Brain, battery breakthroughs buoy UT Dallas summer achievements

Battery breakthroughs and discoveries about dyslexia recently joined the ranks of top summer achievements in higher education at the University of Texas Dallas, alongside competition victories, perfect test scores, new science facilities and more.
                                                                                                                                                             
The sciences saw gains in the form of a new Bioengineering and Sciences Building, research results about the brain regarding both addictive disorders and dyslexia, and the discovery of materials that could dramatically extend battery life. Kyeongjae Cho, professor of materials science and engineering, and his students explored ways of expanding lithium-air batteries, potentially increasing lifespans for both cellphone and automotive power sources.
 
Plans for a new alumni center — the Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center, slated to open in 2017 — and engineering building were finalized, while three campus streets were renamed in honor of past University Presidents. Additionally, construction began for two new student housing sites.
 
Economy prevailed as the school was ranked among America’s best value for higher education based on two dozen criteria such as affordability, alumni success, and graduation rates.
 
Students excelled, with 1,174 undergraduates making the dean’s list. UT Dallas students also captured top honors in the 2016 Capstone Design Conference in Columbus, Ohio.
 
A capstone project is a multifaceted assignment serving as a culminating and often interdisciplinary intellectual experience for final-year students, involving multiple presentation media and designed to encourage critical thinking alongside professional skill development.