Research and Creative Activity in Latin America and the Caribbean
680+ students at UT Austin
845 UT Austin students studying, researching and interning
5,800+ alumni
400+ faculty research and creative endeavors
Our faculty, students, and alumni are connected, engaged in research, education, and service throughout the world. For more information about activity in Latin America and the Caribbean, view our Global Explorer interactive map.
Grants Awarded
With support from numerous Texas Global funding opportunities, UT Austin faculty have collaborated with their counterparts at universities and organizations across Latin America and the Caribbean. These partnerships cultivate faculty teaching and research, offer students international cultural learning opportunities, and strengthen the University's regional and global connections.
As of 2026, fifty-nine professors from across the University have received sixty-nine Texas Global grants to support academic activities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean:
Campus Internationalization Event Fund
- Argentina
Fernando Luiz Lara
School of Architecture
“Latin Urbis – History of the City”
Program: Global Virtual Exchange
In Partnership with Universidad de Buenos Aires
Awarded 2019–2020Wilfried Wang
School of Architecture
“International Students’ Architecture Award”
Program: Global Virtual Exchange
In Partnership with Universidad de Palermo
Awarded 2019–2020- Brazil
Laura Rose Brylowski
College of Liberal Arts
“Theater of the Oppressed Symposium: Art-Based Political Activism from Brazil to UT Austin”
Program: Internationalization Event Fund
Awarded 2022–2023David Eaton
Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
"Environmental Quality Internships"
Program: Global Career Launch
In partnership with Portal Commerce & Logistics
Awarded 2020–2021Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
"Global Career Launch – Brazil"
Program: Global Career Launch
In partnership with Câmara de Comércio do Rio de Janeiro
Awarded 2023–2024Orlando Kelm
College of Liberal Arts
"Economic Development and Entrepreneurship Internship"
Program: Global Career Launch
In partnership with Portal Commerce & Logistics
Awarded 2020–2021Yan Leng
McCombs School of Business
"Mapping Market Structure Evolution for Disadvantaged Businesses: An Application to a Brazilian Omnichannel Retailer"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
Awarded 2022–2023Adele Nelson
College of Fine Arts
"Social Fabric: Art and Activism in Contemporary Brazil"
Program: Internationalization Event Fund
Awarded 2022–2023Alida Louisa Perrine
College of Liberal Arts
"Black Digital Feminisms in Brazil"
Program: Global Virtual Exchange
In partnership with Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará
Awarded 2021–2022Bjørn Sletto
School of Architecture
"Committees on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and on the Rights of Migrants"
Program: Publication fund
Awarded 2023–2024Hirofumi Tanaka
College of Education
"Global research collaboration with Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul"
Program: Travel Planning Grant
In partnership with Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
Awarded 2023–2024- Chile
Ilias Georgakopoulos-Soares
College of Pharmacy
"Establishing a U.S.-Chile Research Partnership in Genomics, RNA Splicing, and Gene Regulation"
Program: Travel Planning Grant
In partnership with Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; Universidad de Chile
Awarded 2025–2026Joel Johnson
Jackson School of Geosciences
"Assessing Flood Risks and Controls on Channel Morphology in Earth’s Most Arid Environment: Atacama Desert, Chile"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Awarded 2020–2021Ashley Moran
College of Liberal Arts
"Improving Constitutional Consultations in Polarized Contexts"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez
Awarded 2024–2025Hugh Smyth
College of Pharmacy
"Written Scientific Communication Using Digital Tools"
Program: Global Virtual Exchange
In partnership with Universidad de Chile
Awarded 2019–2020- Columbia
Michael Domjan
College of Liberal Arts
"Collaborative Teaching of Conditioning and Learning"
Program: Global Virtual Exchange
In partnership with Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Awarded 2019–2020- Costa Rica
Aileen Bumphus
College of Education
"An Investigation of Future Global Leadership Opportunities for Students Engaged in Servant Leadership of Underserved Communities in Costa Rica"
Program: Travel Planning Grant
In partnership with Long Island University Global College
Awarded 2021–2022Edgar Gómez Cruz
School of Information
"Decolonizing Algorithmic Research. The case of Latin America"
Program: Travel Planning Grant
In partnership with Universidad de Costa Rica
Awarded 2021–2022Mercedes Hernandez
School of Social Work
"Establishing Partnerships in Costa Rica to Develop and Deliver a Faculty-Led Ecology Study Abroad Program"
Program: Travel Planning Grant
In partnership with La Selva Biological Station, Tortuguero National Park, Monteverde Cloud Forest, Guanacaste Region
Awarded 2025–2026Ann Thijs
College of Natural Sciences
"Establishing Partnerships in Costa Rica to Develop and Deliver a Faculty-Led Ecology Study Abroad Program"
Program: Travel Planning Grant
In partnership with La Selva Biological Station, Tortuguero National Park, Monteverde Cloud Forest, Guanacaste Region
Awarded 2025–2026- Cuba
Robin Moore
College of Fine Arts
"Music and Revolution: Cultural Change in Socialist Cuba"
Program: Publication Fund
Awarded 2021–2022- Ecuador
Anthony Di Fiore
College of Liberal Arts
"Next-Generation Tropical Ecology: Leveraging Emerging Technologies to Study Biodiversity in a Hyperdiverse Forest Ecosystem"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Awarded 2020–2021María Luisa Echavarría
College of Liberal Arts
"Exploring local multidisciplinary solutions to global challenges in a time of transition."
Program: Global Career Launch
In partnership with Fundación Imaymana
Awarded 2022–2023David Heymann
School of Architecture
"Hot, Humid, Isolated, Urgent"
Program: Global Virtual Exchange
In partnership with Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Awarded 2020–2021Gabriela Polit
College of Liberal Arts
"Representing Human Rights"
Program: Global Virtual Exchange
In partnership with Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Awarded 2019–2020- Guatemala
Marilyn Felkner
College of Natural Sciences
"Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Guatemala"
Program: Global Virtual Exchange
In partnership with Asociación Nuestros Ahijados
Awarded 2022–2023Marilyn Felkner
College of Natural Sciences / School of Human Ecology
"Prevention through Empowerment"
Program: Global Career Launch
In partnership with Asociación Nuestros Ahijados
Awarded 2021–2022Robyn Metcalfe
College of Natural Sciences
"Global Food Systems Design"
Program: Global Virtual Exchange
In partnership with Universidad Francisco Marroquín
Awarded 2019–2020Sandro Sessarego
College of Liberal Arts
"Documenting Afro-Guatemalan Language Varieties and Cultures"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Universidad Mariano Gálvez de Guatemala
Awarded 2024–2025- Jamaica
Ashley Matheny
Jackson School of Geosciences
"From Land to Sea: An Assessment of Pollution Impacts on Coastal Ecosystems in Jamaica"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with The University of the West Indies
Awarded 2021–2022- Mexico
Richard Amato
McCombs School of Business
"Business Impact"
Program: Global Career Launch
In partnership with Tejiendo Alianzas
Awarded 2020–2021Brandon Aiello
Dell Medical School
"Foundations of Global Health – Enrichment Elective"
Program: Global Virtual Exchange
In partnership with Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla
Awarded 2019–2020Ricardo Ainslie
College of Education
"Puentes: Building a Bi-national Collaboration"
Program: Internationalization Event Fund
Awarded 2022–2023Eugenio Arima
College of Liberal Arts
"The Guacamole Effect: Environmental Consequences of Trade Liberalization in Jalisco, Mexico"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México
Awarded 2021–2022Matthew Butler
College of Liberal Arts
"XVI International Meeting of Historians of Mexico"
Program: Internationalization Event Fund
Awarded 2021–2022Kate Catterall
College of Fine Arts
"Exploring Design and Culture in Mexico City"
Program: Travel Planning Grant
In partnership with Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México
Awarded 2024–2025Sergio Castellanos
Cockrell School of Engineering
"Nearshoring and Sustainable Manufacturing: Techno-Economic Analysis and Its Impact in the United States and Mexico"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Tecnológico de Monterrey
Awarded 2023–2024Jonathan Yan Chen
College of Natural Sciences
"Improving Circularity and Functionality of Fashion Products Through a UTTEC Partnership"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Tecnológico de Monterrey
Awarded 2023–2024Iyaxel Cojti Ren
College of Liberal Arts
"Civil Unrest During Times of Climate Crisis: New Lessons from the Ancient Maya Dead"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán
Awarded 2025–2026Rebecca Cook
Dell Medical School
"Foundations of Global Health – Enrichment Elective"
Program: Global Virtual Exchange
In partnership with Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla
Awarded 2019–2020David DeMatthews
College of Education
"Examining Effective and Sustainable Community-Based Approaches to Improving Educational Outcomes in Marginalized Communities in Mexico"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Enseña por Mexico
Awarded 2021–2022Tom Devitt
College of Natural Sciences
"Species Discovery of Amphibians and Reptiles in Northern and Central Mexico"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México
Awarded 2024–2025David Eaton
Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
"Environmental Quality"
Program: Global Career Launch
In partnership with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Awarded 2019–2020David Eaton
Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
"Mexico: Trans-Boundary Environmental Issues"
Program: Global Career Launch
In partnership with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Awarded 2022–2023Raissa Fábregas Robles Gil
Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
"Integrating Scientific Evidence into the Public Sphere: Evidence from Mexico"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México
Awarded 2021–2022Xavier Fonoll Almansa
Cockrell School of Engineering
"Developing AI Predictors for Early Detection of Anaerobic Digestion Process Upsets"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Tecnológico de Monterrey
Awarded 2025–2026Stephanie Grasso
Moody College of Communication
"Patterns of Language Recovery in Mexican-origin Spanish Speakers with Aphasia"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía
Awarded 2020–2021Moody College of Communication
"Preparing Speech-Language Pathology Students"
Program: Global Virtual Exchange
In partnership with Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México
Awarded 2022–2023Moody College of Communication
"ComUNIDAD: Cross-national Innovation in Communication Intervention for Spanish Speakers with Aphasia"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Tecnológico de Monterrey
Awarded 2025–2026Kenneth Greene
College of Liberal Arts
"Political Polarization and the Health of Mexico's Democracy"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Tecnológico de Monterrey
Awarded 2023–2024Benjamín Ibarra Sevilla
School of Architecture
"Guidelines of Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Heritage Buildings with Cutting-Edge Repairing Technologies and Methods"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México
Awarded 2022–2023Junfeng Jiao
School of Architecture
"Energy Poverty Maps Displayed on Digital Twins to Enhance the Resilience of Cities"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Tecnológico de Monterrey
Awarded 2024–2025Octavio Kano-Galván
Moody College of Communication
"Digital Social Media Production"
Program: Global Virtual Exchange
In partnership with Anáhuac University and Iberoamericana
Awarded 2019–2020Octavio Kano-Galván
Moody College of Communication
"Global Virtual Exchange Track 2 (360 Production)"
Program: Global Virtual Exchange
In partnership with Universidad Iberoamericana
Awarded 2021–2022Orlando Kelm
College of Liberal Arts
"Business in Hispanic Life and Culture"
Program: Global Virtual Exchange
In partnership with Tecnológico de Monterrey
Awarded 2019–2020Jun-Whan Lee
Cockrell School of Engineering
"Resilience in the Blue Economy: Hurricane Impacts on Coastal Tourism in the U.S. and Mexico"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México
Awarded 2024–2025Wei Li
Cockrell School of Engineering
"Microfluidic-Assisted Synthesis of Bio-Based Nanogels for Photodynamic Therapy"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Tecnológico de Monterrey
Awarded 2024–2025Fernando Llanos Lucas
College of Liberal Arts
"Documenting Neuroplasticity in Native Speakers of Endangered Languages in Latin America"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social
Awarded 2020–2021Filippo Mangolini
Cockrell School of Engineering
"Ionic Liquid-Based Bio-Lubricants/Greases for Electromobility Applications"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Tecnológico de Monterrey
Awarded 2025–2026Lisa Nardini
College of Fine Arts
"Cataloging, Indexing, and Digitizing Musical Archives in the Americas: A Collaborative Project with the University of Guadalajara"
Program: Travel Planning Grant
In partnership with Universidad de Guadalajara
Awarded 2023–2024Guido Olivieri
College of Fine Arts
"Cataloging, Indexing, and Digitizing Musical Archives in the Americas: A Collaborative Project with the University of Guadalajara"
Program: Travel Planning Grant
In partnership with Universidad de Guadalajara
Awarded 2023–2024Keila Pérez Quiñones
College of Fine Arts
"Exploring Design and Culture in Mexico City"
Program: Travel Planning Grant
In partnership with Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México
Awarded 2024–2025Michael Romero
School of Social Work
"Oaxaca Social Hub"
Program: Global Career Launch
In partnership with Canica de Oaxaca, Tejiendo Alianzas, and SiKanda
Awarded 2023–2024Robin Moore
College of Fine Arts
"Collaborative Ethnomusicology and Digital Humanities of the Americas"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Universidad de Guadalajara
Awarded 2021–2022Devleena Samanta
College of Natural Sciences
"Harnessing Nature and Nanotechnology to Overcome Drug-Resistant Colorectal Cancer"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Tecnológico de Monterrey
Awarded 2025–2026Sandro Sessarego
College of Liberal Arts
"Documenting the Afro-Hispanic Language Varieties of Mexico"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro
Awarded 2021–2022Michael Webber
Cockrell School of Engineering
"Rethinking Wastewater Treatment Plants within the Water-Energy Nexus"
Program: Faculty Research Seed Grant
In partnership with Tecnológico de Monterrey
Awarded 2024–2025- Panama
Zachary Elkins
College of Liberal Arts
"Democratic Institutional Development"
Program: Global Career Launch
In partnership with International IDEA
Awarded 2021–2022- Paraguay
Paola Canova
College of Liberal Arts
"Frontier Intimacies: Ayoreo Women and the Sexual Economy of the Paraguayan Chaco"
Program: Publication Fund
Awarded 2022–2023