Stories

Co-authored by Elisa Marroquin, assistant professor in TCU’s Department of Nutritional Sciences, a new paper published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology reveals the first systematic review to assess the effect of taking probiotics alongside antibiotics on the diversity and composition of the human gut microbiome. The review evaluates trends across 29 studies published over the past seven years.

Carnivorous plants have a wild array of adaptations that help them flourish in nutrient-poor environments, which include strategies to lure prey to their traps. John Horner, TCU biology professor, is an evolutionary ecologist with research interests in plant-insect interactions. Here he answers some in-depth questions about these fascinating plants.

The College of Science and Engineering will launch its Peer Mentoring Program in the spring. For the program, students have been selected from each department major to peer mentor other students. Peer mentors will provide a connection with prospective, first-year, returning, transferring, and underrepresented students in their transition to the TCU community by providing resources to increase their success and engagement with the University.

October was first declared National Substance Abuse Prevention Month in 2011. It’s a time to highlight the important role of substance abuse prevention in both individual and community health, as well as an opportunity to remember those who have lost their lives to substance abuse. CSE's IBR and KPICD are working with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department and other county juvenile probation departments on trying to prevent substance abuse in local and national communities.

SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science) and SLA, two cultural organizations on TCU campus, hosted the Mexican Cultural Showcase on Sept. 25. The showcase brought many dances and performances from students and clubs on campus.

Family Weekend is the perfect opportunity to experience the community your students call home. Families will have the opportunity to interact with the College of Science and Engineering’s world-class faculty and staff while enjoying refreshments. Check out the CSE Family Weekend activities here.

Matt McLennan has been named the new Houston Livestock and Rodeo Professor in Ranch Management at Texas Christian University. McLennan graduated from TCU’s Ranch Management program in 1992. After graduating, he worked in stocker cattle production and cow calf production in eastern New Mexico and in Comanche, Texas. McLennan managed the Beaumont Ranch south of Fort Worth for four years. This led him to the cattle feeding and stocker operations of the Panhandle area of Texas.

Greg Friedman, chair of TCU’s Department of Mathematics, has been named the new John William and Helen Stubbs Potter Professor of Mathematics at Texas Christian University. Friedman joined the College of Science & Engineering as an assistant professor of mathematics in 2005. He was promoted to associate professor in 2010 and then to professor in 2016. In 2019 he was named chair of the Department of Mathematics, and in 2020 Friedman received the TCU Deans’ Award for Research and Creativity.

David Cross, Rees-Jones Director of TCU’s Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development (KPICD), will retire at the end of this year. For more than 30 years, Cross has been fiercely committed to changing the world for children. Serving previously as Associate Director of Research at KPICD, Danica Kalling Knight will step into the role of the Rees-Jones Directorship for the KPICD when Cross retires.