Public Engagement
The Middle Eastern Studies program strives to serve not only the University of Texas, but also the community in which we live, K-12 schools, post-secondary institutions, the media, and businesses.
Community Outreach | Educational Outreach | Media Contact Information | Translation Services
Community Outreach
The Center and Department of Middle Eastern Studies sponsor lectures, conferences, symposia, film screenings, concerts and performances throughout the year. All events sponsored by the Middle Eastern Studies programs are open to the public at large; with few exceptions (generally concerts and public performances), nearly all of our events are free of charge, although some may occasionally require an RSVP. The calendar on this Web site lists upcoming events.
The Outreach Lecture series features members of our faculty and other members of the UT community delivering lectures of general interest related to their research. These lectures are targeted at non-specialists on campus, K-12 educators and homeschoolers, and the community. Educators can earn professional development credit for attending by pre-registering for each event. More information can be found on the Outreach Lecture Series page.
Our primary method of disseminating information about upcoming events is our public e-mail list. During the academic year, these are compressed into an "eBulletin" that is sent out every Monday. To join our list, visit the UTLists Web site (when the page loads, click on "subscribe" in the left sidebar).
Educational Outreach
Outreach to K-12 and post-secondary institutions forms a key component of the Middle Eastern Studies programs.
The Center for Middle Eastern Studies' Outreach Program brings the resources of the Center to schools and the community through a variety of avenues, including a multi-media resource lending library, through which materials are loaned free of charge to users nationwide; a speakers' bureau comprising students and faculty; development of K-12 curriculum materials; holding workshops for educators both on campus and on-site around the state of Texas; organizing educational study tours to the Middle East for K-12 educators, and more.
The Arabic Flagship Program conducts programming to support the teaching of the Arabic language at all levels, including K-12 and postsecondary institutions. Programs include workshops for Arabic language teachers at all levels; an after school Arabic program for Austin-area high school students, and the development of multimedia resources for use in the Arabic language classroom.
The Hebrew Language Program has, on occasion, provided similar services for instructors of Hebrew at the K-12 level.
Media Contact Information
The Middle Eastern Studies program is happy to help representatives of the media locate experts to assist with understanding the Middle East or commenting on current events. Media representatives are welcome to use our Faculty Directory to locate a member of our faculty whose specialization matches your interests, and to contact them directly. Individual faculty members may grant or deny interviews at their own discretion.
For interviews about the Center or Department of Middle Eastern Studies, please contact Dr. Kristen Brustad, Chair, DMES, or Dr. Kamran Aghaie, Director, CMES, at (512) 471-3881.
Media representatives may also find the Media Guide to UT Experts useful in locating members of the University faculty who are not affiliated with the Middle Eastern Studies programs. The Middle East Studies Association of North America also maintains an online directory of members nationwide that is searchable by geographic location, discipline, and job title.
