News

University News The Pro Football Hall of Famer who led SMU’s Pony Express will give an inspiring address to 2026 graduates and their families.

Research SMU study shows research partnerships can help urban farms thrive.

Alumni A proud alumna from the Cox School of Business and driving force behind the Meadows Museum, Custard contributed to a multitude of philanthropic, educational and artistic causes throughout Dallas and North Texas.

Research Discovery adds to evidence of extensive pathogen diversity in the Americas long before European contact.

University News Prestigious recognition highlights the University’s commitment to partnering with Dallas and the broader community.

Research From ancient DNA to digital twins, STEM education grants and a dinosaur-inspired choir, 2025 was another year full of research with impact at SMU.

Alumni SMU December Commencement speaker Brady Wood ’90 shares his life – from buying The Green Elephant as a student to founding development firm Woodhouse.

University News Deason was a deeply respected Dallas business leader and a generous supporter of and friend to the University.

Research The beginning of the new year often marked a defining change in Washington’s leadership, says SMU historian

Philanthropy The new models will strengthen student quality across high-impact fields and position SMU as a national leader at the intersection of energy and interdisciplinary education.

University News New program for fall 2026 leverages SMU Guildhall’s renowned expertise and Dallas’ industry strength for exceptional student creators.

Research An SMU student researcher traveled to Greece to learn the truth about the Kalavryta Nazi Massacre — and her family's history.

University News The ranking highlights 125 U.S. universities and colleges producing top influential leaders across business, politics, science, academia, creative industries and more.

Research Digital marketing strategies offer new pathways to share findings beyond scholarly circles.

Student Life As SMU enters its second year in the ACC, the University celebrates a milestone anniversary for Ford Stadium and its iconic tailgating tradition.

Research SMU is leading an initiative to enhance how science and engineering are taught in Texas elementary and middle schools.

Research The scalable, portable microbarometers advance scientific understanding of natural hazards, atmospheric activity and other global phenomena.

University News Cheney served on the Board of Trustees from 1996–2000 and the standing committees on investment, academic policy, finance and legal and government affairs.

Alumni Sohmen was recognized internationally for his business acumen and deep respect for and support of community and education initiatives.

University News Morrison, a trusted ambassador for the SMU Police Department, leads community engagement and victim services initiatives.

Research SMU researchers expose new privacy risks in video conferencing apps.

University News Dallas residents and the SMU community are invited to vote on campus November 4.

Research Measuring the strength of connections between molecules could help scientists create better biological tools to solve problems or perform specific tasks.

Research Smithsonian's Sea Monsters Unearthed traveling exhibition begins national tour, sharing a missing chapter in Earth's history.

Alumni The event, hosted by SMU president Jay Hartzell and the SMU Alumni Board, recognizes leaders for their extraordinary achievements, outstanding character and good citizenship each year during Homecoming Week.

University News For more than 75 years, Dedman and her family have supported SMU through active involvement in and contributions to the University’s facilities, programming, faculty excellence and student success initiatives through The Dedman Foundation.

Research Mitch Thornton will be leading groundbreaking research in autonomous systems testing, bolstering AI and machine learning systems against emerging cybersecurity threats.

University News Brady Wood, founder of The Green Elephant bar and a variety of start-up and institutional investment ventures, is a visionary leader in entertainment and real estate development.

Research Simple writing exercise taps into psychological mechanism that makes vaccination feel like a personal choice.

University News The award honors individuals who have contributed to the advancement of democratic ideals and to the security, prosperity and welfare of humanity.

University News President Jay Hartzell’s inauguration on Sept. 12 was a celebration of SMU, Dallas and Mustang Momentum.

Research The National Science Foundation awarded nearly $900,000 to Candace Walkington to examine the effects of AI-generated illustrative diagrams on middle school math learning.

University News Ceremony to formally install SMU’s 11th president will take place Sept. 12.

University News As SMU enters its second year in the ACC, the University celebrates a milestone anniversary for Ford Stadium and its iconic tailgating tradition.

Research Study demonstrates GPT-4 can create believable non-player characters with consistent personality traits.

Student Life With a 56% increase in first-year applications for fall 2025, SMU welcomes its largest and most academically accomplished class of new Mustangs to campus.

Research Scientists are figuring out what lies beneath those quiet threats -- volcanoes that don't give any notice before erupting.

Research As an R1 university, SMU is driving AI innovation across campus and beyond.

Research Researchers stir up local soil recipe to create compressed earth blocks for building

Research Study reveals mechanism behind bright chemiluminescent compounds used to see inside living tissue, potentially improving disease detection.

Research What Louisiana's fossils and seismic images reveal about before, during and after the dinosaur-killing asteroid strike.

Research Research shows small, frequent fires by mobile hunter-gatherer groups controlled landscape-scale fire activity.

Student Life In 2024, 74% of first-generation SMU students graduated, compared to 24% nationally

Research Combining AI, virtual reality and cloud-based cameras, researchers at SMU developed a human digital twin for quality assurance in aerospace manufacturing

University News In a Dallas Morning News op-ed, SMU President Jay Hartzell said the Texas Stock Exchange (TXSE) is poised to improve our financial system and our ability to flourish

Research The award honors outstanding undergraduates in sciences, engineering and mathematics

Student Life Computer science major Pierre Martinez earned an SMU scholarship just for students who attend the University’s engineering camps, now he mentors young campers as a counselor

University News The namesake for the SMU Center for Presidential History’s leadership, Gergen was a widely recognized figure in the political arena whose work with the University's Tate Lecture Series guided conversations that brought insight and inspiration to the SMU community for over twenty years.

University News Media executive brings decades of leadership experience as center celebrates 30th anniversary

University News A proud SMU parent, Sexton’s generous contributions to the Meadows School of the Arts have supported and created vital facilities, programming and leadership positions that will inspire its students for years to come.

Research The focus of this year's SMU Human Trafficking Data Conference was promoting data efficiency and collaboration among human trafficking experts.

Research Dinosaur Choir project earns recognition at international competition, showcases power of interdisciplinary research.

Research AI system predicts wine quality and provides interpretable sentiment analysis for wine reviews.

University News Our newest leaders are driving SMU forward.

Research A new study could revolutionize the material science field for aerospace, energy, electronics and other industries reliant on resilient materials.

Research Representatives from the American Institute in Taiwan, the U.S. Commercial Service and the Texoma Tech Hub discussed opportunities for the Taiwanese semiconductor industry in North Texas

University News SMU welcomes Shilo Brooks to the Hilltop as president and CEO of the George W. Bush Presidential Center. Concurrent with his appointment at the Bush Center, Brooks will join SMU as professor of practice in political science, senior fellow at the Center for Presidential History, and senior fellow at the John G. Tower Center for Public Policy and International Affairs. See links for more information from the and the

University News SMU Ignited: Boldly Shaping Tomorrow campaign exceeded its $1.5 billion goal three years ahead of schedule

University News SMU broke ground on the future site of the Rees-Jones Library of the American West, home to the Rees-Jones Collection. The library – expected to open in 2027 – enhances the University’s longstanding interest in the history of the American West, made manifest in collecting, teaching and research.

Research The Picuris Pueblo initiated the research to show their ties to Chaco Canyon, the center of an Ancestral Pueblo regional interaction system and now a World Heritage site located in northwestern New Mexico.

University News The former president of three colleges and author of award-winning memoir will speak at May 16 symposium on campus.

University News The yearly celebration recognizes remarkable contributions from SMU's faculty, highlighted by the Faculty Career Achievement Award.

University News Mersey, a digital media expert, visionary academic leader and champion for high-impact research, will join SMU June 1.

Research SMU researchers reevaluate assumptions about how glaciers shape landscape over time, helping predict future shifts.

Alumni The exhibit at the Hamon Arts Library offers a behind-the-scenes look at the decades of creativity sparked by the Dallas native.

Alumni Phelan graduated Phi Beta Kappa and cum laude with distinction with a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science.

Research SMU and George Washington University have created a magnetic tweezer system that could one day make it possible for doctors to do remote, non-invasive, highly precise medical procedures on their patients using a microrobot.

University News The veteran sports administrator was selected following a comprehensive national search and will assume the leadership role.

Alumni SMU mourns the loss of William A. “Bill” Custard ’57, a pioneering expert in the oil and gas industry and a passionate advocate for many areas of SMU.

University News Todd Milbourn, professor of finance at Washington University’s Olin Business School, will lead SMU Cox starting June 1st.