The world’s new reality amid the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing us to confront issues and critically think about how to revive communities slowly, safely and sustainably.
Features
Ukraine’s Social Media Presidency
UT Austin student researchers delve into the state of democracy in Ukraine, and the role of youth political engagement and social media.
No Stopping Her
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.
Gault Site Reveals Ancient Origins of Texas
More than 90 years ago the first anthropologist at the University of Texas, J.E. Pearce, began digging at a site near Florence, Texas, in effect turning the first pages on a story many millennia in the making.
It’s More Than a Movie
There is so much to be learned from film studies — about ourselves and the world around us — if we view it through a liberal arts lens.
The Taco Truck: Author Takes His Research to the Streets
Robert Lemon examines the evolution of taco trucks and how it transforms U.S. cities.
Moral Fuel: Energizing a New Internship Program
Students explore work and social justice through Jewish teachings.
Truman #22
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 […]
Solving the World’s Most Pressing Issues
J. Thomas “Tom” Ward Photography by Brian Birzer Education: B.A. Government ’54, The University of Texas at Austin; and M.S. Educational Administration, University of Southern California Hometown: Austin, Texas Tom Ward is a retired foreign service officer formerly with the U.S. Agency for International Development, based in Washington, D.C. After serving in the U.S. Army, […]
History Not on Repeat
Brian P. Levack Photography by Brian Birzer Education: B.A. History ’65, Fordham University; and Ph.D. History ’70, Yale University Hometown: New York, New York Brian P. Levack is the John E. Green Regents Professor Emeritus in History at UT Austin, where he has taught for nearly 50 years while earning distinguished teaching awards. During his […]
Building for the People
The Pro Bene Meritis award is the highest honor bestowed by the College of Liberal Arts. Since 1984, the annual award has been given to alumni, faculty members and friends of the college who are committed to the liberal arts, have made outstanding contributions in professional or philanthropic pursuits or have participated in service related to the college. […]
Rising Stars: Q&A with the 2019 Larry Temple Scholars
Starting the semester with an extra $11,000 in the bank is an experience that two liberal arts sophomores have every fall, thanks to the Larry Temple Scholarship Endowment. The award was established by the UT System Board of Regents to help outstanding liberal arts students enjoy university life and learn from their campus experiences. The […]
Three Questions to Ask When You’re Stressed Out
From big class presentations and midterms to navigating the social scene and balancing a large workload, the school year — and life in general — brings on stress, but asking yourself three questions can help fight anxiety with curiosity rather than panic. Jasper Smits, a psychology professor and director of the Anxiety & Stress Clinic […]
Why the most popular candidate in a close election will probably lose
The Presidential elections of 2000 and 2016 were controversial, in part, because it seemed like the wrong person won. In 2000, Republican George W. Bush defeated Democrat Al Gore by 5 electoral votes after losing the popular vote by about 540,000. And in 2016, Republican Donald Trump garnered 27 more electoral votes than Democrat Hillary […]
The Color Complex: Student Research Abroad in Ghana
This summer, an International Relations and Global Studies senior was awarded the experience of a lifetime when her student research team received the UT President’s Award for Global Learning. Christina Cho and a team of three other undergraduates traveled to Accra, Ghana, for 10 weeks to research colorism and how to mitigate its effect on […]
Drawing Inspiration
Edward Carey’s office is filled with fanciful artwork, including several large drawings of the gloomy-eyed characters who inhabit his books. But the item that immediately catches my eye is a bowl of small, cylindrical objects that at first glance appears to be an ashtray overflowing with cigarette butts. These, it turns out, are pencils, worn […]
Foreword Found: Newly Discovered Langston Hughes Essay on Race in America
Historical research can be exhausting work. Hours spent sifting through archives in search of elusive details from the past may yield nothing, but it may lead to an extraordinary discovery. “It can be mind-numbing,” says Steven Hoelscher. “And, of course, you don’t always find what you’re looking for and sometimes you don’t even know what […]
Fighting for Change: A Q&A with the 2019 Randy Diehl Prize Recipient
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 […]
Austin Plants Urban Roots
“Food will not solve food injustice.” It’s a strange sentiment from an urban farmer whose East Austin farm has nourished the community for the last decade. But Max Elliott, the executive director of Urban Roots community farm, knows better than most how America’s framework of economic and racial inequality permeates its food system. “If you […]
Grading Brain Health: How Educational Experiences Impact Cognitive Functioning Later in Life
High school experiences follow you long after you’ve graduated, shaping your professional success and even your health. Now, researchers are investigating how it could contribute to your future brain health and maybe even impact your likelihood of getting Alzheimer’s Disease. University of Texas at Austin sociologist Chandra Muller researches how educational experiences shape life course […]
From UT to DC
Lance Gooden exemplified what it means to be a University of Texas at Austin graduate as he stepped into the role of United States Representative earlier this year. Before being elected to serve in Congress, Gooden held a position in the Texas House of Representatives for District 4. After winning the general election in November […]
The Earth’s Keepers: How Religion Can Guide Environmentalism
If you knew in the next life you’d become a tree, you might hesitate before you cut one down. Or if you were to become one of the ocean’s fish, perhaps you’d be more careful about how you dispose of certain plastics. That’s Karma, at least as it’s applied in an environmental context, which might […]
Student Projects Shine During Dean’s Research Reception
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 […]
The Real Diehl: A Dean Reflects on His Mission
Randy Diehl is a morning person. Rising at 4 a.m., he writes a few emails catches up on his reading and takes a brisk walk before heading to campus to lead a college with 22 academic departments, three branches of the ROTC and more than 500 faculty members. Despite long days and a demanding schedule, […]
Team of the Year
Out of 145 Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) detachments across the country, Detachment 825 of the University of Texas at Austin was named the Team of the Year. In making their selection, the national headquarters for Air Force ROTC considers each detachment’s accomplishments. “They make their determination on overall mission impact, the uniqueness […]