Department of Physics and Astronomy News
ETAMU Planetarium Celebrates 20 Years of Inspiring Exploration
East Texas A&M welcomed around 450 visitors to campus to celebrate the anniversary of the university’s Planetarium at the McFarland Science Building.
Texas Space Grant Consortium Selects Three ETAMU Physics Majors for 2025–26 Scholarships
Three students from the Department of Physics and Astronomy have been awarded scholarships from NASA's Texas Space Grant Consortium for the 2025–26 academic year.
The Galaxy’s Most Common Stars May Be Missing a Key Ingredient for Life: Long-Lived Moons
New ETAMU study shows moons around the planets of M-dwarf stars vanish quickly, offering insights into which worlds might support life.
ETAMU and the Mystery Above: A History of UFOs on Campus and Beyond
East Texas A&M University has a long history of curiosity about UFOs, featuring student debates, faculty research, and visits from leading experts in the field.
Mars Crater Naming Honors Renowned Planetary Scientist, Former ETAMU Professor Dr. Kit Blount
The honor recognizes Dr. Kit Blount’s legacy as a planetary scientist who helped map the Red Planet, and her lifelong commitment to STEM education.
ETAMU Recognized as a National Leader in Physics Education
The Department of Physics and Astronomy at East Texas A&M University (ETAMU) continues to shine nationally, earning impressive rankings in the annual Roster of Physics Departments released by the American Institute of Physics. The latest data underscores ETAMU's commitment to…
Showcasing Scholarship: Highlights from TAMUC’s Annual Research Symposium
TAMUC students present innovative research projects to the university community and industry leaders.
Texas A&M University-Commerce hosted its Annual Research Symposium on April 17, 2024, at the university's Rayburn Student Center. The symposium showcased undergraduate and graduate research projects, providing…
Attendees Dazzled by ‘Totality Over Commerce’
A large crowd witnessed the experience of a lifetime as they gathered at Memorial Stadium on the campus of Texas A&M University-Commerce for the “Totality Over Commerce” Total Solar Eclipse watch party on April 8, 2024.
Open to the public,…
TAMUC Plans Eclipse Viewing Event for University Community, General Public
The public is invited to attend a free viewing event for the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
The event is scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. at A&M-Commerce's Memorial Stadium, located at 1606 State…
A&M-Commerce Students Dazzle, Inspire at Dallas ISD STEM Expo
Multiple student organizations representing the College of Science and Engineering (CoSE) at Texas A&M University-Commerce dazzled nearly a thousand Dallas ISD students and their families at this year's Dallas ISD STEM Expo.
A Dallas ISD student peers into a microscope…
A&M-Commerce Building Reputation as Solid Choice for Future Physicists
In a world driven by technology and innovation, a degree in physics is a gateway to limitless possibilities. With the study of physics offering numerous benefits and opening doors to career paths across industries, the Department of Physics and Astronomy…
A&M-Commerce Physics Students Earn National Recognition
The Texas A&M University-Commerce chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) has won a 2022-23 Outstanding Chapter Award from the SPS national office. This is the seventh consecutive year the chapter has been recognized for its excellence as a…
TAMUC College of Science and Engineering Names Associate Dean
Dr. Kent Montgomery has been appointed associate dean for the College of Science and Engineering (CoSE) at A&M-Commerce. He has served as associate professor and head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at A&M-Commerce since 2018.
Montgomery earned a…
A&M-Commerce Professor Co-Authors Research on Supporting Women and People of Color in Physics
Dr. Robynne Lock, associate professor of physics and astronomy at A&M-Commerce, is co-author of a paper focusing on the effectiveness of interventions designed to inspire high school students—particularly women and minoritized groups—to pursue physics-related careers. Lock is a founding member…
A&M-Commerce to Host Premier Meeting of Physicists
Physicists far and wide will visit Texas A&M University-Commerce from March 23-25 when the university hosts the 2023 Joint Spring Meeting of the Texas Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers (TSAAPT), the Texas Section of the American Physics…
A&M-Commerce Society of Physics Students Chapter Maintains Top Status
The A&M-Commerce chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) has received the national organization's Outstanding Chapter Award for the second consecutive year. The designation is the organization's highest level of distinction, with less than 15% of chapters receiving the…
Lion’s Lecture Speaker Series Returns at A&M-Commerce
A&M-Commerce faculty, staff and students gathered on Sept. 29 to welcome the return of the Lion's Lecture Series presented by the Graduate School and First-Year TRAC. Drs. Matt Wood and Sharonda Pruitt entertained the audience with two 20-minute presentations in…
A&M-Commerce Physics Students Present Research at International White Dwarf Workshop
Students Eric Burns and Zorayda Martinez from the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Texas A&M University-Commerce presented research at the renowned 22nd European Workshop on White Dwarfs in Tübingen, Germany, from August 15-19.
“White dwarfs are the remains of…
Four TAMUC Students Attend MIT Nuclear Physics Summer Program
A&M-Commerce graduate physics students Jake Richter, Rebecca Preston, Benjamin Santoyo and Amber Stinson recently attended the National Nuclear Physics Summer School program presented by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge on July 11-22.
Only 50 students are accepted…
Three A&M-Commerce Students Selected for Prestigious Texas Space Grant Consortium Funding
The Texas Space Grant Consortium (TSGC), which is funded through a NASA training grant, has selected three Texas A&M University-Commerce students—Rebecca Preston, Amber Stinson and Judah Byars—to receive grant funding for the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 semesters.
Pictured left…
TAMUC Professor Discusses James Webb Space Telescope Images
Kent Montgomery, Ph.D., who serves as associate professor and head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at A&M-Commerce, is featured on a recent episode of The Blacklands Café, a radio program hosted on 88.9 KETR.
Montgomery discussed the first…
TAMUC Faculty Member Part of International Team Investigating Tetraneutrons
A&M-Commerce faculty member Carlos Bertulani, Ph.D., is part of an international research team that has discovered further evidence of the existence of a mysterious type of matter consisting of four neutrons known as a tetraneutron. The research is published in…
A&M-Commerce Students Place Highly at Physics Meeting
A&M-Commerce physics students presented at the spring meeting for the Texas sections of the American Physical Society and the American Association of Physics Teachers. The meeting took place March 10-12 at Abilene Christian University.
Graduate student Amber Stinson received joint…
A&M-Commerce Society of Physics Students Receive National Recognition
The A&M-Commerce chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) won an Outstanding Chapter Award from the organization's national office. The designation is the highest level of distinction, with less than 15% of the organization's chapters receiving the title. The…
TAMUC Faculty Matt Wood Named A&M System Regents Professor
The Texas A&M University System recently announced the recipients of the prestigious Regents Professor distinction, and Texas A&M University-Commerce Professor of Physics and Astronomy Matt Wood, Ph.D., joined 11 others system-wide to receive this honor.
The A&M System Board of…
Multiple TAMUC Faculty Members to be Recognized at Virtual Ceremony
Eight faculty members at A&M-Commerce will be awarded the 2021 Dr. Augustine “Chuck” Arize Junior Faculty Award in a virtual ceremony on Tuesday, Oct. 5.
Dean Kimberly McLeod in the College of Education and Human Services will serve as keynote…
Carlos Bertulani to Serve as AccelNet Co-Principal Investigator
A&M-Commerce Professor Carlos Bertulani is co-leading a new physics research project. The project is lead by principal investigator Tapia Takaki from the University of Kansas. Bertulani is a co-principal investigator alongside Jean Delayen of Old Dominion University, Christine Aidala from…
A&M-Commerce Research Students Present at Mathematics Conference
Two research projects submitted by A&M-Commerce students participating in the university's summer 2021 National Research Experience for Undergraduates program in mathematics were selected for pre-recorded presentations at the Young Mathematicians Conference at Ohio State University, held virtually August 20-22.
Mathematics…
Multiple A&M-Commerce Professors to Receive Junior Faculty Award
The A&M-Commerce Faculty Senate and the Texas Association of Black Personnel in Higher Education have selected eight outstanding faculty members to receive the 2021 Dr. Augustine “Chuck” Arize Junior Faculty Award.
The award recognizes A&M-Commerce faculty who exhibit professional excellence.…
A&M-Commerce Faculty Newton, Fields, Receive Funding for Interdepartmental Research
The National Science Foundation recently awarded grant funding to A&M-Commerce faculty members Dr. William Newton, associate professor of physics and astronomy and Dr. Melanie Fields, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction.
William Newton, Ph.D.
Melanie Fields, Ph.D.
The funding will…
A&M-Commerce Professor Newton Cited for Space Research Collaboration
William Newton, associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at A&M-Commerce, is cited in a recent press release for his collaboration with researchers at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom.
The researchers have discovered a new…
Lunch and Show Kick off Planetarium Partnership With Red River County Schools
Staff members from Clarksville and Rivercrest ISDs visited A&M-Commerce for lunch and a Planetarium show on Wednesday, March 31. The visit kick-started a partnership between Red River County schools and the A&M-Commerce Planetarium.
The partnership enables children in grades K-8…
TAMUC Department of Physics and Astronomy to Host Summer REU
The A&M-Commerce Department of Physics and Astronomy is the recipient of a National Science Foundation grant intended to fund a summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) for community college students interested in physics and astronomy.
The 10-week REU program—which runs…
TAMUC Society of Physics Students Named Distinguished Chapter
The A&M-Commerce chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) has been chosen as a Distinguished Chapter for the 2019-2020 academic year. The honor marks the sixth consecutive year the group has received the designation. SPS is an organization of…
Alumna’s Estate Gifts $975,000 to A&M-Commerce Planetarium and Chemistry Program
The late Georgia Mae Waters Dorrough gifted $975,000, through her estate, to the College of Science and Engineering at A&M-Commerce.
The Georgia M. Dorrough Planetarium Endowment, the Georgia M. Dorrough Planetarium Maintenance Endowment, and the Georgia M. Dorrough Endowed Chair…
TAMUC Students Represent University at American Physical Society Meeting
Undergraduate students representing the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Texas A&M University-Commerce recently delivered talks at a virtual meeting of the Texas section of the American Physical Society hosted by the University of Texas at Arlington November 12-14.
Flint…
A&M-Commerce Planetarium Reopening After Renovations
The Planetarium at Texas A&M University-Commerce is reopening with new seats and a few new requirements. Reservations are now available for shows beginning November 13 and running through December 18. Seating is limited.
The feature presentation will be Mystery of…
A&M-Commerce Elevates Status as Leader in Physics Teacher Education
The Texas A&M University-Commerce Department of Physics and Astronomy recently received additional funding from the Physics Teacher Education Coalition (PhysTEC) to lead the creation of a PhysTEC regional network for the state of Texas.
A&M-Commerce is the lead institution in…
TAMUC STEM Leaders Discuss Regional Physics Education Network
Faculty from the A&M-Commerce Department of Physics and Astronomy were recently featured on an episode of Let's Talk it Over, a TAMUC web series on YouTube.
Associate Professors Robynne Lock and William Newton, and Assistant Professor Melanie Fields discussed recent…
A&M-Commerce Planetarium & Observatory Offer the Universe to Students and Community
The Planetarium and the Observatory at Texas A&M University-Commerce offer an astronomical amount of knowledge to students and the community.
Located on the first floor of the McFarland Science Building, the Planetarium features a Digistar 5 all-digital projection system and…
College of Science and Engineering Students Win Big at 16th Annual Pathways Student Research Symposium
Four students from the College of Science and Engineering came home with top finishes at The Texas A&M University System’s 16th Annual TAMUS Pathways Research Symposium, hosted on the campus of Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas, on November 7-8, 2019.
College of Science and Engineering Faculty Selected For 2019-2020 Faculty Senate Awards
Several faculty members from the College of Science and Engineering have been selected for recognition by the A&M-Commerce Faculty Senate.
Dr. Allan Headley in the Department of Chemistry received the William L. Mayo Professorship Award, which recognizes individuals who epitomize…
College of Science and Engineering Faculty Members Recognized at Inaugural Awards Banquet
The inaugural Augustine “Chuck” Arize Junior Faculty Award banquet took place on October 8, 2019. Two faculty members from the College of Science and Engineering — Dr. Robynne Lock in Physics & Astronomy, and Dr. Burchan Aydin in Engineering &…
A&M-Commerce Faculty Nominated for Chancellor’s Academy
Dr. Cheri Davis with the Department of Physics & Astronomy has been nominated for and appointed to the 2019-2020 Texas A&M University System Chancellor's Academy of Teacher Educators.
Since 2011, the Chancellor's Academy of Teacher Educators has honored teacher educators…
Physics Students Represent A&M-Commerce at 2020 Dallas ISD STEM Expo
Six members
of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) represented Texas A&M University-Commerce
at the 2020 Dallas ISD Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Expo
in Dallas on January 18.
A&M-Commerce
participants included Shandi Groezinger, Cristo Sanchez, Allan Teer, Macon…
Alum Jacob Stahl Honored as Rookie of the Year at NASA
A&M-Commerce alum Jacob Stahl aimed for the moon and
landed among the stars, as the old saying goes.
Stahl was recently awarded the 590 Rookie of the Year
Award by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. The award is…
Micalyn Rowe Accepted into Four Ph.D. Programs
Micalyn Rowe, an Honors College senior, was recently accepted into four Ph.D. programs with a focus in astronomy and astrophysics. During her undergraduate career at A&M-Commerce, Rowe conducted extensive research in mathematics and astronomy, and successfully defended her honors thesis,…
Article by A&M-Commerce Professor Featured on Journal Cover
An article co-authored by Dr. Bao-An Li, regents professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, was featured on the cover of the March issue of The European Physical Journal A. The article is titled “Extracting Nuclear Symmetry Energies at…
A&M-Commerce Professor Visits D.C. to Advocate for Science Community
Dr. Carlos Bertulani, professor of physics & astronomy, attended the 2019 Congressional Visits Day (CVD) in Washington, D.C., to represent the American Physical Society (APS) as a unit leader for Texas. During the visits, APS unit leaders and volunteers advocated…
A&M-Commerce Office of Sponsored Programs Hosts Leo Talks
The Office of Sponsored Programs at A&M-Commerce is hosting Leo Talks during Spring 2019. The lectures are “TED-like” talks that last about 20 minutes and feature presentations from two A&M-Commerce professors per event.
“The goal of the series is to…