2025: A Look Back at a Spirited Year of Stellar Moments

2025 was a momentous year for The University of Texas at Dallas. Students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters welcomed a new president. A commuter rail line opened and became a campus gateway for the region. Researchers explored the possibilities of artificial intelligence and developed tools to help detect and treat cancer. Partnerships, initiatives and degree programs expanded research and academic opportunities aimed at creating a greater impact in Texas and beyond.

Check out some of the biggest News Center stories that helped define UT Dallas this year.

January

• Juliet Mwirigi BS’18, PhD’23 received a Hanna H. Gray Fellowship from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
• The Artificial Intelligence & Analytics Laboratory in the Naveen Jindal School of Management opened and received a $100,000 gift from Credit Union of Texas.

• The online MBA program was ranked No. 1 in the nation by Poets&Quants and earned high marks from U.S. News & World Report. In the spring, graduate programs made gains in U.S. News rankings, with the Jindal School recognized as the best business school for graduate students in North Texas. In the fall, UT Dallas climbed to No. 40 among public universities in the nation and was named one of the best schools for internships by The Princeton Review. U.S. News also ranked UT Dallas as North Texas’ top public university.
• Dr. Ted Moise, director of the North Texas Semiconductor Institute, was named a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.

February

• Dr. Ashwin Venkataraman created a new mathematical model to forecast commodity prices.
• Comets LANding, one of the largest and most comprehensive collegiate gaming and esports centers in the country, opened.
• Engineers discovered why lithium nickel oxide batteries break down.
• Dr. Elizabeth Searing led a multinational project investigating people’s perceptions of nonprofits.
• Researchers published the first results of their North Texas Quality of Life Initiative.

March

• Researchers suggested that utilities could develop a new pricing model for solar power adopters.
• Dr. Wei Li is developing a virtual lunar welding platform that could overcome the challenges to building permanent structures in harsh, thin-atmosphere and low-gravity environments.
• Mechanical engineers developed a new theory on how heat transfers on advanced surfaces.
• An analysis of data by scientists, including Dr. Mustapha Ishak-Boushaki, added to increasing indications that the impact of dark energy may be weakening over time.

April

• Chemistry researchers created a 3D-printed foam that is more durable and more recyclable than the polymer foam found in many everyday products.
• The chess team finished fourth at the national championship finals, which the University hosted for the second straight year. Grandmaster Mikhail Antipov joined the program as its new coach. In October, the women’s chess team swept the top three spots in the Texas championship tournament and then won the national title in November.
• Dr. Patrick T. Brandt and his colleagues are developing an artificial intelligence tool designed to save time and money in analyzing where and when political conflict events are happening.
• UT Dallas was recognized as a Purple Heart University.
• Scientists demonstrated that patients with treatment-resistant PTSD showed long-term benefits after completing traditional therapy paired with vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). The researchers also showed unprecedented rates of recovery for spinal cord injuries when patients safely received a combination of VNS with progressive, individualized rehabilitation.
• The Comet Cricket Club won the National College Cricket Association championship.

May

• Dr. Prabhas V. Moghe was named sole finalist to become the next president of UT Dallas. The UT System Board of Regents later officially approved his selection, and Moghe joined the University on Aug. 2.
• Bioengineers developed a light-activated immunotherapy to help attack stubborn cancer cells.
• Psychology researchers challenged the perception that the difficulties autistic people face in socializing are due to one-sided deficiencies.
• University Commencement, which featured keynote speaker Miss Texas Annette Addo-Yobo BS’20, celebrated new graduates.
• Center for Vital Longevity researchers released the full dataset from their Dallas Lifespan Brain Study.
• Researchers at the Center for Advanced Pain Studies discovered a previously undocumented critical component to diabetic neuropathy.

June

• Dr. Mehmet Ayvaci and Dr. Radha Mookerjee determined that artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to flag high-risk breast cancer cases.
• The University launched new degree programs in cybersecurity and risk management; professional communication and digital media studies; artificial intelligence for biomedical sciences; systems engineering; computational and geospatial science; and sustainability planning and policy. The Jindal School also established a new healthcare management interdisciplinary area.
• Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets received their commissions at the University’s inaugural officer commissioning ceremony.

July

• Computer engineering doctoral student Victoria Gammenthaler BS’23 and mechanical engineering senior Kevin Dinh received Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation scholarships from the Department of Defense.
• The Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology became the new home for the Joan Davidow Art Collection in Memory of Seth Carlin Davidow.

August

• The University launched UTD Global to expand its academic outreach.
• Dr. Ron Rohrer joined the University as its first faculty member to be supported by the Governor’s University Research Initiative.
• Engineers demonstrated that shifting consumption to when the grid has a greater supply from alternative energy sources could help reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
• Dr. William Nichols joined UT Dallas as dean of undergraduate education.
• Dr. Atanu Lahiri explored whether and under what circumstances policy intervention could help deter ransomware attacks.
• Dr. Pumpki Lei Su found that the social-interactive benefits of parentese in a child’s first year extends beyond the neurotypical population.

September

• Bioengineers developed a novel method to embed unique genetic identifiers in engineered cell lines.
• Dr. Mario Wriedt investigated the use of metal-organic frameworks to physically bind to and remove forever chemicals from contaminated sites.
• Dr. Zixuan “Maggie” Meng found that virtual reality tours can help homes on the market sell faster.
• Researchers explored how artificial intelligence can be a tool for monitoring health and air quality.
• Dr. Baowei Fei and his colleagues created a new tool for early cancer detection.
• The University and Argonne National Laboratory signed a memorandum of understanding to advance battery research.
• Dr. Katelyn Sadler found a link between sickle cell disease pain and the bacteria present in gastrointestinal tracts.
• Dr. Bin Hu analyzed how content creators affect social media sites’ profits.

October

• Graduate students have more pathways to completing their degrees, thanks to an initiative designed to advance science, technology, engineering and math education; a North Texas Semiconductor Institute scholarship program; and a fellowship established by the Jain Family Foundation.
• Dr. Jackie Nelson and Dr. Heidi Kane examined how relationships affect the cardiometabolic health of new mothers.
• Engineers developed a method that enables same-day, 3D-printed dental restorations made of zirconia.
• Students created the University’s first stop-motion puppet animation.
• Bioengineers developed a technology that may lead to a breath test for lung cancer.
• Engineers developed a computer prototype that is designed to make artificial intelligence more efficient.
• UT Dallas honored its donors during Celebration of Support. Gifts this year included $8 million from the O’Donnell Foundation as part of an investment in the Dallas County Promise initiative; a $1 million challenge grant from Georgeann and William McRaven for the Center for BrainHealth’s Optimal BrainHealth for Warfighters program; and $1.2 million over three years from The Crystal Charity Ball for the Callier Center for Communication Disorders’ Hearing Opportunities for Pediatric Equity Project. The Callier Center marked the completion of the Callier Family Care Campaign, which raised more than $18.5 million.

November

• The University celebrated the opening of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Silver Line and the UT Dallas Station.
• Aspiring neuroscientist Hailey Welch received a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Predoctoral Fellowship.
• Dr. Brian Ten Eyck was named vice president for strategic initiatives.
• Researchers designed PropType, an interface that allows users to transform everyday objects into typing surfaces within an augmented reality environment.
• Pain researchers discovered a new detail of how synapses strengthen.

December

• Researchers developed an artificial intelligence tool to help sight-impaired programmers create, edit and verify 3D models.
• Dr. Ying Xie found that the effectiveness of using slang in marketing messages depends on a brand’s personality and the audience for the message.
• The University partnered with Tech Mahindra to collaborate on artificial intelligence innovation, skill development and research.
• Dr. Bilal Akin and Dr. Fan Zhang were named recipients of the 2026 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards from the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology.
• A team of students won a gold medal at the International Genetically Engineered Machine Grand Jamboree.