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Center for U.S.-Mexico Studies THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS

Mission Statement

The Center for U.S. - Mexico Studies enhances the academic relationship between UTD and Mexico, using an interdisciplinary approach to focus on international education, research, and public service programs.

The objectives and functions of the Center are:

• To provide curricula and exchange of faculty and students with Mexican universities to examine the areas of science, technology, management, social sciences, arts, and humanities.
  
  The Center for U.S.-México Studies has promoted during these years the implementation of exchange programs between Mexican universities and UTD. The first program implemented was with the University of Guanajuato. This program allows UTD to host Guanajuatense students in Ph.D. and Masters programs, and to support them through assistantships. Also UTD students experience summer programs that instruct and immerse them in Mexican culture, politics and the Spanish language. The most recent outcome of this exchange program is the creation of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Internship Summer Program, through which six Guanajuatense students had the opportunity to spend two months during the summer of 2002 in UTD laboratories, working with faculty members. This summer internship initiative was made possible by the support and leadership of Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Juan Gonzalez, Dean and Associate Professor of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, respectively. Based on the success of this program, we are pursing exchange programs with other Mexican universities.
  During the Center's existence, twenty-six Mexican graduate students have been enrolled at UTD. Three already graduated with master's degrees and two with Ph.D.s. Eight more Ph.D. graduates are expected in the immediate future. Similarly, fifty five UTD students, professors, and staff have participated in the Guanajuato Spanish Summer Program at the University of Guanajuato during its six years of existence, under the coordination of Dr. Maria Demello, Program Coordinator.
  Since the Center's creation, courses have been taught on such topics as U.S. - Mexico economics, politics, and culture, Spanish language, Mexican literature, and NAFTA trade. The seminar "Mexican Politics and Culture" was offered during the spring semester of 2002. It was also offered to UT Austin's and UT Brownsville's students through the support of The UT Telecampus System. This was a great opportunity to exchange research results, analysis, and discussions, including bi-national negotiation models and interaction with Mexican and U.S. scholars. The seminar is scheduled again for the Spring 2003.
  Dr. Austin Cunningham, Dean of Graduate Studies, Dr. Michael Coleman, Dean of Undergraduate Studies, and Dr. Marie Evans Sias, Senior Vice President for Student Affairs and External Relations, have significantly supported the accomplishment of this objective.

• To conduct research and present lectures on issues of interest to both Mexico and the U.S., such as the implementation of NAFTA and its political and economic implications, issues in science and technology, transborder population and cultural development.                                                                                                           

  Currently, The Center is sponsoring the publication of two research reports: "Mexican Leadership in the U.S." and the "Spatial Diffusion of Political Pluralism and Demographic Transition: A Transformation Perspective." The Center has sponsored lectures of key political leaders and specialists on U.S. - Mexico affairs. Vicente Fox, President of Mexico, Juan Carlos Romero Hicks, Governor of Guanajuato, Pablo Salazar Mendiguchía, Governor of Chiapas, Carlos Fuentes, Mexican writer, Andres Oppenheimer, Pulitzer- winning journalist, and Elena Poniatowska, Alfaguara winner, have participated in The Center's Lecture Series. This year, 2002-2003, David R. Beall, Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission from the Organization of American States (OAS), Ana Maria Salazar, former Pentagon adviser and U.S. - Mexico national security scholar; Mario Melgar, Mexican Judicial Researcher and Director of the Autonomous University of Mexico, campus San Antonio, among others, have confirmed their participation in the Lecture Series.
                                                                                                         
• To prepare individuals for leadership on critical political, scientific, technological, and cultural issues of concern to both countries.                                                                                                        
  With the support of the School of Social Sciences, the Center created a Leadership Certificate Program, which was has been offered, through seminars, to Mexican students and public officials, training in public policy decision processes from a leadership perspective. The last seminar, Conflict Resolution and Negotiation, was taught by Dr. Marie Chevrier to the twenty-eight heads of the Mexican National Coordination of Offices in Support of Migrants (CONAFAM) in July 2001 at Los Pinos, the Mexican Presidential Residency. The seminar was offered in response to an invitation of the Mexican Presidential Office. This year the seminar is offered to cabinet members of the State of Guanajuato, under the aegis of the UGTO-UTD exchange program.