Dallas-Fort Worth Higher Education Review 2023

DALLAS FORT WORTH

The #1 Region for Higher Education

HIGHER EDUCATION REVIEW

DALLAS-FORT WORTH IS THE #1 REGION IN TEXAS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

#1

REGION IN TEXAS FOR HIGHER ED ENROLLMENT AND DEGREE COMPLETION

22% of all students in Texas are enrolled in a DFW college or university.

24% of all degrees completed annually in Texas come from a DFW college or university. That’s more than any other region in the state.

Source: THECB and NCES (IPEDS)

#1

TEXAS METRO FOR CARNEGIE DESIGNATED R1 & R2 RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES

The University of Texas at Arlington

The University of Texas at Dallas

The University of North Texas

SMU (Southern Methodist University)

TCU (Texas Christian University)

Source: The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

#1

FASTEST-GROWING METRO IN THE U.S.

Added 97,290 people in 2021 (267 people a day)

Source: U.S. Census

# 1

FOR 3-YEAR JOB GROWTH

More jobs created in DFW than any other metro in the U.S. (Oct. 2019-2022)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

72% OF DFW STUDENTS STAY AND WORK IN THE REGION AFTER GRADUATION, THE 6TH-HIGHEST RATE IN THE COUNTRY

Source: Martin Prosperity Institute, 2016

DFW

MACHINE

MEDICAL

THE DFW HIGHER EDUCATION LANDSCAPE

A BROAD LOOK AT THE 70-PLUS INSTITUTIONS THAT COVER THE REGION

More than 70 accredited universities and colleges cover the DFW landscape. Students, faculty and other academics are engaged in a wide range of work, from tackling core curricula to developing nanotechnology. The University of North Texas at Denton, the University of Texas at Dallas and the University of Texas at Arlington are among Texas’ eight “emerging research” universities, expanding program capabilities and funding in pursuit of remaining at the top end of research institutions as defined by the Carnegie Classification methodology. UT Southwestern Medical Center, meanwhile, is among the nation’s best in biology and biochemistry research, boasting countless clinical breakthroughs and innovations, as well as six Nobel Laureates.

DFW LEGISLATORS MEAN BUSINESS WITH HIGHER ED SUPPORT

The DFW Region is consistently first in the country in job growth and holds the greatest share of Texas students enrolled in higher education in Texas. Spending in higher education isn’t just about investing in students, families, and workforce — it’s about strengthening the region’s economy by investing in DFW’s intellectual capital. Legislative support and investment in higher education have a ripple effect on economic growth in construction, research and additional business activity in DFW.

That ripple effect is growing. The Texas Legislature has stepped up to the challenge by investing over $2 billion in North Texas higher education, a 6% increase from the last session. This investment doesn’t include the additional $35 million for the Texas Research Incentive Program that uses state dollars to match private donations to a select number of research institutions, of which DFW has the greatest share of eligible institutions. As the next legislative session gears up, DFW legislators are passionate about improving the funding and student experience in higher education.

DFW students don’t just study in the region; they stay and work here. Roughly 72% of DFW students stay and work in the region after graduation, the sixth highest rate in the country. With bright students staying to work for leading companies, the growth of business in the region is undeniable.

The region is booming, both economically and in higher education enrollment growth (more than four times the national average). Additional resources are needed to sustain this growth. Looking ahead, business and higher education leaders are committed to working together as advocates for this economic growth. Increased funding, policy improvements and additional resources are needed to preserve DFW’s place as the intellectual capital of Texas.

“Higher education fuels our economy. Employers need a well-educated workforce, and by investing in our outstanding colleges and universities, we will meet the workforce needs of tomorrow and continue to grow our economy. Higher education drives innovation and discovery, enabling our region to lead the way toward new frontiers in technology, health care and more. Most importantly, we will provide new and expanded opportunity to tens of thousands of our North Texas neighbors, helping them attain the prospect of a brighter future.” – Representative Chris Turner, Chair, Business & Industry Committee, Texas House of Representatives

“Working with our region’s higher learning institutions on everything from formula funding to student safety has been a privilege during my years in the Legislature, and it will continue to be a priority.” – Senator Kelly Hancock, Chair, Veteran Affairs, Texas Senate “Recruiting and retaining a talented workforce is crucial to the DFW Region if we are to meet our expanding needs. Whether it’s in law enforcement, medical fields or the growing tech industries, we must maintain efforts to keep the best and brightest in Texas, and it starts by supporting our higher education system.” – Representative Lynn Stucky, Vice-Chair, County Affairs, Texas House of Representatives

“It is undeniable that a quality education is the portal to future success, and North Texas is blessed to have thriving higher education institutions, including its robust community college systems. As policymakers, we must make certain that our commitment to provide higher education resources remains constant and that every young person who so desires has even greater access to postsecondary opportunities. By working to ensure a qualified workforce, we can perpetuate future prosperity for North Texas.” – Senator Royce West, Vice-Chair, Higher Education Committee, Texas Senate

$13.3 BILLION IN BUSINESS ACTIVITY FOR THE REGION BY DFW INSTITUTIONS ANNUALLY $925.5 MILLION

ECONOMIC IMPACT (54% RETURN) FROM CONSTRUCTION INVESTMENT ($600 MILLION) $7 TO 1

ECONOMIC IMPACT OF DFW RESEARCH SPENDING ($810 MILLION) $67.4 BILLION

ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN THE REGION COMES FROM GRADUATES OF DFW INSTITUTIONS, TOTALING 15% OF THE TOTAL REGIONAL ECONOMY

WELCOME TO DFW

NOT YOUR AVERAGE COLLEGE TOWN

Explore a region where higher education and business uniquely combine to compete globally.

WELCOME TO DFW

HIGHER EDUCATION REFLECTS THE REGION’S ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DIVERSITY

When roughly 330,000 postsecondary students return to school every fall in DFW, it’s no front-page news, as it might be in Austin or Columbus, Ohio. Make no mistake — Dallas-Fort Worth is no typical college town; yet, aspiring engineers, doctors, architects and scientists are flocking here because of our diverse higher education institutions and the job opportunities that follow.

Nearly 70-plus institutions are spread across more than 200 cities that comprise the DFW Region.

“DFW has among the most diverse, growing economies in the United States,” says Dale Petroskey, president and CEO of the Dallas Regional Chamber, citing the most recent Moody’s Diversity Index. “The region’s higher education scene reflects that.”

That diversity fuels opportunities that might not happen in other metros across the United States.

The typical higher education path of a DFW Region student doesn’t travel from the classroom to a standing desk or to a product team. Long before many graduate, students in DFW are engaging in design thinking, pitching their ideas for new startups and col-

laborating with major companies on real-world problems.

Where else would students collaborate with the Dallas Cowboys while earning sports-management MBAs? Enroll in a law school geared toward helping secure legal services for all socioeconomic statuses? Train on the one of the largest medical simulation centers in the United States?

Those experiences lead to jobs. With a vast talent pool located right here in DFW, there is no shortage of opportunities for local talent to be utilized by the likes of Amazon, State Farm, courtrooms, health care facilities and other institutions that require the skills of advanced degree holders..

GROWING POPULATION, GROWING ENROLLMENTS

More than 7.8 million people live in the DFW Region, which is increasing at a rate of about 267 people per day. Likely fueling the growth are both the quality of educational institutions and corporate relocations/expansions to the DFW Region, says a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

DFW

Community members meet with the SERCH Institute at the University of North Texas at Dallas to discuss community needs in Southern Dallas County.

“The area still attracts business and financial services companies, which have reached a critical mass and can draw on a network of necessary support services,” writes the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas in its study, At the Heart of Texas. “Overall growth is buoyed by a well-educated population, a competitive cost structure and the U.S. economy’s strength.”

COLLISION-DRIVEN EDUCATION SYSTEM

Because universities, colleges and schools are located in population centers across DFW, collisions with hungry and innovative organizations in their orbits are almost inevitable.

It explains how SMU economist and data analyst Tom Fomby can bump into a UT Southwestern faculty member at a university mixer and then collaborate to develop a way to predict and prevent West Nile Virus outbreaks. It explains how a couple of NASA representatives might land at Texas Woman’s University (TWU) one day and suggest that they consider competing in the Texas Space Grant Consortium (six TWU students did and walked away with first prize, on their first try). It explains how, 50 years ago, Texas Instruments could launch the precursor to The University of Texas at Dallas to ensure a steady flow of educated, creative professionals.

These collisions — intended or unintended — are what helped make DFW what it is today.

Commission to train more than 1,500 employees in constructionrelated courses. In a partnership with 18 Texas construction businesses, this grant covers 100% of tuition for all trainees and includes no cost to employees or employers for instructional delivery.

Collin College, meanwhile, opened its $179 million, 340,000-square-foot Collin College Technical Campus in August of 2020. The facility serves more than 4,000 students and offers degrees and certificates ranging from architecture and construction to engineering technology and manufacturing.

West of Dallas, Tarrant County College’s (TCC) Corporate Solutions & Economic Development division opened a new location at Hillwood’s AllianceTexas in Fort Worth in 2021. This new 35,000-square-foot center will give companies access to TCC’s training and skills development programs that can be tailored to their employment base and needs.

WORKING FOR THE WORKFORCE

Just as the visionaries of yesterday, who pushed to create what are now the region’s three Carnegie-classified tier 1 research institutions, today’s leaders are looking toward the future, looking at how they can meet the needs of future students and employers. A new collaborative hub is being created, further uniting universities with employers to give prospective workers the skills they need.

In October of 2022, Dallas College was awarded a $3.5 million Skills Development Fund grant from the Texas Workforce

CREATING SOMETHING BIGGER, TOGETHER

“The theoretical nature of higher education often creates natural partnerships with cutting-edge industries,” says Dr. Victor Fishman, executive director of the Texas Research Alliance. “The inverse is true as well.”

Adds Fishman: “The translation into curriculum of research at the frontiers of science, technology, engineering, math and management makes higher education institutions ideal partners for problem-solving across all industries.”

Because the DFW Region is no typical college town or company town — where no single institution dominates the economy — entrepreneurs, business leaders and academics have connected organically to create something bigger.

In the pages that follow, we highlight how the region’s individual institutions of higher education combine to attract the highest-quality students and companies, allowing the region to compete at a global level.

The University of North Texas has a multi-faceted partnership with the Dallas Cowboys that includes a new online MBA program in sport and entertainment management in Frisco.

Students and faculty at Texas Woman’s University study the science of movement to improve patient care across the country.

WORKING TOGETHER TO UNLOCK POTENTIAL

HOW THE DRC PARTNERS WITH HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERS

It’s 7:30 a.m. on a cold fall morning. The university presidents and chancellors of the largest regional colleges and universities in Dallas-Fort Worth sit in a meeting room at the Dallas Regional Chamber (DRC). It’s one of the bi-monthly meetings of the University CEO Council, a council facilitated by the DRC that brings together regional higher education leaders to discuss pressing higher education issues in the region and ways to collaborate.

It’s no surprise that when the outgoing chairman, Dr. Mark Rudin, president of Texas A&M University-Commerce, arrives, he is greeted with handshakes, smiles and a familiar feeling. DFW higher education leaders not only work together, but they share a strong mutual interest in student success that bonds them beyond their institutions. It’s an energy that is clear in every Council meeting. While during today’s meeting the Council is discussing how to create a regional approach to ease students’ transfer of college credit between institutions, the Council is no stranger to taking on bigger projects. Each year, in partnership with the DRC, the Council collectively weighs in on state legislative issues, participates in a State of Higher Education event with more than 300 business leaders, and finds innovative ways the higher education community and industry can better work together. The inaugural DRC Higher Education Review was the brainchild of the University CEO (UCEO) Council, after DRC members noticed that the full story of higher education in the DFW Region wasn’t being told. “This is higher education in 2022. Working together with current and potential new partners, we are creating the workforce of tomorrow today. The future is now for DFW,” says incoming UCEO Council chair Dr. Richard C. Benson, president of the University at Texas at Dallas.

The UCEO Council just scratches the surface of collaboration between institutions in DFW. Combined efforts by the region’s institutions of higher education is proof of the priority of partnership

STRONGER TOGETHER, SUPPORT THROUGH COVID-19 PANDEMIC

When the pandemic hit DFW in March 2020, higher education

had to respond rapidly and safely for their students, faculty, and staff. Moving to fully online education in a matter of days, every institution was in a state of crisis and change. It was in this time, they leaned on each other, asking to meet virtually monthly rather than the previous quarterly meetings. Each month, the University CEO Council would serve as a place for COVID-19 safety best practices, sharing difficult experiences, and collecting data on the impact of COVID-19 on the DFW higher education community. “Meeting with my peers across DFW was invaluable during the pandemic,” said Dr. Carine Fetyen, Chancellor, Texas Woman’s University System. “I was able to talk with my peers who were facing the same difficult decisions I faced each day and find partnership on solving them together.” The work during the pandemic developed data reports of the impact of COVID-19 both financially and academically and has educated how the Council works together to rebuild and innovate after the pandemic.

A LOUDER VOICE AT THE CAPITAL

As each legislative session begins, the flurry of visitors flooding the capitol advocating for change, opportunity, and new policies is unmistakable. DFW higher education institutions are no stranger to this biannual tradition, employing institutional government relations staff and advisors to work with state legislators on higher education funding, research, and policy improvements. It became clear, through the UCEO Council, that while each institution’s voice was valued in the capitol, the voice of higher education in

DFW would be stronger combined. Initially, the work began as simply drafting a list of priorities that regional higher education and business leaders agreed upon for each session and has grown into a working coalition advocating in Austin under one unified voice. This strategy has paid off for DFW. Their influence in Austin has grown. They have seen improved transfer and articulation policies, increased funding for research and funding for capita building projects on campuses.

LET’S BUILD THIS FOR EVERYONE

Students, parents, and educators have always known the difficulties of students transferring between community colleges and four-year universities. “Trying to navigate what credits transfer, what applies to a degree program and who offers the best scholarships for transfer students is confusing and exhausting,” says DRC vice president, education & workforce, Elizabeth Caudill McClain. “When education leaders can come together to make systems easier for students, businesses also win by getting their talent quicker and with less student debt.” The issue of transfer and articulation has taken on the best of collaboration in the region, including a formal consortia, legislative advocacy, and advances in technology.

Created more than a decade ago, the North Texas Community College Consortium’s mission is to provide high-quality, low-cost,

close-to-home professional development opportunities for its community college members. What started as a regional networking organization has grown into the creation of the North Texas Regional Transfer Collaborative. The collaborative brings together community colleges and public and private universities across the region to create common templates and guided pathways for students to use in the college advising process. The consortium was the first in the region with diverse institutions coming together and agreeing on pathways for students, making it easier for students to complete college and enter the workforce.

THE FUTURE OF TOGETHER

The strength of the DFW Region lies in its diversity — economically, demographically, and in higher education offerings. Over the past 10 years, leaders in the region have witnessed the fruits of their labor through collaboration and partnership. Now is the time to look to the future and build on best practices that create optimal outcomes for students, institutions, and the workforce. Future projects include a downtown Dallas hub that will physically co-locate K-12, community colleges, four-year universities, and businesses to build an innovation center focused on aligning workforce needs and student outcomes; a new blockchain technology that enables student credentials to be sent with a touch of a button; and creating lasting private-public partnerships (3Ps) with multiple institutional partners.

# 1 UNT DALLAS

# 6 UTD # 8 UTA

Bonton Farms President Gabrielle Madison, Dallas College Chancellor Dr. Justin Lonon and University of Texas at Arlington President Dr. Jennifer Cowley discuss the unique collaboration between higher education institutions in the Dallas Region.

FASTESTGROWING PUBLIC DOCTORAL UNIVERSITIES IN THE U.S.

UNT DALLAS, THE FASTEST-GROWING PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN TEXAS (20182019 TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD)

“The culture of genuine partnership, collaboration and openness to new ideas sets DFW apart in the nation.”

TEXAS RESEARCH ALLIANCE

Texas Research

ALLIANCE

Founded in 2014 by four Chambers in the DFW Region, the Texas Research Alliance (TRA) is a not-for-profit that solves industry and government problems through university research and innovation partnerships. There is no cost for TRA’s assistance to find the key regional partners to help meet your innovation challenges. TRA projects have included recruiting the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the Federal Statistical Research Data Center to the DFW Region; partnering on the City of Dallas’ smart-city initiative; connecting companies with key researchers at area universities; and developing a long-term strategy to build DFW resources in defense, health care, education, and information technology.

HOW

1

OUTREACH

Objective: Meet industry and government innovation needs through partnerships with innovative start-ups and research universities.

Process: Work with each company/municipality, fully understand its needs and convey them, in nonproprietary formats, to qualified growth/startup companies and university faculty.

Note: This can be done under nondisclosure agreements (NDA) with TRA or through TRA-facilitated interaction between the company and qualified small TRA companies and university faculty.

2 PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

Objective: Identify, qualify and engage regional resources that meet industry research and innovation needs.

Process: Identify and engage members of the growth/startup communities and universities with the staff/faculty, facilities, and desire to meet the need. Bring the research and innovation providers together with the industry/ government champions for assessment and engagement.

CONSIDER A CAPSTONE PARTNERSHIP

THE REGION HAS A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL NATIONAL MODEL OF BEST PRACTICES AT UTD, UNT, SMU AND UTA. THIS LOW-COST, DEFINED COMPANY-UNIVERSITY INTRODUCTION PROVIDES IP PROTECTION, INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDENT TEAMS AND HIGH SUCCESS RATES.

HIGHER EDUCATION MATTERS TO

BUSINESS.

DEFINING THE WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE

The DFW Region is home to more than 100 corporate headquarters and campuses, creating a community of business leaders dedicated to building the future workforce. Here we showcase a few leading initiatives where corporate leadership has driven improvements in workforce development and research.

AHEAD IN THE CLOUD

Cloud-computing-related jobs include software engineers, software architects and data engineers — all growing professions in the workforce — and both Dallas College and the state of Texas recognize the earning potential for graduates. Amazon and Google have joined local initiatives to upskill Texas workers and students to meet industry needs.

In collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), beginning spring 2020, every community college and technical school in Texas will have the option to offer an associate of applied science degree in cloud computing.

The offering marks one of the nation’s first associate of applied science degrees in cloud computing offered by a community college. The two-year program is in response to what AWS and Dallas College recognized as a lack of trained talent in cloud computing across the state. Contemporary IT approaches say “cloud first,” but it became apparent to business, political and academic leaders that Texas’ emerging workforce did not yet reflect this shift. (“Cloud computing” is the delivery of on-demand computing services — from applications to storage and processing power — through a cloud services platform via the internet.)

“The need for retraining, upskilling and more accelerated programs that provide people the skills needed to navigate today’s job market remains. Dallas College has worked with Amazon to design a Cloud Computing degree that is the first of its kind offered by a community college in the

ON BOTS AND BOEING

United States. In addition to keeping current with cutting-edge of IT jobs, students who explore this degree typically enjoy a flexible schedule with classes that can be taken virtually when it’s most convenient for them.” says Dallas College chancellor Dr. Justin Lonon.

The program aligns with the needs of the industry and includes opportunities to earn industry-recognized credentials targeted at highgrowth areas in the local economy. Students will be introduced to cloud computing technologies such as gaming, artificial intelligence and medical applications.

GOOGLE LAUNCHES IT CERT PROGRAM

In January 2018, Google started an IT Support Professional Certificate program at the college district to prepare students and workers for entry-level roles in information technology support in six months without prior training.

In a visit to Dallas College El Centro campus, Google CEO Sundar Pichai revealed the program will grow from 30 to 100 community colleges nationwide by the end of 2020. El Centro, an early adopter, began offering the program in fall 2018. The program features five modules designed to teach the key areas of knowledge needed for entry-level IT positions, including technology support and computer networking.

“Our goal is to make sure the opportunities created by technology are truly available for everyone,” Pichai says.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A BOT ACTS NOT ONLY AS AN ASSISTANT BUT A KEY TEAM MEMBER?

Almost half of all existing jobs may be replaced by automation within the next 20 years, according to a study by researchers at Oxford University. How will humans interact with their bot counterparts? Which functions are best performed by artificial intelligence versus humans?

These are the questions being explored by George Siemens, executive director of the University of Texas at Arlington’s (UTA) Learning Innovation and Networked Knowledge (LINK) Research Lab.

Siemens and other researchers at UTA are working with a grant from Boeing to help the company understand future learning environments where new technologies such as bots, robots and artificial intelligence

AMAZON AND GOOGLE ARE OFFERING ONE OF THE NATION’S FIRST DEGREES IN CLOUD COMPUTING FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES.

Robots and humans team up at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai at the announcement of Google’s partnership with Dallas College.

are active participants in teams, alongside workers.

“A lot of companies are facing a challenge to reskill their employees for an environment where they need to collaborate with technology, not just use it,” says Siemens. “This information will be important to all organizations.”

Smart bots like Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri are already being incorporated into social environments as both a resource and support in the daily lives of millions of people.

Siemens sees artificial intelligence working hand in hand with human customer service.

“You may find that in some areas a customer would much rather have an automated process and another area that may want a human process,” he says. “So, how do you intelligently make those decisions, as a corporate entity?”

Siemens says his research is fueled, in part, by data generated by students who work with UTA’s free online course offerings on its platform edX.

As artificial intelligence improves, these bots are expected to be working with employees in integrated teams, with the bots able to act not only as assistants but as key team members, providing analysis and input.

“It will be like human-plus, a resource with more capacity than only humans working as part of the team,” Siemens says. ”Whole new skill sets will be needed for employees.” Siemens and his team are developing a series of papers and reports for Boeing on how new knowledge and learning technologies are being developed and deployed at both universities and corporations.

REAL JOBS. REDUCED TUITION. HISTORIC IMPACT.

When Paul Quinn College (PQC) President Michael Sorrell decided to convert the school’s football field into an urban farm, people thought he was crazy. The “WE over ME farm” has since set a national best-practice standard of taking institutional resources, listening to the needs of the community and supporting students — many of whom were suffering from food insecurity while enrolled.

Now the innovative leader has launched an initiative to become the first recognized urban work program in the country, a seal of approval that the Department of Education gave PQC in 2017, becoming the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to ever receive the recognition.

The PQC work program is one of a kind, in terms of community and corporate partnership. The model provides a low-cost, structured work program where students learn new skills and receive coaching and evaluation from industry experts. The program requires students to work 10 to 20 hours a week, reducing student tuition by almost $10,000 annually. Employers not only pay students for their work but also help fund tuition. Companies supporting the program include J.C. Penney Co., Oncor, Omni Hotels and PepsiCo. Other designated work colleges have some version of this program, but they lack the industry access that PQC students have in the DFW Region, because other schools are in mostly rural areas. Though PQC is located in southern Dallas, the program has expanded to other areas of the region, including Plano and Frisco, increasing student access and participation in diverse industries while providing growing diverse talent to the companies throughout the DFW Region.

J.C. PENNEY CO., OMNI, ONCOR, PEPSICO. AND OTHERS ARE SUPPORTING THE LAUNCH OF THE FIRST RECOGNIZED URBAN WORK PROGRAM IN THE COUNTRY.

Paul Quinn College students, business leaders and college President Michael Sorrell (third row, center right) – mark an expansion of PQC’s Urban Work College Model.

THE COALITION ON Y’ALL STREET

As the largest investment services firms began landing in DFW, competition on the self-proclaimed “Y’all Street” in Westlake, Texas, was inevitable. Financial and investment companies have historically fought for the same clients, real estate and talent. Then change occurred in DFW.

Leaders from Fidelity, Charles Schwab, TD Ameritrade, JPMorgan Chase, TIAA and the Dallas Regional Chamber (DRC) converged to create the North Texas Investment Services Coalition (NTXISC), proving that working together can be more fruitful than battling each other. The coalition consists of the organizations’ market leaders, meeting in person or via phone, every month to work on shared, coalition-established goals for DFW investment services firms.

One of the largest areas of collaboration stemmed from the need for new talent and education partners to build the talent of existing team members. With facilitation from the DRC, the NTXISC began to meet with Tarrant County College (TCC) to develop a completely new credential focused on in-demand/highgrowth entry-level investment service jobs. TCC brought in staff with a business background, an expertise in teaching “soft skills” and other professional skills while building curriculum with the NTXISC companies, ensuring every student who completes the course will be eligible to work for the companies and take the entry-level licensing exam. In the program, students will be exposed to the NTXISC member companies through site visits, internships, mentoring and guest lecturers. As TCC is building the program — slated for a late-2023 launch — the investment services firms are working with internal HR and hiring managers to influence and understand the program to give applicants with the credential a legup in the hiring process. The NTXISC/TCC credential showcases the leadership of both the financial/investment services industry and the higher education system, specifically when meeting the needs of talent in the region.

STUDENTS CAN

EARN A DEGREE IN CREATING FLAVORS

What gives orange juice its sunny zing? Texas Woman’s University (TWU) flavor chemist Dr. Xiaofen Du explains it this way: “Generally, if you eat something, you identify three to four flavors. But if you get trained, you will pick up much more and become sensitive [to taste].”

It’s Du’s job to study the chemical breakdown of foods, finding the individual components that make up taste and aroma. Once known, she can replicate flavors in the lab to find ways to amplify natural flavors or create entirely new ones.

Her research skills spurred a partnership with Keurig Dr Pepper that resulted in the creation of TWU’s flavor chemistry program. Du, who

joined TWU in 2017, is passing on her expertise to students in the school’s program, which started the same year she arrived at the university.

It’s the only flavor-chemistry-focused university food science program in the U.S., according to Shane Broughton, chair of TWU’s Nutrition and Food Sciences Department. The Denton university also has one of the few flavor chemists in Texas.

Prior to coming to TWU, Du worked as a senior research scientist in China at Firmenich Aromatics, the world’s largest privately owned flavor and fragrance company, with numerous research and development awards to its name, including a Nobel Prize in chemistry.

“It’s not easy to learn,” Du

PARTNERSHIP, NOT COMPETITION, IS HELPING DFW’S FINANCIAL AND INVESTMENT HUB FORGE AHEAD.

WITH THE RIGHT CERTIFICATIONS, THEY’LL BECOME ONE IN A BILLION.

IN FALL 2022, U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT RANKED A&MCOMMERCE 105 IN THE NATION FOR BEST ONLINE MBA PROGRAMS.

POETS AND QUANTS’ RANKS SMU COX SCHOOL’S ONLINE MBA 9 OUT OF 50 RANKED PROGRAMS FOR “ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE.”

says. “We deal with a lot of compounds you have to memorize. You have to connect those chemicals to real perceptions.”

Becoming a flavor chemist, or flavorist, requires rigorous training, including a seven-year apprenticeship. Broughton says there are currently only hundreds of certified flavorists in the world.

At TWU, students can earn a master’s degree in flavor chemistry or a Ph.D. in nutrition with an emphasis in flavor chemistry. It’s the background that students would need to eventually become certified flavorists if they choose.

Broughton says, “We want to make sure we are training them according to what the job-market needs are in this immediate environment.”

CONSULTING SERVICES AT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-COMMERCE

CENTER FOR

EXCELLENCE

PROVIDE RICH RETURNS FOR STUDENTS AND CLIENTS:

Q&A WITH FRANK SMITH, CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE DIRECTOR

What is the Center for Excellence at A&M-Commerce?

The Center for Excellence (CFE) operates within the university’s College of Business to deliver customized training and consulting services to the North Texas business community. Tell us about the CFE’s customized training options.

We partner with businesses to create company-specific training courses, certificates and graduate degree programs. We often introduce company projects as case studies, and company executives frequently co-teach with A&M-Commerce faculty. Classes can be taught anywhere and are private to allow for discussion of specific organizational issues.

What types of consulting services does the CFE provide?

Under faculty direction, talented graduate students research, analyze and offer suggestions on areas impacting clients’ businesses. Our consulting projects have addressed project line expansion, competitive market analysis, intellectual property protection, economic forecasting, broadband internet acquisition and more! What is a specific project the CFE has recently completed?

One of our recent projects involved assisting the City of Farmersville to obtain $3.7 million in funding to procure broadband internet service. The funds were awarded to the city by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the CARES Act. How is the CFE funded?

Since the CFE was founded in 2017, it has relied on a powerful combination of grants and project billing to become a self-funded enterprise. The CFE’s total billing is approaching $1 million. Who has the CFE partnered with in the past? We have worked with dozens of leading companies,

including Bell Helicopter, Textron, L3Harris, Lockheed Martin Aerospace and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

How do businesses profit from the CFE’s services?

Businesses receive high-quality training programs and consulting services from a fully accredited AACSB business college at a fraction of industry costs. Employees learn from expert faculty and meet talented graduate students who may be candidates for future employment.

What do students gain from working with the CFE?

Students who act as consultants win scholarships, gain on-the-job experience, acquire certifications, land jobs and develop leadership skills. It’s an incredible opportunity for our students.

Do faculty benefit, too?

Definitely! Contributing faculty apply their expertise to real-world settings, and they are paid for their services. Often, their work with the CFE coincides with and contributes to their research projects, too.

Why is the CFE a great asset to A&M-Commerce?

Opening a consulting center can represent an institution’s mission to become a thought leader in its region. That’s definitely true for A&M-Commerce. As we create strong partnerships with regional industries and local governments, we are leading education and innovation in North Texas.

What plans do you have for the future?

Among our many projects, the CFE is preparing to launch a certificate in product ownership. We are also working on expanding our training and consulting services within the DFW Metroplex from our headquarters at A&M-Commerce at Dallas, located on North Central Expressway.

Texas Woman’s University researchers launch the first flavor-chemistry food science university-based program in the nation.

SMU’S AT&T CENTER ADVANCES VIRTUALIZATION RESEARCH WITH A CLEAR FOCUS ON SOCIAL IMPACT AND ETHICS

Virtualization has gone from science fiction to “it’s everywhere” in a relatively short period of time, transforming telecommunications, healthcare, business, education, energy, and transportation. The AT&T Center for Virtualization at Southern Methodist University (SMU) focuses on telecom virtualization, enterprise virtualization and the user experience, acting as a trifecta of resources from and for private, government and academic sectors. Simply put, virtualization is the creation of devices, machines and systems in software that result in simulated, yet realistic behavior. It allows users to take create multiple simulated environments from a single hardware system, effectively making one piece of computing equipment behave like several. Applications for virtualization can range from something as dramatic as creating a digital twin of a warship, to the more mundane aspects of delivering clear, secure communications across long distances.

But it’s equally important to examine the social, economic, and ethical impact of virtualization. For example, the AT&T Center launched its Intelligent Systems and Bias Examination Lab (ISaBEL) in fall 2022 to quantify and minimize bias in artificial intelligence (AI) systems. The lab’s mission is to understand how AI systems such as facial recognition algorithms perform on diverse populations of users.

Algorithms provide instructions for computers to follow in performing certain tasks, and bias can be introduced through such things as incomplete data or reliance on flawed information. As a result, the automated decisions propelled through algorithms that support everything from airport security to judicial sentencing guidelines can inadvertently create disparate impact across certain groups.

“How to study and mitigate bias in AI systems is a fast moving

area, with pockets of researchers all over the world making important contributions,” said John Howard, an AT&T Center research fellow and biometrics expert. “Labs like ISaBEL will help ensure these breakthroughs make their way into the products where they can do the most good and also educate the next generation of computer scientists about these important issues.”

The AT&T Center works collaboratively across the SMU campus with the University’s Data Science Institute, Center for Research Computing, Deason Center for Cyber Security and the Guild Hall and with industry partners such as Google, Ericsson, CAE, PANGIAM, HPE, Raytheon and, of course, AT&T.

“As education, entertainment, and transactional businesses move into the virtual world, research and development at the AT&T Center has a key role to play,” said Suku Nair, vice provost for research and chief innovation officer at SMU and director of the AT&T Center.

CREATING RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES FOR HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTIONS

Twenty of the nation’s top research universities today announced the formation of the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities to increase opportunity for those historically underserved by higher education.

The 20 universities represent every university that has been both categorized as R1 (very high research activity) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education and designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education.

“Hispanics are the largest minority group in the United States and are now 17% of the workforce, yet they continue to be underrepresented in higher education. No group is better positioned than we are to expand the pathway to opportunity,” said Dr. Heather Wilson, President of The University of Texas at El Paso and Chair of the Alliance. “We believe we are stronger together than as individual institutions acting alone.”

The HSRU Alliance aims to achieve two key goals by 2030: Double the number of Hispanic doctoral students enrolled at Alliance universities, and Increase by 20% the Hispanic professoriate in Alliance universities.

“The goals of the HRSU Alliance align with our vision of becoming one of the nation’s most inclusive and impactful research universities,” said Jennifer Cowley, president of the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). “Both UTA and our fellow HRSU Alliance universities are research powerhouses. Together, we have the research and institutional capacity to make an extraordinary difference in Texas and across the nation.”

Representing nine states, the 20 HSRU Alliance universities together enrolled 766,718 students in fall 2020; of those, 33% (254,399) were Hispanic. In 2020, the combined research spending of these universities totaled more than $5.9 billion.

The HSRU Alliance universities are engaged in thousands of research projects with world-changing outcomes in the arts and humanities, STEM, health sciences, social sciences, and other fields. In 2019-20, HSRU Alliance universities produced 11,027 doctoral graduates, of which 13% (1,451) were Hispanic.

“With Hispanics making up less than 6% of U.S. doctoral students, we must be intentional about creating opportunities for Hispanics,” said Dr. Michael Amiridis, outgoing Chancellor for the University of Illinois at Chicago. “We believe this alliance will make rapid progress in advancing Hispanic student enrollment in doctoral programs and broadening pathways to the professoriate by building on our strength as Hispanic-serving research universities.”

Prior to the formal announcement of the HRSU Alliance, the universities began working together on several initiatives. The first project, funded by a $5 million grant from the Mellon Foundation, will conduct cross-regional research and train doctoral students in Latinx humanities. A second initiative, funded by the National Science Foundation, expands opportunities for Hispanic students in computer science.

The SMU AT&T Center for Virtualization creates digital solutions to overcome the limitations of hardware.

TAPPING CAPSTONE PROGRAM FOR STUDENT BRAINPOWER, PERSPECTIVES

MEET THE TEAMS OF STUDENTS WHO ARE READY TO SOLVE YOUR BUSINESS PROBLEMS.

The University of Texas at Dallas UTDesign Capstone students resolve seemingly intractable problems facing industries.

Artificial Intelligence guru Dave Copps was stumped. The cornerstone of his new company, Hypergiant Sensory Sciences, was based on teaching computers to see things the way humans do.

Copps was trying to develop a quick, inexpensive way to obtain a three-dimensional scan of a real-world setting.

“We wanted the ability to walk around the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) campus, for instance, to wave your phone around, to generate a 3D model,” Copps says. “We didn’t want to buy a $50,000 scanner.”

Copps then turned to the UTDesign Capstone program that, for a fee and on certain conditions, will connect senior-level engineering students and a faculty member with companies looking to solve problems.

“For $8,000, you can have a group of students, led by a professor, working on a problem you’d like to solve for your business,” Copps told a room full of business, tech and government leaders who gathered at a June 2019 DRC event that explored artificial intelligence. “What we did is, we took a problem that we didn’t think was solvable. We figured we might have some fun with this and make these students really frustrated. But … they came back with an answer.”

He says the UTD students proved to be valuable because they provided a vision for what the future looks like — not just an academic understanding of what artificial intelligence is.

“The result was spectacular,” Copps says, in later hindsight. “We ended up hiring one of the students who worked on the project. He’s now full-time.”

“We went up there on the first day, had a three-hour meeting with them on what we wanted to do,” Copps says. “We really briefed them on the concept and the project. We gave them a clear vision of what they were going to work on. We checked in with them every couple weeks and brought them into our office. It was very collaborative and very interactive.”

Copps is one of hundreds of industry leaders to take advantage of UTDesign Capstone program. Students finishing out degrees in bioengineering, mechanical engineering, electrical and computer

engineering, and computer science take part in the program.

“As of Fall semester 2022, we’ve had 1,042 corporate-sponsored projects,” says Rod Wetterskog, assistant dean of the Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science and coordinator of the UTDesign Studio, adding that almost 6,000 students have completed projects since the program started at UTD in 2009. UTDesign Capstone teams have dominated competitions against other Capstone programs over the years.

Since 2014, UTD engineering teams have received first place in all four student project competitions at the biennial Capstone Design Conference. PepsiCo, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, CerSci Therapeutics, and Precision Medical Products owning all the results.

UTDesign capstone teams earned top honors six times and came in second-place four times at the annual American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference since 2015.

One of the higher-profile companies to use the program is State Farm, which sought out talent for its Drive Safe & Save initiative, and other projects.

State Farm leases space on the UTD campus in Richardson, where students work at company-branded workspaces, access them through passcards and log their hours like employees. The State Farm/UTD collaboration has been in place since 2015. Roughly 15 students have internships per semester.

Some of those students helped State Farm develop the aforementioned Drive Safe & Save program, which gives drivers a discount based on their driving. The app also scores drivers, letting them know how they can improve.

“They’ve worked on a number of projects, including in the [State Farm] telematics space,” says Mike Fletcher, enterprise technology executive at State Farm’s CityLine campus in Richardson. “We have given them a topic to help stretch us a bit. It’s been fascinating.”

FOR CORPORATE ENGAGEMENT

GRADUATE STUDENTS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

PROVIDING A TALENT BOOST

LEVERAGING A NEW $535M CAMPUS, A “PROMISE” AND BLOCKCHAIN TO PREP A NEW GENERATION FOR THE WORKFORCE

With thousands of jobs moving to the DFW Region and being created each day, the hunt for top talent is ever-growing. Companies need good talent — and they need it fast.

In Dallas County, tech and community college thought leaders are approaching the problem in design-thinking fashion: understanding the problem, empathizing with those involved and not being afraid to pull the trigger on unconventional solutions.

HIGHER EDUCATION INITIATIVES IN DALLAS COUNTY

Solution-centered, userfriendly higher ed initiatives in Dallas County include:

• Tuition-free community college for every high schooler in the county

• Building a $535 million education and innovation hub in downtown Dallas

• Developing and using a form of blockchain technology — called GreenLight Credentials — to give employers the power to locate people who have acquired the exact skills they need to get the job done

Community leaders, students and educators come together to celebrate the successes of the Dallas County Promise for low-income students.

‘PROMISE’ OF FREE HIGHER EDUCATION

Nearly 2,000 high school students attending one of nearly 60 high schools in Dallas County have joined the Dallas County Promise program, which guarantees free tuition at any Dallas College campus and additional scholarships for free tuition at participating four-year institutions – which include UNT-Dallas, SMU, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Texas Woman’s University and Austin College.

“The point of Promise is to let these young students know they have options when it comes to attending a university,” says Laura Flores, an academic coach at Dallas College. “When you tell a student that, yes, college is for them, it not only impacts the student’s life, it changes the lives of their parents and the community in a very positive way.”

“Promise” is funded by federal financial aid dollars and the Dallas College Foundation, effectively removing financial barriers that keep Dallas County students from attending college. The program was launched in 2017 and has expanded to 57 high schools across 11 public school districts, eventually encompassing all high schools in Dallas County.

A NEW KIND OF DOWNTOWN CAMPUS

Perhaps the largest single demonstration of support for upskilling Dallas County’s workforce in recent memory occurred on during the May 2019 election. That election, nearly three fourths of all votes cast in Dallas County approved the sale of a $1.1 billion bond, about half of which will build a state-of-the-art education and innovation hub in Downtown Dallas.

The hub is a brainchild resulting from the Dallas Region’s bid for Amazon’s HQ2, creating a campus that includes community college, 4-year universities, and industry utilizing the space as a cohesive workforce pipeline.

From fall 2013 to fall 2018, enrollment grew by 13 percent, from 73,206 students to 82,800. The district projects 92,000 students by 2030. The growth comes in large part from increased partnerships with regional school districts, many of which now allow students to earn Dallas College credit while still in high school. The district also works with local employers to create and grow target programs to the area’s labor market needs.

CONNECTING THE DOTS FOR CREDENTIALS, HIGHER EDUCATION AND EMPLOYERS

GreenLight is quickly gaining traction, according founder Manoj Kutty.

“More than 10,000 students and alumni from Dallas College have already taken ownership of their credentials and started sharing them with academic institutions across the country,” he says, adding that more than 200 institutions nationwide are using GreenLight.

So far, Kutty’s team has migrated 1.7 million user records to GreenLight. More than 10,000 students have given GreenLight permission to release their transcripts.

Here’s how it works: First, students must grant consent to having their academic records incorporated into the GreenLight database; the platform then acts like a sort of LinkedIn, but with credentials that have been verified by established institutions (goodbye, padded resumes).

Kutty and GreenLight Chief Platfrom Officer Shikant Jannu foresee the day when the platform is adopted by institutes of higher education nationwide. GreenLight is a particularly powerful tool for employers who are seeking people who have learned niche skills under specific instructors or programs; it’s also an effective recruiting tool for universities that are seeking applicants by particular academic category or credential. And a growing number of Dallas County high school students are increasing their credentials through a recently launched initiative.

“The point of Promise is to let these young students know they have options when it comes to attending a university.”

THE DALLAS COUNTY PROMISE IS FUELING DOUBLE-DIGIT GROWTH FOR REGIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION ENROLLMENT.

THE DALLAS COUNTY PROMISE IS LARGER THAN 17 U.S. STATES IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS SERVED.

HIGHER EDUCATION WITH HEART

A CLOSER LOOK AT HOW DFW INSTITUTIONS ARE SERVING THE COMMUNITY

SERVING FUTURE U.S. HISPANIC LEADERS – DALLAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

“The lack of equality is the biggest problem in our educational system today,” says the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC) at the National Hispanic Education Summit on the campus of Dallas Baptist University (DBU).

The two-day conference in October 2019 featured a schedule of presentations and panel discussions with perspectives

from college students, academic officials, university presidents and church leaders centered on the theme “Commitment from the Boardroom to the Classroom: Advancing University and Faith Community Practices for Hispanic College Completion.” The goal of the annual summit is to bring higher education leaders and the church together to address best practices for successfully recruiting, retaining and graduating Hispanic college

students while empowering churches to effectively counsel their Hispanic students toward the completion of higher education.

“By bringing together Hispanic leaders from a variety of industries who share a common faith, the Faith and Education Coalition, once again, empowered participants to take keen insights back to their communities …” says Dr. Nick Pitts, executive director of DBU’s Institute of Global Engagement, in event

coverage on DBU’s campus news website.

DBU, a private university, is located in southern Dallas and combines faith and academic instruction to empower students to have a strong focus on increasing the number of students of color attending and completing higher education. The university often hosts national conferences focused on aligning their faith-based mission with real-world issues.

STUDENT GRANT-WRITING TRAINING THROUGH NONPROFITS – AUSTIN COLLEGE

Career-connected learning can deeply impact a student’s outlook on their career path, but it can also help those who are doing the most good in the community. At Austin College, students in the Social Entrepreneurship for Poverty Alleviation (SEPA) program receive grant writing training, then go to work as interns for nonprofit agencies in the region and put that education into action. SEPA is a collaborative program between Austin College and the Texoma Council of Governments designed to engage students in community development through grant writing as an entrepreneurial en-

deavor. Students learn technical aspects of grant writing and get hands-on experience in the world of nonprofits.

“Each time I have an intern [from Austin College], I personally benefit from [having] someone that can help share the burden of work. [The student] helped me to make new forms, gathered new information, and made numerous contacts. Most importantly, she was able to write the case statement portion for our food assistance program, using the structure that I had already created. Her writing will easily be incorporated into what I’ve already done,” says Julie Rickey

of Master-Key Ministries in a testimonial for the program. These internships are about more than just gaining workplace experience for the students; since the program began in 2012, Austin College SEPA program interns have helped raise over $1.1 million in grant funding for the 66 local agencies served. It is not only the nonprofit agencies who are seeing the value of the program. “I loved this project. I learned so much about the non-profit world! I have definitely become extremely aware of the concerns of mental health in southern Oklahoma, and I hope that one day I will be able to make

an impact in the lives of those I saw in the crisis units and clinics. In the future, I will definitely consider doing something in the mental health field as a medical doctor,” says Austin College student Helen Nguyen in a testimonial about her experience as a SEPA intern.

Finding opportunities for higher education, community organizations, and students to collaborate for impactful career-focused learning creates a win-win-win situation. “Rising tides lift all ships,” goes the old adage, which applies to the SEPA program at Austin College.

SERVING A COMMUNITY BY JOINING THE COMMUNITY – UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS AT DALLAS

The University of North Texas at Dallas (UNT Dallas) is the only public four-year university in Dallas with its main campus in Southern Dallas and a law school downtown. Most of its graduates stay in North Texas to work in high need jobs in education, business, law enforcement, healthcare and the law.

Just 12 years old, UNT Dallas is one of the most diverse universities in the country, both in its student demographics and among its leadership. More than 85 percent of its undergraduates are Hispanic and African-American, and most come from modest income households with a majority being first generation students. The law school was fully accredited by the American Bar Association in 2022 and was named by Pre Law Magazine as the most diverse of America’s 200 law schools. The latest incoming law class was 53 percent minority and majority female. The UNT Dallas cabinet is now majority minority, and four of its six deans are scholars of color.

The school maintains the lowest tuition and fees in DFW and its law school is the most affordable in Texas. A 2022 Money Magazine survey ranked UNT Dallas a top five value in Texas. UNT Dallas’ vision is to be a pathway to upward economic mobility and was ranked number one in DFW and 15th in the country for providing upward economic mobility for its graduates based on national research released in 2022.

With 600 employees, UNT Dallas is now one of the largest employers in Southern Dallas County. It is also at the epicenter of economic development efforts in Southern Dallas with major master planned projects in the works around the campus. The UNT Dallas DART rail station also is likely to create Southern Dallas’ first transit oriented development opportunities.

UNT Dallas received $100 million from the Texas Legislature in 2021 to build a state-of-the-art STEM building to provide local healthcare institutions with highly trained,

diverse STEM graduates. This training building will open during the 2025-26 academic year.

The school also launched its Center for Socioeconomic Mobility through Education (CSME) with partners such as the Child Poverty Action Lab.

The University of North Texas at Dallas’ Center for Socioeconomic Mobility through Education shares the same mission as the university – to empower students, transform lives, and strengthen communities. The Center works to realize this mission by conducting research, implementing scalable solutions, and collaborating with partners to build collective capacity – all in service of creating lasting upward mobility across generations.

Engagement in communitycentered research to better understand the needs and opportunities present within Southern Dallas is a cornerstone focus of the Center. Selected research projects include

LEADERSHIP FOR THOSE WHO SERVE – UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS AT DALLAS

The Caruth Police Institute at the University of North Texas at Dallas (UNT Dallas) continues to expand as a premier police training organization specializing in delivering best law enforcement practices, advancing self-care techniques for officers as well as research and technical assistance.

Through partnership with the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, CPI operates at the intersection of mental health and law

enforcement to help police agencies navigate the most complex issues facing 21st-century policing and the communities they serve.

CPI is now the Center of Excellence in Texas for the Georgetown University Law Center’s Active Bystander Training program that promotes exceptional accountability among police officers. CPI trained all 3,000 plus Dallas PD officers in these accountability principles and is actively training many other

departments, large and small. Because of alarming numbers of first-responder suicides in Texas, UNT Dallas and the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement stood up the nation’s first Law Enforcement Peer Network to advance police self-care for officers in need. The network, based at UNT Dallas, was established by the Texas Legislature in 2021.

UNT Dallas also is engaging civic-minded area citizens to raise

understanding challenges related to higher education opportunities for foster care youth, gathering hyperlocal data in neighborhoods to more clearly identify needs, and uncovering barriers to entrepreneurship. Insights gleaned will be shared with partners to generate learning for strategic action.

The Center is focused on using research and best practices nationally to create sustainable solutions in advancing upward socioeconomic mobility. Essential work-ready and life-ready competencies – e.g., clear communication, self-management, and collaboration skills – are the focus of efforts to build capacity. The Center complements UNTD’s existing robust efforts in preparing students for careers in diverse sectors.

private funds to build a modern training academy for the Dallas PD that will replace its dated and under-resourced current home. The school proposes to build the new academy on its campus.

DFW INFLUENCES THE NATION AT LARGE

DRIVING CHANGE FOR THE GREATER GOOD

Higher education institutions are deeply embedded in the DFW c ommunity, taking leadership to drive important policy changes at the local, state and national level. Through diverse industries and pathways, DFW higher education is leaving a lasting impact on the world.

PREPARING WOMEN TO LEAD

THE JANE NELSON INSTITUTE FOR WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP EMPOWERS FUTURE C-SUITE EXECS, ENTREPRENEURS AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS.

Women hold 5% to 12% of top executive positions in U.S. corporations, according to the Pew Research Center.

The number of women in the U.S. Congress, meanwhile, is at an all-time high at 24%, but women make up 51% of the U.S. adult population.

Texas Woman’s University (TWU) is aiming to change these dynamics.

Building on historical strengths and contemporary potential, TWU is focused on preparing women to lead. In 2018, the university established the Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership — the first of its kind in the state — to prepare more women to take on successful roles in business and public service. Through the institute’s three specialized centers — the Center for Student Leadership, the Center for Women Entrepreneurs and the Center for Women in Politics & Public Policy — TWU ensures women have the education to establish careers as successful C-suite executives, the skills for building entrepreneurial businesses and the framework needed to run for public office.

TWU students and regional communities are given opportunities to dig deep into pressing issues for women in diverse industries,

leading innovation and change. The Center for Women

Entrepreneurs awards microgrants to women entrepreneurs in the region while educating ambitious women in entrepreneurship. The university has graduated founders and CEOs of successful companies such as BuzzBallz/Southern Champion, a company that started as an MBA capstone project for then-high school teacher Merrilee Kick and, in 10 years, has grown into the only womanowned winery/distillery in the U.S. with annual revenues of $50+ million and 100 employees in 300,000 square feet of operations space. The Center for Women in Politics & Public Policy aims to address the “ambition gap” between men and women considering running for office. Through research, leadership development and “political boot camps,” the center creates a talent pipeline of female elected leaders. Students learn from political industry experts, faculty and successful formerly elected women on opportunities in the political industry.

While the institute is young and growing, the opportunity and need for diverse women leaders in entrepreneurship, business and public policy are also growing. TWU’s leadership in the space shows the importance of diversity and leadership in DFW.

Texas Woman’s University invests in the leadership of its female students from business leaders to those running for public office.

BRINGING BACK TEXAS

documented at the prairie, including four to six species of native grasses, 20 species of native Texas flowering plants (including rare Maximilian sunflowers) and at least six species of predatory birds.

“From an ecological standpoint, having predatory birds means there are enough plants and habitat with insects and other animals that the birds eat,” says Baxter-Slye. “It’s functioning as an ecosystem, which is what we wanted.”

With existing prairie plants on site, Discovery Park provided an ideal location for the prairie, which was funded by the We Mean Green Fund. The habitat is located on a patch of land at Discovery Park, a nearly 300-acre, UNT-owned research park located five miles north of the main campus in Denton.

Native Texas tall grass prairie habitats are the most endangered habitat types in the Lone Star State. DFW was once home to about 40,000 acres of productive prairie land and was covered by more than 2,200 species of native plants.

Today, less than 1% of prairie ecosystems remain.

Approximately 1,500 undergraduate students and several community groups have visited and studied the Pollinative Prairie’s 8,000-plus plants since its opening, including 400 students enrolled in a newly introduced environmental science lab.

The Advanced Environmental Research Institute (AERI) at the University of North Texas (UNT) has been established as an Institute of Research Excellence. AERI touts a multidisciplinary team of researchers committed to collaborating on large research projects with an emphasis on application of research findings to the solutions of our most pressing environmental issues. One of the most interactive projects is the restoration of North Texas prairies.

Think of it as a sort of landlocked Noah’s Ark.

A team of University of North Texas faculty, staff and students led by Jaime Baxter-Slye, Ph.D., an instructional laboratory supervisor in the Department of Biological Sciences, has reconstructed a native Texas tall grass prairie that has become a magnet for biodiversity.

More than 200 species of plants, insects and birds have been

Members of the departments of Biological Sciences, Philosophy and Religion, Engineering, and Art have partnered for the project, as well as several student organizations. The project is also organized in association with Bee Campus USA, Texan by Nature, the Xerces Society Million Pollinator Garden Challenge and the Monarch Wrangler program.

A TEAM OF UNT FAC ULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS WORKING TO RESTORE DFW PRAIRIES.

The University of North Texas students take part in the “rewilding” initiative sweeping the U.S.

STATS, STORIES AND CHANGE

Most Americans believe that, if arrested, they will quickly appear before a judge, learn the charges pending against them, and have an attorney assigned to defend them.

In reality, criminal defendants – particularly in rural jurisdictions – often struggle under the weight of delayed justice. They may wait in jail for days, weeks, or even months before seeing a judge or meeting an attorney.

This is the kind of problem that Southern Methodist University (SMU)’s non-partisan Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center addresses with its distinctive “stats and stories approach,” uncovering the stories of people struggling through the criminal legal system and pursuing the hard data that both reveals inequities and guides actionable solutions for practitioners, advocates, and legislators.

The Center’s recent report, Grading Injustice: Initial Appearance Report Cards, revealed unsettling statistics about delayed justice in every U.S. state, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands: Not a single jurisdiction earned an A, and nearly half received failing grades in a study evaluating whether they deliver provide prompt initial court appearances with the assistance of counsel.

The Deason Center is focused on three areas of research -- the Sixth Amendment right to counsel; small, tribal and rural (STAR) criminal justice systems; and prosecutorial discretion. The center has produced three reports about the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, examining prosecution policies related to targeted reform of misdemeanor marijuana prosecutions.

“We are about people and policy – not politics,” explains Deason Center Director Pamela Metzger. “We are first and foremost an education and research organization. Dallas is an incredibly vibrant, diverse city – one of the ten largest cities in the United States and it’s still growing. Dallas has something to say about what criminal justice should look like in this country.”

Attorneys, social scientists, law students from Dedman School of Law and SMU graduate and undergraduate students from various academic disciplines work together in the Deason Center to research issues, analyze statistics and produce the reports that share their work. The Center is also supported by a Pretrial Due Process Advisory Board and a Rural Justice Advisory Board, comprised of attorneys, scholars and advocates from outside SMU and across the country.

SMU’S DEASON CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM CENTER

Southern Methodist University is a nationally ranked law school with innovative research in criminal justice.

THE ‘SECRET SAUCE’ IN TEACHER SUCCESS

HANDS-ON LEARNING

Almost 37% of all teachers quit their profession within the first five years. That is an appalling statistic as experienced teachers are critical to quality classroom education. Texas A&M University-Commerce specializes in preparing long-term teachers, posting a 68% retention rate for the first five years of their graduates’ teaching careers. Their secret to training long-term teachers? Hands-on learning.

“Our year-long student teaching experience allows our future teachers to co-teach with and receive feedback from highly qualified cooperating teachers in public school settings,” said Dr. Kathryn Dixon, interim department head in the College of Education and Human Services.

That and other preparation also contributes to a 91% pass rate for the initial statewide teacher certification examination.

“Our focus on content knowledge, in addition to pedagogical skills and reflective practice, help our candidates to be successful classroom teachers from Day One,” Dixon said.

A&M-Commerce graduates around 275 new teachers annually and is a top producer of Texas teachers.

IT’S LIKE SHARK TANK, BUT WITH HEART

TWO-DAY COMPETITION HAS LAUNCHED 160+ COMPANIES

Each year, students from across the globe travel to Texas Christian University’s (TCU) Richards Barrentine Values and Ventures © Competition to pitch ideas for conscious capitalism ventures that turn a profit while solving a problem.

It’s like Shark Tank but with a heart.

The two-day competition, annually presented by the TCU Neeley Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, produces nine winners, three special-place awards and six awards for the Elevator Pitch, with prizes ranging from $500 to the grand prize of $100,000 to launch companies. Since its inception in 2010, more than $1.2 million in sponsorships and in-kind support and $600,000 in cash prizes have been awarded to more than 138 competing universities. From the competition, 160-plus companies have been launched; 66 are fully operational.

Winning companies include innovative practices such as Spring Back Recycling, which employs disenfranchised and homeless people to deconstruct and recycle mattresses to reduce waste, W.E. Do Good, which provides a low-cost, human-powered machine to improve agronomic practices and reduce poverty in Ethopia and other countries, and the most recent winner, Celise, which produces biodegradable alternatives to plasticware and straws made with cornstarch and almost identical in feel and performance as plastic.

“A lot of people think business ideas are just about making money, but there are a lot of us out there that want to do a lot more than that. We want to make more than money; we want to make a difference ... With the Values and Ventures Competition at TCU, you do well by doing good,” says a TCU student in a video describing the competition.

Mentors and classroom work boost workplace retention for Texas A&M University-Commerce teaching grads.

Business students from around the world come to Texas Christian University to compete in the “do good” pitch competition.

POLICY SHAPERS

UNT DALLAS, TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE LAW SCHOOL STATUS QUO

Part of higher education’s purpose is to meet the needs of the surrounding community, whether that be businesses, students, parents or the public at large. In DFW, two universities listened to their communities to create law schools with innovative programs that reflect the communities they serve. The University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law (UNT Dallas) is recognized as the third-most diverse law school in America, with a strong emphasis on client advocacy and legal

public service to the surrounding community. Texas A&M University, meanwhile, has grown a school of law providing diverse learning opportunities through cutting-edge clinics and training in intellectual property, energy, health care, and other key areas of study, all while going from unranked, to a top-60 law school in six years.

WHY DO WE NEED ANOTHER LAW SCHOOL?

In a region that is home to toptier public institutions and the

highly ranked, private Dedman School of Law at SMU, many were skeptical when state Sen. Royce West, former state Rep. Dan Branch, and then UNT System Chancellor Lee Jackson announced the drive to create the UNT Dallas College of Law. The number of law school applications had been declining since 2011 nationally, according to the Law School Admission Council. The number of firstyear law students had dropped dramatically, due to rising

tuition costs and a perceived lack of legal jobs. Even still, the founders of the UNT Dallas College of Law argued that it was the perfect time to open a new school — one that didn’t replicate what was already being done. The UNT Dallas College of Law trains attorneys who will go back to their communities to provide legal services that many people can’t afford. The cost of law school has contributed to what Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht warns

The University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law students get real-world experience working with high-need DFW communities.

is a dangerous, widening justice gap. “See, we’re at a strange place,” Hecht says in a D Magazine article. “We have lots of lawyers looking for jobs, and we have lots of people who need lawyers. But they can’t get together because of the cost.”

UNT Dallas College of Law believes that it can churn out a new crop of attorneys, less driven by debt, more driven by purpose.

Since its founding in 2014, UNT Dallas College of Law has designed every element of the school — admissions, coursework, experiential learning opportunities and the student population — around its mission to promote justice and to advance human potential through the enterprise of legal education. From the community-centric clinics for students housed in the south and southern Dallas area to meeting future clients in their homes to utilizing virtual reality in order to create crime scenes to learn how to interpret evidence, UNT Dallas College of Law is fulfilling its mission to be a different kind of law school. Named among the 20 Most Innovative Law Schools by PreLaw, a National Jurist publication, UNT Dallas College of Law is living up to the recognition.

NEW, AMBITIOUS AND ENTREPRENEURIAL

From the outside, the Texas A&M School of Law looks the same as it did six years ago, when it was Texas Wesleyan Law School: a two-story block of faded brown concrete in downtown Fort Worth. But inside, the school has gone from unranked to one of the top 60 in the country, hiring top new professors, improving job placement numbers and putting itself on par with longstanding law schools in the state.

“Texas A&M is an incredibly ambitious university,” former Interim Dean Thomas Mitchell told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “So when they acquired a law school that was unranked, that was not the end goal — just to have a law school. It was to have an outstanding law school.”

Leaders at the Texas A&M School of Law — which was acquired from Texas Wesleyan University in 2013 — aren’t preoccupied with rankings. Instead, they have focused on recruiting a strong and diverse student body and providing their students with the skills necessary to navigate new and established areas of legal practice. From the Entrepreneurship Clinic and the Medical/Legal Partnership with Cook Children’s Hospital, to the Patent Clinic and the Trademark & Copyright Clinic, students serve and engage the community, even as they develop their capacity to succeed as lawyers and leaders.

Students can even experience global lawyering, through field study courses in Cambodia, Ghana, Mexico, Scotland and other countries.

In accepting the job of dean of the Texas A&M School of Law, Robert B. Ahdieh said, “I believe no law school in the country has traveled further, in so short a time. Nor does any have more upside potential, going forward.”

Top priorities for the Texas A&M School of Law in the coming years include continuing to build a world-class faculty; ensuring that faculty have the resources necessary to produce research of consequence and significance; extending the audience for a Texas A&M legal education beyond students seeking a threeyear Juris Doctor, including through fast-growing non-lawyer programs; and enhancing the scope of the law school’s external engagement through outreach to the community, graduates and colleagues in legal academia.

Combined, the UNT Dallas College of Law and the Texas A&M School of Law are changing the landscape of legal education — not just in the region but at the national level.

The Texas A&M School of Law continues to grow in rank, size, programs and areas of strength.

THE DEDMAN SCHOOL OF LAW AT SMU IS RANKED

# 58 IN THE COUNTRY

REDEFINING LIBERAL ARTS

THESE DFW SCHOOLS ARE CHANGING OUR PERCEPTION OF LIBERAL ARTS INSTITUTIONS

“Austin College is a small liberal arts college where big things happen,” writes Austin College President Steven O’Day in a letter from the president’s office. “Since 1849, Austin College has maintained an unwavering commitment to the transformative power of education, not only for the individual but for our communities and our world. We are committed to the breadth of a liberal arts education and equipping students with the ability to think critically and [problem-solve] and communicate effectively so that they can succeed today and in the rapidly changing world of the future.”

Located about an hour north of

AUSTIN COLLEGE UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS

With a liberal arts core curriculum that builds on real-world business- savvy courses, the University of Dallas (UD) has created a “secret sauce” in cultivating the next brilliant minds in business and the liberal arts.

First founded as a small Catholic university in 1910, UD has grown with the DFW Region. As more Fortune 500 companies relocated their headquarters to DFW, UD met the call and created a stand-alone business school — outside of the traditional undergraduate liberal arts programs — to meet the needs of the top-tier businesses relocating to the Irving-Las Colinas and

downtown Dallas, Sherman, Texas, is home to one of the premier liberal arts colleges in the Lone Star State.

Liberal arts colleges differ from the traditional two- or four-year higher education institutions by being smaller in size and focusing on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences. The liberal arts college model believes that while graduates have different majors of study, developing intellectual and leadership capacities with broad general knowledge creates well-rounded students ready to take on leadership roles in any discipline.

But don’t let the word ‘arts’ in Austin College’s description fool

Dallas areas. The Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business, officially named in 2013 with a $12 million donation from the Guptas (UD Graduate School of Management alumni), offers numerous business degree programs for undergraduate and graduate students. The college is also designated a Center of Academic Excellence by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security for Cybersecurity. Program offerings include Doctor of Business Administration (the only one in Texas), Master of Business Administration and Master of Science degrees in accounting, business

you — Austin College is home to excellent STEM programs and touts a high acceptance acceptance rate for students applying to health science professional schools. The difference at Austin College is the approach to rigorous academics supported by individual attention, one-to-one faculty mentoring, and access to academic resources, as well as internships and the opportunity for undergraduates to conduct research alongside faculty. National recognition by the awarding of prestigious grants includes the $1.2 million Noyce grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for STEM education and an addition-

al $650,000 granted from the NSF for the “ACCESS” (Austin College’s Career-Empowering STEM Scholars) program for academically talented and financially needy students majoring in biology, biochemistry, chemistry, computer science, mathematics and physics in preparation for STEM careers.

Austin College is a historical liberal arts college that has built on already innovative students, faculty and staff to blend an old model with the new demands of technology and industry — educating lifelong learners who are ready to take on the challenges of the growing DFW Region.

analytics, cybersecurity, finance, and information and technology management, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in business.

While the business school has garnered national recognition, the academic rigor and mission-driven core curriculum are what make the institution stand out in the DFW Region. UD holds one of the nation’s highest percentages of National Merit Scholars enrolled, as compared to other Catholic colleges and universities. All undergraduates participate in the nationally recognized Core Curriculum, a two-year, 60-credit sequence of classes focused on

the Great Books of Western literature and culture. The intentionally designed student-faculty ratio of 10:1 means that Core classes are kept small, allowing students to participate in thoughtful, meaningful dialogue with their peers and their professors, both in and out of the classroom.

UD is modeling how a historic liberals arts college can build on core values to create market-driven courses in business, cybersecurity and IT that ensure its students are filling the needs of regional employers and earning a high postgraduate wage.

DATA DRIVES DESIGN

TECHNOLOGY MEETS HUMAN DESIGN

Researchers in DFW are building real-world solutions with data.

HI-FI HEALTH CARE

UT Southwestern built a 49,000-square-foot, sensor-laden facility to boost med training.

HIGH-FIDELITY SIMULATION IS MODERNIZING MANIKIN-TRAINING TO SAVE LIVES

More than 2.5 million lives have been saved since the first CPR training manikin – known as Rescue Annie – came into use in 1960.

Fast forward to 2019, where the UT Southwestern Simulation Center is using cutting-edge technology and advanced teaching methods to train thousands in a host of life-saving skills and medical procedures.

Since its opening at the end of 2018, the 49,000-square-foot center has provided tens of thousands of interactive training sessions, in a variety of health care environments, such as in-patient visits, operating rooms, clinics, trauma centers and intensive care units.

The facility – one of the largest medical simulation centers in the United States – has become a regional hub for training health care professionals and students. Among them, roughly 1,400 residents and fellows, 1,000 medical students and about 150 students from the UT Southwestern School of Health Professions.

The center offers one of the most advanced, immersive forms of instruction available in modern medicine: high-fidelity patient simulation (HFS). HFS incorporates human behavior and anatomical functions into manikins, such as crying, secretions from eyes, ears and the mouth, and can even respond to medical care, such chest compressions, defibrillation, etc. High-fidelity simulation spaces at the center include an emergency department room, an intensive care room, and a labor and delivery room. Other simulation areas include two large operating room suites, three robotic surgery-training spaces, a laparoscopic training and suturing lab and 20 patient exam rooms.

The vision for this center at UT Southwestern was to create a state-of-the-art center as a resource for all learners, trainees and employees that promotes best-practice education, inter-professional activities, and improvements to patient care.

IT’S ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED, IMMERSIVE FORMS OF INSTRUCTION AVAILABLE IN MODERN MEDICINE.

MAKING STUDENT DATA MEANINGFUL

First-grader Benjamin places four toy zebras in a row on his table. Karen Pierce, Southern Methodist University (SMU) project director at Dallas ISD’s West Dallas Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) School, helps him collect three spotted cats to place beside the zebras. Together they craft a story problem – four zebras plus three cats equal seven animals.

Looks simple, right? But the sum of this activity is much more than its parts. Benjamin struggles with math, so his teacher recommended his inclusion in the school’s six-week pilot study analyzing the effectiveness of activities that prepare students and stimulate their interest in a new subject before it is introduced in the classroom.

“Instead of waiting to help students after they struggle with new material, we give selected students a preview of the material,” Pierce says, explaining that this is what’s known as “anticipatory learning.”

An SMU STEM education expert who advises the school, Pierce tracked the activity on a spread sheet, noting that this activity worked best one-on-one, instead of as a small group activity. SMU’s collection of data on hundreds of Benjamins and analysis of what is learned from it guides the practices of the STEM school, and will serve as a road map for other STEM schools that derive from this model.

The West Dallas STEM School opened to 7th- and 8th- graders in 2021, a partnership between the Dallas Independent School District, Toyota USA Foundation, SMU’s Simmons School of Education and Human Development, and the West Dallas community. Pre-K3 through first grade students were added in 2022, and additional grades will be added each year until the school serves students from pre-K to eighth grade. SMU’s comprehensive research and evaluation of the school’s programs and practices will provide a guide to the school’s operation.

The school brings together four integral components:

• Gives frequently underserved West Dallas students access to quality STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education

• Provides professional development for educators

• Offers “wraparound” services from community nonprofit organizations directly to the students to help with issues such as literacy, nutrition, transportation and after-school care

• Provides necessary measurement to support a model of continuous improvement through the Simmons School’s Center on Research and Evaluation (CORE)

In 2022, the school moved into renovated facilities in what was formerly Pinkston High School – including a space they call “STEM Alley,” a cluster of classrooms where students experience hands-on learning in robotics, theater tech, STEM labs and a maker space. Toyota plans to invest $110 million to help replicate the West Dallas STEM School partnership model at 14 sites in the U.S.

The school’s “anticipatory learning” pilot project reflects a key aspect of the STEM school model – continuous improvement based on data science. Data about the six-week anticipatory learning pilot project will be studied as part of a long-term study, but is also being used to quickly evaluate how acting out a preview to story problems might help other students like Benjamin.

“Traditional research is slow. While we need this kind of research, we have adopted another way to continuously improve our partnership and school,” says Stephanie Knight, SMU Simmons School dean. “We talk about failing fast – documenting what we learned from the failure – and revising as a result.”

And Benjamin? “He’s becoming more confident,” Pierce says. “He’s beginning to navigate his space like he belongs here.”

WITH SUPPORT FROM TOYOTA AND SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY, DALLAS ISD STUDENTS ARE GIVEN CUTTING EDGE STEM EDUCATION.

SCHOOLS’ MERGE TO BRING ARTS, HUMANITIES, TECHNOLOGY TOGETHER

The University of Texas at Dallas has enhanced the arts on campus with the merger of two schools this past fall.

The School of Arts and Humanities (A&H) and the School of Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication (ATEC) have combined to form one larger school focused broadly on the arts and humanities and will be known as the School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology (AHT). The UT System approved the merger, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has updated the University’s degree program inventory to reflect the new administrative structure effective fall 2022.

“The idea behind this move is to have a strong, single academic presence for the arts at UT Dallas,” said Dr. Inga H. Musselman, provost, vice president for academic affairs and the Cecil H. Green Distinguished Chair of Academic Leadership. “I’m very excited about this. It’s a good step for the University.”

Dr. Nils Roemer, interim dean of A&H and ATEC, director of the Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies, and the Stan and Barbara Rabin Distinguished Professor in Holocaust Studies, was appointed the inaugural dean of AHT effective Aug. 22.

“Nils is a leader who knows both schools very well and can help this transition occur relatively quickly and smoothly,” Musselman said. “Furthermore, Dr. Roemer is the ideal person to lead the school following the merger because of his knowledge of and commitment to the arts at UT Dallas, extensive connections to the Dallas-Fort Worth arts communities, adept administrative skills and personal characteristics. He has a unique perspective of our arts history, as well as of our forward-looking initiatives in the arts, so I think he is really singular in his ability to do this.”

The vision for the merged school was discussed in a series of meetings that Musselman held with faculty and staff in A&H and ATEC, university wide faculty and staff governance committees, and leaders of Student Government and the Graduate Student Assembly. After the merger, there will again be seven academic schools at UT Dallas. Last fall, A&H and ATEC had a combined enrollment of approximately 2,100 students in their degree programs, including 103 master’s students and nearly 200 PhD candidates.

While the merger took effect Aug. 22, faculty will work over the next several semesters to determine the best ways to enhance academic programs with potentially new courses or combined offerings. Roemer said the end goal is to establish a rich academic environment where students excel.

DFW UNIVERSITIES REV UP CYBER CURRICULA

A heatmap — built by Cyberseek to illustrate the need for cybersecurity talent — shows Texas ablaze with nearly 25,000 cybersecurity openings, among more than 300,000 open jobs nationwide.

“This chart doesn’t [even] reflect the fact that many security programs are underfunded,” writes Wayne Reynolds, advisory chief information security officer at Kudelski Security Inc., an international cybersecurity firm that has substantial operations in Dallas. “Sadly … organizations wait for a breach, then when that ‘large emotional event’ happens, they knee-jerk and overspend on security.”

Universities in DFW are working to fill that talent void.

THE

UTD’s Computer Science Department serves as the base for the Cyber Security Research and Education Institute, which comprises one of the nation’s largest

research groups dedicated to cyber-protection. The institute has garnered nearly $70 million in research funding and $15 million in education funding in the last 14 years. The institute team serves as a national resource by conducting advanced research in cybersecurity threats and solutions, offering an education in all aspects of cybersecurity, and training students with the capability to carry out cyber operations.

THE

Much of UNT’s cybersecurity work is carried out on campus by the affiliates of the Center for Information and Cybersecurity. The center brings together individuals and organizations with an interest in information security, computer security, information assurance and cybercrime.

UNT’s cybersecurity research and education is recognized as a National Center of Academic

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS: CYBER SECURITY RESEARCH AND EDUCATION INSTITUTE

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS: RECOGNIZED CYBER DEFENSE EXCELLENCE

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS WILL ENHANCE THE ARTS ON CAMPUS WITH THE MERGER OF TWO SCHOOLS THIS FALL.

FILLING THE TALENT VOID WITH EDUCATION AND EXCELLENCE

Excellence in Information Assurance Research, as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education and as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Research by the National Security Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-COMMERCE: RISING STARS IN CYBERSECURITY

Texas A&M University-Commerce has assembled a team of rising stars in cybersecurity education and research. Faculty members are experienced educators with industry experience, equipped to tackle challenging problems in the areas of resilience, cyber-physical security, and risk awareness.

The university offers a B.S. in Cybersecurity and is part of an academic cybersecurity alliance with The Texas A&M University System. Students engage with network control systems in the SCADA Laboratory; acquire

THE 5-STAGE PROCESS SPARKING CREATIVE LEARNING

TCU’S IDEAFACTORY: BRINGING DESIGN THINKING TO HIGHER EDUCATION

cybersecurity and cyber-operations skills in the Texas Cyber Range; and explore the Internet of Things (IoT) and Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) in a residential apartment simulation.

SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY: EDUCATING CYBER DEFENDERS

As a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance/Cyber Defense SMU is committed to helping close the 21st century cyber security skills gap. Cybersecurity research and education have long been a focus of SMU’s Computer Science Department, bolstered by the launch of the Darwin Deason Institute for Cyber Security in 2014. The institute researches new ways to secure information technology, even as the nature of this technology continues to evolve.

“There’s an old story of a university architect who waited until the students had worn paths in the grass before adding sidewalks to the campus, quite literally following their footsteps. That’s human-centered design: understanding how people behave and think, then create something with their choices in mind, not your own,” says Corey Landers, graduate of the Texas Christian University (TCU) Neeley School of Business and product designer at Argo Digital in New York City. “TCU has always been a campus focused on the student experience, and now it has the TCU IdeaFactory to empower students to utilize human-centered design in all disciplines.”

The TCU IdeaFactory — a unit of the School of Interdisciplinary Studies — supports the innovative ideas and creative spirits of TCU students and the entire TCU community by providing an environment, frameworks and resources to advance new ideas and drive creative solutions. The program supports ideas from initial concept to prototype or beyond, by offering mentorships, resources and building teams of university faculty and community members.

Students in TCU’s IdeaFactory are encouraged to solve problems by following the five stages of design thinking (empathizing, defining, ideation, prototyping and testing). In that method, faculty and coaches walk students through the entire process of creating and launching a new product. From conducting market research to prototyping and testing to finally preparing for a venture capital pitch competition, the TCU IdeaFactory team is focused on encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship.

“Higher education is not checking off a series of boxes to get a degree, but it’s actually lining up or stacking a set of boxes to reach new heights or new places,” founding IdeaFactory director Eric Simanek says in a TCU 360 article.

Borrowing Simanek’s analogy, the IdeaFactory is open to students from across the TCU campus, encouraging them to use their powers of critical thinking so they can stack their sets of boxes to be more prepared for constantly evolving careers.

THE ‘ART’ OF KNOWING WHAT’S IMPORTANT

GIVEN THE RUSH TOWARD TECHNICAL AND DATA-DRIVEN SKILLS, WHAT’S TO BECOME OF CHAUCER?

“Many people make the mistake of thinking that a liberal arts degree will not help them in the business world,” writes Brian Sullivan, who received his bachelor’s degree in political science at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) and his master’s degree in English literature at the University of North Texas (UNT).

Sullivan — director of design strategy at Southlake-based Sabre, a developer of technology for travel companies across the globe — could be considered a poster boy for the power of a liberal arts education in the tech economy.

“At the time (in the mid-1990s), I was studying at UNT,” he writes. “We did not have the explosion of smartphones, streaming services, same-day delivery services, app stores,

and so on. We live in an attention economy, with so much data generated and sent out every minute of the day. It can be hard to organize, analyze, and distill what is important. How do you ignore the noise? How do you determine what’s important? Can you communicate this information quickly and efficiently?”

Sullivan gained those tools — analyzing, condensing and prioritizing reams of information into what’s important — over countless hours of reading, researching and, yes, thinking. Both at UNT and at UTA, where he studied political science.

“Corporate America is a real-time, everyday case study in political science,” he writes. “People have hidden agendas. They form tribes and alliances. You have to navigate difficult conversations.”

HUMAN PERSPECTIVE

Businesses are finding liberal arts students crucial to their success; seen here are University of Texas at Arlington students working on human-centered projects.

It seems UNT boasts a plethora of liberal arts graduates, aside from Sullivan, who have gone on to make a global impact:

• Journalism grad Wende Zomnir launched a worldwide initiative for equal pay, education and fair treatment for women, funding seven nonprofits across the world in the process.

• Marketing grad Kathleen Wayton harnessed the problem-solving skills she honed at UNT to become the chief information officer at Southwest Airlines.

• Toni Reid — who is in charge of Amazon’s Alexa voice-driven app and its Echo devices — guided Alexa’s development, even including a “smart, humble, helpful, sometimes funny” personality, she told Variety in an interview that was published in June 2019.

Realizing the humanities/tech connection, UNT and other universities are beginning to launch initiatives that combines liberal arts degrees with technical degrees to combine the best attributes of STEM and liberal arts educations.

An analysis by Forbes cites the crucial role that liberal arts thinkers play in connecting products and services with consumers. Industry observers are increasingly pointing out the value of empathy, understanding of humanity, and perspectives that liberal arts graduates bring to tech.

TOYOTA PARTNERSHIP WITH UNT

TO LEVERAGE TOYOTA PRODUCTION SYSTEM CONTINUOUS PROCESS IMPROVEMENT BENEFITING STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY. THE UNT-TOYOTA PARTNERSHIP WON A NATIONAL BEST PRACTICES GRAND FINALIST AWARD FROM THE SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY BUSINESS OFFICERS.

FLEXIBLE AND AFFORDABLE DEGREE DESIGNED FOR YOU

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-COMMERCE OFFERS

Suppose you were a medic in the military for ten years. Would you need a freshman-level anatomy course to complete your bachelor’s degree? Imagine you were an experienced bookkeeper who never finished your college degree. Would you benefit from a low-level accounting class?

A&M-Commerce recognizes the talent and experience—as well as the barriers—of adult learners,

offering six competency-based degree programs:

· BAAS Health Services Administration

· BAAS Organizational Leadership

· BAAS Organizational Leadership – Teacher Preparation Emphasis

· BAAS Safety and Health

· Bachelor of General Studies

COMPETENCY-BASED BACHELOR’S DEGREES

· B.S. Criminal Justice

– Law Enforcement Leadership Emphasis Competency-based education (CBE) provides opportunities for students to progress through courses at their own pace and according to their learning preferences, accelerating the completion of their degrees. CBE programs are entirely online, so students can plan study

schedules around their busy lives. Several of the programs also recognize professional certifications for college credit.

A&M-Commerce also established the Institute for Competency-Based Education to provide formal resources and dedicate time for faculty research, national CBE symposia, and the development of new CBE programs and practices.

SMU’S COLLABORATION WITH GPU INVENTOR NVIDIA ‘BRINGS THE GOLD’ TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RESEARCH IN NORTH TEXAS

FROM BUSINESS TO HUMANITIES TO ART, DATA IS DATA, AND IT’S POWERFUL.

Michael Hites walks quickly past row after row of faceless black stacks in SMU’s data center on the southeast corner of the campus. But SMU’s chief information officer stops in front of the row with the gleaming gold cover plates – and smiles. “This is an NVIDIA DGX SuperPODTM,” Hites says. “And it’s at the top of the pyramid for artificial intelligence and machine learning. We cannot overemphasize how big this is for SMU’s research capabilities, and for our research partners.”

Southern Methodist University students are exposed to learning the power of data across disciplines.

The collaboration between SMU and NVIDIA began in late 2021 as the University was already seeing explosive growth in data-driven research across all disciplines. From speeding through possible chemical combinations to support drug discovery, to the study of historical language as keys to political movements, SMU researchers are seeking faster analysis and the potential to learn what was once unlearnable.

Machine learning uses statistics to find patterns in large data sets. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a broader concept, equipping computer systems to perform functions normally requiring human intelligence. Two decades ago, NVIDIA invented the graphics processing unit (GPU), a specialized circuit originally designed to speed the generation of photorealistic images for video games. Because GPUs can process large amounts of data at the same time, their invention ignited the modern era of AI and machine learning.

Increasing SMU’s AI capabilities provides real benefits for North Texas as the region continues its growth as a technology hub. As Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson noted at the time the NVIDIA collaboration was announced, research collaborations with SMU have the potential to “boost our city’s booming economy, improve our workforce, and (help us) learn to solve major challenges that we face.”

The enhanced high-performance computing power also supports SMU’s commitment to reaching the top “R1” research status as designated by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The University currently holds Carnegie classification “R2” status, having advanced past 55 other universities since 2005.

Sophisticated supercomputing abilities are foundational to SMU’s pursuit of global research challenges. For example, the University is hiring new faculty across multiple disciplines to join existing faculty for collaborative research in areas of existing university strength. The first such research cluster has been established for the study of earth hazards and national security, including remote

sensing of hazards, nuclear test monitoring, earthquake analysis and infrastructure vulnerability. Hiring is also underway to expand research into student outcomes at the intersection of 21st Century technology and education, which includes immersive learning, and AI in education and society.

The Office of Information Technology (OIT) and the SMU Center for Research Computing collaborate in providing the computational and digital data infrastructure that supports University research. Eric Godat, team lead for Research & Data Science Services, has a background in physics, and supervises a team that includes a computational chemist, an applied mathematician, and a computational hydrologist whose background is civil engineering. He calls them a “superPOD of people,” who revel in being asked by faculty and research staff to do what was previously impossible.

“We get to come in and say, ‘Have you tried something new?’” Godat explains. “Or they come to us and say, ‘I’ve got this crazy idea.’ And we get to say, ‘Let’s make it happen.’

‘‘‘I’ve got this crazy idea.’ And we get to say, ‘Let’s make it happen.’’’

SMU’S GUILDHALL IS RANKED # 3 IN GRADUATE SCHOOLS FOR GAME DESIGN FOR 2022

THE PRINCETON REVIEW

EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH CARE

Health care is one of the top industries in DFW, contributing billions of dollars annually to the regional economy. Not only does the region train and retain excellent health care practitioners, but in the region, researchers are engaged in cutting-edge medical research.

RESEARCH TO PRACTICE, DFW ADVANCES MEDICAL CARE

HOW UNTHSC’S DR. JOHN LICCIARDONE HELPED ADVANCE OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE WITH KING CHARLES III

It was early February 2008 when Dr. John Licciardone, a professor in The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth’s Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNTHSC), hopped into a London taxi for a ride to the airport. The cabbie asked Licciardone about the highlights of his trip, and the doctor told the driver he had met with then-Prince Charles.

“I’ve been driving for 30 years, and I’ve never had anyone say they met the prince,” the shocked driver said.

Licciardone had been invited to the United Kingdom by the National Council for Osteopathic Research to give a keynote address at the Advancing Osteopathy Conference. Doctors from around the world were in London celebrating 10 years of osteopathy being recognized within the UK’s National Health Service. Licciardone was granted a private audience with now-King Charles III.

“King Charles has been a patron of osteopathy and helped facilitate its recognition in the UK,” Licciardone said. “He was

UTA CHEMISTS DISCOVER POTENT ANTI-CANCER AGENT

A multi-institutional team of researchers led by chemists from The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) has published a paper in the Journal of the American Chemical Society that describes its discovery of a potent anti-cancer agent that works exceptionally well amid low oxygen concentrations.

very interested in our Osteopathic Research Center research and the status of osteopathic medicine ‘across the pond.’”

Licciardone’s big moment meeting Prince Charles came during a private reception at the historic Drapers Hall in London. Prince Charles made it a point to talk with everyone, and that included the Fort Worth-based physician.

“He asked me about osteopathic research in the States and was very interested in how things were different in the UK and the U.S.,” Licciardone said. “Nobody in the UK was doing research on this scale, and I think that’s why they gravitated toward me to give this presentation. It helped legitimize osteopathy in the UK and really gave a big boost to osteopathy in other countries.”

The U.S. has been exporting osteopathic philosophy across the world while growing it at home. As of 2021, there were roughly 117,000 practicing osteopathic physicians in the U.S. Worldwide, there are about 80,000 osteopaths, and the number is growing.

The findings reported in the paper, “Anticancer Agent With Inexplicable Potency in Extreme Hypoxia: Characterizing a LightTriggered Ruthenium Ubertoxin,” represent a major advancement in the battle to develop drugs that can destroy cancer cells in the most toxic tumor environments.

Sherri McFarland, professor of chemistry and biochemistry and the paper’s senior author, said her research team discovered the agent during its investigation to solve one of cancer therapy’s most pressing issues.“Drug-resistant tumors often exhibit a phenomenon known as hypoxia, or low oxygen concentration, which promotes tumor growth and can render many treatments ineffective,” McFarland said. “The holy grail for researchers in our field is to make compounds that can kill cancer cells when oxygen levels are really low.”

The study introduces a chemical compound containing the transition metal ruthenium as a light-responsive, anti-cancer agent that is water-soluble, is inactive in the absence of a light trigger, is active in low-oxygen environments and exhibits extremely potent therapeutic characteristics using visible light. The anticancer effects on cancer cells reported in the paper are the largest to date for any compound class.

McFarland’s team specializes in photodynamic therapy, a cancer treatment that uses light to target and destroy tumor cells. Her lab develops and tests chemical compounds that, when exposed to light, produce a powerful oxygen reaction. The combination of transition metal compounds, light and oxygen generates highly selective cancerfighting agents that do not affect surrounding healthy tissue.

One of her lab’s ruthenium-based photodrugs, TLD1433, is currently in a phase II clinical study for patients with recurring bladder cancer.

Houston Cole, first author and a fourth-year doctoral student under McFarland’s supervision, said seeing compounds transition from the lab to clinical human trials motivates his research.

“Day-to-day we are able to make the real-life connection from our explorations in the lab to drugs like TLD1433 that are making a difference in people’s lives,” Cole said. “We also draw inspiration from the scientific challenge to make effective drugs for hypoxic environments and understand how they work.”

SIMMONS CANCER CENTER CONTINUES PRESTIGIOUS DESIGNATION

The National Cancer Institute has renewed the UT Southwestern Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center’s comprehensive designation, reaffirming its place among the country’s elite cancer institutes. There are 71 NCI-designated cancer centers in the U.S. Fifty-one of them are designated as comprehensive cancer centers. This designation recognizes the centers’ leadership in fighting cancer and includes them in a nationwide infrastructure that advances cancer discovery and patient care by integrating laboratory, clinical, and population-based research as well as community outreach, education, and training.

Renewal of the NCI comprehensive designation comes soon after the Simmons Cancer Center was ranked in the top 25 among hundreds of cancer centers in the nation by U.S. News & World Report

The Simmons Cancer Center added a 71,000-square-foot Radiation Oncology expansion that opened in 2021, and opened a new nine-story, 300,000-square-foot Cancer Care Outpatient Building in 2022.

“The Simmons Cancer Center is reaching new heights in translational cancer research and care. This latest recognition renews

our commitment to fighting cancer using the latest laboratory and translational discoveries, clinical trials, and multidisciplinary patient care. It is an honor to lead an institution of some of the world’s best clinicians and researchers in cancer,” said Carlos L. Arteaga, M.D., Director of the Simmons Cancer Center.

With an interdisciplinary approach to investigating and treating cancer, the Simmons Cancer Center draws its members from 34 departments of UT Southwestern, one of the premier medical centers in the U.S.

The Simmons Cancer Center has 263 members, including Nobel Laureate Bruce Beutler, M.D., 13 members of the National Academy of Sciences, five members of the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine), and 13 Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigators.

Simmons Cancer Center members continue to publish in the most prestigious journals, including Science, Cell, Nature, JAMA, The New England Journal of Medicine, and the Journal of Clinical Oncology. They published more than 700 pieces in medical and scientific journals in 2020. Twenty-three patents have been issued to Simmons Cancer Center members.

Clinical teams in the Center treat more than 8,000 new cancer patients a year, and the Center has 376 active clinical trials. The Simmons Cancer Center has two of the NCI’s highly competitive Specialized Programs Of Research Excellence (SPORE) grants in kidney cancer and in lung cancer.

The Simmons Cancer Center supports five research programs: Cellular Networks in Cancer, Chemistry and Cancer, Development and Cancer, Experimental Therapeutics, and Population Science and Cancer Control, as well as an Office of Community Outreach, Engagement, and Equity; and an Office of Education and Training. Cancer screening and prevention efforts extend beyond North Texas, and patients from all parts of the U.S. come to the Simmons Cancer Center for its high-quality care.

Currently, Simmons Cancer Center members have over $90 million in extramural cancer-focused research funding. For the last 10 years, the Center has received more than $493 million for cancer research, training, and prevention from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT).

UT Southwestern is making strides in cancer research.

BIOENGINEERS DEVELOP PAIN-FREE GLUCOSE-LEVEL MONITORING

NO BLOOD OR TEARS — JUST SWEAT

Diabetics must endure several daily, painful pinpricks to learn their glucose levels and monitor their blood sugar levels.

Dr. Shalini Prasad and her team of bioengineers at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) have developed a scientific workaround: a wearable sensor that measures glucose through tiny amounts of human sweat.

“Fitness trackers that monitor heart rate and step count are very popular, but wearable, noninvasive biosensors would be extremely beneficial for managing diseases,” says Prasad, professor of bioengineering and department head at UTD.

To receive reliable glucose measurements, researchers designed the device to ensure low amounts of sweat could be used to “generate a strong enough signal,” as well as combat factors such as pH swings and varying acidity levels in sweat.

“Our modifications allow this material to entrap glucose oxidase molecules, which effectively amplifies the signal,” Prasad says. “We did it this way because we are thinking about possible commercialization — to make these, we need a fabrication process that is not complex.”

The amount of sweat measured amounts to less than three hundred-thousandths of an ounce.

“In our sensor mechanism, we use the same chemistry and enzymatic reactions that are incorporated into blood glucose testing strips,” Prasad says. “But in our design, we had to account for the low volume of ambient sweat that would be present in areas such as under a watch or wrist device or under a patch that lies next to the skin.”

The glucose monitoring technology is in the process of becoming commercially available; human subject testing is still ongoing, say UTD spokespeople.

DFW HIGHER ED SUPPLIES FAST-GROWING HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WITH SKILLED PROFESSIONALS

Health care is a fast-growing, significant industry in the DFW Region.

In a 12-month period between 2013 and 2014, the health care industry and the industries that support it generated $52 billion in total revenue in the DFW economy, according to the most recent University of North Texas analysis available. That places health care among the largest industry sectors in the region, representing about 15% of the economic activity, according to the report.

Since 2014, the number of health-care-related jobs grew by about 13%, comprising a total of nearly 478,000 jobs as of January 2019, according to EMSI, a labor market analytics firm.

As the industry grows, the

need for top medical talent is imperative. Two medical schools produce the bulk of physicians for the DFW Region; the region is also home to some of the top institutions producing world-class nurses, physical therapists and occupational therapists.

NURSING

DFW offers three highly regarded baccalaureate and graduate degree programs in nursing. Texas Woman’s University (TWU) has educated nurses for more than 65 years, with a Dallas medical district campus focused on health care practitioner academics and clinicals. The University of Texas at Arlington is the largest nursing program at a public university in the United

AS THE INDUSTRY GROWS, THE NEED FOR TOP MEDICAL TALENT IS IMPERATIVE

States — it’s the fourth-largest producer of minority nurses. Texas Christian University is the only nursing program in Texas with a designated Oncology Emphasis track and offers numerous graduate programs in nursing. Dallas College provides key pipelines to the programs through Nursing Assistant degree programs and partnership with universities and hospital systems.

PHYSICAL THERAPY (PT) AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (OT)

The two medical centers in the DFW Region — UT Southwestern and the University of North Texas Health Science Center School of Health Professions — offer doctorate programs in physical therapy, educating students and hosting clinicals for PT students across the county.

The TWU School of Physical Therapy is a nationally recog-

UNRAVELING THE MYSTERIES OF THE BRAIN

Speaking to legislators on the Texas House Committee on Public Health in 2017, Marc Diamond, M.D., described the scene when he arrived at UT Southwestern: “When I arrived in 2014, I was given the opportunity to build a truly multidisciplinary research team to attack this problem of Alzheimer’s disease,” he says, “which I envisioned much like the Manhattan Project of World War II.”

nized leader in professional and postprofessional physical therapy education and has ranked repeatedly among the top 10% of PT schools in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. TWU’s School of Occupational Therapy also is a national leader in the delivery of health care, according to U.S. News & World Report, and a network of more than 4,000 OT alumni make significant contributions to the OT profession by providing leadership in practice, education and research. Additional OT training can be found through Parker University, a predominantly chiropractic institution in Dallas.

Dallas College provides PT Assistant/Tech and OT Assistant/ Tech credentials, filling the middle-skills workforce needs while creating a pipeline for future PT/ OT leaders.

Five short years later, Dr. Diamond is one of more than 2,000 faculty and staff at the Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, where they work to treat and find the root causes of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, epilepsy, and peripheral nerve injuries.

The O’Donnell Brain Institute launched in 2015 with a $36 million gift from Edith and Peter O’Donnell Jr.’s foundation and, in short order, joined Harvard, Yale and 22 other institutions as a clinical trial site in the Network for Excellence in Neuroscience Clinical Trials. Dr. Diamond was named director of the Center for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at the institute.

Years before, Dr. Diamond and fellow researchers earned acclaim for research that identified how a particular protein — tau — triggers dementia occurring with Alzheimer’s disease. The condition afflicts more than 390,000 Texans and 5.8 million Americans. More specifically, Diamond’s lab was able to describe how tau proteins aggregate in one brain region and how they move like a virus, infecting healthy cells and triggering dementia.

Now he and others at the O’Donnell Brain Institute are working with peers to develop — at genetic, molecular, and systemic levels — ways to predict if certain diseases will afflict healthy brains, how to prevent brain injury, ways to disrupt brain diseases, and methods for restoring brain function caused by injury or disease.

Leaders at UT Southwestern predict that the next decade will be as significant in brain science as the 1980s were for cardiovascular research with the discovery of statins — those cholesterol-lowering drugs that have helped tens of millions of people around the world — and led to UT Southwestern’s first two Nobel Prizes. They foresee the day when scientists in the region will earn similar recognition for unraveling the mysteries of the brain.

LEADERS AT UT SOUTHWESTERN PREDICT A GROUNDBREAKING DECADE FOR BRAIN SCIENCE.

Nursing students at Texas Christian University are given experiences in hospitals and with high-tech teaching practices to create the health care workforce of the future.

WHERE SCIENCE IS THE THING: UT SOUTHWESTERN PLANTS ITS FLAG ON DISRUPTIVE MEDICAL RESEARCH

The brainpower behind the drive to advance scientific breakthroughs at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern) has become the only academic medical center in the world to serve as home to six Nobel Laureates for one reason: Science is literally woven into the institution’s DNA.

“I wanted to develop a genetics program for the Department of Medicine,” says the late Donald Seldin, M.D., speaking in archival footage, dating back to the 1960s, not long after the school moved from its Army barracks-style campus. “There was very little clinical genetics in the United States. And we had an outstanding medical student — Joe Goldstein. I talked to him and tried to encourage him to go on a program of genetic training and to come back to the medical school and to set up a program here. He encouraged a colleague of his, Michael Brown, to join him.”

Of course, Brown vetted Seldin and the medical school staff before following Goldstein to what was then known as Southwestern Medical School.

“When I met Dr. Seldin and the faculty here, I was just amazed at how focused they are at the science of medicine,” recalls Michael Brown, M.D., in a separate interview. “Everyone on the faculty was a scientist as well. The level of discussion, about patient problems and diseases, was at a much more sophisticated level than at Harvard Medical School. It’s pretty shocking, but it’s true.”

Since Brown and Goldstein won their Nobel Prizes in medicine in 1985, research spending at UT Southwestern has more than quadrupled, even adjusted by inflation. Between 1984 and 2018, faculty have spent more than $8.6 billion on research, largely fueled by the successes of its scientists.

Goldstein and Brown earned their Nobel honors through their breakthrough research on cholesterol metabolism. That work served as foundational for the launch of cholesterol-controlling statin drugs such as Lipitor, which is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in the world.

But Dr. Seldin did more than create a team of scientists who would help change the course of modern medicine: He created a place where intellectual curiosity and medical science would remain the thing, even after his passing in 2018.

Since the school’s founding in 1943, the institution’s faculty has received six Nobel Prizes and includes 24 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 18 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 14 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The faculty prides itself on its ability to translate its research quickly to new clinical treatments.

“I think a lot of people in Dallas who are the true giants in medicine and myself, we’ve sort of planted our flag out there,” UT Southwest-

Research at UT Southwestern has extended the lives of millions of patients across the globe.

UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL SCHOOL IS RANKED AMONG THE TOP 20 MEDICAL SCHOOLS FOR PRIMARY CARE AND THE TOP 30 FOR RESEARCH IN THE UNITED STATES, ACCORDING TO U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT’S 2023 BEST GRADUATE SCHOOLS RANKINGS.

UT SO UTHWESTERN RANKED 16TH FOR PRIMARY CARE AND 25TH FOR RESEARCH.

“I was just amazed at how focused they are at the science of medicine.”

INNOVATION AT UT SOUTHWESTERN

“I had some choices [for my medical residency],” recalls Dr. Beutler, also speaking in the “Conversations with Giants in Medicine” documentary series. “I ranked UT Southwestern first, because I thought if I was going to do a residency, I thought I’d do a tough residency, where I would really be challenged, and I’d learn all I could about internal medicine and neurology in the shortest possible time.”

In 1983, after two years of residency at UT Southwestern, Dr. Beutler became a postdoctoral fellow and then worked as an assistant professor at Rockefeller University. At Rockefeller, he isolated a type of protein (called tumor necrosis factor, or TNF) that plays a crucial role in the existence of cells, such as proliferation, survival and death.

Dr. Beutler returned to UT Southwestern in 1986 to further that work as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and developed recombinant antibody inhibitors of TNF, which are now widely used in the treatment of hemophilia, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases.

ern lead researcher Eric Olson, Ph.D., tells The Journal of Clinical Investigation, in the organization’s “Conversations with Giants in Medicine” video series. Dr. Olson and his team at UT Southwestern helped develop a way to use DNA-splicing technologies to disrupt a form of muscular dystrophy called Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which afflicts 300,000 boys around the world. “And this is the place that we want to make great. And I’m proud of being a part of that.”

Dr. Olson co-founded Exonics Therapeutics, which was sold to Vertex Pharmaceuticals for $245 million, and future payments, which might add up to nearly $1 billion, if Exonics meets regulatory and clinical milestones.

FAR-REACHING IMPACTS

The research by Dr. Olson and his 40-person team could cure up to 80% of all Duchenne’s cases; their treatment method is being tested on beagle dogs that suffer from the debilitating effects of Duchenne’s. The dogs “showed obvious signs of behavioral improvement,” Dr. Olson says in the 2019 issue of Southwestern Medical Perspectives magazine, “running, jumping. It was quite dramatic.”

Goldstein and Brown’s statin research impacts 200 million people annually, reducing the mortality rate of coronary heart disease by more than a quarter.

Work by Bruce A. Beutler, M.D., — who won a Nobel Prize in 2011 — might lead to a cure for a variety of autoimmune diseases, such as gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus. Autoimmune diseases afflict roughly 50 million Americans.

Dr. Beutler chose UT Southwestern twice in his career, first based on the school’s reputation for academic rigor and a second time for its support of its scientists.

“I was chair of a small department of genetics [at Scripps], but I had in mind to make a department on the genetics of immunity, to capitalize on the mutagenesis effort that we had started,” Dr. Beutler recalls in an interview with the Nobel organization. “But it didn’t seem possible at Scripps. There was no money to recruit faculty. I thought I didn’t want to preside over something that wouldn’t be successful. I began looking around … and received offers from several of them, and UT Southwestern was one of those. And it seemed to me to be the best scientifically and also, in terms of the plan I had in mind, the place with such a strong genetic heritage. Also, I was very familiar with it.”

UT Southwestern biochemist Zhijian “James” Chen, Ph.D. — the 2019 recipient of the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for discovering the cGAS enzyme, which launches the body’s immune defense against infections and cancer — put it this way: “To make these discoveries, sometimes, it takes a long time, it takes a lot of hard work, it requires patience, it requires a very supportive infrastructure. And UT Southwestern has all that.”

UT SOUTHWESTERN HAS MAINTAINED # 1

GLOBAL RANKING SINCE 2020

FOR PUBLISHED RESEARCH IN NATURE INDEX “HEALTH CARE” CATEGORY

Total Research Expenditures at UT Southwestern Nobel Prize Award at UT Southwestern (Year)

DIVERSE ECONOMY DRIVES DIVERSE DISCOVERIES

INNOVATION IN SCIENCE

The DFW Region is a diverse economy, representing a spectrum of industries. This breadth of industry diversity is represented in the research innovations found at institutions of higher education across the region. From space suits to wind energy, the region is driving innovation in science.

SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS

HOW STUDENTS ARE HELPING POWER THE REGION

NEXTERA WIND RESEARCH INITIATIVE

More than 200 people — many of whom were students — gathered for the annual Energy Security Summit hosted by the Ralph Lowe Energy Institute at the Texas Christian University (TCU) Neeley School of Business.

The panel is part of the Kenneth W. Davis Jr. “Leaders in Energy” Speakers Series. The topic of energy security is timely. Panelists repeated a consistent message: the world is in an energy crisis, a supply crisis, a geopolitical crisis. Although the energy security crisis is mentioned frequently in reference to gas prices, industry experts said the issue is much more complex, as will be the solutions.

“Energy security is national security and you can’t have effective energy transition without energy security,” said panelist Derek Wong, the vice president of government relations and public affairs at Excelerate Energy. “Europe is learning that the hard way now.”

The panelists included a diverse mix of policy enthusiasts, academics, politicians and industry leaders from Texas to Bulgaria. Despite their differences, they were in agreement that the solution lies in the next generation. They will be the future leaders and ultimately the problem solvers.

“I’d like to make one last pitch to all of the students in the room but even some that are mid-career,” said TCU’s Chief Inclusion Officer and Assistant to the Chancellor Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado, in his opening remarks. “I believe, as we go forward, this next generation of folks in the camp of energy policy, energy security is going to be drawn from people with diverse backgrounds.”

The energy questions we face now will be solved by the finance, political science, economics and engineering majors with a firm grasp of the energy industry, according to the Ralph Lowe Energy Institue’s Executive Director Ann Bluntzer. The goal is to highlight how dynamic, innovative and fast-growing the industry is and will be for decades to come and get students excited about a career in energy.

“It’s important this [conversation] is happening at a business school,” Bluntzer said. “It is the most important thread that needs to be woven around secure energy. If we can’t do that in a way that is economically viable, it will not move the needle.”

The rallying cry of the energy institute is creating a world where energy is affordable, sustainable and reliable. The unspoken subtext is trying to do so in a way that avoids the over-politicization of the conversation.

A PATH TOWARD SUPERFAST COMPUTING

Some might recall episodes of Star Trek that feature the use of “replicators,” which can create almost anything (even fried catfish), seemingly out of thin air, with the touch of a button.

Being able to construct objects at the atomic level would change everything.

That’s what Dr. Reza Moheimani and his team at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) Center for Atomically Precise Fabrication of Solid-State Quantum Devices are working toward: developing the tools and process for manipulating matter — in his case, silicon atoms — to allow for the construction of quantum computers, which could solve problems exponentially faster.

But before quantum computers can exist, people like Moheimani, who serves as a mechanical enigneering faculty member and James Von Ehr Distinguished Chair, must develop equipment that can construct extremely precise microscopic silicon circuits that convey minuscule levels of electrical current involved in quantum computing.

One of those in the private sector working with Moheimani is Dr. John N. Randall, president of Richardson-based Zyvex Labs, which specializes in nanotechnology. Randall — also a founding faculty member of the center — equates today’s

computers with the vacuum-tube operated computers of the 40s and 50s.

To build a quantum silicon circuit, scientists start with a flat silicon surface, bathed in hydrogen atoms; then they use a device informally called a scanning/tunneling microscope to remove some hydrogen atoms from the surface of the silicon, replacing them with a different element — phosphorous, for example.

“The basic [tunneling microscope] instrument hasn’t been changed since it was invented” more than 30 years ago, says Randall, an adjunct UTD faculty member.

“In some ways, it’s a [poor] microscope. It has horrible distortions. It is very unreliable. But money hasn’t gone into improving it. We’ve made some great strides” in improving the scope, he says, adding that Moheimani and his team have played a key role in those improvements.

While existing microscopes tunnel at the atomic level, the devices — and the atoms involved — lose stability during the process, Randall explains. Moheimani and his former Ph.D. student, Dr. Michael Ruppert, wrote an award-winning paper that spelled out a way to build a better-performing device with much greater precision.

UTD’S ATOM FABRICATION CENTER IS BLAZING THE TRAIL.

THE PLANT-BASED OPIOID ALTERNATIVE THAT COULD SAVE HUNDREDS OF LIVES

‘SNOW ON THE PRAIRIE’ IS NATIVE TO THE REGION AND FULL OF POTENTIAL.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 130 Americans die every day from opioid overdose. Researchers and graduate students at Texas Woman’s University (TWU), however, may have found a plant-based alternative that could result in saving hundreds of lives.

Euphorbia bicolor is the plant’s scientific name. It is better known as “Snow on the Prairie” and is native to the DFW Region, Oklahoma, parts of Arkansas and Louisiana and is the focus of research for TWU botanist Dr. Camelia Maier and TWU neuroscientist Dr. Dayna Averitt, alongside TWU alumna Dr. Paramita Basu. “It doesn’t grow anywhere else in the world,” says Maier. Maier is one of the first scientists to study the plant and says Native Americans used Snow on the Prairie for pain relief, which led her to study its effects for modern medicine.

TWU researchers have discovered a chemical inside the plant’s sap that, when used on tissue samples from animals, immediately stopped pain signals at the source of an injury — unlike opioids,

UTD VENTURE DEVELOPMENT CENTER

MERGING SHARED WORKSPACES WITH SCIENCE

Shared workspaces – WeWork, Common Desk, Serendipity Labs, etc. – have become de rigueur in the modern economy.

The University of Texas at Dallas’ (UTD) Venture Development Center takes the phenomenon a step further, with a shared workspace that includes full working wet laboratories, complete with chemical catch tanks and fume hoods, and dry labs.

“I think they (other co-working spaces) really missed the boat on specialized labs or other types of equipment that people just can’t get access to,” says Paul Nichols, executive director of the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The center is part of the institute.

The center is also open to all UTD students and faculty, creating the potential for creative collisions.

“When you look at other universities and their corporate innovation and entrepreneurship program, it usually belongs to one college,” Nichols says. “We work with any department in the uni-

which change the chemistry of the brain and can lead to addiction.

“We’re trying to target the signals as they make their way to the brain,” Averitt explains. “So if we can turn them off like a light switch for a long period of time, the brain doesn’t even know about it and you don’t have that pain.”

Don’t try to pull sap from the plant on your own, researchers warn the public, because the sap is toxic and cannot be ingested. If used for medical purposes, it would be injected into the site of the pain — directly into an aching back or a burned arm, for instance.

The TWU euphorbia bicolor research has been published but still faces challenges before clinical trials.

“We need to make sure it doesn’t hurt other cells,” Averitt said. “You’re harming nerve endings, which we want to do, but we want to make sure it isn’t acting as a toxin on other cells as well.

“You can’t help but look to the future and be excited, like maybe this could be something that could be a real breakthrough.”

versity. That’s a real strategic asset for the university. That’s where the center fits in; we have students and faculty across the campus who can use that space.”

The Center has been the launch pad for numerous successful launches — among them, public safety corporation SURVIVR, which was acquired by InVeris Training Solutions; biotech startup CerSci Therapeutics, which sold to a large pharmaceutical company for $52.5 million; and Adaptive3D, a manufacturer of specialized plastic and rubber materials that was acquired by Desktop Metal Inc.

More telling is the center’s rapidly expanding footprint since it opened in 2011: “We started at 10,000 square feet, with eight offices, and four labs,” says Kim Warren, manager of the center. “Now we are at 32,000 square feet with 10 wet labs, 5 dry labs, and 29 offices.”

Membership fees range between $125 per month and $6,000 per month.

But what in the world would an entrepreneur want with a wet or dry lab?

“Materials developers are developing their ‘goo’ – their word, not mine,” Warren says. “For the chemical (experimentation) processes. We have another (user) that’s biomedical, that uses the wet lab for the fume hood” and chemical capture tanks.

Researchers at Texas Woman’s University with the revolutionary “Snow on the Prairie” plant.

KINESIOLOGY TEAM TACKLES SPACE PAIN

Turns out, space travel can be a real pain. In the lower back, more specifically.

Some Texas Woman’s University (TWU) kinesiology students tackled the problem and received national recognition in the process.

“According to NASA’s research, we found a high rate of occurrence of low-back pain in astronauts,” says Arianne Scheller, a former TWU student who has now moved on to her clinical rotation as a Doctor of Physical Therapy student. “In physical therapy, neuromuscular electric stimulation has been shown to help with pain in large muscle groups, so we looked at existing data and created a design that would effectively provide coverage with electrodes integrated into the garment.”

The analysis and design that Sheller and her fellow teammates proved successful, and took an entire room full of competing scientists and researchers by surprise, entering the Texas Space Grant Consortium Design Challenge for the first time. And winning.

BECAUSE LOWER-BACK PAIN IS UNIVERSAL

QUICK-SOLVE ARTISTS This Texas Woman’s University team resolved a space-travel-related pain issue in less than six months.

SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS FEATURES

HOW IT BEGAN

“In May 2017, a couple of NASA representatives visited Texas Woman’s University in Denton and suggested we look into joining the Texas Space Grant Consortium,” says Donna Scott Tilley, associate dean for research and clinical scholarship at TWU.

According to Tilley, the consortium offers numerous opportunities for undergraduate students, including scholarships, mentoring and competitions such as the design challenge. Tilley attended the consortium in the fall if 2017, and saw that the design challenge seemed to focus solely on engineering and technology.

She saw opportunity in looking at the human aspect of space travel.

“I gave them (representatives from the consortium and NASA) examples of how kinesiology and nutrition could play an important role on astronaut health,” she says. “They were intrigued and invited TWU to send a team to the (2018) competition.”

Yet the team -- consisting of the aforementioned Scheller, Alexis Quintana, Audra Roman, Charles Swieczkowski, Curt Neeld and Miranda Moore – would need to find a human-related space-travel problem.

HELP FROM ABOVE

Neeld, who received his undergrad degree in 2019, and his pursuing his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at TWU’s Dallas campus, recalls that the team’s NASA mentor – Dr. Baraquiel Reyna – played a key role in finding a problem that their team could best solve.

“Dr. Reyna … suggested that our team work to address issues listed on the NASA Human Research Program website,” Neeld recalls. “Our team then worked individually to determine the injuries with highest incidence listed in the Evidence Report of In-Flight Medical Conditions and potential methods of addressing them.”

According to the 2017 report, which documents injuries and illnesses reported during missions involving the U.S. space shuttle program, the Russian Mir program and the International Space Station, space travelers experienced back pain at a higher incident rate than nearly any other medical condition, except headaches.

“With the help of our team adviser, Dr. Rhett Rigby, our team utilized research and concepts accumulated to narrow our decision to a specific injury and the most plausible mechanisms of prevention, mitigation and/ or treatment. This became the launch point for our project.”

IDENTIFYING AND SOLVING A PROBLEM IN 6 MONTHS FLAT

Rigby recalls: “Over the summer (of 2018), the six students researched various health issues experienced by

astronauts.”

“Then, they developed a project objective and the approach to this problem,” he says. “But, rather than sticking just with the research and concept, they went all the way and developed the prototype garment —in just three months!”

To expedite the process, the team used 3D modeling software to create a design that relieves lower back pain for astronauts.

They also received help from the rehab community along the way, working with REACT Neuro-Rehab in Addision to find clients to test the garment. PlayMakar, a Southlake-based manufacturer of athletic training and recovery devices, provided the wireless EMS unit incorporated into the shirt.

This team of Texas Woman’s University kinesiology students won best overall team accolades at the Texas Space Grant Consortium Design Challenge Showcase in Houston in 2018.

BUILDING TOMORROW TOGETHER

BUILDING SOLUTIONS

DFW higher education institutions thrive when they’re solving problems. Through various industries, regional institutions are engineering new ways to address old problems. From ending urban blight to using robots to predict sewer-line failures, engineering students in DFW are forging a new future.

THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING RESEARCH PUSHING

THE BOUNDARIES OF INNOVATION

The University of North Texas (UNT) Center for Agile and Adaptive Additive Manufacturing (CAAAM) is transforming manufacturing technologies to create market-based solutions involving fundamental science impacting everything from medical implants to next-generation drones and encouraging new industry and global collaborations for North Texas, ensuring a workforce of engineers trained to lead in this disruptive new technology space.

The center was launched in 2019 with a $10 million appropriation by the Texas State Legislature, which recently renewed funding through 2023 with an additional $10 million, reaffirming the importance of CAAAM in positioning Texas as a leader in additive manufacturing innovation and workforce development.

CAAAM has grown to include a brand-new manufacturing facility of nearly 2,500 square feet, along with the renovation of more than 5,000 square feet of lab space. The center invested nearly $2.21 million in state-of-the-art equipment, establishing it as the nation’s premier research and development and educational center for additive manufacturing. More than 25 faculty and researchers and more than 20 graduate and undergraduate students from engineering, science, business and information science are conducting interdisciplinary research in the facilities. Faculty members have been awarded nearly $2.4 million in externally funded research grants from agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and have applied for research proposals totaling nearly $17.5 million.

“Through support from partnerships and the state of Texas, CAAAM is positioned to build and support next-generation manufacturing to lead U.S. global competitiveness,” said Narendra Dahotre, associate vice president of CAAAM. “We are poised to pave the way forward for the future of manufacturing innovation’s success and to address acute shortages in the manufacturing workforce.”

To bolster a skilled and diverse workforce for additive manufacturing in Texas, a new Institute for Transformational Education and Additive Manufacturing (ITEAM), an educational wing of CAAAM has been established in a state-of-the-art educational and instructional laboratory for undergraduate and graduate students. ITEAM offers an interdisciplinary additive manufacturing education integrating five critical areas: materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering and design, cybersecurity, supply chain logistics and data/decision sciences. This type of integrated research is unique to CAAAM-UNT and not offered at other national and international centers. Additionally, ITEAM is collaborating with regional and multinational industry and Texas community colleges to create certificate programs offering continuing education for regional and defense industry personnel.

“Our faculty and students continue to push the boundaries of additive manufacturing and elevate UNT’s status as a Tier One research university,” Dahotre said. “Our success is a testament to the innovative research and industry collaboration CAAAM provides.”

The University of North Texas researchers are reexamining the fundamental questions of materials fabrication.

CROWDSOURCING SOCIAL MEDIA DATA FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES

TOGETHER, SMU AND WAZE ARE HELPING FIRST RESPONDERS.

Social media is more than just a way to blow off a little steam or to peruse family and acquaintances’ goings-on. It also provides a window into how things work.

Barbara Minsker, civil and environmental engineering chair at Southern Methodist University (SMU) Lyle School of Engineering, and her research team are using social media platforms and Big Data to improve the sustainability and resilience of complex environmental and human systems.

One of their research projects uses crowdsourcing data from Waze, the GPS navigation software app owned by Google, to assess street-level flash-flood risk and locate the safest routes for first responders during intense rainfall. The project is funded by a grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology for the Public Safety Accelerator Innovation Program.

“Right now, the first responder’s routing algorithms assume roads are empty, which is never true in Dallas,” Minsker says. “With the Waze data, we want to provide real-time information to Dallas Fire Rescue by estimating the risk of delay or accident when they send out fire trucks to rescue people.”

Crowdsourcing comes into play when people post street flood alerts on Waze. Minsker’s team identifies where the Waze

flood alerts have been reported over a several-year period, compares that data to how much rainfall is recorded and factors in other road characteristics.

“By combining the Waze data with topography and land characteristics, we were able to identify how reliable the Waze flood alerts are and found that 90% are located within 100 feet of depressions that could be prone to flooding,” Minsker adds. The team is now building flood risk models that can then be used for mapping safer routes. Future work with the City of Houston will also incorporate traffic camera videos for further verification of the Waze flood alerts.

Minsker and her students completed another research project that explores how social media data and online stakeholder input can support the design of urban green infrastructure, such as rain gardens. “Social media postings are used to identify where new green infrastructure is located and what people like and don’t like about the installations to help better design green infrastructure spaces,” Minsker explains.

The opportunities for using data like Minsker’s are endless. She and her team have only scratched the surface of how her research can impact social, policy and economic issues in the DFW Region.

PREDICTING SEWER-LINE FAILURES WITH ROBOTS

UTA IS REVOLUTIONIZING CITY MAINTENANCE.

When a 66-inch sewer line broke in Arlington, Texas’ Interlochen neighborhood in 2016, the city decided that rather than tearing up miles of sewer mains and a community, it would partner for a smarter solution.

City of Arlington workers teamed up with the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) to deploy a sensor-laden floating robot to scan the sewer system and gather data that was then analyzed by researchers at UTA. The research team, led by UTA civil engineering chair Ali Abolmaali, developed software that allowed the team to predict the remaining lifespan of existing pipes.

The system saved the city $17 million, Abolmaali estimates.

“Before, if they doubted [the integrity of sewer lines], they would replace the entire line,” he says.

The sewer robot drone was also deployed in the mains in Arlington’s entertainment district, which includes AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Park, the new Texas Rangers stadium.

The City of Houston has signed a contract to deploy the robots to analyze portions of its sewer system, says Walter “Buzz” Pishkur, retired city water utility director of the City of Arlington. Pishkur says the program could revolutionize how city sewer lines are maintained.

Robotic assistance from the University of Texas at Arlington is curbing high-dollar sewer repairs.

SHATTERING THE GLASS CEILING ONE DISCOVERY AT A TIME

The discovery of the unexpected has long propelled many of our greatest minds to the forefront of their fields. Though rarely do those discoveries also break barriers for an entire generation.

Women have contributed to some of the most practical and significant engineering discoveries to date. From the development of the nylon like material Kevlar to computer programing, there are many occasions in which women have been the drivers of engineering achievements that have changed the world.

At the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), there are two women who are looking to leave their own mark in pushing the boundaries of engineering feats.

Fillia Makedon, a distinguished professor and computer science researcher from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, is developing a robotic system that helps people with spinal cord injuries perform everyday tasks. To assist her, she’s involving members of the UTA Movin’ Mavs wheelchair basketball team in the effort.

In support of this work, she received a $218,000 grant from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Disability and Rehabilitation Engineering (DARE) program. The project, “Collaborative Research: DARE: A Personalized Assistive Robotic System that Assesses Cognitive Fatigue in Persons with Paralysis,” represents a collaboration with Santa Clara University Professor Maria Kyrarini, who received a similar-sized grant to find their research.

“Assistive robots can play a significant role in assisting persons with disabilities at home, improving independence and everyday quality of life,” Makedon said. “For example, a robot may assist an individual with motor impairments to perform a task such as preparing lunch or getting ready for a meeting or work. That would be a huge plus for elderly people who need some assistance but aren’t ready or willing to move into a full-fledged assisted living facility.”

Makedon’s goal is to design a personalized assistive robotic system, which she has named Intelligent Robotic Cooperation for Safe Assistance (iRCSA), that can recognize, assess and respond to

a person’s cognitive fatigue level during tasks such as cooking. To do these human-robot collaboration (HRC) tasks, Makedon and her team will develop a multi-sensory system that collects physiological data like facial expressions from the human teammate during an HRC task. The system then applies advanced machine learning/deep learning methods to automatically assess the individual’s cognitive fatigue.

“Based on the cognitive fatigue assessment, the iRCSA system will adapt the robot’s behavior in order to provide personalized support,” Makedon said. “We will develop human-robot collaboration scenarios where a person suffering from a spinal cord injury and a robot can cooperate easily to perform daily tasks.

“For the design, development, and evaluation of iRCSA, we will follow the participatory action research approach by involving in the system design students suffering from spinal cord injury. UTA’s Movin Mavs basketball team will participate in the project from its early phase. Their valuable insight and feedback will be crucial to ensuring the acceptability and usability of the proposed system.”

Hong Jiang, Wendell H. Nedderman Endowed Professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, said Makedon’s project could greatly aid people with spinal cord injuries or mobility difficulties.

“Collecting and using data that could immediately be used to help people has the opportunity to be life-changing,” Jiang said. “This grant supplies that important link between data analysis and helping people.”

Makedon’s work will undoubtably provide vast support in quality of life for persons with disabilities as her research progresses. But for the world at large, there are other issues that are looming ever larger as it relates to the future of the planet. Concrete is the most widely used manufactured material worldwide—and one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for at least 8% of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.

UTA WOMEN RESEARCHERS ARE DRIVING INNOVATION.

Maria Konsta-Gdoutos, a University of Texas at Arlington civil

ENGINEERING THE FUTURE

According to the U.S. Census, women only account for 15% of engineering occupations.

engineering professor and associate director of the Center for Advanced Construction Materials (CACM), is leading an international effort to decarbonize concrete production and promote its use as a renewable energy generator.

“We will pioneer TE-CO2NCRETE, a thermoelectric carbon-neutral concrete, that will exhibit a high carbon dioxide uptake potential and storage capacity,” Konsta-Gdoutos said. “Engineering the nanostructure of concrete also will allow the material to capture thermal energy from the surroundings and convert it into usable electrical energy, leading to the development of a novel technology for renewable electricity and higher efficiency power source.”

A $1.5 million National Science Foundation grant is supporting this effort, which also involves another U.S. university and five European institutions. The U.S. partner is the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Concrete Sustainability and Resilience Center, which is known for experimental research on design, multiscale characterization and implementation of sustainable multifunctional concrete utilizing carbon-based waste byproducts and graphene-based nanomaterials. International partners include the French National Center for Scientific Research, which is an expert on atomistic simulation techniques useful in renewable energy research; the Technical Universities in Dresden and Berlin, Germany; and the Politecnico di Torino in Torino, Italy.

Other stakeholders include the Portland Cement Association, a leading research and market organization serving cement manufacturers, and the American Concrete Institute. Both are actively engaged to accelerate and advance solutions to reach carbon neutrality, Konsta-Gdoutos said.

The aim of the partnership is to advance technological know-how for net zero carbon concrete at a global scale, picking up the pace set by the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 52% by 2030.

Konsta-Gdoutos said all partners are authorities in carbonated construction materials and energy-autonomous building materials and are equipped in handling various parts of the project. Further, CACM’s labs contain a sub-10-nanometer imaging/mapping NanoIR AFM spectrometer, the only one at a university in the United States.

Melanie Sattler, professor and interim chair of the Department of Civil Engineering, said the international collaboration connects research to the workforce.

“The partnership’s readiness to scale up and establish long-lasting bonds of international research are extensive,” Sattler said. “I could see industry stakeholders and national and international agencies become meaningful partners of the workforce connection.”

4TH

Dr. Maria Konsta-Gdoutos, Associate Director for the Center for Advanced Construction Materials

Dr. Fillia Makedon, Department of Computer Science

INFRARED SENSORS ILLUMINATE HUMAN MOVEMENT ANALYSIS

TRACKING MOVEMENT IS TRICKY BUT MAYBE NOT FOR LONG

body, including the fingers, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, toes and top of the head.

“Movements can essentially be broken down into different poses,” Yuan says. “There has been a lot of research about tracking movement to estimate what kind of action a person is performing. But that estimation is often inconsistent.”

He says that because the human body is three-dimensional, tracking joints can be difficult due to self-occlusion, an issue in virtual environments that occurs when part of an object overlaps itself.

“As I swing my arm, the inside of my elbow is visible. Then, as my arm bends upward, my inner arm is no longer visible and is replaced with a view of my outer elbow,” he says.

That overlap of images — also known as self-occlusion — results in a 3- to 4-centimeter error when trying to track a continuous motion, according to Yuan.

“We want to track a point consistently throughout a movement,” he says.

He believes the technology has applications in helping people do physical therapy without needing to travel to see the therapist in person, in personal fitness and in potentially improving augmented reality.

Fitbits and pedometers didn’t do it for the University of North Texas (UNT) researcher Xiaohui Yuan.

So, Yuan began developing a more data-driven method to detect and track human move-

ments, for use in technologies involved with at-home personal training via online platforms. Then, the computer science and engineering associate professor realized that the technology had many more applications.

As part of his work, he uses an infrared sensor similar to radar technology to create a 3D video. Using that video, he and a group of graduate students track the movement of human joints in relation to other parts of the

“We want to move the technology toward creating a true environmental representation in augmented reality,” Yuan says.

The University of North Texas researchers created more sophisticated fitness monitors.

NEW FORCES POWER PASSION FOR WIND ENERGY RESEARCH

Even as a sophomore, Mirabella Herrera already is gaining research experience at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) as she works on a planning and operational study of a wind and hydrogen power plant.

Herrera, a mechanical engineering student, became interested in wind energy in a thermodynamics class. She joined a National Science Foundation-supported project as one of 10 participants in a new Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) in wind energy systems. The 10week summer program, offered through UT Dallas’ Wind Energy Center, included five students from UTD and the remaining five from other universities.

“When the opportunity came up to work on projects related to wind energy, I wanted to explore the area to see if it could be a possible career choice,” Herrera said. “After working in the program, I found a new interest in renewable energy work and what it has to bring to the engineering world.”

The students, plus five other undergraduates who received

funding through other sources, benefited from hands-on research experience, attended seminars and tutorials, and visited UTD’s Boundary Layer and Subsonic Wind Tunnel and a wind farm in Sweetwater, Texas, co-operated by Leeward Renewable Energy LLC. Each student received a stipend and living allowance. Clark Summer Research Program participants invited the REU students to compete in their poster contest, and four of them won awards.

The wind energy program is one of several NSF-funded REU programs at UT Dallas. Other REUs are in the areas of physics, computer science, materials science, and speech, language and hearing.

UTD’s wind energy research is designed to support the nation’s strategic goal of generating 35% of the United States’ electricity from wind power by 2050. Wind energy contributes about 10% of the nation’s electricity currently, said Dr. Stefano Leonardi, professor of mechanical engineering in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.

He is principal investigator (PI) on the nearly $400,000 NSF grant for REU in wind energy systems, along with co-PI Dr. Arif Malik, associate professor of mechanical engineering.

The U.S. Department of Energy reports that wind power is one of the nation’s fastest-growing energy sources, with more than 89,000 turbines in all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam, and new initiatives to expand offshore wind development.

“We are finding a lot of interest in wind energy from prospective students,” Leonardi said. “There are not many places in the U.S. where you can gain an education in wind energy because it’s fairly new.”

UTD offers courses related to wind energy, including fluid mechanics, turbulence, design modeling, materials and manufacturing, and control systems. The undergraduate research program gives students valuable research experience and skills needed to help solve problems and improve the technology to extract more power from wind, Leonardi said.

“This REU in wind energy systems is a key element in our strategy to develop a pipeline of graduate students who can contribute to renewable energy generation from wind to achieve decarbonization of the electric grid, produce clean fuels and develop next generation concepts,” said Dr. Mario Rotea, professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Wind Energy Center.

The summer research projects included modeling and measurements for power production; wind-farm diagnostic and control systems; and design and manufacturing.

“There are a lot of things we don’t know and that we are trying to understand, and these things will have a huge impact on society,” Leonardi said. “Undergraduates have a lot of talent and can make great contributions to science that can have a huge impact on the quality of life of future generations.”

The students’ research did not stop after the summer program ended.

“Mirabella did a great job,” said Dr. Jie Zhang, associate professor of mechanical engineering, who oversaw the wind and hydrogen plant study. “She continues to work on this project this fall in our Design and Optimization of Energy Systems Laboratory.”

Herrera said she is excited about the continuing opportunities.

“The issue of wind energy is important to me because, in order for our planet to survive for a lot longer, we need to start making changes toward renewable energy sources,” she said. “Our research could help make it more efficient and appealing to customers. All in all, I hope to contribute to a greener planet.”

INDEX

SMU (SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY)

A nationally ranked private university located near the heart of Dallas, SMU is a distinguished center for global research and teaching. SMU serves approximately 7,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students through eight degree-granting schools: Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, Cox School of Business, Lyle School of Engineering, Meadows School of the Arts, Simmons School of Education and Human Development, Dedman School of Law, Perkins School of Theology and Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies. SMU is data driven, and its powerful supercomputing ecosystem – paired with entrepreneurial drive – creates an unrivaled environment for the University to deliver research excellence.

TCU (TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY)

Founded in 1873, Texas Christian University (TCU) is a world-class, values-centered private university based in Fort Worth, Texas. The University comprises nine schools and colleges offering 116 areas of undergraduate study, 65 master’s level programs, and 38 areas of doctoral study. Total enrollment stands at 12,273, including 10,523 undergraduates and 1,750 graduate students. The student/faculty ratio is 13:1, and 98 percent of TCU’s 699 full-time faculty members teach undergraduates. TCU consistently ranks among the top universities and colleges in the nation, and the Horned Frog family consists of more than 98,841 living alumni.

TEXAS WOMAN’S UNIVERSITY

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY–COMMERCE

Texas A&M UniversityCommerce provides a personal, accessible and affordable educational experience for a diverse community of learners. As a member of The Texas A&M University System, Texas A&M University-Commerce is a bigname university with a focus on transforming lives. Located just 65 miles northeast of Dallas, A&M-Commerce offers more than 130 academic degrees and serves around 11,000 students. The university features several convenient learning sites across Dallas-Fort Worth and numerous online programs.

As the nation’s largest university primarily for women and focusing on developing leaders, Texas Woman’s University (TWU) encompasses a flagship campus in Denton and health science institutes in Dallas and Houston.

INDEX OF INSTITUTIONS

THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS

One of the nation’s largest universities, the University of North Texas (UNT) in Denton focuses on welcoming diversity and strengthening collaborations with educational, business and community partners, as well as building new partnerships across the globe. UNT is a Carnegie R1 (very high research activity) university.

THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER

The University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) is a values-based graduate university whose students, faculty and staff are committed to improving the human condition through a shared passion for innovation and teamwork.

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON

An educational leader in the heart of the thriving North Texas Region, the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) nurtures minds within an environment that values excellence, ingenuity and diversity. UTA is a designated Carnegie R1 (very high research activity) university.

AUSTIN COLLEGE

A selective and small liberal arts institution, Austin College is a residential campus on 100 environmentally green acres north of Dallas in Sherman. With a focus on undergraduate education, each of their 1,300 students has a faculty mentor and will complete an applied learning experience such as a professional internship or research with a faculty member before graduating. Students can choose studies from more than 55 areas of studies and 18 NCAA Division III athletic teams. Founded in 1849 by the Presbyterian Church, Austin College enjoys a place in early Texas history and remains a recognized leader in higher education innovative programs, a strong faculty, and dedicated students.

UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS

INSTITUTIONS

THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS AT DALLAS

Named the fastest-growing public university in Texas and the only public, accredited four-year university in the City of Dallas, The University of North Texas at Dallas (UNT Dallas) empowers students, transforms lives and strengthens communities.

The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) is a selective, Carnegie R1 (very high research activity) university. UTD is the No. 1 university in Texas for the most National Merit Scholars entering the freshman class. Students predominately major in management; engineering; computer science; and the physical, biological and natural sciences.

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER

One of the premier academic medical centers in the nation, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern) integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education.

The University of Dallas (UD), a Catholic institution, educates students in the liberal arts tradition while remaining dedicated to the pursuit of wisdom, truth, and virtue. Its small undergraduate population of 1,471 creates an 11:1 undergraduate-to-faculty ratio, which allows students to get the most out of the 30 offered majors through small class sizes. The university stays committed to its Catholic tradition while welcoming students of all backgrounds.

DALLAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

Dallas Baptist University (DBU) combines faith and academic instruction to empower students. Founded in 1898, DBU, initially Decatur Baptist College, moved to Dallas in 1965. Today, DBU offers 86 undergraduate programs, 36 master’s programs and two doctoral programs. Students additionally benefit from a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

TARRANT COUNTY COLLEGE

Established in July 1965 by a countywide election, Tarrant County College (TCC) has continued to implement its mission to provide affordable and open access to quality teaching and learning. Its goals, principals and myriad educational initiatives delineate its dedication to this mission. Currently, TCC has six campuses. Approximately one in every 22 Tarrant County residents takes a TCC class each year, which emphasizes TCC’s impact on the community.

DALLAS COLLEGE (FORMERLY DALLAS COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT)

Dallas College includes seven campuses – Brookhaven, Cedar Valley, Eastfield, El Centro, Mountain View, North Lake, and Richland. Since 1965, Dallas College has served over three million people, making it one of the largest community college systems in Texas. In addition, it economically benefits businesses, taxpayers and the community. Annually, these colleges contribute approximately $204.1 million to the Dallas County economy in net added income.

NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE

Established in 1924, North Central Texas College (NCTC) is the state’s oldest continuously operating two-year college. Dedicated to student success and institutional excellence, NCTC holds itself accountable to the following six values: affordable and quality education, stimulating learning environments, integrity, innovation, cohesive relationships, and encouragement. Additionally, NCTC’s five campuses offer a total of six degree types to students in North Texas.

COLLIN COLLEGE

CONTINUED

Collin College seeks to enrich the future of both its students and the community. It provides transferable course, educational programs and workforce initiatives, as well as student support services to fulfill community and industry needs. Increasing in scope since 1985, the college currently attracts over 56,000 students annually to its 100-plus degree programs and certificates. Each year, Collin College generates $528.5 million in net added income for the local economy.

TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE – NORTH TEXAS

Texas State Technical College (TSTC) is a statewide college system with 10 campuses throughout the state. TSTC efficiently and effectively helps Texas meet the hightech challenges of today’s global economy, in partnership with business and industry, government agencies and other educational institutions. TSTC – North Texas opened in September 2014 and houses many of TSTC’s high-tech, advanced workforce programs with state-of-the-art labs for students to develop skills that are critical in the workplace.

PAUL QUINN COLLEGE

Paul Quinn College (PQC) is a private, four-year, liberalarts-inspired historically black college or university (HBCU) founded in 1872 to educate freed slaves and their children. Today, PQC proudly educates students of all races and socioeconomic classes under the banner of its institutional ethos, WE OVER ME. Paul Quinn is the ninth federally funded work college in the United States, the first minority-serving institution (MSI) in the Work College Consortium and the first work college in Texas.

ENROLLMENT CHART

DFW ENROLLMENT BY THE NUMBERS

Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; EMSI and National Center for Education Statistics

Timeframe: 2021 for enrollments; 2019-20 for completions

Institutions represent schools reporting to THEBC plus UNT Law and TAMU Law; ED Guide list (enhanced MSA)

became Dallas College in 2020

– 2020 DEGREES AWARDED

SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR HIGHER EDUCATION PARTNERS