Exceptional new faculty begin their bold journey at UTSA

AUGUST 9, 2023 — UTSA begins the academic year with nearly 100 new full-time faculty joining its ranks. Marking another year of outstanding new hires, the tenured, tenure-track and full-time fixed-term-track faculty bring their talents from a host of prestigious institutions from around the nation and the world.

Notably, within this cohort, 87% of the 46 incoming tenured and tenure-track faculty received their terminal degrees from Carnegie R1 research institutions, which is the highest percent of all recent cohorts.

Additionally, 63% of the incoming T/TT faculty earned their degrees from the Association of American Universities (AAU) member institutions. These premier institutions include Auburn University, Cornell University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Pennsylvania State University, Princeton University, Rice University, Rutgers University, the University of California-Los Angeles, and the University of Texas at Austin, among others.

“This is an extraordinary group of accomplished educators and researchers joining our vibrant UTSA community.”

"This is an extraordinary group of accomplished educators and researchers joining our vibrant UTSA community,” said Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Heather Shipley. “Bringing a diverse range of expertise as leaders in their respective fields, these distinguished faculty members will undoubtedly elevate our students' academic journey by delivering cutting-edge curricula and research opportunities that foster unparalleled learning experiences both within and beyond the classroom."

When asked why they chose UTSA, several faculty members said they were impressed by the university’s welcoming environment, exceptional faculty and the opportunities to conduct cross-disciplinary research at a Tier One university. Many were also excited by the opportunity to work with students from underrepresented groups and by UTSA’s commitment to student success.

“I've wanted to be a part of UTSA for years,” said Stephen Schwab, a new assistant professor in the Department of Management in the UTSA Alvarez College of Business (ACOB). “My family and I love the city of San Antonio and everything that UTSA represents—helping our community and, specifically, supporting first-generation students. Add to that what I think is a perfect balance between a focus on teaching and research at an R1 institution and I can't think of a better place to be.”

Thirteen incoming faculty were hired as a result of the programs that comprise Academic Affairs’ Strategic Faculty Hiring Initiative. Launched in 2019, this program provides support mechanisms to academic colleges to recruit and hire some of the best and brightest minds of diverse backgrounds and experiences, providing intellectual prowess to help the university address society’s grand challenges. 

Natalie Bradford is one of six postdoctoral fellows hired through the strategic hiring initiative, which promotes and nurtures the work of outstanding, early-career postdoctoral scholars and prepares them for faculty positions at UTSA or elsewhere.

Bradford is working within the Department of Public Health in the UTSA College for Health, Community and Policy (HCAP). She was attracted to the college’s multidisciplinary structure and community engagement in particular, as it aligns well with her research.

“The college’s name alone reflects my three research, teaching and service interests: health, community, and policy,” she said. “I also wanted to work in a place where I could combine my research interests, creative writing, love for teaching and community work.”

This year’s cohort includes several faculty members who are joining the UTSA College of Liberal and Fine Arts to bolster its new Interdisciplinary School for Engagement in Humanities, or E-School, and support the Department of Communication’s transition to a school.

Pedro Cabrera, a new lecturer joining the Department of Communication, brings expertise in scholastic journalism to UTSA. He shared excitement about contributing to building up a potential new degree program in journalism as the department evolves.

“I was born and raised in San Antonio and I have seen UTSA grow from a regional institution to now, what some may consider, a worldwide juggernaut,” he said. “I am excited to be a part of that growth and possibly building something great within the new School of Communication.”

Notably, UTSA welcomes four new department chairs hired at the rank of professor:

• John Bricout, Department of Social Work (HCAP)
• Joseph Broschak, Department of Management (ACOB)
• Nancy Cheak-Zamora, Department of Public Health (HCAP)
• Fred Martin, Department of Computer Science (College of Sciences)

The group participated in the New Faculty Academy: Bold Beginnings at Roadrunner Nation program, which began on August 1 and will conclude today. The event is an intensive development opportunity designed to effectively launch faculty at the university.

The program started with an orientation to UTSA and continued with daily sessions in which the faculty learned from some of UTSA’s most innovative faculty, participated in discussions about trends in teaching and learning and the university’s knowledge enterprise, and took part in hands-on activities to help them build a toolkit of best practices for teaching and conducting research at UTSA.

UTSA has nearly 1,500 faculty members across seven colleges who serve as the core of the institution, at the forefront of academic and research excellence.

— KC Gonzalez