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News

From the College of Natural Sciences

David Vanden Bout is the dean and a professor of chemistry in the College of Natural Sciences.

Spring

Dear Students, Spring is here! And, thankfully, the weather is back to spring (I was worried summer had already arrived). Everyone should be back into the groove of studying and working towards a strong finish to the semester. Keeping that in mind, I want to encourage everyone to capitalize on living in Austin. There were just a few bazillion ...

Spring Break (almost)

Dear Students, Oh my! There is that feeling in the air. Spring break is almost here. As a result I have two messages for you this week. First, it is not Spring Break yet! Keep studying. Knock out those mid-term exams. Finish those lab reports. Crank out more research data. You have to wait until the end of the week to take off. It's only ...

Leap Day

​Dear Students, Feeling a little off this week? Perhaps it is because today is Leap Day (2/29). And while it comes around every four years, it somehow feels like a rare occasion. So, perhaps that has thrown you off this week. Or perhaps it is the fact that we are now well into the semester and the weight of assignments, labs, reading...

Pay it Forward

Dear Students, A couple of weeks ago it was great to have the chance to get together with an inspiring recent graduate of the College who is now in his first year of medical school. We asked him to come back and give some advice to current students on how to succeed. His message was simple: "I know what it is like to sometimes doubt yourself. ...

Talking Science

Dear Students, One of the things I enjoy the most about being a scientist is the opportunities I get to present my results and discuss them with colleagues. I especially like going to smaller workshops where large amounts of time are dedicated to discussion and debate. Discussing the result from other labs gives me new ideas, insights, and ins...

Why Wait?

The semester is now in full swing. There is something about the spring that things seem to ramp up to full speed faster. It is already the second week of February!As such, I would encourage you all not to procrastinate on making academic plans. Thinking about graduating? Did you ever transfer that class you took two summers ago that you are countin...

Three Quick Things

The semester is moving along and there is a lot happening on campus. I just wanted to send you three quick messages.​ Have you been to the new STEM Study Area in the PCL? It is amazing. Whiteboards and power outlets galore. We are working to continue to build up the TA support that is meeting in the new area, but there is plenty of space for y...

Save the Dates

I hope the new semester has started off well. Remember to get a strong start. It is easy to fall behind and much harder to catch back up. So keep those New Year's resolutions going strong and stay on top of your work. A great way to stay ahead is to make sure you know about key dates and times. When is that first exam in your math class? When ...

Give Back

Welcome back to a new year and a new semester. We begin this semester with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday. As such, I'm sending my weekly Monday email early. With each new semester is the opportunity to reflect on where you have been and where you'd like to go. We often take the time to examine personal habits and resolve to dump the ...

A Few Items Between Semesters

I wanted to send a note to wish you a Happy New Year, also with just a few things I wanted to let you know: 1. I hope you are having fun catching up with friends and family during the semester break. It is a time to take a well earned rest (unless you are working a job over the break in which case I hope you manage to rest and make some money)...