image: Nominated by UTA’s College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Brown’s interdisciplinary research focuses on the social and structural factors that shape reproductive and cardiac health among women. She established the Black Maternal and Reproductive Health Summit at UTA, the only academic conference of its kind in North Texas focused on exploring solutions for optimal maternal health outcomes.
Credit: UTA
Three University of Texas at Arlington faculty members were recognized for their research and creative contributions as part of the faculty research honors.
J. Ping Liu, professor of physics, received the University Award for Distinguished Record of Research or Creative Activity. Kyrah Brown, associate professor of kinesiology, and Ben Jones, associate professor of physics, received the University Award for Outstanding Research or Creative Accomplishment.
“We are fortunate that Drs. Brown, Jones and Liu have dedicated their careers to helping UT Arlington students learn and prepare for their future careers while they have been making invaluable contributions to their scholarly fields,” said Beth Wright, professor of art history and chair of the UTA Academy of Distinguished Researchers that oversees the faculty research honors program. “They serve as exemplars of creative and impactful research scholarship. Their work is recognized and celebrated nationally and internationally, representing UT Arlington with distinction and honor.”
The trio received their awards during a ceremony at UTA on April 22.
Nominated by UTA’s College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Brown’s interdisciplinary research focuses on the social and structural factors that shape reproductive and cardiac health among women. She established the Black Maternal and Reproductive Health Summit at UTA, the only academic conference of its kind in North Texas focused on exploring solutions for optimal maternal health outcomes.
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In addition, she created the Maternal and Reproductive Health Equity Research Lab at UTA to research and create community-driven health solutions for women.
Since she joined UTA in 2018, Brown has mentored more than 35 undergraduate and graduate researchers and mentored 11 faculty members. She currently has five funded research grants totaling $4.4 million.
"I am deeply honored to receive this award and extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this possible,” Brown said. “This recognition is a testament to the collaborative spirit and dedication of my colleagues, mentors, supporters and patients who inspire me daily.”
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Nominated by UTA’s College of Science, Jones’ research focuses on studying neutrinos, one of the most abundant particles with mass in the universe. Scientists believe that understanding neutrinos can help explain mysteries of the universe. Jones has been at the forefront of creating new tools to help measure these elusive particles using interdisciplinary techniques from optics, nuclear physics and chemistry.
Since joining UTA in 2016, Jones’ research has received $5 million in federal research grants from the Department of Energy. He has also authored more than 450 research papers, receiving a cumulative 13,000 citations.
“It’s an honor to receive this award from my colleagues at UTA,” Jones said. “I want to thank the talented graduate and undergraduate students who have collaborated with me on research through the years. This award is really a recognition of the whole team.”
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The College of Science also nominated J. Ping Liu, recognizing his long career at UTA. Liu is a well-recognized leader in the field of critical and rare earth materials and magnetism—items critical to everyday technological devices like laptops, tablets and smartphones.
He has secured more than $10 million in external grant funding since coming to UTA and has trained 37 postdoctoral students and 36 graduate students while publishing more than 330 publications, garnering 26,000 citations. Earlier this year, he was awarded the Hill Prize in Physics (as co-principal investigator) by the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology.
"Receiving this award is a moment of great pride and humility after working at UTA for 23 years,” Liu said. “I am humbled and grateful to my family, friends and colleagues who have supported and helped me in the past decades."
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
Celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2025, The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of the thriving Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. With a student body of over 41,000, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 280,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.