Texas Piper Professors

Professor of physics in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Dr.Ishak-Boushaki is a theoretical astrophysicist who has mentored dozens of graduate and undergraduate students. His research focuses broadly on the origin and evolution of the universe, including studies of cosmic acceleration, dark energy, gravity, and gravitational lensing, and how these parameters affect cosmological models. He has received several awards for teaching and mentoring excellence from the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and the University, including the 2022 Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award and the 2023 Provost’s Award for Faculty Excellence in Graduate Research Mentoring.

Professor of Public Policy and Political Economy and the Senior Research Fellow in the Institute for Urban Policy Research at the University of Texas at Dallas. Her research agenda focuses on issues related to interpersonal violence, with a specific emphasis on domestic violence and homicide, child abuse and neglect, mental health, life-course criminology, neuropsychological vulnerabilities, capital punishment, gendered pathways to crime and victimization, parricide, and outcome and process evaluations of problem-solving courts and criminal justice programs.

Teaches educational psychology, social psychology, and social & personality development. She also serves as the associate director for the Center for Teaching and Learning. In that role, she provides consultation and creates teaching-related professional development opportunities for doctoral students and faculty. Dr. Huxtable-Jester also serves as chair of UT Dallas’ academic senate’s committee on effective teaching, which works to promote teaching excellence across the campus. She has been awarded the Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award for the University of Texas System, as well as the Seniors’ Choice and Excellence in Teaching awards for the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences.

Is a specialist in the works of William Faulkner, while also researching African-American literature and fantasy literature. Her classroom work has been recognized as she received the Chancellor’s Council Outstanding Teaching Award in 2002 and The University of Texas System Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award in 2010.

Dr. John Sibert is an associate professor of chemistry in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at UT Dallas. He is a recipient of the President’s Teaching Excellence Award and has also been inducted into the inaugural class of The University of Texas System Academy of Distinguished Teachers.