UTSA IES Pathways – The University of Texas at San Antonio

Welcome to UTSA P20 Pathways to Education Research
Training Program

For more information about our program, please contact us:

The University of Texas at San Antonio, with a grant (R305B210028) from the National Center for Education Research (NCER) in the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of Education, is providing support for the IES Educational Research Training Program: UTSA P20 Pathways to Education Research.

The training program is primarily housed within the UTSA Department of Interdisciplinary Teaching and includes faculty and students from across disciplines who are conducting Educational Science research.

Since 2016, the IES Educational Research Training Program: UTSA P20 Pathways to Education Research (IES UTSA Pathways) has been developing a pipeline of young and talented interdisciplinary researchers who bring fresh ideas, approaches, and perspectives to addressing the issues and challenges of inequalities that exist in educational experiences, transitions, and outcomes from PK through graduate school.

UTSA Pathways supports undergraduate students for doctoral studies in education research across disciplines through its education research training program. The training program provides fellows with: (1) the opportunity to enhance their knowledge of P-20 pipeline issues; (2) an introduction to education research and scientific methods; (3) meaningful opportunities to participate in education research studies; and (4) professional development and mentoring leading to doctoral studies.

We are currently recruiting undergraduate juniors to be part of our 2025-26 UTSA IES Pathways Cohort.

Application Deadline

September 19, 2025

Program Starting Date

October 2025

Larissa Aspiras

Larissa Aspiras

I am a junior chemical engineering student at the University of Texas at San Antonio. I am currently a fellow in the UTSA P20 Pathways to Education program, funded by the Institute of Education Sciences. I am passionate about cleaner, alternative energy sources and bioproduct innovation. The IES Pathways program helps me bridge my interests in sustainable energies with education. My research focuses on public education about renewable energy. I am interested in determining the best methods for educating the public and how to improve public attitudes on renewable energies.

Samhita

Samhitha Boyana

is a third-year student at the University of Texas at San Antonio pursuing a dual degree in Neuroscience and Psychology.
Her research interests focus on culturally and developmentally responsive behavior interventions in early childhood classrooms and their impact on academic engagement and learning. She is particularly interested in how teacher implementation of evidence-based programs, such as CW-FIT, can promote equitable learning environments for diverse student populations. She plans to attend graduate school to study neurodevelopmental disorders in children.

Valeria Castro

Valeria Castro

is a dedicated pre-medical student at the University of Texas at San Antonio, passionate about the intersection of neuroscience, biochemistry, and pediatric medicine. Her curiosity about the brain’s complexity and development drives her ambition to pursue a career in pediatric neuroscience, where science, compassion, and healing meet.
Her experiences volunteering for her community and teaching young children have deepened her commitment to medicine as both a science and a calling. Through this program, Valeria will explore how biochemical processes shape neurodevelopment and how this knowledge can inform early interventions and improved care.

Ramy Elerian

Ramy Elerian

I am a Chemical Engineering major at UT San Antonio as well as an IES Pathways fellow. I am looking into the impacts of makerspace facilities within K-12 learning spaces and their impact on the likelihood that students pursue a higher education within STEM. I believe that an increased involvement in STEM fields across all demographics allows for everyone to have a more level playing field.

Amber Elizalde

Amber Elizalde

is a third-year at the University of Texas at San Antonio pursuing a degree in Neuroscience. Growing up with a young mother who was raised in the foster care system, motivated Amber to be an active volunteer for this community from a young age. It was here where she noticed the health disparities that make foster care youth more susceptible to significant educational gaps and a lack of STEM access. She is currently an NSF-funded APPEX scholar conducting neuroengineering research as well as being an active IES P20 Pathways fellow. Through the IES Pathways program, she is determined to develop a solution to combat the harmful health disparities that intervene with the academic success of youth in foster care, and increase the quality and availability of STEM access.

Lizeth Garcia Hernandez

Lizeth Garcia Hernandez

is a junior student majoring in Business Analytics at the UT San Antonio, where she brings experience in data-driven problem solving, research, and student support. As a first-generation Mexican student and Certified Peer Advisor, she has supported hundreds of students through enrollment, financial aid, and academic planning. Her experience includes analytical projects and predictive modeling using SAS, R, and Tableau. Lizeth is committed to merge analytics with education to understand and address barriers faced by first-generation Hispanic students. Through the Pathways Research Program, she aims to develop data-informed solutions that support student success to achieve higher education.

Fernanda Garcia Hernandez

Fernanda Garcia Hernandez

I am a fourth-year Computer Science student at UTSA with a double concentration in software engineering and data science, passionate about applying my technical skills to develop solutions that create meaningful and lasting impact, particularly at the intersection of education, technology, and sustainability. Through software development, research practices, and data analytics, I aim to make emerging technologies more accessible and understandable for students who are navigating these tools early in their academic journeys.

Tiffany Gillmore

Tiffany Gillmore

Tiffany Gillmore is a double major in Chemical Engineering and Electrical Engineering at the University of Texas at San Antonio. As she has progressed through her degrees, she has realized that while she excels at the technical side of engineering, her greatest strength lies in connecting with people at the right place and time. She is deeply motivated by building meaningful relationships, learning from her network, and using that knowledge to help others reach their full potential. Through her research, mentorship, and leadership roles, Tiffany finds great fulfillment in sharing knowledge, pushing her own understanding, and helping others develop their gifts—creating a cycle of learning that strengthens both individuals and the communities they serve

Michael Goulet

Michael Goulet

Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Michael Graduated from Milwaukee Trade and Technical High school in 2002 with a certificate in Welding. Immediately After which, he Enlisted in the United States Air Force (USAF) until his retirement in 2022 after 20 years of service. During this time he completed his Associates of Applied Sciences in Aviation Maintenance Technology (2016). After retirement from the USAF Michael continued to contribute to the success of the F-15 program with Boeing in San Antonio, until pursuing and completing his personal goal of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT) in 2023. During this hike, he passed Dartmouth College where he was inspired to return to academia and better himself.

Tatum McClung

Tatum McClung

I am a junior Business Management major. My research focuses on finding ways to introduce financial literacy education to women. Women attend college at higher rates than men yet score lower on financial literacy assessments. Research shows this gap is influenced by social expectations, stereotype threat, and how financial information is communicated. By identifying these patterns, my work highlights ways to make financial education more effective and accessible.

Hailey Muñiz

Hailey Muñiz

is a computer science major at the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Terry Foundation Scholar. Her interest in technology began in high school, where she discovered a passion for coding and cybersecurity. She hopes to apply her skills in technology to support equitable access to education. As an IES Pathways Fellow, Hailey is interested in studying how differences in school resources affect access to computer science education. She plans to study how early exposure to technology influences students’ confidence and persistence in STEM fields.

Ashton Page

Ashton Page

I’m a third-year psychology major at the University of Texas at San Antonio and a UTSA IES Pathways Fellow. My research interests are in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders and their impact on academic success. As someone who is neurodiverse, I hope to expand the existing body of knowledge on neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders over the course of my career. After graduating from UT San Antonio, I plan to enroll in a PhD program out of state and eventually become a research psychologist. In addition to being a Pathways Fellow, I’m an undergraduate research assistant for UT San Antonio’s TARDIS Lab and a McNair Scholar.

Redentor Perez

Redentor Perez

I am pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Public Health at UT San Antonio with hopes of going to graduate school and pursuing a Master of Public Health. I am passionate about addressing health disparities in underserved Latino communities, mental health awareness among Hispanics, social epidemiology, and the connection between education/literacy and poor health outcomes. Advocacy has always been a big part of my life and doing the research to break down the problems that disproportionately affect populations like the ones back home lets me give them a voice on what we can do to fix and give back to the community. I am so excited to be an IES Pathway Fellow and I cannot wait to get involved with the cohort this year!

Dylan Reyes

Dylan Reyes

is an electrical engineering student at the University of Texas at San Antonio and an IES Pathways Fellow with a strong interest in engineering education research. Through his experiences as a student, Dylan observed how access to resources, mentorship, and engaging learning experiences shape academic pathways, motivating his commitment to making STEM education more accessible and effective. Through the Pathways Program, Dylan explores how different instructional approaches impact student understanding, retention, and problem-solving skills in electrical engineering, with a particular focus on traditional, structured laboratory exercises and open-ended, design-based projects.

Kayli Stidham

Kayli Stidham

Kayli Stidham is a junior at UTSA, majoring in biology. Currently, Kayli is participating in the CURES (Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences) Biology Research Initiative, under the Microbial Diversity and Antibiotic Diversity class, observing the antibiotic activity of bacteria found in soil samples taken from UTSA campus. She is eager to join the IES P20 Pathways Fellows to expand her research experience, develop her skills in STEM education, and support efforts to promote academic success in science for students of all backgrounds.

Lilly W

Lilly Weaver

Lilly Weaver is a third-year Statistics and Data Science student at UT San Antonio’s College of AI, Cyber, and Computing. She was selected as a P20 IES Pathways Fellow, a federally funded Institute of Education Sciences program designed to prepare students for research careers through hands-on experience. Her research interests include causal inference, algorithmic fairness, and the use of machine learning to inform student success initiatives in higher education. She is particularly interested in evaluating the causal impact of early warning systems and how model-influenced interventions shape student outcomes.