News About Faculty at UT Dallas

Faculty

News and information for and about UT Dallas faculty.

Professor Wins Prize for Translations of Romanian Poet

Dr. Sean Cotter, associate professor of literature and translation studies, has won the 2013 Best Translated Book Award in poetry given by Three Percent, the international literature magazine of the University of Rochester. Cotter’s winning book, Wheel With a Single Spoke and Other Poems, crosses the language barriers of Eastern Europe and brings the works of one of Romania’s most influential poets, Nichita Stanescu, into English for the first time.

UT Dallas Dental Expert to Consult for Air Force Surgeon General

Dr. David Murchison, a senior lecturer in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at UT Dallas, has been appointed Civilian National Consultant in Restorative Dentistry and Dental Materials to the U.S. Air Force Surgeon General. Murchison, a retired Air Force colonel with 30 years of service, joined the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics in 2010.

Professor Focuses Students on the Impact Accountants Can Make

Associate Professor Dr. Yuan Zhang, who recently joined UT Dallas, studies how accounting affects individual businesses and the capital market. A forthcoming article by her examines whether companies make better investment decisions – and boost returns to shareholders – after disclosing material weaknesses in internal controls and working to improve the companies’ financial reporting.

Professor Helps Advance Health Science Using Biostatistics

By applying statistics to genetics, Dr. Swati Biswas is aiding efforts to analyze the human genetic code for clues to fighting disease. Biswas is biostatistician who recently joined the UT Dallas faculty as an assistant professor of mathematical sciences.

NSM Awards Recognize Exemplary Teaching and Staff Service

The School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at UT Dallas recently honored three individuals for teaching excellence and service. The 2013 Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award went to Dr. Mohammad Akbar, senior lecturer in the Department of Mathematical Sciences. Rodrigo Vinluan, a graduate student in the Department of Chemistry, received the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award.

ECS Faculty Member Edward Joseph Esposito Mourned

UT Dallas is mourning Dr. Edward Joseph Esposito, a faculty member in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, who died at age 62. Esposito was an assistant dean and senior lecturer in electrical engineering at UT Dallas. In 2009, Dr. Esposito helped launch the UTDesign program, which provided a path for students to tackle projects proposed by local industry and other organizations.

University Mourns Longtime Management Professor

The University of Texas at Dallas is mourning Dr. Constantine “Connie” Konstans, a longtime accounting and information management professor in the Naveen Jindal School of Management, who died Monday. Konstans recently was honored with a UT Dallas endowed professorship in his name, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award from D CEO magazine. Early this year he was named a 2013 Fellow of the Open Compliance and Ethics Group, a nonprofit to help organizations achieve principled performance in areas such as governance and assurance.

EPPS Students Selected Nominees for Teacher of the Year Awards

For the third year, students in the School of Economics, Policy and Political Science rewarded faculty with nominations for best professors of the year at an awards ceremony last month. Students nominated professors from each of the seven degree areas within EPPS for Outstanding Teaching Comet Awards, and a winner was selected in each. The winners received crystal apples engraved with their names.

Professor Uses Language of Math to Describe Natural Phenomena

Dr. Dmitry Rachinskiy, a professor of mathematical sciences who recently joined the UT Dallas faculty, applies principles of mathematics to natural systems to better understand problems and phenomena in biology, physics, chemistry, technology, geosciences and economics.

New Director, Partnership Boost Expanding Real Estate Program

Dr. Randall S. Guttery, the Naveen Jindal School of Management’s director of real estate programs, brings a wealth of academic and practical experience from a 30-year real estate career. A new partnership with a worldwide organization brings more good news for the growing program.

University Mourns Loss of Longtime Faculty Member and Friend

Dr. Victor L. Worsfold, associate professor emeritus of UT Dallas, passed away Sunday, April 21, at the age of 69. Worsfold was an inspiring educator and member of the faculty in the School of Arts and Humanities from 1975-2001 and recipient of the University of Texas Chancellor’s Council Outstanding Teaching Award in 1989.

Two UT Dallas Faculty Members Named Distinguished Teachers

Dr. Sheila Amin Gutiérrez de Piñeres, professor of economics and dean of undergraduate education, and Dr. John Sibert, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry, were among the first 12 individuals chosen to join a UT System academy, which recognizes outstanding educators at UT’s nine academic institutions.

Financial Expert Urges Wedding Season's Newlyweds to Avoid Debt

As wedding season approaches, the big day can bring great joy, but also sobering financial burdens. The key, says UT Dallas personal finance expert Jared Pickens, is to avoid piling on debt just as a new marriage begins.

A Mathematical Journey That Began at Young Age Inspires Professor to Teach

Dr. Vladimir Dragovic joined the UT Dallas faculty recently as a professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences. Before joining UT Dallas, he was a research scientist at the University of Lisbon.

Colleagues Honor Faculty Member Repeatedly Praised by Students

Dr. Nasser Kehtarnavaz, professor of electrical engineering, is often mentioned in an informal survey of students graduating from the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science as one of their most influential faculty members. Siamak Yousefi, who earned a doctorate in electrical engineering last school year, said Kehtarnavaz provided continuous support and invaluable advice.

Professor Travels to India, Nepal to Study Traditional Performance

Thomas Riccio, professor of performance and aesthetic studies in the School of Arts and Humanities, recently visited Nepal and India to deepen his research on indigenous performance. His research shows the countries’ traditions are alive but vulnerable in the face of global changes.

New CVL Faculty Member Focuses on Brain Networks and Memory

Dr. Gagan Wig, who recently joined UT Dallas’ School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, is looking forward to collaborating with colleagues who share his interest in aging and memory loss at the Center for Vital Longevity. Wig, an assistant professor, will teach courses on the brain and cognition, as well as connectivity and neuroimaging. He chose to come to CVL because he was “extremely encouraged and inspired” by the level of support UT Dallas has put toward building a world-class brain sciences program.

Fulbright Lecture Series Takes Historian to Colombia

History professor Stephen G. Rabe shared his expertise on ties between the U.S. and Latin America recently with students in Colombia in a series of lectures given in conjunction with the Fulbright Program. Over a period of 17 days, Rabe delivered 13 lectures on the history of inter-American relations and on topics in contemporary U.S. history. Rabe lectured at the Universidad Nacional of Colombia om Bogotá, the Universidad de Manizales, in the nation’s coffee-growing region, and the Universidad de los Andes, a private university in Bogotá.

Tips Can Help Taxpayers Keep More of Their Earnings – and Sanity

Still haven’t filed that income tax return? UT Dallas tax senior lecturer Art Agulnek has some practical advice for avoiding common and costly mistakes and other Tax Day headaches. Too many taxpayers make simple errors that can delay refunds, he says. Others leave money on the table by overlooking deductions. And growing numbers have discovered that identity thieves already have beaten them to their refunds.

UT Dallas Mourns Longtime Professor and Accounting Expert

Dr. Adolf J.H. Enthoven, the most senior accounting professor in the UT Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management and director of its Center for International Accounting Development, died March 15 of complications from a fall late last year. He was 84. Dr. Enthoven, who joined the UT Dallas faculty in 1976, was a noted expert on international accounting and wrote or contributed to almost 20 books on accounting education and the profession as practiced in Africa, Asia, China, Russia and many other countries around the globe.

Management Lecturer Looks at World Through an Artistic Lens

Discovering a beautiful image — then finding just the right angle at just the right time with just the right lighting — are the challenges that drive senior lecturer John Fowler’s love of photography.

Students Explore Hacker Methods with Historical Perspective

The Emerging Media And Communications program at UT Dallas aims to make students better “digital citizens,” even if that means stepping into the shoes of a computer hacker. Professor Andrew Famiglietti recently challenged his students to better understand the presence of the “hacker” in contemporary society, and to take a critical eye to the scholarship and practices surrounding the hacking subculture.

Prof’s Book Sheds Light on Mysterious Texas Writer

Dr. Betty Holland Wiesepape, who teaches creative writing and literature at UT Dallas, has recently published Winifred Sanford: The Life and Times of a Texas Writer, a biography of one of Texas’ most mysterious writers. Winifred Sanford is considered an important early 20th-century Texas writer, despite publishing only a handful of short stories before fading into obscurity.

Holes in Prof's Special Polymers Are Filled With Possibilities

When Dr. Ronald Smaldone joined the UT Dallas faculty last fall, he brought with him an ace in the hole – research expertise centered on novel, porous materials that have wide-ranging potential applications, from batteries to drug delivery to energy storage. The materials Smaldone is developing are nanoporous polymers. In bulk they are crystalline or a powder, but a microscope reveals tiny openings where small molecules can enter and get trapped and released, just as water molecules get trapped in a sponge.

Professor Uses Chemistry Protein Research to Battle Disease

As an undergraduate student studying chemistry in Seoul, South Korea, Dr. Jiyong Lee had an experience that would set his career path. “I realized I wanted to do something for people suffering,” he said. Lee’s research focuses on using chemistry-based approaches and technologies to address challenging problems in biology and medicine.

Microbiologist Aims to Thwart Antibiotic Resistance

Dr. Kelli Palmer has joined UT Dallas from Harvard Medical School and is running her own laboratory as an assistant professor of molecular and cell biology. Palmer, who supervises the research of several graduate students, is focused on creating a better understanding of how bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics.

New Faculty Member Focuses on How Infants Perceive Sound

Dr. Andrea Warner-Czyz seeks to learn more about how infants perceive sound. A new position at UT Dallas will help her expand that research and share her knowledge with students. Warner-Czyz is now an assistant professor in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences after spending the past seven years as a post-doctoral researcher and instructor in the school and at the Callier Center for Communication Disorders.

New Prof Studies Factors that Affect Brain Health As We Age

Dr. Karen Rodrigue, a new assistant professor in UT Dallas’ School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and the Center for Vital Longevity, wants to identify the key factors, both environmental and genetic, that impact the brain and cognition as we age. “Understanding the mechanisms and modifiers of healthy brain aging can help inform us not only about how to maintain good cognitive health, but also about what goes awry in conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related neurological disorders and the best options for treating them,” Rodrigue said.

Authority on Risk Analysis Named Fellow of Mathematical Society

Dr. Alain Bensoussan, professor of risk and decision analysis and an Ashbel Smith Professor in the Naveen Jindal School of Management at UT Dallas, is among 1,119 international mathematicians who have been named Fellows of the American Mathematical Society (AMS) for 2013. This is the inaugural class of honorees. The Fellow designation recognizes outstanding contributions to the advancement and use of mathematics.

UT Dallas' Center for BrainHealth Founder Publishes Brain Health Fitness Guide

The founder and chief director of UT Dallas’ Center for BrainHealth has just published a new book that condenses 30 years of her research into a brain health fitness guide designed to maximize brain potential. In Make Your Brain Smarter – Increase Your Brain’s Creativity, Energy, and Focus, Dr. Sandra Bond Chapman provides techniques to improve creative and critical thinking, strengthen healthy brain development and incite innovation throughout the lifespan.

School Recognizes Faculty, Staff, Alumni with Annual Awards

The School of Arts and Humanities has named ATEC Assistant Professor Todd Fechter the Victor Worsfold Teacher of the Year. Fechter's honor was part of the school’s Outstanding Faculty and Teaching Awards, which are presented yearly and are named for Professor Emeritus Worsfold, who taught ethics and philosophy at UT Dallas from 1975 to 2001. Dr. Worsfold was present for the awards ceremony. Fechter, who has experience working in television and film production, teaches courses in 3D computer animation in the school’s Arts and Technology program.

Professor Makes Suggestions for Reading Over the Break

Dr. Clay Reynolds, director of creative writing at UT Dallas and author of 13 books, offers reading suggestions for the break. Reynolds is known for his stories of small town life in West Texas, for tales of violence, mystery, flatlands and empty skies.

Finance Expert's Tips Can Keep Holiday Spending in Check

Jared Pickens, a personal finance expert and finance faculty member at The University of Texas at Dallas, offers some holiday budget tips.

Prof Hopes His Research Helps Save Energy and Resources

Dr. Kaushik Rajashekara was an advocate of energy efficiency in vehicles before the concepts of renewable energy and lower emissions were popular. So while spending most of his career in industry, he made time to teach by giving more than 100 invited presentations in more than 40 countries. “There was a time when there was not a demand for power electronics professors in the United States,” Rajashekara said. “People have now awakened to the area of power electronics.”

Prof Studies White Matter for Insights into the Aging Brain

Dr. Kristen Kennedy is looking to the brain’s white matter for clues about how the brain changes as we age and why some people are able to maintain good cognitive health while others are not. Kennedy joined the UT Dallas faculty this year as an assistant professor in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and UT Dallas’ Center for Vital Longevity.

New Media and Classical Music to Mix at Concert

Robert Xavier Rodríguez, an internationally known composer and professor of music at UT Dallas, will direct his Musica Nova ensemble in a concert that will feature classical music, choreography, projected images and film. The event, titled Old and New: A Multi-Media Concert, is Friday, Nov. 30, at 8 p.m. in the Jonsson Performance Hall. The concert includes music from J.S. Bach and his son C.P.E. Bach, plus music from other composers of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Bilingual Language Researcher Joins Faculty

Dr. Raúl Rojas is a new assistant professor of communication sciences in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. Rojas’ research focuses on child language, specifically bilingual language development in typically developing children and in children with language impairments.

Dean Selected for School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences

Denis Dean, professor and head of the Geography and Geospatial Information Sciences Program at UT Dallas, has been named dean of the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences. Dr. Dean is an expert in geospatial analysis, which can be applied to real world applications including urban planning, population studies and computer mapping programs.

Ceremonies Pay Tribute to University Faculty and Benefactors

Earnest gratitude and hearty reminiscence marked the tone for a second round of investiture ceremonies at The University of Texas at Dallas honoring the achievements of scholars holding endowed positions, as well as the benefactors who support their work. “Today we celebrate some of our extraordinary faculty," said UT Dallas President Dr. David E. Daniel. "The investiture is both ceremonial and joyous."

Faculty Honored in Fall Investitures Listed by School

The fall 2012 Investiture Ceremony honorees listed by school.

Psychology Prof Studies Power of Socio-Cultural Influences

Dr. Jinkyung Na wants to learn more about how people think, and how that viewpoint is shaped by their cultural and social environment. Na joined the faculty of the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS) this fall as an assistant professor of psychology. He will teach social psychology during the spring term. “Since the university is growing, this provides many opportunities for us to grow together,” he said.

Prof's Work Examines How Art, Technology and Science Interact

John Pomara, professor of visual arts in the School of Arts and Humanities, produces art that is unique to the digital age. His most recent work is currently on display at the Barry Whistler Gallery in Dallas until Nov. 24. The exhibit, titled off-Key2, showcases Pomara’s artistic style that fuses art, science and technology – a style that has developed over time.

New Prof's Research Looks Skyward for Insights on Ionosphere

Dr. Fabiano Rodrigues joined the UT Dallas faculty this year as an assistant professor in the Department of Physics and in the William B. Hanson Center for Space Sciences, a research center in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. One of the factors that attracted him to the university was the institution’s long history of research and expertise in atmospheric and space studies.

Investiture Ceremonies to Recognize Faculty Achievements

This week the University will recognize the accomplishments of 35 faculty members who hold endowed chairs and professorships. In ceremonies today and Tuesday, groups of faculty from the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences and the Naveen Jindal School of Management will be formally invested in their positions. The ceremonies will also include some faculty from the Schools of Arts and Humanities, Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Natural Sciences and Mathematics and the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.

New Department Head Appointed for Public Affairs and Sociology

Dr. Sheryl Skaggs, associate professor in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, was recently appointed to lead the department of Public Affairs and Sociology. As department head, Skaggs said her priorities include increasing recruiting efforts continuing to encourage high-level research. “We really want to create some areas of specialization that are compatible with student interests in public policy and non-profits,” Skaggs said. “We’re also committed to increasing faculty representation in those areas.”

CentralTrak Series to Bring Artists, Students Together for Talks

The CentralTrak artists' residency and gallery in Deep Ellum is launching a series of talks among artists, art enthusiasts, and art students and educators from across the Dallas area. This year’s series, which is titled Next Topic, will examine new digital media art. The series opens Thursday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m. with UT Dallas arts and technology (ATEC) professors Frank Dufour and Thomas Riccio. They will be discussing their collaborative multi-media exhibition Not So Indifferent, which is currently on display in the CentralTrak gallery. The exhibit combines digital media with site-specific design to create an existential drama – a performance that features the viewing public as lead actors in the projected video.

Classical Concerts to Feature Piano Duo, Music of Schubert

The School of Arts and Humanities has scheduled two classical music concerts this week, including a piano performance for four hands and a show dedicated entirely to Franz Schubert. On Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 5 p.m. in the Jonsson Performance Hall, the Dakoli-Tolosa Piano Duo will perform piano four-hands music by Robert D. Vandall, Carlos Guastavino, Alberto Ginastera and Aleksander Peci.

Guiding Force Behind DMA Joins Faculty in Arts and Humanities

Bonnie Pitman, a guiding force in remaking and advancing the reputation of the Dallas Museum of Art, recently joined the faculty of the School of Arts and Humanities. As Distinguished Scholar in Residence, she is charged with creating new methods of education, focusing much of her expertise in technology and emerging media in helping to build the national reputation of the school.

Professor's Book Becomes Hollywood Movie Debuting This Week

Dr. Matt Bondurant’s 2008 book, The Wettest County in the World, has made the leap to the big screen, and on Wednesday, Aug. 29, the film adaptation will open in theaters in a movie called, Lawless. Bondurant has published two other novels. Bondurant will teach undergraduate and graduate creative writing and literature courses this semester.

Prof Honored for Ability to Unlock the Secrets of Physics

Dr. Joseph Izen, whose research into the fundamental nature of matter enriches his advanced physics classes at UT Dallas, has received a 2012 Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award. “The advanced physics courses I enjoy teaching the most reveal things that are not so apparent in daily life," said Izen, who has taught at UT Dallas since 1991.

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