Latest news with #VandenBout
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
University of Texas names interim dean for College of Liberal Arts. Here's who will lead it
David Sosa will serve as interim dean of the University of Texas College of Liberal Arts beginning June 1 as the university continues a search for a permanent successor, interim Provost David Vanden Bout said in an email to the campus community Monday. Sosa is a professor in the humanities at UT and the chair of the Philosophy Department. He will succeed Ann Huff Stevens, who former President Jay Hartzell blocked from pursuing a second term as dean last year because of differences in visions for the institution, Stevens said in an announcement to the school at the time. The College of Liberal Arts is the largest of the university's 19 colleges and schools. It boasts nearly 800 faculty members, 10,000 students and more than 40 majors and 55 minors, including in fields that have come under scrutiny by conservative state lawmakers, such as women's gender and sexuality studies, LGBTQ studies and diverse studies. Sosa has served as chair of the Philosophy Department since 2006, elevating the department to the top 10 in the nation, Vanden Bout said. He also oversaw the Plan II honors program, has published dozens of articles, edited several books, and is co-editor of the Oxford Studies in Philosophy of Language and editor-in-chief of the journal of Analytic Philosophy. The university is continuing to search for a full-time replacement, Vanden Bout said. Sosa joins multiple UT leaders holding interim titles ― Vanden Bout, interim President Jim Davis and interim Vice President of Student Affairs Tom Dison ― after multiple high-profile administrative changes last year. In his email, Vanden Bout thanked Stevens for her leadership and said Sosa's "strong record of leadership, along with a breadth of experience in teaching and mentoring" will lead him to success in the temporary role. "Dr. Sosa's leadership experience and deep knowledge of our University will be invaluable as we continue to move forward with the search for a permanent Dean of the College of Liberal Arts," Vanden Bout said. "I look forward to working closely with him as Interim Dean during this transition." This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: UT names College of Liberal Arts interim dean amid search for new head
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Black holes suck public into ‘amazing discoveries' at Texas Science Festival
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Exploring black holes and diving into the power of memory are just a couple of highlights from the University of Texas at Austin's Texas Science Festival. The weeklong event hopes to bring the 'amazing discoveries' happening at UT to people across the state. 'It's so critical that we convey both the importance of the work to the general public, but also bring them in to the kind of awe and wonder that is that discovery,' said Dean of the College of Natural Sciences David Vanden Bout. The festival runs from Feb. 21 to March 1. Events are held across the state, from McDonald Observatory in west Texas to UT's campus along the coast. 'Scientists make amazing discoveries all the time and are invested in understanding our natural world, and sometimes we aren't great at bringing that news to the public,' Vanden Bout said. One of the events is an exploration of black holes hosted by UT's Department of Astronomy chair Karl Gebhardt. Laser lab stashed beneath the University of Texas could power future space travel Gebhardt will discuss what he calls 'the most important image ever taken in the history of astronomy.' That picture is the only photo ever taken of a black hole. 'It's kind of crazy how they took telescopes around the whole earth, and they came together to make this crazy image,' Gebhardt said. The image contains the outline of a black hole. No line is emitted from a black hole, so scientists had to take a photo of the light behind it, cutting the phenom into a silhouette. McDonald Observatory relocates to Austin — at 7% the size According to Gebhardt, black holes are so important because they contain 'the actual physics of where we live, of trying to integrate space and time, and it's the physical entity that which all of our models are based on.' His event, 'Black Holes: The Edge of All We Know,' is already sold out. However, there are many other events, both virtual and in-person that people can attend. A few highlights include: 'Mars Livestream' – Feb. 26 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. 'Memory Matters: Learning Throughout the Lifespan' – Feb. 27 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. 'No Shortcuts to the Top: Nutrition and Science on the World's Highest Mountains' – Feb. 27 from 7 to 8 p.m. 'The Science of Modern and Contemporary Public Art Preservation: A Walking Tour' – Feb. 28 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. 'Guardians of Our Water' – March 3 from 6 to 7:15 p.m. For Vanden Bout, the variety of events and options to attend are essential to the festival. 'It's a really great chance to bring people into the university and let them see what's going on, but also a chance for us to get out into the community and bring our science directly to people.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
