Minority Opportunities for Research Experience in Earth Science at the University of Texas at San Antonio (MORE Science at UTSA), funded by the U.S. Department of Education (Grant Award No. P120A050061), was a three-year project (October 1, 2005 to September 30, 2008) designed to provide research and field experiences to undergraduate Earth science majors.

Activities sponsored under MORE Science at UTSA included:

• Research experience at UTSA or one of our partner institutions (including Southwest Research Institute, UT-Austin, UT-El Paso, and TSU-San Marcos) providing undergraduates an opportunity to work closely with a faculty mentor on a specific research topic. Twelve paid research positions ($2500 per student) were available each summer.
• A 10-day all expense paid field trip to west Texas and south New Mexico each summer to bring together the undergraduates involved in research or internship programs and their advisors.
• An annual student colloquium at UTSA where students presented their summer research. Cash awards were offered for the best project presentations.
• Travel support for students to present their research in professional conferences at the local, regional, or national level.
• Science mentoring in the public schools, to keep undergraduate participants excited about their science and to help attract younger students to careers in the sciences.
• Two new undergraduate courses in the cross-disciplinary field of remote sensing, GIS, and GPS. The first of these courses was offered in Fall 2006; the second one was offered in Fall 2007.
• A twice monthly seminar series focusing on issues in Earth science and geospatial science and technology, bringing experts from industry, government, and academics to UTSA to share their research and experience with our students.

Participation in science research through MORE Science at UTSA is anticipated to increase student marketability in entering graduate schools or beginning careers upon graduation from UTSA. Priority was given to minority undergraduate students majoring in Geology, Geography, Environmental Science, or MDS, but non-minority and women students were also encouraged to apply.

Management Committee

• Dr. Hongjie Xie (PI), UTSA
• Dr. G. Randy Keller, UTEP
• Dr. Marius Necsoiu, SwRI
• Dr. Cesar Ocampo, UT Austin
• Dr. Le Wang, TSU-San Marcos

funding provided by

partners