The Center for Applied Research and
Rural Innovation

The use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS or drones) is increasing in society, especially in resource development and planning; and work-force use in the East Texas area. Preparation and training of safe use and piloting of UAS Pilots; and also use of UAS in the industry are essential for the future employment and integration into society. To date, 36 undergraduate and graduate students have been trained and taken and passed the FAA 107 UAS Piot license exam. All of these are employed in industry and are using drones in the workplace. Currently, another 20 are being trained with hands-on experience in either a formal UAS and Geographic Information Systems college course, or through hands-on training and informal working groups on preparing for the FAA UAS Pilot course. Hands-on training includes the use of 12 DJI Mavic Mini2 and Mini3 UAS that does not require a license as they weigh less than 250 gm each. These students will then phase into the UAS Pilot training. DroneDay2025 is scheduled for April 2025 with 10 presenters already accepted and willing to present both presentations and demonstrations. Publications for ongoing projects are already in progress with new students phased into drone flying and certification.

Microbial biofilm hazard has always been a threat to public health. The multicellular, surface bound, microbial films are caged by the extracellularly secreted proteins, carbohydrates, and/or DNA. Biofilms being resistant to anti-microbial agents, create chronic infections, death in human beings, and cause major problems in contaminating medical devices and food industries. United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) stringently regulates municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) for removal of pollutants to levels below recommended World Health organization (WHO) guidelines. Sustaining clean water resources, encouraging environmental sustainability, and guaranteeing community health and safety, all depend on efficient wastewater treatment (WWT). Maintaining hygienic conditions for safe drinking is indispensable to sustain life. This project is aimed at using microbial biofilms as tools to investigate the quality of the treated wastewater at various stages. A comparative analysis on the extent of biofilm formation will be performed with the treated wastewater at the effluent states from WWT plants located in Deep East Texas counties namely San-Augustine, San-Jacinto, Jasper, Angelina and Nacogdoches. This study also proposes a novel method of using nanomaterials to prevent biofilm in treated wastewater. This study holds a great promise to benefit public health related industries including biotech and environmental agencies.

Precision agriculture is a term for a recent movement to use new technologies to be more efficient in agricultural management – minimizing water-use, reducing fertilizer runoff, identifying plant stress, etc. The General Accounting Office recently produced a report on its pros and cons (https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-105962#). Many benefits are related to row cropping, which is not as prevalent in East Texas, but benefits could accrue from applying technology here. We could examine hay meadows and pastures to evaluate nutrient status and soil characteristics like pH, and broiler litter application rates. Drones could help assess potential stresses for farmers. New Agriculture Soils faculty member Aakriti Sharma is interested in a study like this, since the lab does a lot of soil and forage testing. Assistant professor Mahendra Bhandari, of the Texas A&M Agrilife Digital Agriculture Lab in Corpus Christi, indicates they have not worked much in East Texas but would be happy to share knowledge and experience with us if needed. Dr. Foster there works on forage. Thus, we propose modest funding to support two graduate students to look potential of this technology and willingness of farmers to adopt it. This could foster subsequent, more intensive research into this topic in Deep East Texas.

Mass timber, a collective term for engineered wood products including cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glued laminated timber (glulam), was developed as a structural building paradigm in mid-1990s in Europe. While over 170 mass timber projects are completed or in design in Texas, as few as 2 recent structures are in Deep East Texas. However, mass timber remains an emergent industry in the United States and, particularly, in Deep East Texas despite its geographic location, 12 million acres of productive forests, and a new CLT production facility. Currently, lack of awareness and understanding of mass timber is cited as a barrier to its broader implementation in new construction across the United States and Texas. As a novel material and technology, diffusion of innovation of mass timber adoption can be studied to examine stakeholder knowledge and application of mass timber as a green construction material. This proposal would fund a graduate student assistantship for researching diffusion of mass timber innovation and understanding potential barriers of adoption and needs for overcoming perceived barriers. Undergraduate students in forestry courses will learn experientially about the manufacturing of mass timber components prior to researching and developing fact sheet materials targeting relevant stakeholders.

As climate change persists, climate financing has intensified forest-based interventions, deemed most efficient solutions. One financing channel for planted forests is practicing Improved Forest Management (IFM), contributing 28% of forest-based carbon credits (Haya et al., 2023). In Rural Deep East Texas, extensive pine plantations are managed primarily for timber purposes. By applying IFM to these plantations, they could potentially qualify for carbon credits under IFM, creating new revenue streams for landowners and delivering significant economic benefits to East Texas. To explore such possibilities, it is essential to assess the eligibility of applying IFM to the pine plantations based on crediting criteria and to evaluate the tangible carbon credit benefits from IFM-based interventions, such as extending plantation rotation ages. Knowledge on both topics is lacking and this study aims to address these crucial topics using long-term data collected from loblolly pine plantations in East Texas. The approach involves a comprehensive review of carbon standards for IFM projects and pine plantation management, as well as the quantification of carbon credits and financial analysis across varying rotation ages of pine plantations. The results of this study will provide valuable insights for the development of IFM carbon projects in the region.

The ELEVATE Mentoring Initiative is a dynamic program designed to connect preservice teacher candidates with high school students to inspire them to pursue a college education and potential career in education. Preservice teacher candidates enrolled in the teacher preparation program at SFA are paired with high school students in the East Texas area to inspire a passion for teaching and to recruit for the educator preparation program at SFA. This will address the teacher shortage in the East Texas community. The program focuses on professional development, educational planning, and skill-building. Mentors help mentees understand the nuances of the teaching profession, including classroom management, lesson planning, and effective teaching strategies. The program offers workshops, observation opportunities, and collaborative projects that enhance the learning experience for both mentors and mentees. The ELEVATE Mentoring Initiative aims to improve educational outcomes for participants, foster a teaching workforce that is representative of the population in Texas schools, and equip potential SFA students with the confidence and competence needed to envision themselves as college students and future teachers, and to excel in their future careers. This program benefits the high school students and enriches the preservice teacher candidates' understanding of mentorship and the field of education.