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TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2026

Fronteras: How a divergence of cultures led to interracial violence in 19th-century Texas: Sam W. Haynes (College of Liberal Arts) spoke with Texas Standard about his book Unsettled Land: From Revolution to Republic, the Struggle for Texas. He focuses on 19th-century Texas to the present a new interpretation of Texas' founding. The book led to an interactive digital map, Texas in Turmoil: Mapping Interethnic Violence, 1821-79, which explores over 3,000 points of interracial conflict and violence from Mexican independence to the end of the Indian Wars.

Testing and the paradoxes of fairness: Daniel Robinson (College of Education) spoke with The Academic Minute about whether or not tests are a fair way to predict individual performance. He said tests are the best way to predict how someone will perform in school, in the military, in medicine, or while controlling airline traffic and flying a plane. However, the other side of this problem is more complex. Using tests is always accompanied by group differences that could result in continued systemic discrimination by limiting opportunities for those who are marginalized. 

Texas’ party primaries shape the state’s politics. So why do so few voters participate?: Coordinated by the UTA media relations team, Brent Boyea (College of Liberal Arts) spoke with Texas Standard about who in Texas has historically experienced low voter turnout in primaries. Dr. Boyea said it is very important that more Texans go out and vote during primaries, as it is usually only the "ultra-political voters" who vote in these elections. 

Cops: Texas college students helped solve a 34-year-old cold case murder: Professor Patricia Eddings (College of Liberal Arts) and her students continue to make national headlines. Their latest appearance was on Inside Edition with a 13-minute segment.