Monday, Oct 21, 2024 • Cristal Gonzalez : contact

The James Day Jr. family has made a $100,000 gift to expand research resources and services for students and faculty at The University of Texas at Arlington.

James (Jimmy) and Jennifer Day’s gift has created The Day Family Research Lab, a new program that fosters research excellence at UTA by supporting researchers throughout the entire research lifecycle. From systematic and literature reviews to data management plans and digital dissemination, the lab caters to both experienced and new researchers, enhancing data literacy and ensuring academic and professional success.

“We are incredibly grateful and thrilled by this generous gift from the Day family,” said UTA Libraries Dean John Wang. “The establishment of the Day Family Research Lab marks a monumental leap forward for UTA Libraries, emphasizing our status as a top-tier research library program. This transformative lab will significantly enhance the research experience for both our students and faculty. It not only provides essential space and unparalleled access to cutting-edge technology and resources, but also offers rich expertise and knowledge, fostering partnerships that transcend the boundaries of knowledge creation.”

Located on the fifth floor of the Central Library, the Day Family Research Lab offers flexible spaces for presentations and workshops, along with computing resources equipped with specialized data-focused software to meet the diverse needs of UTA researchers. The lab offers consultations, workshops, instruction and partnerships fostering an environment of research excellence, driving innovation and scholarly achievement at UTA.

Jimmy’s father, James Day Sr., was an archivist for the state of Texas and professor for UT El Paso. He was passionate about Texas and Southwestern history, sometimes traveling hundreds of miles to gather a new piece of information.

“My father was a master researcher,” Jimmy said. “He was also a professor; if you were in his class, he was going to make sure you got a great education. Research was paramount to everything he did.”

Jimmy had the chance to visit the UTA Central Library and was so inspired by what he saw, he wanted to contribute to creating even more resources for students.

“I was just amazed at all the different things going on,” he said. “I’ve been on college campuses all my life and I’ve never seen a library that is as much of a hub. I mean, you can do everything from research to write a paper to pet a dog. There are all kinds of programs—woodworking, drone building. It’s remarkable.”

While on campus, Jimmy spoke to professors and learned of the unique challenges they face when assigning research papers.

“They explained that students don’t quite know how to approach research,” he said. “I hope the Day Family Research Lab will help orient students and they learn how to pursue research and all its different methods.”

Students can also utilize the Day Family Texas History Collection, formed through a previous donation of items from the library of Jimmy’s late father. The collection contains books related to Texas history and society.

“My father was really dedicated to his interest and incredibly passionate about history. He could just dig and dig and get to the bottom of it,” Jimmy said. “I hope that is what the students will be able to do at UTA.”

- Written by Jenny Gumbert, Office of Development and Alumni Relations