VP DISPATCH

Innovative Solutions

UTA researchers are tackling contemporary social concerns

Welcome to the 2023 edition of Inquiry, the magazine that annually highlights UT Arlington’s many contributions to research and scholarship. As you peruse these pages, I think you will be struck by the many ways that UTA is at the forefront of offering new discoveries and solutions to contemporary societal challenges. UTA researchers are developing biodegradable nanomaterials that will deliver medicines to combat peripheral arterial disease, discovering new species of miniature frogs, and measuring the Earth’s ionosphere-thermosphere system to predict disruptions to satellites, to name just a few projects.

They also are investigating innovative solutions for a workforce in transition. Questions include: What are the long-term solutions to supporting access to high-quality health care for all children, in the face of the nursing shortage produced by the pandemic? How can virtual-reality environments enhance students’ training and prepare them to hit the ground running in careers related to additive manufacturing? And how can transit agencies enhance public transportation in ways that will increase ridership and transport workers to their workplaces efficiently?

Many of these advances have substantial monetary backing from federal, state, local, and corporate partners. Of note is the way that more than the $120 million of expenditures generated by UTA’s researchers ripples through our state and local economy. This provides continued financial support and advanced training for students, employment for researchers, purchasing that benefits regional businesses, and a much-needed cohort of knowledge workers for North Texas and the nation.

I hope you enjoy this issue and are inspired by the brilliant work being undertaken by our faculty and students.

 
Kate C. Miller
Vice President for Research and Innovation