As the 2026–27 academic year begins, we came together on September 24^th for the Fall 2026 Faculty and Staff College-Wide Meeting to reflect on, appreciate, and celebrate the people who make our college’s academic community so vibrant and successful.

We were honored to welcome Provost Brown, who provided important university updates and engaged in meaningful dialogue with faculty and staff. Topics discussed included new academic HR processes, revisions to the SB-37 Core Curriculum to align with updated criteria, improvements to curricular processes, degree automation initiatives, plans for university commencement ceremonies, shared services, and university leadership.

Dean Li also shared CAPPA’s priorities for the year ahead. He recognized the many accomplishments of our faculty and staff, celebrating the contributions and achievements that continue to drive the college’s mission and impact.

2026-27 UTA Teaching Award Nominations Due Oct. 5th

Thank you for submitting nominations for the 26-27 UTA Teaching Award. CAPPA’s final nominations will be submitted to the Division of Faculty Success (DFS) by October 30. DFS will notify candidates and provide dossier instructions by November 6. Completed dossiers are due January 8, 2027, and winners will be announced at the Spring Faculty and Associates Meeting on April 20, 2027.

AWARD DESCRIPTIONS:

The following is a brief description of each award. For more information about each award, view the dossier templates HERE.

1) Academy of Distinguished Teachers

2) Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching

3) William S. Ward Endowment Award

4) President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching

2027 CAPPA Forum Proposals Due Oct. 30th

Proposal Deadline: Friday, October 30^th, 2026, at 5 pm

Building on the success of the inaugural 2026 CAPPA Forum: Research & Creative Works Symposium, we are excited to carry that momentum forward and once again celebrate the outstanding research, scholarship, and creative achievements across CAPPA.

As we prepare for the 2027 CAPPA Forum: Research & Creative Works Symposium, we encourage faculty to participate by submitting a proposal abstract and contributing to this growing tradition of academic excellence and creative inquiry.

Please submit your proposal abstracts via the 2027 CAPPA Forum Research & Creative Works Symposium Form.

2026-27 UTA Faculty Research Honors Applications Due Nov. 9th

As a reminder, completed applications for the 2027 UTA Faculty Research Honors are due by Monday, Nov. 9. The CAPPA Research Review Committee will evaluate the applications and submit recommendations to the Dean by December 4, 2026. CAPPA will submit its final nominations to the Office of Research and Innovation (ORI) by December 11, 2026, for university-level review. CAPPA will announce award recipients at the Spring Faculty and Associates Meeting on April 20, 2027.

For complete award descriptions, university criteria, and submission information, visit the UTA Faculty Research Honors award descriptions.

AWARD TRACKS AND CATEGORIES

Each award category includes two tracks:

Category 1: Academy of Distinguished Researchers

Recognizes a faculty member whose transformative contributions have reshaped disciplinary conversations, artistic practices, theoretical frameworks, or knowledge in the creative, humanities, and social science fields. The nominee should also demonstrate disciplinary leadership and a sustained commitment to developing the next generation of scholars or practitioners.

Category 2: Distinguished Record of Research or Creative Activity

Recognizes a faculty member who has achieved a distinguished record of research, scholarship, or creative activity over an extended period.

Category 3: Outstanding Research Achievement or Creative Accomplishment Award

Recognizes a faculty member who has achieved a particularly significant research or creative accomplishment within the past three years.

Spring 2027 CAPPA Seed Grants Proposals Due Nov. 13th

Please click on the Grant Proposal Template to download the proposal outline.

Submissions Deadline: Friday, November 13^th, 2026, at 5 pm

Opportunity 1: Geisel Grants for Community Impact 

CAPPA aims to advance Dr. Geisel’s vision by encouraging continued community engagement by our students and faculty in addressing challenging issues that impact our local and regional communities, particularly those affecting underserved communities. Projects may include, but are not limited to, providing technical assistance; engaging in community design work to address a specific issue (flooding, housing, parks, etc.); or developing community-identified plans to address a particular need (zoning, economic revitalization, historic preservation, etc.).

Opportunity 2: Geisel Fort Worth Urban & Community Design Mini Studio

This mini studio opportunity through the Geisel Grant encourages faculty and student-led, community-engaged research to address challenging issues that impact our local and regional communities. We invite proposals for Interdisciplinary Studio ideas to be offered as a 3-credit-hour elective course over 16 weeks during the Spring 2027 semester. This course will be held at the UTA Fort Worth Center. This interdisciplinary “mini studio” will engage graduate and/or advanced undergraduate students in collaborative, real-world problem-solving across the allied disciplines of Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Planning, and Public Affairs.

Opportunity 3: Dean’s Interdisciplinary Initiative 

The purpose of the Dean’s Interdisciplinary Initiative is to promote CAPPA’s interdisciplinary collaboration in research and creative ideas. We are seeking bold ideas that align with our mission and leverage the unique strengths of our interdisciplinary community. This year, one grant of $8,000-$10,000 will be awarded to CAPPA faculty to conduct interdisciplinary, innovative projects with the potential to pursue external funding opportunities and enhance the College's academic offerings, community engagement, and financial sustainability. Awards can fund students’ hourly wages, travel, data inquiry, event production, outreach, faculty salary, or faculty travel.

Examples of initiatives this grant aims to support:

Jenifer Reiner, AICP, CNU-A, CFM, joined UTA as Interim Director of the Institute of Urban Studies (IUS).

Reiner brings extensive experience in urban planning, transportation, community development, and local government to her new role. As Interim Director, she will lead the Institute's research, outreach, and community engagement initiatives while strengthening connections between CAPPA's academic expertise and the challenges facing cities and communities across North Texas. Read More.

Dr. Udday Datta has joined the College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs as Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture. His work explores the intersections of landscape architecture, public health, community design, spatial analysis, and environmental resilience. Read More.

Dr. Farshid Torabian, Assistant Professor of Practice in Landscape Architecture, has been selected as one of the Top Five awardees for the 2026 CELA/CLARB Faculty Licensure Advancement Program, a North America-wide initiative supporting landscape architecture faculty pursuing professional licensure.

For him, landscape architecture is most impactful when teaching, research, and professional practice intersect. Read More.

Congratulations to Dr. Shermeen Yousif, Associate Professor of Architecture, for earning an Honorable Mention in the 2026 AIA Dallas Unbuilt Design Awards for her project, “Machinic Vernaculars of Texas - A Resilience Community Hub for Dallas.”

This project turns generative AI into a research tool rather than just an image creator. It refines diffusion models based on Texas vernacular ecologies to retrieve the passive, climate-adapted logic inherent in each tradition, then uses that understanding to design a civic resilience hub for a warming Dallas.

For more information on the project, read here.

Congratulations to Dr. Oswald Jenewein, Associate Professor of Architecture, on his selection as a Top 40 Under 40 Leader for the Alpbach in Motion (AIM) Leadership Lab at the European Forum Alpbach.

This recognition celebrates emerging leaders who show exceptional potential to drive innovation, foster collaboration, and deliver meaningful solutions to today's global challenges.

We're proud to celebrate Dr. Ariadna Reyes-Sánchez, Assistant Professor of Planning, on receiving two prestigious honors recognizing her leadership in research and global collaboration. 

She was selected for the Mexican Diaspora Research Chairs Program. This program supports Mexican researchers abroad in advancing science, technology, the humanities, and innovation while strengthening ties with institutions in Mexico.

In addition, she was recognized as a Level I member of the Sistema Nacional de Investigadores (SNI), acknowledging her exceptional standards of research productivity and excellence. Read More.

Mapping AI's Role in Design, Planning, and Landscape Architecture

Congratulations to Drs. Farshid Torabian, Xueyin Bai, and Wei Zhai for publishing their conference paper titled "Artificial Intelligence in the Built Environment: A Scoping Review and Responsible-Adoption Framework" in the book series Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems (LNNS, volume 2077).

This study presents a scoping review and evidence map of AI in landscape architecture and adjacent fields, especially urban design and urban planning. 

Bridging the Classification Gap in Arts Research

Congratulations to Dr. Karabi Bezboruah, Associate Dean & Professor of Public Affairs, and Dr. Trevor Meagher, an alumnus of the Public Administration and Public Policy (PAPP) Ph.D. Program and Assistant Professor at Florida State University, on the publication of their article, "Classifying Arts and Culture Organizations for Effective Comparative Research," in Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, a top journal in nonprofit management research.

In this study, the authors demonstrate a systematic yet flexible protocol for grouping organizations by reconciling taxonomical discrepancies and incorporating mission sensitivity. 

Architecture Students Reimagine Downtown Arlington Farmers Market

Great design starts with listening!

This semester, students from architecture, urban planning, and urban design in classes taught by Drs. Nubras Samayeen, Malini Roy, and Farshid Torabian are partnering with the Downtown Arlington Farmers Market community to redesign the space to meet the community's needs. From gathering feedback on shade, safety, and accessibility to sketching ideas for future development, students are gaining hands-on experience designing with the community, not just for it. Read More. 

Looking for a past issue of the Digest? You can now browse the complete archive of the CAPPA Faculty Success and Research Digest, featuring faculty achievements, research highlights, funding opportunities, publications, awards, events, and resources that support research, teaching, and professional growth.

The NRC Research Associateship Programs, under the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, & Medicine Fellowships Office, are prestigious postdoctoral and senior research awards providing scientists and engineers with high-quality research opportunities at federal laboratories and affiliated institutions. These programs include mentorship and access to state-of-the-art facilities. Applications are now open. Submission deadline is November 1 at 5 PM ET.

View additional awards

Are you looking for a quick, streamlined way to take attendance this spring? Faculty are strongly encouraged to use Attendance+, a new attendance-tracking tool available in all Canvas courses! This feature simplifies attendance and recording, saving you time and ensuring accurate records.

To make it even more convenient, the system has been preloaded with all course meeting times. If you haven’t already, you can begin using the tool immediately within your Canvas course(s).

How to Access:

To get started, check out the resources on the new Attendance+ webpage, and don’t hesitate to reach out to the Division of Student Success if you have any questions. 

And don’t forget about another resource linked to attendance: Early Alerts!! See the Early Alerts webpage for more information, including videos and best practices.

The AI Teaching Reset is a new series from the Center for Research on Teaching and Learning Excellence exploring how AI is reshaping teaching and learning.

The first session, “Beyond the Bot,” is Thursday, Oct. 1, from 1-2 p.m. in Trinity Hall 105. Participants will explore practical approaches to meaningful assessment through roundtable discussion, light guided journaling, and conversation with colleagues across disciplines. Coffee and cookies will be provided.

The session is designed for faculty who are curious, enthusiastic, skeptical, or simply trying to understand AI’s impact on higher education. Learn more about the series here and register for one or all sessions here.

UTA’s annual employee compliance training began Tuesday, Sept. 22. The university emailed access instructions to all employees, and you must complete the training within 30 days of receiving it. Completion is expected of all UTA employees.

Find 2268-GCTA-2627-100 Employee Compliance Training in Canvas. Employees who do not complete the training by the deadline will have their Net ID deactivated and lose access to UTA email and other network resources.

Questions? Contact UCS at compliance@uta.edu or 817-272-2080.

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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