Peng receives award for outstanding community service as fair director

Tuesday, Oct 15, 2024 • Greg Pederson :

Yuan Bo Peng, professor of psychology at The University of Texas at Arlington, has been honored for his exemplary community service in his role as director of the UTA Fort Worth Regional Science and Engineering Fair (FWRSEF), a branch of one of the largest student research fairs in the country, the International Science and Engineering Fair.Peng received the 2024 CIE/USA-DFW Individual Outstanding Community Service Award from the Chinese Institute of Engineers Dallas-Fort Worth chapter. The award recognizes his volunteer work as director of the UTA FWRSEF, a role he has had since 2012.

UTA FWRSEF was established in 1951 and includes 10 North Texas counties. It is the oldest continually operating regional science and engineering fair in Texas and the largest in the region. The fair requires extensive preparation throughout the year, including the student application process, forming a science review committee, logistics for the fair, and securing volunteers to serve as judges for the projects presented by students in grades 6-12.

“It is my honor and privilege to have this opportunity to serve our community, and I am extremely honored to receive the 2024 CIE/USA-DFW Individual Outstanding Community Service Award,” Peng said.

UTA FWRSEF is held each year in February and for many years has been hosted and sponsored by UTA. Students who earn top awards at local fairs in Tarrant and nine surrounding counties qualify for UTA FWRSEF. Under Peng’s leadership, participation in UTA FWRSEF has increased significantly. This year, more than 400 students participated and submitted a total of 306 projects. Prizes were awarded in 15 categories, with category and best of fair awards totaling more than $8,000.

The fair leadership team includes Valerie Martinez, College of Science director of student success and recruitment (deputy director); Jianzhong Su, UTA professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics (scientific review committee); Carter Tiernan, UTA professor of instruction and assistant dean for student activities in the College of Engineering (board of trustees); and Yi Leaf Zhang, professor, Higher Education Adult Learning and Organizational Studies, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (chair, scientific review committee).

UTA FWRSEF is one of only two regional fairs in Texas that does not charge the schools or students a participation fee. Peng leads extensive fundraising efforts each year, covering not only part of the cost to run the fair — including student awards, space, equipment rentals and more — but also sponsoring seven projects for inclusion in the annual Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). UTA FWRSEF paid for all student travel expenses to ISEF, with an average of $1,500 per student. Each year, UTA FWRESF also nominates around 50 high school projects and 50 middle school projects for the Texas Science & Engineering Fair competition at Texas A&M University.

“This award for Dr. Peng is well-deserved and fitting recognition for his exemplary service to the UTA-Fort Worth Regional Science and Engineering Fair,” said Morteza Khaledi, dean of the UTA College of Science. “The fair is an excellent way for young students to showcase their talents in science and engineering, and it takes a tremendous amount of work to make the fair a success each year. Dr. Peng and his team have done a superb job of managing this event.”

Peng’s lab group at UTA studies the neurophysiological mechanisms of nociception by means of electrophysiological techniques in both the peripheral and central nervous system. He came to UTA in 2001 as an assistant professor and has been a full professor since 2014.

He earned an M.D. from the West China University of Medicine in 1986 and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in 1996. After completing his residency in orthopedics at West China University of Medical Sciences in 1991, he worked as a postdoctoral fellow in neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital from 1996-98 and as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, from 1998-2001.

The Chinese Institute of Engineers was founded in 1917 in New York by a group of Chinese engineers who graduated from American universities and worked in the United States. It was renamed Chinese Institute of Engineers USA (CIE/USA) in 1977. There are seven CIE chapters across the country, including the DFW chapter, which was formed in 1989.

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