President V. Lane Rawlins
welcomes new students at the 2010 Sunday Fun Day.

Dear Alum,

The new academic year kicked off last week, and already it holds a lot of promise.

The Life Sciences building, which connects to our Biology building to form the Life Sciences Complex, opened last week as our newest facility. The complex offers a cutting-edge research and learning environment for faculty and students. It has greenhouses for plant science research, a dedicated research aquatics lab that is one of the premier university labs of its kind and open labs to promote collaboration.

We're also coming off another record-breaking year of enrolling and graduating more students. About 8,000 students graduated from UNT in the past year, ready to turn their newfound knowledge and skills into life-changing careers. We are on track to reach and likely exceed our 2 percent growth target this fall. Our freshman class will grow substantially and we will again enroll more transfer students than the year before.

Thanks to our talented and mentoring faculty and staff, our students become the educators, leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, scientists and artists who make our economy hum and our future bright.

They also are part of a growing alumni network. Our graduates work around the world and are the glue of the North Texas workforce and the community. Everywhere you turn, you can find the impact of a UNT education.

It's no surprise, considering that we are the largest, most comprehensive university in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which is the nation's fourth largest metropolitan area. UNT also is the state's fourth-largest university.

We lead the way in providing opportunity and creating an environment for growth and discovery by clearing obstacles for those who want and deserve a high-quality, affordable education. It is the foundation for our success and it is our roadmap for progress.

Sincerely,
V. Lane Rawlins
President

Features

Go "Old School" for Homecoming 2010

Homecoming 2010 will be celebrated Oct. 12 to 16, with the theme "Old School." You can take part in Homecoming-related activities throughout the weekend. Join us for the Homecoming game at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 16 against Florida International. To get you ready, I'm giving away tickets to the football game, tailgating food packages and UNT Alumni Association T-shirts. The first 100 responders automatically win a UNT T-shirt, and all responders will be entered into a random drawing to win the Homecoming prizes. E-mail me at president@unt.edu with "Homecoming" in the subject line by 5 p.m. Sept. 3. Don't forget to include your mailing address and T-shirt size. To purchase tickets throughout the season, contact the Athletic Ticket Office at 800-868-2366 or ticketoffice@unt.edu.

Moving Forward: UNT co-hosts U.S.-Mexico technology summit

As part of our commitment to fostering cultural understanding and supporting a global economy, UNT has teamed with the Dallas Regional Chamber and TechAmerica, an organization representing the U.S. technology industry, to host the first U.S./Mexico Technology Summit. The summit, to be held Sept. 29 and 30 in Dallas, is focused on increasing dialogue and promoting collaboration between the public and private sectors in both countries. The summit will provide opportunities for business leaders, policymakers, government officials, higher education professionals and technology advocates to learn about Mexico’s advancing technology economy, exchange ideas and explore partnerships.

Narendra
Dahotre

Angela Wilson
 

Faculty named as fellows

Two UNT faculty members have been named as fellows in leading scientific organizations of their respective fields. Angela Wilson, professor of chemistry and co-director of UNT's Center for Advanced Scientific Computing and Modeling, has been named to the 2010 Class of Fellows of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest science society. Narendra Dahotre, chair of the materials science and engineering department, was named to the 2010 Class of Fellows of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, a leading professional society for advancing manufacturing knowledge. Dr. Wilson joins Wes Borden, the Robert A. Welch Professor of Chemistry, who was named as an inaugural fellow in ACS.

Faculty earn NSF foundation funding for research

UNT faculty members have been awarded $1.6 million in grant funding to advance mathematics, science and engineering research. Department of Mathematics researchers received a five-year, $1.5 million National Science Foundation grant to establish a Research Training Group in logic and dynamics. The group will advance research on fundamental questions in mathematics and encourage more people to study the mathematical sciences. UNT was one of only four universities, along with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon and the University of Michigan, to receive money in this funding cycle. The Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Department of Physics received a $100,000 gift from the II-V Foundation for research that could lead to new non-toxic ways to cool refrigerators and vehicles. Graduate, undergraduate and TAMS students will work alongside faculty to do research on both projects.

Engineering researchers building robots for NASA space exploration

To support NASA's space exploration efforts, a team of electrical engineering researchers is developing a network of robots that collaborate with each other to explore Mars, the moon and space, and to accomplish complex tasks together, such as taking photos of the planetary surfaces. This research, being conducted in the Autonomous Systems Laboratory at Discovery Park, UNT's nearly 290-acre research park, is expected to result in the design and development of efficient strategies for planetary surface exploration. UNT was one of 18 universities to receive funding for the first phase of the NASA project. UNT's research team involves faculty and graduate and undergraduate students. The new autonomous robots would be a cost-saving replacement to the man-operated rovers NASA currently uses.

David McEntire

Faculty Focus: David McEntire

David McEntire, associate professor of emergency administration and planning, has been awarded the Dr. B. Wayne Blanchard Award for Academic Excellence in Emergency Management Higher Education. A leading expert in the areas of emergency management theory, international disasters and community preparedness, Dr. McEntire, who recently served as associate dean of the College of Public Affairs and Community Service, has studied factors that contribute to all types of disasters and the effects such disasters have on government and citizens. The Blanchard award honors individuals who have had a positive impact on disaster research and in emergency management education.

Traditions: McNair Program

As one of only 20 such programs in Texas, UNT's Ronald E. McNair program has been a model of success in helping economically disadvantaged, first-generation and underrepresented undergraduates pursue master's and doctoral degrees. So far, 75 percent of UNT's McNair scholars have gone on to graduate school. The program provides select undergraduates from diverse economic, cultural and academic backgrounds with year-round research experience. They work with faculty mentors from various academic disciplines to prepare for graduate studies and to pursue their doctorates. UNT's program, which turns 18 in October, helps these students pursue academic excellence.

The new stadium

Featured Link: Take video tour of the new football stadium under construction

Get a sneak peak of the new football stadium at Mean Green Village, a state-of-the-art facility slated to open in time for the 2011 football season. The new stadium will hold more than 30,000 fans, offering close-to-the-action seating, first-class concession areas, a club seating level with a 12,000 square-foot-lounge, a luxurious suite level featuring 22 private suites, and generous parking and tailgating space. Find out ways to support the Mean Green by visiting www.unt.edu/stadium/support.htm.

The new stadium and Life Sciences Complex are part of a trio of new facilities designed to enhance UNT’s academic environment and support a vibrant campus life. The Business Leadership Building will open next fall. All three buildings are on track to receive gold-level LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. UNT’s legacy of sustainability is longstanding, and is a model of the UNT System's commitment to construction projects that meet or exceed the latest efficiency and environmental standards.

UNT Alumni Association

UNT alumni can network and get to know each other better while exploring destinations along America's last frontier through the UNT Alumni Association's group cruise from June 7 to June 17, 2011. Travelers will spend 11 days onboard Oceania Cruises enjoying guest lecturers and scenic travels from Vancouver to Canada to Alaska. If you book by Sept. 17, you'll receive $1,000 off per stateroom. Find more information at www.gonext.com/unt/alaska_2011.html. To learn more about the UNT Alumni Association, visit www.untalumni.com or contact the alumni association at alumni@unt.edu or at 940-565-2834.