STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Tarleton State University’s Mayfield College of Engineering faculty secured research funding at the recent Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station Annual Research Conference in College Station.
The TEES Annual Research Conference convenes faculty and researchers from TEES Regional Division schools to share ideas, foster new research partnerships, and strengthen Texas’ research capacity in areas including space, semiconductors, national security, healthcare, energy and power, and materials and manufacturing. As the conference concludes, these representatives propose research collaborations that compete for funding.
This year a combined award of $52,500 funded eight collaborative projects, according to Dr. Abolghassem Zabihollah, Professor in the Department of Mechanical, Environmental and Civil Engineering and Assistant Dean for Research in the Mayfield College of Engineering. Tarleton State teams participated in six of the eight funded projects, accounting for $42,500 of the total awarded funds. Of this amount, $17,500 was awarded to projects in which Tarleton State serves as the lead institution (Principal Investigator).
“I was absolutely delighted to hear that Tarleton State’s collaborative projects received funding at the TEES Annual Research Conference,” said Dr. Rupa Iyer, Vice President for Research, Innovation and Economic Development. “This will not only expand our partnerships but also enhance research opportunities for our students and faculty and strengthen our commitment to achieving R1 status.”
Along with funding, the conference fosters strong new collaborations and networking, requiring each proposed research project to include participation from at least two universities. This year’s event brought together faculty and researchers from multiple universities within The Texas A&M System, including Tarleton State, Texas A&M University, Prairie View A&M University, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Texas A&M University-Texarkana, Lamar University and Sam Houston State University.
Participating Tarleton State faculty included Dr. Haitham Abu-Ghazaleh, Co-Principal Investigator; Dr. Adedeji Afolabi, Co-PI; Dr. Youngki Ahn; Dr. Hongbo Du; Dr. Alexandru Herescu, Co-PI; Dr. Shihao Huang, Co-PI; Dr. Hoe-Gil Lee, Co-PI; Dr. Mohamed Massaoudi, Lead PI; Dr. Modupe Mewomo; Hyedi Nivens; Dr. Olugbenro Ogunrinde, Lead PI; Dr. Sunday Oyinbo; Dr. Saki Rezwana, Lead PI; Dr. Nourouddin Sharifi; and Dr. Zabihollah.
“Attending events such as TEES-TARC 2026 is highly valuable for the Mayfield College of Engineering, particularly in advancing research and collaborative initiatives,” said Dr. Zabihollah. “This event provided us with an excellent opportunity to establish and strengthen research partnerships with universities across the Texas A&M System and other institutions.”
He added that those partnerships help pave the way for stronger inter-university collaborations in research, proposal development and multidisciplinary academic activities, particularly for initiatives such as The Texas A&M System Research Excellence Fund. Faculty and researchers can collaborate across institutions, exchange expertise and develop highly competitive research teams capable of tackling complex engineering and societal challenges.
A founding member of The Texas A&M System, Tarleton State University is breaking records — in enrollment, research, scholarship, athletics, philanthropy and engagement — while transforming the lives of more than 21,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Bryan and online. For over 125 years, Tarleton State has been committed to accessible higher education opportunities for all while helping students grow academically, socially and professionally through programs that emphasize real world learning and address regional, state and national needs.