Faculty and Staff
Program Leadership
Dr. Mary Urquhart
Associate Professor and Department Head
UTeach Dallas Director
972-883-2499
FN 3.218C
urquhart@utdallas.edu
UTD Profile Page
- PhD in Astrophysical, Planetary, and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder
- MS in Astrophysical, Planetary, and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder
- BS in Geophysics, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
- BS in Physics (Astrophysics Option), New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Dr. Urquhart’s research interests range from thermal processes on planetary surfaces and astrobiology, to instructional design and intervention in mental model formation for students from pre-Kindergarten to graduate school. She has published on Mars, the Moon, icy Galilean satellites, and the asteroid Eros, and is currently working on an astrobiology project involving Saturn’s moon Enceladus. She is an astronomy and physics education researcher with a passion for both formal and in-formal education, a former Education and Public Outreach Co-Lead for a UT Dallas-built NASA mission, and has written numerous curriculum pieces made freely available to teachers.
Katie Donaldson, MAT
UTeach Dallas Associate Director/ Master Teacher
972-883-6427
FN 3.308M
katie.donaldson@utdallas.edu
- MAT in Science Education, UT Dallas
- BS in Zoology, Texas A&M University
- Teaching Certifications in:
- Secondary Biology 6-12
- Secondary Chemistry 6-12
Recruitment, retention, induction, and development of STEM Educators are the focus of my work at UTeach Dallas. In addition, we are developing ways to incorporate PBI, specifically the engineering design process, into our coursework.
Program Faculty
Floyd Dorsey, MEd
Master Teacher
972-883-2417
FN 3.410B
floyd.dorsey@utdallas.edu
- MEd in Administration, Lamar University
- BS in Education, East Central University
- Teaching Certifications in:
- Principal EC-12, Texas
- Secondary Mathematics 6-12, Texas
- Physical Education PK-12, Texas
- Health Education 6-12, Texas
- Mathematics 8-12, Oklahoma
- Health & Physical Education K-12, Oklahoma
- Computer Science 8-12, Oklahoma
Denise Gregory, MM
Master Teacher
972-883-6444
FN 3.308L
denise.gregory@utddallas.edu
- MM in Mathematics, University of Tennessee
- BS in Mathematics, Sam Houston State University,
- Teaching Certifications:
- Secondary Mathematics 6-12
- Secondary Computer Information Systems 6-12
Dr. Vinita Hajeri
Associate Professor of Instruction
972-883-6482
FN 3.308E
vxh151030@utdallas.edu
UTD Profile Page
- PhD in Molecular Biology, University of North Texas
- MS in Botany, University of Mumbai
Dr. Hajeri’s research focuses on utilizing genetic model organisms (flatworms, fruit flies, nematodes, and zebrafish) as robust teaching tools to make life science teaching and learning accessible to diverse learners from grades 6-12. Dr. Hajeri is actively involved in designing and offering effective model-organism(s) based professional development programs to secondary science teachers. She has designed and directs the Zebrafish Summer Institute which recruits and engages secondary science teachers from all across the state of Texas to bring real-world science investigations to the classroom. Dr. Hajeri also actively collaborates with the STARS program at UT Southwestern to offer teacher in-service professional development.
Emily Hennessey, MAT
Associate Professor of Instruction
972-883-4008
FN 3.218B
ehennessy@utdallas.edu
- MAT in Science Education, UT Dallas
- BA in Elementary Education, University of Dallas
- Teaching Certifications in:
- Elementary 1-8
- Elementary English 1-8
Pam Kirkland, MEd
Master Teacher – Induction Specialist
972-883-4318
FN 3.308D
pam.kirkland@utdallas.edu
- MEd in Administration, Concordia University Texas
- BA in Microbiology, UT Austin
- Teaching Certifications in:
- Principal Grades EC-12
- Secondary Biology Grades 6-12
- Secondary Life-Earth Science Grades 6-12
- English as a Second Language Supplemental
- Social Emotional/Character Development
Enhancing K-16 STEM education through focusing on the development of the whole student. Supporting K-12 pre-service and current UTeach Dallas Alumni through continual professional development in a variety of areas such as differentiated instruction, awareness of language acquisition development and ESL support in STEM classes, and creating a supportive environment through implementing social emotional skill development.
Amin Lalani, MA
Master Teacher
972-883-6451
FN 3.308F
amin.lalani@utdallas.edu
- MA in Mathematics, UT Austin
- BS in Mathematics, UT Tyler
- Teaching certifications in:
- Mathematics Grades 8-12
- Computer Science 8-12
Best practices in mathematics and implementation of technology to explore math concepts.
Dr. Jim McConnell
Master Teacher
972-883-2481
FN 3.308B
james.mcconnell@utdallas.edu
- EdD in Supervision, Curriculum and Instruction, TAMU Commerce
- MS in Psychology, TAMU Commerce
- BS in Mathematics, University of Texas at Arlington
- Teaching Certifications in:
- Superintendent, Lifetime, PreK-12
- Mid-Management, Lifetime, PreK-12
- Physics 6-12,
- Mathematics 6-12,
- Psychology 6-12
Dr. Stephanie Taylor
Associate Professor of Instruction
972-883-6044
FN 3.308C
stephaniem.taylor@utdallas.edu
UTD Profile Page
- PhD in Biochemistry, University of Texas at Austin
- BS in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, UT Dallas
It has been shown over and over that a research experience is beneficial. It is good for undergraduates in learning about the scientific process. It helps teachers orient their lessons to the real world and makes science more tangible instead of just an exercise. But what is it in the experience that makes the connection? We investigate the process of empowering undergraduates to ask their own questions, design and carry out their own experiments to demonstrate that a research lab may not be the only place a true research experience can be gained. Biochemistry: Protein synthesis pathways in archaea, and astrobiology (with Dr. Urquhart)
Dr. M. Kate York
Master Teacher
972-883-2498
FN 3.410A
Kate.York@utdallas.edu
- PhD in Curriculum and Instruction in Science Education, Texas Tech University
- MEd Educational Leadership and Policy Studies K-16, UT Arlington
- BA Biology, Southwestern University
- Teaching Certifications in:
- Principal EC-12;
- Secondary Science 8-12
- Life Science 8-12;
- English Language Arts and Reading 8-12
- Dance 6-12
My current research interests focus on project-based learning (PBL), 21st-century skills development, and global collaborative education experiences in both K-12 and preservice teacher education contexts.
Program Affiliate Faculty
Dr. John G. Burr
Associate Professor, Associate Head Department of Biological Sciences
972 882-2508
FN 3.110
burr@utdallas.edu
Faculty Profile Page
- PhD in Molecular Biology, UC Berkeley
- BS in Chemistry, UC Riverside
Research focus: Molecular and cell biology of cancer.
Dr. Gregg R. Dieckmann
Associate Professor, Associate Head Department of Chemistry
972-883-2903
BE 2.324
dieckgr@utdallas.edu
UTD Profile Page
- PhD in Chemistry, University of Michigan
- MS in Chemistry, University of Michigan
- BA in Chemistry, DePauw University
- BA in Computer Science, DePauw University
Research focus: The overall theme of the research in my lab at UTD has been to use protein design, engineering and modified solid phase peptide synthetic methodologies to create novel biopolymers, novel bio/nano hybrid materials, and useful models for metalloproteins. The current primary research foci include the following: (1) Bioadhesives — the design of protein-based biopolymers that display bioadhesive properties in aqueous environments—how do various organisms create materials that are used to adhere to foreign and varied surfaces, and do so in a challenging water medium? (2) Bionanotechnology — the design of protein motifs that generate noncovalent functionalization of the surface of carbon nanotubes and other nanomaterials — can the biopolymers be used to provide new and desirable properties?
Dr. Matthew Goeckner
Professor, Associate Dean of Natural Sciences & Mathematics
972 883-2437
RL 3.406
goeckner@utdallas.edu
UTD Profile Page
- PhD in Plasma Physics, University of Iowa
- MS in Physics, University of California – Los Angeles
- BS in Physics, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
- BS in Mathematics, Southern Illinois University
Research focus: In the general area of science education, I am very interested in transfer student success.
Dr. Pamela Gossin
Professor, History of Science/ Literary Studies in School of Arts and Humanities
972-883-2071
JO 5.404
psgossin@utdallas.edu
UTD Profile Page
History of science and interdisciplinary literature and science studies (especially 17th through 20th centuries); women and science; literature and the environment, including nature writing; scientific biography and autobiography; popularization of science and public education in science and technology; science poetry; interrelations of astronomy, cosmology and literature; Japanese anime and manga; Great Plains literature and culture; “great books” of world cultures.
Dr. Joseph M. Izen
Professor, Department of Physics
972-546-2540
PHY 1.612
je@utdallas.edu
UTD Profile Page
- PhD in Physics, Harvard University
- MA in Physics, Harvard University
- BS in Physics and Math, The Cooper Union
Research focus: Proton collisions produced at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at the high energy frontier of elementary particle physics. I collaborate on the ATLAS experiment which studies the Higgs boson and which searches dark matter, new forces that affect dark matter, microblack holes, and whatever surprises await in collisions that reproduce conditions common during the first billionth of a second following the Big Bang. I analyze data from the BaBar experiment that has finished collecting data from the annihilation of electrons and positrons with the PEP-II storage ring at SLAC.
Dr. Susan E. Minkoff
Professor, Department of Mathematical Sciences
972-883-6695
FO 2.402B
sminkoff@utdallas.edu
Faculty Profile Page
- PhD in Computational and Applied Math, Rice University
- MA in Computational and Applied Math, Rice University
- BS in Mathematics and Computer Science, Duke University
Research focus: Applied mathematics, specifically numerical analysis and scientific computing. Applications modeled include geoscience and optics.
Dr. Robert J. Stern
Professor, Department of Geosciences
972-883-2442
ROC 1.201
rjstern@utdallas.edu
UTD Profile Page
PhD in Earth Sciences, UC San Diego
Dr. Robert J. Stern is professor of geosciences at The University of Texas at Dallas. Stern teaches undergraduate courses in petrology and graduate courses in tectonics and also serves as the graduate advisor and head of the Global Magmatic and Tectonic Laboratory. He and his students and colleagues have studied the geology of the Arabian-Nubian Shield since 1977, including work in Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel; this research can be found on Google Scholar and on ResearchGate. He is editor-in-chief of International Geology Review.
Dr. Julie Sutton
Associate Professor of Instruction, Department of Mathematical Sciences
972-883-3843
FN 3.308A
jxs158030@utdallas.edu
UTD Profile Page
- PhD in Mathematics, University of Texas at Arlington
- MS in Mathematics, UT Arlington
- BS in Mathematics, UT Arlington
Research focus: Visualization, problem-solving, group learning and software-aided learning.
Dr. John Zweck
Professor, Department of Mathematical Sciences
972-883-6699
FO 3.704J
zweck@utdallas.edu
UTD Profile Page
Research focus: Computational and applied mathematics with applications to engineering systems and devices, especially in optics and photonics.
Adjunct Program Faculty
SME Professors Emeriti
Dr. Fred Fifer
972-883-2496
fifer@flash.net
- PhD, Peabody College/Vanderbilt University
- MS in Curriculum instruction/Science Education, East Texas State University
- BS in Chemistry, Earth Science, Stephen F. Austin State University
- Teaching certificates in:
- Science 7-12
Dr. Cynthia Ledbetter
972-886-9324
ledbetter@utdallas.edu
- PhD in Curriculum & Instruction (Science), Texas A&M University
- MAT in Science Education, UT Dallas
- BS in Biology, UT Arlington
- Teaching Certifications in:
- Secondary Biology, Life
- Secondary English, Life
- Secondary Science Composite, Life
Research focus for SME: Learning environments in elementary and secondary international schools.
Dr. Lynn A. Melton
- PhD in Chemistry, Harvard University
- MA in Chemistry, Harvard University
- BS in Chemistry, Caltech
Research focus for SME: The use of manipulatives to enhance concept formation in middle school science classes.
Staff
Esthela Beltran
Administrative Service Officer II
972-883-4215
FN 3.218A
esthela@utdallas.edu
- BA in Interdisciplinary Studies, UT Dallas
Dr. Kim Distin
Educational Technology Specialist
972-883-6415
FN 3.308Q
kimd@utdallas.edu
- PhD in Philosophy in Science Education, Curtin University, Perth, AU
- MAT in Science Education, UT Dallas
- BS in Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston
- Teaching Certifications in:
- Secondary Composite Science 6-12, Lifetime
Research focus for SME: Learning environments of preservice teachers. Previous research on the effects of Integrated Physics and Chemistry on chemistry and physics understanding and test scores helped to shape decisions of the Texas SBOE.
Hailey King, MEd
UTeach Dallas Academic Advisor
972-883-6485
FN 3.308P
hailey.king@utdallas.edu
- MEd in Higher Education Administration, University of Houston
- BS in Psychology, Oklahoma State University
Mary Ann Snedecor
Melissa Wyder
Administrative Assistant
972-883-6497
FN 3.308N
melissa.wyder@utdallas.edu
- BS in Business and Public Administration, UT Dallas