Fulbright-García Robles Visiting Chair Program
The University of Texas at Austin serves as a host institution for the Fulbright-García Robles Visiting Chair Program supporting distinguished scholars from Mexico to teach in residence for one semester, creating opportunities for cultural exchange, the dissemination of research related to Mexico, and the strengthening of U.S.-Mexico academic relations.
At a Glance
Focus:
Teaching and research in fields intersecting with Mexican Studies
Partner / Sponsor:
COMEXUS
Program Features:
Mexican Studies, U.S.-Mexico Relations, Pedagogical Exchange
About the Program
In 2022, The University of Texas at Austin and COMEXUS partnered to create the position of Fulbright-García Robles Visiting Chair on the Forty Acres, for which an esteemed group of selected scholars from Mexico spend a semester on the UT Austin campus teaching, conducting research and networking with the university community. Since its inception, UT Austin has received esteemed scholars representing fields of study as varied as public health, trombone performance, pre-Columbian architecture, dance choreography, philosophy, and film score composition. Six UT Austin colleges and schools have hosted a Fulbright-García Robles Visiting Chair, organizing campus-wide events to showcase their work and engage students, faculty, and the local community in scholarly conversation.
In addition to supporting the work of distinguished Mexican scholars, the fellowship also creates opportunities for cultural exchange and dissemination of research related to Mexico, strengthening U.S.-Mexico academic relations in the process. As part of their fellowship, each scholar carries out a research and teaching project that connects their specific area of study with Mexican culture and U.S.-Mexico relations, bringing a unique cultural perspective to the UT Austin community.
UT Austin Faculty, Colleges, and Schools
Visiting chairs are fully funded, semester-long appointments that offer a unique opportunity for departments to expand their global network and enrich scholarly discussion. Host departments work together with Texas Global to make arrangements for the visiting scholar. UT Austin colleges, schools, and departments interested in hosting a Fulbright-García Robles Visiting Chair are encouraged to contact Holly Schneider, Texas Global Program Officer, for more information and to learn how to host a scholar.
UT Austin faculty with connections to Mexico are encouraged to share this opportunity widely among their network. To recommend a specific Mexican scholar for the the program, please contact Holly Schneider or share the COMEXUS call for proposals directly with prospective candidates.
Prospective Visiting Chairs
With deep ties to Mexico and a strong commitment to global engagement, UT Austin is an ideal host institution for Fulbright-García Robles Visiting Chairs. As a leading research university in Texas, UT Austin hosts 53,000 students from 50 states in the U.S. and 130 countries. The university has 3,500 faculty members and top-ranked programs in 19 colleges and schools. Austin is known for its creative and entrepreneurial spirit, and the university offers countless opportunities for artists, scientists, athletes, entrepreneurs, and engineers to expand their network and push the boundaries of their field. UT Austin ranks 9th among the best public universities in the U.S. News & World Report rankings and 34th in the global university rankings according to the Center for World University Rankings.
Fulbright-García Robles Visiting Chairs at UT Austin have at their fingertips a wealth of resources to support their cutting-edge research and innovative teaching projects. An extensive network of libraries, historical archives, art collections, laboratories and recreational facilities ensure a well-furnished environment for a productive research fellowship, regardless of academic discipline. Visiting chairs also enjoy connecting with UT Austin's Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies and the Mexico Center to support their projects and extend their reach across campus.
About COMEXUS
Founded in 1990, COMEXUS is a joint U.S.-Mexico organization promoting bilateral understanding through educational and cultural exchange. Through Fulbright-García Robles grants, COMEXUS supports Mexican and American students, researchers and teachers to carry out postgraduate studies, research stays, teaching and professionalization programs in the United States and Mexico.
Visit the COMEXUS homepage to learn more about the organization.
Visiting Chairs at UT Austin
Incoming: Spring 2025
Raúl Tamez Carrillo
Professor, Anáhuac University of Mexico and Adjunct Professor, Universidad de las Américas-Puebla
Director of the Mexican dance company “La Infinita Compañía”
Project: Martha Graham's choreography and its relation to Mexico. A choreographic response to Steps in the Street (1932) and Rituals to the Sun (1981)
Host: Department of Theatre and Dance | College of Fine Arts
Spring 2024
Rodrigo Flores López
Professor, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey and Centro de Estudios Musicales REC Música
Adjunct professor, Universidad de las Américas-Puebla
Project: Aesthetics and Practice of Film Music in the United States and in Mexico
Host: Department of Radio-Television-Film | Moody College of Communication
Claudia Lavista Fernández
Director of Dance at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Project: Cross-Cultural Dance Understanding/Making Memory
Host: Department of Theatre and Dance | College of Fine Arts
Abraham Sapién Córdoba
Postdoctoral Researcher, CONAHCYT, Centro de Investigación en Ciencies Cognitivas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos
Project: Mexistentialism: Mexican existentialist philosophy
Host: Department of Philosophy | College of Liberal Arts
Spring 2023
Nelly Margarita Robles García
Senior Researcher, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia
Project: Development of a Manual on Prevention and Management of Disasters at the Archaeological Zone of Monte Alban
Host: School of Architecture
Carlos Luis Moreno Jaimes
Professor, Departamento de Estudios Sociopolíticos y Jurídicos, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (ITESO)
Project: Public Policymaking and Mexico's Healthcare Reforms
Host: LBJ School of Public Affairs
Marcia Medrano Serrano
Trombone Professor, Escuela Superior de Música, Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura
Trombone Professor, Facultad de Música, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
Project: Mexican Composers Repertoire for Trombone Ensemble
Host: Butler School of Music