UT Dallas News Center is an official news voice of The University of Texas at Dallas. http://www.utdallas.edu/news/ http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2012/2/9-15481_Alumna-Works-for-Peace-in-Worlds-Newest-Country_article.html Little did UT Dallas alumna Tiffany Ornelas know that her campus leadership experience would prepare her for a humanitarian role that has taken her to the world's newest country, South Sudan, where she has helped mediate a conflict between feuding states. Ornelas, who earned her M.A. in public affairs and B.A. in political science from the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, is an international civilian peacekeeper with Nonviolent Peaceforce, a non-governmental organization. ]]> Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00:00 -0600 http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2012/2/6-15571_Prison-Misconduct-Findings-Shed-Light-on-Crowding-_article-wide.html UT Dallas criminologist Dr. Robert Morris and doctoral student Erin Orrick won the 2012 William Simon/Anderson Publishing Outstanding Paper award from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences for their article that shows offenders who return to prison on technical parole violations are far less likely to engage in prison misconduct. ]]> Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 -0600 http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2012/1/24-15201_Criminologists-Research-Shows-Genes-Influence-Crim_article-wide.html Your genes could be a strong predictor of whether you stray onto a lifelong path of criminal behavior, according to a research paper co-written by UT Dallas criminologist Dr. J.C. Barnes. "Examining the Genetic Underpinnings to Moffitt's Developmental Taxonomy: A Behavior Genetic Analysis" detailed the study's findings in the recent issue of Criminology. ]]> Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:00:00 -0600 http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2012/1/23-15171_Largest-Ever-Cohort-Named-to-Fall-Deans-List_article.html For the fall 2011 semester, 792 undergraduate students made the dean's list at UT Dallas. It is the single largest group named to the list in the University's history, up by more than 100 students over fall 2010 and up 27 percent since fall 2007. Dr. Sheila Amin Gutierrez de Pineres, dean of Undergraduate Education at the University said the increase is directly tied to the University's enrollment growth. ]]> Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:00:00 -0600 http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2012/1/11-14961_AAAS-Confers-Honor-on-Geospatial-Information-Exper_article-wide.html The American Association for the Advancement of Science has elected Dr. Daniel Griffith, a UT Dallas professor of geospatial information sciences, as a Fellow. Griffith is being honored for his contributions to spatial statistics and quantitative geography, particularly for his work on spatial autocorrelation, spatial filtering and statistical errors, according to the organization. He was named a fellow in the geology and geography section. ]]> Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:00:00 -0600 http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2011/12/19-14811_UT-Dallas-Family-Friends-Celebrate-Newest-Grads_article.html Family and friends worked to contain their excitement as they watched UT Dallas' newest graduates walk across a stage decorated with poinsettias. A weekend of commencement ceremonies honored more than 1,800 UT Dallas students, the largest fall graduating class to date. ]]> Mon, 19 Dec 2011 05:00:00 -0600 http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2011/12/16-14791_Early-Research-Experience-Inspired-Criminologist_article.html Dr. Nicole Leeper Piquero initially wanted to be a police officer. But a research methods class that the UT Dallas criminology faculty member took as an undergraduate changed her perspective. "I became more interested in asking questions and finding answers to those questions," said Leeper Piquero, a recently hired professor in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences (EPPS). ]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 05:00:00 -0600 http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2011/12/13-14671_Profs-Earn-Award-for-Article-on-Employment-Issue_article.html Two public affairs professors in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences at UT Dallas received an award for their article examining attitudes about employment at will among state human resource managers in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Texas. The award was presented at the business meeting for the Public Administration Section of the American Political Science Association's annual conference in Seattle. ]]> Tue, 13 Dec 2011 05:00:00 -0600 http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2011/12/5-14461_Book-Studies-Texas-Personalities-in-Congress_article.html A new book co-written by UT Dallas professor Dr. Anthony M. Champagne features lively portraits of influential lawmakers who have represented Texas in Congress. Lone Star Leaders: Power and Personality in the Texas Congressional Delegation covers party leaders, committee chairs and the political pioneers who made Texas a major force in congressional politics for the past 125 years. ]]> Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:00:00 -0600 http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2011/12/1-14451_UT-Dallas-Study-to-Help-Curb-Jail-Costs-Cut-Repeat_article-wide.html A UT Dallas study seeks to find the most efficient, safe and cost-effective ways to handle Dallas County defendants who are released from jail before their cases go to court. Dr. Robert Morris, an assistant professor of criminology in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, will lead the study which will use county data to answer key questions, such as how release practices affect court appearance rates. ]]> Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 -0600 http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2011/11/28-14221_UT-Dallas-Assists-with-Report-Revealing-Childhood-_article.html Nearly 30 percent of children in Dallas County are living in poverty, according to a Children's Medical Center report compiled by the Institute of Urban Policy Research at UT Dallas. The report, Beyond ABC 2011: Assessing Children's Health in Dallas County, examines the quality of life of area children. ]]> Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:00:00 -0600 http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2011/11/17-14111_UT-Dallas-Students-Work-With-At-Risk-High-Schooler_article.html UT Dallas students are mentoring high school students who are considered at risk of dropping out. The program, led by the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, won a $67,000 grant as part of a national effort to help youths stay in school and pursue higher education. ]]> Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:00:00 -0600 http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2011/11/16-13571_Criminology-Prof-Studies-Pivotal-Time-in-Teens-Liv_article-wide.html Dr. Nadine Connell, a new assistant professor of criminology at UT Dallas, has always been fascinated by human beings and the decisions they make in the context of crime. Her experience helped shape her current research interests that examine issues affecting adolescents and teens during what Connell says is a pivotal time in their lives. Juvenile delinquency, program and policy evaluation, and adolescent alcohol, tobacco and other drug use are among her interests. ]]> Wed, 16 Nov 2011 05:00:00 -0600 http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2011/9/21-12701_Criminology-Profs-Study-Perceptions-Via-NFL-Case_article.html A study of how race affects perceptions of justice found that nonwhites believed NFL player Michael Vick was punished too harshly for his role in a high-profile dogfighting case and whites thought his treatment was too lax, three UT Dallas criminologists recently reported. ]]> Wed, 21 Sep 2011 05:00:00 -0500 http://www.utdallas.edu/news/2011/9/21-12821_US-Mexico-Lectures-Take-Trans-National-Look-at-Iss_article-wide.html The Center for U.S.-Mexico Studies announces its 11th annual Lecture Series with presentations exploring economic geography, social inequality and the nanotechnology business in Mexico. As in years' past, researchers and professors from UT Dallas lecture on both sides of the border about timely topics. Roughly half of the lectures are given at UT Dallas. The rest are given at universities in Mexico. ]]> Wed, 21 Sep 2011 05:00:00 -0500