If you haven’t seen the Edith and Peter O’Donnell Jr. Athenaeum yet, what are you waiting for? It’s a spectacular addition to the campus.

EDITH AND PETER O’DONNELL JR. ATHENAEUM

A Project – And Opening – Unlike Any Other

The ribbon-cutting of the O’Donnell Athenaeum last week attracted a large crowd and inspired a string of superlatives from the dignitaries who spoke at the event.

“A project unlike any other,” said the project advocate, Dr. Inga H. Musselman, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. View the new Athenaeum website

So now there’s only one thing for the community to do: Go see it if you haven’t already. It’s worth your time. It’s stunning.

Students certainly thought so – they came flooding in the first time it opened to the public on Sept. 25. Its hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is free.

The second location for the Crow Museum of Asian Art introduces the UT Dallas Art Museums, with 12 exhibition galleries open for viewing. Most prominent is “From Texas to the World,” which chronicles the philanthropic and creative spirit of the individuals who have left enduring impressions on both The University of Texas at Dallas and the Dallas Museum of Art.

Don’t miss the Richard R. Brettell Reading Room. The book collection of the Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History’s founding director was dedicated in early September.

Also worth noting: “The Legacy of Vesuvius: Bourbon Discoveries on the Bay of Naples,” built on the research of Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History Director Dr. Michael Thomas, has been mounted at Southern Methodist University’s Meadows Museum.

CENTER FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING

Provost’s Teaching Fellows Have Intelligence To Share

The first three appointees of the Provost’s Teaching Fellows program bring a wide range of skills to their new roles in the Center for Teaching and Learning.

Dr. Sarah Moore MA’07, PhD’17 can show how to effectively utilize artificial intelligence (AI) in teaching and learning, Dr. En Li can help faculty with their professional development and xtine burrough is eager to share her creative ideas for the classroom. But they all have another important skill. Read the story to find out what it is.

There’s So Much More To Learn from CTL

Ever notice that there are a lot of emails about Center for Teaching and Learning events? That’s because it’s so dedicated to sharing ideas and information about teaching. The first two stories in a series explore what makes the CTL and its frequent workshops special – especially a workshop with a Mister Rogers theme. Read the overview | Read about the workshops

FACULTY PROMOTIONS

New Professors, Associate Professors

Please join the Office of the Provost in congratulating the faculty members whose promotions were celebrated at a Sept. 17 dinner on campus.

The Academic Senate’s Committee on Qualifications of Academic Personnel, also known as the CQ, handled 69 cases this year – 23 mid-probationary, 23 tenure and 12 promotion plus 11 hire-with-tenure reviews. Dr. Mehrdad Nourani, Senior Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs, coordinates the promotion-and-tenure process.

Promoted to Full Professor

• Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology (BAHT): Dr. Daniel Wickberg
• School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS): Dr. Mandy Maguire
• School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences (EPPS): Dr. Sarah Maxwell
• Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS): Dr. Vibhav Gogate, Dr. Majid Minary-Jolandan, Dr. Zhenpeng Qin and Dr. Yonas Tadesse
• Naveen Jindal School of Management (JSOM): Dr. Naim Bugra Ozel and Dr. Feng Zhao
• School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM): Dr. Liang Hong, Dr. Michael Kesden and Dr. Jason Slinker

Promoted to Associate Professor

• BAHT: Dr. Erin Greer, Dr. Whitney Stewart and Dr. Hong-An Wu
• EPPS: Dr. Darwin “Trey” Miller and Dr. Elizabeth Searing
• ECS: Dr. Rodrigo Bernal Montoya, Dr. Shuang Hao, Dr. Justin Koeln, Dr. Ifana Mahbub, Dr. Wei Yang and Dr. Yue Zhou
• JSOM: Dr. Yining Wang, Dr. Guihua Wang, Dr. Tongil Kim, Dr. Radha Mookerjee, Dr. Alejandro Rivera and Dr. Simon Siegenthaler
• NSM: Dr. Carlos Arreche, Dr. Nicole De Nisco, Dr. Michael Kolodrubetz, Dr. Kaloyan Penev and Dr. Nathan Williams

NEW FACULTY

Fall 2024 Cohort, All in One Place

New Faculty Orientation was only the start of the welcoming process for the fall 2024 new faculty cohort. A new page on the Office of the Provost website features their photos and titles and is organized alphabetically by school. View the page

ERIK JONSSON SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE

They Bring Impressive Resumes to New Roles

Two members of the fall 2024 new faculty cohort have assumed leadership positions in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.

Dr. Nandika D’Souza, the new associate dean of strategic initiatives, most recently was the associate dean for academic affairs for the College of Engineering at the University of North Texas. Read about her accomplishments

Dr. Edward White is the head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering after serving as an associate department head and professor of aerospace engineering at Texas A&M University. Read about his accomplishments

• Prospective Graduate Students, Take Note: Registration is open for the Jonsson School Graduate Open House, scheduled for 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, in Clark Auditorium (ECSW 1.315). Application fees will be waived for non-UT Dallas students. Register

CENTER FOR TRANSLATION STUDIES

Come and Celebrate International Translation Day

Monday, Sept. 30, was International Translation Day, but the Center for Translation Studies is celebrating it today, Oct. 1, with the debut of a multimodal translation project that recreates the atmosphere of Paul Celan’s poem “Todesfuge” (“Death Fugue”).

This translation attempts to communicate the poem’s essence through musical composition, animation and a reading of the poem in German and English.

An open house reception featuring light refreshments is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. today in JO 4.122. All faculty, staff, students, friends of literary translation and the larger Dallas-Fort Worth community are invited.

EUGENE McDERMOTT LIBRARY

A Lot to Say about Information Access

Students, faculty and staff will read passages from banned and challenged books at “Freed Between the Lines,” scheduled for 1-3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2, in the McDermott Library Atrium (MC 1.2). The event is designed to celebrate reading and recognize the loss that comes when access to ideas and information is limited or silenced. Find out more

NAVEEN JINDAL SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

Groundbreaking Ceremony Set for Oct. 8

The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Jindal School building is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8, in JSOM 11.214 and JSOM 11.218. Seating will be limited.

The building, which will increase the school’s campus footprint by 30%, will feature a wing designed for executive education, an undergraduate wing, a boardroom and a dining facility.

• New Conference: The Jindal School’s inaugural Undergraduate Student Conference enabled a group of sophomores, juniors and seniors to experience a conference (some for the first time) and helped them get more out of the Jindal School’s Career and Internship Expo a few days later. Read the JSOM story

SCHOOL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

Student, Alumna Promote Health Literacy

Senior pre-med healthcare studies major Nanditha Niranjan partnered with program alumna Shriya Veluri BS’22 to create a nonprofit, Upstream United, that provides workshops in health literacy to recently resettled refugees across Texas and will soon expand nationally. Watch the interview | Read the story

HOBSON WILDENTHAL HONORS COLLEGE

Honors Nights Out Expands Cultural Reach

More than 140 students and faculty experienced a delightful evening of Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky at the first Honors Nights Out of the fall semester. The excursion was combined with Thomsen Fund recipients to accommodate the growth in the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College and provide more opportunities for students to experience the rich cultural life of Dallas.

• Marburg, Revisited: Students who spent a semester in Marburg, Germany, or conducted research there last summer took part in a recent workshop, hosted by the Honors College, with Dr. Sascha Mölls of the University of Marburg.

EUGENE McDERMOTT SCHOLARS

Sweet 16: Meet the Class of 2024

The 2024 class of McDermott Scholars includes 16 students – 12 from Texas, one from Colorado, one from Maryland, one from Oregon and one from India. Read their bios

INTERNATIONAL CENTER     

Students, Homeowners Share Lunch, Laughs

A recent luncheon with the Canyon Creek Homeowners Association proved extremely effective in creating a friendly relationship between international students and the surrounding community. The 50 slots for students were filled in less than an hour, and the event facilitated valuable dialogue with the 50 community members who attended.

Apply Now for Faculty-Led Education Abroad

Full-time faculty members who want to propose Faculty-Led Education Abroad Programs for 2026 must apply by Dec. 15. The programs, which have the full support of Dr. Inga H. Musselman, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, offered 19 programs across 19 countries this summer. Tenure-track faculty must have completed a successful mid-probationary review to be eligible. Learn more about application process | Contact Office of International Education

STUDENT SUCCESS CENTER

Now Hiring for Spring Semester

The Student Success Center (SSC) is hiring peer leaders for the spring 2025 semester in these programs: Academic Success Coaching, CommLab/Writing Center, Peer Led Team Learning (PLTL), Peer Tutoring and Supplemental Instruction (SI).

Interested students must have at least a 3.0 GPA and an A-minus or higher in the course for which they are applying. Application page | Hiring page

To recommend students who would be a good fit for the SSC, faculty or staff members can email sscrecruiting@utdallas.edu.

OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

Poster Competition Adds Artistic Touch

The PhD Student Poster Competition and Art Showcase, hosted by the Office of Research and Innovation on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at the Visitor Center and University Bookstore, will include a new feature: a separate art showcase in which people can vote for their favorites.

Students will present their research during the poster sessions, scheduled for 9:30-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m., and the art winners will be announced during the awards ceremony immediately after the afternoon session. Find out more

Contact Taylor Yarborough for the Poster Competition and DeMia Keppel for the Art Showcase.

SHUTTLE TO UT SOUTHWESTERN

Schedule Change Accommodates Early Risers

Need a stress-free way to get from UT Dallas to the Texas Instruments Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Building (TI-BMES) at UT Southwestern? A new shuttle bus, funded by the Office of the Provost, is the answer, and now the first departure of the day from Rutford Avenue has been moved up to 7:15 a.m. Just think: No traffic or parking hassles … and it’s free.

The new schedule:

• Departs UT DALLAS: 7:15 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5:15 p.m.
• Departs UTSW: 8:45 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6:30 p.m.

DEBATE TEAM

Seniors Reach Semifinals in Opener

The senior team of Rahul Penumetcha and Ari Karchmer reached the semifinals of the season-opening Owen L. Coon Memorial tournament hosted at Northwestern University before losing to No. 2 seed Harvard 2-1. The pair won five of eight debates in the preliminary rounds, and the two other UTD teams, Mahintha Karthik/Adrian Sendejas and Sabarish Ravi/Charlie Hale, finished 4-4.

OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION

New Issue of The Exley Published

The Exley, Issue Six, which features scientific and creative works produced by UT Dallas undergraduate students, was published at the beginning of the academic year. It is a tribute to the late Elizabeth “Libby” Exley Hodge, a former UT Dallas employee who was a supporter of the undergraduate research experience and created The Exley. Proposals for The Exley, Issue Seven, are now being accepted. Read Issue Six | Submit for Issue Seven

Calendar

Wednesday, Oct. 2
Study Abroad Fair: Office of International Education offers information about programs, new destinations and funding opportunities. 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m., ATC lobby

Publication Strategies: From Manuscript to Impact: Faculty Success Workshop panelists share strategies to boost your chances of getting published. Join a lively discussion on effective writing techniques and options for handling submission rejections. 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., CTL Workspace (MC 2.404) | RSVP

Banned Books Read-Out: Freed Between the Lines: UTD students, faculty and staff read passages from banned and challenged books in McDermott Library event designed to show why censorship can be harmful and restrictive. 1-3 p.m., Library Atrium (MC 1.2).

Thursday, Oct. 3
Slow Productivity: Could Slowing Down Help You Get Ahead? Dr. Carol Cirulli Lanham MA’09, PhD’11, CTL associate director, facilitates discussion about how to shift from a task-driven mindset to one centered on deep focus, creativity and thoughtful productivity. Inspired by the ideas in a new book, Slow Productivity. 4-5 p.m., Microsoft Teams | Register by Oct. 3

Wednesday, Oct. 9
Jindal School 2024 Scholarship Breakfast: JSOM’s signature fundraising event offers a forum for discussing current business issues and supports the educational goals of UT Dallas students. Keynote speaker: Dr. Sulman Ahmed BA’01, founder, chairman and CEO of DECA Dental Group. 7:30-9:30 a.m., Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center | Sponsorship opportunities

Improving Student Performance: Analysis of Exam Questions in First-Year Chemistry Classes: UT Dallas faculty from several schools share preliminary findings after evaluating 20 years of first-year chemistry exams in a study supported by a CTL Instructional Improvement Award. 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Microsoft Teams | Register by Oct. 8

Thursday, Oct. 10
Integrate VE/COIL into Your Course and Help Students Earn a Digital Badge for Engaging Globally: Dr. Carol Cirulli Lanham, associate director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, and Yuliana Butchko, microcredentials program manager, Office of Institutional Success and Decision Support, demonstrate collaborative projects that build essential marketable skills. 10-11:15 a.m., CTL Workspace (MC 2.404) | RSVP by Oct. 8

Generative AI Across the UT System: Studying and Socializing with AI: While faculty perspectives are frequently highlighted in discussions about AI in education, students also can use it to enhance studying and receive feedback on writing, plan meals and workouts, and even manage social media. Part of UT System Mini-Conference Series. 1-2:15 p.m., Zoom | Register for link

The Humanities Out in the World: In the Annual Dean’s Lecture of the Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology, Dartmouth College professor Dr. Irene Kacandes refutes the notion that a humanities degree is a waste of money. She says the humanities can address the world’s most pressing problems. 6-8 p.m., ATC 2.602

Friday, Oct. 11
Workshop on Imaging and Data Science: Third annual event facilitates the translation of cutting-edge imaging and surgical technologies developed at the UT Dallas engineering laboratories to clinical settings at UT Southwestern Medical Center. 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Texas Instruments Auditorium (ECSS 2.102)

Thursday, Oct. 17
Opening the Can of Worms: Strategies for Navigating Challenging Discussions: Dr. Salena Brody, CTL associate director, facilitates a discussion of practical strategies faculty can use to prepare for and navigate what could be difficult classroom discussions. Bagels and coffee provided while supplies last. 9-10:30 a.m., CTL Workspace (MC 2.404) | Register by Oct. 10

Saturday, Oct. 19
Bass School 50th Anniversary Celebration: All alumni are invited to commemorate 50 years of the Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology and its legacy schools. Events include: Tours and faculty talks, 3-5 p.m., ATC lobby | “Looking Back, Looking Forward” talk by Bass School dean, Dr. Nils Roemer, followed by reception, 5 p.m., JO 4.122 | Doors open for performance by internationally known pianist Victor Rosenbaum, 7 p.m., Jonsson Performance Hall (JO 2.604)

Monday, Oct. 21
Film Screening: “Resistance – They Fought Back”: Provides corrective to myth of Jewish passivity in World War II by chronicling uprisings in ghettos, rebellions in death camps and thousands of Jews fighting Nazis in forests. Free, but seating is limited and registration is requested. 7-9 p.m., Studio Movie Grill, 11170 N. Central Expressway, Dallas | Register

Wednesday, Oct. 23
Tenure and Promotion Strategies for Tenure-Track Faculty: Special information session from Provost’s Office on UT Dallas tenure and promotion policy. Learn details of review process so you can prepare and plan for a successful review. Lunch provided for registrants. 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., CTL Workspace (MC 2.404) | RSVP by Oct. 16

Thursday, Oct. 24
Removing the Lines That Divide Us: Neurodiversity-Aligned Teaching and Classroom Practices: Dr. Maria Hasenhuttl, clinical assistant manager–management for the Naveen Jindal School of Management, and Dr. Karen Huxtable-Jester, director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, facilitate discussion of strategies that make success attainable for every student. Lunch provided for registrants. 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., CTL Workspace (MC 2.404) | RSVP by Oct. 18

Tuesday, Oct. 29
Monthly Mentor-Mentee Coffee and Chat: Networking event where mentors and mentees can connect over hot coffee and tea and meet other faculty members from around campus. 9-10 a.m., MC 2.404

FEEDBACK

Send Us Your Ideas

Faculty or Academic Affairs staff are welcome to suggest items and story ideas for the Provost newsletter by emailing provostnews@utdallas.edu.

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