Fellows Directory

Adam Rabinowitz

I'm an Associate Professor in the Department of Classics. My research focuses on the archaeology of Greek colonization, culture-contact, and ancient food and drink, and I have an active field project at the ancient site of Histria in Romania, near the Danube delta. In my teaching, I try to find ways to engage students with primary sources and involve them in research inside and outside the classroom as part of the learning process. I am particularly interested in digital tools and platforms that allow students in the Humanities to carry out public-facing research projects.

Sally Ragsdale

Sally Ragsdale has been teaching for the Department of Statistics and Data Science since 2013. Before coming to UT, she worked in the transportation research industry as a data scientist. After earning her M.S. in Statistics, she began working for UT as a statistical consultant and served in that role for 6 years before transitioning to a full-time professional track faculty member. Sally is currently the SDS undergraduate minor/certificate faculty advisor and the course coordinator for SDS 320E Elements of Statistics.

D'Arcy Randall

Penne Restad

Project Title: Transforming the Classroom: Engaging Faculty Step-by-Step 

Shelly Rodriguez

Shelly Rodriguez is a Professor of Practice and instructor for the UTeach program in The College of Natural Sciences. She also directs UTeach Maker, a micro-credentialing program that helps preservice teachers bring innovative, project-based maker practices into their STEM classrooms. As a PTF, she is passionate about improving the career experiences of professional faculty at UT Austin.

Navid Saleh

Navid Saleh is a Professor at the Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering department. He is an environmental engineering faculty member with a passion for teaching. His mission as an educator and researcher has been to engage with the community and co-create knowledge. He has developed modules utilizing problem-based learning (PBL) pedagogy, conducted detailed and systematic evaluation, and devoted himself to student learning at UT.

Amy Kristin Sanders

Dr. Amy Kristin Sanders is an award-winning former journalist, licensed attorney and Associate Professor. Before coming to the University of Texas at Austin, she taught at Northwestern University’s campus in Doha, Qatar. Her expertise focuses on the intersection of law, ethics and new technology as it relates to media freedom and democratic participation. As an instructor, Sanders has developed and taught courses on comparative media law, media ethics, media leadership, and media and society.

Pedro Santacruz

Diane Schallert 

Julie Schell

Julie Schell is the Assistant Dean of Instructional Continuity and Innovation in the College of Fine Arts. She is also an assistant professor of practice in the Department of Design and Program in Program in Higher Education Leadership. Julie is an expert in teaching and learning and has taught courses on higher education pedagogy, design pedagogy, design thinking, and technology and innovation in higher education for more than a decade. 

Sarah Schoonhoven

Sarah Schoonhoven (she/her or they/them) is the Assistant Director for Strategic Events and Programs and Coordinator of the Provost’s Teaching Fellows at the UT Center for Teaching and Learning. Sarah completed her Masters of Music in Music Theory at the University of Texas at Austin and her dual Bachelors in Music and Theatre at North Central College. Her previous research endeavors included musical works by noted electronic music composer Wendy Carlos, and her current research interests include strategic event design and execution for higher education and faculty audiences.

Michael Scott

Carolyn Seepersad

Project Title: Freshman Introduction to Research in Engineering (FIRE) 

Stephanie Seidel Holmsten

Stephanie Seidel Holmsten is an associate professor of instruction in the College of Liberal Arts where she teaches core courses in the International Relations and Global Studies program, as well as Gender and Politics in the Government Department. Her teaching methods include global virtual exchange and team-based learning. She is Chair of the Provost Teaching Fellows, co-Director of the Brumley Next Generation Scholars Program, and Director of the Global Virtual Exchange faculty learning community. Her research explores minority women's election around the world.

Christopher Shank

Ruth Shear

Ruth Shear is a Professor of Practice in the Chemistry Department, and a Research Educator of the Urban Ecosystems research stream in the Freshman Research Initiative (FRI). After a PhD in Chemical Physics from Griffith University (Australia) and postdoctoral work at Stanford and Cornell, she started as a lecturer at UT Austin in 1996. After running the physical and analytical chemistry teaching labs for 10 years, she helped create FRI in 2006. She has been teaching Research Methods in various forms ever since.

Starla Simmons

Starla Simmons, LCSW-S is a Clinical Associate Professor and Director of the Earl Maxwell Scholar Program at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at The University of Texas at Austin. She is strongly rooted in racial justice and liberation, with a passion for supporting the vitality, resilience, and collectivism of Black, Indigenous, and communities of color. As Earl Maxwell Program Director, she provides both program oversight and practicum instruction for social work student interns placed in community organizations.

Sarah Sloan

Sarah Sloan is an Assistant Dean for Health Affairs and Clinical Associate Professor in the Steve Hicks School of Social Work. Her practice interests include social justice, mental health, and working with LGBTQIA+ communities. She worked with students at the UT Counseling and Mental Health Center from 2003-2012. Her project is about understanding Critical Race Theory and how it can be added as an additional theory in the curriculum to help social work faculty and students explore inequitable systems that marginalize people.

Stacy Sparks

Stacy Sparks is a Professor of Instruction in the Molecular Biosciences Department and the Biology Instructional Office. She serves on the Core Curriculum Advisory Committee and has been actively involved in the TX Mindset Initiative Fellowship and its follow-up project, “Mindset Matters for Student Success.” Previously, Stacy directed the Chemistry Learning Assistant Program, where she oversaw an experiential learning opportunity for 80 undergraduate students each semester, helping them develop teaching and leadership skills.

Cathy Stacy

Dixie Stanforth

Dixie has been teaching in Undergraduate program in Kinesiology & Health Education since 1985. She has developed a successful curriculum for pre-allied health professionals within KHE, providing both theoretical content and practical experiences in a number of Specializations. She is a spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise, and serves on the Editorial Board for the ACSM Health & Fitness Journal. She has been a fitness editor for Shape magazine and a 5-star speaker for IDEA, presenting extensively at both national and international conferences.

Michael Starbird

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.

Mary Steinhardt 

Mary Steinhardt joined the Provost's Teaching Fellows program as a Senior Fellow and has contributed as a leading member of the New Faculty Symposium Committee for many years. She continues to participate in the New Faculty Symposium, Eyes on Teaching, and monthly meetings.

Lydia Steinman

Gwendolyn Stovall

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.