September 28, 2026

Doctoral student Jake Reinheimer

Beyond Space and Time

UNT doctoral student carries on deceased advisor’s James Webb Telescope research dream.
Fakhri Zahedy, assistant professor of astronomy, had been submitting research proposals to the James Webb Space Telescope’s General Observer Program for four years. He passed away two weeks after submitting his final proposal in the fall of 2025. Prior to his passing, Zahedy served as an advisor to doctoral student Jake Reinheimer (pictured), whom Zahedy listed as a co-principal investigator on the proposal. Now, Reinheimer will have the opportunity to analyze data from the telescope as part of his late advisor’s project. “Losing Zahedy was really hard emotionally,” Reinheimer says. “It’s been a roller coaster, and we have some mixed feelings, but this was his dream for a long time, so I’m excited to keep it going.”
Xin Cui working with a student in a lab

Drug Breakthrough

Developing pharmaceutical drugs is a complex and costly process. Xin Cui, associate professor of organic chemistry, is working to make that process more efficient and less wasteful by improving how key molecules are built. Cui and his lab are developing new methods for direct and catalytic construction of chiral molecules. Specifically, the lab designs metal-based catalysts that enable the efficient assembly of complex molecules from readily available starting materials through the activation of strong chemical bonds that are traditionally difficult to transform. Cui and his team were awarded the $470,000 R15 Academic Research Enhancement Award — the first ever received in the chemistry department — from the National Institutes of Health to advance their work.

“This grant has an emphasis on undergraduate education and training in the lab. These experiences help prepare [students] for future careers in the pharmaceutical industry and related medicinal industry.”

— Xin Cui, Associate professor of organic chemistry, on how this grant will impact students
David Schless

Alzheimer's Research

David Schless (’89 M.S.) has worked for decades to help advance research, advocacy and education around aging and Alzheimer’s care — work that this year earned him a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alzheimer’s Association. Schless has served as the president and CEO of the American Seniors Housing Association since its inception in 1991. The nonprofit organization represents companies that develop, own and finance senior housing.
“We have made enormous progress, particularly as it relates to the options now available to those with Alzheimer’s and related dementias,” Schless says. “Additionally, I have been able to work closely with the Alzheimer’s Association in their efforts to support families and to increase funding to find a cure for this horrible disease.”

UNT sign in front of Welcome Center

Future Universities Alliance

UNT was selected as one of 49 “proven innovator” institutions, across 23 countries, to participate in the Inaugural Innovation Sandbox of the Future Universities Alliance, organized by Duke University. The Alliance is a global network to connect higher education institutions and accelerate shared learning and innovation.
“Participating in the Alliance will give UNT an extraordinary opportunity to learn from some of the most innovative institutions all over the world who are, like us, working to transform higher education to meet the challenging demands of the future,” says UNT President Harrison Keller, Ph.D. “It will also be an opportunity for UNT to share our work with others, as we blaze new trails for how a public research university can serve its students and society.”

Rout working with students in a lab

Simulating Space

UNT researchers are advancing the future of space power with a new way to test next-generation solar cells under the extreme conditions of space. Led by physics professor Bibhudutta Rout, the research team developed an in-situ testing platform that exposes devices to radiation, vacuum, heat and light while measuring performance in real time. Testing metal-halide perovskite solar cells revealed the devices can rapidly recover much of their performance despite initial radiation damage. The findings could help researchers develop lighter, more resilient solar cells and lower-cost satellites while providing insights into how photovoltaic technologies respond to radiation in orbit.

Jens Neu in a lab

Award-Winning Faculty

Across a wide range of research disciplines, UNT faculty members are recognized as experts in their fields — and their hard work leads to prestigious awards. Jens Neu (pictured), assistant professor of physics, received the 2026 Young Scientist Award from the International Society of Infrared, Millimeter and Terahertz Waves for his research into novel materials for solar applications. Jaime Baxter-Slye, clinical assistant professor of ecology education, earned the Texas Recreation & Park Society’s Educator Outstanding Performance Award for 2026. Chemistry professor William Acree was named the 2026 Council on Undergraduate Research Goldwater Scholar Faculty Mentor Award winner, making UNT the first university to have multiple recipients after Jannon Fuchs, professor of biological sciences, was recognized in 2023.