A surprising Bronze Age discovery Listening to Cynthia Shelmerdine describe the writing on a Greek tablet from more than 3,000 years ago, it’s like she was looking over the scribe’s shoulder as he worked. She points out details and nuance of technique, the condition of the tablet and what it means, literally, and for the […]
Fall 2011
On the Rise
Perhaps the only benefit from Austin’s lack of rain has been that construction on our new College of Liberal Arts Building is ahead of schedule, helping the building project come in under budget. Located on the East Mall, this 200,000 square-foot, glass and limestone building includes a number of sustainable design strategies and is expected […]
Life in Radio
Spanish and Portuguese Professor Luis Cárcamo-Huechante wins Humanities Research Award to study indigenous Mapuche culture The inspiration for Luis Cárcamo-Huechante’s current research project lies in a moment from his childhood in Tacao, a rural village in southern Chile, in the 1970’s. “I used to listen to the radio after 8 p.m. after a long day […]
Gone to Texas!
The University of Texas at Austin welcomed its new students in grand style during the traditional Gone To Texas celebration Tuesday, Aug. 23. The program, held every year on the evening before classes begin, underscores what it means to be a Longhorn and highlights the academic mission of the university. The event’s theme is inspired […]
Riding High on Good Looks
Beauty impacts hiring, salaries and profits, economist finds The best looking people earn an extra $250,000, on average, during their careers than the least attractive people and are more likely to remain employed, get promoted and even secure loans, according to a new book by University of Texas at Austin economist Daniel Hamermesh. The most […]
A Formidable Team
Carolyn and Peyton Townsend raise their horns to a world-class education Carolyn Townsend will always remember her tearful parting from The University of Texas at Austin after earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in history and English in 1966. “I was the last one out of the Pi Phi sorority house,” Carolyn says. “I put […]
Dig This
Undergrads who conduct research in the field are more likely to thrive in the classroom For three College of Liberal Arts undergraduates, conducting research with professors provided the skills they needed to succeed and helped them discover just what they wanted to do next. “Undergraduate research gives you an experience that you’d almost never get […]
Close to the Land
Working in Botswana’s villages and countryside, geographer Kelley Crews explores how ongoing changes affect its people and ecosystems The people of the Okavango River Delta region of Botswana live close to the land. The delta’s watery fingers provide water for crops and livestock. They draw wildlife that sustain the tourism industry and they grow grasses […]
Timing Is Everything
Putting a new spin on ADHD research, psychologist finds the effects of the disorder may be caused by a glitch in internal timing At 33, Susan can’t sit still. She never could. Pegged by her teachers as the resident “problem child,” she spent most of her afternoons in detention for disrupting class and forgetting her […]
Students Dive into Language, Culture
New summer immersion program gives students a head start in language study Standing before a colorful spread of Russian foods, Katya Cotey shows her students what it’s like to sit down at a dinner table in Russia. She points to a hearty spread of meat-stuffed buns, vegetable soups and smoked sausages and explains the cultural […]
Classics’ Detective Work Leads to the Return of Stolen Artifact
Back in 2007, Gina Giovannone was contacted by the U.S. Border Patrol to help identify an old manuscript written in Latin that was believed to have been stolen from a Jesuit library in Peru. Acting on a lead, a customs officer had identified a man arriving in Houston who had history of possession of stolen […]
All the World’s a Stage
International relations and global studies major challenges a new generation of global leaders Amid the strong winds of technological change and global competition, the United States is facing an increasingly borderless world. And while these forces gather strength, more students are feeling the need to relate to different cultures and speak other languages. In an […]
Books: Fall 2011
Greenback Planet: How the Dollar Conquered the World and Threatened Civilization as We Know It By H.W. Brands, professor, Department of History Historian H.W. Brands charts the dollar’s astonishing rise to become the world’s principal currency recounting key episodes in U.S. monetary history, from the Civil War debate over fiat money (greenbacks) to the recent […]
Separating Fact From Fiction
Legend has it Benjamin Franklin ventured out on a stormy day to fly a kite with a lightning rod and a key dangling on the end of the string. When the lightning struck the kite, the powerful bolt charged the metal key. Franklin then touched the key and got zapped, thus proving the electrical nature […]
Research Briefs: Fall 2011
The Right to Raise To increase volunteerism and donations, organizations should phrase requests differently to motivate people who already care about the cause, according to research from psychologist Marlone Henderson. For example, if the person already cares about the cause, the request should emphasize how much money is still needed (“We still need $50,000 to […]
In Memoriam: Fall 2011
Jonas B. Kelsall, Lieutenant Commander (SEAL) Prior to arriving at The University of Texas at Austin, Jonas B. Kelsall (French, Naval ROTC ’01) enlisted in the Navy and completed Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training. In 1997, he received a NROTC scholarship to attend UT where he later met his future wife, Victoria, who was also a student […]
Q&A: State of Minds
Don Graham’s essays explore Texas’ storied history in film and literature A vast land filled with sleepy small towns, sprawling pastures and gleaming urban skylines, Texas has an identity and mystique all its own. Just the word Texas conjures images of rootin,’ tootin’ cowboys, cattle drives, oil wells and big hair. But for those who […]
Continuing Tradition
Alumnus gives back to his university It really was a natural for Martin Dies III to earn a degree in government from The University of Texas at Austin. You might say it was in his DNA. His father served in the Texas Senate, and his grandfather and great-grandfather served in Congress. Government intrigued him at […]
Minoring in Miller
Religious studies professor’s devotion to teaching recognized Professor G. Howard Miller began teaching at The University of Texas at Austin in 1971 in Burdine 106, an auditorium seating hundreds of students. “I felt like a rock star,” says Miller, a University Distinguished Teaching Associate Professor of History and Religious Studies, who retired earlier this year. […]
To the Moon
CarMax founder supports Plan II study abroad and recalls his own experience One spring day in 1973, while wandering the streets of Lima, University of Texas student Austin Ligon got swept up in an Easter procession. There he was, a Protestant from West Texas, marching for hours with hundreds of thousands of Peruvian Catholics behind […]
The Inextricable Link Between Teaching and Research
During my 36 years as a psychology professor at The University of Texas at Austin, I’ve had the privilege of teaching thousands of students, exposing them to important ideas about human thought, behavior and motivation. I’ve also had the opportunity to conduct research that helps us better understand how people perceive speech. It has been […]