Featured Researchers

Dr. Araceli Martinez Ortiz, executive director of the LBJ Institute for STEM Education and Research; research associate professor, College of Education

“Women  entering the field are historically underrepresented, as are many other  minority populations. There are psychological and social barriers that  make it difficult for women to remain in STEM fields. They often feel  that they don’t belong because they don’t have the support they need. My  job is to discover and implement interventions that mitigate these  barriers.”

“Music theorists, especially the handful of researchers discussing metal music, tend to focus on things like pitch, melody, harmony and lyrics. I felt that there were techniques artists were using in relation to rhythm and meter that were being somewhat taken for granted.”

“The heart of our mission is to have all of the research we do be clinically relevant. We want our work to directly benefit the athletes, coaches and athletic trainers.”

“If we have a better understanding of how trauma affects the mind, body and behavior, then we can develop interventions that address the root cause of the problem, rather than offering treatments that only suppress the symptoms.”

“We can flag specific transactions or provider networks for auditors or law enforcement to take the next step and investigate.”

“Our major strength in the Epitaxy Research Service Center is our ability to grow different kinds of materials on top of one another. Then we test them experimentally and with computer models.”

“As healthcare providers, it is our duty to provide safety, comfort and care, to alleviate their suffering and pain, so that we can restore health. But if we are concerned about our own safety, our focus on patient care will be undermined.”

“In relative terms, there’s a small number of people who have sent this work to space… A discovery that was made here might help us get to Mars.”

“Standard models do not allow for default risk, extreme events and volatility regimes. I consider all of them in my research.”

“Because of the global environment we live in, we are all global consumers. There are well-known challenges in the fashion industry involving labor, transparency and the environment. My research seeks to bridge the gap between companies’ socially responsible behavior and consumer decision-making so that both companies and consumers can be better informed to meet their needs.”

“One of the biggest problems we’re going to face in the future is freshwater shortage. Water will always need to be transported from point A to point B. We can determine if there are problems along the way and address them.”

“The bulk of my research to date focuses on specialized areas in accounting where I have developed a recognized expertise: fair value measurements and the broker dealer industry. I have been able to consult with U.S. regulators — including the SEC — on these research endeavors.”

“We’re designing new materials and, broadly, looking at how their structure and properties correlate to give us something with some improvement. We mostly focus on nanomaterials that are going to have some improved performance or lower cost, that may be practical at the end of the day.”

“Given some of the barriers that exist in rural communities, such as a lack of mental health providers, it’s important to think outside the box and identify mechanisms for increasing support.”

“As a video-choreographer, my philosophy is to provide a habitat for experimentation, creation and reflection. I craft dance and video with the purpose of expressing the inner condition of underrepresented communities.”

“The goal is not just that a person will take the two-week program and leave fluent, but rather to increase confidence in their speech to the point that they do not have to constantly think about how they are talking.”