UTEP News | Updates from The University of Texas at El Paso

UTEP Study: Zooplankton Play Limited Role in Cleaning Contaminated Water

=Scientists at The University of Texas at El Paso and Stanford University were recently surprised to find that the natural community of zooplankton — tiny, aquatic animals known to graze on bacteria — present in freshwater and saltwater do not clean water that is contaminated with fecal microorganisms.

UTEP, Fabens ISD Awarded NSF Grant to Strengthen STEM Education

The University of Texas at El Paso and Fabens Independent School District (Fabens ISD) are working together to strengthen science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teaching practices across Fabens ISD schools. This initiative is funded by a new grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

UTEP to Join Mountain West Conference

EL PASO, Texas (Oct 1, 2024) – The University of Texas at El Paso has accepted a formal invitation to join the Mountain West Conference, the University and Conference announced today.

UTEP Men’s Basketball Team to Play First-Ever Game in Mexico on Oct. 19

The UTEP men’s basketball team will make history by playing a game in Mexico for the first time. The Miners will face Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua (UACH) in an exhibition contest on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 7:30 pm in the 9,000-seat Gimnasio Universitario Manuel Bernardo Aguirre. Ticket information will be announced at a later date.

LaMantia Family Presents Gift to Support Future UTEP Mental Health Professionals

The LaMantia family has partnered with the Stars Scholarship Fund to share a gift of more than $130,000 to The University of Texas at El Paso’s College of Health Sciences. The funds will support the University’s efforts to increase the number of mental health professionals in the region.

UTEP Professor Selected as President-Elect of the National Political Science Honor Society

Taeko Hiroi, Ph.D., a professor of political science and faculty advisor for the local chapter of Epsilon Epsilon at The University of Texas at El Paso, has been selected as the president-elect of Pi Sigma Alpha, The National Political Science Honor Society.

Francis Foundation Donates $2 Million to UTEP’s Woody L. Hunt College of Business

The Ginger G. and L. Frederick Francis Foundation announced today a $2 million gift to The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) Woody L. Hunt College of Business to establish the Rick and Ginger Francis Endowed Deanship.

UTEP Establishes Collaboration with DoD, NSA to Help Enhance U.S. Semiconductor Workforce

The University of Texas at El Paso today announced new collaborations with the Department of Defense (DoD) and the National Security Agency (NSA) that support research and training to strengthen the nation’s leadership in semiconductor, or microchips, technology.

UTEP Students Vote in Favor of Union Improvements

Students at The University of Texas at El Paso voted this week in favor of a referendum calling for the replacement of Union West and renovation of Union East. A total of 1,171 students voted in favor of the referendum; 1,098 voted against. The student campus improvement project now heads to the Texas state legislature for approval.

UTEP Sees Record Enrollment of First-Time Students for Third Year

More than 25,000 students are attending UTEP this fall, including 3,918 new freshmen, a new record.

UT System Board of Regents Commits $20 Million to Reestablish Mining Engineering Program at The University of Texas at El Paso

The University of Texas System (UT System) Board of Regents Chairman Kevin P. Eltife today announced a $20 million investment in The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) to reestablish its Mining Engineering Program.

UTEP Announces Plans for New Dinner Theatre Seasons

The University of Texas at El Paso announced future seasons of UTEP Dinner Theatre (UDT) musicals will be produced with UDT integrated with the University’s Department of Theatre and Dance and with a new funding model.

Minerpalooza Ready to Mine Through its 34th Year

Minerpalooza, The University of Texas at El Paso’s biggest annual celebration, will return on Sept. 6 from 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. to bring the Miner Welcome festivities to a close.

UTEP Named to Forbes’ 500 Best Colleges

EL PASO, Texas (Aug. 30, 2024) – The University of Texas at El Paso has been named to America’s top 500 colleges in a list compiled by Forbes. The rankings were released this week as part of the 2024 Forbes Top Colleges List.

UTEP School of Pharmacy Welcomes New Class with White Coat Ceremony

The University of Texas at El Paso’s School of Pharmacy welcomed 50 new students into the Doctor of Pharmacy Class of 2028. Following tradition, the school welcomed the new students at its annual White Coat Ceremony on Aug. 24 at Magoffin Auditorium on the UTEP campus.

UTEP Welcomes New Faculty Members for 2024-25 Academic Year

The University of Texas at El Paso welcomed a new cohort of tenured, tenure-track, and instructional faculty members to begin the 2024-25 academic year. The new faculty members come to UTEP with a breadth of expertise that ranges from science, health sciences, pharmacy, and the performing arts to humanities, education, engineering, social sciences, and business.

President Wilson Announces New Research Program, Hiring 69 More PhDs

EL PASO, Texas (Aug. 23, 2024) – Research at UTEP is getting a game-changing, historic boost thanks to support from the Regents’ Research Excellence Program. The program will allow UTEP to recruit 69 new researchers to advance discovery in multiple fields. UTEP President Heather Wilson announced the annual $12 million research allocation at the University’s Convocation Ceremony Friday.

UTEP Begins Fall 2024 with Two Weeks of Events

UTEP will greet new and returning students this Fall semester with Miner Welcome, a two-week series of student-driven events and celebrations. The long-running tradition aims to foster a sense of belonging and spark interest among students to get involved in the campus culture.

UTEP Awarded $2.5 M NIH Grant to Study Nicotine Dependence in Women

Researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso will undertake a new study that could lead to improved nicotine cessation treatments for women. The work is supported by a new $2.5 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

UTEP Awards Six New U.S.-Mexico Collaboration Fellowships

The University of Texas at El Paso has announced six research projects that will receive funding as part of a program aimed to strengthen relationships between researchers on both sides of the border and, ultimately, foster academic work that benefits the entire Paso del Norte region.

What Happens to Your Brain When You Drink with Friends?

Grab a drink with friends at happy hour and you’re likely to feel chatty, friendly and upbeat. But grab a drink alone and you may experience feelings of depression. Researchers think they now know why this happens.

UTEP Receives $2.3 Million to Help Migrant Farm Workers Complete High School

The University of Texas at El Paso is continuing its work to support migrant and seasonal farm workers in their pursuit of a High School Equivalency Certificate (HSE). The effort is supported by a new grant of $2.3 million from the U.S. Department of Education.

Current, Former Miners to Compete at 2024 Olympics in Paris

Dating back to 1952, the UTEP track and field program has produced numerous athletes who have competed in the Summer Olympics. This year six Miners (one current, five former) will see action at the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad from July 26 through August 11 in Paris.

Nanoplastics and ‘Forever Chemicals’ Disrupt Molecular Structures, Functionality

Researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso have made significant inroads in understanding how nanoplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — commonly known as forever chemicals — disrupt biomolecular structure and function.

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