Texas-Sized Impact

Rising alumni influence serves as catalyst for state’s growing workforce.

Alumnus Wayne Watts understands a thing or two about conducting business in Texas. As senior executive vice president and general counsel with Dallas-based AT&T, he handles legal matters for the communications giant. He sees firsthand the impact UT Arlington graduates have on the Texas workforce. “I know several alumni personally who hold key positions at major companies in our area, such as Exxon and Energy […]

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Former actress finds joy in helping others

Her termination came courtesy of Elizabeth Taylor—at least she’s pretty sure it did. Ann Palmer ’60 was playing one of five princesses in filming the movie Cleopatra when Richard Burton, in full view of Taylor, acknowledged Palmer by her first name. “Miss Taylor glared,” Palmer recalls. “I had my notice three days later!” Palmer, who earned her degree in commercial art from UT Arlington, had always wanted […]

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Military Tradition

Al Ellis, right, and retired Col. Archie P. Davis are the 2013 inductees into the Military Science Hall of Honor. A UT Arlington Distinguished Alumnus, Ellis earned his bachelor’s degree in 1965. He served in the Dominican Republic and Vietnam before leaving the Army in 1969 to pursue a law career. He is “of counsel” with Sommerman & Quesada LLP in Dallas. Davis is a […]

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Small-Scale Security, Full-Force Defense

A new center aims to strengthen national security by devising nanoscale probes to test food and water, creating sensor technology to track border threats, and developing nanomedicine to treat radiation exposure.

In Wei Chen’s futuristic universe, incredibly sensitive nanotech sensors fly about in drones, are implanted in high-traffic bridges, and journey aboard robots into environments no humans could survive.

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Taming Traffic

Aided by UT Arlington civil engineers, a regional transportation team seeks to unclog North Texas roadways by merging voluminous amounts of data into high-tech transit information systems.

It’s a common and costly occurrence on North Texas freeways: Traffic suddenly slows, then creeps, then stops. Should you bail at the next exit or stick it out? When will you finally get to where you’re going? Could you have avoided the problem altogether? Alumnus Shaun Dodge asks himself questions like this during the drive from his southeast Arlington home …

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Campus Buzz

MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR

First semesters can shape your future. Handle the rigorous coursework and you’re on the road to graduation and […]

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TALK OF THE TOWN

If you’re looking for entertainment that’s enjoyable and enriching, the 2013–14 Maverick Speakers Series is delivering both. The […]

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PACKAGING AND 3-D CAD

Students in Ben Dolezal’s Packaging and 3-D CAD (computer-aided design) class are on the cutting edge of design […]

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PARENTS WIELD INFLUENCE OVER TEEN SMOKING

The biggest deterrent to teen smoking and drinking may be a candid conversation between parents and their kids. A […]

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DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY

If anyone understands the sociology of sports, it’s Krystal Beamon. The sociology assistant professor and Service Learning Faculty […]

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SHELL GAME

Two biology assistant professors have completed work on an international effort to sequence the genome of the western […]

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MAVERICKS WIN SECOND STRAIGHT CONFERENCE TITLE

The baseball team made history in 2013 by winning a conference championship for the second consecutive year. The […]

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GO CENTERS

Senior Gabriel Escobedo, left, always assumed that going to college was an unattainable dream. But a visit to […]

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GOLF

Paul McConnell made the most of his senior year, especially the last few rounds. The Dallas native claimed […]

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PROVEN WINNER

As the new women’s basketball coach, Krista Gerlich is determined to recruit, retain, educate, and graduate student-athletes. And […]

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CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

Darn those dropped cellphone calls. Electrical engineering Professor Qilian Liang has received a three-year National Science Foundation grant […]

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EXTENDING ART’S REACH

A 20-foot sculpture inspired by Leonardo da Vinci welcomes visitors to the Engineering Research Building. Dedicated in May […]

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WATER PRESSURE

Two landscape architecture graduate students won recognition from the Environmental Protection Agency for their efforts to solve UT […]

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FIELD OF DREAMS

Come 2015, Maverick softball and baseball players will have clubhouses, training facilities, and press boxes worthy of the […]

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SAFE FLIGHT

Understanding how aircraft parts can break down is vital to keeping passengers and crews safe. That’s why aerospace […]

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Move-In Day

UT Arlington launched the fall 2013 semester with Maverick Stampede, a week packed with entertaining and educational programs that welcome students to campus. At Move-In Day, the University community helped new students settle in to their residence halls. The next day, nearly 3,000 students, faculty, and staff attended the MavsMeet Convocation, a formal assembly that marks the beginning of the academic year. The annual event was followed by music, games, food, and fun at the AfterParty on The Green at College Park. New Mavericks also attended Success U, a two-day minicamp designed to prepare them for academic success.

Alumni Buzz

STREET ARTIST

Carlos Donjuan (’05 BFA, Art) was selected to paint Dallas city-funded murals to brighten retaining walls beneath the Jefferson Boulevard bridge’s Zang and Marsalis entry/exit ways in Oak Cliff. He is a lecturer in art and art history at UT Arlington.

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SOCIOLOGY PROFESSOR

Louwanda Evans (’04 BA, ’06 MA, Sociology) is a visiting assistant professor of sociology at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss.

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VIDEO PRODUCER

Chris Mead (’12 BA, Broadcast Communication) is a video production intern for the Oakland Athletics and is pursuing a master’s degree at San Francisco State University.

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ENERGY ANALYST

Magdalena Salamon (’12 BA, Russian) is an upstream energy analyst in Houston. She studies oil shale in the U.S. and serves as an analyst for European and Russian energy ventures.

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CITY DEPUTY

Theron Bowman (’83 BS, Biology; ’91 MPA; ’97 PhD, Public and Urban Administration) is deputy city manager for the city of Arlington. He oversees neighborhood services, which include the police, fire, parks and recreation, and code compliance departments as well as the library system.

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GREAT WOMAN OF TEXAS

Lauri Lawrence (’82 BA, English) was named a “Great Woman of Texas” by the Fort Worth Business Press in 2012. She was events manager for the Amon Carter Museum of American Art from 2000 to February 2012. She serves on the boards of Jewel Charity Inc., the Van Cliburn Foundation, and the Texas Ballet Theater.

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LAW FIRM PARTNER

Paul Hendry II (’94 BBA, Management) is a partner in the Cantey Hanger law firm in Fort Worth. His practice focuses on banking and real estate. He worked as a clerk for Justice Bob McCoy in the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth before entering practice.

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AREA SUPERINTENDENT

Michelle Wilmoth-Senato (’00 MEd, Educational Administration) is area superintendent for the secondary schools in the Arlington Independent School District. Previously she was principal at Boles Junior High and at Bowie High School in Arlington.

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ELECTRIC LEADER

Mike Guyton (’82 BS, Electrical Engineering) was elected secretary for the board of directors of Leaders and Executives Advocating Diversity, a nonprofit organization in Fort Worth. He is vice president of customer relations for Oncor Electric Delivery.

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AWETIZM AUTHOR

Gayle Barkley Lee (’70 MSSW) co-wrote “AWEtizm: A Hidden Key to Our Spiritual Magnificence” with her nonverbal autistic daughter, Lyrica Mia Marquez. They are receiving worldwide recognition, sharing their message through television, radio, and the Internet.

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ILFUSION FOUNDER

Jeff Langhammer (’03 BFA, Art) is CEO and cofounder of Ilfusion Creative, a Fort Worth marketing agency.

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PRECISE INTERPRETER

Holly Behl (’07 BA, Spanish) operates Preciso Language Services, a translation consultancy based in Grand Prairie. She is a master-level licensed Spanish court interpreter in Texas.

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GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

Matt Geske (’07 BA, Political Science) is director of governmental affairs for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. A member of the UT Arlington Alumni Association Board of Directors, he previously was manager of government relations for the Arlington Chamber of Commerce.

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XPRESS DIRECTING

Diane Atkinson (’01 BA, Criminal Justice) is director of events for Pony Xpress Printing, one of the nation’s top promotional and apparel companies, based in Dallas. Previously, she was vice president of merchandise for the Texas Rangers Baseball Club.

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TENURED PROFESSOR

Alan Dettlaff (’99 MSSW; ’04 PhD, Social Work) was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor at the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

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Talk

Laura Suarez Henderson, Aerospace Engineering Ph.D. Candidate