W. Renee' Acosta

W. Renee' Acosta serves as Clinical Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy. She joined the faculty in 2003, became full-time pharmacy practice faculty in 2005, and has held leadership roles including Assistant Dean of Admissions and Advising (2015-2017) before assuming her current position overseeing the Pharm.D. program.

Education:

• B.S. in Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin (1990)
• M.S. in Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin (1996)

Research Focus: Dr. Acosta's scholarly work centers on advancing over-the-counter medication education, developing innovative student assessment methodologies, and implementing evidence-based teaching techniques. Her expertise in nonprescription pharmacotherapeutics directly informs curriculum development for self-care education and interprofessional practice.

Scientific Awards:

• National: Academic Leadership Fellows Program (2014-2015), ASHP Commission on Credentialing (2003-2006)
• State: NISOD Excellence Award (2003)
• Institutional: President’s Associates Teaching Excellence Award (2022), Top Ten Faculty (2021-2022), Class of 2020 Teaching Excellence Award (2018), Regents' Outstanding Teaching Award (2012), Professor of the Month (3x), Texas Exes Teaching Award (2006-2007)
• Professional: Phi Lambda Sigma Best Alumni (2019), Outstanding Teacher (2014), Alumnus of the Year (2012)
• Fellowships: Health IPE Fellow (2021), Provost's Teaching Fellow (2015)

Academic Leadership: Dr. Acosta mentors students in professional development and interprofessional education initiatives. Her fellowship awards directly support curriculum innovation in self-care education and collaborative practice models. She coordinates the Pharm.D. program's academic structure while developing experiential learning frameworks across multiple teaching platforms.

Professional Engagement: As a core member of the Foundations for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (FICP) team, she integrates interprofessional education across health science disciplines while leading academic affairs for pharmacy education.