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Emily Nielsen

The Pilgrimage of Professor Latinx: Frederick Luis Aldama and the Making of an Academic Superhero

May 26, 2022 by Emily Nielsen

The origin story of Frederick Luis Aldama, professor of English at The University of Texas at Austin and academic superhero “Professor Latinx,” begins with a bus trip his mother took before he was born. She set out from her home in East Los Angeles toward Guatemala, intending to meet family members she’d only heard about […]

The Value of Community Engaged Scholarship

January 27, 2022 by Emily Nielsen

An educational anthropologist by training, Kevin Foster’s career path has taken him many places outside of the halls of the academy.

Ja'nell Ajani in white, wearing large geometric earrings and a white dress.

Reaching Into the Mind of Jordan Peele

January 27, 2022 by Emily Nielsen

Ja’nell Ajani, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of American Studies, teaches an innovative course that focuses on popular filmmaker and actor Jordan Peele.

Bottles of green tea that include Agnes Savich's haiku printed on the label.

Turtle Pond Haiku Selected for Japanese Tea Bottle

January 27, 2022 by Emily Nielsen

Agnes Savich recently won an international poetry contest and her haiku was printed and translated on bottles of ITO EN green tea.

Eric Tang is sitting in a chair and dressed in a blue suit with an open collar. Behind him is a stone staircase on the UT campus.

A People’s History of New York City

January 26, 2022 by Emily Nielsen

Eric Tang’s new course, The Global City, will be offered exclusively during the fall 2022 session of the UTNY program, where UT students spend a semester living in New York City while continuing their studies and gaining work experience with a local internship.

A woman with a blonde bob sits on a bench wearing a warm coat and reading a book she has held out in front of her, hiding the bottom half of her face.

Book Excerpt Roundup: Fall 2021

November 15, 2021 by Emily Nielsen

The following are a selection of book excerpts from recently published faculty in the College of Liberal Arts. Read about food and politics in Chile, women in the oil and gas industry, and more.

History and Black Studies Scholar Awarded Prestigious Nonfiction Grant

November 12, 2021 by Emily Nielsen

Ashley D. Farmer, associate professor of history and African and African Diaspora Studies at The University of Texas at Austin, has been awarded a 2021 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant to complete her historical biography of radical activist Audley Moore.

A wild lemur in Madagascar hold onto the branch of a tree and looks directly at the photographer. She is wearing a red tracking collar and the tiny head of her baby is peeking out near her stomach.

How Social Dynamics Influence the Gut Microbes of Wild Lemurs

November 5, 2021 by Emily Nielsen

New research from The University of Texas at Austin shows that Verreaux’s sifaka, a species of wild lemur native to Madagascar, have gut microbes that are affected by those they socialize with.

Hannah Hayes stands at a railing as the sun sets over the New York City skyline.

A Semester in New York

September 27, 2021 by Emily Nielsen

The UTNY program enables students to live, work and learn in New York City. Read a Q&A with UTNY participant and government senior Hannah Hayes.

A portrait of Akash Thakkar standing outside and smiling widely with greenery in the background.

Giving a Sip

May 20, 2021 by Emily Nielsen

Akash Thakkar is an economics and Plan II honors senior from Austin, Texas. In this Q&A, read more about how his passion for economics research came to be and how he’s implementing it in the real world through a charitable giving app.

Donatus Nnani with a huge smile, looking off to the left of the camera.

Engaging with Opportunities

May 20, 2021 by Emily Nielsen

Donatus Nnani is a religious studies and psychology senior from Detroit, Michigan. In this Q&A, read more about his time in the military and his undergraduate research experience.

A portrait of Estefania Rodriguez smiling while standing outside in front of a black metal fence. Green leaves are visible behind her.

Helping Others Learn

May 20, 2021 by Emily Nielsen

Estefania Rodriguez is a Mellon Engaged Scholar Initiative Fellow from Houston, Texas, who is triple-majoring in journalism, Latin American studies, and international relations and global studies. In this Q&A, read more about her research into environmental justice and prison abolition, as well as her deep passion for teaching.

A portrait of Celeste Oon outside on campus with her arms crossed.

Speaking to the World

May 20, 2021 by Emily Nielsen

Celeste Oon is an Asian studies and linguistics senior from San Antonio, Texas. In this Q&A, read more about her thesis on Asian transnational fandoms, her advice to other first-generation students and what it was like co-founding her nonprofit organization.

Anna Cash wears a striped red shirt and looks into the camera with a serious expression on her face.

Kind, Curious and Fearless

April 13, 2021 by Emily Nielsen

A Q&A with Anna Cash, a psychology senior from Austin who is passionate about law and justice.

A portrait of Turan Vural smiling slightly and standing in front of a beige backdrop.

Liberal Arts Alumnus Receives Prestigious Schwarzman Scholarship

December 8, 2020 by Emily Nielsen

Turan Vural, a 2019 German and electrical and computer engineering alumnus from The University of Texas at Austin, has been awarded a Schwarzman scholarship to study in Beijing.

Margaret Siu sits in a chair while holding a microphone up to her mouth. She is laughing happily at what is clearly a public speaking event.

No Stopping Her

February 13, 2020 by Emily Nielsen

Margaret Siu, a Plan II honors senior from Dallas, is the recipient of a 2020 British Marshall Scholarship. The scholarship will fund her graduate education at the University of Oxford.

A group gathered around a collection of royal crowns and artifacts

Moral Fuel: Energizing a New Internship Program

November 19, 2019 by Emily Nielsen

Students explore work and social justice through Jewish teachings.

Alyssa Ashcraft in front of the Washington Monument.

Truman #22

November 19, 2019 by Emily Nielsen

Government and humanities senior Alyssa Ashcraft received one of the country’s premier graduate awards, which she will use to pursue a dual degree in law and public policy. As a 2019 Truman scholar, Ashcraft received $30,000 toward graduate school and the opportunity to participate in professional development programming to help prepare for a career in […]

Megan Abrameit in white jacket.

Fighting for Change: A Q&A with the 2019 Randy Diehl Prize Recipient

July 11, 2019 by Emily Nielsen

Megan Abrameit, a psychology and humanities double major from Tyler, Texas, has received the 2019 Randy Diehl Prize in Liberal Arts. Now in its fourth year, the $17,000 award was established by donors to support a graduating liberal arts senior who is committing the year after graduation to service for the greater good, be that […]

Dean Randy Diehl gestures at the poster of Tomaia Pamplin during the event.

Student Projects Shine During Dean’s Research Reception

April 19, 2019 by Emily Nielsen

On April 18, a group of hand-picked liberal arts students who have conducted exceptional research projects presented their posters at the Dean’s Research Reception. College faculty and staff, administrators and Dean Randy Diehl all gathered to learn about the outstanding work liberal arts students have conducted. The annual event is a part of UT Austin’s […]

Illustration of parents and children learning, playing and communicating by sign language with each other. They are next to illustrations of ABCs, a happy sun and a happy state of Texas.

Speaking the Same Language

April 4, 2019 by Emily Nielsen

Jonathan Kaplan, an assistant professor in the Department of Middle Eastern Studies, noticed an influx of Afghan refugees at his daughter’s elementary school, which inspired him to create the Refugee Student Mentor Program (RSMP) in December 2014. The RSMP is a partnership between UT Austin’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies and the Austin Independent School […]

Jasso Quimberly

Always Worth Fighting For: A Q&A with 2019 Pickering Fellow Quimberly Jasso

December 21, 2018 by Emily Nielsen

Quimberly Jasso, an international relations and global studies senior from Cypress, Texas, is the recipient of a 2019 Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship. The Pickering fellowship, which is funded by the United States Department of State and administered by Howard University, will fund Jasso’s graduate education in pursuit of a Master of International Affairs, […]

Laura Hallas

Living Amid History: A Q&A with 2019 British Marshall Scholar Laura Hallas

December 11, 2018 by Emily Nielsen

Laura Hallas, a Plan II honors, economics and health and society senior at The University of Texas at Austin, is the recipient of a 2019 British Marshall Scholarship. The Marshall scholarship will fund Hallas’ graduate education at both the University of Oxford, where she will pursue a Master of Science in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and […]

Bianna Golodryga

Alumna Bianna Golodryga Joins CBS This Morning as Co-Host

October 3, 2018 by Emily Nielsen

Liberal Arts alumna Bianna Golodryga has been named co-host of “CBS This Morning.” She graduated in 2000 from The University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies and a minor in economics. She began her television career as a bureau producer from the New York Stock Exchange for […]

Michaela Lavelle

Us, But Better: Q&A with Liberal Arts Council President Michaela Lavelle

September 20, 2018 by Emily Nielsen

Michaela Lavelle is a psychology and humanities junior from Arlington, Texas. She is president of the 2018–19 Liberal Arts Council, an organization nearing its 40th year as the official student voice and governing body for the college. The LAC gives students a voice in the academic affairs of the university by voting in the Senate […]

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