▁Te aching ▁Fac ility . ▁The ▁Center ▁for ▁Am ph ib ian ▁and ▁Re pt ile ▁D iversity ▁Research ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁world ' s ▁collections ▁of ▁spec im ens ▁from ▁Central ▁and ▁South ▁America ▁and ▁is ▁used ▁by ▁her pet ology ▁research ers ▁from ▁around ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁The ▁Center ▁for ▁Mexican ▁American ▁Studies ▁( C MA S ) ▁at ▁The ▁University ▁of ▁Texas ▁at ▁Ar ling ton ▁is ▁an ▁academic ▁research ▁center ▁that ▁prom otes ▁research ▁and ▁the ▁rec ruit ment , ▁ret ention , ▁and ▁professional ▁development ▁of ▁U TA ▁fac ulty ▁act ively ▁engaged ▁in ▁studies ▁on ▁Lat ino ▁issues . ▁The ▁Center ▁hosts ▁fac ulty ▁research ▁associ ates ▁from ▁several ▁depart ments , ▁and ▁admin ister s ▁a ▁minor ▁in ▁Mexican ▁American ▁Studies . ▁The ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Center ▁is ▁Dr . ▁Christian ▁Z lon is ki ▁from ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Soci ology ▁& ▁Anth rop ology ▁& ▁the ▁Associ ate ▁Director ▁is ▁Dr . ▁Ig na cio ▁Ru iz - P ere z ▁from ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Modern ▁L anguages . ▁The ▁Center ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁by ▁a ▁Texas ▁state ▁mand ate . ▁The ▁U T ▁Ar ling ton ▁Research ▁Institute ▁( UT AR I ) ▁is ▁a ▁research ▁and ▁development ▁unit ▁of ▁The ▁University ▁of ▁Texas ▁at ▁Ar ling ton . ▁The ▁Center ▁for ▁Transport ation ▁Equ ity , ▁Dec isions , ▁and ▁D oll ars ▁is ▁a ▁University ▁Transport ation ▁Center ▁hous ed ▁within ▁the ▁College ▁of ▁Architecture