SMU News
SMU remembers global energy entrepreneur Jerome M. Fullinwider ’51
DALLAS (SMU) – SMU mourns the loss of Jerome “Jerry” M. Fullinwider who passed away on July 21, 2022, at the age of 93. Fullinwider is remembered for his passion for economic freedom, long and distinguished career in the global oil and gas industry, civic leadership and philanthropy.
SMU Students Earn Prestigious Fulbright, Boren Awards
Eight SMU students have accepted Fulbright and Boren awards for international study, research and teaching in Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Kazakhstan, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea. Five will be headed across the world as Fulbright finalists to conduct research and teach abroad for the 2022-2023 academic year, while three will travel as Boren fellows and scholars.
SMU Forum Focused on Opportunities for U.S. and Taiwanese Semiconductor Industry Development
Dominant North Texas chipmakers have ‘skin in the game’
A roundtable discussion at SMU focused on semiconductor development in the southern United States gathered U.S. and Taiwanese government leaders as well as academic and industry experts to discuss innovation, competition, and productivity for global semiconductor industries.
SMU has a strong case for a major college athletic conference
Dallas is a city full of sports fans who can boost any roster of teams.
Southern Methodist University is primed to ascend to a major athletics conference.
AT&T, SMU Collaboration Merges Summer Boot Camp and Internships to Grow Data Science Workforce
Nine SMU students are spending the summer together in the classroom and then on-site with AT&T mentors to learn how data science is delivering answers to big-picture questions.
SMU Perkins School of Theology Dean Craig Hill announces retirement
Craig C. Hill, dean of SMU’s Perkins School of Theology, will retire as dean December 31, 2022 due to medical reasons. Hill, the Leighton K. Farrell Endowed Dean and Professor of New Testament, will remain a member of the Perkins faculty until December 31, 2023.
Aramis Watson named SMU Dean of Residence Life and Student Housing
Watson was selected after a competitive national search, which was coordinated by a campus committee chaired by Mindy Sutton, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students.
Education policy and law scholar Jason Nance named new dean of SMU Dedman School of Law
Jason P. Nance, an education policy and law scholar who studies inequalities in public education, has been named the Judge James Noel Dean at SMU’s Dedman School of Law.
Academic Leader Robin Poston to Join SMU as Dean of Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies
Robin Suzanne Poston, vice provost and dean of the Graduate School at the University of Memphis, has been named dean of SMU’s Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies and associate provost for graduate education. She will assume her position at SMU on Monday, Aug. 15.
On the second anniversary of the death of George Floyd
Maria Dixon Hall, Chief Diversity Officer and Special Advisor to the President for Campus Cultural Intelligence Initiatives, looks at changes, challenges and new sorrows two years after the death of George Floyd rocked our country.
SMU Student Senate to Fund Scholarships for West Dallas STEM School Attendees, Rotunda Scholars
Austin Hickle, student body president, leaves ‘legacy of opportunity’
The 2021-2022 Student Senate has created two need-based scholarships –one to help students from the SMU-supported Dallas ISD West Dallas STEM school, who will begin applying to college in four years, and one to help students in SMU’s Rotunda Scholars Program. As president of the SMU student body, Austin Hickle was determined to inspire other student leaders to leave a legacy of opportunity for future SMU students faced with economic challenges.
Professor, World-Renowned Singer Barbara Hill Moore Receives SMU Faculty Career Achievement Award
With an SMU career spanning nearly five decades in the Meadows School of the Arts, Barbara Hill Moore has been named the recipient of the 2022 Faculty Career Achievement Award for her contributions to the teaching, scholarship, and service missions of the University.
SMU Presents Honorary Degree to Pioneering Dallas Civic and Arts Leader Anita N. Martinez
SMU presented the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree to longtime Dallas leader Anita N. Martinez at SMU’s May 14 commencement ceremonies, honoring her dedication to enriching the civic and cultural life of the city.
Longtime Music Educator Charles Aguillon Appointed Director of Mustang Band and Spirit Squads
SMU welcomes a new director of the Mustang Band with the selection of Charles Aguillon. Currently the director of Fine Arts and Academic Enrichment for the Lake Travis Independent School District in Austin, Aguillon will on July 1 take the helm of SMU’s band while also overseeing the cheer and pom teams, SMU’s live mascot, Peruna, and the Peruna Handlers.
SMU remembers renowned SMU alumnus Chester John “Don” Donnally, Jr. ’67, ’68
SMU mourns the loss of Chester John “Don” Donnally, Jr. ’67, ’68, who passed away at his home on May 15, 2022. Donnally is remembered as a longtime supporter of SMU, a leader in the financial services industry for more than four decades and a nationally recognized member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity, which he served through active fundraising and mentorship efforts for over 50 years. His contributions and dedication to SAE led to the construction and ongoing success of the SAE House on SMU’s campus.
SMU Breaks Ground on Extensive Expansion And Renovation of Cox School of Business
The two-year project will expand the school’s footprint by more than 30 percent, with the construction of four new buildings connecting the existing facilities into cohesive space that supports collaboration within the Cox School and across the campus, as well as with the Dallas business community.
AT AGE 85, THIS 2022 SMU GRADUATE IS READY TO AIM HER DIPLOMA AT A NEW CAREER AS A SCREENWRITER
Sixty-eight years later, she is fulfilling her dream to go to college, earning a B.A. in film and media arts from SMU with plans to write screenplays.
Longtime Faculty Member Paul Krueger to Serve as Interim Dean of SMU's Lyle School of Engineering
Paul Krueger, department chair and professor of mechanical engineering, has been named interim dean of SMU’s Lyle School of Engineering. He begins his duties June 1 following the departure of current Dean Marc P. Christensen, who is leaving SMU to become the 17th president of Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York.
Thomas Mayo to Serve as Interim Dean of SMU Dedman School of Law
Thomas Mayo will serve in that capacity while a University committee conducts a national search to replace current Dean Jennifer Collins, who is leaving SMU to become president of Rhodes College in Memphis on July 1.
William S. Spears is strengthening entrepreneurial leadership through new Cox School institute
Celebrated energy expert and philanthropist William S. Spears has made the largest gift by a non-alumnus in the history of SMU, a commitment that will establish the William S. Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership in the SMU Cox School of Business.
SMU Program to close financial gaps for academically gifted Pell Grant recipients
Access SMU will break financial barriers to college entry and graduation – first for academically talented Texas students, with the goal to later expand the investment in more students who need help paying for college.
Making new strides with Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium
Ushering in an exciting new addition to the Hilltop and Mustang Athletics, SMU celebrated the dedication of the new Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium on April 8, 2022. Led by a principal gift from Ray W. Washburne ’84 and Heather H. Washburne, the stadium was made possible by the University’s Mustang fans, generous donors and spirited alumni.
Dallas Morning News Publisher Grant Moise to Deliver SMU's Commencement Address
The outdoor ceremony, scheduled for 9 a.m. at Gerald J. Ford Stadium, will be streamed live.
Grant Moise, publisher and president of the Dallas Morning News, will be the featured speaker at SMU’s May Commencement Convocation on Saturday, May 14.
SMU Lyle School of Engineering Dean Marc P. Christensen named President of Clarkson University
Marc P. Christensen, dean of SMU’s Lyle School of Engineering and Bobby B. Lyle Professor of Engineering Innovation, has been named the 17th president of Clarkson University, a private research institution with more than 4,600 students based in Potsdam, New York.
SMU Cox School of Business Dean Matthew Myers Reappointed to Five-Year Term Announcement
Myers joined SMU as dean in August 2017. He also holds the Tolleson Chair of Business Leadership and is the David B. Miller Endowed Professor in Business.
Leading the future of SMU data science
A $2 million gift from the O’Donnell Foundation will name and endow the Peter O’Donnell, Jr. Director of the Data Science Institute at SMU. The gift will support the University's strategic vision to expand research in this rapidly growing discipline by building on previous SMU investments in data science.
Advancing Baptist ministry training at SMU
The Baugh Foundation grants $2.7 million to Perkins Baptist House of Studies
The Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation awarded a $2.7 million, three-year grant to the Baptist House of Studies at the SMU Perkins School of Theology. The contribution will support approximately 10 full-time Baugh Scholars enrolled in Perkins master’s, Doctor of Ministry and Doctor of Pastoral Music degree programs.
SMU President R. Gerald Turner honored by Spain for promotion of country's arts and culture
Decoration granted by King Felipe VI
SMU President R. Gerald Turner received the Encomienda de la Orden de Isabel la Católica, a decoration granted by King Felipe VI of Spain, at a February 18 ceremony at SMU’s Meadows Museum. The decoration recognized Turner for his extraordinary civil character and accomplishments that have benefited Spain.
This February, let us remember, celebrate and make forever visible the contributions of all Black Americans.
Diving into a new era of champions
The addition of the Holt Hickman Outdoor Pool supports the SMU Ignited campaign goal of enhancing campus infrastructure and strengthening the North Texas community through competitive athletics and diverse programming and encouraging civic pride.
Expanding SMU’s Gerald J. Ford Stadium
The foundation established by former Mustang football letterman Garry A. Weber ’58 made the commitment in support of a $100 million drive for a new 192,500-square-foot complex at Gerald J. Ford Stadium, part of the $1.5 billion campaign, SMU Ignited: Boldly Shaping Tomorrow.
Let us all commit on this MLK Day to serve one another with acts of service that build our community not just for a single day, but for all the days to come.
SMU senior awarded prestigious Marshall scholarship
Isabelle Galko’s environmental activism sparked study of policy change
SMU senior environmental science major Isabelle Galko is one of just 41 American university students named a Marshall Scholar for 2022, a prestigious opportunity to pursue graduate studies in the UK for distinguished young Americans with leadership potential.
Which personality traits can be improved without personal motivation? Research says 'it depends'
Could a company train an employee to become more conscientious, even if the worker isn’t invested in improving that trait? A new study suggests yes. But improving someone’s emotional stability without that person’s commitment is not likely to happen, says SMU psychology professor Nathan Hudson.
SMU Law Dean named President of Rhodes College
Jennifer Collins, Judge James Noel Dean and professor in SMU’s Dedman School of Law, has been named the new president of Rhodes College, a four-year private institution in Memphis with approximately 2,000 students.
New high-resolution camera records holograms of hidden objects
Researchers at SMU (Southern Methodist University) and Northwestern University are using new technology that enables cameras to record high-resolution images and holograms of objects that are hidden around corners, obscured from view and/or beyond the line of sight.
Research News
Dominique Baker receives NAEd/Spencer Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship
Dominique J. Baker, a nationally recognized expert on education policy in SMU’s Simmons School of Education and Human Development, was one of the recipients of the 2022 National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowships.
A surprising way to tamp down ugly 'Dark Triad' personality traits
A new study has found that tasks designed to make someone more agreeable also effectively reduce a trio of negative personality traits known as the “Dark Triad” – Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy.
New dinosaur species used fearsome claws to graze along the coast
Therizinosaurs were a large group of primarily herbivorous theropod dinosaurs (dinosaurs with hollow bones and three-toed limbs). Therizinosaurs were first discovered in Asia; the fossil records in Asian countries such as China and Mongolia are rich in therizinosaurus fossils, and fossil fragments have also been reported from Japan.
ARA and SMU announce microrobotics collaboration
ARA and the Biological Actuation, Sensing, and Transport Laboratory (BAST Lab) at SMU today announced a collaboration to further advance microrobotics technology for real world applications.
The massive Jan. 15 eruption of the undersea Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano in the South Pacific Ocean was a once-in-a-century event that allowed an international group of 76 scientists using multiple forms of technology to crowdsource their data in ways never before possible.
Research shows the role empathy may play in music
Can people who understand the emotions of others better interpret emotions conveyed through music? A new study by an international team of researchers suggests the abilities are linked.
Precipitation and temperature helped drive abundant dinosaur populations in ancient Alaska
A new study led by SMU paleontologist Anthony Fiorillo identifies the key role precipitation and temperature play in structuring vertebrate herbivore dinosaur populations in Alaska. The findings, which are published in the journal Geosciences, may also provide historical insights into the consequences of climate change.
Arm movement and running speed: Is the partnership overrated?
A new study suggests that restricting arm movement during short sprints impacts running performance only marginally.
A NASA-funded team led by SMU researchers think that their small, lightweight device developed to measure spaceship velocity will improve the odds of successful landings on Mars and other planets.
Does media coverage impact the student loan debt narrative?
Dominique J. Baker, a nationally recognized expert on education policy in SMU’s Simmons School of Education and Human Development, has received an emerging scholars pipeline grant to explore the links between race, racism, and how student loan policies are covered in media.
International Research Team Identifies New Armored Dinosaur Species Found in Mongolia's Gobi Desert
A new species of armored dinosaur from the southern Gobi Desert of Mongolia that may have used its unique tail as a weapon has been identified by an international team of vertebrate paleontologists and researchers.
The gender gap: Nature or nurture? It’s complicated, says a large Facebook study
It’s an age-old question - are the differences between what men and women like decided by nature or nurture? A new study from SMU and UC3M in Spain produced some surprising results: the gap separating the interests of men and women on some topics is larger in countries known for promoting gender equality than in countries with more rigid gender roles.
SMU Alumna and Paleontologist Myria Perez ‘18 Featured on CBS Evening News
Myria Perez, a 2018 graduate of SMU with degrees in geology and anthropology, was recently featured in a CBS Evening News segment about a new exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
Gates Foundation Award to Study Test-Optional Admissions Impact
A multi-university research team that includes Dominique Baker, assistant professor of education policy in SMU’s Simmons School of Education and Human Development, has been awarded a $1.4 million grant from the Gates Foundation to examine the impact test-optional admission policies in higher education had on college access and equity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
16 SMU Students Named Fulbright Semi-Finalists
Outstanding scholars in the running for prestigious graduate study, research and teaching opportunities abroad
SMU research cut a wide path in 2021
From answering pre-launch questions before a NASA mission to one of Saturn’s moons, to identifying hundreds of mostly “hidden” landslides on the U.S. West Coast, SMU professors and students fueled research with impact in 2021. Here are some of the highlights.
Gene allowing humans to feel touch may play a role in sense of smell
SMU research could lead to treatment for common COVID side effect
Researchers from SMU (Southern Methodist University) have determined that a gene linked to feeling touch may moonlight as an olfactory gene. That’s the conclusion drawn from studying a very small, transparent worm that shares many similarities with the human nervous system.
Jung-Chih Chiao elected Fellow of American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering
J.-C. Chiao, the Mary and Richard Templeton Centennial Chair and professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department in the SMU Lyle School of Engineering, has been elected a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE).
Can conquering fractions lead to algebra success?
Education researcher Leanne Ketterlin Geller earns largest single-year grant in SMU history
Renowned mathematics researcher Leanne Ketterlin Geller, Texas Instruments Endowed Chair in Education in the Simmons School of Education and Human Development, has been awarded the largest single-year research award in SMU history.
Screening protocols to determine who qualifies for “compassionate dialysis” in hospitals with high numbers of uninsured patients are driving an unintended consequence, an SMU analysis has found. The protocols are putting too much strain on the emergency room, as measured by how long ER patients are waiting to be seen and other metrics.
Elizabeth G. Loboa, SMU’s provost and vice president for academic affairs, and Zhong Lu, the Shuler-Foscue Chair in SMU's Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences, have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Election as an AAAS Fellow is an honor bestowed by their peers upon the group’s members for scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.
Video game software patented for age-related macular degeneration research
Machine learning software for OCT images aids in identify progression and treatment options
BALANCED Media|Technology (BALANCED), in partnership with the Retina Foundation of the Southwest (RETINA) and Southern Methodist University (SMU), today announced a patent-pending medical imaging technology (U.S. Patent Application Serial No.16/538,662) that uses automated software and a video game to provide standardized, accurate, and precise identification of ocular diseases including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of visual impairment in the world.
Which personality traits can be improved without personal motivation? Research says 'it depends'
Could a company train an employee to become more conscientious, even if the worker isn’t invested in improving that trait? A new study suggests yes. But improving someone’s emotional stability without that person’s commitment is not likely to happen, says SMU psychology professor Nathan Hudson.
New high-resolution camera records holograms of hidden objects
Researchers at SMU (Southern Methodist University) and Northwestern University are using new technology that enables cameras to record high-resolution images and holograms of objects that are hidden around corners, obscured from view and/or beyond the line of sight.
SMU Lyle prof listed among most "Highly Cited Researchers" for 2021
SMU’s Jianhui Wang was named to the 2021 list of Highly Cited Researchers from Clarivate. It’s the fourth time Wang, a professor with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in SMU’s Lyle School of Engineering, has won the award.
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