Tech students put theories into practice at conference
Tuscaloosa News – May 3
The Technology Student Association put its motto, “Learning to live in a technical world,” into practice during the association’s state conference at the Bryant Conference Center. Spanning Tuesday and Wednesday, middle and high school students from across Alabama gathered at the conference for a series of competitions. The contests included robotics, dragster design and racing, desktop publishing and problem solving. “We cement the things that they get in their science and mathematics courses with practical application here,” said Bennie Scheierman, the Technology Student Association’s state adviser. “You actually go build something; you actually go do something.” Devoted to preparing American middle and high school students for careers in technology and engineering-based occupations, the Technology Student Association is a national organization founded in 1967, according to a news release. The organization has more than 200,000 members throughout the United States, including 2,880 members in Alabama. This is the third straight year that the University of Alabama College of Engineering has hosted the conference.
UA presidential search panel to meet today
Tuscaloosa News – May 3
The initial findings in the search for a new University of Alabama president will be discussed today. The UA Presidential Search Advisory Committee will have its first organizational meeting this morning, followed by a media briefing at noon in the upstairs lobby of the Bryant Conference Center, UA System spokeswoman Kellee Reinhart said in a news release. UA System Chancellor Robert E. Witt announced the 23-member advisory committee on April 6. In March, Witt left his position as president of the UA campus to become chancellor. He was unanimously elected by trustees to replace Malcolm Portera, who was chancellor for 10 years before announcing his retirement in January. Judith Bonner, UA provost and executive vice president, is serving as interim president of the university.
Professor and bird enthusiasts build purple martin homes
ABC 33/40 (Birmingham) – May 2
The purple martin depends on humans to provide nests for them, and their numbers have decreased recently. A University of Alabama professor and a local purple martin enthusiast have become hosts to the birds….
A-Sun title ring lost during tornado returned to owner
Tuscaloosa News – May 3
Not much remains on the Forest Lake lots where homes once stood before April 27, 2011…But last week, volunteers clearing a site on Forest Lake Drive found something that, even after all the activity, had been overlooked: A silver, dirt-encrusted championship ring had been hidden from view for almost a year. Kelly Bridges received the ring while a sophomore at Gardner-Webb University in 2006. She was working as an athletic trainer for the men’s soccer team that won its conference title and made it to the NCAA second round. A graduate student in the University of Alabama’s athletic training program, Bridges was living at the Forest Lake home with four other students last spring. Volunteers working during UA’s Day of Service on April 21 found the ring while clearing the lot, which Trip Farmer purchased after the tornado. “I soaked it, scrubbed it and did a Google search,” said Farmer, director of contract administration at UA. Farmer contacted UA men’s tennis coach Billy Pate, who had owned the house and property and was able to put the two in touch. “I couldn’t believe it,” said Bridges, who now works as the University of Florida gymnastics team’s athletic trainer…On the day of the tornado, Bridges was working at Coleman Coliseum, doing treatments and rehabilitation with two athletes who had come in late. Had they been on time, she likely would have been at home when the tornado ripped the house apart around 5:15 p.m. that afternoon. Instead, she returned to the house the next day and was able to identify the lot only by its circular driveway. She received her graduate degree last spring and moved to Florida at the end of June.