Collaboration is Key to Advancing Research in Texas

Each year, the TEES Annual Research Conference (TARC) brings together representatives from the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) regional divisions and affiliates to develop research projects to expand the research capacity in the state of Texas. 

Participants network with funding agencies, advance their research portfolios and work with colleagues to create action plans to pursue extramural funding within the TEES thematic workgroups: energy, health care, infrastructure, materials and manufacturing, and national security. This year’s 10th anniversary conference presented a top prize of $10,000, two $7,500 awards, four $5,000 awards and four $2,500 awards for a total of $55,000 in seed grant funding.

At its core, TARC is an innovative and collaborative conference with the mission of expanding the research capacity in Texas and increasing funding coming to the state. TARC encourages collaboration between junior and senior faculty from multiple institutions. 

In just a day and a half, participants form teams, select a principal investigator, and develop a project and pitch presentation. They must clearly define the problem, explain their solution, and outline its expected impact, while presenting a realistic path to funding or workforce development within 9-18 months. Teams identify funding sources, demonstrate societal benefits, assess impact beyond Texas, and highlight future funding opportunities, proving they can achieve their goals with seed funding.

 “By fostering these connections, TARC not only sparks innovative research projects but also strengthens the broader research community, accelerates the translation of ideas into real-world solutions, and supports workforce development by encouraging multidisciplinary teamwork and knowledge exchange,” said Stephen L. Jones, vice president of academic affairs for Tarrant County College South Campus and member of the TL-CHIPS team. “Ultimately, these partnerships help accelerate technology development, enhance workforce training, and increase the impact of our research across Texas and beyond.”

The top prize of $10,000 went to the TL-CHIPS team for their project “Mitigating Thermal Hotspots in 3D Chip Stacks Using Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotube Arrays.” The principal investigator is Chun-Wei Yao, an associate professor in mechanical engineering from Lamar University.

The TL-CHIPS project focuses on solving thermal hotspot issues in 3D-stacked semiconductor chips, which occur due to high power density and limited heat dissipation, causing overheating, reduced performance, shorter lifespan and even device failure. 

“The project addresses the formation of thermal hotspots in 3D semiconductor chip stacks, a major challenge in 3D integration due to increased power density and limited heat dissipation paths. This is important because thermal management is critical for ensuring the reliability and performance of high-performance electronic devices. The project proposes using carbon nanotubes to mitigate these hotspots,” said Yao.

To tackle this, the team proposed the development of vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays as advanced thermal interface materials to enhance heat conduction and improve the reliability of 3D semiconductor chip stacks. The project has two phases. Lamar University will run thermal simulations to optimize 3D semiconductor chip designs for heat management. Tarrant County College will then develop a physical prototype by growing carbon nanotubes on a dummy chip, testing various conjunction materials like copper and aluminum to improve heat transfer. Infrared imaging will analyze thermal behavior, and the study will also assess thermal resistance at key interfaces.

In addition, the team hopes that through institutional collaboration, this research and prototyping will also translate to educational opportunities for students and industry. 

“By fostering partnerships with industry and research institutions, the project will enhance educational opportunities for students and help meet the growing demand for skilled technicians in Texas’ expanding semiconductor industry,” Jones said.

Additional team members include Jenny Zhou, Department of Mechanical Engineering department chair and professor, Lamar University; and Xuejun Fan, Regents' Professor of Texas State University System and Mary Ann and Lawrence E. Faust Endowed Professor in the mechanical engineering department at Lamar University.

One of the $7,500 prizes went to the team Automated Pavement Construction for their project “Automating Geomaterials for Smarter Pavement Construction.” The principal investigator is Vinay Krishnan, assistant research scientist in civil engineering at TEES. 

“The Automated Pavement Construction project addresses the inefficiencies, quality variability and labor dependence in traditional pavement construction. By integrating robotics, intelligent sensors, and real-time data monitoring, the project aims to enhance construction quality, improve safety, reduce rework and shorten project timelines,” said team member Ayman Elzohairy, associate professor of construction engineering at East Texas A&M University. “This advancement is critical for meeting growing infrastructure demands, overcoming skilled labor shortages, and ensuring more sustainable, cost-effective pavement systems.”

Krishnan adds that their project, if successful, could be adopted by industry to support a number of needs. 

“If successful, this technique could be adopted by the construction industry to enable automated pavement rehabilitation. It holds promise for addressing skilled labor shortages and improving repair efficiency, especially in remote or underserved areas,” he said.

Additional team members include Olugbenro Ogunrinde, assistant professor in construction science and management at Tarleton State University, and Jianxin Huang, assistant research scientist in civil engineering at TEES.

An additional $7,500 award went to the team E-SIMS (Elder Symptoms Individualized Monitoring Systems) for their project “Real-Time Multimodal Predictive Analytics Framework for Health Care Monitoring.” The principal investigator is Haitham Adarbah, postdoctoral research associate in electrical engineering and computer science at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. 

“Our project addresses a critical gap in elderly healthcare, which is the lack of real-time, individualized monitoring systems. Current technologies rely on generalized AI models, failing to capture the complexity of aging patients’ health needs,” said Anika Rimu, assistant professor in engineering and technology at East Texas A&M University. “We are building a Real-Time Multimodal Predictive Analytics Framework that adapts to each individual’s health profile using physiological signals, electronic medical records and behavioral patterns. This is important because it allows for early detection and timely intervention, reducing hospitalizations and supporting independent aging.”

Adarbah adds, “This research can help shift health care to a proactive model, reduce preventable hospitalizations and lower costs, especially for aging populations. It has implications for health policy reform, insurance models and technology integration in elder care.”

Additional team members include James Henry, associate professor in chemical and biomolecular engineering at Lamar University; Ngozi Mbue, associate professor in nursing from Texas Woman’s University; and Jabia Chowdhury, assistant professor in electrical engineering at Texas A&M University-Texarkana. 

As TARC marked its 10th anniversary, it continues to serve as a catalyst for groundbreaking research and interdisciplinary collaboration across Texas. By bringing together diverse minds, TARC not only fosters innovative solutions to pressing challenges but also strengthens the state’s research ecosystem. With each passing year, the conference reinforces its mission to drive progress, empower researchers and expand the impact of engineering and technology far beyond institutional boundaries — paving the way for a more connected, capable and forward-thinking Texas.