News Briefs
Former Secretary of State to speak
James A. Baker, former Secretary of State, will speak in UTD’s Excellence in Leadership Speaker Series April 1.
Sponsored by The Leadership Center in the school of management, Baker will speak on “World Events: Implications for Leadership.”
The noon luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Dallas will be open to the public. The event is co-sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Greater Dallas.
The cost for Council members is $45 and $75 for others. For additional information call (972) 883-2757.
Brain Health gets a shot in the arm
In the course of a week, UTD’s Center for Brain Health received a $2 million endowment chair from local philanthropists and conducted BrainQuest at The Science Place in Fair Park.
The Dee Wyly Distinguished Chair for Brain Health is held by the center director, Sandra Bond Chapman. She said the $2 million donated by Dee and Charles Wyly will be used to continue research on the inner-workings of the brain and correct disabling dysfunctions.
The center also sponsored BrainQuest, a fun day for children with brain injuries and their families March 20.
Conducted in celebration of Brain Awareness Week, March 15-21, the event included exhibits about the brain, a scavenger hunt, games and other science exhibits.
ECS presents to outside visitors
In line with UTD’s aspiration of Tier 1 status, 400 engineers came to the university for a three-day symposium Feb. 12-14 to discuss the school’s future.
Undergraduate and graduate researchers presented their work to promote the university as a research institution to the outside visitors, said Robert Helms, dean of the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.
Six-year graduation rate above average
The UT System regents recently looked at the percentage of students who receive a degree within six years of entering from each of the schools in the system. UTD (around 52 percent) placed second behind UT-Austin (around 72 percent) as the only schools in the system above the national average of 50.7 percent.
Green Foundation makes donation
Following Cecil Green’s death last year, the Cecil and Ida Green Foundation has allocated the remainder of its assets, valued at $22.6 million. UT Southwestern Medical Center received the largest donation of $11.3 million, but UTD also received a portion of the donations. Green was one of the three founders of TI who started the Graduate Research Center of the Southwest.
Non-traditional students confer
The Association for Non-Traditional Students in Higher Education (ANTSHE) had its national conference at the School of Management March 19-21.
The organizations is geared towards non-traditional students, defined as those who are over the age of 24, are parents, veterans or work. Non-traditional students make up roughly half of UTD’s student body.
The event included sessions on topics of concern to non-traditional students, speeches by author Valerie Sokoloski and George Filpansick of Dallas Christian College and a performance by professional storyteller Dan Gibson.