1st Annual CAPPA Research & Creative Works Symposium

Thank you to everyone who submitted proposals for the inaugural CAPPA Research & Creative Works Symposium, an interdisciplinary event exploring innovative, people-centered approaches to urban growth and resilience in North Texas. This symposium is scheduled for March 3, 2026, at CAPPA.

We are thrilled to share that we received an exceptional number of submissions—far more than anticipated! Your enthusiasm and creativity truly reflect the energetic research culture across CAPPA.

The Research Symposium Committee, comprising program directors from CAPPA and chaired by the Associate Dean for Faculty Success and Research, will review the proposals, select those for presentation, and provide recommendations for awards, including Best Research Paper/Project and Best Poster. Due to the high volume of submissions, decision notifications will be sent by December 19, 2025.

For any questions, please contact the Associate Dean, Dr. Karabi Bezboruah, at bezborua@uta.edu.

2025 Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP) Homecoming Event:

As part of our yearlong CAPPA 10 celebration, the UTA Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP) program was proud to honor 50 years of excellence in planning education, research, and community impact at Homecoming.

The event also marked the introduction of our MCRP Advisory Council members, who will help guide the program's future. Here's to the next 50 years of shaping vibrant, sustainable communities! For the full album, check out HERE.

Interior Design celebrates Lecturer Donna Firouzbakht for successfully passing the NCIDQ Exam (National Council for Interior Design Qualification). The NCIDQ is the exam required for professional licensure in twenty-nine states, Puerto Rico, and nine Canadian provinces. In the United States and Canada, interior design is regulated through two different types of law: Practice Acts and Title Acts. Jurisdictions with Practice Acts require certification and registration in order to practice in that jurisdiction. In jurisdictions with Title Acts, registration with the jurisdiction is optional and comes with a protected title. In some Title Act jurisdictions, additional practice rights, such as permitting privileges, are offered to registrants.

In Texas, interior designers are licensed under a Title Act and have permitting privileges under TBAE. Passing of the NCIDQ Exam is required for persons with studio instruction responsibility under the CIDA Accreditation Standards. The interior design program is proud to add credentialed interior designers to its faculty. Congratulations Donna!

Dr. Joowon Im has received the Envision Resilience National Design Studio Grant to support her Landscape Architecture Design Studio IV in Spring 2026. The $10,000 grant will fund a studio focused on sustainable community development in Joppa (Joppee), TX, a historic Freedmen’s Town along the Trinity River facing environmental and industrial challenges. Students will collaborate with community members to co-create a resilient design framework that integrates evidence-based planning, interdisciplinary expertise, and environmental surveys, in partnership with civil engineering and UTARI, to address local hazards and strengthen design development. Congratulations Joowon!

Dr. Barbara Marini recently earned national recognition for her work in interior design education. Her proposal, “Creating a Cultural Experience through Community Engagement,” was selected for a poster session at the IDEC 2026 Conference (Interior Design Educators Conference). Additionally, her book proposal, co-authored with Linda Sorrento, FASID, LEED Fellow, titled “Design Strategies for Resilient Interior Environments,” has been accepted for publication, highlighting innovative approaches to resilient and community-centered interior design.

The contemporary architectural landscape is undergoing a transformation shaped by material innovation and interdisciplinary research. Shadi Nazarian's research introduces a new architectural paradigm by developing seamless transitions between glass and engineered geopolymer concrete. 

What began as a single-campus planning initiative between The University of Texas at Arlington’s Institute of Urban Studies (IUS) and Hill College has grown into a comprehensive, multi-campus effort to strengthen rural community development across North Texas.

An effort led by Interim Director Hannah Lebovits and lead Graduate Research Assistant Kena Nicol, the data-driven document was praised by college officials as both visionary and practical.

Dr. Wei Zhai authored an article for The Conversation explaining how digital models of cities typically depict buildings and roads, but not how real people live and move. Dr. Zhai explains that using synthetic data—computer-generated data that mimics human activity—can help make these models more realistic and better support planning for fairer, more effective cities. 

Dr. Nubras Samayeen recently presented at the 4th International Conference on Mosque Architecture (ICMA) in Istanbul, sharing “The Phantom Mosque, Islamic Democracy, and the Paradox of Building a National Identity,” her study of Louis I. Kahn’s mosque design for Dhaka’s Capitol Complex. Her new book chapter, “Photographic Ambivalence, Archives, and the Construction of National Identity of Bangladesh,” also appears in Popular Culture in South Asian Context.

Adjunct Assistant Professor Michael Malone recently led students in his Fourth-Year Architecture Design Studio (ARCH 4556) on an immersive field trip to New York City, giving them firsthand exposure to one of the nation's most celebrated works of urban design — the Rockefeller Center.  

Faculty members from the Department of Public Affairs and Planning recently participated in the 2025 ARNOVA Conference, “The Evolving Role of Philanthropy in Global, National, and Local Contexts,” held November 20–22 in Indianapolis.

The annual ARNOVA Conference convenes scholars, practitioners, and sector leaders to examine the most pressing issues and emerging opportunities facing the voluntary and nonprofit sector. CAPPA was represented by Drs. Karabi Bezboruah, Emily Nwakpuda, Jiwon Suh, and doctoral student Marylin Rozario, who presented their research on financial management, cross-sector collaboration, innovative healthcare services, and organizational capacity building.

Participation in ARNOVA allows our faculty to stay at the forefront of nonprofit and public affairs research, bringing new insights and strengthened connections back to our department, students, and community partners.

Beginning January 1, 2026, new procedural deadlines for proposal preparation and submission will take effect to ensure a more consistent and efficient process across the University. Key Changes:

For details, see: https://resources.uta.edu/research/grants-and-contracts-services/proposal-submission-milestones.php

Please complete the Budget Review Form for External Grants here:

Research Enhancement Program (REP) grants are awarded specifically to support research and professional creative activity. The grant serves as seed funding for launching new research and serves as a foundation for future research and funding from external sources. Any full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty member of The University of Texas at Arlington is eligible to apply for a REP grant. The budget for a REP grant proposal submitted by a single investigator is up to $12,000; a proposal submitted by two or more investigators is up to $16,000, regardless of the number of collaborating faculty. The REP proposal guidelines for the 2026-27 cycle are now available.

Applications are to be submitted via Mentis by December 5, 2025.

The review process for the REP Competition is outlined here.

Nomination season for the prestigious UTA Faculty Research Honors is now underway, and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (VPRI) is looking forward to recognizing your outstanding colleagues.

The nomination window is open now through Friday, Dec. 19. Review the official Faculty Research Honors Overview and Nomination Guidelines for details.

Nominate a colleague here. 

The Scholarships Office recommends employees intending to receive the Employee Tuition Affordability Program (ETAP) for spring begin the approval process as soon as possible. Each semester requires new approval signatures, and all forms must be signed by a supervisor and vice president or dean, then submitted to the Scholarships Office.

The deadline for spring 2026 regular session is Monday, Dec. 22. ETAP forms will not be reviewed during winter break and late forms will not be accepted. Refer to the website for additional information. 

The FDL Program provides release time to tenured faculty members to support a variety of activities, including publication, research, teaching, and creative activities. 

Applications must be submitted through Watermark/Digital Measures by Friday, Dec. 5 (11:59 pm CST).

The Professional Development Travel Award is available to full-time faculty, both Tenured/Tenure-Track and Academic Professional Track, including department chairs and program directors with a faculty appointment. The program supports travel related to enhancing UT Arlington's faculty excellence and national/international reputation in research, creative activity, and teaching. 

As finals week approaches, we want to support your students in their studies by offering healthy snacks from December 1–5. 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.

In need of a professional headshot? Look no further than the Iris booth, your self-serve high-quality photo studio made simple. The Iris booth makes it easy to capture the perfect headshot without an appointment, a photographer, or the stress. 

If you require an accommodation or assistance, contact Career Services front desk or the Campus Information Center after 5 p.m. and on weekends.  

Dec 1-2 (All Day)
Architecture Final Reviews- 3rd,4th, and Graduate

Dec 1 (8:30 AM - 1:00 PM)
Interior Design Final Review
CAPPA 3rd Floor North

Dec 1 (5:00 - 7:00 PM)
Public Administration Capstone Presentations
CAPPA 204

Dec 3 (4:00 - 6:00 PM)
Dean's Holiday Parti
CAPPA Gallery

Dec 5 (10:00 AM - 2:00 PM)
Holiday Glass Art Sale
Student Arts Center

Dec 8 (All Day)
School of Architecture Show and Tell

Dec 11 (6:00 - 8:00 PM)
CAPPA Hooding Ceremony
CAPPA 2nd Floor/ARCH 204

Dec 12 (9:00 AM - 11:00 PM)
Commencement
Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas, United States

Visit our CAPPA Events SharePoint to view more events curated for faculty

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

The Newsletter will be taking a short break in December, and our next edition will arrive in January. We look forward to starting the new year with a special issue featuring highlights from the hooding and graduation ceremonies, as well as other exciting updates from across CAPPA.

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

601 W. Nedderman Drive, Suite 203 • Arlington, TX 76019-0108 • 817.272.2801
© 2025 The University of Texas at Arlington. All rights reserved.