This summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to intern at the Texas Research Alliance. The Texas Research Alliance (TRA) is an organization that facilitates collaboration between universities and industry through different programs and initiatives. During my time as an intern, I learned a lot about how research universities are classified top-tier or tier one institutions. I was surprised to learn that none of the universities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area were awarded the distinction of a tier one research institution by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). The only ones in the state are UT Austin, Texas A&M, Rice University, Texas Tech, and the University of Houston. The

I'm disappointed to hear about Comedy Central cancelling "The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore". Larry Wilmore's show was a great addition to the late-night scene because he brought to cable television the panel interview/discussion format that -at the time- was only on Bill Maher's HBO show "Real Time with Bill Maher". And the biggest reason I like "The Nightly Show" so much is because Wilmore used his position as a Black American television host to candidly talk about race relations in the country while adding his own perspectives (Trevor Noah, who started hosting The Daily Show in September 2015, may be black, but he's a recent immigrant, giving him a different viewpoint than Black America

I'm quoting a Texas Research Alliance post on Facebook: "When students are introduced and exposed to STEAM education resources, we can ensure a better tomorrow. Students who work with the TECH Truck (a Perot Museum program) and Totally Equipped INCwill hopefully go on to pursue higher education and learn how to solve the world's future problems." http://www.dallasinnovates.com/tech-truck-launches-kids-steam-related-fields/

I really like the perspective provided by Paul Bloom in this video, but I have to disagree with his stance that empathy is negative to humanity. The idea of "Effective Altruism" is definitely one of the best ways to create the largest positive impact, but that doesn't mean the small acts of philanthropy that Bloom denounces are wrong. I think that caring for that "baby stuck in a well" and being a "warm-glow altruist" is also incredibly important because after feeling the rush of doing something good for someone else for some time, a "warm-glow altruist" may transition into becoming an "effective altruist" because they want to have a greater impact. The video is a short one (shy of 3 minutes

We've officially announced the theme for this year's TEDxUNT conference! We hope you can (re)imagine the possibilities with us on September 12!!

This TEDx talk gives a fantastic explanation of the effects of having a "Scout mindset" versus a "Soldier mindset". The presenter explains how important it is to not have a confirmation bias and dismiss information that contradicts your current ideas and views or feel bad that you may be wrong. She asks that we instead approach the contradiction with a curiosity to find the true answer that may be something we never expected. This talk is definitely one of my new favorites!