Jim Gallegos, right, as a junior in high school had completed four courses and in fall of 1977 was enrolled in junior-level math and three other subjects at UTEP. Science Dean Juan Lawson, left, admitted Gallegos to the university under the Privileged Entrance Program after observing his success in a regional math competition. Dean Lawson's wife, the late Marjorie Lawson, in 1966 became the first black faculty member and taught in the English Department for several years. He joined the faculty in 1967. He stepped down as dean in 1978 in order to devote more time to teaching and research in physics. Under a NASA grant he studied vulcanism on a moon ofJupiter.
Solar collectors were tested on the roof of the Enginering Buildingfor a solar energy research project in 1977. Standing are, from left, Professors Anthony Tarquin and Jack Dowdy, with graduate student B. L. "Bud" Wilcox.
The roof of the Math Annex at the corner of Hawthorne and Rim was covered with solar collectors in the late seventies when the College of Engineering became involved in solar research projects.