OU Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences

08/09/2026

The legacy of OU History Department Professor David W. Levy continues to be recognized.

Last winter, the Oklahoma Historical Society posthumously inducted Levy into the Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame. His wife, Lynne Levy, accepted the honor on his behalf, and Rob Griswold also spoke during the ceremony.

Levy, the Irene and Julian J. Rothbaum Professor of Modern American History and David Ross Boyd Professor of History at The University of Oklahoma, dedicated more than five decades to teaching, research and service at OU.

A distinguished historian and beloved educator, Levy authored acclaimed works on Herbert Croly, Mark Twain and George McLaurin, chronicled the history of the University of Oklahoma, and inspired generations of students and scholars. His contributions to the study of history and to the OU community will continue to have a lasting impact.

08/07/2026

Malawi has pledged to protect the world’s oldest known in situ adult funeral pyre, thanks to a team of researchers that included Associate Professor Jessica Cerezo-Román of The University of Oklahoma Department of Anthropology.

“When leaders protect archaeological sites as a result of my research, that, for me, has a high impact, because we are affecting and potentially improving people’s lives at the community level,” Cerezo-Román said. We are also making sure that they learn what happened to their ancestors, and who their ancestors are. And they’re excited to learn about it.”

📰 Read the full story at the link in our comments.

OU Research

08/06/2026

PSA on behalf of the introverts: We're really ok! 🎥 by Biology faculty member Anat Belasen, Ph.D., from a recent trip to Parque Estadual Serra Negra da Mantequeira, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Dendropsophus elegans, also known as the elegant tree frog, is endemic to southeastern Brazil's Atlantic coastal rainforest and generally found in tropical lowland forest. Dr. Belasen says the little frog's call sounds a bit like a tiny, high-pitched "oi! oi!" ("hi!" in Portuguese).

Dr. Belasen — who joined OU’s School of Biological Sciences in 2026 — is a wildlife disease ecologist who studies the impacts and drivers of emerging infectious diseases in wildlife, and the effects of deforestation and habitat fragmentation on genetic diversity, with a focus on amphibians and reptiles.

Interested in studying with her? You can check out the Belasen Lab at the link in our comments. Undergraduates and graduate students interested in working in Dr. Belasen’s lab can email her at [email protected].

07/29/2026

Anecdotal evidence suggests staring at these photos while staying hydrated and indoors may make you less miserable today 🥵 Stay safe out there, y'all!

Photos by Melissa and Travis Caperton 💍 📷

07/21/2026

Congratulations to the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences staff members recognized this spring for their outstanding service and commitment to The University of Oklahoma ⭐

Staff Award recipients:
Jennifer DuBois: Provost’s Outstanding Academic Advisor Award
Alyssa Farnsworth: Provost’s Outstanding New Academic Advisor Award
Sally Maynard: Distinguished Performance Award

We also celebrated staff members reaching milestone anniversaries with OU.

10 Years:
John Briggs, Laboratory Technician
Sarah Flanagan, Senior Associate Advisor
Brenda Mackey, Administrative Finance Coordinator
Katherine McRae, Administrative Finance Coordinator Sr.
Lynn Nichols, Landscape & Grounds Supervisor

15 Years:
Jenny Droscher, Marketing & Communications Specialist

20 Years:
Carol Jones, Administrative Finance Coordinator
Susan Jorgenson, Administrative Finance Coordinator
George Martin, Building Operations Administrator
Heather Todd, Business Manager

25 Years:
Christy Burt, Student Services Specialist
Amy Buthod, Researcher
Anna Eddings, Researcher

Thank you to each of these staff members for the dedication and care you bring to the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences and the University every day!

07/09/2026

This past spring, numerous Arts & Sciences academics were recognized for their contributions to research and their students 👏

Please join us in congratulating the following faculty members:

University Distinguished Teaching Award: Kristen Savage-Ashlock, School of Biological Sciences

Provost’s Award for Outstanding Engaged Scholarship, Research, and Creative Activity: Matthew Jake Skeets, Department of English

Provost’s Award for Outstanding Engaged Teaching: Jennifer Chancellor, Department of English

Provost’s Award for Outstanding Faculty Service: Stephanie W. Burge, Department of Sociology

Provost’s Award for Outstanding Faculty Service: Justin Sider, Department of English

Merrick Foundation Teaching Award: Pallab Ghosh, Department of Economics

David L. Boren Award for Outstanding Global Engagement: Loretta Bass, Department of Sociology

Award for Excellence in Research in the Social Sciences: Adam Feltz, Department of Psychology

Neal Lane Award for Excellence in Research in the Natural Sciences:
Xinyu Dai, Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy

Regents' Award for Superior Teaching: Robyn Beaulieu, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Regents’ Award for Superior Research and Creative Activity / Scholarly Activity: Mukremin Kilic, Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy

Regents' Award for Superior Professional and University Service and Public Outreach: Ann H. West, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

David Ross Boyd Professorship: Greg Burge, Department of Economics

Luke N. Walker Presidential Professorship: Susan E. Alcock, Department of Classics and Letters

Ted S. Webb, Ph.D. Memorial Presidential Professorship: Xinyu Dai, Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy

Anadarko Petroleum Corporation Presidential Professorship: Hunter Heyck, Department of History of Science, Technology, and Medicine

Kenneth L. and Janet M. Smalley Presidential Professorship: Sarah Hines, Department of History

Brian E. and Sandra O’Brien Presidential Professorship: Bonnie L. Pitblado,
Department of Anthropology

Ted S. Webb, Ph.D. Memorial Presidential Professorship: John Stupak,
Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy

Edith Kinney Ga***rd Presidential Professorship: Meredith G. F. Worthen,
Department of Sociology

Presidential Teaching Fellowships in the Honors College: Tassie Katherine Hirschfeld, Department of Anthropology; Jayash Paudel, Department of Economics; Nikola Petrov, David and Judi Proctor Department of Mathematics; Peter Soppelsa, Department of History of Science, Technology, and Medicine; Ingo Schlupp, School of Biological Sciences; Ying Wang, David and Judi Proctor Department of Mathematics.

Very well deserved — lead on! ☝️

Photos by Travis Caperton

07/08/2026

Oui-throw 🇫🇷

The cornerstone of the Withrow Leadership Scholars is an annual study abroad program to Clermont-Ferrand, France, a sister city of Norman, Oklahoma.

During their time abroad, students are enrolled in a course entitled “Leadership and Service Abroad: Virtues in Community.” The premise of this course is that service learning in a location outside students' comfort zones is a meaningful way to enhance student leadership.

The study abroad excursions are augmented with readings and writing focused on the Intellectual, Executive, and Civic virtues identified by the Institute for the Study of Human Flourishing at OU.

🗓️ Sophomores and juniors within the College are invited to apply for the Withrow Leadership Scholars during an annual recruitment drive each August.

07/03/2026

A special place in our hearts!

Puebla 💖

Photo by .photo
OU Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences
Anatomy in Puebla, Mexico
June 2026

07/01/2026

Meet the next generation of geospatial and environmental scientists 🌎 🛰️

We found these students at The University of Oklahoma Bio Station, measuring stress in native plants, mapping red cedar encroachment, and monitoring turbidity, phosphate, and nitrate levels in Lake Texoma coves. As they collected data, they entered it into maps and databases via apps so that their research could be updated in real time.

The class, Spatial Data Acquisition (GIS/BIOL 4970/5970), is a ten-day residential field course where students live at the University of Oklahoma Biological Station on Lake Texoma and learn geospatial science — by actually doing it.

Students collect their own data using GPS receivers, water-quality sondes, photogrammetry, and sonar, then build maps and analyses to answer real questions about the lake and the land around it.

Taught by Dr. Trey Lee and Dr. Carrie Leslie, they also learn how to conduct elements of an Environmental Quality or Environmental Impacts Assessment, as well as how to implement community-engaged research strategies. Every student team finishes the course with an original research project, and the strongest work is prepared for publication.

Thank you for your work to make our world more sustainable for all living species — lead on! ☝️

Photos by Becky Holladay

OU Dept. of Geography and Environmental Sustainability

06/26/2026

𝙉𝙖𝙢𝙚: Jasmine Wilson

𝙃𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙣: Oklahoma City, OK

𝙈𝙖𝙟𝙤𝙧: B.A Human Relations, M.A Human Resources

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝙊𝙐?

Latinos Without Borders (LWB), a student-led organization here at The University of Oklahoma, has played a significant role in my time at OU. Attending conferences and camps hosted by LWB since my freshman year of high school, the organization helped me further my knowledge of higher education. Most importantly though, it encouraged me to commit to OU and empowered me to know that I could make a name for myself in a collegiate environment. After attending as a student, I had the honor to serve as a member of LWB myself – granting me the opportunity to pour into the education and empowerment of the next generation of students.

𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙙𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩-𝙊𝙐?

In the future, I hope to work in Human Resources within the public-school sector. However, I am looking to start my career within an HR Generalist role to get a glimpse of the different branches of HR!

𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙥𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙝?

Working in the public-school sector of HR (specifically for schools located on the Southside of OKC), I want to ensure that students are provided with qualified educators to enhance their learning and growth. As well, I want to contribute to the creation of a safe, healthy, and positive environment for students and educators altogether. HR plays a part in each of these, and I hope to obtain the skills and knowledge to realize these goals as I progress in my career.

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙅𝙖𝙨𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚! 𝙒𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪'𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙜𝙤𝙖𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙘 𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙚𝙣𝙫𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙚'𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙤 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩!