UA research team wins Gates’ Grand Challenges grant
Crimson White – June 17
A University of Alabama research team was awarded a $100,000 Grand Challenges Exploration grant that will allow the group to develop an improved method for detecting and tracking water contamination, according to a UA news release…Led by Joe Brown, an assistant professor in biological sciences and New College, the group includes Philip Johnson, an associate professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering, and Ynhi Thai, a senior majoring in chemical and biological engineering… “There is a need to develop a water testing device that can give rapid results and that is low in cost, yet is robust enough to take into the field,” Thai said…
UA students named among nation’s best by USA Today
Crimson White – June 17
The University of Alabama once again led the nation with the most students named in a single year to the USA Today’s All-USA College Academic Team with a record 10 University students on this year’s team, according to an UA news release…
Homegrown Alabama making impact in community
Crimson White – June 17
The Homegrown Alabama Farmers Market kicked off its season this year on May 6. Homegrown Alabama is now open every Thursday from 3-6 p.m. on the lawn of Canterbury Episcopal Chapel, according to a UA news release…Erica Smith, a junior in New College, is the president of Homegrown Alabama and the market manager…This year, Homegrown Alabama established a voucher program with Canterbury Episcopal Church that allows food banks to provide food stamps for the market. “We are trying to become more integrated in the community,” Smith said. “The goal of Homegrown Alabama is to educate the community about the value of local produce and to encourage relationships between producers and consumers.”…
Rec Center offers indoor exercise opportunities
Crimson White – June 17
Want to stay fit but still beat the heat this summer? The University’s Student Recreation Center has a class for that. Zumba, a group exercise dance program, is offered four days a week by the Rec…The program mixes music, dancing and exercise into a 50-minute class, said Leigh Darilek, the group exercise manager at the Rec…
Making users an open book
Crimson White – June 17
… “The problem with the privacy settings is that every time they change the settings, they automatically make it default so that you have the least amount of privacy,” said Karla Gower, a professor in the College of Communication and Information Sciences and director of The Plank Center. “They don’t tell people that they change the settings, so it puts [it on] the user to go in and make the changes,” she said. “And if you don’t go in very often, and you don’t realize that they have changed, then you are opening yourself up.”…George Daniels, a journalism professor who also teaches seminars on social media outside of the University, stressed the importance of being social-media savvy. He said he feels that it’s important for students to understand privacy settings in order to build online networks. While Facebook is one networking website, there are other social networking websites such as Twitter and LinkedIn. “Using LinkedIn is important because we must look at social media beyond Facebook, and LinkedIn is a good way to funnel in potential employers,” Daniels said. Regardless of the social networking site, it’s important to maintain a good image, Gower said. She suggests Googling oneself every so often to ensure a consistent online image in every social media venue. “Be careful and remember that everyone can see this,” she said. “This is not just sharing what you did on Saturday night with your friends; you are sharing it with a much wider audience. It stays forever and it could potentially come back to haunt you.”
CO2 storage with enhanced methane test underway in Alabama
Carbon Capture Journal – June 17
Field testing the potential for combining geologic CO2 storage with enhanced methane recovery is underway at a site in Alabama by a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) team of regional partners…Southern Company, El Paso Exploration & Production, the Geological Survey of Alabama, and the University of Alabama are all participating in the field test, known as the Black Warrior CO2 Storage Project.