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MONDAY, JULY 8 – SUNDAY, JULY 14, 2013

BEST BETS

START-UP COMPANIES PREP FOR JULY 12 LAUNCHPAD PRESENTATIONS – Cell phones that charge wirelessly, orthopedic implants that safely degrade inside the body, and a social network designed to connect those in the construction industry: these are the central concepts behind three UA start-up companies competing July 12 in a statewide business competition. Judges will listen to pitch presentations from these three UA businesses and seven other entrepreneurial companies during the next round of the 2013 Alabama Launchpad Start-Up Competition to be held in Birmingham. The ongoing event, a program of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, began with 27 start-ups competing. A five-judge panel selected 10 teams in June to continue. For more information watch for a forthcoming news release at www.uanews.ua.edu or contact Chris Bryant, cbryant@ur.ua.edu, 205/348-8323, or Adam Jones, acjones12@eng.ua.edu, 205/348-6444.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ON CAMPUS FOR ERNST & YOUNG MAP PROGRAM – Rising high-school juniors in Ernst & Young LLP’s College Mentoring for Access and Persistence program, or MAP, are participating in a summer camp through Friday, July 12, at The University of Alabama. This is the second year UA has offered this summer program in coordination with Ernst & Young LLP. College MAP, the signature Ernst & Young LLP volunteer program for education in the United States, targets underserved high school students who have the potential to succeed in college but need some extra help creating the “MAP” that will take them there. This year, students from Birmingham, Chicago, Detroit and Boston will gather for the one-week program on the UA campus.  Contact: Richard LeComte, UA media relations, rllecomte@ur.ua.edu, 205/348-3782 or Dr. Lowell K. Davis, lowell.k.davis@ua.edu, 205/348-4856

STUDENTS BLOG FROM GERMANY WHILE INTERACTING WITH NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS – Two UA chemistry graduate students are blogging about their experiences from Germany this week where they are congregating with the world’s top science minds at the 63rd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting. More than 600 young researchers from nearly 80 countries are part of this special convention. UA’s two College of Arts and Sciences’ students selected for attendance are Steven Kelley, a native of Olive Branch, Miss., and Michele Stover, a native of Moselle, Miss. Watch for updates from the students at http://uanews.ua.edu/. For more information on the students and the event, see this news release or contact Chris Bryant, UA media relations, 205/348-8323, cbryant@ur.ua.edu.

FOSTER STUDENTS GAIN EXPOSURE TO COLLEGE SETTING, SOCIAL WORK CAREERS – For the third straight year, the UA School of Social Work is hosting a group of high school students in foster care from across the state and helping them acclimate to college and the diverse careers in social work. Through the National Social Work Enrichment Program, seventeen high-schoolers stay on campus, work with participating local businesses, and three UA undergraduates during the month-long duration of the camp. “Social Work is one of the fastest-rising careers in the country due to retiring “baby boomers” and soldiers returning from war, according to Department of Labor reports,” said Dr. Sebrena Jackson, founder and program director of National Social Work Enrichment Program. The camp concludes Friday. For more information, contact David Miller, media relations, at 205/348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.

UA TO HOST WORKSHOP ON SEVERE WEATHER WARNING PROCESS – The Center for Advanced Public Safety, or CAPS, at The University of Alabama will host a weather research workshop July 10 to present and evaluate research and applications aimed at enhancing the severe weather warning process. The workshop will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the University’s South Engineering Research Center Room 2036. For more information, watch http://uanews.ua.edu/ for a new release or contact Adam Jones, UA engineering media relations, at 205/348-6444 or acjones12@eng.ua.edu.

CURRENT COMMENT

UA CHILD-CARE EXPERT OFFERS KINDERGARTEN PREPARATION GUIDANCE – The first day of kindergarten can provoke feelings of anxiety and fear in both children and their parents, but there are numerous ways to help make the transition one of excitement and joy rather than trepidation. Children might feel anxious about moving on to kindergarten because they are worried they will not know anyone, they might not like their teacher, they might get lost in a new building or they will not know how to do the work. One University of Alabama child-care professional offers suggestions on how to ease that anxiety for both children and their parents. Contact: Kim Eaton, UA media relations, 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu, Robin Hollingsworth, director of the Child Development Research Center’s children’s program at UA, 205/348-0589, rhollingsworth@ches.ua.edu, or Kelly Avery, curriculum specialist with the Children’s Program, 205/348-8964, kavery@ches.ua.edu.