Dr. Ferguson Talks Research, Writing, and Meeting Joe Biden

After class is over for students, they head home. After class is over for professors, there are office hours, grading work, meetings and (for most) research. They can come in the form of donations, but more often than not, it is a stiff competition for grants. One faculty member has pursued so many grants, he received an award. Dr. Christopher Ferguson, associate professor and department chair of psychology, was recently honored for having the most research submissions for Texas A&M International University. Although he wasn't able to attend the grant gala, he was greeted with warm praise from colleagues the following school day.

Apart from his busy day-to-day schedule, this year's winner took some time to discuss what key factors can help win some of these grants. Although teaching is an important aspect of the job, it only takes up about a quarter of the time. Ferguson notes that "the way education is going, we are definitely [having to push for] external funding." These funds are not a local favor from big names in Laredo; it is a nationwide rat race for the same prize. The only way you land some of the coveted spots is through convincing proposals. This can prove to be both tedious and demanding, considering the competition. Ferguson emphasized that TAMIU is "quite literally, [..] competing against the Harvards, Yales, and Stanfords." That means that there are no divisions or categories. It is all from the same pool and the process is not quick and easy. Applicants don't hear back for at least six months although Ferguson says, "I've had one last about a year and a half."

This does not include all the time is takes for drafting a proposal. They can have a 15-20 page requirement, usually single spaced. Ferguson advised that "in my experience, you want to get as close to the maximum as possible without passing it" if you want to make a true statement, making student research papers seem like a cakewalk. Once proposals are submitted, review committees must scrutinize, present and score them. Usually, the highest scoring ones get the grants.

When asked how to keep yourself and an audience interested, he said the key was "picking a topic you're invested in because some these things can be dry and are not intrinsically interesting." Ferguson's expertise lies in youth violence, a controversial issue. "After the Sandy Hook Shooting, you can see what kind of national attention this gets. The questions I'm trying to get at are what are the kinds of things that contribute to aggression and violence." In the midst of all this research, Ferguson's keys to staying proactive have been to "be persistent. Whether it's publishing papers or looking for grants, being able to face rejection is critical."

Some exciting things are outlined in these proposals. One in particular that's trying to be pushed through is that of a TAMIU video game camp. Ferguson explains,"essentially, it's different types of activities and seeing if they seem to affect the interaction between children." It is a proposal that if passed, could bring students, teachers, and the community together. Undergraduate and graduate students could have a chance to gain experience in research which Ferguson highlights as "one of the main goals." They would get to be the evaluators of the children and have a valuable slot on their resumes.

However, students are not the only ones who build their credibility. Ferguson himself gains more credibility and clarifies that "It helps [him] keep [his] job and have something tangible [if he wants] to apply for another job." TAMIU can also solidify its' role in the research aspect of academia, even though Ferguson observed that TAMIU's reputation has been "on quite an upswing" in recent years. Ferguson also had the opportunity meet Vice President Joe Biden thanks to his recent research project. "Following the Sandy Hook incident, I got to meet Biden thanks to my video game research. He invited me to one of his meetings," he remarked. It's certainly a newsworthy tidbit but the most important thing is definitely his contributions to the university.

If you'd like more information on what research opportunities lie ahead,  you can contact Dr. Ferguson at cferguson@tamiu.edu

(Michelle Rubio may be reached at michellerubio@dusty.tamiu.edu)