Arts & Humanities

Faculty, Students To Showcase Creativity, Innovation, Entrepreneurship At SECU

A delegation of Texas A&M University faculty members and students will meet with colleagues from across the Southeastern Conference for the third annual SECU symposium.
By Lane Stephenson, Texas A&M Marketing & Communications September 18, 2015

Tiffany Sanchez Light Party
Tiffany Sanchez Light Party

A delegation of Texas A&M University faculty members and students will meet with colleagues from across the Southeastern Conference (SEC) for the third annual SECU symposium and celebration of the tenth anniversary of the SECU Sunday through Tuesday (Sept. 20‒22) in Atlanta. The theme for this year’s symposium is “Creativity, Innovation & Entrepreneurship: Driving a 21st Century Economy.”

Organized by the University of Florida, the symposium will focus on the role universities play in preparing students to be entrepreneurial, innovative and creative thinkers and the ways universities impact the economy. Each day of the three-day Symposium will have a specific focus: “Creativity at the Intersection of the Arts and Other Disciplines” on Sunday, Sept. 20; “Innovation in Education” on Monday, Sept. 21; and “New Paradigms in Intellectual Property Management” on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Gerard L. Coté, holder of the Charles H. and Bettye Barclay Professorship in Engineering and director of the Center for Remote Health Technologies and Systems in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, has served as the A&M Faculty Ambassador to the organizing committee.

“I am proud to have represented A&M for this event and look forward to our faculty and student’s demonstrating our creativity and excellence in innovation,” said Coté.

The following faculty members will be presenters at this year’s symposium:

  • Tim McLaughlin, associate professor and head, Department of Visualization, whose areas of interest include visual effects production, animation control systems, tools for collaborative creativity, and using visual perception information to minimize computer graphics processing. He is on the Board of Directors of the Visual Effects Society and a former Creature Supervisor at the Industrial Light & Magic.
  • Duncan J. Maitland, Stewart & Stevenson Professor of Biomedical Engineering and TEES assistant agency director for commercialization. His research focuses on novel treatments of cardiovascular disease with a focus on stroke.
  • Paulo Lima-Fihlo, professor and associate head for operations and undergraduate studies in the Department of Mathematics and associate dean for international programs in the College of Science, whose research in algebraic geometry, topology and vectors is recognized around the world, as are his presentations on teaching mathematics through innovative experiential learning.

In addition, a number of faculty members and students are contributing to the symposium’s showcase of student creativity. Emphasis areas and participants are as follows.

  • Student Jazz Ensemble—Joey Gabriano, senior accounting major and bugler in the Texas Aggie Band, will perform with instrumentalists from across the SEC as part of the symposium showcase on Sunday evening.
  • Student Visual Arts Exhibition—Carol Lafayette, professor and director of the Institute for Applied Creativity in the College of Architecture, is working with Adam Rothstein, a third year student in the Master of Fine Arts in Visualization program, who will exhibit work in progress for Rare Model, a live-action, science fiction short film. The content of the film strikes a delicate balance between the spectacles of visual effects required to tell the story, and the cerebral and philosophical challenges of the characters, both externally and internally. He will be joined by Priscilla Villareal, a senior theater arts student who will portray a character from the project.
  • Student Applied Arts Exhibition—Carisa Armstrong, professor of dance in the Department of Health & Kinesiology and director of the Academy for Visual & Performing Arts, facilitated the entry of Tiffany Sanchez who will display her visual arts work.
  • Student Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition—Don Lewis, executive professor in the Center for New Ventures & Entrepreneurship, Mays Business School, and Startup Aggieland has helped to facilitate the Texas A&M Pitch Team of Blake Teipel and Charles Sweeney who will compete against teams from each SEC school with their pitch on TriFusion Materials. Former student, Chris Valleta’00 co-founder of Mission Atheltecare, will serve as Texas A&M’s guest judge for the student pitch competition.

Finally, Anna Marie Wisniowiecki, a senior biomedical engineering major will serve as the official Texas A&M Student Ambassador for the symposium and support the overall event.

“The SECU initiative is working hard to foster collaboration across the SEC schools, as well as creating platforms to share the outstanding work of our faculty and students with the greater southeastern region,” offered Karan Watson, provost and executive vice president. “And broadcasting this year’s symposium over the SEC Network will bring even more exposure to these exciting academic initiatives”

The SEC Symposium’s student entrepreneurial pitch competition will be streamed live as an SEC Network + event on WatchESPN and SECNetwork.com, available to SEC Network subscribers. Additional features during the symposium on SEC NOW the conference’s daily news show.

Media contact: tamunews@tamu.edu.

Related Stories

Recent Stories