Department of Educational Psychology Alum Now President of APA
University of Texas at Austin College of Education alumnus Dr. Melba T. Vasquez has been elected president of the American Psychological Association, a 150,000 member professional organization that represents psychology in the U.S. and works to advance psychology as a science.

New UT Elementary Executive Director and Principal Have Strong College Ties
Melissa Chavez, a doctoral candidate in The University of Texas at Austin's College of Education, and Mary Ledbetter, a demonstration teacher for College of Education apprentice teachers, have been named executive director and principal, respectively, for the University of Texas Elementary School (UTES). The management board for the UTES made the selection.

New Community College Report Says Using Key Comparisons Can Inspire Improved Practices
The Survey of Entering Student Engagement, a national assessment for community and technical colleges, has released a new report titled “Benchmarking and Benchmarks: Effective Practice with Entering Students.” The report introduces six SENSE benchmarks of effective practice with entering students.

Shark Bites, Mine Explosions, Car Crashes May Not Mean Loss of Limb
To appreciate the value of Roger Farrar's pioneering research work, you'd have to have most of your calf bitten off by a shark, an arm maimed when your car's broadsided by a bus or your leg almost removed by a mine explosion in Afghanistan.

Valenzuela Only University of Texas at Austin Faculty Member Named AERA Fellow
Dr. Angela Valenzuela has been selected as an American Educational Research Association Fellow in recognition of her exceptional scholarly contributions to education research and  to the development of research opportunities and settings.

Kinesiology and Health Education Students Take University to Victory
Undergraduate and graduate kinesiology and health education students at The University of Texas at Austin were big winners at this year's Texas American College of Sports Medicine conference, held March 4-5 in Houston.

A Matter of Principal: Researchers Untangle "Why" behind Exodus of Principals from Public Schools
Twenty or 30 years ago, when a principal took the reins at a school, he was there long enough to see three or four kids in the same family pass through the hallowed halls. Now, newly hired principals are exiting faster than you can say, "Where's your hall pass?"

Top Texas Teachers Honored By College of Education and Texas Exes
Ten high school and two elementary teachers from around the state have been selected to receive the 2010 Texas Exes Awards for Outstanding Teachers, an awards program administered by The University of Texas at Austin’s College of Education and Texas Exes, the alumni association.

Educational Psychologist's Depression Treatment Adopted by Belgium and the Netherlands
A depression treatment program created by University of Texas at Austin educational psychologist Kevin Stark has been adopted by mental health professionals in Belgium and the Netherlands as the government sanctioned treatment for children experiencing depressive disorders.

Innovative Education Techniques Used to Improve Health Care Teams
A team approach in which physician and non-physician health care professionals work closely to treat patients has been shown to positively influence patient outcomes, but it can be a challenge because of communication barriers and the different perspectives and backgrounds of the key players.