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Best Practices in Trumpet Teaching and Performing

Raquel Samayoa, Instrumental/Brass

Dr. Raquel Samayoa will work with Ms. Mary Bowden (Shenandoah Conservatory) in a productive cross-institutional mentoring association that will focus on three primary objectives. First, they will discuss, evaluate, and strategize approaches to improving the quality of instruction in applied trumpet studios, effective recruitment and retention efforts, and motivation and team building. Second, Ms. Bowden will function as a career mentor to Dr. Samayoa and provide feedback regarding Dr. Samayoa’s creative and scholarly work, teaching philosophies and methods, and best practices that can be shared between the two programs. Third, each will travel to the other’s university for a visit that will include performances, master classes, and career mentoring sessions with graduate students. These visits will assist in fostering a positive relationship between the programs that will benefit their trumpet students.
 
Enabling Additive Manufacturing Capability to UNT's NASA BIG Idea Challenge 2023

Ravi Sankar Haridas, Department of Mechanical Engineering

NASA is steadfastly advancing its efforts to enhance exploration capabilities on the lunar surface through the Artemis program and the Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative, aiming to establish a sustained human presence on the moon. As part of the Artemis mission, building a base camp on south pole for astronauts to land, live, and explore has been planned. The SIMPLE (Solid-state Integrated Manufacturing Process for Lunar Environment) concept, developed by a dedicated group of students from the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MTSE) under the guidance of Dr. Haridas, was chosen as one of the seven finalists in the “NASA BIG Idea Challenge 2023: Lunar Forge” and received the ‘Path to Flight’ award at the NASA BIG Idea Forum 2023. This innovative technology proposes an integrated manufacturing process for lunar environments, featuring extrusion capabilities for multiple end products along with additive manufacturing (AM). Dr. Haridas will use the grant to visit Enabled Engineering (EE) in Blacksburg, VA, to learn about the design and operation of their patented SolidStir AM technology and to collaborate with Dr. Kumar Kandasamy, CEO of EE. By incorporating AM capabilities into the existing equipment, UNT will become the first academic institution to have SolidStir AM technology. This project will also allow Dr. Haridas to foster student mentorship at UNT and establish long-term research collaborations with NASA and EE through SBIR/STTR programs, advancing UNT's involvement in space research and supporting NASA’s Artemis mission.

From Insight to Impact: Leveraging Mentorship to Advance Housing Affordability Studies

Hanchen Jiang, Economics

This project connects me with leading scholars in housing affordability, supports visits to external institutions to present my work, and facilitates comprehensive research and career development feedback.

Junior Faculty Mentorship and Anthropology of Latin American

Karine Lopes Narahara, Anthropology

This proposal aims to initiate the creation of a space of sustainable mentorship between a Tenure-Track Junior Faculty (the author of this proposal) and a Full Professor Faculty external to the University of North Texas (UNT). The project includes mentoring sessions and a visit from a senior Brazilian Faculty, based in the US, to campus. With this grant, I envision consolidating not just a sustainable path toward tenure but also being able to solidify my international trajectory as a member of the UNT faculty body. The projects also help internationalize UNT research programs and teaching.

Legacy: A Centennial Celebration of JJ Johnson’s Brass Orchestra Works
Nicholas Finzer, Jazz Studies

The Brass Orchestra: Rediscovering J.J. Johnson's Legacy is a groundbreaking project set to revitalize the underappreciated works of jazz trombonist and composer J.J. Johnson while pushing the boundaries of large ensemble jazz. This unique concert experience, scheduled for October 1st 2024, will feature rarely heard excerpts from Johnson's seminal works "Perceptions" and "Poem for Brass," alongside the world premiere of a new commissioned piece by Finzer for brass orchestra inspired by Johnson's innovative orchestrations. The project brings together jazz and classical musicians, fostering creative exchange and bridging genres under the mentorship of GRAMMY award-winning composer/producer Ryan Truesdell, who will also guest conduct. Don't miss the extraordinary opportunity to hear the rich, powerful sound of a full brass orchestra in a jazz context, as we honor J.J. Johnson's pioneering spirit and explore the under appreciated realms of large ensemble jazz.

Mentorship for HDA Graduate Program Coordination

Benedict Jikong, Rehabilitation and Health Services

Professional faculty members find it challenging to maintain their identity as teachers especially after transitioning from the industry to academia. Teacher identity exerts a powerful influence on professional identity, academic roles, and responsibilities. As a full-time faculty in the Department of Rehabilitation and Health Services, the Individual Mentoring Grant will help me grow, develop a professional identity, skills, in addition to building networks to benefit  the Health Data Analytics MS Program and the Department, under the mentorship of Professor Jator, Samuel Senior Associate Provost for Academic Affairs at Lamar University Beaumont, Texas. The Mentoring program will include: Establishing regular in-person and online coaching, workshops and networking events, and enhancing program coordination effectiveness.

Welfare Programs and Their Impacts on Household Financial Well-being

Xi Yang, Economics

Supported by the UNT Individual Mentoring Grant, Dr. Xi Yang will visit the Institute for Research in Labor and Employment (IRLE) at UC Berkeley hosted by Dr. Hilary Hoynes during the fall of 2024 as part of her faculty development leave. The primary goal of this trip is to enhance Dr. Xi Yang's research ability and career development and build stronger academic networks between UNT and other institutions.