News from CLASS

CLASS welcomes new faculty appointments

The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences is proud to welcome our new faculty members. The scholars joining our college this academic year have wide-ranging areas of expertise that will expand CLASS’s research capabilities as well as our academic offerings. Please welcome the following individuals to the CLASS faculty. Read more

Author, CLASS Alumnus Nominated for National Hurston/Wright Legacy Award

The University of Houston College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) is pleased to announce that alumnus Dr. Peter Kimani, who earned a Ph.D. in Literature and creative writing in 2014, has been nominated for the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award. With his third novel, Dance of the Jakaranda, Dr. Kimani has taken a significant step in establishing himself as a preeminent voice in the world of fiction writing. First published in February 2017, the novel is among six works of fiction nominated for the prestigious Hurston/Wright Legacy Award. Named for influential black writers Zora Neale Hurston and Richard Wright, the national award recognizes “the best in Black literature in the United States and around the globe.” Read more

UH Adaptive Athletics to Host Women’s Wheelchair Rugby Camp and Tournament

University of Houston Adaptive Athletics was proud to host the 2018 Halliburton Charitable Foundation Women’s Wheelchair Rugby Camp with the support of Dr. Michael Cottingham, an associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance. The event brought together female quadriplegic rugby players from around the United States for four days of cutting-edge athletic training and intensely competitive tournament play. Read More

This fall, Dr. Rohini Divecha, along with husband Vishnu, decided to give back to Houston in an area that is Rohini Divecha’s passion—economics.

Rohini and Vishnu donate to many causes, from American Red Cross to UNICEF; several years ago Vishnu, an industrial engineer and engaged alumnus of the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering, created an endowed scholarship at UH in his field of study. He next encouraged Rohini to consider doing the same for Economics students. Together they established the Rohini and Vishnu Divecha Economics Scholarship Endowment at the University of Houston College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. Read More

UH CLASS Professors Shed Light on Physical, Mental Trauma of Thai Soccer Team

By now, the story of a Thai junior soccer team’s remarkable rescue has been heard around the world. On June 23, 12 boys and their coach were exploring a cave in Thailand when floodwaters from a monsoon blocked their access to exits and trapped them inside. Over two weeks later, rescue workers managed to get everyone safely above ground, with observers around the world celebrating a happy ending that initially seemed all but impossible. Read more

Ph.D. Student Naomi Nashell Nubin-Sellers Named 2018-19 APSA Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) Fellow

A Ph.D. candidate in political science in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Naomi Nashell Nubin-Sellers was chosen as a Spring APSA Minority Fellowship Program Fellow to support expenses related to graduate studies. Read more

UH Communications Professor Explains the Appeal of Feel-Good Viral News Stories

Last week, a raccoon clawed its way up a skyscraper and into our hearts. They're best known for eating your garbage, carrying rabies, and creeping around mischievously in the dead of night. But one raccoon defied all stereotypes last week, embarking on a feat of daring that vaulted her to international stardom. Read more

U.S.-North Korea Summit Raises Questions on Foreign Policy

The United States and North Korea experienced a significant shift in relations this week, as the long-rumored summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un took place in Singapore. The two heads of state signed an agreement in which they committed to “establish new U.S.-DPRK relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity” and “build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean peninsula.” Read more

UH Psychologists Respond to Suicides of Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade

The nation was in mourning last week as it lost two beloved cultural icons to suicide. Clothing designer Kate Spade grew a small handbag company into a women’s fashion behemoth, and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain brought a hard-boiled, unconventional approach to culinary writing and television travelogues. Their deaths reignited a national conversation on suicide and mental health, with many expressing shock that two wealthy, successful public figures with fans around the world would choose to take their own lives. But research suggests psychological wellness can’t be attained through a robust bank account or a widespread following on social media. Read more

Professor Roberto Tejada Appointed Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion at College Art Association

Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor of English, Roberto Tejada, was recently appointed the Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion for the College Art Association (CAA), the preeminent international leadership organization in the visual arts. He was recently interviewed about this new role by CAA’s executive director, Hunter O’Hanian, where he discusses the priority of equity and inclusion in higher education and the museum professions. Read the full interview here.

Fighting Tobacco Use Among Adults with Mental Illness

Of all the groups that try to quit smoking, it seems hardest for those who suffer from anxiety and depression. The health effects are jarring: People with mental illness or substance use disorders die about five years earlier than those without these disorders and many of those deaths are caused by smoking cigarettes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read more

CLASS Media Mentions