News from CLASS

Hurricane Harvey information

Please click here to read a message from Dr. Antonio D. Tillis, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, regarding Hurricane Harvey.

CLASS faculty have offered their expertise regarding the effects of Hurricane Harvey via the following articles:

• Psychological Impact of Natural Disasters in Adults, by Anka A. Vujanovic, Ph.D., and Matthew W. Gallagher, Ph.D., Department of Psychology
• Psychological Impact of Natural Disasters in Children/Families, by Andres G. Viana, Ph.D., Candice A. Alfano, Ph.D., and Carla Sharp, Ph.D., Department of Psychology

Welcome back message from Dr. Antonio D. Tillis, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

As summer comes to a close and we prepare for a new academic year, I want to take this opportunity to welcome College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences faculty, staff, and students back to the campus of the University of Houston. I want to especially welcome our 23 new dynamic CLASS faculty members, whose diverse areas of expertise in research and teaching will help CLASS continue to spur intellectual curiosity and creativity, resulting in a transformative education for our students. read more

UH has been selected to become headquarters in 2018 of the Inter University Program for Latino Research

The Provost recently announced that the University of Houston has been selected to become headquarters in 2018 of the  Inter University Program for Latino Research (IUPLR) for five years. The IUPLR is a national consortium of 25 university-based Latino research centers, with the overarching purpose of addressing the pressing issues that impact Latino communities. Dr. Nicolás Kanellos, Brown Foundation Professor of Hispanic Studies, will serve as the Executive Director of the consortium. read more

Biofeedback technology helping improve balance in Parkinson’s patients

University of Houston researchers in the Department of Health and Human Performance are helping patients with Parkinson’s disease regain stable balance and confidence in performing daily activities in their own homes. A research team is developing the Smarter Balance System (SBS), a smartphone-based biofeedback rehabilitation system that guides patients through a series of balance exercises using wearable technology. read more

Does a candidate's religion matter to voters? Researchers found voters use party, not religion, to rate candidates on ideology

Religion is sometimes used as shorthand to define a political candidate’s views – “evangelical” and “antiabortion” may be considered interchangeable. But a new analysis by political scientists at the University of Houston suggests party labels are far more powerful predictors of how voters perceive candidates. read more

Advocacy groups on social media provide ‘safe space’ for LGBTQ youth

Social media platforms aimed at advocacy for marginalized groups— those who may face layers of discrimination— provide spaces for introspection, reflection and self-discovery that may diminish negative consequences, such as suicides and social anxiety, that often result from marginalized youth having no place to turn. Those are among the key findings of a research study by Erica Ciszek, assistant professor at the Jack J. Valenti School of Communication. read more

CLASS faculty and staff grant applications due October 1

The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences is opening its new cycle for two internal grants for 2017-2018: the Project Completion Grant and the Research Progress Grant. In addition, CLASS is proud to announce the Dean’s Grants offered to departments, faculty, and staff in our college. Dean Tillis is supporting curriculum and program development through the Curricular Development Grant, and he is encouraging interdisciplinary work and international collaborations with the Dean’s Collaborative Interdisciplinary Summer Research Grant. There is also a couple of opportunities for professional development through the Professional Development Award for Non-Tenure Track Faculty, and the Professional Development Award for Staff.

ASLI program brings sign language to the arts

The Hobby Center and the American Sign Language Interpreting (ASLI) Program at the University of Houston have just completed the first year of a successful collaboration to bring sign language to the arts. A native Houstonian, ASLI Program Coordinator Sharon Hill remembered a time when the Houston Theater District offered shows with sign language interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing community to attend. read more

2017 Ross M. Lence Awards for Teaching Excellence winners announced

The College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences gives out teaching excellence awards in two categories each year, Humanities and Social Sciences. The awards are named to honor the memory of one of the University of Houston’s most inspiring teachers, Ross M. Lence, a professor of political science from 1971 – 2006. This year’s winners were Dr. Irene Guenther, Instructional Assistant Professor of History in the Honors College, and Dr. David Walsh, Clinical Assistant Professor of Health and Human Performance. read more

CLASS welcomes new faculty appointments

The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences is proud to welcome our new faculty members. The scholars joining our college this academic year have wide-ranging areas of expertise that will expand CLASS’s research capabilities as well as our academic offerings. read more

Psychology student balances summer research with international travel

This summer, Faith Nomamiukor had the opportunity to hone her research skills in psychology by participating in the University of Houston’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program (SURF). The program provides funding for rising UH sophomores, juniors, and seniors to participate in a focused, full-time, 10-week research experience under the direction of UH faculty. Although her research occupied a lot of her time over the summer, Nomamiukor took a break to participate in a summer study abroad trip to Ghana hosted by African American Studies. read more

CLASS graduate student spends summer examining ancient coins

Tara Sewell-Lasater’s interest in ancient history started with a grade school history project. Today, she is working towards her Ph.D. in history. This summer, Sewell-Lasater had the unique opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with some ancient artifacts thanks to the Eric P. Newman Graduate Seminar in Numismatics. During her two month fellowship in New York City, she had access to coins that dated back to the 7th century (600s) BCE. read more

Valenti students earn third place in national competition

In July, a team of graduate students from the Jack J. Valenti School of Communications earned third place in the global Peer to Peer – Challenging Extremism initiative. The initiative was organized by EdVentures and hosted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It called for students to create and execute communication campaigns that resonate with their peers. read more

Communications students participate in Next Generation Radio

This summer, the Jack J. Valenti School of Communications , along with Houston Public Media, hosted for the first time a National Public Radio program called Next Generation Radio. The program visits many Tier One universities and the Valenti School’s director, Dr. Temple Northup, made it a high priority to bring it to CLASS. Click here to see the students’ Next Generation Radio projects.

A leader in making things better

David Hawes, MPA ’96, is all about making things better. As a founder and managing partner of Hawes Hill & Associates, LLP, a consulting service to municipal governments, organizations, and private entities, he spends his days strategizing ways to create safer, cleaner, more prosperous communities.  Hawes sensed the opportunity to enhance his already successful career in public service by making the strategic decision to pursue his Masters of Public Administration at the University of Houston (a program that in 2018 will celebrate its 50th year of educating and preparing the region’s public administrative leaders). The program allowed him to expand his credibility as a professional, and to learn new ways to make things better. read more

Professor Brandon Rottinghaus has a weekly podcast for Houston Public Media

Dr. Brandon Rottinghaus, professor of political science, shows up regularly on KUHF shows, as do several other colleagues Political Science colleagues. Please tune in: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/shows/party-politics/

CLASS Media Mentions