SOCIAL SCENE
Student art and activism setting the current campus culture.
Mentoring Third Ward High Schoolers
In this summer’s inaugural STEM Research Inquiry Summer Enrichment (STEM RISE) program, sponsored by a National Science Foundation grant, Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine students and undergraduate science, technology, engineering and math majors taught and mentored students at Jack Yates High School, a public high school located in the heart of Houston’s Third Ward.
Fighting Houston’s Food Insecurity
UH’s Bonner Leaders are students dedicated to improving lives in their community. A new Food Insecurity Team will alleviate food inaccessibility in Houston, working in tandem with Houston Food Bank to support nutrition education and food distribution initiatives in Houston’s public schools, churches and homeless shelters.
Making STEM Feminist
Hosted by Ph.D. candidate Nicole Guinn, “The STEMinist Podcast” miniseries shares stories of women breaking ground in STEM research at UH’s Cullen College of Engineering. UH students, alumni and professors discuss topics including ocean exploration, lunar geology, fighter jets and whether it’s possible to shoot lasers out of your cellphone.
Breaking the Genius Stigma
Bonner Leaders in the Math Confidence Through Cubing Club (MC^3) are tutoring children at underserved middle schools in Houston in math — but not just with equations. By teaching these students to complete a Rubik’s Cube, MC^3 is building student confidence, breaking the “genius stigma” and teaching students that they can master difficult concepts and tasks with persistence. The project helps students address behavioral issues such as fighting, drug abuse and lack of long-term planning
Spotlighting Sephardic Latinx Oral History
Only 300,000 Americans identify as Sephardic Jews — descendants from 13thcentury Jewish populations that resided in the Iberian Peninsula — and their rich history has been largely overshadowed. In an attempt to rectify this, 16 students in UH Associate Professor Mark Goldberg’s Latina/o Jewish History course helped members of this important Houston community share their stories through a partnership with Holocaust Museum Houston.
Preserving Houston’s History
Since 1984, UH’s Center for Public History has engaged faculty, students, alumni and community leaders to preserve Houston’s diverse history, identity and cultures. The Houston History Magazine is published online to help circulate and archive the important stories and events that have shaped the city.
Making Campus Cleaner and Greener
A group of UH students created E.C.O. to advocate for alternative energy sources and wildlife conservation and reduce campus’s carbon footprint. In April, their E.C.O. Recycling Competition collected nearly 1,000 plastic bottles.
Combatting Health Care Barriers
The student-led organization Honors in Community Health is on a mission to help underserved populations in Houston overcome health care barriers through community service, advocacy and research. Projects include outreach to asthmatic elementary-age children, providing resources for community health workers and teaching younger generations the importance of urban renewal.
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