Stopping Dropouts
Too many students at UH were failing or dropping out of
physics classes and graduate student Carol Voight (’04,
M.S. ’07) wanted to know why. What began as a graduate
thesis has now changed how UH’s physics department
teaches its introductory classes. Voight, a master’s
student in mathematics and physics, discovered that many
students lacked the necessary math skills—even though
they passed trigonometry and calculus in high school or
at other colleges. As a result of Voight’s creation
of a diagnostic test and spurred by the findings, the physics
department has now made the test mandatory for all students
in its two introductory physics courses.
Cancer Detection Device
Doctors might soon have the ability to detect skin cancer
simply by waving a handheld device. Eric Stotzer (M.S. ’95),
a computer science Ph.D. student, is helping develop a
tool that will quickly and accurately diagnose malignant
skin lesions—the fastest-growing type of cancer in
the United States. The device, which can fit in a doctor’s
pocket, would capture a digital image of the skin and analyze
its size, texture, color, and other characteristics. It
also provides an exact numerical probability if the lesion
is cancerous. The research team has filed a patent for
the device and could have a prototype next year.
Sing a Song
When seven University of Houston student vocalists performed
on national television as part of NBC’s Clash
of the Choirs show last fall, they were wearing familiar
colors. “We were told our outfits were going to be
red,” says senior Jody Williams. “It’s
purely coincidental and kind of cool that we were able
to represent UH by wearing the school colors.”
Williams was among the UH students who were part of a
twenty-member Houston choir directed by pop star Kelly
Rowland of Destiny’s Child. Joining her were senior Sean
Arnold, junior Frankie Espinoza,
senior John Gallagher, junior Aike
Jamal, sophomore Michael Kessler,
and sophomore Spencer Soward.
 The
ensemble competed for charity money against choirs led
by other musical celebrities including Michael Bolton,
Patti LaBelle, Nick Lachey, and Blake Shelton. The winning
choir received prize money for a designated charity or
community project.
Unfortunately, the Houston choir was voted off after the
first round, but the experience was one to remember. Regardless
of the loss, the talented Cougars were pleased to have
the chance to make new friends while doing what they love
best— singing.
“It was so much fun,” says Jamal. “I
enjoyed doing the show and being surrounded by so many
talented vocalists—not to mention the stars!” |
