Reporting Texas
News and features from UT-Austin's School of Journalism
Reporting Texas Archives
Dec 07, 2023

From Texas to the Peruvian Amazon, a UT Researcher Preserves a Dying Language

Nestled deep in the Amazon basin, a makeshift house sits alongside a rustic nut storage facility. Two of the occupants of this house in Peru’s remote Madre de Dios District might be the last chance of survival for the endangered language Iñapari. 
Meanwhile, over 3,000 miles away, a doctoral student is huddled over his laptop at the University of Texas at Austin. Barrett Hamp, a UT doctoral student in linguistics, has dedicated his research since 2019 to recording the indigenous language in Peru to prevent it from disappearing.  “Once a language is gone, it’s gone.  There’s no reviving it,” Hamp said.

Oct 15, 2023

Can’t Eclipse the Fun: How Central Texans Experienced a Rare Celestial Show

After a summer spent trying to get away from the sun, Central Texans couldn’t take their eyes off of it Saturday — safely, of course.
Through protective glasses, they watched a solar eclipse in which the moon covered 93 percent of the sun just before noon.
Reporting Texas reporters documented how some Austinites celebrated and experienced Saturday’s heavenly event.

May 04, 2023

Omitting ‘Rare’ When Ordering A Medium Rare Burger

As a child Juan Samuel Reyes chose to remain silent even when he had something to say. But now Reyes is one of several students who stutter at the University of Texas at Austin learning to communicate effectively while accepting their stutter through practice, community and advocacy. “I’m in the process of becoming more comfortable […]

Mar 11, 2022

Texans Heading to Cyber Games to Tackle Tomorrow’s Digital Challenges

Two Texans have been selected by the U.S. Cyber Games to join its inaugural national team, which will represent the United States in the International Cybersecurity Challenge in Athens, Greece, in June.

May 19, 2021

Esports Gaming Seeks Validation from University

Esports, or competitive gaming, has been growing on college campuses nationwide including here at the University of Texas at Austin. On their official website, Longhorn Gaming defines themselves as “the central hub for casual and competitive gaming at the University of Texas at Austin.” Longhorn Gaming has 23 teams competing in leagues for games across multiple genres […]

May 10, 2020

Texas A&M Entomologist Provides Insight on Global Locust Devastation

Hojun Song, a professor in the Department of Entomology at Texas A&M, has been researching grasshoppers and crickets, with a focus on the evolution of swarming locusts. Reporting Texas spoke with Song on the video conferencing app Zoom about his research.

 

Apr 29, 2020

Austin-based Roommates Develop Low-cost Ventilator Unit Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Two Austin-based roommates have developed a low-cost ventilator unit made from parts widely available around the world in response to global shortages amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In vitro testing on pig lungs for their prototype could begin soon at Dell Medical School. 

Apr 27, 2020

UT Scientist’s Research Should Shorten Path to Novel Coronavirus Vaccine

Jason McLellan works with the spike proteins that give the virus its shape and allow it to attach to receptors on human cells and begin to replicate.

Nov 14, 2019

Boiz Being Boiz: Group Members Find Identity, Community Through Drag

Boiz of Austin aims to tear down barriers and redefine what it means to be a king in the queen-dominated world of drag.

May 16, 2019

An Undergrad Astronomy Major Helps Revolutionize Her Field

Anne Dattilo, 22-year-old physics and astronomy undergraduate at the University of Texas at Austin, discovered two exoplanets, or planets outside Earth’s solar system.

Feb 19, 2019

Texas Faces Another Unpredictable Mosquito Season

With the start of the 2019 mosquito season upon us, state public health officials plan to proceed as usual — expecting the worst.

Dec 08, 2018

Playing with Fire, UT Professor Sparks Interest in Chemistry (and Sometimes Things Explode)

A a girl in Michigan, Kate Biberdorf discovered joy and beauty in science. She brings that sense of wonder — and plenty of pyrotechnics — to her students at the University of Texas.

Oct 15, 2018

Huge Current of Tropical Air Connects Weather Extremes

Summer snow in Canada while Texas bakes: It’s all about the teleconnection.

Oct 27, 2017

UT System’s Los Alamos Lab Bid Promises Prestige But Also Challenges

Managing the national laboratory could bring millions in research dollars to UT campuses. But the UT System also would have to address a string of serious problems there.

Jul 30, 2017

Cadavers Remain Vital Partners in Training Doctors at Dell Medical

As some substitute software for real bodies, the UT-Austin school uses both in its study of anatomy.

Apr 25, 2017

Science, and Chance, Propelled African-American Engineer to NASA

She has broken barriers as an African-American woman in engineering. Now she leads a top project at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

Apr 20, 2017

Nonprofit Provides Channels Into Technology for High School Girls

Portland-based ChickTech’s programs are generating interest in science, technology, engineering and math in Central Texas.

Mar 08, 2017

In Austin, Avoiding the Rush or Carpooling Can Pay Off

Metropia, a smartphone app, offers gift cards and charitable donations to drivers who share rides or travel during off-hours.

Mar 07, 2017

Bumblebees Are Better Pollinators, But Also Are Disappearing

In February, the Trump administration sidelined a plan to put one bumblebee species on the endangered list.

Mar 02, 2017

From Chemistry Lab to Firefighting, UT Lecturer Wears Many Hats

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