Democratizing research
Research at TAMS, open to everyone.
The TAMS Research Organization (RO) is a student-run initiative making professional research and competitions accessible for every TAMS student.
The TAMS Research Organization (RO) is a student-run initiative making professional research and competitions accessible for every TAMS student.
RO exists to make finding professional research and participating in competitions accessible for every TAMS student. We promote research opportunities throughout the year, connect students with UNT labs, and help our members succeed at every level of competition.
Alongside our flagship events, RO runs a monthly STEM newsletter written by TAMS students, and mentors students through FWRSEF, TXSEF, ISEF, and TJAS.
Anika is on the General Mathematics & Science track. She is president of RO, a senior mentor, committee head for the Indian Student Organization, and an Honors Chemistry committee head. Anika is in Dr. Acree's analytical chemistry lab, where she works to find replacements for toxic solvents.
Janani is on the General Mathematics & Science track and serves as RO's vice president. Before attending TAMS, she was a student at Frisco High School. Janani works in Dr. Yang's biomedical engineering lab.
Vivian is a senior on the Mechanical Engineering & Energy Sciences track and an Undergraduate Research Fellow in Dr. Taeyul Choi's mechanical engineering lab. She's always happy to help with research comps, presenting, poster-making, and more.
VivianLiu@my.unt.edu · @vivianhliu on Instagram · LinkedIn ↗
Melanie is a senior on the General Mathematics & Science track. She is in Dr. Clement Chan's synthetic biology lab and works on engineering genetic circuits for bioremediation. Her research interests are in biotechnology, genetics, and environmental science.
Sravya is on the General Mathematics & Science track. Alongside serving as a Competitions Director for RO, she is a Senior Mentor and a committee head for Little Leaps. Her academic interests lie at the intersection of materials science and biology, and she is in Dr. Melanie Ecker's lab.
RO's annual networking event connects juniors with UNT professors looking for lab members. Prospective PIs and students roam freely at this tabletop event, and many TAMS students have found their labs here. Keynote speakers, former TAMS students, and faculty share their experiences in UNT research.
A dress rehearsal held one month before FWRSEF. TAMS students present their posters in a professional setting with UNT professors as judges and receive feedback from professors and RO executives.
One-on-one summer meetings between incoming juniors and an RO exec, covering how to contact professors and how research at UNT works. Sign-ups and the Zoom link go out to the incoming class's Facebook Messenger in late July.
Broadening Equity in Access to Knowledge, Exploration, and Research
BEAKER is RO's volunteer organization, dedicated to providing research and STEM education opportunities to Denton ISD. TAMS students get to conduct university-level research, and BEAKER is how we give back.
By pairing TAMS students with Calhoun Middle School students in an after-school program, BEAKER guides club members through designing and completing their own research project, with the goal of presenting at the junior division of the Fort Worth Science and Engineering Fair.
An all-day research showcase where participants present their poster to judges in a live speech. Students from ten counties compete across fifteen categories. Category winners advance to the state fair. A Best of Fair award qualifies you directly for the International Science and Engineering Fair, skipping the state level.
fwrsef.org ↗Participants must place at FWRSEF to qualify. Held at the end of March, TXSEF offers many awards, but only ten projects advance to the International Science and Engineering Fair.
txsef.tamu.edu ↗The premier high school research competition in the world. Students from across the globe compete to qualify for this week-long convention hosted by Regeneron, filled with panels, activities, media days, and judging.
societyforscience.org/isef ↗A high school research presentation hosted by Texas A&M. Participants submit their project abstract and completed research paper, then deliver a twelve-minute in-person presentation to a panel of judges. Group projects are not accepted.
TJAS at Texas A&M ↗Most TAMS research starts with a cold email to a PI. Fill in the highlighted blanks with your interests and the professor's actual work, and attach your resume.
Dear Dr. _____, I hope you are doing well! My name is ______, and I am a junior at the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science (TAMS). I am deeply interested in (insert), and I was particularly fascinated by your research on (insert) as outlined in your paper (insert). (insert interests about the paper). I would welcome the opportunity to contribute to ongoing projects while further developing my research skills. I understand you have many demands on your time, and I truly appreciate your work and commitment to your research. If your schedule allows, I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with you sometime to learn more about your work and discuss potential ways I could contribute as a TAMS student. I've attached my resume for your reference and would be thankful for any insights you're willing to share. Thank you again for your time and consideration! Warmest regards, ______________