Top Honors in Education

Two longtime UTA professors have been elected to the Academy of Distinguished Scholars, the University’s most prestigious recognition for research and scholarly excellence.

Ramon Lopez, professor of physics, and Michael D. Nelson, associate professor of kinesiology, were recognized for their sustained and significant contributions to research and creativity.

An internationally recognized space physicist and science educator, Dr. Lopez was nominated by his colleagues for his scholarship documenting how space weather affects Earth. His work has been recognized with more than $10 million in external funding during the last 10 years.

Dr. Nelson’s research has earned more than $20 million in extramural grants, primarily from the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association. He also was recently tapped to lead UTA’s innovative new Clinical Imaging Research Center, a comprehensive imaging center.

“It’s an honor to receive this recognition,” says Nelson, citing the support he’s received from colleagues since joining the University in 2016.

Lopez echoes these sentiments. “It’s a testament to the great support available in the Physics Department that I have been able to accomplish so much since arriving here in 2007.”