Three students from the Department of Physics and Astronomy at East Texas A&M University have been awarded competitive scholarships from NASA’s Texas Space Grant Consortium for the 2025–26 academic year. The awards, created in memory of the seven astronauts who died in the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy, recognize academic excellence, STEM outreach, leadership and participation in scientific research.
This year’s recipients—Alan Briseño, Nicholas Cox and Xavier Grundler—are all active members of the Society of Physics Students, a group known for leading physics and astronomy outreach. Each student has also engaged in undergraduate research within the department, which offers opportunities in astrophysics, stellar and nuclear astronomy, planetary science, surface physics and materials research.
Briseño, a physics major with an emphasis in astrophysics, said the scholarship will support his ongoing research with Dr. Billy Quarles.
“My research focuses on planetary dynamics, and receiving the Texas Space Grant Consortium scholarship allows me to continue developing these interests while preparing for graduate school,” Briseño said.
Grundler, who studies neutron stars under the mentorship of Dr. Bao-An Li, said the award enables him to continue advancing his work.
“Last year this scholarship supported my research on neutron stars, and we were able to publish our results and present them at multiple conferences,” Grundler said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to continue expanding our models of matter under extreme conditions.”
Cox said the scholarship eases financial pressures and allows him to focus more fully on his coursework and research.
“With this scholarship, I won’t have to worry about the cost of books or supplies this semester, and I’ll be able to concentrate more fully on my studies,” he said.
The Department of Physics and Astronomy at East Texas A&M provides undergraduate students with personalized faculty mentorship, undergraduate research opportunities and access to professional-grade facilities, including research laboratories, an on-campus observatory and the university’s planetarium. Students can pursue bachelor’s degrees in physics with emphases such as astrophysics or teaching certification, and many go on to graduate programs or careers in science, engineering and education.
Dr. Kurtis Williams, department head and professor of physics and astronomy, said all three students exemplify the department’s commitment to academic rigor, scientific curiosity and student leadership.
These achievements reflect the university’s mission to transform lives by opening doors to research, discovery and academic excellence—opportunities available to every physics and astronomy student at East Texas A&M.
Article source: East Texas A&M University
Pictured: Scholarship recipients—from left to right, Nicholas Cox, Alan Briseño and Xavier Grundler—hanging out in the East Texas A&M Planetarium. | Photo credit: Jason Connel, ETAMU Marketing and Communications
