The UTD Mercury

Mark W. Spong

Engineering and Computer Science




Systems science and mathematics doctorate; Washington University


If you write or do research, what is your area of interest?

My research is in nonlinear control theory with application to robotics.

What attracted you to the University of Texas at Dallas?

I was attracted by the ambitious plans that UTD has to become a Tier One research university and the progress that the Jonsson School has already made.

What do you like to do outside the classroom?

I like travel, classical music and sports.

John S. Oldow

Geosciences




Geological sciences doctorate, 1978; Northwestern University

Geological sciences B.S., 1972; University of Washington


What class or classes will you be teaching in the fall?

Seminar of structure-tectonics.

If you write or do research, what is your area of interest?

Structure, tectonics (ancient and active) and geophysics.

What attracted you to the University of Texas at Dallas?

Progressive research atmosphere and quality of graduate/undergraduate student population

What do you like to do outside the classroom?

Research.

Mark Rosen

Film Studies




History of art doctorate; University of California, Berkeley

History of art M.A.; University of California, Berkeley

English B.A.; University of California, Berkeley


What class or classes will you be teaching in the fall?

AHST 3315, "Introduction to Italian Renaissance Art" (for undergraduates) and HUAS 6315, "Leonardo da Vinci: Man, Machine, Nature and Artifice" (for graduate students).

If you write or do research, what is your area of interest?

My focus, broadly speaking, is on European art (especially Italian) between 1300 and 1700, but much of my research has been on the history of cartography and mapmaking. My dissertation concerned the painting of maps (as opposed to those that were printed) during the Age of Exploration. I have just finished a two-year National Endowment for the Humanities Postdoctoral Fellowship in Florence, Italy. The fellowship was at the Medici Archive Project in Florence's state archives, and it involved transcribing and translating letters between the Medici court in Florence and their contacts throughout the world. I spent much of the second year working on correspondence between Italy and the Ottoman Empire. I'm always interested in primary sources, be they art objects or contracts between artists and patrons or eyewitness descriptions of the food consumed at a Renaissance feast.

What attracted you to the University of Texas at Dallas?

The chance to make a difference with students at a public university with a rapidly rising national profile. Great faculty, with a large number of young, recently hired colleagues doing groundbreaking work. The chance to be in a vibrant city with great museums, motivated art collectors and wide-ranging opportunities. The link between aesthetic studies/art history and ATEC, which has some of the most impressive students and faculty that I've met at any university anywhere.

What do you like to do outside the classroom?

I'm really into food and am excited to try Dallas's best restaurants and ethnic eats. Travel is one of my passions - I've lived abroad for five of the past eight years and seen much of Europe. I have two young children (a 3-year old, the other a 4-month-old baby), so being a dad is my major extracurricular preoccupation these days.

Diandra L. Leslie-Pelecky

Physics




Physics doctorate; Michigan State University


Coming to UTD is something of a return for me, since I was an undergraduate at UNT, where I double majored in physics and philosophy.

What class or classes will you be teaching in the fall?

I won't be teaching at UTD this fall, as I'll be setting up my laboratory, but I am very much looking forward to teaching in the spring. I expect to teach courses for our physics majors, but I'm also very interested in teaching courses for non-science majors. In particular, I hope to show them how important science is in their everyday lives, whether it's getting more mileage out of a tank of gas or how it's possible to have an iPod that stores all your favorite songs and still has room for more.

If you write or do research, what is your area of interest?

My research is in nanomedicine. We work on ways to make very small magnets. Our magnets are so small that they can travel around the inside of the body and even enter cells. We're interested in using these nanomagnets to deliver drugs, such as chemotherapeutics. Attaching drugs to nanomagnetic particles allows us to use a magnet outside the body to hold the drugs near solid tumors. This will decrease the dosage needed and make the drugs more effective with fewer side effects. The nanoparticles may also be used for making better diagnoses using magnetic resonance imaging.

What attracted you to the University of Texas at Dallas?

UTD has great students and a lot of potential.

What do you like to do outside the classroom?

I recently published a book called "The Physics of NASCAR," which was written to show NASCAR fans how much math and science goes into winning races. So in addition to being parked in front of the TV on race day, I'm working on a project with NASCAR and NASCAR race teams to develop materials that middle-school and high-school teachers can use to get their students excited about math and science. I also maintain a blog at www.stockcarscience.com where I discuss science-related events in NASCAR.

Denis J. Dean

Geosciences




Forestry doctorate, 1991; Virginia Tech University

M.S. in Forest economics and operations research M.S., 1986; Pennsylvania State University

Forest recreation management B.S., 1984; Virginia Tech University


What class or classes will you be teaching in the fall?

In the fall I will be teaching GISC 6385 (GIS Theories, Models and Issues).

If you write or do research, what is your area of interest?

I am interested in all aspects of geospatial science. I work predominately in the areas of developing artificial intelligence approaches that can address geospatial problems, spatial optimization and accuracy assessment.

What attracted you to the University of Texas at Dallas?

At least two things: It's a relatively young and growing institution open to new ideas and new programs and the quality of the students and faculty.

What do you like to do outside the classroom?

I'm an amateur woodworker. My wife and I like to hike and camp. When possible, I love to sail.

David "Dave" C. Mauer

Finance




Financial Economics and Econometrics doctorate; Purdue University

Krannert Graduate School of Management; Purdue University


What class or classes will you be teaching in the fall?

I do not teach this fall. In the spring I will be teaching "Options and Futures Markets" to MBA students and "Empirical Corporate Finance" to doctoral students.

If you write or do research, what is your area of interest?

I do research in the area of corporate finance, which is concerned with how corporations make investment and financing decisions.

What attracted you to the University of Texas at Dallas?

I was attracted by the world class faculty, and the opportunity to join one of the best research-oriented business schools in the country.

What do you like to do outside the classroom?

I spend most of my time outside the classroom working on my research. When I am not working on research, I enjoy numismatics, the study of coins.

Tobias Hagge

Mathematical Sciences




Topology doctorate, 2008; Indiana University

Mathematics B.A., 2002; University of Iowa


What class or classes will you be teaching in the fall?

I will be teaching a graduate level course in group representation theory.

If you write or do research, what is your area of interest?

My work is in topology and closely related fields. Topology, roughly speaking, is the study of properties of systems that are preserved by small perturbations. For instance, once you glue the ends of a twisted rope together, it is impossible to untwist the strands. Bending the rope preserves the number of twists in a certain sense. Topology turns up almost everywhere in mathematics and has applications to biology, physics and computer science. I am especially interested in topological methods for building fault-tolerant quantum computers.

What attracted you to the University of Texas at Dallas?

I liked UTD's research emphasis and plans for growth. Additionally, Dallas is located at the intersection of three environmentally distinct regions, so my wife has many opportunities to pursue her career in outdoor science education.

What do you like to do outside the classroom?

I enjoy bicycling, hiking, amateur astronomy and playing guitar.

Jie Zheng

Chemistry




Chemistry doctorate, 2005; Georgia Institute of Technology

B.S., Inner Mongolia University

Three-year postdoctoral research under supervision of Xiaowei Zhuang at Harvard University.


What class or classes will you be teaching in the fall?

I will teach Instrumental Analysis (Chem 3472) this fall. While I did not teach any course at UTD before, I am looking forward to this opportunity to interact with undergraduate students.

If you write or do research, what is your area of interest?

My research interests lie in the area of nanobiotechnology and focus on developing novel nanomaterials that can be integrated with single-molecule imaging techniques to tackle bioimaging challenges.

What attracted you to the University of Texas at Dallas?

I was very impressed with the faculty and facilities at UTD when I first visited here. While UTD is a relatively small school compared many others, it is a great place for doing research in nanoscience. There is a Nanotech Institute dedicated for this purpose. Many colleagues are doing exciting research in different fields, which provides a collaborative environment for interdisciplinary research. I truly believe it is a place where I can accomplish my career goals.

What do you like to do outside the classroom?

I like hiking and fishing. There are quite a few lakes around Dallas area, and I hope I can keep these hobbies even though a busy time is ahead.

Feng Zhao

Finance




Marketing doctorate, Northwestern University

Marketing M.S.; Northwestern University

Industrial and Systems Engineering M.E.; University of Florida

Industrial Engineering B.S.; Middle East Technical University, Turkey


What class or classes will you be teaching in the fall?

I will be teaching the Principles of Marketing class in the spring.

If you write or do research, what is your area of interest?

Empirical investigation of marketing problems with a special interest in retailing.

What attracted you to the University of Texas at Dallas?

Great focus on research and the friendly work environment

What do you like to do outside the classroom?

I like spending time outdoors, reading and cooking.

Cihan Yuksel Muslu

Historical Studies




History and middle eastern studies doctorate, 2007; Harvard University

History B.A., 1999; Koc University, Turkey


My specialty is medieval and early modern Ottoman/Islamic history. Until I came to Harvard, I was in Turkey, my country.

What class or classes will you be teaching in the fall? Have you ever taught at UTD before?

Two classes. One focuses on the second part of the Ottoman history (1566-1923). The second one is a new class: Travel and Knowledge in the Medieval Islamic World. Yes, I have been teaching at UT Dallas since my graduation in June 2007. But last year my position was a visiting assistant professorship. Last year, I taught Crusades and Ottoman history.

If you write or do research, what is your area of interest?

Currently, I am writing a paper on the interactions between two late medieval/early modern Islamic societies, the Ottomans and the Mamluks. The title is "Legacies of Exchange and Conflict."

What attracted you to the University of Texas at Dallas?

I was attracted by a combination of practical and professional concerns. First and foremost, my colleagues (both those who were on the search committee and those who were not) made me feel welcomed. I sensed I could find a good collaborative and cooperative environment here. You need that, in particular if you are at the beginning of your career, like I am. In addition to that, my husband has been an assistant professor here since 2005. So, we felt really lucky to find good jobs in the same institution. Also we thought Dallas is a good place for young families. We have a 3-year-old daughter, and living conditions in Dallas are convenient for us.

What do you like to do outside the classroom?

Outside the classroom, I really like to focus on my research and writing. I am a big fan of movies and movie theatres, even though I cannot watch or go to them, as much as I would love to. Watching a movie is difficult with a 3-year old. I love reading The New Yorker, if I have time. Spending time with our friends, making puzzles with my daughter, listening to public radio while driving. I do exercise three times a week, but I do it because I think I need it, not because I like it. Confessions of a professor?!

Gonca Pinar Soysal

Marketing




Marketing doctorate, Northwestern University

Marketing M.S.; Northwestern University

Industrial and Systems Engineering M.E.; University of Florida

Industrial Engineering B.S.; Middle East Technical University, Turkey


What class or classes will you be teaching in the fall?

I will be teaching the Principles of Marketing class in the spring.

If you write or do research, what is your area of interest?

Empirical investigation of marketing problems with a special interest in retailing.

What attracted you to the University of Texas at Dallas?

Great focus on research and the friendly work environment

What do you like to do outside the classroom?

I like spending time outdoors, reading and cooking.

Jonathan Frome

Film Studies




Communication Arts doctorate; University of Wisconsin - Madison.


What class or classes will you be teaching in the fall?

This fall, I am teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in history of world cinema.

If you write or do research, what is your area of interest?

I am interested in theory and psychology of media reception. My work compares film to other media, particularly videogames, and I attempt to theorize how media are structured to generate particular emotional responses.

What attracted you to the University of Texas at Dallas?

UTD supports interdisciplinary approaches to research and teaching, which is very important to me. I also enjoyed the high caliber of faculty and students I met when I interviewed here.

What do you like to do outside the classroom?

Watch films, obviously! I also enjoy swimming and seeking out good, local restaurants.

John C. Gooch

Rhetoric




Technical Communication and Rhetoric doctorate, 2002; Texas Tech University


What class or classes will you be teaching in the fall?

I will teach the graduate course, "Rhetoric Pedagogy Practicum" this fall, but I am the Director of Rhetoric and Writing. As Director, I supervise those who teach RHET 1302: Rhetoric - one of my responsibilities in this role anyway.

If you write or do research, what is your area of interest?

My current areas of research interest are histories of rhetoric as well as rhetoric and law, media ecology, and rhetoric and citizenship.

What attracted you to the University of Texas at Dallas?

I came to UTD because I found its interdisciplinary focus appealing, and because I see it as an institution poised for growth and positive change. I wanted to be part of that.

Eric R. Schlereth

Historical Studies




American History doctorate; Brandeis University


What class or classes will you be teaching in the fall?

This fall I'll teach HIST 1301, an honors section of the first half of the American History survey covering a period from 1400 to 1877, and HIST 4377, which examines the political history of religion in the United States from the 1770s through the 1830s.

If you write or do research, what is your area of interest?

Broadly speaking, my research focuses on North American history in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. I'm currently writing a book about the role of religious controversy as a political strategy in the United States following the American Revolution.

What attracted you to the University of Texas at Dallas?

I was attracted to UTD because it is a rapidly growing university with bright and motivated students. Moreover, it's an institution with an exteremely vibrant intellctual culture because it allows for creative teaching and encourages faculty research.

What do you like to do outside the classroom?

Life exists outside of the classroom? Seriously, I play tennis, not always well. I cook, I'm an avid viewer of C-SPAN, and I occasionally reminisce about my early aspiration to become a rock-and-roll drummer.