The University of North Texas (UNT) celebrated the grand opening of the Lab for Engaged, Applied, and Public Humanities (LEAPH) on Thursday, November 20, 2025. This new initiative aims to bridge the gap between humanities scholarship and the Dallas-Fort Worth area through applied research and public collaboration.
The facility, located within UNT’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS), serves as both a research incubator and a multimedia lab. It includes a conference room for meetings and a studio for audio-visual projects. “We see this as a place to generate and uplift faculty research projects that have public-facing components,” said Jennifer Jensen Wallach, CLASS divisional dean for humanities and professor of history.
LEAPH will support diverse projects like the Milpa Agricultural Placemaking Project (MAPP), which engages in public initiatives such as a seed library and partnerships with local community gardens. The lab also fosters interdisciplinary efforts, exemplified by the Neuro-Narratives Project and the Texas Animal Humanities Project, which focus on social engagement and ecological conservation.
Jakob Burnham, director of LEAPH, emphasized the lab’s role in community engagement. “Community service and engagement are the central tenet we’re working toward,” he said. The lab encourages collaboration across disciplines, offering students like Madison Black and Sofia Stevens-Garcia valuable experience for their future careers.
Key Details of LEAPH
- Located in UNT’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
- Includes meeting spaces and a recording studio
- Supports projects like MAPP and the Neuro-Narratives Project
- Focuses on interdisciplinary collaboration
Faculty and students at the grand opening shared information and distributed project samples, highlighting the lab’s role in preparing students for interdisciplinary and community-focused careers.