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CREATIVE WRITING PAGE 16 SCIENCE, SCHOLARSHIP & THE ARTS AT THE MEDICAL RESEARCH PAGE 20 UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS FORENSIC SCIENCE PAGE 36 A Student-Focused Public Research University Jonathan Reynolds

Doctoral student Kristina Clemons works with the nanomanipulator developed by Guido Verbeck, associate professor of chemistry. A small-scale version of the device is being deployed to Afghanistan this summer, allowing military investigators in the field to identify chemical signatures on the nanoscale. Read more about Verbeck and other UNT forensic experts on page 36.

staff box

UNT Research is published for (where reasonable accommodations RESEARCH OFFICE Editors the Office of the Vice Presi­dent can be made), disabled veteran status Julie Elliott Payne Vice President for Research and Randena Hulstrand for Research and Economic or veteran of the Vietnam era status Economic Development Jill King Development by the Division in its educational programs, activities, Geoff Gamble Writers of University Relations, admissions or employment policies. Senior Associate Vice President Ernestine Bousquet Communications and Marketing, In addition to complying with federal for Research Jessica DeLeón University of North Texas. The and state equal opportunity laws and Ruthanne Thomas Nancy Kolsti Adrienne Nettles research office can be reached regulations, the university through Associate Vice President Buddy Price at 1155 Union Circle #310979, its diversity policy declares harass- for Research Ellen Rossetti Kenneth Sewell Denton, Texas 76203-5017, 940- ment based on individual differ- Julie West Leslie Wimmer 369-7487. The publication is mailed ences (including sexual orientation) URCM Alyssa Yancey periodically from Denton, Texas. inconsistent with its mission and Articles may be reprinted in their educational goals. Direct questions Vice President for University Designers Relations, Communications Steven Altuna entirety with acknowledgment unless or concerns to the equal opportunity and Marketing Amy Hillberry they are published in UNT Research office, 940-565-2759, or the dean of Deborah Leliaert Nola Kemp Kit Young by permission of another source. students, 940-565-2648. TTY access Associate Vice President Sean Zeigler Requests for photographs or illustra- is available at 940-369-8652. for University Relations, tions should be addressed to the edi- Communications and Marketing Photographers Marty Newman Michael Clements tors at URCM, University of North The UNT System and the Jun Ma Texas, 1155 Union Circle #311070, University of North Texas are the own­ Assistant Vice President Gary Payne Denton, Texas 76203-5017, 940- for University Relations, Jonathan Reynolds ers of all of their trademarks, service Communications and Marketing Angilee Wilkerson 565-2108. marks, trade names, slogans, graphic Kelley Reese It is the policy of the University images and photography and they may Online Communications Senior Director Michelle Hale of North Texas not to discriminate not be used without permission. of Communication Systems Eric Vandergriff on the basis of race, color, religion, and Digital Marketing 3 [sex, 2013 age, national unt Researchorigin, disability |unt.edu/untresearch 01/13 (13-058) Kenn Moffitt Project Traffic Erica Blount Laura Robinson Contents 2013/ Vol. 22 o n t h e c o v e r At the new Research Greenhouse Complex at UNT’s Discovery Park, Stevens Brumbley, associate profes- sor of biological sciences, is engineering grasses such as sugarcane to create more environmentally friendly f e a t u r e s plastic. Bioplastics or their precursors are made in the cells of the plants, accumulating there until harvested. 16 Creative Writing UNT’s program makes a name for itself with renowned faculty and talented student writers. By Julie West Medical Research 20 Nanoparticles, nerve networks and mutant worms help battle disease. By Alyssa Yancey Jonathan Reynolds

26 Sustainability Researchers use ideas from nature and design with nature in mind to keep the planet green. By Ernestine Bousquet Forensic Science 36 From battlefields to campus laboratories, faculty use mass spectrometry and forensic insights to help solve crimes. By Ellen Rossetti departments 44 NSF Graduate Fellows President’s Note // 4 Students in chemistry, engineering and environmental At the forefront of new ideas science earn prestigious support. Initiatives // 5 By Adrienne Nettles Excellence in plant science, decade-long partnership Peace Studies News Briefs // 8 48 Autism research, Fulbright winners, new NSF funding Faculty in the Castleberry Peace Institute study the factors Faculty Books // 24 that influence political violence and human security. Police in Rome, endangered languages, zooarchaeology By Nancy Kolsti Student Researchers // 32 Computer algorithms, postpartum depression, sustainable tourism, novel solar cells Faculty Researchers // 39 Titanium alloys, machine learning, new media, immune suppression, systems maturity assessment End Note // 51 Collaborative research and new facilities

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 3 president’s note «

V. Lane Rawlins is the 15th president in the 123-year history of the University of North Texas.

he University of North Texas has a long history of nationally recognized excellenceT in the arts, education and humanities. In recent years — encouraged by the state’s efforts to support emerging research universities — we also have put more empha- web links and info sis on fast-growing, innovative programs in engineering and science.

UNT is making good progress. Since the creation of our College of Engineering in FOR MORE INFORMATION 2003, the college has made incredible gains in enrollment, innovative degree programs For more information about the and research. It has world-class programs such as materials science and mechanical and energy engineering. And it is establishing itself as a pacesetter in the areas of energy- projects and researchers featured efficient materials and green building technologies and practices. in UNT Research, visit us online Capitalizing on long-held strengths in the sciences — which include a century-old at unt.edu/untresearch, email chemistry program, a nearly 90-year-old biological sciences program and a more than [email protected] or contact: 75-year legacy in the environmental sciences — the university is fast becoming one of the nation’s preeminent research hubs in plant science research. The scientists in our University of North Texas Signaling Mechanisms in Plants research cluster are studying how plant cells communi- Office of the Vice President for cate, finding solutions for energy, agriculture, nutrition and medicine. Guided by our four bold goals, we are focused on high quality in every area — educa- Research and Economic Development tion, research, student support, workplace operations and community engagement. Our 1155 Union Circle #310979 emphasis on students and student success includes a more intense focus on research per- Denton, Texas 76203-5017 formance and scholarship. 940-369-7487 We strive to be a university that is at the forefront of new ideas and new technologies. Having innovative faculty who are at the leading edge improves the quality of education. For additional copies of And it means our students are taught in an environment that instills the knowledge and skills that are necessary to excel in their careers. the magazine, contact: University of North Texas Division of University Relations, Sincerely, Communications and Marketing 1155 Union Circle #311070 Denton, Texas 76203-5017 V. Lane Rawlins 940-565-2108 President [email protected]

4 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch initiatives

Plant Signaling A new era of scientific research is evolv- ing at UNT, and it is being led by the Signaling Mechanisms in Plants research cluster. The most mature of the univer- sity’s initial collaborative research groups created in 2008 to strengthen the state’s economy, bolster research and develop technology vital to societal needs, the clus- ter has made strides in hiring faculty and developing infrastructure.

New Faculty Hires World renowned plant scientists Ron

Mittler, Vladimir Shulaev and Rajeev Gary Payne Azad all joined the university in 2010. Together with six founding plant cluster researchers, they have helped bring more UNT’s Signaling Mechanisms in Plants research cluster is home to a new lab named a Center of Innova­ than $15 million in research funding to tion by the Waters Corp. The Metabolomics and Metabolic Signaling Pathway Research Labora­tory is UNT in the last three years. overseen by Vladimir Shulaev, professor of biological sciences, center, shown with lab researchers. Joining the group in February 2013 is Richard A. Dixon, a specialist in meta- bolic engineering of plants and a National Metabolomics Laboratory novel plant-derived chemicals with poten- Academy of Sciences member. He has In addition to successes in faculty hir- tial benefits for health and nutrition. served as the director and founder of ing, the cluster also has made strides in Shulaev’s lab is one of about 20 world- the plant biol- creating new state-of-the-art laborato- wide to be selected for the Waters Corp. ogy division ries. In fall 2012, the Metabolomics and Centers of Innovation program, which at the Samuel Metabolic Signaling Pathway Research recognizes analytical scientists facilitating Roberts Noble Laboratory overseen by Shulaev opened breakthroughs in health and life science, Foundation since and was named a Center of Innovation by environmental protection and other areas. 1988. the Waters Corp., a leading manufacturer As a Center of Innovation, Shulaev’s Dixon’s of mass spectrometry instruments. lab will be able to use newly commercial- research focuses The lab will use analytical methods ized instrumentation and technology on on how to use such as mass spectrometry and liquid chro- an evaluative basis. He says the new lab metabolic engineering to produce plant- matography to analyze the chemical make- will facilitate teaching the use of analytical derived chemicals that could treat human up of living organisms. The ability to char- instruments to students at all levels. diseases, create biorenewable products and acterize small molecules called metabolites “It’s very important to train the next improve the quality of forage crops. is a powerful tool for understanding how generation of scientists, especially in mass He is the principal investigator cells work and how their function changes spectrometry,” he says. or co-principal investigator on active during metabolic processes. The lab already includes instruments grants exceeding $9 million, including a Metabolomics can be used to help rarely found outside the top biomedical Department of Energy grant focused on understand human disease and improve labs. The team will collaborate with the producing biofuels more efficiently and a crops. Shulaev says the technologies in Waters Corp. to develop new technolo- National Institutes of Health grant inves- the lab can lead to a better understanding gies and metabolomics applications for the tigating the potential of chemicals derived of the molecules that respond to stress various tools. from grape seeds to prevent the onset of in plants, giving researchers the tools “We have one of the best labs, espe- Alzheimer’s disease. to improve natural defenses in crops. cially in plant signaling, in academia,” Metabolomics also can help to identify Shulaev says.

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 5 initiatives

At left, Regents Professor Witold Brostow Research Seed Funding speaks to visiting students from UAEM. Below, A popular initiative of the partnership Bruce Hunter, center, acting director of UNT’s has been the Research Seed Funding Institute of Applied Science, co-taught an envi­ Program, created to support joint proj- ronmental issues class at UAEM in 2007. ects between faculty members and gradu- ate students of the two universities. Since 2010, the program has provided engineering and director of the Labora­ more than 30 awards to faculty mem- tory of Advanced Polymers and Opti­ bers across UNT departments, recently mized Materials. He was the first UNT including library and information scienc- faculty member to establish a connection es, physics, anthropology and geography. to UAEM, which is located in Toluca in “The seed fund has established itself the state of Mexico, about 45 miles west as one of the most successful means of of Mexico City. connection between the two institu- He says it all began when his post- tions,” says Manuel Goel, director of the doctoral researcher, Gonzalo Martinez UAEM academic liaison office at UNT. Barrera, became a UAEM faculty member. When UNT educational computing

Jonathan Reynolds “I was visiting Gonzalo in Toluca doctoral student Adriana D’Alba needed when I met Rafael López Castañares financial assistance to conduct research Two Universities — a fellow materials scientist and the for her dissertation, her major profes- Celebrate a Decade UAEM rector at the time,” says Brostow, sor, Greg Jones, helped her write a grant of Partnership who collaborated with Castañares on a proposal for the seed funding program. The University of North Texas cel- materials science education project and Using software created by Jones, asso- ebrated a 10-year partnership with the invited him to visit UNT. ciate professor of learning technologies, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de With the help of Burggren, then dean D’Alba had designed a 3-D virtual envi- México in 2012 — a collaboration that of UNT’s College of Arts and Sciences, a ronment for an exhibit of murals on has supported research and student formal agreement allowing the universi- permanent display at UAEM, where she exchange through the years and fostered ties to work together was signed in 2002. had earned her undergraduate degree. cultural ties for students and faculty of both universities. “Many institutions have bilateral agreements across the globe, but to our knowledge, few if any have developed the level and depth of mutual commit- ment that is today in place between UAEM and UNT,” says Warren Burggren, UNT provost and vice presi- dent for academic affairs. From the first faculty collaborations to the research funding and exchange programs of today, initiatives between the two universities continue to expand.

Early Collaborators

The partnership began with the work Jonathan Reynolds of Witold Brostow, UNT Regents Professor of materials science and

6 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch The award allowed her to test her Different Perspectives and now teaches in UAEM’s College of project in Toluca, where she worked The Research Seed Funding Program Chemistry, using green chemistry tech- with Bertha Abraham, an investigator is just one of numerous UNT-UAEM niques to research materials science at at UAEM’s Research Center in Social connections. the nano-level. Sciences and Humanities. Other initiatives include a scholar- “I wanted to be a researcher, but I D’Alba is now an assistant professor ship program for UAEM graduates became a teacher too. I learned that one of education at Grambling University who enter doctoral degree programs at goes with the other,” he says, adding after earning her doctorate from UNT UNT, a summer institute hosted by that some of his students have also come in 2012. UNT’s Department of Linguistics and to UNT through joint research projects “I could not have done this research Technical Communication that pro- with Brostow. or gone this far without UNT and vides UAEM students and faculty with “The partnerships and achievements UAEM,” she says. intense English language instruction, the of the students at both universities are a Bruce Hunter, acting director of academic liaison offices for the UAEM win-win situation,” Olea says. “Different UNT’s Institute of Applied Science, has and UNT campuses, and exchange pro- perspectives, experiences and equipment visited UAEM numerous times since grams for students of both universities. complement each other.” 2004 as part of a team evaluating hydro- “The partnerships benefit students Burggren says that mutual under- logic environmental services at one of and faculty going both ways,” Brostow standing continues to be a benefit of the Mexico’s national parks. He has taught says. “With our global economy, it’s partnership as a whole. courses in Toluca on geographic infor- important for students to have exposure “As we celebrate the first decade of mation systems and human impacts on to different cultures and customs.” our formal collaboration, the common the environment. As an undergraduate at UAEM in themes of reciprocity, respect and qual- “When our students go to Mexico 2003, Oscar Olea-Mejia attended a ity of our endeavor have been retained and see the people in their ordinary lives, lecture delivered by Brostow and later and strengthened,” he says. their eyes are opened,” Hunter says. came to UNT as a doctoral student, “This successful international coop- “We can learn a lot from Mexico about inspired to be a materials scientist. He eration has enriched both universities.” the way that environmental resources earned his UNT doctorate in 2007 are used. We take water for granted in the U.S., but in Mexico, water is often used more wisely.” Stacey Antilla, a doctoral student in environmental science, visited UAEM twice in 2012 to research Mexico’s envi- ronmental services for her dissertation. “I had spent time at a resort in Cancun, but going to the ‘real’ Mexico was a life-changing experience for me. It broadened the coursework that I’ve been doing here at UNT,” she says.

UNT Provost Warren Burggren, left, was named Rector Honoris Causa by UAEM Rector Eduardo Gasca Pliego in 2012 for his support of the UNT- UAEM partnership and his research collaborations. He is the first recipient from outside Mexico.

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 7 news briefs

UNT’s Kristin Farmer Autism Center was founded with the help of alumna Kristin Farmer, founder of Comprehensive Educational Services Inc., known as ACES.

Stress and Heart Disease John M. Ruiz, assistant professor of psychology, was awarded a $1.63 million grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health to examine how daily © Frank Rogozienski stress may contribute to heart disease. He will lead a team Autism Treatment, other autism and disabilities Fifth in the World from five institutions during Research and Support intervention fields. The logistics program in the three-year study, examin- UNT’s Kristin Farmer Services and programs UNT’s College of Business ing associations between social Autism Center opened in provided at the center include has been ranked the world’s vigilance and atherosclerosis. 2012, providing families in diagnostic testing and evalu- fifth best program for sup- In fall 2012, Ruiz received the North Texas region and ation; full-time intervention ply chain and logistics UNT’s Competitive Funding beyond with a resource for services; behavior analysis research productivity by Award for the principal comprehensive autism spec- and therapy; and speech and the International Journal of investigator responsible for trum disorders treatment, language, occupational and Physical Distribution and the highest amount of new research and support. physical therapy. Future Logistics Management. competitive research funding Founded with the help of programs at the center may Faculty have researched in the fiscal year. His research donor and alumna Kristin include play, music and art topics including professional areas include cardiovascular Farmer — founder of therapy; psychological coun- drivers’ safety decisions, risk behavioral medicine and psy- Comprehensive Educational seling for families, parents, and value in complicated chophysiology, and Hispanic Services Inc., known as siblings and individuals; supply chain systems, and health and health disparities. ACES — the center brings nutritional services; and performance-based contract- UNT’s interdisciplinary social skills training. ing approaches for aircraft New Start-Up autism services and research Experts from several UNT manufacturers’ service models. Jeffry Kelber, Regents together under one roof. colleges are collaborating They work with corporations Professor of chemistry, has The high-quality ser- on programs and research, including Transplace, Sysco, launched Quantum Devices vices are designed and imple- continuing UNT’s history of Pepsico, Southwest Airlines, Corp. to develop devices that mented by top researchers, expanding autism research Lockheed Martin, Hillwood could improve the speed and professors and professionals and programs. Kevin Calla­ Properties and JC Penney. efficiency of electronics. in special education, applied han, a former faculty mem- Terry Pohlen, associate He previously patented behavior analysis, early child- ber in the Department of professor of marketing and the process of depositing hood intervention, speech Educational Psychology, is logistics, is the director of graphene, a form of carbon, and hearing sciences, and the center’s executive director. the Center for Logistics directly on an electronically Education and Research. insulated substrate. The

8 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch Regents Professor Jeffry Kelber project to track the progress is developing high-performance of such non-governmental spintronic transistors. Conventional organizations toward their graphene spin valves (a) transport goals, he interviewed residents individual spins, with low net polar­ in northern India about their ization (b) and poor performance. sustainability projects, pro- His Quantum Devices “coherent grams and aspirations. spin” valve (c) uses graphene on Ami Moore, associate pro- a magnetic substrate to achieve fessor of sociology, received a constant polarization (d) — yielding Fulbright U.S. Scholar high performance and low power at research grant to conduct room temperatures and above. AIDS-related research in Lome, Togo, through the end of 2012. She is studying the Nehru Environmental correlates of personal network Frank Pasquale Leadership Program. characteristics and sexual risk process can be used in the cre- tional environments. He also He is assessing initiatives of behavior among men in Togo ation of semiconductors and presented seminars in areas the Himalayan Environmental who have same-sex relations. other chips. such as psychometric instru- Studies and Conservation She has studied other groups Kelber says graphene mentation and virtual envi- Organization in areas such in Togo, including older peo- chips could lead to new types ronments. He extended work as indigenous technology, ple living with HIV/AIDS. of computer architectures. he began while co-chair of the agriculture and women’s Through Quantum Devices, 2011 International Summit empowerment. To develop a which is licensing his patent on Information Technologies from UNT, he will develop in Education at UNESCO prototypes of several gra- James Thurman, assistant phene-based devices. He and professor of studio arts, was a collaborator Peter Dowben Fulbright specialist at Kadir from the University of Has University in Turkey in Nebraska-Lincoln performed the summer. He helped the the initial research with funds university redesign curriculum from the Semiconductor for its 3-D design program. Research Corp. At UNT, he is 3-D design core coordinator and teaches Fulbright Awards metalsmithing and jewelry. Several UNT faculty Pankaj Jain, assistant members received recent professor of philosophy and Fulbright honors. religion studies, received Gerald Knezek, Regents a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Professor of learning tech- research grant as a 2012-13 nologies, was awarded a fellow in the Fulbright- Fulbright Senior Specialist appointment to the University of Twente in the Netherlands Pankaj Jain, assistant professor in 2011-12. He conducted of philosophy and religion studies, research and writing in tech- traveled to northern India on a nology diffusion, innovation Fulbright grant to assess sustain­ and integration into educa- ability goals and projects.

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 9 news briefs

Tracy Everbach, associate profes­ sor of journalism, researches Distinguished Scholars media coverage of female Three merchandising athletes, who traditionally receive and digital retailing faculty more attention for sexuality and members were named dis- attractiveness than male athletes. tinguished scholars by the She compared coverage of male Korean Society of Clothing and female athletes at the 2012 and Textiles at its April 2012 Summer Olympics. conference in Seoul — more faculty members than any other university. — representing the U.S. and JiYoung Kim and Kiseol Canada — were chosen from Yang, assistant professors, and about 3,000 applicants. HaeJung Maria Kim, associ- Doherty plans to use ate professor, were among Michael Clements the fellowship to complete 20 scholars of Korean origin her Archiving Eden project, from universities in China, Female Athletes sional female athletes and in which she uses X-ray Japan and the U.S. acknowl- and the Media pressure on those athletes to machines at international seed edged for their contributions Tracy Everbach, an pose for sexualized photos. banks to photograph seeds to the Korean and global associate professor in the Most were not happy with the and cloned plants. She then clothing and textiles industries Frank W. and Sue Mayborn images, while a few said they incorporates the X-ray images and educational societies. This School of Journalism who were empowering. into digital collages. is the first time the society has researched media cover- Everbach’s research inter- Doherty began Archiving extended the honor to inter- age of female athletes since ests also include gender and Eden in 2008, inspired by the national scholars. 2005, compared the coverage race in news reporting and construction of the Svalbard Kim, Yang and Kim of male and female athletes at newsroom management. Global Seed Vault to secure are members of UNT’s the 2012 Summer Olympics. She worked as a newspaper the world’s seed collections. Consumer Experiences in She previously researched reporter for 14 years, includ- In 2010, she was one of only a Digital Environments research newspaper coverage of the ing 12 years at the Dallas few people allowed to visit the cluster. HaeJung Maria Kim 1908 Summer Olympics, Morning News. vault. With the Guggenheim studies digital influences on which also were in London, Fellowship, she plans to the global retailing and mer- and notes that female Guggenheim Fellowship photograph seed banks in chandising industry, and sus- Olympic athletes have tradi- Dornith Doherty, pro- Australia, Brazil and Russia. tainable consumption. tionally received more atten- fessor of photography, was tion for sexuality and attrac- awarded a prestigious fellow- tiveness than male athletes. ship from the John Simon However, female athletes Guggenheim Memorial also receive much more media Foundation. The 181 fellows coverage during the two weeks that the Olympics are televised than many college or Dornith Doherty, professor of professional female athletes. photography, stands outside the In a recent study, Ever­bach Svalbard Global Seed Vault near interviewed female athletes the North Pole, where she contin­ ages 18 to 22 about their ued her Archiving Eden project. thoughts on the media’s focus Doherty was named a 2012 on the sexuality of profes- Guggenheim Fellow.

10 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch An exceptional fossil — a 250-pound head and a right flipper of the predatory fish Xiphactinus Audex — was discovered by Denton County residents and identified at UNT’s Meteorite, Rock, Mineral and Fossil Identification Lab by George Maxey.

tion. His book A Budgeting Guide for Local Government, going into its third edition, Jonathan Reynolds is one of the pillars of profes- sional reading for local JiYoung Kim researches times a week. He ranks the the National Academy of government managers and consumer behavior in online Xiphactinus Audex as among Sciences are the only two graduate students. He is retailing, particularly consum- the most exceptional finds national academies chartered the founding chair of the er loyalty and purchase inten- brought to the lab. by Congress to support and Department of Public tions. Yang’s research interests advance America’s interests Administration and is the include smartphone shopping Academy Fellow through scholarly and applied director of the Center for applications and other mobile Robert L. ‘Bob’ Bland, expertise. Through standing Public Management. shopping services. professor and chair of the and special panels, NAPA Department of Public advises Congress and federal Fossil Identification Administration, was elected agencies on matters of public Robert L. ‘Bob’ Bland, profes­ George Maxey, lecturer a fellow of the National policy and management. sor and chair of the Department in geography, has been iden- Academy of Public Adminis­ Bland, an expert in govern- of Public Administration, was tifying specimens at UNT’s tration in fall 2012 for his mental finance, is the author elected a fellow of the National Meteorite, Rock, Mineral and professional accomplishments of three books and numerous Academy of Public Administration Fossil Identification Lab since in teaching, research and articles on public budgeting, for his accomplishments in teach­ it opened in 2010. Fossils public service. NAPA and finance and revenue genera- ing, research and public service. found by residents and identi- fied there include predatory fish that lived between 65 and 100 million years ago — the skull of an Enchodus, known as the “saber-toothed herring”; the lower jaw of a Saurodon, which had a spear-like snout; and the 250-pound head and a flipper of the Xiphactinus Audex, which had fang-like teeth and an upturned jaw. Maxey says the lab receives calls from across the Southwest, and specimens arrive for identification several Gary Payne

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 11 news briefs

At the Net-Centric Software and how that may impact their Systems Center, director Krishna academic progress. Shelley Kavi is researching main memory Riggs, associate professor of organizations, including a phase- psychology, and four student change memory storage system, researchers are recruiting left, and a hybrid memory system. 200 veterans from all military branches for the project in the Family Attachment Lab. a pre-college experience Riggs says past research designed to motivate and has shown that nontraditional inspire the students to become students often are more dis- teachers of English language ciplined about studying and learners. The project includes attending class than younger funding from the Sid W. students. She says student vet- Richardson Foundation. erans may have some of these Boyd is a member of the same strengths and other val- Tech Titan National Association for ues learned in the military that The Net-Centric Software location rather than on indi- Bilingual Education and contribute to academic success and Systems Center, a vidual computers. served as the association’s despite possible challenges. National Science Foundation- president in 2011-12. The goal is to learn about sponsored Industry/Univer­ Bilingual Education risk and resilience factors to sity Cooperative Research Rossana Boyd, director Veterans Study inform academic and clinical Center based at UNT, was of the bilingual/ESL teacher Researchers at UNT, programming on campuses. selected as the university- certification programs and which has an estimated 1,200 level 2012 Tech Titan of principal lecturer in teacher former and active military Childhood Nutrition the Future by the Metroplex education and administration, members among its students, Priscilla Connors, associ- Technology Business Council. is a national leader in bilingual are investigating the challenges ate professor of hospitality The award recognizes education. She directs the veterans encounter when they and tourism management, higher education institutions Future Bilingual Teachers return to college or enroll for was the principal investiga- in the Dallas-Fort Worth Academy, a summer program the first time. Areas of study tor on a U.S. Department of area that support students jointly hosted by UNT’s include strategies veterans Agriculture grant designed to in choosing engineering and College of Education and the use to cope with stress from combat childhood obesity by technology-related disciplines Fort Worth ISD to introduce deployment experiences and encouraging middle school as a preferred path. Krishna bilingual high school students Kavi, professor of computer to the field of teaching and science and engineering, is encourage them to consider a director of the center. career in bilingual education. A joint venture between Academy administrators academic, government and hope to alleviate the bilingual commercial institutions, teacher shortage by providing it focuses on fundamental research needed for the devel- Rossana Boyd, director of opment and deployment of the bilingual/ESL certification software and applications programs and a national into cloud and net-centric leader in bilingual education, Jonathan Reynolds environments — software directs the Future Bilingual and information available Teachers Academy summer over a network or in a central program at UNT.

12 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch Researchers at UNT’s Ion Beam Modification and Analysis Laboratory include, from left, Duncan Weathers, co-director Gary Glass, director Floyd ‘Del’ McDaniel and Bidhudutta Rout. students to choose more nutritious items from school cafeteria lunch menus. Connors and an interdis- ciplinary team — including students in art and applied anthropology — collected data on menus, food choice, consumption and plate waste in several Texas middle school cafeterias. They then identi- fied low-cost strategies to Gary Payne encourage nutritious choices. Connors says the study confirmed that most children ate the main dish item but On the UNT faculty since the Department of Homeland and then used to characterize were less likely to finish veg- 1992, Chelliah has received Security for 2012. materials. The researchers etables, and a quarter selected Documenting Endangered UNT also reapplied suc- implant ions into existing no fruit. Suggested strategies Languages funding in support cessfully for the designation of materials to alter the struc- for the cafeterias included of her research on Lamkang, National Center of Academic ture, and subsequently the more colorful presentations, spoken primarily in a region Excellence in Information properties, of the materials. more variety, and convenient of Manipur in northeastern Assurance Education, which it The lab has worked with the packaging and portions. India. She is creating a search- originally earned in 2004. National Institutes of Health able computer archive of texts to analyze the elemental com- NSF Program Director in Lamkang and assisting Particle Accelerator position of cancer cells. Shobhana Chelliah, native speakers to determine a The installation of a The researchers also mea- professor of linguistics, was standard writing system. 15,000-pound, 3 million-volt sure the composition of silicon selected as a rotator program particle accelerator expands wafers used in semiconductors director in the National Cyber Security the capabilities of UNT’s to identify ways to produce Science Foundation’s Two Center of Academic Ion Beam Modification and more pure materials, and they Documenting Endangered Excellence designations Analysis Laboratory, one of are studying how to create Languages Program. recognize UNT as a leader the top ion beam labs at any materials that can absorb and Documenting Endangered in cyber security education university in the country. emit light for use in renewable Languages is a joint funding and research. The university The National Electro­ energy applications. program of the NSF and the was one of only seven U.S. static Corp. 9SH Linear Floyd “Del” McDaniel, National Endowment for the institutions to be designated a particle accelerator was origi- Regents Professor of physics Humanities to develop and National Center of Academic nally given to UNT by Texas and materials science, is the advance scientific and schol- Excellence in Information Instruments. A number of director of the lab, and Gary arly knowledge about endan- Assurance Research by the different ions can be produced Glass, professor of physics, is gered human languages. National Security Agency and and accelerated in the lab co-director.

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 13 news briefs

Yan Wan, assistant professor of electrical engineering, is devel­ oping an analytical model that would allow for greater automa­ tion in air traffic flow manage­ ment. Her work is funded by the National Science Foundation and MITRE Corp.

learning. Her research has been supported by more than $8.5 million in grant funding. Gary Payne Schoenberg Collection Air Traffic Flow and Nonlinear­ Control and their learning experience. A collection of original Yan Wan, assistant profes- IEEE Transactions on Vehic­ Eddy studies teacher manuscripts, letters and pho- sor of electrical engineering, ular Technologies. preparation and quality. Her tographs of famed composer says managing air traffic flow research has been supported Arnold Schoenberg, who is a combination of art and Science and Math by grants of more than $5 created the revolutionary science. She is developing an Pam Harrell and Colleen million, including the NSF 12-tone technique of com- analytical model that would Eddy, associate professors Robert Noyce Scholarship position, was donated to the account for the uncertainty of of teacher education and grant for which she is the College of Music. weather and traffic demand administration, were awarded principal investigator. The composer’s oldest and would allow for greater a Texas Higher Education Harrell’s research explores living grandson, Arnold automation in air traffic flow Coordinating Board grant teacher quality variables such Greissle-Schoenberg, and his management, which would for their Xtreem Science and as teacher content knowledge wife, Nancy Bogen, donated mean more efficiency and Mathematics Institute. and the impact of pedagogical the works and attended a fewer delays. She is develop- The institute provides pro- content knowledge on student performance of Mein ing and testing her model with fessional development to Fort the support of the National Worth and Dallas ISD teach- Science Foundation ers in algebra I, geometry and MITRE Corp. and middle school science Wan also received an NSF and biology. It is designed to EAGER grant to examine develop teachers who engage broader issues related to students with math and sci- dynamic decision-making in ence content to enhance infrastructure systems under uncertainty. Her research into large-scale networks may eventually help computer Arnold Greissle-Schoenberg and scientists predict and under- his wife, Nancy Bogen, donated stand the spread of computer writings and photos of his grand­ viruses. Her recent work father, famed composer Arnold has been published in the Schoenberg, to the UNT College Gary Payne International Journal of Robust of Music.

14 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch

Lebenslauf, composed by programs. When the gift on the small rural library sculptures that make sound Arnold Schoenberg’s­ son is in place, it will produce as a community resource, a when the materials brush Georg, and performed by more than $100,000 a year in gathering place for people and together — made with the UNT students, alumni and scholarships and other stu- a facilitator for community help of students in the sculp- faculty. The collection gives dent and faculty support and partnerships. It also provides ture, fibers and costume insight into one of the 20th the communication design library training and peer inter- design programs. Cave’s century’s most innovative program will bear the name action for rural library staff. Soundsuits have been lauded composers. It includes such Jack Sprague Communication Researchers are assessing internationally. items as errata sheets from Design Program. how this collaborative model Heard, featuring UNT Arnold Schoenberg’s famous- Sprague, a Professor enhances the effectiveness of student dancers corralled by ly difficult violin concerto. Emeritus, taught at UNT for rural library service in Texas. UNT percussionists, was per- 20 years, including 14 years Yunfei Du, associate profes- formed on campus in spring Winspear Chair as director of the program, sor, is the principal investiga- 2012. UNT’s Institute for UNT’s College of Music before retiring in 2009. He is tor for the project. the Advancement of the Arts received a $1.5 million gift in now the education director at advances excellence in the spring 2012 from the estate the Smart Center Santa Fe. Performance Piece visual, performing and cre- of the late philanthropist and Visual and performance ative literary arts at UNT. honorary UNT alumnus Bill PEARL Project artist Nick Cave finished Winspear. With the gift, the The Department of his appointment as 2011- university established the Library and Information 12 artist-in-residence of endowed Margot and Bill Sciences’ PEARL Project UNT’s Institute for the Winspear Chair in Opera is enhancing the role of the Advancement of the Arts UNT students brought Heard to Studies, named in honor public library in targeted rural with a collaborative perfor- life in spring 2012. The perfor­ of Winspear and his wife, communities in Texas. mance piece, Heard. The mance piece was created by Nick Margot. Paula Homer, direc- Funded by the Robert piece featured horse-like Cave, 2011-12 artist-in-residence tor of the UNT opera pro- and Ruby Priddy Charitable Soundsuits — wearable for UNT’s Institute for the gram, was selected as the first Trust, the project focuses Advancement of the Arts. person to hold the chair. The endowed fund will be used for opera production costs, financial support for voice students in opera and other opera-related expenses. The opera program offers intensive training and per- formance opportunities to talented undergraduate and graduate music students through the College of Music.

Communication Design A $2.5 million anonymous estate gift will support stu- dents, faculty and programs in the College of Visual Jonathan Reynolds Arts and Design and lead to a name change for one of UNT’s outstanding

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 15 >>

creative writing

American Literary Review Established in 1990 at UNT, the biannual American Literary Review is a showcase of diverse genres and styles. Prominent Faculty Draw The finest crafted stories, essays and poems are selected from upwards of 800 general entries each year submitted from across the country, with additional entries received for the annual short fiction, creative Talented nonfiction and poetry contests. Creative writing professors and students work as a team to oversee the journal’s production and serve as readers, contest Writers coordinators, designers, and assistant To UNT and genre editors. The journal, which has a large national

by readership, provides visibility for the creative julie west writing program and is one reason people con- U nect good writing with UNT and Denton. The English department also sponsors the North Texas Review, a literary magazine for UNT students, who submit the poems, create A bourgeoning literary scene flourishes in Denton, Texas, and writers across the artwork and stories, edit and produce every the country are paying attention. The University of North Texas is in the vanguard aspect of the publication. of creative writing programs in the nation. It is among a select group of schools — “Our journals give students the opportu- and the only university in the Dallas-Fort Worth area — offering a doctoral degree nity to learn valuable editing and management in English with a concentration in creative writing. Master’s students and undergrad- skills, stay on top of a rapidly changing publish- uates also can major in English with a creative writing concentration. “If you want to do creative writing, UNT is the place to be,” says B.H. “Pete” ing world and understand how their own work AFairchild, an internationally recognized poet who says the caliber of the faculty and stacks up in that often dizzying environment,” program lured him back to Texas to join UNT as a creative writing professor and faculty editor-in-chief Ann McCutchan says. senior poet in residence. “You choose to write because you can’t not write. You begin “Working on a journal inspires developing with a deep love for the art form, and after that it becomes the hard work of master- writers to make the important leap from aspir- ing the craft. I want students to above all learn that.” ing wordsmith to artist and professional.”

Faculty Foundation Notable faculty poets such as Fairchild, Bruce Bond and Corey Marks are one of the reasons students are drawn to the program. Their works have been praised by some of the most important critics in the nation and appear in respected literary journals. They also have received some of the highest awards in the field. Fairchild’s The Art of the Lathe, which won a Beatrice Hawley Award, was a finalist for the

From left, B.H. ‘Pete’ Fairchild, senior poet in residence, and Corey Marks, director of creative writing (shown at Paschall Bar in Denton) are among the award-winning faculty poets who are making a name for UNT’s program.

16 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 17 Gary Payne Ann McCutchan, faculty editor-in-chief, center, works with doctoral students Hillary Stringer and Zach VandeZande on the American Literary Review.

Exceptional Opportunities A distinction of the creative writ- ing program is its integration into the Department of English. Creative writing doctoral students take literary criticism, theory, classical rhetoric and other courses similar to those taken by the literature students. David Holdeman, W.B. Yeats Gary Payne scholar and department chair, says that exposure to different genres is a means to good writing. National Book Award and brought his work to national promi- “We don’t have a literature faction on one side and a creative nence. His Occult Memory Systems of the Lower Midwest won the writing group on the other,” he says. “Our graduates will be quali- National Book Critics Circle Award. fied as multifaceted academics and teachers. I think that’s key.” Bond, a Regents Professor of English, received the Texas Jessica Hindman, a fourth-year Ph.D. student, says the cross Institute of Letters’ Best Book of Poetry award for Radiography, and training of genres has been invaluable in shaping her work. Marks, associate professor of English and director of creative writ- “Teachers encourage literary experimentation. I might apply ing, won the Green Rose Prize for his latest book, The Radio Tree. the creative nonfiction lens to traditional literature and analyze “I’m thrilled to be working with talented peers and students,” Chaucer’s ‘The Wife of Bath’s Tale’ as if it were a memoir written Marks says. “This feeds me as a writer. The students talk about from the wife’s perspective. I’m constantly finding myself in exciting having a wonderful sense of community here, and that’s true for new literary terrain,” she says. me, too.” The advanced degree program is attracting many other talent- Nonfiction and fiction also are mainstays of the program. ed students. Each year the English department has seen a significant Fiction writer and assistant professor Miroslav Penkov is receiving increase in the number of advanced degree applications. international honors and press for his book of stories, East of the “Our graduate students are remarkable poets, story writers, West, including the highly sought 2012 BBC International Short nonfiction writers,” Marks says. “Many have already published, Story Award and coverage on National Public Radio. sometimes significantly.” With support from UNT’s Institute for the Advancement of the Arts, Penkov says he returned to Bulgaria “like a marathon Level of Dialogue runner who must first train for months” to research the setting and Mark Wagenaar, a second-year doctoral student, is a case in story for his next book. point. Prior to coming to UNT, he received numerous national Nonfiction writer and associate professor Ann McCutchan poetry awards, including the Yellowwood Poetry Prize and the also is receiving noteworthy attention and reviews for her two new Gary Gildner Award. His work is published in distinguished liter- books, River Music — An Atchafalaya Story, “an original blend of ary venues such as The Southern Review and New England Review. nature writing, music history, biography, journalism and memoir,” Wagenaar first learned of the UNT program’s reputation and Circular Breathing, a collection of personal essays. through its signature journal, the American Literary Review. When Doctoral student Chelsea Wagenaar turned down a scholar- one of his poems was published in the spring 2011 issue, he began ship at another university to pursue creative writing with UNT’s investigating the possibility of pursuing a Ph.D. at UNT. A visit to well-known, and accessible, faculty writers. campus convinced him. “The opportunity for one-on-one mentorship was a big factor “The enthusiasm for the program was obvious, among both in my decision,” says Wagenaar, whose work was awarded the 2012 faculty and students,” he says. “I am continually impressed by the Pablo Neruda poetry prize from the journal Nimrod. “The profes- level of dialogue.” sors support individual creativity.” Bond says he learns daily from his students — “their questions, their inventions, their provocations.”

18 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch “I get to explore with them how poetry matters, how it binds second books, and the dedication they bring to teaching — it is us conceptually and emotionally to the world,” he says. “It is regen- clear to me that UNT has the talent and energy to power the pro- erating to see students come to this art and bring to it their own gram into the top tier nationally,” Fountain says. depths of character.” In 2012, the creative writing program introduced the first Since being at UNT, Wagenaar has won the 2012 Felix annual UNT Rilke Prize, named after the Bohemian-Austrian Pollak Prize for his debut collection of poetry, Voodoo Inverso. As poet Rainier Maria Rilke. The $10,000 award, which recognizes a a research assistant, he is finalizing details for a 2013 publication of book written by a mid-career poet that demonstrates exceptional Bond’s poetry collection, The Other Sky, which pairs Bond’s poems artistry and vision, was presented to poet, novelist and University of with the evocative paintings of Aaron Wiesenfeld in what poet Michigan professor Laura Kasischke for her book Space, in Chains. Stephen Dunn calls a “rare collaboration of sensibilities.” The prize aims to raise awareness of talented writers in the field and Wagenaar also is working on materials for Bond’s critical bring focus to the program. book project about poetics, Immanent Distance: Poetry and the “I was just at a poetry reading in San Francisco and a couple Metaphysics of the Near at Hand. of writers came up and asked about the award,” Bond says. “His collection of scholarly writing has inspired me to consider “Clearly the prize has helped in raising UNT’s national visibility, the scope and value of my own essays as being a relevant extension and it validates vision and artistry — qualities that are key to a of my poetry,” Wagenaar says. “I appreciate his insight.” healthy culture.” A new award also has been created for exceptional graduate Supporting the Arts students of poetry, thanks to a generous donation from Denton arts The Visiting Writers Series, which brings esteemed authors patron Paul Voertman. The Voertman Poetry Prize for Students to campus to give public readings, is another reason people associ- was endowed by the Academy of American Poets, an affiliation that ate literary excellence with UNT. English professors, students lends added prestige. and community members benefit from dialogue with luminary The prizes, poetry series, hire of a senior-level poet and other literary figures such as Adam Zagajewski, Kathryn Harrison and innovations build on the solid foundation of the program and help Claudia Emerson. fuel its reputation. UNT is a major contributor to the cultural environment “All of these ingredients are blending and strengthening each of the region. The Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture, other in a pretty interesting way,” Holdeman says. “UNT is in the WordSpace and the Writer’s Garrett are among area venues sup- right place at the right time.” porting exchange. Literary aficionados also enjoy the student-ini- tiated Kraken Reading Series directed by doctoral students Kyle McCord and Justin Bigos, which focuses on supporting new talent. Ben Fountain, lauded fiction writer, is a former guest author of the Visiting Writers Series who was impressed with the vitality of UNT’s creative writing program. “If you look at the literary accom- plishments of the faculty — especially at the kudos the younger faculty mem- bers are getting with their first and

Doctoral student Mark Wagenaar, right, was drawn to the program by fac­ ulty including noted poet Bruce Bond, Regents Professor and UNT Foundation Gary Payne Eminent Faculty Award winner.

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 19 D

medical research

Studies Hold Promise for Fighting Disease

by alyssaU yancey

reast cancer, which strikes about one of soon revolutionize the healthcare industry. every eight American women, has a five- Scientists from fields including biology, Byear survival rate of only 15 percent if chemistry, geography and engineering are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Survival working on research that could improve rates improve to nearly 90 percent with the understanding of the human body and early diagnosis, but even the most thor- human health, and so lead to better medi- ough biopsies can miss cancer during the cal treatments and technologies. very early stages. Arup Neogi, professor of physics at Cancer Studies the University of North Texas, is working Neogi’s nanomedicine research not as a member of the Bio/Nano-Photonics only has potential for diagnostic applica- research cluster on an early cancer detec- tions, but also may be promising for treat- tion technique that uses nanoparticles. ment of cancers and infections. “Our method using photonics is When cultured with cell samples more sensitive than current methods,” he from cancer patients collected at the says. “We would be able to distinguish a University of Texas Medical Branch in single malignant cell from healthy cells.” Galveston and Northwestern University, Neogi’s work is just one way UNT the small zinc oxide particles Neogi works researchers are developing tools that could with will enter the cancer cells but not

20 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch Arup Neogi, professor of physics and member of the Bio/Nano-Photonics research cluster, studies the use of zinc oxide nanoparticles in the detection and treatment of cancer.

the healthy cells. The particles naturally emit light in the presence of infrared light, allowing researchers to quickly identify cancerous cells using non-linear micro- scopes, which use infrared light to probe deep into tissues. The presence of malignant cells can be determined just minutes after the culture is created. However, Neogi and his team discovered that if the samples are left for 15 to 20 minutes, the cancer cells can be totally destroyed by the zinc oxide particles. “We hypothesize that the nanopar- ticles are antimicrobial in nature and when they break up, they create free radicals that destroy the malignant cells,” Neogi says. “Only the cancerous cells are affected

in the tests we’ve conducted, so we see Michael Clements great potential in using nanoparticles as a cancer treatment that would be less destructive than current treatments that kill both cancerous and healthy cells.” Neogi, whose grants include funding from the National Science Foundation within two or three years. The treatment tion, but if you wanted to look at smaller and the Japan Society for Promotion of element of his research will take longer to networks of 500 to 1,000 cells, you would Sciences, works closely with Shimane be implemented since the materials will destroy the tissue by inserting electrodes,” University in Matsue, Japan, on the proj- need to undergo stringent testing. Gross says. ect. He is seeking collaborations with “A single cell doesn’t mean that clinical physicians to further develop Toxicology and Pharmacology much. It is the group that forms the basic nanomedicine-based cancer treatments. A few blocks from the physics lab functional unit of the brain, and it is the His team also is investigating ways to where Neogi is investigating the future of group dynamics we know the least about. safely deliver the nanoparticles to sites of cancer treatment, Guenter Gross, Regents So the idea was, if you cannot bring elec- infection. He says infections contracted in Professor of biological sciences, listens to trodes to cells, then why not bring the hospitals are an increasing problem. neuronal networks in his lab. cells to the electrodes.” “Due to the excessive use of antibiot- In 1977, Gross and his team were Originally, Gross thought his new ics, many microbes are resistant to drugs,” the first researchers in the world to record technique would primarily be used to Neogi says. “My team is investigating electrophysiological data from nervous study network theory — how cells func- whether an individual’s own blood plate- system cell cultures using thin film elec- tion in groups — but soon the team dis- lets could be used to penetrate resistant trode arrays. He was able to record cel- covered additional applications. microbes to deliver nanoparticles loaded lular activity using the small glass plates “The network theory work is ongo- with drugs directly to the infected site.” embedded with microelectrodes and ing, but the more practical applications If enough funding is secured, Neogi coated with a microscopic layer of tissue. have been for pharmacology and toxicol- predicts his diagnostic technology could “Everyone knew you could put elec- ogy,” Gross says. be implemented in labs across the country trodes into the brain and measure func-

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 21 Guenter Gross, Regents Professor of biological sciences, was the first to use thin film electrode arrays to record the activity of nerve cell network cultures. The networks are helping researchers test and develop new drugs.

Gross conducted toxicity tests on the biosensors that had been developed and studied their effect on neuronal function. The project has concluded, but Gross hopes the team will secure addi- tional funding to further develop more efficient prosthetic interfaces with the nervous system.

Sparking an Interest Pamela Padilla, an associate profes- sor of biological sciences and a member of UNT’s Developmental Integrative Biology research cluster, is investigating human health and disease through the lens of C. elegans, millimeter-long round- worms with insulin-signaling pathways

Michael Clements similar to those in humans. Using an NSF CAREER award, Padilla studies how the worms are able to “We never expected these networks with Gross to assess the potential benefits survive in extremely low oxygen environ- to behave so similarly to nervous tissues of various drugs for treating tinnitus, a dis- ments. The award, the most prestigious in the body, but they are very representa- order characterized by ringing in the ears. offered by the NSF for young investiga- tive of the parent organism.” They also are testing the neurotoxic effects tors, supports early career development The networks have been used to test of cisplatin, a commonly used cancer activities of teacher-scholars. antiserums for the military, determine treatment drug known to induce hearing Typically, C. elegans can survive in the effectiveness and toxicity of drugs loss and tinnitus, and studying protection environments of less than 1 percent oxy- that could slow Alzheimer’s disease, and against neurotoxicity with antioxidants. gen, but recently Padilla and her students study ways to minimize damage caused Gross also has been tapped to work discovered the worms can no longer sur- by alcohol — the networks show signs of on a number of projects for the U.S. vive in anoxic conditions when fed a diet intoxication at about the same concentra- Department of Defense. high in carbohydrates. tions that humans do. Most recently, he worked with col- She hopes studying mutant C. ele­ “The networks on microelectrode leagues at Southern Methodist Univer­ gans that are able to survive low-oxygen arrays are very effective screening plat- sity, Case Western Reserve University, conditions even when given a high-car- forms that can save time and money Vanderbilt University and the University bohydrate diet could lead to new treat- during drug development and reduce of Texas at Dallas on a multi-million ments for diabetes or oxygen-deprivation the number of animals used for this pur- dollar grant aimed at developing next- related diseases. pose,” Gross says. generation prosthetic limbs. Padilla also is using her award to get Kamakshi Gopal and Ernest Moore, The researchers investigated optical students interested in research. professors in the Department of Speech recording and stimulation techniques to “It is difficult to do discovery-based and Hearing Sciences, are collaborating replace less reliable metal electrodes. learning in the classroom, especially in

22 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch Pamela Padilla, associate professor of biologi­ cal sciences and member of the Developmental Integrative Biology research cluster, is an NSF CAREER award winner investigating human health and disease through the roundworm C. elegans.

large science classes, so many courses end up with recipe-like labs,” Padilla says. “My CAREER award included an education component, so I developed a lab module for our genetics course that allows students to do a more open-ended genetic screen.” Undergraduate student Iran Roman took the course last spring and says it opened his eyes to the possibilities of research. Now Roman, who is triple majoring in biology, music theory and German, is working with a graduate stu- dent in Padilla’s lab to better understand the role of specific genes in glucose pro- Michael Clements cessing in C. elegans. He also is searching for genes that are important in responding to oxygen deprivation with four other undergradu- ates who became interested in joining the lab after taking the genetics course. spread in a given population. The center Computational Chemical Biology and Each year, 300 students take the uses computer modeling, simulation and Developmental Integrative Biology course, which implements discovery- visualization to improve the allocation research clusters, has a joint appointment based learning. The project was profiled of public health resources. Researchers in biology and computer science. in Science magazine in October 2012. affiliated with the center also collaborate Dong works as a bioinformatician, with researchers at the UNT Health developing algorithms and software to The Tools to Succeed Science Center. analyze complex data sets such as DNA Successful medical research typi- UNT’s Metabolomics and Metabolic sequencing information. Through several cally requires a substantial infrastructure. Signaling Pathway Research Laboratory, National Institutes of Health projects, UNT has invested in facilities to advance overseen by Vladimir Shulaev, professor he is collaborating with medical doctors the capabilities of all of its researchers, of biological sciences, opened last fall. studying bacteria in the human body. including those interested in health. The lab is one of the top facilities “DNA sequencing and other tech- UNT’s Center for Computational of its kind in the world and will allow nologies have revolutionized scientific Epidemiology and Response Analysis was researchers to use mass spectrometry and research, but there have to be tools to founded in 2008. The faculty overseeing liquid chromatography to analyze the comprehend the multitudes of data being the center are computer scientist Armin chemical makeup of living organisms. produced,” Dong says. Mikler, medical geographer Joseph The university also has recruited “Tools like bioinformatics are Oppong and biologist Sam Atkinson. faculty experts who can help make sense helping make groundbreaking medical Together, they use technologies such of the massive amounts of data being research possible.” as geographic information systems to aid produced by the scientific community. in the prediction and analysis of disease Qunfeng Dong, a member of UNT’s

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 23 faculty books

1 \\ Open Access: flicts, Fuhrmann says the evi- from various foundations to Mohanty’s research in Contextualizing the Archi­ dence points to an expansion ask Latinos more than 160 design for very-large-scale volted Portals of Northern of state-sponsored policing questions regarding their integration is funded by the Spain and Western France activities in the early centuries social characteristics, group National Science Foundation Within the Theology and of the Common Era. relations, policy positions and and the Semiconductor Politics of Entry Drawing on art, archaeol- political orientations. Research Corp. (Cambridge Scholars Publishing) ogy, administrative docu- Chapters she wrote or co- Mickey Abel, associate pro­ ments, Egyptian papyri, laws, wrote for the book cover top- fessor of art history religious texts and ancient nar- ics such as demographics, gen- 5 \\ Klallam Dictionary The book explores the his- ratives, he gives an overview der role attitudes, and media (University of Washington Press) tory, development and mean- of Roman imperial policing and technology usage. The Timothy Montler, profes­ ing of the “archivolted” portals practices, including the role of book is a follow-up to 2010’s sor of linguistics adorning many of the rural Augustus and the expansion of Latino Lives in America: Working with the elders, ecclesiastical structures of policing under his successors Making it Home. The third educators and tribal coun- 12th century western France — a new means by which the book in the series is expected cils of the Klallam Tribes in and northern Spain. state could control its subjects. to be published this year. northwest Washington and Abel argues that the con- The book is the first general British Columbia, Montler centrically stepped and orna- analysis of Roman policing in has compiled a comprehensive mented archivolts likely used more than a century and the 4 \\ Robust SRAM Designs dictionary with more than sculptural imagery accessible first ever in English. and Analysis 9,000 entries for the endan- to both monks and parish- (Springer) gered language of Klallam. ioners. She suggests that the Jawar Singh, Indian Institute He began working with form reflects the kinetic ele- 3 \\ Latinos in the New of Information Technology, the tribes more than 30 years ments inherent to pilgrimage Millennium: An Almanac Design and Manufacturing; ago, and in 2007, the Klallam and crusade, as well as cultural of Opinion, Behavior and Saraju P. Mohanty, UNT Language Program asked that interaction with the Islamic Policy Preferences associate professor of computer he work on a dictionary. He courts of Spain and the (Cambridge University Press) science and engineering; Dhiraj received funding through the politics of the Peace of God Luis R. Fraga, University of K. Pradhan, University of Documenting Endangered movement, with its emphasis Washington; John A. Garcia, Bristol Languages program, a on relic processions. Institute for Social Research; This guide to static ran- cooperative program of the Abel is now working on Rodney E. Hero, University dom access memory bitcell National Endowment for the a book about the monastic of California – Berkeley; design and analysis is meant Humanities and the National development of a canal system Michael Jones-Correa, Cornell to help meet challenges such Science Foundation. around Maillezais Abbey in University; Valerie Martinez- as process variation, leakage He has a new grant to work western France. Ebers, UNT professor of and temperature instability for on a dictionary and electronic political science; and Gary M. complementary metal oxide text archive for Saanich, a Segura, Stanford University semiconductor devices and language spoken on southern 2 \\ Policing the Roman Martinez-Ebers, who also is emerging devices. Vancouver Island. Empire: Soldiers, Adminis­ an alumna of UNT, co-wrote The authors highlight the tration and Public Order this comprehensive profile most popular SRAM options (Oxford University Press) of Latinos that compares for reducing process vari- 6 \\ Miniature Forests of Christopher J. Fuhrmann, conventional wisdom regard- ability, an ongoing challenge Cape Horn: Ecotourism with associate professor of history ing their attitudes and efforts in large memory arrays. They a Hand Lens Although the popular to assimilate with the most also include trade-offs for (UNT Press/Ediciones Universi­ theory is that Roman society recent empirical evidence. achieving the best design and dad de Magallanes) relied on kinship networks or She and her co-writers raised provide techniques and exper- Bernard Goffinet, University self-regulation to resolve con- $1.3 million through grants imental simulation setups. of Connecticut; Ricardo Rozzi,

24 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch UNT professor of philosophy information with implications and religion studies; Lily Lewis, for wildlife management and doctoral student who par­ conservation biology. ticipated in UNT’s Chile study Case study topics include abroad course; William Buck, the marine ecology of shell- New York Botanical Garden; fish and fish, potential res- 1 and Francisca Massardo, toration sites for Sandhill University of Magallanes Cranes and conservation of This guide provides infor- animals such as American mation on the “miniature for- black bears. Essays also ests” in the southernmost end address issues of political and of Chile — a world hotspot social ecology. Wolverton is of biodiversity for liverworts, an ecologist and archaeologist 2 mosses and lichens that sur- specializing in the paleozool- round the trees and rocks. ogy of North America during The bilingual book with the Holocene epoch. full-color photos describes the architecture, life cycles and identification of the taxonom- 8 \\ The Destiny of Modern ic groups of these organisms. Societies: The Calvinist It also includes a natural his- Predestination of a New 3 tory narrative and introduces Society the ecotourism experience of (Haymarket Books) using a magnifying glass or Milan Zafirovski, professor camera to appreciate the of sociology highly diversified organ- Part of the Studies in 4 isms. Rozzi is the director Critical Social Sciences series, of UNT’s Sub-Antarctic this book extends previous Biocultural Conservation analyses of the impact of Program in Chile. Calvinism to explore how it has determined most contem- porary social institutions in 7 \\ Conservation Biology America, including those in and Applied Zooarchaeology the political, civic, cultural and 5 (University of Arizona Press) economic areas. Steve Wolverton, UNT It applies the idea of the associate professor of geography, destiny of societies or nations and R. Lee Lyman, University to American society in par- of Missouri-Columbia, editors ticular. Zafirovski, whose This book is designed to research interests include show how zooarchaeology, a political sociology and 6 sub-field of archaeology and economy, social stratifica- ethnobiology, can inform con- tion and theory, also is the servation science. It offers case author of Liberal Modernity studies using animal remains and Its Adversaries and The from archaeological and pale- Enlightenment and its Effects on 7 ontological sites to provide Modern Society. unt.edu/untresearch8 | unt Research 2013 ] 25 sustainability

is More Greenthan a color at by UNT ernestineU bousquet

Zhenhai Xia is working to perfect synthetic dry adhesives based on the Spiderman-like prowess of geckos. Jaehyung Ju has helped to reinvent the tire by taking out the air and is now studying ways to make airless tires safer, more fuel efficient and even greener. Stevens Brumbley is engineering plants — specifically sugarcane — to produce a range of bioplastics, which will provide alternatives to petroleum-based plastics. Ruthanne Thompson is showing schools how using wind and solar power technology can save money. And while she’s at it, she’s analyzing what makes the best urban-scale wind and solar power system to help power neighborhoods. Researchers at the University of North Texas are working to develop technologies and products designed by nature or designed with nature in mind. They work in many disciplines — from engineering and plant science to environmental science and philosophy — and together are distinguishing UNT as a premier place for green research. The university’s strong environmental legacy began in the 1930s with water research. Now, with solutions-based research clusters and innovative degree programs in areas such as mechanical and energy engineering, UNT is standing out in new ways.

Nature-inspired Products ZIf Spiderman were real, his hands and feet would work like gecko feet, says Xia, a member of the Materials Modeling research cluster and the Center for Advanced Scientific Computing and Modeling at UNT. Geckos can climb any vertical or horizontal surface, sticking to it and detaching easily while their feet stay clean. The quick-release adhesion is attributed to the unique structure of the millions of microscopic hairs on their feet and van der Waals force, which allows them to generate a strong adhesion force to defy gravity but easily detach from a surface by peeling their feet away. Xia was part of a team of researchers, led by Liming Dai of Case Western Reserve University, who made gecko-inspired dry adhe- sive that was 10 times stronger than gecko feet by mimicking gecko footpads using carbon nanotubes. The palm-sized adhesive was esti-

mated to be strong enough to support a 200-pound man climbing a wall, but easy to remove and re-adhere upon many reapplications.

Their research was published in Science magazine. Because of the tubes’ strength and flexibility, they also could be used as structural material in such things as car parts and baseball bats. >> Read about more UNT green research projects at unt.edu/untresearch.

26 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch at UNT

Stevens Brumbley, associate professor of biological sciences, works at the new Jonathan Reynolds Research Greenhouse Complex at UNT’s Discovery Park. He is engineering sugarcane to createunt.edu/untresearch bioplastics as an alternative | unt Researchto petroleum-based 2013 ] plastics. 27 Zhenhai Xia, associate professor of materials sci­ ence and engineering, explores the micro hairs of gecko feet for his research on dry adhesives.

In the mechanical and energy engineer- ing department, tires are getting an overhaul too. Ju, an assistant professor and researcher in UNT’s PACCAR Technology Institute, contributed to the development of the airless or non-pneumatic tire. On the market within perhaps a decade, the tires are made of poly- urethane and rely on a structure of flexible spokes for stiffness instead of air. Because the tires won’t go flat, they have a longer shelf life, meaning fewer would end up in the land- fill compared to conventional rubber tires. Ju has analyzed the airless tire’s rolling resistance to see how it handles energy loss. He has found that airless tires have a 10 percent lower rolling resistance than tradi- tional tires, which translates into better fuel efficiency and a safer road experience. Now Ju is working to improve the design and safety of the airless tire. He is developing porous polyurethane composites that could lead to a 20 percent lower rolling Jonathan Reynolds resistance. He also is applying his research in cellular topology, the lattice geometries that Now, Xia, associate professor of lems, we make life easier and help protect control the stiffness and strength of cellular materials science and engineering, is further the environment.” materials, to improve the design. exploring the hair of gecko feet. His team His research team members are using has discovered a self-cleaning mechanism in Fuel Cells and Tires a multiscale modeling and design technique the feet and, based on the finding, will cre- Xia also has been researching how to that covers the materials design and struc- ate artificial gecko feet for testing. improve clean-energy technology for cars tural performance of a real tire model. He The research could be used to help and power plants. He was part of a team says they are close to matching the safety of create dry synthetic adhesives that would that had a breakthrough in fuel cell technol- the conventional tire. be strong and reusable, remaining sticky ogy, discovering that nitrogen-doped carbon Motivated by collaborations with and clean after each application. The nanotubes are nearly four times better than faculty in UNT’s Renewable Bioproducts advanced adhesion technology could be platinum as a catalyst and could eventually research cluster — including Nandika used for applications such as bonding mate- replace it in fuel cells. These findings also D’Souza, professor of mechanical and energy rial in the biomedical field or electrical were published in Science. engineering and materials science, and components. He is hoping the research Xia says the high cost of platinum is Sheldon Shi, associate professor of mechani- also could lead to cheaper ways to fabricate one of the major barriers for fuel cell com- cal and energy engineering — Ju envisions the adhesive. mercialization. Carbon is easy to find and creating an airless tire made of eco-friendly Xia focuses on biomimetic research, cheap to mass produce, so it is a more renew- material such as nanowhisker-reinforced which looks to nature to design materials able resource than platinum. Carbon nano- natural rubber. He also is looking at ways to and devices. Nature has had millions of material also is a better catalyst for oxygen use recycled rubber tires for creating other years to perfect the design of animals and reduction — a key chemical reaction that products such as building materials. plants, he says, and from it we can learn to generates electricity in fuel cells — so it can “UNT is focused on sustainable tech- create new, better and greener materials. make a clean technology better and cheaper. nology,” Ju says. “It’s great to collaborate “As scientists, we need to solve big Xia is now working to better understand the with other researchers who have expertise problems,” Xia says. “If we solve big prob- catalytic mechanisms in fuel cells. in this area.”

28 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch Plant-based Plastic plastic that is either going into landfills or lead to smaller, more energy-efficient devices. Brumbley, associate professor of biolog- showing up as part of an ongoing pollution The game has been named a finalist in the ical sciences in the Renewable Bioproducts problem,” he says. “They also can be a key NSF-sponsored International Science and cluster, is working at the new Research solution for corporations dealing with legis- Engineering Visualization Challenge, one of Greenhouse Complex at Discovery Park, lation on products that don’t biodegrade and the top 10 in the Games and Apps category. UNT’s 300-acre research park. He is engi- aren’t being recycled.” Peter Collins, assistant professor of neering C4 grasses such as sugarcane to cre- materials science and engineering, is focused ate more environmentally friendly plastic. More Efficient Technology on developing high-strength, lightweight Most of the plastic in our lives is made As the demand for smaller, more ener- alloys that might be used to create lighter from petroleum-based resources, but that is gy-efficient electrical devices grows, electrical vehicles that are more fuel efficient while starting to change as major manufacturers are engineers must determine how to best fit all still retaining their design strength levels. As driving demand for green plastics, Brumbley the electrical components into the devices. director of the UNT site of the Center for says. Bioplastics are made from renewable Gayatri Mehta, assistant professor of electri- Advanced Non-ferrous Structural Alloys resources, have a lower carbon footprint and cal engineering, and student researchers have — an NSF-sponsored Industry/University are, in some cases, biodegradable. turned the problem of efficiently mapping Cooperative Research Center — Collins The C4 grasses are ideal crops for bio- electrical components into a web-based com- is part of a team working to develop light- plastics because they efficiently use sunshine puter game, Untangled (at untangled.unt.edu), weight alloys used in airplanes and cars. and carbon dioxide to produce biomass, are which could lead to new algorithms. The work of Mehta and Collins could abundant and can easily be re-engineered, The game unlocks the secrets of human play an essential role in improving the effi- Brumbley says. Certain kinds of grasses also intuition by requiring players to arrange ciency and performance of everyday tech- are drought tolerant and will grow on lands various series of blocks on a graph. By math- nology, leading to positive impacts on the not suited for food crops. ematically analyzing the graphs of the top- environment. Sugarcane is one of the more advanta- scoring players, the team hopes to develop geous C4 grasses for bioplastics because it new algorithms to help engineers develop the Outreach-based Research is already grown and produced for sucrose. next generation of cell phones, medical devic- At UNT’s Environmental Education, Where there is sugarcane production, there es and other electronics. Mehta’s National Science and Technology Building, is infrastructure to grow the cane, harvest the Science Foundation-funded research could Thompson, an environmental scientist, can biomass, transport it to a central processing plant and crush it. Waste from the produc- tion helps provide the energy to run the mill. To engineer the sugarcane, Brumbley isolates genes from various bacterial species that make the necessary chemicals and trans- forms the sugarcane so these genes become part of its genome. Bioplastics or precursors are then made in the cells of the sugarcane plants and accumulate there until harvested. He says the field is in its infancy but growing rapidly, and bioplastics have huge potential for use in everything from packag- ing to electronics, automobiles and airplanes. “In addition to reducing petroleum use, bioplastics could displace a large amount of

Jaehyung Ju, assistant professor of mechanical and energy engineering, helped develop airless tires and

is working to make them even more fuel efficient. Jonathan Reynolds

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 29 Ruthanne ‘Rudi’ Thompson, associate professor of bio­ logical sciences, focuses on environmental research and education through a SMART Schools initiative funded by the State Energy Conservation Office.

Veteto and other researchers help to identify at-risk crops important to regional biodiversity and sustainable agriculture, then work with farmers to preserve them and to promote local seed exchanges. They want to reverse further loss in the diversity of crops in the American South.

Conservation UNT’s reach extends around the world. Through the Sub-Antarctic Ecosystems and Biocultural Conservation research cluster, UNT researchers are partnering with researchers in Chile to protect and support the ecologically fragile Cape Horn reserve — one of the world’s last remaining pristine wilderness areas. The cluster includes researchers from UNT’s nationally recognized programs in environmental philosophy, biological sci- ences and ecological sciences. Jonathan Reynolds Co-directed by faculty members Ricardo Rozzi and Eugene Hargrove in tell at any given moment how much energy costs so that she has strong research to philosophy and James Kennedy and Jaime the 3.5 kwh wind turbine and four-panel encourage the use of urban-scale systems. Jiménez in biological sciences, the program solar array are producing to help power the She also goes to local schools to teach stu- combines cultural and philosophical per- greenhouse there. dents how to reduce water consumption. spectives with empirical scientific research. Both a practical energy source and She’s found they are taking the lessons to Through the UNT-Chile Field Research a demonstration project, the system heart and back to their families. Station, students and faculty conduct is Thompson’s brainchild, part of her “I try to make connections through hands-on research on climate change, habi- SMART Schools initiative funded by a real-world applications,” Thompson says. tat conservation and language loss. grant from the State Energy Conservation “This not only helps students see the These initiatives are helping UNT Office. Through the initiative, Thompson, effects of their actions, it can help make become known as a hub for green research associate professor of biological sciences, future scientists.” in everything from renewable energy tech- used research and modeling to help eight As an environmental anthropolo- nologies to bioproducts and conservation, Texas schools or school districts imple- gist, James Veteto, assistant professor of says Geoff Gamble, vice president for ment technologies to save energy and anthropology, also does outreach-based research and economic development. educate students about energy conserva- green research. He directs the Southern “Many of the challenges of the 21st tion. The grant also helped fund a wind Seed Legacy program, working to collect century have to do with minimizing human and solar system at UNT’s Zero Energy and conserve Southern heirloom seeds impacts on the environment, and UNT Laboratory, a unique facility to research and their histories with a particular focus researchers are tackling these challenges renewable energy technologies. on seeds threatened by genetic erosion through innovative, collaborative research Thompson’s applied science is equal or extinction. The program serves as a and outreach,” Gamble says. parts research and education. She cre- seed reserve for plant varieties in danger “We are attracting researchers who ates math and science lessons based on of becoming extinct and as a memory are leading the way in these fields and the data from the two systems. And she bank documenting the cultural history of students who want to learn from these is analyzing which system is better at Southern heirloom plants. innovators.” producing energy and offsetting energy

30 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch zero energy research

New Lab Provides Training Ground The university officially unveiled the UNT Zero Energy Laboratory at Discovery Park, its 300-acre research park, in 2012. The new state-of-the-art laboratory — the only one of its kind at a U.S. academic institution — will advance UNT’s research capabilities, solidifying the university as a leader in zero-energy research and instruction. “There are very few other places for

students to get hands-on experience work- Jonathan Reynolds ing with the green technologies that will power our future,” says Yong Tao, chair of the Department of Mechanical and Energy engineering and PACCAR Professor of Engineering, who spearheaded the design Yong Tao, chair of the Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering and PACCAR Professor of and creation of the lab. “This facility is a Engineering, spearheaded the design and creation of UNT’s Zero Energy Laboratory, the only one of great resource for our students, researchers its kind at a U.S. academic institution. and industry partners.” The 1,200-square-foot space was relationship with Chinese researchers by The lab was designed so that struc- designed, with input from industrial signing a memorandum of understanding tures such as doors, windows and sup- partners, to test energy technologies such with Future House Real Estate Co. Ltd., a porting energy-efficient equipment can as solar, geothermal and wind systems research institution in Beijing, in 2011. be expanded and exchanged to facilitate that produce enough energy to power Last summer, Tao took a group of research. Nandika D’Souza, who has a a building, helping it achieve a net-zero students to Beijing and Shanghai to study joint appointment in the Department of consumption of energy. In many cases, the alternative energy. They studied renew- Mechanical and Energy Engineering and technologies even create excess energy to able, solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and the Department of Materials Science return to the power grid. zero-energy buildings. They also visited and Engineering, hopes to use the facility The lab includes solar panels, a building the world’s leading manufacturer of solar to test materials made out of the fibers of energy monitoring and control system and panels and lived in the Beijing American the kenaf plant in Texas and others from a rainwater collection system. Outside, the House for a week. Qatar and Brazil. facility has a residential-scale wind turbine. The bio-based construction materi- Hands-on Research als would be more environmentally American House Rambod Rayegan, a visiting assis- friendly than traditional building mate- Tao oversaw a similar project at tant professor in the Department of rials and could reduce energy usage. Florida International University, where Mechanical and Energy Engineering, is D’Souza is working with Tao and other he was associate dean of the College of overseeing the research in the Zero Energy faculty on the project with a National Engineering and Computing. He also Laboratory. Postdoctoral researchers and Science Foundation Partnership for initiated and served as the director of the graduate students are studying areas such Innovation Grant. She and Tao are Future House USA project, an initiative as whole-building energy performance members of the Renewable Energy and that brought together academics, builders, model validation, the long-term impact of Conservation research cluster, and she industry sponsors and lobbyists to create a the interaction of soil and ground source oversees the Renewable Bioproducts 3,200-square-foot net-zero energy house. heat exchangers, alternative HVAC sys- research cluster. The American House was built in tems for zero-energy buildings, innovative Both groups will take advantage of Beijing and displayed during the 2008 thermal storage for solar energy and the this unique facility to conduct cutting- Olympic Games. UNT furthered its role of human behavior in energy usage. edge sustainability and energy research.

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 31 student researchers

Benjamin Baron Phillip Davis

Favyen Bastani

Benjamin Baron Baron also is interested in tions for high school students. Technology and is interested Service learning information-sharing behavior He was a student at in a career in computer sci- Baron, a doctoral student in and perceptions of expertise the Texas Academy of ence research or possibly web information science, is devel- in ad-hoc social networks and Mathematics and Science, a applications development. oping an understanding of is studying the potential influ- two-year residential program graduate students’ perceptions ence of personality on learning at UNT that allows talented and expectations in interna- environments and social net- students to complete their Phillip Davis tional service learning settings, works. As a master’s student, freshman and sophomore Entrepreneurial intentions particularly those within the he was named the College of years of college while receiv- Davis, a doctoral student Department of Library and Information’s outstanding stu- ing the equivalent of high in management, won the Information Sciences. dent in library science. school diplomas. Best Doctoral Paper Award Each year, students par- Bastani worked with Hui for 2012 from the U.S. ticipate in a school library Ma of Cisco Systems on algo- Association for Small assessment and improvement Favyen Bastani rithms to solve complex opti- Business and Entrepreneur­ project in another country. Computer algorithms mization problems. He also ship. The award is sponsored Baron has worked on projects Bastani won a Barry M. worked in the UNT labora- by the International­­ Journal in Ukraine and Peru and most Goldwater Scholarship — tory of Yan Huang, associate of Entrepreneurship­ and recently in Russia. He con- considered to be among the professor of computer sci- Innovation. ducted research on how the country’s most prestigious ence and engineering. With The paper, which he students viewed their experi- scholarships for students plan- Huang and supported by an wrote with Whitney Peake, ences against their expecta- ning careers in math, science NSF Research Experiences assistant professor of manage- tions, with the goal of improv- and engineering — for his for Undergraduates grant, ment, explores the impact of ing future projects. research in computer science. he worked on designing, emotional intelligence and He plans to present find- He also was a semifinalist data mining and real-time political skill on undergradu- ings with Barbara Schultz- in the 2012 Intel Science algorithms to improve future ate business students’ entre- Jones, associate professor of Talent Search and a regional transportation systems and preneurial intentions. The library and information sci- finalist in the 2011 Siemens published several papers. results suggest that students ences, at the 2013 iConference Competition, two of the most Bastani now attends the who possess high political in Fort Worth. prestigious science competi- Massachusetts Institute of skill could have stronger

32 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch Monica Gastelumendi

Jonathan Dombrosky Emily Klement

intentions to start new busi- phy, focusing on subsistence Peace Scholarship for a non- Emily Klement nesses. The research also patterns in the Northern profit music organization that Hispanic transfer rates identifies other skills that may Rio Grande region of New will train music teachers and For her doctoral disserta- be useful to entrepreneurs as Mexico from 1300 to 1600 provide better music educa- tion, Klement found that the they continue to seek ways A.D. The work will help tion for children in Peru. presence of Hispanic faculty to influence others to benefit answer questions about what Gastelumendi is originally on community college cam- their businesses — a finding types of animals humans from Peru, which has a rich puses was the greatest factor that could potentially affect hunted, how people procured folkloric music tradition but of those she studied in deter- the curriculum of entrepre- and processed animals and provides little arts education. mining whether Hispanic neurship education programs. how these practices have She started a female choir students will transfer to four- Davis plans to graduate in changed over time. at her high school in Lima, year universities. May 2014 and hopes to teach Dombrosky also works as a Peru, and, at age 19, formed a Klement analyzed data on the college level and con- National Science Foundation big band — now a nonprofit from the Texas Higher duct research in the areas of research assistant helping fur- music organization called Education Coordinating strategy and entrepreneurship. ther methodology for extract- Jazz Jaus. She traveled to the Board on 50 Texas commu- ing protein food residues from United States to obtain a nity colleges. Her mentor was pottery found at archaeologi- degree in music. She works as Beverly Bower, professor of Jonathan Dombrosky cal sites. He plans to pursue a consulting professional for counseling and higher educa- Subsistence patterns a doctorate in environmental the nonprofit organization tion, Don A. Buchholz Chair Dombrosky, a senior science at UNT. that UNT alumna Carolina for Community Education anthropology major and Araoz runs as president. and director of the Bill J. Honors College student, won Gastelumendi has stud- Priest Center at UNT. the Society of Ethnobiology’s Monica Gastelumendi ied vocal jazz with Jennifer Klement graduated in 2012 Undergraduate Music education Barnes, assistant professor August with her doctorate Ethnobiologist Award. He Gastelumendi, a mas- of jazz studies, and Rosana in higher education. She is has been studying animal ter’s student in jazz stud- Eckert, an adjunct in jazz the dean of the Bowie and remains from archaeological ies, received a $10,000 studies, and plans to explore Graham campuses of North sites with Steve Wolverton, Philanthropic Educational arranging Peruvian music Central Texas College. associate professor of geogra- Organization International with jazz.

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 33 student researchers

Hagar Mohamed Amanda Quay

Eric Norman

Hagar Mohamed Sandra Spencer, principal internship­ for the master’s Amanda Quay Postpartum depression lecturer in English. Mohamed program, he worked on a Aquatic toxicity Mohamed, a master’s also plans to investigate the feasibility study, business plan Quay, a student at student in interdisciplinary effects of anti-depressant med- and strategic plan for a study TAMS, received the Barry studies with a concentration ications on female hormones abroad program based on M. Gold­water Scholarship, in women’s studies, received under the guidance of Duane sustainability. He also investi- and she made the semi-finals a $10,000 International Huggett, assistant professor of gated the need for a method- of the 2012 Intel Science Peace Scholarship from the biological sciences. ology to develop sustainable Talent Search and the 2011 Philanthropic Educational She will graduate in 2013 tourism p­roducts. Siemens Competition, the Organization for her research. and plans to submit grant After graduating, he nation’s leading original She is conducting a proposals to conduct research returned to CATIE as a research competition in research project in underprivi- on postpartum depression on research assistant and coor- math, science and technology leged communities in rural a large scale in Egypt. dinator for the Sustainability for high school students. Egypt that screens women for Seminar Series, the study Quay was recognized for postpartum depression, inves- abroad program he had cre- her research, under the men- tigates risk factors and identi- Eric Norman ated. This summer the series torship of William Acree, fies the best interventions. Sustainable tourism will expand to two sessions professor of chemistry, that Mohamed studied phar- Norman was one of UNT’s covering sustainable agri-busi- calculates the concentra- macy as an undergraduate first graduates in interna- ness and sustainable tourism. tion at which a given drug in the German University in tional sustainable tourism. He Daniel L. Spears, associ- molecule exhibits toxicity. It Cairo, but she was inspired earned his master’s degree in ate professor of hospitality provides insight into which to change disciplines when May 2012 through the uni- and tourism management pharmaceutical compounds she saw a USAID-funded versity’s joint degree program and graduate advisor, was pose an environmental risk project in her hometown of with CATIE in Turrialba, Norman’s mentor and instru- to aquatic life. She also pro- Aswan, Egypt, that strives to Costa Rica. He also earned a mental in his decision to posed a possible solution for empower women as health- bachelor’s degree in hospital- return for a graduate degree. decomposing the compounds care workers and as patients. ity management with a minor In the future, Norman — photocatalytic reactions, Her research is conducted in business at UNT in 2008. plans to contribute to tour- or sun decomposition. under the mentorship of As part of the capstone ism development projects.

34 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch Amy Schade

David Reilly Yuying Shen

Quay is now study- electrowetting-based tech- selected for the Howard Yuying Shen ing chemical engineering nology generates about 70 Hughes Medical Institute’s Social determinants of health and minoring in Arabic at percent higher green energy 2012 Exceptional Research As a doctoral student in Stanford University. She at 50 percent of the cost. Opportunities program. sociology, Shen received hopes to work on sustain- For his senior design In the summer program, the International Research able water systems in unde- project, Reilly is work- she worked with a University Fellowship — one of six veloped rural communities ing with a student team to of Wisconsin-Madison in the world — to spend in the Middle East and redesign a tail rotor gear- researcher to study virus- four months at Freiburg North Africa. box housing for the Bell host interactions and human University in Germany to 429 helicopter. He also papillomavirus. explore globalization and took part in the National At UNT, she looked at social science knowledge David Reilly Science Foundation’s the immunity of certain circulation in China. Novel electrowetting solar cells Research Experiences for bacteria to viruses under the Working with sociology Reilly researched Undergraduates program. mentorship of Lee Hughes, professor Dale Yeatts, she electrowetting-controlled A member of the UNT assistant professor of biology. focused her research for her optofluidic solar cells with Honors College, he will Schade also was a mem- dissertation on the social Jiangtao Cheng, associate graduate in 2013. He plans ber of UNT’s nationally determinants of health. professor of mechanical and to pursue a master’s degree recognized debate team and She received a scholar- energy engineering. in mechanical engineering won the 2011 National ship from the International They investigated a novel and then work at a national Junior Division Debate Sociological Association solar concentration system laboratory or in research and Tournament as part of a to present her research at without mechanical moving development at an aerospace two-student team. a 2011 ISA workshop in parts, which allows for exten- company. After graduation, she plans South Africa. sive residential deployment to pursue her doctorate and She earned her doctor- of concentrated solar power. possibly work as a professor ate in August and is now a Compared to traditional Amy Schade or a researcher at a govern- visiting assistant professor silicon-based photovoltaic Bacteria and viruses ment agency. of sociology at Texas Tech solar cells with mechanical Schade was one of 61 University. tracking mechanisms, the students in the nation

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 35 >> forensic science

forensic science program UNT is one of only two schools in Texas with an UNT Experts Help accredited undergraduate program in forensic sci- ence, and the UNT Health Science Center is one of only two schools in the state with an accred- ited master’s program in forensic science. In UNT’s undergraduate program, students Fight earn a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, biology or biochemistry with certification in forensic science, taking classes in criminal investigations, science, math and forensic research. Faculty from chemis- Crime try, biology, criminal justice and other fields lend their forensic expertise, and students often par- ticipate in internships in local, state, national and BY private crime labs. ellen rossetti “With our program’s mix of courses in sci- U ence and criminology, students leave as stronger scientists who are more employable in a variety of fields,” says Guido Verbeck, associate profes- sor of chemistry who teaches in the program. Teresa Golden, professor of chemistry and program director, says many of the students go In the sand-strewn battlefields of Afghanistan, military to medical or graduate school, and others go investigators will have a new tool to fight crime. A high-tech, straight into careers in DNA labs, law enforce- portable workstation — no bigger than a CD player — will ment labs, the military and homeland security. allow them to immediately identify the tiniest substances “As one of the few accredited programs, between the ridges of a fingerprint. we’re able to attract top students who want to Instead of sending samples to a sophisticated off-site lab, investigators can manipulate them on the nano-scale pursue careers in this growing field,” she says. with mass spectrometry, getting more accurate findings and saving time and money. With just 15 minutes of training, an Iinvestigator can test a piece of wood, fabric or any number of substances, looking for traces of improvised explosive devices, drugs or other illicit materials. Guido Verbeck, associate professor of chemistry at the University of North Texas, developed the small-scale forensic workstation to be deployed to Afghanistan this summer using a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense Battlefield Forensic Program. Because the device, called the nanomanipulator, can be encoded to look for a particular substance, suspects can be identified and captured more quickly. “Each substance and individual produces unique chemical signatures, so investigators analyzing samples may be able to tell who’s touched an explosive device or a drug stockpile because the chemistry is connected,” Verbeck says. “It’s an easily understood device that helps solve complicated problems.”

Among the forensic research and research tools at UNT, the nanomanipulator developed by Guido Verbeck, associate professor of chemistry, will help military investigators fight crime.

36 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch Jonathan Reynolds

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 37 Solving Mysteries agencies, including the New York Police One of Benjamin’s doctoral students From military battlefields to police Department, about bullet deflection and in molecular biology at UNT, Angie departments and campus laboratories, other topics. He has consulted with pros- Ambers, is working with Health Science UNT forensic science experts such as ecutors and defense lawyers in criminal Center researchers to explore methods to Verbeck are helping to solve mysteries and and civil cases and set up a criminalistics repair damaged DNA with a grant from cut down on crime. certificate program at UNT for future the National Institute of Justice. Renowned forensic anthropologist police administrators, detectives, crime A victim’s DNA in skeletal remains Harrell Gill-King, director of the UNT scene investigators and attorneys. or a killer’s DNA under a victim’s finger- Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology Now, Hueske is using bovine samples nails can’t easily be analyzed and identi- and co-director of the Center for Human to research what happens when a bullet fied if the evidence has been damaged or Identification at the UNT Health Science hits soft tissue, muscles, organs and small destroyed by sunlight, heat, humidity or Center, used his expertise to identify victims bones. He also is examining pseudo-high other environmental factors. of the World Trade Center and Oklahoma velocity impact blood spatter. Ambers and principal investigator City bombings, the Space Shuttle Columbia “Police officers need to understand Bruce Budowle at the Health Science disaster and Hurricane Katrina. He is the language of forensic science,” Hueske Center are working to repair damaged researching the effects of intranasal and says. “That’s where I provide the link.” DNA in bloodstains and bones and intraoral cocaine and methamphetamine in samples that a suspect has tried to use on the cranium, face and dentition. Interpreting and Repairing DNA destroy using bleach. Teresa Golden, professor of chemis- When attorneys need help interpret- “It all boils down to improving our try and director of UNT’s undergraduate ing DNA evidence, they often call Robert chances of going to court with adequate forensic science program, is working with Benjamin, associate professor of biology information to prosecute someone,” says the Health Science Center to determine and a prominent courtroom DNA identi- Ambers, who earned a master’s degree in how concentrations of metals stored in fication expert. Since 1988, Benjamin has forensic genetics from the Health Science bones can interfere with obtaining a DNA helped prosecutors and defense lawyers at Center and has a master’s in criminology. profile. Her lab has developed a technique both the state and federal levels with more The researchers are using a cocktail to synthesize artificial bone as a standard than 200 criminal and civil cases involving of different enzymes to repair varying for comparison. DNA profiling and analysis. His applied types of damage. They’re also studying Other experts, like Edward Hueske, research involves reviewing DNA reports whole genome amplification — a method principal lecturer in criminal justice, use and studying how the DNA evidence was that may improve recovery of the low applied research to help police understand collected and tested. quantities of DNA often encountered in crime scenes. Hueske studies bullet deflec- “DNA is unbiased, but it can be mis- forensic samples. tion, debunking the myth that a bullet interpreted,” Benjamin says. Ambers conducts her research as a travels in a straight line through objects. If a knife was used in a murder and DNA analyst at the Institute of Applied “Each time it hits something, it’s someone’s DNA is found on it, is that Genetics and at the Department of going to be deflected slightly in all prob- person the killer? What if the suspect had Forensic and Investigative Genetics at the ability,” says Hueske, who worked as been preparing dinner before the murder? Health Science Center, as well as in the lab a forensic scientist at police crime labs “Once you decide the results are cor- of Benjamin, her major professor at UNT. before joining UNT. “That causes confu- rect, you have to get into the significance “This research has the potential to sion for crime scene investigators who of them,” Benjamin says. “DNA gets provide families with resolution,” Ambers

don’t have this background.” around in a lot of ways, so you have to ask, says. “I enjoy coming to the lab every day

Last summer, Hueske traveled across is there another explanation?” knowing that the work I’m doing can the country training officials at police make a difference in the real world.” >> “This research has the potential to provide families with resolution.” — Angie Ambers, doctoral student in molecular biology and DNA analyst

38 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch faculty researchers

UNT Welcomes New Faculty

s a major public research university dedicated to providing students with an excellent educational experience, the University of North Texas continues to attract faculty members committed to innovative research, scholarship and creativity. Award-winning faculty with national and international reputations in their fields — aspanning science, technology and the arts — ensure that the university continues to create new knowledge, discovering what will be taught in the classrooms of tomorrow. Members of UNT’s collaborative, cross-disciplinary research clusters carry out high-impact research addressing scientific, environmental and societal problems. UNT’s faculty members also are dedicated mentors, translating their research and creativity into excellent teaching and learning experiences for students. The following provides a snapshot of new faculty throughout the university.

Jim Williams Distinguished Research Professor of Materials Science and Engineering A member of the National Academy of Engineering, Williams is one of the world’s leading authorities on titanium alloys, and he also studies nickel alloys and stainless steel. Most recently, he served on the faculty and previously as the dean of engineer- ing at Ohio State University. He also served on the faculty and as dean at Carnegie Mellon University. His career in the aerospace industry included work for Boeing and Rockwell, and he was the general manager of the materials and process depart- ment for GE’s aircraft engine business. His team introduced several new materials and worked to decrease titanium defects in aircraft turbine engines. He has played a significant role in attracting, managing or conducting research projects from numer- ous federal agencies, including NASA and the National Science Foundation, total- ing $50 million. He has been principal investigator or co-principal investigator on projects totaling $20 million, and he holds two patents on titanium-based alloys.

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 39 faculty researchers

Laila Amine Assistant Professor of English Amine specializes in 20th century African American and African Diaspora lit- eratures. She recently co-edited a special issue on memory and globalization for the journal Culture, Theory and Critique. Her work also has appeared in Black Camera and Postcolonial Text. Amine’s book project, The Making of Algerian Paris: Colonial Legacies and Transnationalism, uncovers how the Algerian war and its leg- acies shaped representations of Paris in African American, French and Maghrebi cultural texts. Before joining UNT, she was a chancellor’s postdoctoral research associate in the Department of African American studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She taught African American and African Diaspora studies, comparative literature, American studies and French at Indiana University and at the University of California in Santa Barbara.

Cornelia Caragea Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering and Library and Information Sciences, Member of the Knowledge Discovery from Digital Information Research Cluster Caragea is a computer scientist with expertise in machine learning and data mining. She has developed and applied an abstraction-based approach to learning compact classifiers from text and protein sequence data and researched the identification of important sites in proteins using sequence information. She also has designed scal- able algorithms for document and citation recommendation in large digital libraries and studied subjectivity and sentiment analysis in online forums. She was previously a postdoctoral scholar at Pennsylvania State University and a doctoral assistant at Iowa State University. Her work has been published in leading data mining journals and conference proceedings such as the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, the International Conference on Data Mining and BMC Bioinformatics.

Wonbong Choi Professor of Materials Science and Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Member of the Bio/Nano Photonics Research Cluster Choi invented the carbon nanotube field emission display, which was featured in Science magazine. He also helped develop the single molecular DNA-sensor, high efficiency lithium-ion battery based on carbon nanotubes, graphene based flex- ible field emission display, vertical CNT-field effect transistor and CNT-based non-volatile memory devices. Choi was a project manager and senior research sci- entist at Samsung and a leading scientist in the Carbon Nanotubes for Tera-level Device project and has earned more than $1 million per year in funding. He previ- ously worked at Florida International University. He was awarded the Materials Research Society Medal and is a fellow of the society. He holds more than 80 pat- ents and is the author of the book Graphene and 180 articles and proceedings.

40 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch Carol Anne Costabile-Heming Professor and Chair of the Department of World Languages, Literatures and Culture Costabile-Heming studies 20th and 21st century German literature and culture, focusing on East German literature and its legacy, literature of the post-unification period and Berlin literature. She has written Intertextual Exile: Volker Braun’s Dramatic Re-Vision of GDR and been published in The German Quarterly, Monatshefte and Colloquia Germanica, among others. She was the founding chair of the Department of World Languages and Literatures at Northern Kentucky University, an associate dean at Missouri State University and on the faculty at Penn State University and Southeast Missouri State University. She also served as president of the American Association of Teachers of German and was named its 2012 Post-Secondary Outstanding German Educator. She has received grants from the International Research and Exchanges Board, American Council of Learned Societies and the National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar.

Vladimir P. Drachev Associate Professor of Physics Drachev is widely recognized for his works in nanophotonics and nanotechnology and in particular for his experiments on optics, nonlinear optics, spectroscopy of plasmonic nanostructures and their applications in biosensing and metamaterials. He was a junior and senior scientist at the Institute for Semiconductor Physics in Novosibirsk, Russia; a visiting scientist at New Mexico State University; and a senior research scientist at Birck Nanotechnology Center and School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University. Drachev is an associate edi- tor for Optical Materials Express and a senior member of the Optical Society of America. He has had more than 80 papers published in refereed journals and holds four patents. His current project, “Spectroscopic Ellipsometry of Optical Metamaterials,” is funded by the Air Force Research Lab.

Paula Gaetano-Adi Assistant Professor of Studio Arts Gaetano-Adi is an artist and researcher working in sculptures, performances, interac- tive installations and robotic agents. She coordinates the new media area in the College of Visual Arts and Design and is part of UNT’s Initiative for Advanced Research in Technology and the Arts research cluster. Using the human and non-human body as a point of departure, her work deals with different cultural studies of technoscience, its relation to human subjectivity and how that can be reflected through art. Her works have been presented internationally in Europe, Asia and South America, and she has received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Ministry of Culture in Argentina and the Telefonica Foundation in Spain, among other orga- nizations. She has worked at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., the University of California at Los Angeles and two universities in Buenos Aires.

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 41 faculty researchers

Panayiotis Kokoras Assistant Professor of Composition Studies Kokoras studied composition with Yannis Ioannides and Henri Kergomard, and clas- sical guitar in Athens. He earned his Ph.D. in composition at the University of York. His works have been commissioned by institutes and festivals in France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States and have been performed in 150 cities around the world. His sound compositions — ranging from acoustic to mixed media, improvisation and tape — employ what he calls holophonic musical tex- ture and explore influences of the electroacoustic studio on acoustic instrumental com- positions and vice-versa. His works have received more than 50 distinctions and prizes in international competitions, been selected by juries in more than 130 international calls for scores and appeared in 34 CD compilations. He taught at the Technological and Educational Institute of Crete, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the University of Wales’ Thessaloniki campus.

Brian McFarlin Assistant Professor of Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation McFarlin has received more than $2.5 million in research — including funding from industry sources and the National Institutes of Health — to improve health and reduce disease risk. He is studying the role the immune system plays in chronic disease and how to use nutritional countermeasures and exercise to prevent this effect. He also is working to understand and prevent immune-suppression following a strenuous bout of exercise in an extreme environment. He was an associate profes- sor at the University of Houston and is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and The Obesity Society. He is president of the Texas chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine, serves as associate editor for the International Journal of Exercise Science and has been published in Pediatrics, Comparative Medicine, the British Journal of Nutrition and The Journal of Immunology.

Gwendelyn Nisbett Assistant Professor of Strategic Communications Nisbett is researching mediated social influence in a political context. Specifically, she is investigating how voters and the democratic electoral process are being influenced by micro strategies — such as data mining, social media and direct marketing — and macro-message strategies that use the media to create and maintain a campaign narrative. Before starting an academic career, Nisbett worked for 10 years in campaign politics. She took part in political strategic communication at the national, statewide, coordinated campaign and local levels. She also managed six state house and senate races in Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Virginia. Her work has been published in Communication Monographs, Mass Communication & Society and the Journal of Political Marketing.

42 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch Brian Sauser Associate Professor of Marketing and Logistics, Member of the Complex Logistics Systems Research Cluster Sauser brings extensive expertise in the analysis of system maturity assessment, and his work has been nationally recognized and adopted by groups with NASA, the U.S. Army, Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin. He taught at the Stevens Institute of Technology and directed the Systems Development and Maturity Laboratory there. He served as project specialist with ASRC Aerospace at NASA Kennedy Space Center and managed a NASA-sponsored center at Rutgers University conducting collaborative research for human space exploration. At the Johnson Space Center, he worked on technology solutions for human exploration of the moon and Mars. He is a NASA Faculty Fellow, a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, editor-in-chief of the Systems Research Forum and an associate editor of the IEEE Systems Journal. His grants and contracts total more than $6 million.

Marianna Strzelecka Assistant Professor of Sustainable Tourism Strzelecka, whose background is in sustainable tourism development, is interested in community participation in tourism decision-making and ways to empower commu- nity stakeholders, using methodologies such as participatory geographic information technologies. Her research has covered rural tourism development in transitioning economies and the role of non-governmental organizations in sustainable rural development. Her previous work focused on community development through sus- tainable tourism in a post-Communist setting in Wielkopolski Park Narodowy in Poland and rural community empowerment in the context of the European Union. She plans to incorporate tourism and community studies and natural management in research on the socio-ecological system of communities in Costa Rica, where UNT has a joint international degree program in sustainable tourism with CATIE.

Karen Toussaint Assistant Professor of Behavior Analysis Toussaint studies how to improve treatment outcomes of children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. She conducts research related to the treatment of inhibiting behaviors that may interfere with social interaction and learning — such as echolalia (repeated vocalizations) and stereotypy (repetitive movement). She recently completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute in which she evaluated the effectiveness of video modeling technology to decrease echolalia during a lan- guage acquisition program. Her work published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and Behavior Analysis in Practice includes ways to reduce self-injurious behavior and to identify when response interruption will reduce problem behavior. She also has been published in Research in Developmental Disabilities.

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 43 >>

NSF Graduate fellows

NSF Graduate Research Fellowships The National Science Foundation Graduate Prestigious Research Fellowship program offers the oldest graduate fellowship of its kind and is designed Fellowships Support to make students life-long leaders who can con- tribute significantly to scientific innovation and teaching. Past fellows include Nobel Prize win- ners and leaders in government and business from top universities. Open to students in their first year of pursu- Graduate ing their master’s and doctoral degrees in sci- ence, social science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the fellowship provides a $30,000 stipend annually for three years and a $12,000 Research cost-of-education allowance for tuition and fees. Fellows also have opportunities for international

by research and professional development. adrienne nettles The program encourages applications from U women and members of under-represented eth- nic minorities, to ensure a diversity of individuals “crucial to maintaining and advancing the nation’s technological infrastructure and national The road Rebecca Weber took to graduate study at the University of North security as well as contributing to the economic Texas included three years of undergraduate research, marriage, motherhood, well-being of society at large.” a bachelor’s degree — and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research James Duban, director of UNT’s Office for Fellowship. She is earning her doctorate in chemistry at UNT with the help of Nationally Competitive Scholarships, says com- the prestigious fellowship, which rewards students with a three-year stipend for petition for the fellowship is rigorous and only graduate research and education. And she’s not alone. Jennifer Williams, Jessica Rimsza and Jody Huddle­ students with intensive undergraduate research ston also are among UNT graduate students who have earned the competitive backgrounds are viable applicants. fellowships. They represent a growing number of women bringing about innova- “More often than not, these are students Ttions in science and technology, the environment and human health. who have made significant, publishable contribu- It was the research of Angela Wilson, Regents Professor of chemistry tions to various research teams,” Duban says. and 2012 fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, “Winners, therefore, bring added distinction to with UNT’s nationally known Center for Advanced Scientific Computing and themselves, to their undergraduate research Modeling, that drew Weber to UNT, and it was Wilson who encouraged her to apply for the fellowship. mentors and to their universities.” “I have met few other students who conduct meaningful research, maintain outstanding grades, stay active in science organizations and manage to be a mother of young children all at the same time,” Wilson says.

Angela Wilson, Regents Professor of chemistry, left, encouraged doctoral student Rebecca Weber to apply for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. It was Wilson’s work in the field of computational chemistry that brought Weber to UNT.

44 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 45 Gary Payne Weber is helping Wilson’s group develop theory in the fast- tal problems and is determined to devote her academic career to growing field of computational chemistry, which uses computers to help society and improve STEM education,” Acevedo says. “That model molecules, molecular properties and chemical reactions — combination is highly appreciated by funding agencies.” and saves time and money compared to traditional approaches. Williams says her UNT undergraduate advisors and profes- “In searching for a new industrial catalyst, for example, a com- sors helped her to gain the research experience needed to qualify for putational chemist can screen many, many more possibilities, nar- the fellowship. rowing down potential compounds to a handful, rather than having “Dr. Acevedo and many other professors have been excellent to investigate hundreds,” Weber says. role models every step of the way,” she says. She is working on a method known as MR-ccCA that allows “I want to make a difference locally and globally, and now I researchers to more accurately model large molecules. She plans to have the opportunity to do that.” pursue a university teaching career that will allow her to conduct further research and be a mentor. Materials Research “Dr. Wilson pushes her students to stay active in research Research focused on improving technology gave Rimsza an and the academic community, keeping our names out there so edge in earning one of the prestigious fellowships. She’s using the that we have better chances at careers,” Weber says. “Her support award to study the use of organosilicate glasses for separating the has been great.” electronic charges that run through computer chips, with a goal of making the chips faster, smaller and more reliable. Environmental Applications She is pursuing her research as a doctoral student in the labo- For Williams, who is working on a master’s degree in electrical ratory of Jincheng Du, associate professor of materials science and engineering, the NSF fellowship made it possible to pursue inter- engineering, where she is investigating the etching of these materi- ests in environmental monitoring systems, sustainable design, and als at the atomic level using advanced computer simulations. outreach in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics Understanding how the materials are affected by etching, fields. She earned her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering which is used in the manufacturing of chips, will help to ensure that at UNT and says she’s had the chance to use that knowledge in they function effectively in electronics after processing, Rimsza says. environmental settings through her work with Miguel Acevedo, “Using computer simulation and modeling to solve problems Regents Professor of electrical engineering. in fundamental materials research is significant in keeping U.S. One of those opportunities included consulting with the technology competitive globally,” Du says. “I think Jessica’s focus Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area on the reintroduc- and valuable research experiences made her a competitive candidate tion of bobwhite quail to the area. for the fellowship.” “We brainstormed on a project to keep the quail cool in the Rimsza found her way to UNT thanks to a recommendation Texas heat and discussed the use of remote monitoring systems to from her undergraduate advisor at the University of Arizona. She provide data on its effectiveness,” Williams says. developed liquids for semiconductor cleaning there in the chemistry Acevedo is the project leader of the Texas Environmental lab of Rene Corrales and her research was published in the Journal Observatory at UNT, which uses weather stations throughout the of Computational and Theoretical Chemistry. region to provide web-based environmental data for the public. In a Corrales — who had worked with Du at the Pacific project to expand the observatory,Williams is researching its moni- Northwest National Laboratory — encouraged Rimsza to continue toring equipment, purpose, functionality and communication links her research at UNT and apply for the NSF fellowship. as she works to develop her graduate thesis. “He mentioned that UNT had a new materials science and And as a summer research assistant for UNT’s NSF-funded engineering Ph.D. program and that Dr. Du would be great as my Research Experiences for Teachers in Sensor Networks, she student advisor,” Rimsza says, adding that her first year at UNT helps high school teachers in the STEM fields conduct research has been rewarding not only because of supportive faculty.

on campus. “UNT has put a lot of money and effort into research facilities,

Her interests helped make her a good fit for the fellowship. which makes the academic experience here even more fulfilling.” “Jennifer wants to apply her engineering skills to environmen- >> “I want to make a difference locally and globally, and now I have the opportunity to do that.” — Jennifer Williams, NSF Graduate Research Fellow in electrical engineering

46 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch Disease Tracking Huddleston came to UNT to study jazz, but she found her niche in a science lab. She earned her bachelor’s degree in geography from UNT as an Honors College student and a scholar in the Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program. The federally funded program provides first-generation and underrepresented students with research opportunities and faculty mentors to encourage them to pursue doctoral degrees and college teaching careers. She credits the McNair program along with James Duban, director of UNT’s Office for Nationally Competitive Scholarships, and faculty mentor Joseph Oppong, professor of Gary Payne geography, for providing the training and help she needed to earn the NSF fellowship. Huddleston’s undergraduate research included mapping HIV/AIDS late testers in Texas, individuals who developed full AIDS symptoms within a year of being identified as HIV positive. Today, she is using her fellowship to earn a doctorate in environmental science. Her new project examines tick-borne disease in Texas and what factors — such as climate, land cover and habitat frag- mentation — lead to areas where disease-causing bacteria or viruses among ticks are more prevalent. “The goal is to use resources like satellite imagery, popula- tion data and aggregated disease data to map areas in Texas that can be considered of higher risk to humans,” she says. Oppong says the research will provide much-needed infor- mation for county and regional health departments for plan- ning appropriate interventions to prevent and control disease. Gary Payne “Jody’s work is exceptional,” he says. “She is a huge inspi- ration and mentor for other students.” After completing her doctorate, Huddleston plans to help future students gain a passion for research. “I was able to start doing research early in my college career,” she says, “because there were professors and advisors at UNT who showed me I didn’t need to wait until graduate school to become involved.”

NSF Graduate Research Fellows are supported by their mentors. From top,

Jessica Rimsza and Jincheng Du, associate professor of materials science Gary Payne and engineering, study organosilicate glasses for use in semiconductors; Jody Huddleston and Joseph Oppong, professor of geography, help control disease by mapping high-risk areas; and Jennifer Williams and Miguel Acevedo, Regents Professor of electrical engineering, focus on the environment.

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 47 peace studies

UNT Researchers are Leaders in Peace Science

by nancyU kolsti

he longer a civil war lasts, the less likely “And a well-crafted peace settlement either side is to win. T. David Mason, would be preferable to the alternative Johnie Christian Family Peace Professor at outcomes to that war.” Tthe University of North Texas, says past Mason is one of nine UNT faculty statistical research on more than 140 civil members who are using statistical and wars finds strong evidence for this. computational methods to identify factors In a study published in the June 2012 that influence political violence and human issue of Civil Wars applying the findings security. They conduct their research as to the war in Iraq, Mason points to the part of the Castleberry Peace Institute — possibility of a negotiated peace settle- the only peace science research institute in ment among insurgent groups, militias the southern U.S. and the Iraqi government, encouraged and Directed by Mason, it was founded enforced by a multinational peacekeeping in 2010 with the nonprofit organiza- and peace-building mission. tion Peacemakers Inc., created by retired “However remote the prospects for journalist Vivian Castleberry. It sponsors negotiating an end to the conflict and research and educational programs on the building sustainable peace, there are far causes and consequences of war and peace, more precedents over the last 20 years democratization, economic development to give us hope for this option,” he says. and respect for human rights.

48 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch Faculty experts in peace studies include, from left, Idean Salehyan and Jacqueline DeMeritt, who have served as fellows with the Texas Project for Human Rights Education, and T. David Mason, Johnie Christian Family Peace Professor and director of the Castleberry Peace Institute.

The emphasis on peace studies in UNT’s Department of Political Science goes back to 1998, when the university created the Johnie Christian professorship. Christian was a peace activist whose estate endowed the position. The late Steven Poe, the first political

science faculty member to hold the profes- Michael Clements sorship, created the department’s interdis- ciplinary minor and certificate programs in peace studies in 2000, making UNT the first university in Texas and the Southwest to offer the minor. Grad­uates work in foreign service, international and human developed the Social Conflict in Africa Associate professor Michael Greig rights law, the Peace Corps and other Database to study the link between envi- used a different database — 46 post-war organizations promoting human rights and ronmental factors and political instability peacekeeping missions since the end of conflict resolution. in African nations. World War II — to understand condi- To build on its existing strengths Their research is supported by a grant tions that affect the length of peacekeeping in peace studies, UNT formed the from the U.S. Department of Defense, missions. He discovered that peacekeep- Human Security, Democracy and Global which they received as associates of the ers are likely to stay longer if the conflict Development research cluster, housed in Climate Change and African Political resulted in a large number of refugees, the Castleberry Peace Institute. The clus- Stability Program at the Robert S. Strauss and peacekeeping missions with security ter also includes economics and geography Center for International Security and Law mandates and set objectives also tend to be faculty who study poverty, economic at the University of Texas at Austin. The longer term. development, global health and interna- database provides information on more “Peacekeepers are more likely to con- tional trade. than 8,000 incidents of political instability tinue the mission as the costs and risks of Their work puts UNT among the from 1990 to 2012. peacekeeping diminish. If major powers top 10 U.S. universities for peace science Salehyan and Hendrix discovered that in the U.N. are not supportive of a peace- research when considering faculty quality changes in rainfall influence the prevalence keeping mission, it is likely to end quickly and number of articles in peer-reviewed of social conflict in African nations. In without the objectives being reached,” says journals, says Idean Salehyan, associate recent decades, conflicts — from small Greig, who charted and analyzed media- professor and coordinator of the cluster. disputes between citizens over land rights tion efforts for post-World War II con- In 2011-12 alone, cluster faculty pub- to full civil wars — were more common in flicts for the book International Mediation, lished 36 articles. either extremely wet or extremely dry years published in 2012. rather than in years with normal rainfall. Rainfall and Refugees Violent social conflicts, such as riots and International Justice Many of the researchers study factors civil wars, have been more common in The research of UNT’s peace stud- that lead to the onset of civil and interna- extremely wet years. ies faculty has attracted students from tional war and factors that contribute to an Salehyan notes that forecasts pre- across the country. Doctoral student earlier, less destructive resolution and more dict more rainfall variability for Africa Angela Nichols was an undergraduate at durable peace. Faculty also create research in the future, raising the possibility of an Pennsylvania State University when she tools to statistically analyze these factors. increased number of conflicts. The research read UNT professor James Meernik’s For example, Salehyan and for- was published in 2012 in the Journal of research on societal peace in Bosnia mer faculty member Cullen Hendrix Peace Research. and the U.N. International Criminal

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 49 Doctoral student and U.S. Army veteran Angela Nichols, left, visited the U.N. International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia as part of a class taught by faculty members James Meernik and Kimi King, who have been researching the ICTY since 2001.

fellowship with the Texas Project for Human Rights Education. Salehyan was named a fellow of the prestigious program for 2012-13. Specifically examining the impact of female political leadership, women’s pres- ence in the labor force and the ratio of female-to-male literacy rates, DeMeritt, Nichols and Kelly looked at the duration Michael Clements of peace following civil wars in 76 nations from 1975 to 2003. The analysis showed that nations with greater female representation in leg- islatures and more equal male-to-female Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, or at an international tribunal, through inter- literacy ratios are less likely to relapse into ICTY. Nichols worked as a Serbian and views with 200 to 250 ICTY witnesses. civil war than other nations. Croatian linguist in the U.S. Army from “Many believe the experience of tes- “We know from other studies that 1999 to 2004. tifying has a healing effect on victims and women tend to prefer peaceful policies “Although I wasn’t deployed to the witnesses, but that has never been tested over violent ones. When women are region, I worked on military intelligence with rigorous empirical analysis so we elected, they represent the women in their missions related to the conflict,” she says. don’t know for certain this is the case,” constituency, and they appear to stand “I was planning to be an international Meernik says. up for what those women believe,” says human rights attorney, but after I read Dr. “We also want to investigate the opin- DeMeritt, who next plans to examine the Meernik’s research, I wanted to work spe- ions of those who have testified before the effect of female representation on ongoing cifically with him.” ICTY regarding its impact on peace, jus- genocides. For her doctoral dissertation, Nichols tice and reconciliation in the region.” Mason says providing international is researching the role of transitional justice leaders with evidence-based solutions to in post-conflict societies. In 2009, she visit- Analyzing the Evidence prevent political violence, improve gov- ed the ICTY in The Hague, Netherlands, In addition to working with Meernik, ernance and address global poverty is the as part of the International Law, Peace and Nichols researched women’s roles in post- goal of peace science research at UNT. Justice class taught by Meernik and associ- conflict societies with assistant professor “We’re not in the advocacy business, ate professor Kimi King. Jacqueline DeMeritt and Eliza Kelly, who and we’re not philosophers for peace,” he Meernik and King have been con- was then an undergraduate international says. “We’re committed to peace studies as ducting research on the ICTY since 2001. studies major. a science, and government organizations

They are currently working with the ICTY The research received financial sup- are paying more attention to what we’re

Victims and Witnesses Section to examine port from the Boone Family Foundation discovering.” the impact on the witnesses of testifying of Dallas as part of DeMeritt’s 2011-12 >> “We’re committed to peace studies as a science.” — T. David Mason, Johnie Christian Family Peace Professor and director of the Castleberry Peace Institute

50 [ 2013 unt Research |unt.edu/untresearch end note

I’m excited to lead UNT’s research efforts during what is a nologies, bioproducts and computational research. UNT also is time of great momentum. UNT is making strides as a research attracting world-class talent to our already strong community institution while making the quality of the educational experi- of researchers. We have two National Academy of Engineering ence even better. Our investments in faculty and infrastructure members, and a National Academy of Sciences member is join- are leading to important gains in competitive funding and ing us this year. attracting distinguished researchers to UNT. We’re also continuing to broaden our infrastructure with UNT had about $44 million in federally reported research facilities such as the Zero Energy Laboratory and the Research expenditures during fiscal year 2012, a 40 percent increase Greenhouse Complex at Discovery Park. Our Nanofabrication from fiscal year 2010. Our base competitive research awards Analysis and Research Facility — which includes a 3,000- are increasing steadily each year, even as federal earmarks and square-foot clean room — will come online this year. The facil- stimulus funding have all but disappeared. This shows that ity, partially funded by the National Science Foundation, will more of our faculty members are seeking and qualifying for be an advanced university laboratory for materials synthesis and competitive funding, furthering the impact of their research, analysis and micro/nano device fabrication. scholarship and creative activity and contributing to the quality Together, these advances give UNT momentum as we of our students’ education. build our national reputation as a research institution. And, Part of what is driving this growth is the work our faculty importantly, they are enhancing our academic environment, giv- researchers are doing in our collaborative research clusters. ing our students a stronger, more rigorous learning experience. These clusters are maturing, and many of our faculty research- ers are working on new developments and technologies. The clusters are helping UNT stand out to prospective faculty and Geoff Gamble students in areas such as plant sciences, renewable energy tech- Vice President for Research and Economic Development

unt.edu/untresearch | unt Research 2013 ] 51 Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development Paid 1155 Union Circle #310979, Denton, Texas 76203-5017 Denton, TX 76201 Permit No. 455 Gary Payne

The Supercomputer Researchers at the University of North Texas can do more complex calculations and work with larger data sets thanks to the Talon High-Performance Computing System. The supercomputer, with 200 terabytes of storage and an operating speed of 20 teraflops, has helped UNT expand its reach in computation-based research. Faculty members in computational chemistry, computational epidemiology, bioinformatics, physics, mathematics, biology, materials science, and mechanical 1 and energy[ 2013 engineering unt Research — |unt.edu/untresearch as well as experimental music and art — are among its many users.