Congratulations to the 2026 TExBioMed Summer Institute Scholars!

Over the past 12 weeks, our 12 scholars dedicated themselves to research and professional growth while gaining valuable hands-on experience. They concluded the program by presenting their research through oral and poster presentations to a panel of community partners serving as judges, along with faculty, family, friends, and members of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette community.

We were honored to welcome remarks from UL Lafayette President Dr. Ramesh Kolluru and Interim Vice President for Research and Innovation Dr. Kumer Das as they recognized the students’ hard work and accomplishments throughout the summer.

Congratulations to our presentation award winners:

1st Place: Natalie Himel
Phonological Competition in Spoken Word Recognition: A Mouse Tracking Study
Research Mentor: Dr. Hung-Chu Lin

2nd Place: Joseph Rebert
Chatbot for ADRD Patient Care
Research Mentor: Dr. Sonya Hsu

3rd Place: Terriona Hopkins
A Statewide Analysis of the Physical Therapy Workforce in Louisiana
Research Mentors: Dr. Gabriela Wilson and Sahithya Sakhamuri

Every member of this year’s cohort should be proud of what they accomplished. Throughout the summer, our scholars strengthened their research skills, explored new areas of healthcare innovation, and gained experiences that will continue to support their future goals.

We would like to thank our mentors, community partners, faculty, family, and friends for supporting our scholars throughout the summer. Your guidance and encouragement played an important role in making this program a success.

As they move forward, many of our scholars are taking with them new professional connections, shadowing opportunities, and the opportunity to present their research at the Health Summit in New Orleans. We look forward to seeing all they accomplish next.

Congratulations again to our 2026 TExBioMed Summer Institute scholars. We are incredibly proud of each of you!