From Chemistry Lab to Firefighting, UT Lecturer Wears Many Hats

byYi Li

Sara Sutcliffe once was terrified of fire engines. Now the chemistry professor is a volunteer firefighter and teaches fire science.

Austin Warms to an App That Feeds Parking Meters

byKatherine Heighway

Thirteen percent of the city’s transactions are now online, as more people rely on a smartphone app that lets them replenish their parking time.

Texas A&M Researchers Working to Avert a Global Coffee Crisis

byAnna Casey

Climate change threatens one of the world’s most popular beverages and a crucial crop in some developing countries. The Texas researchers hope to create a coffee plant that can stand up to hotter temperatures.

As Research Funds Dry Up, Science Doctorates Make a Beeline for Data Jobs

byCate Malek

In 2012, the Harvard Business Review called data science “the sexiest job of the 21st century.” This is especially impressive considering that the title “data scientist” did not exist until 2008.

UT is ‘Ground Zero’ for Research on Little-Known Oil Recovery Techniques

byAustin Hamby

The University of Texas at Austin’s graduate petroleum engineering program, renowned for its enhanced recovery techniques for oil reservoirs, was ranked as the best in the country this year.

As Pay and Prestige Grow, More Men Pursue Nursing

byEstefania Espinosa

Men were 9.6 percent of registered nurses in 2011, up 2 percentage points from 2000, according to the Census Bureau. “You feel like you’re doing something for somebody else,” Casey Luong, a nursing student, said.

Experts Warn of Hydrogen Sulfide Dangers

byBrianna Walker

Hydrogen sulfide, or H2S, is a colorless gas that smells like rotten eggs, but there the similarity ends. At lower levels, the gas causes nausea, headaches and dizziness. Larger doses can result in loss of smell and ultimately death. The poisonous gas made headlines on April 13 after Austin firefighters responded to a cardiac arrest […]

Healing on the Back of a Horse

byQiling Wang

Designed to complement traditional forms of therapy, Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapy has, its adherents say, become an increasingly popular adjunct for a variety of diagnoses, among them depression, autism, post-traumatic stress disorder and Down Syndrome.

Researchers Enlist Snake Venom in Anti-Cancer Campaign

bySamantha Ketterer

At Texas A&M’s Natural Toxins Research Center, researchers test snake venom against different types of cancer cells, including various kinds of melanomas and carcinomas, hoping to find ways to block the cells’ growth.

Research on Boozing Bugs Aims to Find Breakthroughs on Alcoholism Treatment

byCate Malek

The drinking habits of fruit flies can help science understand how humans become addicted to alcohol.

Dean of Texas Acupuncturists Set to Needle Lawmakers Again

byQiling Wang

Two decades after leading Texas acupuncturists’ struggle for professional recognition, Lisa Lin is at the forefront of efforts to make sure only licensed and well-trained acupuncturists are allowed to practice.

As Stringers Replace Photojournalists, New App Finds a Niche

byEmily Gibson

The app, which allows news stations to post assignments and users to respond with photos and videos, illustrates the growth of citizen journalism at a time when traditional jobs in photojournalism are declining.

Music Therapy – Still Experimental?

byWes Scarborough

Despite decades of research showing that the therapy helps patients, music therapists struggle to achieve professional status at the state level.

The Zika Beat: Observations of a Mosquito Man

byArelisa Daniels

Mosquitoes common to Central Texas are spreading Zika. At Texas A&M, Jeff Tomberlin is working on ways to prevent the bites that could make people sick.

Robot Teamwork Could Help Save Lives in Search-and-Rescue Missions

by Hannah Jane DeCiutiis

UT researcher has developed a way to get robots to work together.

Superbug Fears Mount in Texas After Deaths at UCLA

byGloria Fan

More than 500 suspected cases have been reported across Texas in the past year.

A Leap Forward in the Search for Life on Other Planets

byDarby Kendall

UT professor uses state-of-the-art spectrography to detect planets most capable of supporting life.

Texas Sugarcane Faces Small but Devastating Foe

by Hannah Jane DeCiutiis

The red-streaked leafhopper can destroy an entire sugarcane field.

UT Researchers Aim for Electromagnetic Railgun

The Center for Electromechanics is developing a weapon to propel projectiles over longer distances.

‘Kissing Bugs’ on the March in Texas

They bite their victims on the face and lips and defecate into the wound.