Election for Student Life Committee

I am a Professor in the Psychology Department and have been at UT since 2017. I interact regularly with numerous students in Psychology and other disciplines through large introductory statistics courses that I teach, mentoring undergraduate research and running a Psychology data science summer internship program. I am co-director of a new undergraduate major (Behavioral and Social Data Sciences) in the College of Liberal Arts where I’ve worked with other faculty to design and successfully launch an interdisciplinary curriculum that creates new pathways for students to engage with data science and the humanities. I currently serve on a university committee focused on expanding undergraduate interdisciplinary studies, the Dean’s Distinguished Graduate Awards Committee, and the Psychology undergraduate curriculum committee. I also chair the Faculty Awards Committee and am Vice Chair of the UT Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. I’m enthusiastic about supporting student life and well-being, and I see the Student Life Committee as a vital opportunity to help foster communication, advocate for student needs, and connect student voices with the broader goals of the university.

I am currently a professor of practice in the College of Education, studying college student governance, involvement, and equity issues in higher education. In addition, I am one of the Co-Coordinators for the Program in Higher Education Leadership and Policy. I am interested in this committee as I am previously a student affairs professional, and for years worked in different student life functional areas. I am connected to several student affairs professional associations and student groups on campus.

I am a full Professor in the Department of Psychology, where I teach "Introduction to Psychology" in a simultaneous massive online course format, supervise graduate students and undergraduate research assistants as the principal investigator of the Developmental Behavior Genetics lab, and oversee the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program as Director of Clinical Training. In my 16 years on campus, I have been fortunate to interact with numerous students in teaching and supervisory roles, and would be honored to facilitate the work of the Student Life Committee.

I am Associate Professor and Graduate Advisor in the Department of Kinesiology & Health Education. I teach courses in economics, statistics, strategy, and finance, and have long been student-focused in my teaching and advising. I see my role as Graduate Advisor as an advocate for our graduate students, and feel the Student Life Committee is another way to contribute to and support the experience our students have here on the UT campus.

I am an Assistant Clinical Professor with UTEACH-Liberal Arts, teaching the students who seek to become future History teachers in their final year of certification. Before my role here, I worked for almost 2 decades as a high school teacher and am interested in contributing to our campus culture like I had the opportunity to at my smaller campus in the past.

I am an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Computer Science. Currently, I serve in the C-10 Recruitment and Retention Committee due to my interest in supporting underrepresented students. In a previous assignment, I served as Director of Student Recruitment in the Computer Science (CS) Department of another university, interacting with prospective students and advising them once they joined the CS program. This experience was very rewarding!

I teach courses on Persian language and culture and a widely popular multi-flag summer course on global cult cinema. With interdisciplinary training in cinema, literature, and theater—and a background as a writer, translator, and media historian—I strive to connect with students in meaningful ways. Furthermore, as the coordinator of the Persian program, I actively organize extracurricular events in the Middle Eastern Studies Department and collaborate closely with student organizations and communities beyond UT. I have been at UT for nine years—four as a PhD student and five as a faculty member. This dual experience has brought me into direct contact with students across many colleges and departments, fueling my passion for fostering a vibrant student experience at UT Austin. Having arrived at UT as an international student in 2016, I understand the challenges students—especially those from underrepresented groups—face on campus. As a result, I am committed to advocating for students and enhancing a campus experience that is both enriching and supportive for everyone.