College of Natural Sciences

A woman wearing black glasses and a yellow blouse smiles while standing outside.

Laura I Gonzalez

Current Fellow
Biology
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College of Natural Sciences

BS Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (1988)

PhD University of New Mexico (1998)

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Santa Barbara (1999-2000)

Headshot of Stacy Sparks.

Stacy Sparks

Current Fellow
Chemistry
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College of Natural Sciences
Initiative Focus
Inclusive Teaching and Learning
Student Success

Stacy Sparks is a Professor of Instruction in the Chemistry Department and focuses much of her teaching on General Chemistry courses. She directs the Chemistry Learning Assistant Program, which provides an experiential learning experience for 80 undergraduate students each semester, building their teaching and leadership skills and preparing them to assist general chemistry and organic chemistry students in the classroom.

 

Headshot of Angie Beasley.

Angela Beasley

Current Fellow
Computer Science
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College of Natural Sciences
Initiative Focus
Improving Teaching and Learning

Angie Beasley is an Associate Professor of Instruction in the Computer Science department at UT, where she teaches Data Mining. Prior to teaching, Angie worked for 15 years as a software engineer on projects for the US Navy, including submarine sonar systems, periscope systems, unmanned underwater vehicles, radar systems, and radio and satellite communication systems. Angie received her MS in Computer Science with a concentration in Machine Learning from The George Washington University and her BS in Computer Science from The University of Texas at Austin.

 

Headshot of Layla Guyot.

Layla Guyot

Current Fellow
Statistics and Data Sciences
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College of Natural Sciences
Initiative Focus
Experiential Learning
Undergraduate Research

Layla Guyot is a data scientist, educator, and researcher, who joined UT Austin during Fall 2020. After pursuing mathematics and physics in undergrad, Layla completed a M.S. in Applied Probability and Statistics, just by chance. She gained some experience as a statistician before combining her aspiration to teach and conduct research through her Ph.D. in Mathematics Education at Texas State University. Her research focuses on designing courses and developing curriculum materials to promote authentic practices and ease the transition to the workplace.

Headshot of Ann Thijs.

Ann Thijs

Current Fellow
Biology
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College of Natural Sciences
Initiative Focus
Skill-Building

Ann, originally from Belgium, earned graduate degrees in both engineering and ecology. She is deeply committed to undergraduate education and enjoys teaching students about the interconnectedness of the natural world, emphasizing evolutionary and ecological perspectives. Her goal is to help students develop critical thinking and quantitative skills, evident in her courses in introductory biology and upper division ecology. 


 

A headshot of Karen M Landolt, a white woman with dark brown hair and glasses, smiling in a red button up shirt.

Karen M Landolt

Current Fellow
Computer Science
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College of Natural Sciences
McCombs School of Business
Initiative Focus
Experiential Learning
Peer Education

Karen Landolt is an Associate Professor of Instruction in the Business, Government and Society Department and in the Department of Computer Science. She teaches Business Law, Behavioral Ethics, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property Law, and Negotiations. Her courses have a service-learning component, allowing students to use real-life problems and tasks to increase cultural awareness, learning, and retention. She previously received a Course-developer Award (2020-2022) from the Provost Experiential-Learning Initiative.

 

Head and torso of Jonathan Perry, a white man with brown hair and a brown goatee, standing on front of a brick wall.

Jonathan Perry

Current Fellow
Physics
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College of Natural Sciences
Initiative Focus
Improving Teaching and Learning
Institutional Resource

Jonathan Perry is a Texas native who, after completing his BA and MS in physics at Baylor University and his Ph.D. at Texas A&M University, has managed to stick around the state. For his doctoral work he found himself with an unexpected passion for teaching and learning in his field, and so he focused on physics education research. He joined the faculty at UT Austin in 2019 as an Assistant Professor of Instruction.

image of a white woman with dark brown hair, looking directly at the camera and smiling.

Gwendolyn Stovall

Current Fellow
Freshman Research Initiative
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College of Natural Sciences
Initiative Focus
Mentorship
Skill-Building
Student Success

For the last 10+ years, Gwen Stovall has worked as a biochemist and aptamer researcher in the CNS Freshman Research Initiative, where she leads a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) to identify aptamers, understand the underlying mechanisms and parameters of aptamer selections, and investigate aptamer specificity. As an educator, Gwen is committed to student empowerment and success, and seeks to improve student outcomes by mentoring, teaching, challenging, and engaging students.

Lydia Steinman

Retired
Nutritional Sciences
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College of Natural Sciences
Initiative Focus
Skill-Building
Active Learning
Photo of Michael Starbird

Michael Starbird

Alumni
Mathematics
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College of Natural Sciences

Michael Starbird is a University Distinguished Teaching Professor of Mathematics at The University of Texas at Austin. He has been at UT his whole career except for leaves, including to the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. He has received more than fifteen teaching awards including the Mathematical Association of America's 2007 national teaching award, the Minnie Stevens Piper Professor statewide award, the UT Regents' Outstanding Teaching Award, and most of the UT-wide teaching awards.

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