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MONDAY, APRIL 8 – SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2013

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ANCIENT OFFERINGS TO THE DEAD HELP REVEAL CLIMATE CHANGE’S HUMAN IMPACT – Analyses of clam shells used in ancient funeral ceremonies offer additional evidence as to how climate change may have contributed to the gradual collapse of an early South-American civilization. The UA-led research, publishing in Geology, indicates El Niño, a temporary, cyclical change in the Pacific’s circulation, and an intertwined ocean phenomenon, known as upwelling, likely contributed to the 6^th century downfall of an advanced civilization called the Moche. The Moche once flourished along the northern coast of Peru. “This gives different insight into how climate change looks in terms of human impact,” said Dr. Fred Andrus, a UA associate professor of geological sciences and co-author of the article. “We often view the impacts of climate change – of any form – in terms of dramatic destruction – dramatic sea-level rise inundating a city overnight or a terrible hurricane wiping a city off a map. Those things certainly do happen. But, climate change can also bring more subtle impacts that will still have profound, indirect consequences.” Andrus may be reached at fandrus@as.ua.edu or 205/348-5177. For assistance, contact Chris Bryant in media relations, 205/348-8323 or cbryant@ur.ua.edu.

UA DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY APPROVED FOR $1.27 MILLION PATIENT-CENTERED OUTCOMES RESEARCH INSTITUTEGRANT FOR PAIN RESEARCH – Chronic pain affects more than 116 million people in the United States and costs $600 billion annually to treat. People with low education, low reading skills, and/or low income have more chronic pain, and receive less treatment. Many people with low income also have literacy deficits that put them at a greater disadvantage in the healthcare system. Building on previous research by UA’s Pain Management Team, Dr. Beverly Thorn, chair of UA’s Department of Psychology, will lead a research project to study different psychosocial treatments for the management of chronic pain, including simplifying patient materials used to manage pain and the treatment itself to make it easier for all patients to understand. “Just like someone with diabetes, chronic pain is a chronic illness without a cure, and it has to be managed,” Thorn said. “Someone with diabetes cannot simply take insulin or other medication without changing their daily habits (wiser food choices, engaging in physical activity, and learning to manage stress). Someone with chronic pain cannot simply have multiple surgeries and take multiple medications without learning pain self-management skills.” For more information, contact David Miller, media relations, at 205/348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.

EVENTS

HELA CELLS – Michael Rogers, the journalist who first broke the Henrietta Lacks story in Rolling Stone in 1976, will speak at 7 p.m. Monday, April 8, in Room 38 of Lloyd Hall. Lacks provided the cells, now known as HeLa cells, which scientists have grown and used in research for more than 60 years. This event is part of the Honors Book Club series, which focuses on “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot. Contact: Amanda P. McRae, Honors College, 205/348-5574, apmcrae@ua.edu

SONIC FRONTIERS – UA’s Sonic Frontiers will present a concert by New York composer Aaron Siegel and the UA Percussion Ensemble at 6 p.m. Monday, April 8, at the Park at Manderson Landing on the Black Warrior River. The UA Percussion Ensemble, led by Dr. Tim Feeney, will perform Siegel’s hypnotic piece for eight glockenspiels, “Science is Only a Sometimes Friend.” The event is free and open to the public; audience members may bring instruments to join in. Contact:Dr. Andrew Raffo Dewar, 205/348-9928 or adewar@ua.edu

SEINFELD DIRECTOR BOOK SIGNING – Tom Cherones, best known for his work on the hit series Seinfeld, will hold a signing of his first book, The Hardly Boys: The Mystery of the Gold Goblet, Thursday, April 11 from 1-3 p.m. in the Reese Phifer Hall Rotunda. Cherones annually visits UA to produce a short film with telecommunication and film students in the College of Communication and Information Sciences. Contact: Misty Mathews, 205/348-6416 or mmathews@ua.edu

BLACK WARRIOR FILM FESTIVAL – UA’s department of telecommunication and film, the Student Producer’s Association, Crimson Cinema Productions and Creative Campus will present the Black Warrior Film Festival at Reese Phifer Hall on April 13. The all-day festival will not only celebrate student films produced at the Capstone but will also showcase some of the highly awarded student productions that have come out of Tuscaloosa. Entrance to any festival activity is free of charge.Contact: Misty Mathews, 205/348-6416 or mmathews@ua.edu.

LOOKING AHEAD

UA STUDENTS SHOW CREATIVE STYLE IN T-TIME FASHION SHOW – University of Alabama apparel and design students will be showing off their creativity during the annual T-Time Fashion Show on Tuesday, April 16. Beginning at 7 p.m. on the front lawn of Doster Hall, sophomores, juniors and seniors in the College of Human Environmental Sciences apparel and design program will show designs that range from deconstructed T-shirts to garments made from recycled and nontraditional materials. Contact: Kim Eaton, 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.