CONGRATULATIONS, GRADUATES!

The University of Oklahoma Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences celebrated the achievements of our graduating students at our winter convocation on Dec. 15. We appreciate all of those who attended our event or joined us online to joyfully acknowledge the accomplishments of our students. We also appreciate the time and efforts of our faculty and staff who were dedicated to creating a monumental event. This semester, 22% of our students graduated with distinction, special distinction or a 4.0 GPA. The college congratulates all our 2023 fall graduates on reaching this milestone in their lives. To see more photos from our ceremonies, visit the college Facebook page.

OUTSTANDING SENIOR AWARD RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED

The University of Oklahoma has chosen 16 students from the 2024 senior class to be named Outstanding Seniors for their exceptional achievements in scholarship, honors, awards, leadership and service. The awards are presented each fall by Sooner Parents, and the group was recognized at a recent ceremony, where Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students David Surratt and representatives from OU colleges presented each recipient their Outstanding Senior Award. Oliver Wu was selected as the Outstanding Senior in the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences. Wu is double majoring in chemistry and history. After graduating, Wu hopes to earn a Ph.D. before beginning a career based on discovering the underlying mechanisms of both diseases and their treatments. Wu has conducted research into how drugs bind in complex samples by using thermal depletion with hydrogen deuterium exchange mass spectrometry. He has previously worked in a lab focused on the optimization of visible light spectroscopy-based SDS quantification. READ MORE

OU STUDENTS ACHIEVE PERFECT GRADE-POINT AVERAGE

Twenty-six students eligible to graduate from the University of Oklahoma in December maintained perfect 4.0 grade-point averages throughout their undergraduate careers at OU. Of the total, 12 are from the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences. To commemorate their achievement, the students were honored by OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. in a ceremony held on campus. Each student who earned an overall 4.0 GPA received a bronze medallion on a crimson ribbon, which may be worn during graduation ceremonies. READ MORE

OU STUDENT NAMED MITCHELL SCHOLAR

Elizaveta “Lisa” Maslovskaya, a senior at the University of Oklahoma majoring in creative media production and French, has been named to the George J. Mitchell Scholars Class of 2025 by the U.S.-Ireland Alliance. Maslovskaya is the second OU student to be named a Mitchell Scholar since the program’s establishment in 1998. Out of 350 applicants nationwide, she is one of only 12 students chosen to receive the prestigious scholarship, which sends future American leaders to Ireland for a year of graduate study. READ MORE

FACULTY AND DEPARTMENT NEWS

2023 KINNEY-SUGG AWARD WINNER ANNOUNCED

Javier Alejandro Chávez-Domínguez received the prestigious Kinney-Sugg Outstanding Professor Award in the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences. The award, established in 2001 through a generous contribution from Sandy Kinney and Mike Sugg, is presented to model teachers recognized for dedication, effectiveness and the ability to inspire students to high levels of achievement. Chávez-Domínguez earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of Guanajuato, Mexico, a master of science degree from the National Autonomous University of Mexico and a doctorate from Texas A&M University. After postdoctoral appointments at the University of Texas at Austin and Instituto de Ciencias Matemáticas (Madrid, Spain), he joined OU in 2015 as a tenure-track assistant professor and was promoted to associate professor in 2021. He works on functional analysis, particularly on the theory of Banach spaces and operator spaces, as well as on applied problems such as compressed sensing, low-rank matrix recovery, frames and, more recently, on the theory of quantum graphs. Chávez-Domínguez has published over 25 papers in professional journals and has reported his results at many conferences in the United States and abroad. His research has been supported by three NSF regular research grants. By the end of this semester, Chávez-Domínguez has taught at OU a bewildering array of courses – a total of 33 classes spanning 14 different courses, including the Real Analysis Qual sequence (twice), Intro to Analysis I (seven times) and Functional Analysis (twice). In spring 2022, he co-taught the Presidential Dream Course Mathematics of Data together with Keri Kornelson and Miroslav Kramár. He is a dedicated and meticulous teacher, often trying novel teaching methods in his classes. Chávez-Domínguez has conducted individual research with several undergraduate students, two of whom are doctoral students in mathematics, and one of whom is working as a software engineer at Facebook. One of his undergraduate advisees won the Outstanding Poster Award at the MAA Undergraduate Poster Session during the 2018 Joint Mathematics Meeting and a number of other awards and has given several conference presentations on the research he did with Chávez-Domínguez. In spring 2016, he distance-taught an Independent Study section of ODEs for a student who was in the custody of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (this was made possible through the use of the videos that Chávez-Domínguez had already developed for that class). The student was subsequently released and came to OU, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in STEM. He co-organized, together with Roi Docampo, the Putnam Problem-Solving Seminar for several years; in 2017, the OU team ranked No. 21 among 575 institutions participating that year. No other team from the region (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas City, Nebraska) placed as high as the OU team that year. Chávez-Domínguez is involved in several significant activities that support school and college students nationwide. Since 2019, he has served as associate editor for the AMC 8 organized by the Mathematical Association of America – an exam for middle school students nationwide. Along with MATHCOUNTS, AMC 8 serves as an early precursor to Math Olympiad and Putnam-style competitions. For many years, Chávez-Domínguez has supported undergraduate research activities for the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science by reviewing proposals for research presentations at the annual SACNAS conference and serving as a judge for their research poster competition. He also served as a judge for the undergraduate research poster competition at the joint meetings of MAA and AMS.

Anne Hyde and R. Alexander Finkelstein (OU Ph.D. 2022) have co-edited a recent publication. Reconsidering Regions in an Era of New Nationalism (University of Nebraska Press 2023) features a co-authored introduction by Hyde and Finkelstein. Essays in the book include “Local Identities and National Highways: How Roads Deepened and Diluted Historical Regionalism,” by Alexander Finkelstein, and “Growing Up American: The Children’s Aid Society and the American West,” by Courtney Buchkoski (OU Ph.D., 2020).

Kathleen M. Crowther, associate professor of the history of science, delves into the intricate history of reproductive rights in her latest book, Policing Pregnant Bodies: From Ancient Greece to Post-Roe America. Released in the aftermath of the pivotal Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health case, Crowther’s work provides a historical lens on the deeply rooted medical and philosophical ideas that continue to shape the ongoing debates around women's health and reproductive autonomy. From examining the historical significance of a detectable heartbeat to scrutinizing the impact of abortion restrictions on infant and maternal mortality rates, Crowther’s book navigates the nuanced landscape of pro-life activism. By tracing the development of these ideas, she sheds light on their far-reaching consequences, including the delay or denial of treatment for miscarriages and police investigations into these deeply personal matters. Through Policing Pregnant Bodies, Crowther not only reveals the historical origins of these concepts but also underscores their contemporary implications. The book serves as an insightful guide for readers to critically engage with the current legal and political discussions surrounding reproductive rights, fostering a deeper understanding of this complex and sensitive subject. READ MORE

OU HOSTS MAYAN FILM FESTIVAL

In November, the University of Oklahoma hosted a Mayan Film Festival consisting of two short film showings with panel discussions exploring Mesoamerica, as well as a screening of a feature-length documentary, followed by a Q&A with the film’s director. The two short films (in Mayan languages) were The Chuj Boys of Summer and Campesino. Each show included discussions with Justin Royer, Ph.D., a professor of linguistics at UC Berkeley, and Carol Rose Little, Ph.D., a professor of linguistics at OU. The feature-length documentary is titled Tote/Abuelo, which is in the Tsotsil Maya language. The film's director, Maria Sojob, attended and participated in a Q&A with the audience after the screening. Also in attendance was Edurne Pineda, the honorable Consul of Mexico in Oklahoma. READ MORE

Farina King, associate professor in the Department of Native American Studies, has released her latest book, Diné dóó Gáamalii: Navajo Latter-day Saint Experiences in the Twentieth Century. Diné dóó Gáamalii is a history of 20th-century Navajos, including King and her family, who have converted and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, becoming Diné dóó Gáamalii—both Diné and LDS. Drawing on Diné stories from the LDS Native American Oral History Project, King illuminates the mutual entanglement of Indigenous identity and religious affiliation, showing how their Diné identity made them outsiders to the LDS Church and, conversely, how belonging to the LDS community made them outsiders to their Native community. The story that King tells shows the complex ways that Diné people engaged with church institutions in the context of settler colonial power structures. The lived experiences of Diné in church programs sometimes diverged from the intentions and expectations of those who designed them. In this empathetic and richly researched study, King explores the impacts of Navajo Latter-day Saints who seek to bridge different traditions, peoples and communities. She sheds light on the challenges and joys they face in following both the Diné teachings of Si’ąh Naagháì Bik’eh Hózhǫ́—“live to old age in beauty”—and the teachings of the church.

WESTERN HISTORY ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE AWARD RECIPIENTS

Members of the OU Department of History attended the Western History Association Conference in Los Angeles. The first award recipient at the conference was Anne Hyde, who received the Gordon Bakken Award of Merit, recognizing outstanding service and contributions to the WHA. Also recognized at the conference was Joe Schiller, a 2022 Ph.D. alumnus, who received the Beverly Purrington/Richard White Prize, which recognizes the best dissertation on the history of the North American West. His dissertation is titled "Zombie Miners: Life, Death, and Reanimation in the Wide Rural Rust Belt." Schiller is an acquisitions editor at OU Press, where he works with titles in Western and Environmental History, among other topics. 

MEET KENDELL JORDAN

Kendell Jordan assumed the role of administrative support specialist for the Army ROTC at the University of Oklahoma in August 2023. In this capacity, she oversees daily administration and communication with the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, manages program budgets, and coordinates events between the ROTC and the University. 

Originally from New Mexico but raised in Dublin, Ireland, Jordan’s diverse upbringing has instilled in her an adventurous spirit and allowed her to live in various places, including New Mexico, Dublin, Denver, and California. Jordan discovered the University of Oklahoma by chance during her move to Tennessee and has since developed a deep appreciation for the campus and its community. 

Jordan holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from New Mexico Highlands University. Her overarching life goal is to contribute to the well-being of those around her, a passion that resonates in her one-on-one work with ROTC students at OU. 

While adjusting to her new role, Jordan credits her family’s military background (her father and two older brothers) for facilitating her seamless integration "I have a big family. Having a military background definitely made it easier to mesh here, since I understand things like their acronyms and systems." 

In her role, Jordan collaborates with the ROTC program and the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, ensuring the ROTC is integrated into university systems and processes. She plays a vital role in assisting students coordinating for university resources, scholarship disbursement from the OU Foundation, and individual student progression within the program. “In simple terms, if you graduate with a degree and meet all of your ROTC training and administrative requirements, you will become an officer upon graduation,” she explained. The ROTC program trains and develops students’ leadership skills, enabling them to serve as an Army officer on active duty, National Guard, or Reserves. 

Beyond her professional endeavors, Jordan is a sociable individual who enjoys attending social events, working out and exploring new activities. She emphasizes her commitment to fostering connections and supporting the students she mentors. "Our students here are phenomenal. I honestly feel like a big sister to them,” Jordan said. 

Jordan’s advice for incoming staff members or those considering applying to the University of Oklahoma is positive: "Everyone here is very welcoming, and I felt very invited from my interview to the first day. Anyone who wants to come to OU, definitely go through with it. Put yourself out there and use the resources around you because everyone wants to help." 

Reflecting on her life philosophy, Jordan shares a valuable message from her father: "My dad always told me, you create your own happiness. Stop taking things for granted; happiness is just a mindset." True to this philosophy, Jordan has dedicated her life to helping others, a quality that enhances her efficiency in her new position. 

To the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences faculty, staff, students, and alumni, Jordan extends her readiness to assist: "Please reach out if you need something. I feel like I am good at providing people with connections that they can utilize!" 

RESEARCHER SPOTLIGHT:  

LISA BYERS, PH.D.

Lisa Byers' journey in social work started with a deep sense of empathy and a desire to make a meaningful impact in the lives of individuals and communities, especially within indigenous communities. Her goal is to reduce the health, mental health and socioeconomic disparities that Native Americans experience with holistic and traditional methods.

Byers’ research focuses on teaching empathy for historical traumas. Her research includes studying student reactions to stories of historical traumas. She uses children’s books to teach empathy in her graduate-level courses. 

Her work is a shining example of the transformative power of empathy and education. By utilizing children's stories as a medium for teaching empathy, she not only enriches the lives of her students but also contributes to a more harmonious and culturally aware society.  

Byers was the creator of a Social Work with American Indian certificate. Her advice to students interested in research related to indigenous populations is to take part in completing the Social Work with American Indians certificate offered at OU. This certificate provides cultural knowledge and skill development to prepare graduates to work effectively with tribal nations to increase the well-being of American Indian and Alaska Native children, families and communities. 

Students have had powerful responses to their participation in obtaining this certificate. Byers hopes to expand on her research by conducting qualitative research such as interviews and surveys on Native students who have gone through the certification to further dissect how material has made such an impact on their graduate school experience. Students have shared that the courses have provided them with a safe space to be able to openly talk about practices from their own communities.

Lisa Byers was interviewed by Nayma Mendieta, M.S.W. student and GRA; article co-edited by Mendieta and Chie Noyori-Corbett, Ph.D.

Two project teams led by University of Oklahoma faculty have received two-year planning grants from the National Archives National Historical Publications and Records Commission. These projects are designed to foster collaboration and broaden participation in the production and publication of historical and scholarly digital editions in African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, and Native American History and Ethnic Studies. OU is the only institution in the state to have received funding for the NHPRC awards announced in November 2023. Farina King, an associate professor of Native American Studies and the Horizon Endowed Chair of Native American Ecology and Culture in the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, is working with Lina Ortega, Bonnie Pitblado, Chengbin Deng, Nina Bledsoe, and Belinda Biscoe at OU along with other universities in Oklahoma and Utah for the planning project, “Indigenous Truthtelling of Boarding Schools.” The $120,000 funding will support the planning of a collaborative digital edition, “Indigenous Truthtelling of Boarding Schools.” The edition will connect archival collections in Oklahoma and Utah with educational resources about Native American boarding schools from various Indigenous perspectives with an emphasis on oral history, art, and archaeology Robert Bailey, an associate professor of art history and assistant director of the School of Visual Arts in the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts, is working with Kalenda Eaton, Pete Froslie and Olivia Murphy at OU to explore the works and lives of Black artists with ties to Oklahoma. The project team will receive $119,934 to collaborate with the Oklahoma Historical Society, Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, African American artists and additional community partners across the state on planning a digital edition. READ MORE

Three researchers at the University of Oklahoma are named in Clarivate’s Web of Science platform’s 2023 “Highly Cited Researchers’ list, the most of any institution in Oklahoma. This annual list identifies 7,125 global researchers based on their production of multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and year. Yuanwei Qin and Xiangming Xiao, researchers with OU’s Center for Earth Observation and Modeling, ranked among the top 1% most highly cited in the field of geosciences. Jizhong Zhou, director of OU’s Institute for Environmental Genomics, is ranked twice as being among the most highly cited in both fields of microbiology and environment and ecology. Of this esteemed class of researchers, only 6% within this rank have the additional distinction of ranking among two categories. READ MORE

Elena Bessarabova, an associate professor in the Department of Communication, is a part of a team funded by the NSF with a grant of $600,000, led by Kash Barker. The team's focus is the study of the impact of weaponized disinformation on U.S. infrastructure networks. This collaborative project involves social scientists and researchers in systems engineering, including Kash Barker, Andrés González, Sridhar Radhakrishnan, and John Jiang from the University of Oklahoma. Additionally, there are collaborators from Rutgers University, Stevens Institute of Technology, and Washington University in St. Louis This grant was made possible through seed funding from the Oklahoma Aerospace and Defense Innovation Institute, with principal investigators being Barker, Bessarabova, González, and Radhakrishnan. Visit here for more information. 

In a significant collaboration, Jayash Paudel, assistant professor of economics, played a role in the release of the Fifth U.S. National Climate Assessment. This report, unveiled by the White House, served as a crucial tool to inform the public and decision-makers about the status of climate change, its impacts, and future risks in the United States. Paudel's expertise contributed to the economic insights provided in NCA5, highlighting the economic impacts and opportunities associated with climate action. The report revealed a decline in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, showcasing the positive outcomes of the nation's commitment to combating climate change. The NCA5 provided a comprehensive overview of the nation's progress in climate action. Paudel's contributions added depth to the report, emphasizing the economic aspects and opportunities associated with sustainable practices. As the United States navigates the complexities of climate change, the involvement of faculty members like Paudel underscore the significance of academic expertise in shaping national policy and fostering a sustainable future. The report not only informed but also showcased the pivotal role universities play in advancing our understanding of climate challenges and driving positive change.Several OU experts played a role in the report. Notably, Renee McPherson, Ph.D., from the Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, led the Southern Great Plains chapter, covering Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. McPherson's team included Darrian Bertrand, a climate assessment specialist, and Taylor Broadbent, an undergraduate assistant and 2023 Fulbright Scholar. OU’s multidisciplinary expertise further extended to technical contributors and review editors, including Sharon Hausam, Ph.D., Gary McManus, Lauren Mullenbach, Ph.D., Mark Shafer, Ph.D. and Adrienne Wootten, Ph.D. READ MORE

Lewis Borck, Ph.D., the Horizon Chair in Native American History and Culture in the Department of Native American Studies, coauthored an essay published in American Anthropologist that examines how researchers create and naturalize myths about history and society. Borck is a member and co-founder of an international collective of archaeologists working to remove barriers that keep students from underrepresented backgrounds out of archaeology and heritage work. Researchers from the Black Trowel Collective were invited to author the Year-In-Review essay, “Archaeology in 2022:Counter-myths for hopeful futures.” READ MORE

Seulki “Rachel” Jang and colleagues recently published an article in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology titled, “Healthy for some but not for all: The moderating role of BMI on perceived health climate–insomnia relationship.”. This study examines the mediated relationship between perceived health climate and insomnia via exhaustion, and whether the mediation effect is weaker for individuals with higher body mass index (BMI). Results from multi-wave field data revealed that perceived health climate negatively predicted insomnia through reduced exhaustion.

OU HOSTS SUCCESSFUL MATH DAY

Since its inception in 2001, OU Math Day, organized by the David and Judi Proctor Department of Mathematics, has been a staple. The annual OU Math Day on Nov. 9 was a success, drawing 360 high school students from Oklahoma and Texas, accompanied by 55 dedicated teachers and chaperones. This year marked András Lorincz's inaugural tenure as the chair of the Math Day Committee, showcasing exemplary leadership. Acknowledging the event’s triumph, credit is due to Greg Muller, instrumental in organizing Math Day in 2018, 2019, and 2022. Muller provided invaluable support throughout the day, demonstrating his unwavering commitment. The Math Bowl, a highlight of the competitions, was deftly orchestrated by Mike Jablonski; the bowl added an exhilarating dimension to the overall experience. This year’s speaker, Professor Sarah Koch from the University of Michigan, delivered a captivating presentation titled “From Fibonacci to Fractals.” Her discourse on the length of periodic orbits in the complex plane captivated high school attendees, eliciting enthusiastic responses. Subsequently, the event concluded on a high note as students eagerly sought to capture moments with Professor Koch through selfies, underscoring the lasting impression of this year's OU Math Day.

ECONOMICS CLUB ATTENDS UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH CONFERENCE AT THE DALLAS FEDERAL RESERVE

The Econ Club at OU organized a trip to the Undergraduate Research Conference at the Dallas Federal Reserve. This conference provided an excellent opportunity for students to showcase their research, act as a discussant, or contribute to the organization of sessions. Additionally, it served as a valuable platform for students to explore information about internships and employment at the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank. This year, nine OU students and Daniel Nedelescu, the Econ Club co-advisor, attended the conference, and the trip was a resounding success. All the students actively participated as presenters, discussants, or by posing questions during the presentations.

ALUMNI NEWS

HISTORY ALUMNUS CHARLOTTE STUTZ AWARDED THE HOBBS STUDENT PRIZE

U.S. Army Maj. Charlotte Stutz (OU History MA ’21)) has been awarded the 2023 Hobbs Student Prize from the Oklahoma Higher Education Heritage Society. Stutz received her award at the OHEHS 29^th Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony, held Nov. 6 at the University of Central Oklahoma Nigh University Center. She was honored for her master’s thesis, “The Branding of the University of Oklahoma,” a study of the history of higher education in Oklahoma. Since receiving her master of arts degree in 2021, Stutz has been teaching classes in U.S. history at West Point to Army cadets. Her M.A. adviser (who nominated her for the award) was Ben Keppel, Ph.D.

Jan. 16

2024 spring semester classes begin.

Jan. 26

Sabbatical leave applications for fall 2024 and spring 2025 (two-semester sabbatical) or fall 2024 only are due to the dean’s office.

Jan. 26

Deadline for academic units to submit to the dean’s office recommendations for reappointment or non-reappointment to a second year for tenure-track and ranked-renewable term faculty.

Jan. 29

Deadline to submit new undergraduate minors and changes to existing minors (using State Regent forms) to the dean’s office

Jan. 29

Deadline to submit new courses and course changes not associated with program modifications, certificates or minors

Jan. 30

Chairs and Directors meeting, 12 p.m. 

Jan. 31

CASFAM Staff meeting, 9 a.m.

Feb. 2 and 16

DFCAS Graduate Recruitment Fellowships are due to the Dean's office. 

Feb. 15

Sabbatical leave reports for spring 2023 and fall 2023 (two-semester sabbatical) or fall 2023 only are due to the dean’s office.