2010

2010
January, 2010
Landscape Improvement Phase I Complete
UTD completes Phase I of the Campus Landscape Improvement Project. Thanks to major philanthropic support, the $30-million project culminates with a dedication ceremony under the Trellis – complete with a misting column to combat the Texas heat.
January, 2010
New Undergraduate Education Dean

Dr. Sheila Amin Gutiérrez de Piñeres is appointed new dean of Undergraduate Education following Dr. J. Michael Coleman’s retirement.

February, 2010
Science Learning Center Opens

The Science Learning Center (SLC) opens and gives students access to a number of instructional and interdisciplinary science labs. Its tiled exterior is inspired by both the atomic emission spectra of gases and the look of human DNA once it is separated in gel electrophoresis.

February, 2010
A Place to Congregate

UTD’s first LEED Platinum facility, the Student Services Building, opens for students with a Career Center, Financial Aid Office and multicultural and gender centers.

March, 2010
Studies in Aging

Dr. Denise C. Park establishes the Center for Vital Longevity, a center dedicated to researching and understanding the aging brain, memory, cognitive aging and Alzheimer’s disease.

2011
January, 2011
Visitors Welcome to UT Dallas

After just eight months of construction, the Visitor Center and University Bookstore opens its doors to visitors and students.

January, 2011
UTD Gains Honors Society

Phi Kappa Phi, a highly selective honor society, opens a chapter at UT Dallas.

February, 2011
Important Work Finds a New Home

Holocaust Studies gains a new home in the Jonsson Academic Center and is renamed the Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies in honor of Edward M. Ackerman’s generous support of the center.

February, 2011
Ashbel Professor of Criminology

Dr. Alex R. Piquero joins UT Dallas as Ashbel Smith Professor of criminology.

March, 2011
Joint Donation Transforms Management School

Alumni Naveen Jindal MBA’92, Charles “Chuck” Davidson MS’80 and Nancy Gundy Davidson BS’80 collectively donate a joint gift of $30 million. This momentous gift is commemorated in the naming of the Naveen Jindal School of Management and the Davidson Management Honors Program.

March, 2011
New Natural Sciences and Mathematics Dean
2012
January, 2012
New Electrical Engineering Department Head

Dr. James Coleman, a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Inventors, joins UT Dallas as professor and head of the Department of Electrical Engineering and as the Erik Jonsson Distinguished Chair.

February, 2012
First Investiture Ceremony

UT Dallas begins an annual tradition for its faculty, the Investiture Ceremony. The ceremony — attended by colleagues, family, and students — is a time to celebrate and recognize UTD’s extraordinary faculty.

March, 2012
New Journal Debuts

The Exley, UTD’s undergraduate research journal, prints for the first time.

April, 2012
Realize the Vision Begins

Realize the Vision: The Campaign for Tier One & Beyond begins its $200-million, five-year campaign to make UT Dallas into a nationally competitive research institution.

May, 2012
In Support of the Veterans

The Veteran Services Center, now the Military and Veteran Center, opens to support veterans as they transition to life as students.

2013
January, 2013
UT Dallas Women’s Basketball Wins a Title

The Comets win their first championship title in an upset against Louisiana College, advancing to their first-ever trip to the NCAA Division III National Tournament.

February, 2013
Tennis Takes Home the Title

Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams win their first titles in the American Southwest Conference.

March, 2013
Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysics

The Texas Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysics returns to UT Dallas for its 27th conference. Dr. Wolfgang Rindler, who was present for the inaugural symposium, and Dr. Mustapha Ishak-Bousaki host the conference. While it is held in locations around the world, the conference retains “Texas” in its name to honor the first gathering at UT Dallas.

April, 2013
UTeach Dallas Gains Endowment

UTeach Dallas raises $2 million to help prepare undergraduate students to be secondary science and math teachers.

May, 2013
Edith O’Donnell’s Legacy Continues

In honor of one of Texas’ most generous philanthropists, the Edith O’Donnell Arts and Technology Building is formally dedicated. An inaugural concert features the original composition De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of Things) by Dr. Robert Xavier Rodríguez.

June, 2013
Campus Enhancement Continues

The second phase of the University’s Campus Landscape Enhancement Project breaks ground.

2014
January, 2014
UTDesign’s New Space

UTDesign gets its own special laboratory space in the Synergy Park North building.

February, 2014
Art History Department

Edith O’Donnell, longtime visionary and patron of the arts and education, makes a contribution of $17 million to create the Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History.

March, 2014
McDermott Graduate Fellows Begin

With a $14-million donation from Margaret McDermott, the Eugene McDermott Graduate Fellows Program begins at UT Dallas.

April, 2014
School of Management’s New Wing

The 108,000-square-foot addition to the Naveen Jindal School of Management opens.

May, 2014
Three New Buildings

In a whirlwind of construction, Residence Hall West, Dining Hall West and Recreation Center West open to students.

June, 2014
Youngest PhD Walks the Stage

UT Dallas awards a PhD to its youngest recipient, Austin Howard, who completed his coursework in physics at age 22.

July, 2014
A Monumental Occasion

Crowds pack the Edith O’Donnell Arts and Technology Building lecture hall for the first Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communications (ATEC) Distinguished Lecture — a talk by Robert Edsel, author of The Monuments Men. Subsequent events include a talk from former astronaut Mae Jemison; internet pioneer Vinton G. Cerf; and UTD alum and Microsoft executive Christian Belady MA’90.

August, 2014
First Gates Cambridge Scholar

Eugene McDermott Scholar Bhaskaran Nair BS’13 becomes the first UT Dallas student to receive the Gates Cambridge Scholarship.

September, 2014
Hundreds Gather for Realize the Vision Finale

Hundreds of donors, faculty, staff and students gather to celebrate the finale of Realize the Vision: The Campaign for Tier One and Beyond. The University’s first comprehensive campaign surpassed its goal to raise more than $263 million.

2015
January, 2015
Honors College Debuts

The UT System’s Board of Regents approves the creation of an Honors College.

February, 2015
The Arts and Technology Gain a New School

The UT System Board of Regents approves the merger of two successful Arts and Technology programs into a single school — the School of Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication.

March, 2015
New President Ad Interim

Dr. Hobson Wildenthal is appointed president ad interim.

April, 2015
First UTD Alum Earns Nobel Prize

Dr. Aziz Sancar, who earned his PhD in molecular and cell biology from UT Dallas in 1977, becomes the first UTD alum to win a Nobel Prize.

May, 2015
UTDesign Studio Opens

UTDesign Studio opens the Innovation Lab, a collaboration between UT Dallas and Texas Instruments.

2016
January, 2016
UTD Earns R1 Status

The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education classifies UT Dallas as an R1 Institution — a classification reserved for doctoral institutions with the highest research activity.

February, 2016
UTD Appoints First ATEC Dean

Dr. Anne Balsamo is appointed the first dean of the School of Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication.

March, 2016
UTD’s Fifth President

Dr. Richard C. Benson is appointed the fifth president of UT Dallas. Since then, UT Dallas has qualified for funding from the National Research University Fund, a third engineering building and alumni center have opened, and President Benson outlined goals in a new strategic plan.

April, 2016
Texas Instruments Plaza Dedicated

On the third annual Founders Day, the Texas Instruments Plaza is dedicated.

May, 2016
Founders Building Dedicated as Milestone

The Founders Building is designated a Milestones in Microbiology site by the American Society of Microbiology.

June, 2016
Bioengineering and Sciences Building Opens

At 220,000 square feet, the Bioengineering and Sciences Building opens its doors. The building, which houses collaborative labs for bioengineering and neurosciences, is UT Dallas’ largest academic building.

July, 2016
New Facility for Callier Center

UT Dallas’ Callier Center for Communication Disorders opens its $22-million facility.

August, 2016
Northside Opens

Northside, a $54-million mixed-use development, is built by co-developers Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions and Wynne/Jackson on UT Dallas land. The 370,000-square-foot property includes townhomes and apartments.

September, 2016
Women’s Cross Country Clinches Title

The women’s cross country team wins the American Southwest Conference championship for the first time.

2017
January, 2017
New Addition to Student Services

The 68,000-square-foot Student Services Building Addition opens. It has a 530-seat auditorium, food and retail locations, and a gaming wall.

February, 2017
Honors College Renamed

Margaret McDermott creates an endowment of $10 million for undergraduate research and, per her request, the Honors College is renamed the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College.

March, 2017
UTD Landscape Architect Wins Prize

Peter Walker, the renowned landscape architect who designed the UT Dallas Landscape Enhancement Project, is awarded the first Richard Brettell Prize in the Arts —  an award established with a gift from Margaret McDermott to recognize the essential role of arts, music, literature, performance and design.

April, 2017
New Student Apartments Open

Canyon Creek Heights, a new apartment complex on the southwest corner of campus, opens to students.

May, 2017
UTD Ranked No. 1

In the Young University Rankings report from Times Higher Education, UT Dallas ranks No. 1 in schools founded less than 50 years ago.

June, 2017
Softball Hits Home Run

The women’s softball team wins its first conference championship.

July, 2017
First NCAA Postgrad Scholarship Recipients

Soccer player Sam Konstanty and volleyball player Michelle Toro become the first Comets in school history to earn the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.

August, 2017
Brain Performance Institute Opens

The Center for BrainHealth opens its new home for the Brain Performance Institute.

September, 2017
Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center Opens

The Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center opens. It is named for Nancy Gundy Davidson BS’80 and Charles “Chuck” Davidson MS’80, in acknowledgment of their $15-million gift that made its construction possible.

2018
February, 2018
UTD Earns Research Support

UT Dallas achieves the critical benchmark criteria required to qualify for funding from the National Research University Fund, an exclusive source of research support available to the state’s emerging research universities.

March, 2018
Comets Baseball Scores a Title

The UT Dallas baseball team wins its first American Southwest Conference title.

April, 2018
New Space for Engineering & Computer Science

On the ground where the Alexander Clark Center once stood, the new Engineering and Computer Science West building opens. The building stands four stories high with 200,000 square feet of labs, classrooms and office space.

May, 2018
Research Is a Breeze

UT Dallas premieres its on-campus wind tunnel, perfect for automobile and subsonic testing and with the capability of reaching 115 mph.

May, 2018
Margaret McDermott, 1912-2018

Margaret McDermott, the wife of founder Eugene McDermott and benefactor of UTD, passes away at age 106. A Dallas native and Red Cross nurse during World War II, Mrs. McDermott’s impact on campus can be seen in the Eugene McDermott Scholars program, the McDermott Library and several endowed chairs honoring her late husband.

June, 2018
Ackerman Center Hosts Conference

The Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies becomes the new, permanent host of the Annual Scholars Conference on the Holocaust and the Churches and holds the 48th conference on campus.

August, 2018
Men’s Cross Country Returns Champions

UT Dallas men’s cross country team captured the American Southwest Conference championship for the first time in team history.

September, 2018
SACSCC Reaffirms Accreditation

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges reaffirms UT Dallas’ accreditation.

October, 2018
Real Estate Institute Is Established

North Texas real estate icon Herb Weitzman and his wife, Donna, establish the Herbert D. Weitzman Institute for Real Estate at the Naveen Jindal School of Management.

November, 2018
Esports Joins Athletics

UT Dallas becomes one of the few universities to add an esports program to its athletics department.

December, 2018
New Dean of Graduate Education

Dr. Juan González, professor of molecular and cell biology in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, is named dean of Graduate Education.

2019
January, 2019
UTD Obtains Asian Art Collection

The Trammell and Margaret Crow family donates the entire collection of the Trammell and Margaret Crow Museum of Asian Art, together with $23 million of support funding, to create the Trammell and Margaret Crow Museum of Asian Art of The University of Texas at Dallas.

February, 2019
New Strategic Plan

President Richard C. Benson unveils a new Strategic Plan, a blueprint for UT Dallas’ success over the next five years.

April, 2019
New Dean for BBS

Dr. Steven L. Small, professor of neurology at the University of California, Irvine and director and chief scientific officer of the Medical Innovation Institute at the UC Irvine School of Medicine, becomes dean of the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences.

June, 2019
New Chief of Staff

Rafael Martín accepts a new role as vice president and chief of staff for the University. Martín joined UT Dallas in 2003 as the founding manager of the Office of Technology Transfer. He became associate vice president for research in 2006. He also served as interim vice president for research.

August, 2019
New Engineering Dean

Dr. Stephanie G. Adams, professor of engineering management and systems engineering at Old Dominion University and dean of its Frank Batten College of Engineering & Technology, becomes the fifth dean of the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.

August, 2019
Esports Team Wins Super Smash Bros. National Title

The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate team earned the first athletics national championship for UT Dallas. The esports team traveled to Massachusetts to compete in the Collegiate Starleague Smash Ultimate National Championships on Aug. 23-25 at Shine 2019, one of the largest events in the world for Smash tournaments.

August, 2019
University Establishes New Center for Asian Studies

The University of Texas at Dallas establishes the Center for Asian Studies, expanding its commitment to programs that previously were components of the University’s earlier initiatives, the Confucius Institute and the Asia Center. It operates in tandem with the University’s Trammell and Margaret Crow Museum of Asian Art.

October, 2019
University Selects Longtime Professor as New Dean of EPPS
Dr. Jennifer S. Holmes, who began her academic career at The University of Texas at Dallas 21 years ago, is named dean of the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences. Holmes had served as interim dean of the school since 2018.