Faculty & Staff

Dr. Donal Skinner

Dean of the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College
Professor of Biological Sciences
Mary McDermott Cook Chair
donal.skinner@utdallas.edu

Donal Skinner is dean of the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College and professor of biology. He received his PhD from the University of Cambridge, England, followed by postdoctoral fellowships at Cambridge and the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, France. His research focused on the mechanisms driving hormone secretion by the brain, especially that of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). He is passionate about facilitating undergraduate research and study abroad opportunities. See Donal Skinner’s full profile

Education: PhD, University of Cambridge

Dr. Douglas C. Dow

Associate Dean and Clinical Professor of Government and Politics
dougdow@utdallas.edu

Dr. Douglas C. Dow is the associate director of Collegium V, and clinical professor of government and politics. He also heads the Office of Distinguished Scholarships, recruiting and advising students applying for nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships. Dow teaches courses in political theory, American politics and Texas government, Constitutional law and history, ethics and technology, and film and politics. His research interests include the history of political thought and language, human rights, and jurisprudence.

Education: PhD, Johns Hopkins University

Dr. Ravi Prakash

Professor of Computer Science
ravip@utdallas.edu

Dr. Ravi Prakash is a professor of computer science at The University of Texas at Dallas. His areas of teaching and research include wireless and sensor networking, mobile computing and distributed computing. He is the recipient of multiple research grants from federal agencies and industry including the NSF CAREER award and the NSF Major Research Infrastructure award. He has served the technical and university community in his roles as an editor of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Transactions on Mobile Computing, as the president of the IEEE Dallas section, and as speaker of the faculty on the UT Dallas Academic Senate.

Education: PhD, Ohio State University

Eva LaDow

Associate Professor of Instruction
eva.ladow@utdallas.edu

Dr. Eva LaDow is a senior lecturer in neuroscience with Collegium V. She did her PhD at the University of California, San Francisco, focusing on neuronal signal transduction and synaptic plasticity. During her postdoctoral fellowship at the Gladstone Institutes of Neurological Disease, she performed a high content analysis drug-repurposing screen to find potential therapies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). LaDow teaches courses related to neurobiology, including Cellular Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology.

Education: PhD, University of California, San Francisco

Dr. Christina Thompson

Associate Professor of Instruction
christina.thompson2@utdallas.edu

Dr. Christina Thompson is a lecturer in chemistry with Collegium V. She obtained her PhD in chemistry from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she focused on synthetic organic chemistry and completed the first total synthesis of the natural product dykellic acid. From there she went to work at Abbott Laboratories, designing and developing new drugs for schizophrenia. Thompson teaches introductory organic chemistry lecture and lab, and works in Dr. Ronald Smaldone’s research lab developing new materials for energy storage. She is also part of a team at UT Dallas that developed Polycraft World, a mod for the popular game Minecraft, designed to teach polymer chemistry and energy science through enhanced game play.

Education: PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Neetha Devdas

Assistant Professor of Instruction
neetha.devdas@utdallas.edu

Dr. Neetha Devdas is an assistant professor of Instruction in psychology with Collegium V. She earned a bachelor’s in speech-language pathology and audiology from UT Dallas in 2001 and received her PhD in counseling psychology from Texas Woman’s University. Her past research includes topics related to sexual violence and acculturation issues among South Asian Americans. Clinical interests include trauma psychology and multicultural counseling. She is also a lecturer with the Archer Center in Washington, D.C., and is responsible for creating and implementing mental health initiatives for the Honors College. Devdas typically offers Introduction to Psychology, Abnormal Psychology and Readings Courses on rotation.

Education: PhD, Texas Woman’s University

Dr. Joshua Montgomery

Assistant Professor of Instruction
joshua.montgomery@UTDallas.edu

Dr. Joshua Montgomery is an assistant professor of instruction for the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Arizona, an MBA and MS from the University of Texas at Dallas, and a PhD in political science from the University of North Texas. His research focuses on news media with an emphasis on media bias. He is also a licensed attorney in the State of Texas and former prosecutor in the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Montgomery teaches State and Local Government and Readings courses.

Education: PhD, University of North Texas

Valerie Brunell

Assistant Dean
Senior Director, National Merit Scholars Program, Collegium V Honors and Liberal Arts Honors
vbrunell@utdallas.edu

Valerie Brunell is the assistant dean and director of the National Merit Scholars Program, the Collegium V Honors Program and the Liberal Arts Honors Programs. Prior to joining UT Dallas in 2006, she worked at Binghamton University. She graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a master’s in chemistry.

Education: MS, University of California, Irvine

Sheila Kelly

Director, Terry Scholars Program
sheila.kelly@utdallas.edu

Sheila Kelly is the director of the Terry Scholars Program. She has worked in the UT Dallas Honors College since 2013. Prior to this, she served for 10 years as the director of student affairs for Dallas International School, a private French school. Kelly received a bachelor’s in English literature from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana. She also holds a Master of Public Affairs from The University of Texas at Dallas.

Education: MPA, The University of Texas at Dallas

Wendi Kavanaugh

Associate Director, National Merit Scholars Program, Clark Summer Research Program
wendik@utdallas.edu

Wendi Kavanaugh is the associate director for the National Merit Scholars Program. She received a bachelor’s in radio and television from Texas A&M University-Commerce. She has a master’s in humanities, aesthetic studies, and a Master of Fine Arts in arts and technology from The University of Texas at Dallas. She is the former membership outreach manager for the Dallas Museum of Art.

Education: MFA, The University of Texas at Dallas

Cassie Cure

Assistant Director, Terry Scholars Program, Clark Summer Research Program
cassie.cure@utdallas.edu

Cassie Cure is an assistant director for the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College. She also heads Liberal Arts Honors, the Worsfold Grant and Book Club. Cure earned a bachelor’s in creative writing from Lycoming College and a master’s in higher education administration from Sam Houston State University. She was previously the administrative program specialist for a business honors program at Texas Christian University and the study abroad coordinator at Sam Houston State University.

Education: MA, Sam Houston State University

Philip Talbert

Business Manager
philip.talbert@utdallas.edu

Philip Talbert is the Business Manager for the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College. He is a graduate from the University of Texas at Arlington, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and with additional studies in business and accounting. Philip has previously worked in public accounting as an auditor and has diverse experience in providing business services to support educational initiatives.

Education: BA, University of Texas at Arlington

Steven Hawker

Financial Services Manager
steven.hawker@utdallas.edu

Steven Hawker is the financial services manager in the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College. He is a graduate from the University of North Texas, where he earned a bachelor’s in geography with an emphasis in geology and national parks. He previously worked in the UT Dallas Office of the Registrar for five years.

Education: BS, University of North Texas

Abigail Long

Administrative Assistant I
abigail.long@utdallas.edu

Abigail Long is the administrative assistant I for the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College. She is a graduate of Texas Woman’s University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She is currently pursuing her Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Texas Christian University.

Education: BS, Texas Woman’s University

Aurora Becerra

Honors Program Specialist
aurora.becerra@utdallas.edu

Aurora Becerra is a program specialist with the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College. She is currently working toward a Master of Public Affairs from the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences. She is a graduate of Southern Methodist University, earning a Master of Education, and Smith College, earning a bachelor’s degree in Latin American studies and theater. She is a former academic support coordinator for the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at The University of Texas at Dallas, and recipient of the 2022 Diversity Leadership Award. She was also an assistant director in global programs at SMU Cox School of Business, where she traveled the globe with BBA, MBA and EMBA students.

Education: MEd, Southern Methodist University

Lindsey Boeshans

Honors Program Specialist
lindsey.boeshans@utdallas.edu

Lindsey Boeshans is a program specialist with the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College. She is a graduate of Texas A&M University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology. She is a former academic support coordinator for the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences at The University of Texas at Dallas and recipient of the 2019 CARE Award.

Education: BA, Texas A&M University

Josh Kreuter

Honors Program Specialist
jkreuter@utdallas.edu

Josh Kreuter is a program specialist for the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College. He is currently studying criminal justice through Southern New Hampshire University. Prior to UT Dallas, he was the associate director of Admissions at Bishop Lynch High School in Dallas and assistant varsity volleyball coach. He assisted the team in winning five state championships.

Stacey Moran

Honors Program Specialist
stacey.moran@UTDallas.edu

Stacey Moran is a program specialist with the Hobson Wildenthal Honors College. She is a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas, where she earned a master’s degree in higher education administration, and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in sociology. She is a former academic advisor II for the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at The University of Texas at Dallas. She was also an academic support coordinator for the Department of Bioengineering at UT Dallas.

Education: MS, University of Central Arkansas

Heather Campbell

Director of Development
heather.campbell2@utdallas.edu

Heather is responsible for the development and alumni relations activities for Hobson Wildenthal Honors College at the University of Texas at Dallas. Prior to relocating to Dallas in June 2024, Heather spent 19 years working in Advancement in Higher Education in the United Kingdom.

Education: MA, Bayes Business School, University of London