“Cultures, once lost, are gone for good. It is my hope that in some small way, my research contributes to the retention of Native American cultures.”
Sebahattin Ziyanak, an Associate Professor at The University of Texas Permian Basin, is conducting extensive research on Native American cultures. In 2018, Steven Aicinena, a retired UTPB professor, visited with Ziyanak to share his research on the topic. Since then, they have published two books and five peer-reviewed articles. 
Most recently, they co-authored The Choctaw Nation Princess and Royalty Program: Cultural Education in Choctaw Culture and Tribal Identity, which was published in the Journal of Educational Impact. Their study examined how the Choctaw Princess and Royalty Program helps preserve traditional Choctaw culture and strengthens the identity of participants. The editor of the journal honored their paper by selecting a photograph taken by Aicinena as the cover image for that volume, highlighting their finding on the role of mothers as cultural role models for their daughters.
Ziyanak’s work did not stop with publication. Each study inspires new questions not yet addressed in academic literature, motivating him to continue exploring Native American culture and identity while sharing his findings with both scholars and the public.
He joined UTPB in 2015, earned tenure in 2020, and became co-coordinator of the sociology program in 2025. Over his career, he has published 70 academic works, including nine books, 27 peer-reviewed articles, and 34 book chapters.
Ziyanak hopes readers not only learn more about their culture but also feel empowered in their identity. His goal is to spark deeper cultural connections among young individuals in the Choctaw Nation.
