Research Centers and Specialized Laboratories at SFA
“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” ~ Carl Sagan
Stephen F. Austin State University is dedicated to excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, creative work, and service. SFA's Research Centers support this mission by encouraging and facilitating innovative research and multidisciplinary collaboration between faculty, staff and students, while building research capacity for future projects and programs.
Inventory of approved centers, institutes, and specialized laboratories at SFA
Visit any of our Research Centers today to learn more about - and get involved in - the cutting edge activities taking place at SFA!
RESEARCH CENTERS
The Waters of East Texas (WET) Center
The Waters of East Texas (WET) Center conducts research and assessment projects on water related resources, ecosystems, and issues in the east Texas region. Expertise within the WET Center is multidisciplinary and includes wetland function and restoration, surface hydrology, water quality assessment, aquatic toxicology, aquatic biology fish population assessment, GIS applications, remote sensing applications, soil sampling and analysis, and wildlife assessment. Supported by the Research Development Fund
Center for Regional Heritage Research (CRHR)
The Center for Regional Heritage Research is a community of scholars and researchers from SFA and across east Texas who investigate and document the natural and cultural heritage of the region. Together, they have expanded the capacity of SFA to conduct research in several vital fields, including historic preservation, archaeology, geography, heritage tourism, resource interpretation, and community development. Supported by the Research Development Fund
National Center for Pharmeceutical Crops
The National Center for Pharmaceutical Crops (NCPC) of the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture is a pioneer in pharmaceutical crop research in the United States. Ongoing research projects are pursued with the goals of improving human health by discovering novel anti-tumor and antiviral agents from native plants, enhancing U.S. security in strategic pharmaceuticals by reducing dependency and vulnerability on foreign supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients, and revitalizing the U.S. and Texas rural economy by developing high-value pharmaceutical crops. Supported in part by the Research Development Fund
STEM Research and Learning Center
The primary goal of the STEM Research and Learning Center is to conduct cutting-edge research on Center activities designed recruit students who are interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and prepare them academically to enter STEM careers. The mission of the STEM Center is to promote the STEM disciplines, in general, including comprehensive areas of STEM education such as EC-12, higher and graduate education, and workforce and industry-related fields. Supported by the Research Development Fund
Columbia Regional Geospatial Service Center
Established by Congress in 2005, the Columbia Regional Geospatial Service Center is the national model for a growing network of regional research and development centers that gather and deliver geospatial information, tools and training necessary to emergency planning and response, economic development and natural resource management. Current Centers are located at The University of Texas at El Paso, Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Lamar University in Beaumont and Texas A&M International University in Laredo as well as the Columbia Center at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches. The System engages in statewide and regional research projects in all mission areas.
The Science Research CenterThe mission of the SFA Science Research Center incubator is to expand and enhance the research capacity of the University and the education of students through internships, training opportunities, and collaborative research projects with incoming client companies; increase the number of research staff, faculty and facilities; increase collaboration and involvement of the community; and have a positive impact on economic growth in the East Texas Region.
The Center of Community Research
The Center of Community Social Research is a full-service quantitative and qualitative research center, which specializes in conducting survey research, collecting, storing, coding and analyzing data, and issuing reports.
The Center for East Texas Studies
The Center for East Texas Studies is devoted to preserving and interpreting the history of Stephen F. Austin State University, its hometown Nacogdoches, and the region of East Texas.
The Institute for White-Tailed Deer Management and Research
Over the last 35 years, researchers at the Institute for White-Tailed Deer Management and Research, one of the best known deer research centers in the world, have developed significant knowledge and management tools for the species, including the first food plot research, patents on oat varieties bred specifically for whitetails, development of infrared-triggered cameras, artificial breeding of whitetails, genetics and antler research, electric fence technologies to control deer, and aging techniques for live deer. The Institute conducts research on the biology, ecology and management of White-tailed Deer, which remains the most economically and ecologically important game species in the US.
Rural Social Work Research and Development Center
The mission of the Rural Social Work Research and Development Center is to support faculty and students in research activites that foster the development of community-based social services and the leadership capabilities of rural service providers.
The Statistical Consulting Center
The primary goal of the Statistical Consulting Center is to increase the research productivity and research stature of faculty and students at SFA by promoting interdisciplinary research that connects clients from partnering colleges with faculty and graduate students in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
SPECIALIZED LABORATORIES
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility
Dedicated to interdisciplinary research, the University has recently acquired a Joel ECS 400MHz NMR Spectrometer. Supported by the Research Development Fund
Anthropology and Archaeology (AAL) Laboratory
Since 1985, the Anthropology and Archaeology Laboratory (AAL) has provided student training and teaching opportunities through field and laboratory work, conducted archaeological research in Texas and adjacent regions using existing collections and through public outreach, provided outreach services that educate the general public about anthropology and archaeology, provided cultural resource management (CRM) services to federal, state, local, and private agencies, and furnished long-term care for collections that are "Held-in-Trust" for the people of Texas and the United States.
Soil, Plant and Water Analysis Laboratory
The Soil, Plant and Water Analysis Laboratory is charged with developing soil tests for the unique acidic, low fertility soils of the East Texas region. Since opening in 1952, the Lab has run over 200,000 soil samples, approximately 50,000 forage samples, and hundreds of other special tests of water, soil, broiler litter, plants, and waste materials used by the homeowners and agriculture related businesses of the East Texas region. The Laboratory has numerous analytical procedures and instruments which can measure many elements in various materials, and which may be of value to researchers in several disciplines across the SFA campus. Supported in part by the Research Development Fund
OTHER APPROVED CENTERS AT SFA
The Center for a Livable World
The Center for a Livable World is reframing the way sustainability is considered by acting as a public resource for businesses, community leaders, and others who want to engage in critical thinking, research and concrete projects about livability. The Center explores the human dimension of the environmental debate and offers a vision of the future that emphasizes community, personal engagement, and economic responsibility while keeping human context the focal point of discussions in moving towards a sustainable world.
The SFA Gardens is a 62-acre horticultural resource for the SFASU community and East Texas region, which includes the SFA Mast Arboretum, the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden, and the Pineywoods Native Plant Center. The mission of SFA Gardens is to promote the conservation, selection and use of the native plants of Texas, promote plant diversity in the landscape, serve as a living laboratory for SFA students and faculty and the nursery and landscape industry, and provide an aesthetic and educational environment for students, visitors and local citizens.
The Teaching Excellence Center (TEC)
The Teaching Excellence Center's (TEC's) mission is to support the faculty, teaching assistants and instructional unites in their dedicated efforts to enhance teaching effectiveness and student learning. Through its services and programs the TEC works collaboratively to create a campus community that values and recognizes teaching excellence and innovation.