Student Success & Undergraduate Affairs Update
Volunteers Needed for First-Year Student Tailgate
Help us kick off the semester with food, games, and fun at First-Year Student Tailgate! Our annual welcome back event has a new name (previously called NSM Block Party) but has the same energy and we need your help to make it a success.
Date: Thursday, August 28
Time: 4–6 PM
Location: NSM Rotunda
If you’re interested in volunteering, please complete the Registration Form to share your availability and role preferences.
Thanks in advance for your help in making this year’s welcome unforgettable!
For questions, please contact nsmyear1@central.uh.edu.
TC Energy Summer Scholars Academy Kicks Off
The College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics welcomed its 7th cohort of the TC Energy Summer Scholars Academy on June 9. This summer, 52 incoming freshmen are spending nine weeks studying calculus, chemistry, and learning what it takes to be a successful college student. Additionally, students participate in career panels, lunch and learning sessions, soft skills workshops, and have a staff mentor. After successfully completing the program, students will be eligible to start in their first-choice major in NSM or Engineering and will have a community of support for the Fall 2025 semester. On June 11, students created connections beyond the classroom with TC Energy employees through bowling and games at the UH Student Center Game Room.
SEP Workshop Enrollment Update
The Scholar Enrichment Program (SEP) is offering 48 workshops for the Fall 2025 semester, each designed to support students through a structured, collaborative learning environment that fosters both academic excellence and personal development. As of June, enrollment has reached 858 students, with two months remaining before the fall term begins. This number is expected to steadily rise throughout July and August as outreach efforts continue, and more students become aware of the benefits of the program. With increased visibility and strong word-of-mouth, the program anticipates at least 1,000 students enrolled by the beginning of August.
Office of First Year Programs
The OFYP is registered to attend 7 TACRAO Fairs in Fall 2026 including 6 high schools and 1 community college for recruiting a diverse cohort for the 2026–2027 academic year.
teachHOUSTON Updates
STEM Camps in June
Full STEM Ahead Camp offers 6–8 grade students a week-long camp, June 9–13, filled with themed days of hands-on activities involving environmental science, biology, physics, technology, and more. For example, Junior scientists embraced every challenge with creativity, curiosity, and excitement as they applied engineering design processes to build weight-bearing bridges, chemistry knowledge to create lava lamps and slime and examined the structure and function of organisms through frog dissections, and terrarium building. The week wrapped up with a STEM Awards Celebration, where each Junior Scientist was recognized for their outstanding participation, enthusiasm, and innovation.
Cougar Summer STEM Camp provided a week of discovery, innovation, and fun. Campers engaged in hands-on exploration and scientific discovery, from physics and chemistry to biology, engineering, and technology. Activities included visits to the Texas Center for Superconductivity, where they explored superconductivity, momentum, circuits, and electromagnetism with expert scientists and professors. Campers also visited the UH 3D Printing Lab where they designed custom keychains and explored real-world applications of 3D printing in medicine, art, and engineering. The week ended with a forensic science challenge, where campers used logic, observation, and evidence to solve a mock crime scene.
New Teacher Academy
teachHOUSTON recently hosted a New Teacher Academy, a dynamic three-day professional development conference designed to support new educators as they begin their teaching careers. The event welcomed 70 attendees from across the greater Houston area, all early-career secondary teachers in mathematics, science, or computer science. Throughout the conference, participants engaged in interactive sessions focused on essential topics such as classroom management, inquiry-based lesson planning, effective use of educational technology, and developing content-rich instructional strategies. teachHOUSTON alumni returned for another exciting summer of learning and collaboration, while STEM-Lead Master Teacher Fellows delivered high-quality, impactful sessions tailored to the needs of beginning educators. The event highlighted the power of community, mentorship, and continued professional growth in building a strong foundation for classroom success.
NSF Grant Received for Research Experiences for Teachers
As part of a collaborative initiative between the Technology Division at the Cullen College of Engineering, the Cullen College of Engineering (CCOE), and the teachHOUSTON program, a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for a Research Experience for Preservice Teachers (RE-PST) in STEM Settings. This program supports high school preservice STEM teachers in teachHOUSTON by engaging them in research related to Industries of the Future. Activities include workshops, curriculum development, seminars, and industry site visits. These experiences were designed to translate research into a high school curriculum aligned with TEKS and NGSS standards. teachHOUSTON faculty, Ramona Mateer, continues to work with the participants to guide them in identifying relevant content connections and developing lessons for use in their first year of teaching.
American Society for Engineering Education Conference
Dr. Mariam Mauel attended the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) conference held June 22–25 in Montreal, Canada where she gave a presentation titled “Exploring Pre-service Teachers’ Perceptions of Integrating Engineering Design and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in STEM Education.” Dr. Jerrod A. Henderson, and Bereket Mego were co-presenters for the work, which was co-authored by Drs. Jacqueline Ekeoba and Michelle Carroll Turpin. Also, Dr. Manuel gave a presentation on “Implementation and Evaluation of an Engineering Design Process Course for High School Preservice Teachers based on 3D Printer Component Analysis” (view paper here). Co-authors on this work include UH faculty Drs. Weihang Zhu, Paige Evans and Peter Weber.
Career Center
Fall Career Fair (Sept. 16)
The NSM Career Center has officially opened employer and graduate school registration for the Natural Sciences & Mathematics + Computer Science Career Fair & Graduate Expo, scheduled for Tuesday, September 16, 2025, from 1 to 5 PM at Student Center South.
- Employer Outreach: Student Directors are actively engaging with industry and academic partners to secure participation and expand employer presence.
- New Sponsor Announcement: In addition to returning partners such as TC Energy, NOV has joined this year’s fair as a corporate sponsor!
This event provides vital networking and recruitment opportunities for NSM students, graduates, and recent alumni. The NSMCC continues targeted outreach to attract additional companies and graduate programs. Look for information on pre-fair preparation workshops and resume support closer to the event.
“Tech Talk” Industry Insights Session
The NSM Career Center is collaborating with the Cullen College of Engineering to host a “Tech Talk” session with industry representatives from NOV. Scheduled for late September on campus (date and venue to be confirmed), the event aims to bridge the gap between academic theory and practical application in the energy sector.
Session Objectives:
- Demonstrate how core coursework in natural sciences and engineering translates into industry solutions.
- Provide students with direct exposure to NOV professionals and their roles.
- Encourage career awareness and professional networking in energy and related fields.
This initiative reinforces NSM’s strategic goal of connecting academic training with leadership opportunities in industry—enhancing students’ career readiness and sector visibility.