Focus on Faculty is a Speakers' Series for UT Arlington faculty, begun during 2002-2003 to provide a forum for outstanding faculty to share their research and achievements with students, faculty and staff of this campus and with the citizens of Arlington. Speakers are invited who have received major awards for research, teaching or service. Every school and college is represented in a two-year cycle.

Six speakers are scheduled each year. Light refreshments are served. Focus on Faculty events are free and open to the public.

Wind energy has gained extensive interest and has become one of the most mature renewable energy alternatives to the conventional fuel-based resources. Records show that wind power generation has expanded at an annual rate of 25 percent since 1990 and demonstrates a great potential in many regions of the US. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Texas is the No. 1 in US regarding the installation capacity of wind generation facilities. Despite various benefits of the wind power, an integration of wind energy into the electric grid is difficult to manage. Due to the irregularity of wind, the power generated from wind rapidly fluctuates, imposing difficulties both in terms of operation and planning. This presentation describes the development, installation, potential impact, and opportunities of wind generation.

Wei-Jen Lee, Ph.D., Professor of Electrical Engineering and Director of the Energy Systems Research Center at UT Arlington, received an award for Outstanding Research Achievement in 2007. He has published 40 refereed papers and presented more than 100 papers at conferences and symposia. He has served as the primary investigator of over 60 funded research projects totaling more than 6 million dollars.

The talk and reception following are free and open to all.

During a summer abroad in 2007, UTA students came face to face with the traditional music and dance of Ghana. Come and hear that music performed by members of our African Ensemble. Listen to their stories and see images of daily life in Ghana. Feel the beat of the drums and relax before finals begin. The "Study Abroad" class was led by Dr. Michael L. Varner.

Dr. Michael L. Varner, Associate Professor of Music, was recently chosen as the UT Arlington Honors College recipient of the prestigious Award for Teaching Excellence. Widely in demand as an educator and clinician, he has given presentations in all 50 states, the orient, and Europe. He is an artist endorsee for Vic Firth Mallets, Yamaha Drums, Sabian Cymbals and Remo world Instruments and drumheads. Visit http://www.uta.edu/mvarner/acover for more information about Dr. Varner’s work.

In the early 1500s, when Spanish explorers reached what is now the American Southwest, they characterized its native peoples and landscapes as Middle Eastern. When Anglo Americans moved west three centuries later, they called the Indians "Arabs" or "Turks" and even considered the Mormons to be "Mohammedans" (or Muslims). Why the American west was "Orientalized" is the subject of this illustrated lecture about how prejudices and preconceptions affect cultural identity.

Richard V. Francaviglia, Ph.D., was a Piper Professor Nominee in 2007 and a recipient of the UT Arlington Distinguished Record of Research Achievement Award. He has written seven books, co-edited others and published numerous journal articles. He is a professor of history at UT Arlington.

The Arlington Public Library Foundation and the Friends of the UT Arlington Library will present A Visit With Sandra Brown at lunchtime. Sandra Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published sixty-eight novels, fifty-five of which have been New York Times bestsellers. Brown now has seventy million copies of her books in print worldwide, and her work has been translated into thirty-three languages. Her newest book is PLAY DIRTY.

A lifelong Texan, Sandra was born in Waco and raised in Ft. Worth.  She attended Texas Christian University, majoring in English. Before embarking on her writing career, Sandra worked in television - including weather casting and feature reporting on the nationally syndicated program "PM Magazine."  Sandra and her husband Michael Brown live in Arlington, Texas.

Tickets to the luncheon are $35 per person (click here to see complete details on ordering tickets.)  This program is sponsored by General Motors, Star-Telegram, Worthington National Bank, and Borders. Call 817-459-6924 for more information.

It is presumed that when individuals work together this will enhance innovation, productivity and learning. However, research has shown that these presumptions are often an illusion not supported by objective data. We have conducted research on group activities in laboratory settings to determine the factors that hinder and enhance this process. Recent directions in research have included an examination of the role of diversity in the group creative process and the use of virtual immersive reality techniques for the study of group dynamics.

Dr. Paul B. Paulus, Dean of Science and Professor of Psychology, was awarded the UT Arlington Distinguished Record of Research Achievement in 2007. He received a B.A. from Otterbein College and an M.A. and a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. He has published 8 books and more than 100 refereed papers and chapters. His latest book, Group Creativity; Innovation through Collaboration, was published by Oxford University Press in 2003. He has been an editorial consultant for more than 40 journals and is past editor of Basic and Applied Social Psychology. Research areas include the impact of living environments on health and well-being; group influence and productivity; and creativity, innovation and decision-making in groups. His research has been supported by the National Science Founcation, the Department of Justice and Walter Reed Army Medical. He has been a Visiting Scholar at the National Institute of Justice, The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, University of Sidney, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie-Mellon University.

The talk and reception following are free and open to all.

James Spaniolo
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
12:00-1:30, E.H. Hereford University Center, Bluebonnet Ballroom
The Power of Ideas

Laurin Porter
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
12:00-1:30 - Central Library Parlor
Quiet Power: The Plays and Films of Horton Foote

Cynthia Trowbridge
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
12:00-1:30 - Central Library Parlor
The Power of Performance: Women's Olympic Bobsled Team and Athletic Trainers Combine for Success

Dr. Robert Gatchel
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
12:00-1:30 - Central Library Parlor

Dr. Bob Woods
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
12:00-1:30 - Nedderman Hall, Rm. 100
The Power of Teamwork (Formula SAE Race Car)

David Keens
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
12:10-1:00 pm - Central Library Parlor
A Survey of Creative Work, from Metal to Glass

Jerold A. Edmondson
Wednesday, January 25, 2005
Why Small Languages are Important

Diane Cook
Wednesday, November 2, 2005
Automation Intelligence for a Smart Environment

John P. Maruszczak
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Pulp Architecturet

Zdzislaw E. Musielak
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Einstein's Revolutionary View of Time and Space

Christopher R. Scotese,
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Tsunamis, Volcanoes and Earthquakes: Plate Tectonics in the News

Liz Poster
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
The Smart Hospital and Health System (SHHS)

Jeanne Gerlach
Wednesday, February 2, 2005
Building a College of Education: A Look at the Process

Jonathan A. Campbell
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Venemous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere