As the 2025–26 academic year draws to a close, we came together on April 20^th for the Spring 2026 Faculty and Staff College-Wide Meeting. It's an occasion marked by reflection, appreciation, and celebration of the people who define the college's dynamic academic community.

The gathering continued the success of the CAPPA Faculty & Staff Awards program, now in its second year and led by Associate Dean for Faculty Success and Research, Dr. Karabi Bezboruah. Established to foster a culture of recognition and excellence, the program honors faculty and staff whose dedication and achievements have made a lasting impact across the college. During this gathering, we proudly acknowledged our award recipients. 

A special highlight of the event was the introduction of Dr. Gül Sayan Atanur, Dean of the College of Architecture & Design at Bursa Teknik Üniversitesi (Bursa Technical University), who participated as a visiting scholar at CAPPA and guest of Dr. Taner R. Özdil, reinforcing the college’s emphasis on international academic collaboration and exchange. Read More.

Congratulations to all our award recipients!

1) Faculty Awards:

Teaching Excellence for Tenure-Track Faculty:

Dr. Mahmoud Bayat

Excellence in Research for Tenure-Track Faculty:

Dr. Jiseul Kim

Excellence in Creative Activity for Tenured Faculty:

Prof. Dennis Chiessa

Judith Clark, Administrative Assistant II (Dr. Diane Jones Allen received the award on her behalf)

Sebastian Sol, Academic Advisor II

Susan Allert, Assistant to the Associate and Assistant Dean / Special Events Coordinator

CAPPA Faculty Mentoring Program

The CAPPA Faculty Mentoring Program is designed to support and foster the professional development of its faculty members. Whether you are a new faculty member navigating your early years in academia or an experienced educator seeking to deepen your impact, this program offers personalized guidance, collaborative learning, and the opportunity to connect with faculty across CAPPA disciplines.

Program Goals: The primary goals of the program are to:

Who Can Participate:

Pairing Process: Mentees will be paired with mentors based on shared academic interests, career goals, or areas of expertise. Faculty members will also have the option to express preferences in mentor pairing.

How to Get Involved: To participate as a mentor or mentee or learn more about the CAPPA Faculty Mentoring Program, please contact Dr. Karabi Bezboruah, CAPPA Associate Dean of Faculty Success and Research, at bezborua@uta.edu by Saturday, May 30.

CAPPA is delighted to announce the promotion of three distinguished faculty members whose scholarship, teaching, and service continue to elevate our college community.

Effective September 1, 2026, Dr. Evan Mistur, Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Affairs & Planning, and Julia Lindgren, Assistant Professor in the School of Architecture, have been promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure.

Additionally, Dr. Austin Allen, Associate Professor of Practice in the School of Architecture, has been promoted to Professor of Practice, also effective September 1, 2026.

Please join us in congratulating these outstanding faculty members on their well‑deserved achievements!

Recognition took center stage for CAPPA this spring as seven faculty members were honored for excellence in teaching, mentorship, research, and faculty leadership during The University of Texas at Arlington’s Spring Meeting of the University Faculty & Associates and Celebration of Creative Works, held April 14 in the UTA Library. Read More.

Associate Professor of Architecture, Bradley Bell, has been selected for induction into UTA’s Academy of Distinguished Teachers (ADT), one of the University's highest honors recognizing excellence in teaching. Approved by President Jennifer Cowley and Provost Tamara Brown, this recognition highlights Prof. Bell's devoted, enthusiastic, and long-standing commitment to student success and the University's teaching mission. Read More.

Dr. Karabi Bezboruah, Professor in the Department of Public Affairs and Planning, has been named the recipient of this year's Excellence in Doctoral Student Mentoring Award by the Graduate School Excellence in Doctoral Student Mentoring Award Selection Committee. Recognized for her consistent and exemplary dedication to doctoral student development at the university, Dr. Bezboruah has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to mentoring students in their professional, personal, and academic development. Read More.

Dr. Shermeen Yousif, Associate Professor of Architecture, has received a competitive UTA grant award for her innovative research project, "Materializing AI Ecologies: A New Framework for Translating AI-Driven Designs into High-Performing Robotically Fabricated Architectural Prototypes." Conducted within CAPPA's newly established Performative AI Lab, the project advances interdisciplinary research at the intersection of artificial intelligence, performance-driven architectural design, and robotic fabrication. Read More.

As part of Spring 2026 commencement registration, graduating CAPPA students were invited to recognize faculty and staff who made a meaningful difference during their time at The University of Texas at Arlington. Many students took that opportunity to reflect—not only on what they learned, but on who helped them persist, grow, and succeed. Read More.

We proudly acknowledge Assistant Dean Charles MacBride, Drs. David Franco, Evan Mistur, and Jiwon Suh for completing the UTA Faculty Leadership Academy. Selected through a pool of qualified nominations and a review process, they participated in a semester‑long, cohort‑based program designed to equip participants with the essential characteristics and skills needed to be effective leaders in higher education. Read More.

Dr. Lorena Toffer, Adjunct Assistant Professor and Faculty Fellow of Architecture, has successfully defended her doctoral dissertation at Southern Methodist University. Her study, LIFT AS WE CLIMB – Pláticas on Ser, Poder, y Haciendo Espacio en Architecture, offers a compelling qualitative exploration of identity, belonging, and community cultural wealth among first‑generation Latina college graduates. 

Additionally, Dr. Toffer has been named the recipient of the 2026 ACSA Diversity Achievement Award for her project, La Esperanza Community Center in Dallas, TX, which is nationally recognized for its impact on design, community collaboration, and environmental justice.

We proudly celebrate Dr. Toffer’s remarkable achievements and the meaningful contributions she continues to make to our students, our community, and the future of architectural education. Read More.

Associate Professor of Practice of Landscape Architecture David Hopman's book, Creative Regionalism, has received a prestigious Merit Award from the Texas Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). This important recognition highlights his vision that the places we inhabit should not only serve functional purposes but also reflect the evolving story of our culture, environment, and identity. Read More.

Dr. Wei Zhai, Associate Professor in the Department of Public Affairs & Planning, has received a $153,241 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant as a Co‑PI in partnership with Prairie View A&M University. The project, “Excellence in Research: Implementing Urban Digital Twins with Responsible Foundation AI for Community Resilience,” aims to advance equitable urban resilience through cutting‑edge AI and digital‑twin technologies.

The research focuses on improving outcomes for communities of color disproportionately affected by urbanization challenges. It includes three major thrusts: responsible AI‑driven data curation, explainable analytical visualization, and the integration of social and physical systems using multimodal foundation models. The project also launches an “AI‑Driven Urban Community Studies” program to train students in interdisciplinary skills critical to the future workforce.

The UTA team will lead contributions to Research Thrust 3, advancing social‑physical system integration through knowledge graph methods and human‑in‑the‑loop (HITL) approaches. This award strengthens collaborative research across institutions and expands opportunities for minority students to participate in high‑impact STEM fields.

The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) 2026 Annual Conference

Our Architecture faculty had a strong and inspiring presence at the 2026 ACSA 114th Conference "Convergence / Divergence: Designing Futures in Architecture and Education," held in Chicago, IL.

Proud of our faculty's contributions and presentations across multiple tracks, and of their continued commitment to advancing architecture, technology, and community-centered design. Read More.

Advancing Research on Climate Resilience at the CFAR Spring Workshop

Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture Dr. Joowon Im participated in the Center for Coastal Futures and Adaptive Resilience (CFAR) Spring Workshop: Green Infrastructure and the Polycrisis at Rice University, alongside 13 national experts from design, science, engineering, and public policy.

The workshop explored how green infrastructure can address interconnected challenges, from climate change and public health to infrastructure vulnerability and social inequity. Read More.

Important Changes to Proposal Submission Deadlines

Beginning January 1, 2026, there are updated UTA proposal submission deadlines as well as CAPPA’s internal grant budget proposal review policy, which applies to all individuals serving as PIs and Co‑PIs. For more details, see HERE. 

UTA Proposal Submission Deadlines:

CAPPA Grant Budget Proposal Review Requirement:

This is a reminder that CAPPA has an internal budget review policy that must be followed before faculty adhere to the OGCS submission deadlines.

All PIs and Co‑PIs submitting a grant proposal must:

The College of Liberal Arts invites applications for participation in the AI and Society Research Cohort, an interdisciplinary faculty initiative focused on the social, ethical, legal, and cultural implications of artificial intelligence. The cohort is designed to bring together faculty across disciplines to develop collaborative research, prepare external grant proposals, and contribute to public-facing scholarship on AI and society.

Application Requirements

Applications are due Friday, May 1, 2026:

Selection Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on the originality and potential impact of the proposed research idea, the potential for interdisciplinary collaboration, and the applicant’s interest in contributing to the broader AI and Society initiative at UTA. For questions, please contact the chairs of the COLA AI working group: Dr. Mark Hand at mark.hand@uta.edu and Dr. Syed Abumusab at syed.abumusab@uta.edu.

As the semester winds down, CRTLE is offering a few remaining opportunities designed to support your teaching, creative practice, and experimentation—especially around AI‑enhanced teaching, digital learning design, and innovative assignment strategies. These sessions are practice‑focused, flexible, and meant to complement the project‑based, studio‑informed work that defines CAPPA teaching across architecture, planning, design, and the arts. Graduate students are welcome!

Upcoming Events:

Faculty members are invited to share their expertise with the UTA Extension and Extended Campus Seniors 55+ Program by leading short lectures, workshops, or activities for senior learners. Topics can include history, literature, music, art, health, technology, hobbies, campus events, research presentations, and cultural discussions; learn more or apply to volunteer here. 

As finals week approaches, we want to support your students in their studies by offering healthy snacks from April 20^th to May 1^st. These snacks will be available ONLY to CAPPA students in the Dean's Suite (Room 203), and we hope they help fuel your students' efforts during this critical time.

The Office of Information Technology (OIT) launched a new process to make it easier for faculty to evaluate and acquire technology. It will provide a single starting point to determine whether software or technology is approved, unapproved, or requires review before use or purchase.

When needed, requests are submitted through ServiceNow and reviewed by OIT Accessibility, Enterprise Architecture, and the Information Security Office. Learn more here. 

Faculty are invited to a sustainability bootcamp May 7- 8 to learn how to integrate sustainability into courses through UTA’s Engineering for One Planet (EOP) initiative. This helps faculty build sustainability-focused outcomes using the EOP framework and U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. Participants will receive breakfast, lunch, and a $500 stipend upon completion. Read more here. 

Before the doors open to the public, faculty and staff are invited to a special Preview and Early Purchase event for the UTA Spring Glass Art Sale and Fundraiser.

The preview begins at 10 a.m. Friday, May 1, at the UTA Studio Arts Center. Please bring your UTA ID for entry. This is a cashless event. Credit cards, checks, Apple Pay, and IDTs will be accepted for department purchases. 

The public sale will take place on Saturday, May 2. Visitors can also enjoy live glassblowing demonstrations throughout the day.

Do you have news, publications, research, awards, and announcements to SHARE? Fill out the form below!

Karabi Bezboruah, Ph.D., Professor and Associate Dean for Faculty Success and Research

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