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Meet Our New Dean
Following a national search, Dr. David Hyndman has been hired and takes the helm as dean of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics effective Feb. 1. Dr. Hyndman’s research and service are known internationally. His group’s research on hydrogeology evaluates human impacts on the water cycle through changes in climate and land use. Dr.…
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Women in STEM Making Strides
To point more girls and people of color toward careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, Texas House Representative Rhetta Bowers helped pass House Bill 3435 last year, officially designating March 1 as Texas Girls in STEM Day. “When asked why this effort means so much to me, I often reply, ‘because tomorrow depends on…
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Medical Geologist Wins Petrology Group’s Castaño Award
Dr. Robert Finkelman, a geoscience research professor at UT Dallas, recently received the 2022 John Castaño Honorary Membership Award from The Society of Organic Petrology [TSOP] in recognition of his “exemplary commitment to education, excellence in research and service to TSOP.” It is the highest honor the society bestows on individuals working in the fields of…
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Sherry Awarded Medal for Work on MRI Contrast Agents
Dean Sherry, PhD, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at The University of Texas at Dallas and professor of radiology and former director of the Advanced Imaging Research Center at UT Southwestern Medical Center, recently won the Harry Fischer Medal for lifetime contributions to the development of MRI contrast agents. Last week in Annapolis, Maryland, the…
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Teaching Awards Recognize Faculty, TAs as Class Acts
The School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics places great importance on the work of talented and committed teachers. Each year, students are asked to nominate faculty and teaching assistants worthy of recognition for the extraordinary efforts they make to provide our students a top-quality education. The school normally makes up to five awards in the…
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Earth Scientist’s Innovative Tool Aims to Transform Sand Mining Sustainability
Reported by Molly Herring at Eos, January 4, 2024 In a study published in Communications Earth and Environment, Assistant Professor Zachary Sickmann from the Department of Sustainable Earth Systems Sciences (SESS) at The University of Texas at Dallas, along with his colleagues, has unveiled a novel tool to address the escalating global demand for sand. Sand, the most…
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Neurologist, Alum to Give Healthcare Career Tips in Virtual Panel
By Caryn BerardiMarch 18, 2024 In the ever-evolving world of science and healthcare, innovation is key to progress and advancing patient care. For Dr. William D. Freeman BS’96, this has been a driving force in his career as an internationally renowned neurologist and neurointensivist. His belief: Make it better than you found it. “Neurocritical and…
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Data Science Class’s Web Apps Helped Track Spread of Covid-19
With the generous support of the UT Dallas Center for Disease Dynamics and Statistics, which was organized by the Department of Mathematical Sciences immediately following the outbreak of the pandemic under the auspices of the Office of the Vice President of Research, students in Dr. Qiwei Li’s class developed several real-time web apps to forecast…
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Teaching Awards Recognize Faculty, TAs as Class Acts
The School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics places great importance on the work of talented and committed teachers. Each year, students are asked to nominate faculty and teaching assistants worthy of recognition for the extraordinary efforts they make to provide our students a top-quality education. The school normally makes up to five awards in the…
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Spring Interaction: Students Find Lab Work to Keep Them Busy
Students enrolled in the UT Dallas School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics for in-person classes this spring have plenty to keep them busy. According to Dr. Michael Biewer, associate dean of undergraduate education for NSM and an associate professor of chemistry, most of the school’s labs are open for in-person research activities. In addition, the…
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Alumna, Aiming to Predict Earthquakes, Wins AGU Graduate Research Award
UT Dallas alumna Dr. Leah Salditch MS’16 recently was awarded the American Geophysical Union’s (AGU) Natural Hazards Section Award for Graduate Research. Presented annually to one or more promising young scientists studying natural hazards and risks, the honor recognizes outstanding contributions to natural hazards research and is judged based on impact or potential impact to the field.…
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Chemistry Doctoral Candidate’s Paper is Editor’s Choice
by Haywood McNeill Recent UT Dallas graduate Mai Huynh, PhD’21, received the Editor’s Choice award from the journal Nanomaterials for her research paper on the interactions of carbon nanotubes with mammalian cells called macrophages. Editor’s Choice articles are selected based on recommendations by the scientific editors at the journal’s publisher. Selections are those the editors believe will…
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Mathematical Billiards Expert Covers All the Angles — in Theory
Dr. Vladimir Dragovic, professor and head of mathematical sciences in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, is an expert in mathematical billiards. It’s a field that has applications in physics and engineering, but Dragovic is drawn to the beauty of theory. Continue reading at UTD Magazine.
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Mrs. Rutford Announces Geosciences Graduate Student Scholarship
Ever the hostess, Mrs. Margie Rutford can list hospitality as one of her gifts. As wife of the late former University President Robert Rutford, it was her job to host and entertain guests. “In those days, the University, or UT System, provided presidents with a residence. The UT Dallas president’s house was off Hillcrest in…
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Featured Symposium: Systems Thinking in Biology
UTD’s School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics is in the process of expanding its course offerings in bioinformatics and structural biology toward computational systems biology. This new and exciting, highly interdisciplinary field draws from: While systems biology is still a young field, it is increasingly and forcefully moving toward the mainstream of biomedical sciences and…
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Former Development Chief Delivers Professorship Gift
Warren Gould, former director of Development and Alumni Affairs in the early years of UT Dallas, recently announced the establishment of an endowment. According to documents, The Jack Mize, PhD, Professorship Endowment in Natural Sciences and Mathematics is a $100,000 permanent endowment for the school to support research-enhancing activities of the professorship holder. “My son…
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New Earth Sciences Faculty Drive Department’s Sustainable Vision
By Caryn BerardiMarch 26, 2024 The Department of Sustainable Earth Systems Sciences (SESS), previously named the Department of Geosciences, is driving a new vision that aligns itself with a larger purpose: understanding and safeguarding the planet’s future. The name change is just one component of a broader mission to not only better reflect the department’s…
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Alumnus, FSU President Cites Hard Work, Education as Keys to Success
by Haywood McNeill The year 2021 was good for University of Texas at Dallas alumnus Dr. Richard McCullough BS’82. He became the 16th president of Florida State University (FSU) on August 16, 2021, bringing more than 30 years of academic research and leadership experience to the role as well as a commitment to innovation, entrepreneurship,…
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School Mourns Loss of Geosciences Professor Carlos Aiken
Professor Emeritus Carlos Lynn Virgil Aiken passed away peacefully on June 18, 2021 at Medical City Plano. Carlos was born on June 6, 1941 in Webster, South Dakota, to Randolfo Cossio Aiken and Elvira Esturo. He served in the National Guard in 1957. Carlos received his bachelor’s of science from the University of Washington in…
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Gift Helps Outfit Labs in Sciences Building, ROC West
By Melissa Graham With the construction of the Sciences Building, UT Dallas received a $370,000 gift-in-kind from Laboratory Builders Inc., a design and build firm specializing in laboratory furnishings and lab construction. The firm donated top-of-the-line equipment to outfit the building’s lab spaces, which will be used by students studying molecular and cell biology, materials…
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DNA Primer Initiation Sequence Captured at Molecular Level
The precise details of some specific steps needed to initiate DNA replication have remained beyond researchers’ grasp. But now a UT Dallas graduate student, Madison Berger, and her supervisor, NS&M Professor G. Andrés Cisneros, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Sussex, have used quantum mechanical principles to help successfully uncover the initiation sequence…
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2 UT Dallas STEM Schools Announce Jointly Appointed Associate Dean
Dr. Yvette E. Pearson, a globally-recognized leader in STEM education and research, is now an associate dean in the University’s School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM) and Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science (Jonsson School). For NSM Pearson is associate dean for academic affairs and strategic initiatives and for the Jonsson School she is associate dean…
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UTD Researchers Develop Tool to Help Black Breast Cancer Survivors
Despite having a lower incidence of breast cancer, Black women in the United States face a troubling reality. According to a recent report by the American Cancer Society, the death rate among Black women is still 40% higher than white women. Researchers from The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) are taking significant strides to…
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Grant Funds Cryogenic Probe Station, Fuels Research on the Nanoscale
Dr. Jason Slinker, associate professor of physics in the UT Dallas School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, acquired a cryogenic probe station via an instrument award from the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) through the Office of Naval Research. Slinker received the award in February 2020, and the equipment was purchased and installed over…
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Q&A with Paul Micus: Chemistry Senior, CSA President
by Eric Butterman From television appearances to conducting chemistry experiments with Boy Scouts, one Comet’s academic journey paved the way for an impressive array of leadership roles. Paul Micus is known for taking the initiative. In other words, group projects are his forte. Hailing from a close-knit family in Waco, Texas, he’s concurrently sharing his…
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Monitoring the Air We Share: New Sensor Network Comes to Campus
by Caryn Berardi Air pollution lingers as a mostly invisible threat, silently weaving its way into our lives and negatively impacting our health. But what if we could actually see the composition of the air we breathe? A team of University of Texas at Dallas researchers, led by physics professor Dr. David Lary, recently installed…
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Professor, Students, Bees Have Dallas Buzzing
by Haywood McNeill It’s plain to see that Dr. Scott Rippel, MS’96, PhD’99, professor of instruction in the Department of Biological Sciences, has a thing for bees. His love for the pollinating creatures and passion for educating students and getting students hands-on experience caring for honeybees recently garnered the attention of The Dallas Morning News. Rippel,…
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UTD Putnam Club Ranks Top 10% in Prestigious Math Competition
by Carly Orewiler The UT Dallas Putnam Club secured its rank as No. 32 among 456 university teams after competing in the 83rd annual Putnam Competition. The William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition, administered by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA), is a top-tier mathematics contest for undergraduate students in the U.S. and Canada. It began…
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State Commends UTeach Dallas for Producing STEM Teachers
UT Dallas and the UTeach Dallas program in the Department of Science and Mathematics Education in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics recently received commendation from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for effectively addressing the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teacher shortage in the state, specifically citing the program’s production of mathematics teachers.…
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40 Years in the Making: UT Dallas’ Next NASA Mission
by Eric Butterman For decades, Phillip Anderson MS’85, PhD’90, physics professor and director of the William B. Hanson Center for Space Sciences, has had a dream to unravel the mysteries of the ionosphere-thermosphere. Even as a UT Dallas graduate student in the ‘80s working with Dr. Hanson, Anderson knew understanding the upper layers of Earth’s…
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Stefan Receives 2021 Doherty Award
September 17, 2021 by Haywood McNeill Dr. Mihaela C. Stefan, Eugene McDermott professor and interim head of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at The University of Texas at Dallas, has received the 2021 Wilfred T. Doherty Award from the American Chemical Society’s Dallas-Fort Worth section. The award recognizes excellence in chemical research or chemistry teaching, meritorious service to ACS, the establishment of new chemical methodology for the industry, solution…
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Ishak-Boushaki Conducts Research at the Intersection of “Modern Cosmology and General Relativity”
by Haywood McNeill The good news is physicists say the Universe is expanding. And they say it is expanding at an accelerating rate. The bad news is they are not sure why the acceleration is happening. The puzzle has placed the work of 20th century genius Albert Einstein front and center. That the Universe is expanding contradicts…
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Professor Relishes Role with Society for Applied Mathematicians
Dr. Susan Minkoff, a professor of mathematical sciences at UT Dallas, is enjoying serving her second term as secretary of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), a post she’ll keep till the end of 2023. SIAM, with roughly 15,000 members, is an international professional society that serves as the main applied mathematics professional…
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Adventures in Iceland
Tectonic bucket list by M.E. Clary In September, a group of 14 alumni and friends of The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Iceland, led by Dr. David Hyndman, dean of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM) and Francis S. and Maurine G. Johnson Distinguished University Chair. This…
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From Lab to Leader: Alumna’s Journey to Advance Pharmaceutical Science at Pfizer
By Caryn BerardiFebruary 9, 2024 To understand what it takes to bring a pharmaceutical drug from the lab to a patient, Dr. Elizabeth Rainbolt BS‘10, PhD‘14 says to think about it like the rolling credits at the end of a blockbuster movie. It requires a large-scale collaboration among thousands of employees, scientists and experts from…
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Professor Emeritus Dean Carl Presnall, UTD Geosciences Pioneer, Dies
by Carly Orewiler Dean Carl Presnall — geologist, educator and one of UT Dallas’ founding geosciences professors — died Feb. 3 from Alzheimer’s disease at 87 years old. Presnall first came to North Texas in 1967 to join the Southwest Center for Advanced Studies, which in 1969 became The University of Texas at Dallas. His…
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Dr. David Lary is Advancing Public Safety with the OWL Project and Cutting-Edge Sensor Technology
“Prevention is better than the cure,” says Dr. David Lary, a professor of Physics at the Hanson Center for Space Science at The University of Texas at Dallas and the Founding Director of MINTS (Multi-Scale Integrated Intelligent Interactive Sensing). With over three decades of experience tackling societal challenges through science, Dr. Lary is now addressing…
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Recent PhD Grad Applies Math Models to Finance, Wealth Management
Subas Acharya, PhD’22, who worked under the co-supervision of Professor Dmitriy Rachinskiy (Department of Mathematical Sciences) and Professor Alain Bensoussan (ICDRiA, JSOM), submitted his dissertation on applying stochastic processes to finance. His work was advised and supported by Dr. Alejandro Rivera (JSOM). The research applies techniques on problems of mathematical finance and economics, such as stochastic optimal control…
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Cosmologist Wins Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award
In a letter dated September 19, AAAS fellow and UT Dallas physics Professor Mustapha Ishak-Boushaki was informed that he had been chosen to receive the 2022 UT System Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award. “This award reflects the high regard your peers have for your qualities as a member of the faculty, and it gives us all great satisfaction to…
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Q&A with Mia Rudin: Geosciences Senior, UTD Basketball Player
by Caryn Berardi Growing up in Boise, Idaho, Mia Rudin developed a strong connection to nature from a young age. When she moved to Commerce, Texas, during high school, she quickly found her stride on the basketball court. Now a successful student-athlete at UT Dallas, Rudin found a place where her passion for sports and…
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Polar Vortex and the Texas Blackouts
Instead of arrows, Cupid delivered a very cold shot of air Valentine’s Day 2021, which may go down as one of the coldest in history. A polar vortex (a large area of low pressure and cold air surrounding both of the Earth’s poles) arrived, plunging Texas temperatures that day from a high of 22 degrees…
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Renowned Micropaleontologist Emile Pessagno, Jr. Passes Away at 91
The Department of Sustainable Earth Systems Sciences and the geoscience community mourns the loss of esteemed Emeritus Professor Emile Anthony Pessagno, Jr., who passed away on May 23, 2024, in East Texas. He was 91 years old. A revered figure in the field of micropaleontology, Pessagno’s career spanned several decades, notably as a faculty member…
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GeoClub President Has Gem of an Experience at Perot Museum
by Haywood McNeill Pranto Anandmaya, a UT Dallas junior majoring in geosciences and president of the GeoClub, recently completed an internship at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas, where he got a behind-the-scenes look at the museum’s operations and a feel for the work involved in presenting exhibitions. The Perot Museum is…
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Geophysics Professor Named Department Head
Dr. David Lumley, the Cecil and Ida Green Chair in Geophysics, now is head of the Department of Geosciences, it was announced this month. He joined UT Dallas in spring 2017 as a tenured, full professor of geophysics and is appointed to geosciences and is jointly affiliated with physics. Lumley intends to rebuild geosciences with a…
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Where Are They Now? Peter Niedbalski, PhD’17
Peter Niedbalski, PhD’17, received his doctorate in physics from The University of Texas at Dallas. During his time at UT Dallas, he studied dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) under physics Associate Professor Lloyd Lumata. Following his graduation, Peter accepted a post-doctoral fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center to perform pulmonary imaging research. Building on the…
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In Memoriam: Robert H. Rutford, Jan. 26, 1933-Dec. 1, 2019
By Robert Stern Bob Rutford was a remarkable leader in many aspects of life, including at UT Dallas and in the Department of Geosciences. Robert Hoxie Rutford, son of longtime University of Minnesota College of Agriculture faculty member Skuli Rutford, grew up in St. Anthony Park next to the St. Paul campus. His family is of Icelandic…
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Reminiscence of Dr. David Lewis
By Dr. Paul Stanford David joined our department shortly before I did, so we have known each other for a considerable period. He sported a magnificent handlebar mustache at the time, one which settled down over the years. He was cheerful and supportive, worked patiently with his students, and was always professional in his duties…
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Not Just About Work: Vladimir Dragović on the Power of Mathematics
Dr. Vladimir Dragović, a prominent mathematician and head of the Department of Mathematical Sciences at The University of Texas at Dallas, was recently featured in “Magazin” discussing his journey from a schoolboy with a passion for mathematics to an esteemed academic leader. His career, marked by significant achievements and global recognition, includes extensive training in…
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A Nod to the Past: Pioneering Mathematical Physicist Ivor Robinson
The late Professor Emeritus Ivor Robinson was founding head of the Division of Mathematics and Mathematical Physics at The University of Texas at Dallas. Dr. Robinson was among the first members recruited in 1963 to the Graduate Research Center of the Southwest (GRCSW), the private research organization that in 1969 became The University of Texas…
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Biology Student Invents Vibrating Therapy Vest for Dogs, Wins Startup Challenge
by Carly Orewiler Driven by her unwavering love for animals and determined entrepreneurial spirit, a biology senior at UT Dallas is emerging as a trailblazer in veterinary medicine. Madison Valdivia, co-founder of Olive Tree Therapeutics, invented the world’s first vibrating therapy vest for dogs with upper-respiratory illnesses. She pitched her startup company alongside top research…
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Physics Society Receives 10th Consecutive National Distinction
Physics Society Receives 10th Consecutive National Distinction by Caryn Berardi The UT Dallas chapter of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) was recently recognized as a Distinguished Chapter by the SPS national organization. This is UT Dallas SPS’ 10th consecutive chapter distinction and one of its 22 national awards and recognitions over the last decade,…
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Geoscience Studio Videos, Animations Bring People Back to Earth
They call him greedy, but he still wants more. More interest and learning about our home planet from you, John Q. Public. UT Dallas geosciences professor Dr. Robert Stern, who has taught students about the Earth’s dynamic crust for nearly 40 years, is using 21st century tools to teach more people about the Earth and employing…
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Alumnus Pushes Tech to its Limits in Search for Energy
After a childhood often spent looking at the past, UT Dallas alumnus John Thurmond, BA’97, PhD’06, now spends much of his time gazing into the future. Thurmond is a geoscientist serving as an advisor on emerging technology in geosciences at Hess Corporation, an independent energy company in Houston. “I am effectively a technology scout,” Thurmond…
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‘Colton was magical’: Parents Honor Son’s Memory
by Christina Pugliese Two new endowments to support the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics will honor the legacy of Colton William Roberts, a former student in the school who was tragically killed by a driver under the influence days before the beginning of his junior year. Established by members of Colton’s family, the Colton…
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UTD Chapter of SPS Deemed ‘Outstanding’ – Again
From a field of 96, the UTD Society of Physics Students won 2020’s Outstanding Chapter Award, the third consecutive year for them to win that distinction. “We’ve won chapter distinctions eight years in a row, and the last three of those consecutively have been at the highest level,” said Dr. Jason Slinker, associate professor of…
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How to Get an Internship: Q&A with Data Science Student
by Carly Orewiler Data science senior Amogh Channashetti is what some would call an internship guru. With notable companies such as Hilton, Vanguard, and Milliman on his resume, he is gearing up for his fourth internship at Capital One this summer. Beyond his academic achievements as a National Merit Scholar in the Collegium V Honors…
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Teaching Awards Recognize Math Faculty, TAs as Class Acts
The School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics places great importance on the work of talented and committed teachers. Each year, students are asked to nominate faculty and teaching assistants worthy of recognition for the extraordinary efforts they make to provide our students a top-quality education. The school normally makes up to five awards in the…
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Chemist Turns Biomolecules into Agents for Cancer Therapy, Cell-Delivery Systems
When Arezoo Shahrivarkevishahi PhD’21 was asked what she looks forward to most following the successful defense of her dissertation this year, she responded like a Super Bowl champion: “I’m going to join Pfizer!” Yes, that Pfizer of Covid-19 vaccine fame, headquartered in New York City. As an example of UT Dallas attracting the best and…
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Physics Society President to Speak at Sciences Building Dedication
By Carly OrewilerMarch 4, 2024 University of Texas at Dallas Society of Physics Students (SPS) president Alison Spadaro is set to deliver remarks at the March 6 Sciences Building dedication ceremony, alongside several campus leaders including UT Dallas President Richard C. Benson. The 186,000-square-foot Sciences Building is one of the newest structures on the UT…
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Creative Scientist, Alumna Uses Art to Promote Accessibility in STEM
By Carly OrewilerMay 9, 2024 Harnessing the universal language of art, an alumna and visionary microbiologist is on a mission to bridge the gap between science and society. Recently accepted into the Scripps Institution of Oceanography PhD program at the University of California San Diego this fall, Freya Hammar BS’21, MS’22 seems to do it…
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UTD Science Instrument Travels Aboard SpaceX Rocket
On Nov. 26, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket ferrying supplies to the International Space Station also carried a small satellite containing a scientific instrument built by researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas. The CubeSat nanosatellite – rectangular and about the size of two loaves of bread – is part of the CubeSat Launch…
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Meet NSM’s 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient
On Saturday, March 25, John Ryals MS’80, PhD’82 will be honored at the 2023 UT Dallas Awards Gala. Ryals is a veteran of the biotech industry with over 35 years of experience in a variety of senior leadership and research positions. He is CEO of Integrated Precision Biosystems and was previously the founder or co-founder of Paradigm…
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Cancer Researcher Fulfills Promise
January 30, 2021 by Haywood McNeill When her beloved grandmother died of brain cancer, a nine-year-old Nikki (pronounced nĭ-kē´) Delk made a promise to become a scientist and to help find a cure. “She and my mother are two of my biggest inspirations,” said Delk. Delk earned her doctoral degree and was hired as an…
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Physics Professor Empowers Young STEM Leaders Through Robotics
by Caryn Berardi Dr. Xiaoyan Shi is busy shaping the next generation of technology and science innovators — by day, as a professor and researcher, and in his spare time, as a robotics mentor in the local community. Shi is an assistant professor in the Department of Physics. His research lab, known as the Quantum…
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Watch Green Fellows Present Research Online May 6
The Green Fellows program, offered jointly by The University of Texas at Dallas and the UT Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, provides a semester-long, fully paid undergraduate research fellowship. The program is most appropriate for those students interested in PhD or MD/PhD pathways after graduation from UT Dallas. This week, from 2-4 pm Thursday, May…
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Congratulations to Spring 2021 Geoscience Scholarship winners!
Thanks to the generosity of alumni, faculty, and community supporters, UTD Geosciences is able to offer scholarships to our students. In spring 2021 we awarded a total of $21,250 to 23 of our undergraduate and graduate students. Twelve undergraduates were awarded scholarships. Pranto Anandma, Carla Lara, Caroline Lonneman, Takara Leornas, Lysandra Real, and Cara Williams…
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Mathematical Sciences Welcomes Faculty Members
The Department of Mathematical Sciences welcomed additions to its faculty. Liang Hong, PhD, associate professor of mathematical sciences, received his BA in economics from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, and PhD in mathematics from Purdue University. His research has spanned a wide spectrum of topics, including actuarial science, data science and statistics, machine learning,…
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Practice Makes Perfect: Ochem Professors Create App, Website to Prepare Students for Exams
Reprinted from The Mercury Ochemrank.com, a new organic chemistry web app aimed at students taking organic chemistry (OChem) I and II, has revolutionized how students prepare for difficult exams. The web app, developed by chemistry professors Mihaela Stefan and Michael Biewer, as well as computer science professor Ovidiu Daescu and their team of graduate and undergraduate…
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A Mold for Excellence: Dental School Pioneers
by Caryn Berardi The University of Texas at Dallas is known as one of the top medical school feeders in the state and across the nation, but how does it stack up when it comes to dental school? The answer is not necessarily in the quantity – it is in the quality. Students aiming to…
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Interactive Physics Camp Fuels STEM Passion in Girls
By Carly OrewilerMarch 1, 2024 Although Noor Malik loved science, mastering Newton’s laws of motion was low on her summer bucket list. It was 2018, only a couple months before she started high school, and she wasn’t particularly excited about spending a week of her break back in school. At a physics camp, of all…
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In Memoriam: Dr. Mohamed G. Abdelsalam
The Department of Sustainable Earth Systems Sciences (formerly Geosciences) at The University of Texas at Dallas is deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Mohamed G. Abdelsalam. Dr. Abdelsalam was an esteemed geoscientist whose pioneering contributions to the understanding of African tectonics left an indelible mark. His groundbreaking work, particularly on the Saharan Metacraton, continues…
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Professor’s Robots Take to Land, Sea, Air to Assess, Clean Up Toxic Environs
Dr. David Lary, professor of physics in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, recently was featured in The Dallas Morning News discussing his work using remote-controlled machines to clean up environments, assess drinking water quality, and otherwise investigate spills on land, sea, and air. For the past decade he and his research team have developed protocols following a toxic…
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Chemistry Professor Awarded $1.2 Million to Probe Organic Synthesis Methods
Dr. Vladimir Gevorgyan, the Robert A. Welch Distinguished Chair in Chemistry, recently was awarded funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate transition metal-radical-hybrid methods for organic synthesis. The grant totals $1.2 million over the next three years. Gevorgyan’s research focuses on developing new methods to synthesize molecules that are valuable building blocks in synthetic…
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UTD GSS: Telling the Story of the Geosciences
This article first appeared in the May 2022 issue of the AAPG Explorer Geoscience education is essential to the AAPG Foundation. In fact, it’s promised right there in the Foundation’s mission statement to “support education and scientific activities in the field of geology.” Also crucial to the Foundation: engaging and informing the general public about the…
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Geosciences Scholarships
The Department of Geosciences at UTD is pleased to provide limited scholarship/fellowship support to its students (for example, graduate students receiving stipend support through Teaching Assistant or Research Assistant positions). Every spring, undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled and in good academic standing are encouraged to apply. The intent of this financial support is to…
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Research Scientist Returns to UTD Flock
Computational mathematician Georgia Stuart BS’12, MATs’14, PhD’20 is one of the rare scholars who received all her degrees – bachelor’s, two master’s and a doctorate – from UT Dallas. According to the Office of Statistics, Planning and Analysis, only 10 students in the university’s history have graduated with the same order and number of degrees from…
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Delk Lab Pinpoints Inflammation’s Role in Cancer Growth
Aug 2, 2021 by Haywood McNeill Like a sleuth following a trail of clues, biologist Dr. Nikki Delk reviews the evidence. She’s closing in on a killer. But this one is wily, often executing a breathtaking, last-second escape when cornered. According to the American Cancer Society, breast and prostate cancer are the most diagnosed cancer…
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NSM Now LinkedIn
Engaging others. That’s what it’s all about, right? The School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics recently made its presence on the social media platform LinkedIn, an online resource for networking, recruiting, hiring and training professionals and entrepreneurs. According to LinkedIn, it is estimated to have 740 million members from more than 200 countries worldwide. This year…
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Professor Receives Educator Award From Geology Association
Lowell Waite, geosciences lecturer at UT Dallas, received the 2023 Distinguished Educator Award from The Southwest Section of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (SWS AAPG). Waite earned the prestigious honor for his excellence in teaching and dedication to petroleum geology education. The award is given to only one recipient annually among Texas and New Mexico…
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Nobel Laureate Penrose to Reminisce Work with Rindler on Spinors, Spacetime
Sir Roger Penrose, the British scholar who won half of the 2020 Nobel Prize in physics “for the discovery that black hole formation is a robust prediction of the general theory of relativity,” gave a transatlantic talk over Zoom on Sept. 2, 2021, titled, “Spinors, Space-Time, and Working with Wolfgang Rindler.” The Nobel laureate and the late UT Dallas physics…
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Kesden Elected to Texas Section APS Chair Line
Astrophysicist and associate professor of physics Dr. Michael Kesden recently was elected vice chair of the Texas Section of the American Physical Society (APS), a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing and spreading physics knowledge. The election to the vice chair post puts Kesden in line next to be chair-elect, then chairman and finally past chair…
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Physics Alum on Mission to Send Night Vision Technology to Ukraine
Physics Alum on Mission to Send Night Vision Technology to Ukraine by Caryn Berardi In 1992, Dr. Joseph Estrera graduated from UT Dallas with his master’s and PhD in physics. In 2023, he is in the process of sending more than one thousand of his company’s image intensifier night vision products overseas to aid the…
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Chemists Show Their Work at Meeting in Miniature May 1
The University of Texas at Dallas and the American Chemical Society Dallas-Fort Worth (ACS-DFW) Section are hosting the annual Meeting in Miniature, this year a virtual seminar where 109 undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows who submitted abstracts of their chemistry research will give 10-minute oral presentations Saturday, May 1. Dr. Mihaela Stefan, Eugene…
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Students Explore Summer Opportunities
Undergraduate students in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics will continue their educational pursuits this summer while gaining valuable hands-on research experience. The Department of Geosciences provides opportunities for field course work at geological sites in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico in two, 3-credit courses: Introductory Field Geology (GEOS 3300) and Advanced Field Geology (GEOS 4300).…
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Researcher’s Cancer-fighting Drug Up for FDA Approval
Research in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at UT Dallas has shown that heme, a central molecule in oxygen utilization, is implicated in the growth and proliferation of lung cancer cells. Dr. Li Zhang, professor of biological sciences, and her research team previously found that cells of the most common type of lung cancer – non-small cell…
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Deep Sensing on the Horizon: Scientist Explores Intelligent Chips
by Caryn Berardi and Carly Orewiler A University of Texas at Dallas scientist who studies 2D materials and intelligent chips recently published a review article in Science highlighting an emerging field that he has been pioneering — geometric deep optical sensing — an innovative scheme that could revolutionize the way we capture, process and utilize…
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Nikki Delk Named Among 1,000 Inspiring Black Scientists
Delk, who joined the Department of Biological Sciences in 2014, is a Fellow, Cecil H. and Ida Green Professor in Systems Biology Science. Her research focuses on inflammation-induced breast cancer and prostate cancer progression and treatment resistance.
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Meteorite Course Offered That’s Out of This World
Comets Love Meteorites, a new class offered by the Department of Geosciences in the School of Natural Sciences & Mathematics that is out of this world, lets students get their hands on meteorites – among the oldest objects in our Solar System. A story about the class was first featured in The Mercury, student newspaper…
