Last Wednesday, the UTRGV Strategic Initiatives Symposium took place at the Edinburg ballroom. Three of ten research projects were discussed. Dr. Nicholas Blackburn, assistant professor of human genetics for the School of Medicine, presented his research on tackling a turtle tumor threat, a strategic plan that received funding last November.
[su_quote]“So, the strategic plan was influential in allowing me to even start a project. Without it, it just wouldn’t have been possible, and it’s a way for us to crystallize and formalize relationships that already exist. To actually get to have them down on paper and say, ‘Hey, we are going to do something about a problem we see’.”
-Nicholas Blackburn, Assistant professor of human genetics for the School of Medicine[/su_quote]
Students across the Edinburg campus came to learn more about the strategic plans. Economics junior, Vincent Abbott, attended the event to listen and compare the strategic plans in contrast to his major.
[su_quote]“I think it does have something to do with it. Especially with the profitability of plants and being like environmentally conscious, I think economics play a role in that because of its history, philosophy, and then there’s all these other problems you need to take into account.”
-Vincent Abbott, Economics junior[/su_quote]
Dr. Blackburn says he encourages more students to get involved in this learning experience to further grasp the severity of some of these issues and hopefully get inspired on campus.
