UTA In The News — Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Finding a New Home
As part of World Refugee Day, NBC Nightly News told the story of Roshan Mashal, a women’s rights leader who, with her family, is among the 76,000 Afghan refugees who came to the U.S. last year to escape Taliban rule. Mashal, a UTA postdoctoral fellow, explained the struggles she and other refugees have faced relocating to the U.S., such as lacking basic necessities and being separated from families.
Increasing Research Opportunities for the Hispanic Community
UT Arlington is among 20 universities nationwide aiming to further research opportunities for Hispanics, the Dallas Morning News reports. The Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities aims to double the number of Hispanic doctoral students and increase the amount of Hispanic faculty by 20% at each participating school by 2030.
Snake Season
Greg Pandelis, curator of UTA’s Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center, spoke with KRLD and Texas Standard to prepare North Texans for snake season. Pandelis says if you come across a snake moving along its way, you should not try to approach it, as you may receive a bite.
New Provost
Tamara Brown will serve as UTA’s next provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, the Petersburg (Va.) Progress-Index reports. Brown comes from the University of North Texas where, as executive dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Science, she increased both student retention and faculty diversity.
COVID-19 and Vascular Health
Paul Fadel, UTA professor of kinesiology and associate dean for research, appeared on an American Journal of Physiology podcast to discuss a study on vascular function in COVID-19 patients. The study examines whether certain measurements were useful in predicting major clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients.
Saving Food Crops
A UTA biologist has been awarded a prestigious national award for her research on preventing the large loss of food crops, EurekAlert reports. Assistant Professor Alison Ravenscraft received a five-year grant from the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development Program for her work investigating the different ways insects disable plant toxins, in hopes of lowering the need for broad-spectrum pesticides.
New Athletic Director
Jon Fagg was introduced as UTA’s new athletic director, KDFW Fox 4 reports. Fagg will guide UTA’s move to the Western Athletic Conference, which he calls an “unbelievable opportunity.” He officially takes over the position Aug. 1.