Maxine Adegbola - Undergraduate Nursing

WHEREAS, the faculty and administration of the Department of Undergraduate Nursing and the University of Texas at Arlington commend your eighteen years of dedicated teaching, research, and service;

WHEREAS, your career exemplifies service leadership, professional generosity, mentorship, and advocacy for your colleagues and students;

WHEREAS, as Coordinator of the Undergraduate Honors College Nursing Program, you mentored approximately 150 honors students through the successful completion of their senior projects;

WHEREAS, you supported the professional growth of nursing faculty across local, national, and international organizations;

WHEREAS, in 2025, your sustained leadership in service to the university, profession, and community was recognized through your induction into the UTA Academy of Distinguished Service Leaders;

WHEREAS, you have been selected as a 2026 Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and will be inducted in October 2026. You are also a Fellow of the Academy of Nursing Education. These distinctions reflect your significant contributions to nursing education, policy, research, and professional service;

THEREFORE, for your dedication to leadership in teaching, research, and professional service, and collaboration with colleagues in advancing the mission of the University, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Clinical Professor Emerita.

Robert Bing - Criminology and Criminal Justice

WHEREAS, the faculty, alumni, and administration are pleased to commend you for your distinguished leadership and institutional service to The University of Texas at Arlington. In your thirty-four years at UTA, your planning, advocacy, and collaboration led to the establishment of Criminology and Criminal Justice as an independent department, which you led for twelve years. Your contributions strengthened the curriculum, developed a nationally respected faculty, and established two ongoing scholarships;

WHEREAS, your longstanding involvement in community-building initiatives exemplifies your commitment to UTA's core values. You served on the Committee on the Status of Women and Minorities, chaired the University President's Principles of Community Committee, helped found the African American Faculty and Staff Association, and co-wrote the proposal establishing the Center for African American Studies;

WHEREAS, you were a committed mentor to faculty and students, serving as a role model for aspiring criminologists and public service professionals. Nationally, you co-developed a blueprint for a mentoring program through the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. Throughout, you have maintained a distinguished record of scholarship, developing research focused on race, crime, and the criminal justice system;

THEREFORE, with great gratitude and respect, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emeritus.

Rebecca Boles - Architecture

WHEREAS, the faculty, students, alumni, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington proudly honor you for your distinguished career and enduring contributions to the Interior Design Program, the School of Architecture, and the College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs. Throughout nearly three decades of dedicated service, you exemplified excellence as an educator, administrator, practitioner, and mentor, inspiring generations of students through your commitment to design, creativity, and professional integrity.

WHEREAS, your leadership strengthened the Interior Design Program through multiple successful accreditation cycles while fostering meaningful collaboration across disciplines and advancing the reputation of the College. As Assistant Dean, you provided thoughtful leadership and continuity during periods of institutional change, championing improvements to learning environments and supporting initiatives that enriched the educational experience for students and faculty alike. Your distinguished professional practice, scholarly contributions, and unwavering dedication to the advancement of design education have left a legacy that extends well beyond the University. Above all, your generosity, wisdom, and commitment to mentoring students and colleagues have shaped countless careers and strengthened the culture of our academic community;

THEREFORE, with deep gratitude, admiration, and respect, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Associate Professor of Practice Emerita.

Bill Carroll - Computer Science and Engineering

WHEREAS, the faculty, alumni, students, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your forty-five years of distinguished service;

WHEREAS, your outstanding academic leadership at UTA and in the professional community—serving as Chair of the CSE Department (1981-1999), Dean of the College of Engineering (2000-2011), ABET/EAC Program Evaluator (domestic and international, 1983-2023), Co-Founder of ICDCS (1979, the flagship international conference in distributed computing)—has made tremendous, lasting contributions to the growth and success of CSE, the College of Engineering and UT Arlington, and the computing community;

WHEREAS, your distinguished research –over two million dollars of research funding, over sixty published research articles, and six books and book chapters-- has garnered important accolades, from various honor society memberships to two NASA Technology Innovation Awards, from Dow/ASEE Outstanding Young Faculty Award to Lifetime Fellow of IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers);

WHEREAS, as an impactful and award-winning educator, your excellent classroom teaching and student mentoring have brought you the Lockheed Martin AC Excellence in Teaching Award (2017), the UTA College of Engineering Outstanding Teaching Award (2019), and election to the UTA Academy of Distinguished Teachers (2021), to name a few of your teaching-related accolades;

WHEREAS, your exemplary service to the department and the university--leading the departmental ABET efforts for the 2018 and 2024 successful accreditations of all CSE programs, chairing the UTA Faculty Senate (2019-2021) at a critical juncture of the University, steering UTA’s impactful participation in the COACHE study—has been recognized by your election to the inaugural class of the UTA Academy of Distinguished Service Leaders (2022);

THEREFORE, for your multifaceted contributions, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Dean and Professor Emeritus.

Zeynep Çelik-Butler - Electrical Engineering

WHEREAS, your colleagues in the Department of Electrical Engineering, faculty and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington, and many former students express deep appreciation for your years of dedicated teaching, service, and research;

WHEREAS, you have made exceptional contributions to research, graduate education, and professional service, significantly shaping both the Electrical Engineering Department and the broader engineering community at UTA and beyond;

WHEREAS, your research is particularly notable for advancing nanoelectronic device reliability and sensor technologies through innovative methodologies and rigorous experimentation. Collaborating extensively with graduate students and industry leaders, you have translated fundamental insights into practical applications. Your patented work on integrated packaging methods for MEMS devices earned the Semiconductor Research Corporation Global Research Collaboration Inventor Recognition Award, reflecting the originality and influence of your contributions. Your expertise in electronic fluctuations further garnered nearly two decades of invited lectures worldwide as an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer;

WHEREAS, your record in graduate education is equally impressive, having supervised twenty-four doctoral students and mentored numerous postdoctoral researchers. Your leadership in IEEE, including service as Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Sensors Journal, enhanced both the profession and UTA’s global visibility;

THEREFORE, with deep gratitude, respect, and affection, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emeritus.

Herbert (Bill)Corley - Industrial, Manufacturing, And Systems Engineering

WHEREAS, the faculty, alumni, students, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your more than five decades of transformative contributions to the University as a scholar, educator, mentor, and colleague;

WHEREAS, a prolific and innovative researcher, you authored influential works, including The Dirty Dozen Puzzles and the seminal book chapter “Optimal Set Partitioning.” Your scholarly impact extends to patented advances in resource allocation and decision modeling, reflecting the originality and practical relevance of your research. Serving as a Registered Professional Engineer in Texas since 1977, you have brought exceptional depth and rigor to the fields of optimization, systems modeling, decision theory, statistics, network analysis, and game theory;

WHEREAS, equally distinguished as an educator, you earned the UT System Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award and membership in the UTA Academy of Distinguished Teachers, inspiring generations of students through clarity, mentorship, and intellectual generosity. Your colleagues have long valued your leadership in the promotion and tenure process and your unwavering commitment to academic excellence;

THEREFORE, in recognition of your extraordinary achievements and lasting influence on the University community, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emeritus.

Manfred Cuntz - Physics

WHEREAS, the faculty, students, alumni, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your distinguished service and extraordinary contributions to science, education, and the University during more than twenty-five years as a member of the Department of Physics;

WHEREAS, since joining The University of Texas at Arlington in 2000, you have established an internationally recognized research program in stellar astrophysics, exoplanetary science, and astrobiology. Through your pioneering studies of the detection and characterization of exoplanets and planetary habitability, you have advanced our understanding of worlds beyond our solar system and brought distinction and recognition to the University;

WHEREAS, equally significant have been your contributions to teaching and curriculum development. Through your leadership in building the astronomy program and your development of innovative and interdisciplinary courses, including the highly successful Astrobiology sequence, you have inspired generations of students from physics, biology, and many other disciplines. Your dedication to teaching and mentorship, including the supervision of doctoral students, has enriched the educational mission of the department and strengthened its ties to the broader scientific community;

WHEREAS, your professionalism, collegiality, and commitment to excellence have made you a valued colleague and friend;

THEREFORE, for your dedication to scholarship, commitment to students and colleagues, and service to the University and the scientific community, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emeritus.

Ray Elliott - Modern Languages and Linguistics & TESOL

WHEREAS, the faculty, students, alumni, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your more than thirty-three years of distinguished service as a scholar, teacher, mentor, and academic leader. Through your wisdom, integrity, and unwavering commitment to students and colleagues, you have left an enduring legacy that continues to strengthen the University;

WHEREAS, as Professor of Spanish and one of the University of Texas at Arlington's longest-serving department chairs, you led the Departments of Modern Languages and Linguistics & TESOL with fairness and a steadfast dedication to academic excellence. You guided both departments through periods of growth and change while fostering a culture of respect and shared purpose. Your dedication to teaching and mentorship is reflected in the countless students, junior faculty, and colleagues whose lives and careers were shaped by your guidance. Your leadership in faculty governance and promotion of teaching excellence advanced the University's academic mission;

WHEREAS, your scholarship in Spanish linguistics and Indigenous language documentation, together with your influential textbooks, has advanced research and teaching.

THEREFORE, with profound gratitude for your exceptional leadership, enduring kindness, and lasting contributions to the institution, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Chair and Professor Emeritus.

Greg Frazier - Information Systems & Operations Management

WHEREAS, the faculty, alumni, students, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your nearly three decades of distinguished service to the University, your exceptional contributions to the fields of production and operations management, and your extraordinary leadership in advancing the College of Business;

WHEREAS, throughout your career, your scholarship has strengthened the discipline of operations management through influential research in supply chain management, manufacturing systems, and operational performance. Your contributions to teaching and pedagogy, including the authorship of a widely adopted textbook and the mentorship of numerous doctoral students, have had a lasting impact on the profession. As Department Chair, Program Director, Associate Dean for Faculty and Research, and Senior Associate Dean, you have guided the College through periods of significant growth and transformation. Your service to the University has reflected your unwavering commitment to institutional excellence and earned the respect of colleagues across the University;

THEREFORE, for your distinguished scholarship, your dedication to teaching and mentoring, your exemplary leadership of the College of Business, and your exceptional service to the institution, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emeritus.

John Garrigus - History and Geography

WHEREAS, the faculty, students, and alumni of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your two decades of distinguished service to UTA and a long career of extraordinary scholarship and service to the historical profession;

WHEREAS, your research on colonial Saint-Domingue and the French Caribbean during the Age of Revolutions has garnered international recognition. Your path-breaking books Before Haiti and The Plantation Machine led to new understandings of freedom, resistance, citizenship, and the impact of capitalism in the colonial Caribbean and the broader Atlantic World. In The Secret Among the Blacks, your ability to read against the grain of underutilized sources transformed scholarly interpretation of the underlying causes of the Haitian Revolution, the world’s only successful slave revolution. Your distinguished record of research has brought distinction to UTA, marked especially by a prestigious fellowship at the National Humanities Center and your standing as UTA’s first recipient of the interdisciplinary Andrew Carnegie Fellowship;

WHEREAS, your innovative approach and deep commitment to helping students think critically made you a model educator. By teaching through a broad range of courses, embracing digital and GIS technologies long before they became commonplace, and continually challenging students to engage deeply with primary sources and historical inquiry, your efforts will continue to shape the work of students and scholars for years to come. Further, your attentive, thoughtful service as a member of countless dissertation and qualifying exam committees ensures your influence will continue long into the future;

WHEREAS, your willingness to serve on the most demanding committees, the ones that hired new faculty and shepherded tenure and promotion cases at both the departmental and college levels, and to assume the role of doctoral program advisor at a critical juncture, demonstrates your commitment to the University, just as your extensive service to historical organizations reflects your commitment to the profession;

THEREFORE, for your scholarship, teaching, leadership, and devoted service to the Department of History and Geography, and the College of Liberal Arts, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emeritus.

Andrew Gaupp - Theatre Arts & Dance

WHEREAS, you have made exceptional contributions to The University of Texas at Arlington through more than three decades of distinguished service as a teacher, director, administrator, and mentor. Since joining the university in 1991, you have taught directing, acting, stage management, movement, voice, and theatre administration, while playing a central role in developing the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree plan and advancing curricular initiatives that helped define the department's academic mission;

WHEREAS, as Assistant Dean and Director of Fine Arts Programs, you secured more than seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars in external funding to support the arts. Later, as Associate Chair and Artistic Director, you provided visionary leadership for the department's academic programs and theatre and dance productions. Beyond UTA, you earned national recognition through your service to the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, the Association for Theatre in Higher Education, and the Southwest Theatre and Film Association, where you received multiple distinguished service awards. Your remarkable leadership, scholarship, and commitment to theatre education have left an enduring legacy at UTA and within the profession;

THEREFORE, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emeritus.

George Gintole - Architecture

WHEREAS, the faculty, students, alumni, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington proudly recognize you for more than four decades of distinguished service to architectural education and the creative life of the University. Through your exceptional gifts as an educator, artist, and mentor, you have inspired generations of students to approach architecture as a discipline of intellectual inquiry, artistic expression, and disciplined craft;

WHEREAS, your studios fostered originality, critical thinking, and a profound appreciation for drawing, making, and the enduring relationship between architecture, culture, and the visual arts. Your internationally recognized creative work, exhibitions, and scholarly engagement elevated the reputation of the School while demonstrating the highest standards of artistic excellence;

WHEREAS, beyond the classroom, your leadership strengthened the School through dedicated service, international study programs, curriculum development, faculty mentorship, and thoughtful participation in the governance of the University. Your generosity of spirit, quiet wisdom, and unwavering commitment to students and colleagues helped shape a culture of creativity, curiosity, and academic excellence that continues to define the School of Architecture;

WHEREAS, your dedication to innovation in photographic artmaking and to blending technical proficiencies with critical analysis has been intellectually stimulating and comprehensive, expanding student engagement with their art and their understanding of what could and might be done;

THEREFORE, in grateful recognition of your remarkable career, your lasting influence on the profession, and your enduring contributions to the institution, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Associate Professor Emeritus.

Lisa Graham - Art and Art History

WHEREAS, the faculty, alumni, students, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your thirty-two years of honorable and innovative service to the creative community;

WHEREAS, your deep understanding of the power of graphic design shaped your transformative curriculum design and delivery in our Visual Communication Design (VCD) area of study as well as across your own internationally acclaimed design work and publications;

WHEREAS, your dedication to seeing our students succeed and thrive professionally and creatively motivated your years of service as VCD Area Coordinator and as mentor for thousands of students in your classes, assisting them to submit to design competitions and aim high, seeing great success year after year in these efforts with them;

WHEREAS, your decades of creating innovative visual communication designs, particularly in your graphic design posters, garnered seventy-eight national and international awards and acclaim for your ability to move, inspire, and engage audiences in new ways around the world;

WHEREAS, your commitment to service at every level represents thousands of hours of dedicated review of award applications and supported hundreds of faculty colleagues across the university attaining merited accolades;

THEREFORE, with the deepest gratitude, respect, and thanks from members of the Art and Art History Department, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emerita.

David Gary - Management

WHEREAS, the faculty, alumni, students, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your fifty-three years of distinguished service to the University, your exceptional leadership in advancing the College of Business, and your lifelong commitment to excellence in management education, scholarship, and service;

WHEREAS, throughout your remarkable career, you have played a defining role in the growth and transformation of the College of Business. Your scholarship has advanced the fields of leadership, human resource management, and organizational development through impactful research and meaningful industry collaboration. As Management Department Chair, Associate Dean, Interim Dean, and leader of undergraduate and graduate programs, you provided visionary leadership, institutional stability, and sound judgment during periods of significant growth and change. Your contributions to developing the curriculum, establishing student services, launching programs, and helping create the Goolsby Leadership Academy have shaped generations of students and faculty while strengthening the College's reputation and future. Your dedicated service to the University through accreditation, strategic planning, faculty governance, and institutional effectiveness has reflected your unwavering commitment to the success of The University of Texas at Arlington;

THEREFORE, for your distinguished scholarship, your exceptional leadership and vision, your unwavering dedication to students and colleagues, and your transformative service to the College of Business and the institution as a whole, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emeritus.

James Hardy -  Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

WHEREAS, the faculty, alumni, students, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your twelve years of distinguished service;

WHEREAS, as a teacher, you were nominated by college faculty for several UTA awards, including the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Academy of Distinguished Teachers. You took a lead role in designing and launching the Ph.D. program and advised over two dozen doctoral students. You also mentored numerous junior faculty members, guiding them through the tenure process and supporting their retention at UTA;

WHEREAS, as a scholar, you have been awarded more than $1.5 million in grants as PI or Co-PI in collaboration with faculty across campus. You have delivered numerous presentations at professional conferences, including your students as co-presenters. Finally, you served in a variety of leadership roles in the College of Education, at UTA, and in professional organizations, advancing our institution’s mission and reputation on local, national, and international levels;

THEREFORE, for your dedication to teaching, commitment to students, and collaboration with colleagues in realizing the mission of the college, and for your service to the University and to the study and practice of education, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Associate Professor Emeritus.

Tom L. Ingram - Communication

WHEREAS, the faculty, students, alumni, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your more than four decades of distinguished service to the Department of Communication and your enduring contributions to the University, the University of Texas System, and the advancement of higher education;

WHEREAS, throughout your career, you provided exemplary leadership as Associate Chair, helping shape curriculum and departmental policies. You also strengthened shared governance through decades of service in the Faculty Senate, including service as Chair and other leadership roles, as well as on numerous University and University of Texas System committees. As the founder and longtime coordinator of the Advertising sequence, you established a program that prepared generations of students for professional success while fostering meaningful partnerships between the University and the broader community. Your thoughtful mentorship, unwavering integrity, and remarkable institutional knowledge strengthened colleagues, supported students, and contributed to the University's growth and evolution. Your scholarship, teaching, and commitment to service have created an enduring legacy reflected in the success of those you taught, mentored, and inspired;

THEREFORE, with profound gratitude for your dedication, leadership, and lasting contributions to the University community, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Associate Professor Emeritus.

Aimée Israel-Pelletier - Modern Languages

WHEREAS, the faculty, students, alumni, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your more than thirty-three years of distinguished service as a scholar, teacher, and mentor. Through your intellectual curiosity and sustained commitment to students and colleagues, you have enriched the University and advanced the study of French and Francophone literature;

WHEREAS, as Professor of French and longtime French Section Head, you provided thoughtful leadership that brought vision and vitality to French Studies. Your rigorous and imaginative teaching invited students to explore literature, history, and philosophy across centuries and continents, while your stewardship strengthened the curriculum and provided meaningful opportunities, including study abroad in Paris. Your internationally recognized scholarship on Flaubert and Rimbaud, visual culture, Jewish studies, diaspora, and Francophone writing from the Middle East and North Africa has opened new paths of inquiry and understanding;

THEREFORE, beyond these accomplishments, your enduring legacy lives on in the people you mentored and inspired. Colleagues have treasured your perceptiveness, kindness, and unwavering generosity. With profound gratitude for the intellectual distinction and humanity you have brought to the institution, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emerita.

Darryl Lauster - Art and Art History

WHEREAS, the faculty, alumni, students, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your over seventeen years of honorable and innovative service to the creative community;

WHEREAS, your dedication to crafting artworks that speak to audiences about how we move together through the world today, and to honing the crafts and skills that make such powerful artworks possible to exist, has motivated both your own award-winning contributions to contemporary art and your commitment to educating tomorrow's artists at the undergraduate and graduate levels in a transformative way;

WHEREAS, your commitment to the vital role higher education in the arts plays has informed your servant leadership first as Sculpture area coordinator and then as Associate Chair, MFA Director, and Graduate Advisor, and across the many service positions you have fulfilled, in turn ensuring the support and success of so very many of your colleagues and students and playing a vital role in the department's national ten-year reaccreditation process;

WHEREAS, your artwork has been acclaimed nationally and internationally as meaningful and features in many private and public art collections, and has appeared during recent years in over fourteen national exhibitions, and you have been recognized with esteemed fellowships, residencies, and awards, including multiple outstanding honors at UTA, constituting an impressive record of creative and educational accomplishment;

THEREFORE, with the deepest gratitude, respect, and thanks from members of the Art and Art History Department, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emeritus.

Frank Lewis - Electrical Engineering

WHEREAS, your colleagues in the Department of Electrical Engineering, faculty and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington, and many former students express deep appreciation for your more than three decades of dedicated teaching, service, and research;

WHEREAS, since joining UTA in 1990, you have been a cornerstone of the College of Engineering, serving as Moncrief Chair Professor and advancing the frontiers of control systems, intelligent systems, and robotics;

WHEREAS, your pioneering work in adaptive control, reinforcement learning, and neural networks has achieved global recognition, influencing both theory and applications in aerospace, manufacturing, and autonomous systems. Your seminal book, Reinforcement Learning and Optimal Control, alongside more than five hundred journal articles, has had a remarkable impact on the field, as reflected in exceptional citation records and international rankings;

WHEREAS, your professional honors, including fellowships in multiple prestigious academies and major IEEE awards, underscore your technical leadership and innovation. Equally significant is your profound commitment to mentorship, having guided more than sixty doctoral students who now lead in academia, industry, and government;

WHEREAS, your legacy at UTA includes not only groundbreaking research but also a culture of excellence, collaboration, and innovation that will endure for generations;

THEREFORE, with deep gratitude, respect, and affection, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emeritus.

Ramon Lopez - Physics

WHEREAS, the faculty, students, alumni, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your distinguished service and extraordinary contributions to science, education, and the University during nearly two decades as a member of the Department of Physics and Co-Director for UTeach Arlington;

WHEREAS, since joining The University of Texas at Arlington in 2007, you have established an internationally recognized research program in space physics and made fundamental contributions to our understanding of the interaction of the solar wind with the Earth's magnetosphere. Through your research accomplishments and leadership, and in partnership with colleagues, you played a critical role in building one of the nation's leading space physics groups and establishing UTA as a center of excellence in this field;

WHEREAS, equally significant have been your extraordinary contributions to teaching and mentorship and your leadership in UTeach Arlington. Through your innovative approaches to physics education and your supervision of a remarkable number of doctoral students and undergraduate researchers, you have inspired and trained generations of scientists and educators. Your dedication to students and commitment to expanding research opportunities have had a lasting impact on the department and the broader scientific community;

WHEREAS, throughout your career, you have exemplified selfless service, always answering the call to leadership and providing thoughtful and constructive guidance to the department. Your dedication to excellence and collegial spirit has made you a valued colleague, respected leader, and trusted friend;

THEREFORE, for your dedication to scholarship, commitment to students and colleagues, and service to the University and the scientific community, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emeritus.

Dennis Maher - Theatre Arts & Dance

WHEREAS, during your more than fifty-year career as a theatre professional, you have directed and performed extensively across the country, and your plays have been produced throughout the Southwest and Southeast. In addition to directing at least one production each season for thirty-eight years at UTA, you served as the appointed dramaturg for the department for over a decade. You were a member of Actors' Equity Association for thirty-seven years and are a member of Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas;

WHEREAS, you were nominated four times for the university's highest honor, The Academy of Distinguished Teachers, were UT Arlington's 2005 nominee for the Minnie Stevens Piper Professorship, honoring excellence and dedication to teaching in the state of Texas, and were a nominee for the President's Award honoring Excellence in Distance Education;

WHEREAS, your opinions on popular culture, theatre, film and baseball have been sought and cited by such diverse publications as the New York Daily News, ABC News, the Dallas Morning News, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, USA Today and the Christian Science Monitor;

THEREFORE, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Associate Professor Emeritus.

Fillia Makedon - Computer Science and Engineering

WHEREAS, the faculty, alumni, students, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize you for your decades-long distinguished service;

WHEREAS, your distinguished academic leadership at UTA and in the computing community—serving as Chair of the CSE Department (2006-2013), National Science Foundation Program Director (2005-2006), and keynote speaker in numerous international conferences, founding and leading the IEEE PETRA conference (2008-present)—has made significant, lasting contributions to the success of the CSE Department at UTA and the computing research community at large;

WHEREAS, you are an outstanding, world-class researcher–over eight million dollars of research funding as PI and Director of the Heracleia Lab at UTA, over four hundred peer-reviewed research papers with more than twelve thousand citations—have been an inspiration and role model for female students and junior faculty, and have received numerous accolades such as Distinguished Record of Research of College of Engineering (2021), Dallas Business Journal Women in Technology Award (2019) and the Strategic Research Appointment for Faculty Award of UTA (2017);

WHEREAS, as an impactful and successful mentor of students, you have graduated forty-five PhD students, including twenty-five at UTA (2006-2026) and with six still in the pipeline, directed forty-seven MS theses, including fourteen at UTA, and numerous REU research projects, a remarkable record;

THEREFORE, for your multifaceted contributions, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emerita.

Charla Markham Shaw - Communication

WHEREAS, the faculty, students, alumni, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your thirty-three years of distinguished service to the University and your enduring contributions to the Department of Communication as a scholar, teacher, mentor, and leader;

WHEREAS, through more than two decades of exceptional service as Department Chair, you guided the department with wisdom, integrity, and vision, strengthening its academic programs, expanding opportunities for students and faculty, and fostering a culture of collegiality that has become a defining hallmark of the department. Your leadership advanced innovative curricula, modernized learning facilities, increased scholarships and experiential learning opportunities, and established enduring initiatives that will benefit future generations;

WHEREAS, even while carrying extensive administrative responsibilities, you remained a dedicated educator, an accomplished scholar, and a generous mentor. Your award-winning teaching, impactful research, and unwavering commitment to the success of students and colleagues have enriched the University community and inspired countless individuals to pursue excellence in their professions and service;

THEREFORE, for your distinguished leadership, outstanding scholarship, steadfast commitment to teaching and mentorship, and devoted service to the University and the discipline of Communication, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Chair and Professor Emerita.

Christopher Morris - History and Geography,

WHEREAS, the faculty, students, and alumni of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your more than three decades of distinguished service to the historical profession and our institution;

WHEREAS, your scholarship has been widely recognized for both its interdisciplinary nature and unique ability to link local histories to global processes. In Becoming Southern, your deep archival research and incisive analysis illuminated how frontier communities transformed into distinctive slave societies. Your magisterial environmental history of the Mississippi River over five centuries, The Big Muddy, demonstrated how the intersection of engineering, race relations, capitalism, and ecology shaped the lives of generations of Americans. A long list of path-breaking articles, invited lectures, op-ed pieces, and professional reviews have cemented your scholarly reputation while furthering UTA’s standing as a research institution;

WHEREAS, your dedication to teaching and mentorship has benefited scores of students and inspired your fellow faculty. Your extensive course offerings—ranging from US History surveys to advanced courses in the history of capitalism, in Southern and frontier history, and in environmental studies—have shaped students’ understanding of historical connections and bestowed on many a new sense of purpose and possibility as learners. For more than two decades, your rigorous colloquium on the philosophical underpinnings of the practice of history served as an initiation rite for newly admitted graduate students, and still countless numbers of them subsequently sought your service on their committees, a role at which you excelled;

WHEREAS, your service has strengthened your department and the University community. Your willingness to mentor new faculty, serve on a wide range of departmental committees, advance sustainability initiatives at UTA, including helping in the creation of the Environmental and Sustainability Studies program, and uphold the principles of faculty governance has helped to create a more forward-looking institution;

THEREFORE, for your scholarship, teaching, mentorship, and devoted service to the Department of History and Geography, the College of Liberal Arts, and The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emeritus.

Zdzislaw Musielak - Physics

WHEREAS, the faculty, students, alumni, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your distinguished service and extraordinary contributions to science, education, and the University during more than twenty-five years as a member of the Department of Physics;

WHEREAS, since joining The University of Texas at Arlington in 1999, you have established an internationally recognized program of research spanning astrophysics, space plasma physics, magnetohydrodynamics, nonlinear dynamics, mathematical physics, and fundamental questions at the interface of gravitation and quantum theory. Through nearly two hundred refereed publications, numerous invited presentations, and sustained research support, you have brought distinction and international recognition to the University. Your remarkable intellectual breadth and continuing investigations into foundational questions in theoretical physics exemplify your enduring commitment to scientific discovery;

WHEREAS, equally significant have been your contributions to graduate education and mentorship. Through your teaching of advanced courses such as General Relativity and Quantum Field Theory, you have strengthened the doctoral program and inspired generations of students. Your devotion to your students and exceptional productivity in conducting research with them have helped launch the careers of numerous Ph.D. graduates. Your intellectual curiosity, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to the success of the department have made you a valued colleague and friend;

THEREFORE, for your dedication to scholarship, commitment to students and colleagues, and service to the University and the scientific community, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emeritus.

David Nygren - Physics

WHEREAS, the faculty, students, alumni, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your distinguished service and extraordinary contributions to science, education, and the University during your tenure as Presidential Distinguished Professor;

WHEREAS, since joining The University of Texas at Arlington in 2014, you have strengthened the University’s international reputation through pioneering research in particle and astroparticle physics, the development of transformative detector technologies, and the establishment of major externally funded research programs. Building upon your invention of the Time Projection Chamber, you have continued to contribute original and visionary ideas for the detection of rare events, inspiring new directions in detector science and helping to establish UT Arlington as a world-recognized center for advanced detector development. Your scientific leadership, creativity, and mentorship have enabled colleagues and collaborators to secure substantial external support and have brought lasting distinction to the University;

WHEREAS, equally important have been your contributions to the intellectual life and collegial spirit of the Department of Physics. Through your generosity, wisdom, and good humor, you have mentored students, junior faculty, and colleagues, enriching the department and helping shape the next generation of scientific leaders;

THEREFORE, for your dedication to scholarship, commitment to students and colleagues, and service to the University and the scientific community, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emeritus.

Lynn Peterson - Computer Science and Engineering

WHEREAS, the faculty, alumni, students, and administration of the University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize you for five decades of distinguished service;

WHEREAS, your exemplary academic leadership at UTA—serving as Senior Associate Dean of the College of Engineering (1996-2026), Interim Chair of the CSE Department (2013-2015), and critical steward of the College of Engineering’s successful college-wide multiple six-year cycles of ABET accreditation—has made significant, indelible contributions to the health and success of CSE and the College of Engineering in general and their academic programs in particular;

WHEREAS, you have established a distinguished research record –over thirty-three million dollars of funding as PI/Co-PI, including a two million dollar NSF grant entitled “AURAS: Arlington Undergraduate Research-based Achievement for STEM” as PI, and over seventy published research articles—which is remarkable for someone working as an administrator for a significant portion of their career;

WHEREAS, as an impactful and award-winning educator, your excellent classroom teaching and student mentoring—having graduated eight PhD students, directed one hundred and thirty-four Master’s theses and projects, and served on seventy PhD dissertation committees--has garnered you various accolades, including the Lockheed Martin AC Excellence in Teaching Award, the UTA College of Engineering Outstanding Teaching Award, and election to the UTA Academy of Distinguished Teachers;

THEREFORE, for your dedication to teaching, commitment to students, and collaboration with colleagues in fulfilling the mission of the institution, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emerita.

Cynthia Plonien - Graduate Nursing

WHEREAS, the faculty, alumni, students, and administration of the University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your thirteen years of distinguished service to current and future generations of professional nurses;

WHEREAS, as a nurse academician and leader, you served as the Program Director of the Master of Science in Nursing Administration and later as the Program Director of the Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) in the graduate program. Your vision provided the momentum to grow the DNP program in multiple ways. You strengthened academic offerings, supported a faculty body composed largely of adjunct instructors, and ensured continuous alignment with accreditation requirements. Your leadership reflected a creative, problem-solving approach that balanced academic rigor with a student-centric focus. Your teaching emphasized application, critical thinking, and leadership in real-world contexts, preparing graduates to function effectively within complex healthcare systems;

WHEREAS, in service to the University, you held multiple offices in the Faculty Senate, including Treasurer, representative on the President’s Advisory Committee, and member of the search committee for the UTA Regional Vice President;

THEREFORE, with admiration and gratitude, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Clinical Associate Professor Emerita.

Abdul Rasheed - Management

WHEREAS, the faculty, alumni, students, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your nearly four decades of distinguished service to the University, your internationally recognized contributions to the fields of strategic management and international business, and your unwavering commitment to excellence in scholarship, teaching, and leadership;

WHEREAS, throughout your distinguished career, your scholarship has advanced the understanding of corporate governance, strategic management, international business, and organizational leadership through an extraordinary body of influential research that has earned international recognition and shaped the discipline. Your prolific research record, numerous scholarly honors, and extensive citations reflect a career of exceptional academic impact. As an outstanding educator and mentor, you have inspired generations of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students. Your leadership as Chair of the Department of Management and dedicated service to the University have strengthened both the College of Business and The University of Texas at Arlington. Your integrity, collegiality, and commitment to the success of students, faculty, and the institution have left a legacy that will continue to influence future generations;

THEREFORE, for your distinguished scholarship, your exceptional dedication to teaching and mentoring, your exemplary leadership, and your outstanding service to the College of Business and The University of Texas at Arlington, the title of Professor Emeritus is hereby conferred upon you.

Katherine J. (Jamie) Rogers - Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering

WHEREAS, the faculty, alumni, students, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your more than thirty years of distinguished service to the education of future engineers, your lifelong devotion to advancing the engineering profession, and your transformative leadership within the Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Department and across the University;

WHEREAS, as a UT System Regents’ Outstanding Teacher, ABET Fellow, IISE Fellow, and the George & Elizabeth Pickett Endowed Professor, your expertise, values, and vision have shaped the academic principles that guide our programs today. Your steadfast commitment to student success, reflected in your mentorship of more than forty Ph.D. graduates and your dedication to high-quality, inclusive engineering education, has supported generations of students as they navigated a rigorous and demanding curriculum;

WHEREAS, your leadership has extended far beyond the University. As President of ABET and the 2025 recipient of the Linton E. Grinter Distinguished Service Award, you strengthened accreditation processes worldwide and advanced continuous improvement across thousands of engineering programs. Within UTA, your service as Associate Chair provided the department with a steady hand, elevating its reputation and impact;

THEREFORE, for your dedication to teaching, commitment to students, and collaboration with colleagues in fulfilling the mission of the institution, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor Emerita.

Jimmy Rogers - Chemistry and Biochemistry

WHEREAS, the faculty, students, alumni, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your thirty years of distinguished service to the University and your unwavering commitment to the success of generations of students;

WHEREAS, since joining the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in 1996, you have become one of the University’s most respected and beloved educators. Through your teaching of General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, and other courses across the curriculum, you have inspired thousands of students to pursue excellence in science, medicine, education, and research. Your innovative approaches to active learning, dedication to student engagement, and commitment to high academic standards have earned recognition at every level, including the UT System Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award and induction into the UT Arlington Academy of Distinguished Teachers;

WHEREAS, beyond the classroom, your leadership as Director of the Chemistry Clinic, your role as advisor and mentor to countless students, your authorship of widely used chemistry textbooks, and your advocacy for student success have left an enduring mark on the Department and the University. Your wisdom and devotion to teaching have enriched the lives of colleagues and students alike;

THEREFORE, with deep gratitude, respect, and admiration, The University of Texas at Arlington confers upon you the title of Professor of Instruction Emeritus.

Eric Smith - Biology

WHEREAS, the faculty, alumni, students, and administration of The University of Texas at Arlington are honored to recognize your thirty-three years of distinguished service to the education of future biologists, your lifelong devotion to the principles of our profession, and your role in establishing and nurturing the Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center (ARDRC);

WHEREAS, as a founding member of the ARDRC, your insights, values, and wisdom regarding the education of biologists established one of the largest collections of amphibian and reptile specimens and texts in the world today. Your kind demeanor and sage advice have supported generations of students, thereby establishing relationships that persevered in their subsequent careers. Your research program in herpetology was both prolific and influential, and your work has advanced our understanding of the immense diversity of amphibians and reptiles and informed local and regional conservation strategies;