UA Receives National Science Foundation Grant
Crimson White – Oct. 31
The National Science Foundation and The University of Alabama are partnering in an $8 million grant for the Alliance for Physics Excellence Program to help better train high school physics teachers in the state of Alabama. Physics education in the state of Alabama has been on a steady decline in recent years. J.W. Harrell, associate professor of physics at the University, said only 75 percent of state high schools offer even one physics class for their students, and only 10 percent of physics teachers teaching these classes graduated from college with a major or minor in physics. “Nationwide, the need for high school physics teachers exceeds all other disciplines,” Harrell said. “Addressing this need is critically important because physics is fundamental to all science and engineering disciplines.” This grant with allow APEX to better train 88 Alabama high school physics teachers over the next five years. This would account for almost one quarter of all Alabama high school physics teachers. The program will also provide 10 two-year scholarships valued at $16,000 a year to college students currently majoring in physics and interested in teaching high school physics upon graduation. The University’s role in this program will be to evaluate the it’s effectiveness. Dennis Sunal, a science education professor at the University, will serve as the program’s primary investigator.
UA counseling professor wins award for mental health research
Crimson White – Oct. 31
Despite University of Alabama counseling professor Lisa M. Hooper’s immense success, she claims it has not been an individual effort. Hooper recently received the Dr. Linda Seligman Award from the American Mental Health Counselor Association. Hooper has won many awards during her eight years at the Capstone. She received both the Emerging Leader Award from the American Association of Multicultural Counseling and Development, and the Outstanding Research Poster Presentation Award from the American Mental Health Counseling Association in 2010. Hooper has also authored or co-authored more than 47 publications, including articles and books.
UA professor says Sandy’s impact could have been worse
NBC 13 (Birmingham) – Oct. 31
One weather expert in Tuscaloosa said the amount and type of damage the storm caused didn’t surprise him. Dr. Jason Senkbeil is the Director of the Environmental Science Program at the University of Alabama. Storm debris scattered in yards and on the street, a scene that might look familiar to some in Tuscaloosa. Associate professor Dr. Jason Senkbeil said the storm is unique because it hit near New Jersey and Delaware at a perpendicular angle — a first in over a century. “Most people think hurricane season is over or the threat is diminished because it’s later in the year.” Senkbeil said. “But these extra tropical storms if they are from tropical origin can be much worse than hurricanes just because they are larger and effect more people.” Senkbeil said the sand scattered in parking lots and streets are forcing officials to create new man made dunes to protect the coast. But since a storm like Sandy is unusual he expects new dunes should last another 30 years. The professor said one of the biggest differences in the storm that hit the east coast and what folks in our area have experienced is the type of damage that’s left behind.
CBS 42 (Birmingham) – Oct. 31
NBC 13 (Birmingham) – Oct. 31
Student from Mobile receives scholarship from best-selling author
Al.com – Oct. 30
University of Alabama student Savannah Perkins of Mobile was recently awarded one of the James Patterson Teacher Education Scholarships. Perkins received $7,500 of the $60,000 contribution from best-selling author James Patterson. The Patterson Scholarship prepares future teachers to promote the importance of literacy in education. As future educators, the Patterson Scholars hope to make reading intriguing for students in the classroom.
Decatur Daily – Oct. 30
UA Mortar Board, UA Away to host fundraiser
Crimson White – Oct. 31
The Mortar Board Hypatia Chapter, a senior honor society at The University of Alabama, will be hosting a fundraiser to subsidize study abroad tips for students on Thursday, Nov. 1. Mortar Board and the UA Away program will be teaming up in an effort to help the campus community with a fundraiser for the scholarships. Between 4 and 9 p.m., Zoe’s Kitchen will donate 15 percent of their profits to the Mortar Board, which will in turn give it to UA Away. Both locations in Tuscaloosa will be participating. Mortar Board seniors will be working with UA Away, a division of Student Affairs that helps undergraduate students participate in new experiences to enhance their time in college. UA Away also encourages students to serve others, whether within new cultures, job training or studying a special interest. The ultimate goal of the program is to raise a $1 million endowment, which will be based around program-specific scholarships meant for students who are participating members of UA Away.
Philosopher speaks about his change in theory
Crimson White – Oct. 31
Princeton University professor and world-renowned Australian philosopher Frank Jackson spoke to The University of Alabama on Oct. 30 about the theory of physicalism as a part of the Philosophy Today lecture series. The Philosophy Today series is a five-year program created by the philosophy department that invites four modern philosophers to lecture to people within and outside the field of philosophy. Jackson’s lecture titled “The Problem of Consciousness” explores the idea of physicalism through the experience of color. Physicalism is the idea that an object is nothing besides its physical properties. During his lecture, Jackson described physicalism using the examples of the “No Freedom Room” and the “No Color Room.” Torin Alter, a philosophy professor, introduced the speaker, describing Jackson as his “philosophical hero” and saying his own work “is just footnotes to Frank Jackson’s work.” “[Jackson is] one of the foremost professors in the philosophy of the mind today,” Joshua Quick, a graduate student studying applied statistics, said.
Buildings on campus and around Tuscaloosa thought to be haunted
Crimson White – Oct. 31
Tuscaloosa is rich with history in the way that many southern towns are. Named after a Native American killed by European settlers, Tuscaloosa is freckled with plantation homes that once oversaw massive slaves operations before seeing action during the Civil War in the Battle of Tuscaloosa. With this rich history come darker, eerier stories that explain why present day Tuscaloosa is filled with haunted houses, cemeteries and buildings. Ian Crawford, the director of the Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion, said you don’t have to look very hard to find a haunted building in Tuscaloosa. On the UA campus, Woods Hall has the creepiest true history, Crawford said. “There was a duel that took place in the 1870s on the balcony of Woods Hall between two students,” Crawford said. “One of the gentlemen made a snide remark about his friend’s cousin, and so her honor being tainted, he challenged the insulter to a duel. Two shots rang out and one man fell. We don’t know if the gun shot killed him or if it was the fall from the balcony, so there are stories around about how you can hear the gun shots on Woods Quad. Some people say that, late at night, you can see the young man pacing about on the Woods balcony.” According to “Haunted Tuscaloosa,” a book on the haunted history of Tuscaloosa, there are nine buildings and areas on campus said to be haunted, including Woods Quad. David Higdon and Brett J. Talley, the authors of the book, also listed the Kilgore House, the Little Round House, the Quad, Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library, Smith Hall and the Allen-Bales Theatre.
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Oct. 30
Alabama athletes, costumed kids come out for Halloween Extravaganza (photos)
Al.com – Oct. 31
Crimson Tide athletes took some time out to greet, take photos and play games with Tuscaloosa children at the University of Alabama Athletics Department’s 2012 Halloween Extravaganza Tuesday night. The event, in its 10th year, is sponsored by the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and brings out athletes every year to chat with their small fans. The event is usually held in the Hank Crisp Indoor Football Practice Facility but was in the UA Soccer Field this year, due to construction. Jill Lancaster, the Director of Life Skills and Community Outreach at UA, describes the event as a way for athletes to give back to Tuscaloosa. “This is an event that the student-athletes enjoy doing to show their appreciation to the community that supports them so much,” Lancaster said. “Halloween Extravaganza allows UA’s athletes to interact with the children of the Tuscaloosa community in a safe and fun way.”
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – Oct. 30
Secret cemetery discovered in Meridianville
WHNT 19 (Huntsville) – Oct. 30
Workers make a shocking discovery while digging on the site of the Madison County Executive Airport runway expansion project, unearthing a previously unknown graveyard. The unnamed cemetery holds the remains of four adults and 11 children, according to experts with the University of Alabama Office of Archaeological Research. The graves were found on a grassy hill near where the Meridianville Bottom Road was being moved to as workers clear way for the runway expansion…Officials say they will put a fence around the graves and construct a pull off area from the road so people can visit the site in the future. It is believed the graves date back to the 1820-1830.
Rosa Parks Museum to host exhibit exploring life, legacy of Michael Jackson
Montgomery Advertiser – Oct. 30
A new exhibit coming to Troy University’s Rosa Parks Museum will explore the life and legacy of iconic entertainer Michael Jackson. “MJ Obscura” by artist Amalia Amaki, a personal friend of Jackson, examines the mission and nature of Jackson’s life and career through photography and mixed-media art. The exhibit will also incorporate a variety of personal items and memorabilia from Jackson’s life. Amaki will discuss the exhibit and her reason for creating it during a gallery talk at 11 a.m. Nov. 10, inside the museum auditorium…The exhibit will be on display in the museum exhibit hall from Nov. 8 through Jan. 4…Amaki is an artist, art historian, visual studies scholar, writer and film critic. She is currently a professor of art at the University of Alabama and serves as curator for the Paul R. Jones Collection, one of the world’s oldest and largest collections of African-American art.