy devices and researching how ships maneuver differently on waves in shallow and deep water.

Have you ever wondered what it's like to run for office? Clarissa Rodriguez, an industrial distribution senior and the student senate constituency affairs chair, joins SoundBytes to talk about Senate's far-reaching impact on everything from monuments and dining dollars, to student rule seven, which allows excused absences for interviews. This episode also covers how to run and campaign in the upcoming election cycle.

The rise in popularity of electric vehicles and aircraft presents the possibility of moving toward a more sustainable future. While advancements have dramatically increased the efficiency of these vehicles, there are still several issues standing in the way of widespread adoption. One of the most significant challenges facing electric vehicles has to do with mass, as most current electric batteries and supercapacitors are incredibly heavy. 

Dr. Jodie Lutkenhaus, professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, and her team are approaching this problem from the unique angle of utilizing the chemical dopamine to strengthen electrodes.

On this episode of The Study Break, student hosts Ritika and Drew discuss the importance of self-care and mental health, no matter what challenges may arise. From pandemics to anxiety over finals, they are joined by Carmen Mota, a new member of the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) team who serves students out of the Zachry Engineering Education Complex, to stress "We are valuable not because of what we achieve, but because of who we are."

This episode, graduate student Shreedevi Arun Kumar shares what vaccine delivery systems are,  why they are important and how new developments could pave the way for a more efficient and cost-effective future.

On this episode of Just a SEC, our student hosts talk community service and how to take action to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Joined by REACH Project founder Max Gerall, they discuss how the Aggie-started nonprofit is supporting university service workers by weaving together all segments of the campus community and making "invisible Aggies," visible.

This episode, Interim Department Head Dr. Timothy Jacobs shares how the College of Engineering's newest department — the Department of Multidiscipinary Engineering — is helping students build the futures they envision for themselves. 

Doctors and nurses work long, 12-hour shifts which impact their physical, mental and emotional health, with or without the additional stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Researchers in the Wm Michael Barnes '64 Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Texas A&M University are researching the impacts of these shifts and ways to help health care workers. One part of that research looks at a potentially dangerous side effect of fatigue: drowsy driving. 

In this episode, we’re joined by Alec Smith, a doctoral student in the department, to learn more about his research on drowsy driving among nurses.

While traveling internationally has halted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Halliburton Engineering Global Programs office has worked tirelessly to develop opportunities for students to benefit from experiences abroad. Dr. Maria Alves, senior director of the Halliburton Engineering Global Programs office and Antonella Acosta, student ambassador, spoke with Drew and Ritika about what students can expect for the spring 2021 trips.