Study: Photos of alcohol can narrow attention
CBS 42 (Birmingham) – Feb. 19
Can you experience some of the effects of drinking alcohol without ever taking a swig? New research from the University of Alabama points to “yes.” We all know how alcohol can impact or “narrow” a person’s attention. ”This has been something that’s been found many years that is chemically induced,” explains researcher Dr. Philip Gable. ”When someone ingests alcohol, it causes someone to zero-in or focus very intently. As an example, there are many problems with drunk driving, but if you’re really zeroed-in on something or too narrowed, you might be focused so intently on the speed limit and might miss the stop sign.” That “narrowing” is something researchers have also been able to find in college students who simply looked at photos of alcoholic beverages, or alcohol cues. ”Those who drink more than other students tend to have more of this narrowing effect,” explains Gable. ”Remarkably, this narrowing that people have to alcohol actually predicts future behavior as well. So the more zeroed-in or captured you are by these alcohol cues, the more it predicts future drinking.” The research so far has primarily focused on the attentional narrowing. Forty-two students volunteered to be hooked up to EEG machines that measure brain activity while they look at a slide show of images that included alcohol. Gable says they noticed that the students’ focus narrowed on the images of alcohol, more so than on other neutral images.
Author of ‘The Help’ to speak at Alabama Feb. 28
Tuscaloosa News – Feb. 18
University of Alabama alumna and author Kathryn Stockett will discuss the story behind her New York Times best seller “The Help” during a free event Feb. 28 at the Capstone. The 2009 novel describing racial tensions between affluent white families and their black servants was the basis for the 2011 film by the same name. The film’s cast included Montgomery native Octavia Spencer, who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as outspoken maid Minny Jackson. Stockett, who graduated with a degree in English and creative writing, is scheduled to talk about the process and challenges of writing and publishing the book at 3 p.m. in UA’s Moody Music Hall. There event will include a short question and answer period, and Stockett will sign copies of her book.
“Unchaining Alabama” Exhibit on Display at UA’s Gorgas Library
ABC 33/40 (Birmingham) – Feb. 18
A slavery exhibit at the University of Alabama will be on display until March. “Unchaining Alabama” is on the third floor of the Gorgas Library. Thirteen glass-covered displays contain historical papers that document UA’s involvement with slavery. Years ago, the faculty senate apologized for the school’s role. The exhibit was put together by senior Benjamin Flax after his research project in history.
Nick Saban profile author Warren St. John to talk journalism at Alabama
Tuscaloosa News – Feb. 18
Former New York Times reporter and author Warren St. John is scheduled to discuss his work profiling University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban and journalism in general during a free event Thursday on the UA campus. St. John wrote about Saban in the summer of 2013 for GQ magazine. The writer and Birmingham native will speak at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in room 216 of Reese Phifer Hall. The speech is free and open to the public. “Warren St. John is not only an extremely gifted writer, he’s also a master at grasping the psychology of the people he writes about,” said Wilson Lowrey, chair of the UA department of journalism, in a released statement. “We’re fortunate he’s agreed to give us a peek into the process behind his craft.” St. John’s books include “Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer: A Journey into the Heart of Fan Mania.”
Physics meet brings high school students to campus
Crimson White – Feb. 19
High school students were invited from around the state, as well as Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee to compete in The University of Alabama’s annual physics competition Tuesday. The University hosted between 160 and 170 students for two events in the competition. The physics competition featured two tests. The first was taken individually by each participant and featured 32 problems from high school physics. The second test is a relay-style team event. Bill Keel, physics professor and organizer of the competition, said the second test created an exciting atmosphere … The day was rounded out with a physics department open house and a lecture called “Cosmic Messengers” by Patrick Toale, assistant professor of physics and astronomy. Toale spoke about fundamental particles called neutrinos and IceCube, a neutrino detector at the Amundsen-Scott research station in Antarctica.
Program teaches creative writing in local schools
Crimson White – Feb. 19
Students in local schools are familiar with test preparation and critical thinking, but as of this year they may also be familiar with a University of Alabama graduate student who regularly comes into their classroom to promote creative learning as a part of the UA Writers in the Schools program. Kenny Kruse, director of WITS, said the program came from a panel discussion about community outreach. The UA creative writing program was already hosting a creative writing club for local high school students, but Kruse said WITS wanted to move beyond self-selected students. “We wanted to go into classrooms and reach everyone,” he said. The program is two-fold, intended both to connect graduate students – many of whom Kruse said are out-of-state students – to their community, as well as to expose students and teachers to creative thinking skills and education that can get squeezed out of a system focused on test scores. “A lot of kids don’t believe that what they have to say is valuable. Art is a place where there is no right answer. Any kid can write an awesome poem,” he said. “If creativity isn’t cultivated, people will accept the world as it is and not see alternative ways of doing things.”
Walk of a champion
Crimson White – Feb. 19
Julep is not like all of the other dogs that roam the Quad with their owners when the weather warms for the first time in February. Julep is a Westminster Dog Show ribbon holder, and her owner Brenna Potash worked hard to get her there. The senior majoring in consumer science recently participated in the Westminster Dog Show in New York City and won Best of Breed with Julep, a 2-and-half-year-old bluetick coonhound. Potash said her dog is anything but just a show dog to her. “I tell people who say, ‘Oh, she’s just a show dog,’ that, actually, [her being a] show dog is the icing on the cake, per se. She would be my pet first, my hunting dog second and then my show dog,” Potash said. “Saturday I took her out, and she treed a raccoon, not even five days from winning at the Westminster Dog Show.” Having her dog follow these three avenues can be a lot to juggle, though Potash noted that all dogs, whether Best in Show at Westminster or regular pets, are perfect. Misconceptions often form about show dogs, as people view them as either frivolous or fully trained and perfect specimens. “It’s hard to have a pure hunting dog as a show dog, because if you’re at an outside show, what’s the first thing they’re going to look for? Animals. Or they see a little dog, and they automatically think, ‘Furry animal. I’m supposed to chase it.’ [The same goes with] people at Westminster wearing fur coats,” Potash said.
Bipartisan campus event weighs in on state legislature
Crimson White – Feb. 19
University of Alabama students gathered in Lloyd Hall Tuesday evening to hear two policy groups discuss legislative issues facing the state. Both sides weighed in on where the state legislature should focus during the remainder of this year’s session. The Alabama Legislative Update was hosted by the Student Government Association and sponsored by UA College Democrats and UA College Republicans. The Alabama Policy Institute, representing the center-right, and Alabama Arise, representing the center-left, were both present. The Alabama Policy Group was represented by Cameron Smith, vice president and general counsel, while Alabama Arise was represented by Kimble Forrister, executive director. They were joined by Sam Gerard, president of College Democrats and Caitlin Connors, president of College Republicans.
Singers host student-run performance
Crimson White – Feb. 19
The musical talents of a group of University of Alabama students will be showcased Thursday at the University Singers performance at Moody Music Building. University Singers is a selective ensemble of 45 student choral singers from around campus. “They’re kind of the best of the best,” said Michelle Rosenberg, event coordinator for the music school. “Most of them are music majors or minors, but they actually do have people from all different departments.” The University Singers perform on several occasions throughout the year. However, this performance will be different than others. The director of the group is on sabbatical for the semester, so the concert will be entirely student-run, from the singers to the pianist and even the conductor.
WorldEducation.net partners with University of Alabama, College of Continuing Studies to offer new online courses
Individual.com – Feb. 19
World Education.net has been selected by the University of Alabama, Office of Professional Development and Community Engagement College of Continuing Studies as their premier online training provider of programs to students and individuals looking to acquire advanced skills and certificates in a variety of career fields. “Online training has long been a significant skill-building tool for working adults and their employers, all of whom need training anywhere and anytime. World Education.net will help us take this capability to a higher level through valuable services like career counseling and externships. Online formats enhanced with those additional services will be especially important to members of the military and their spouses who want to prepare for transition into the civilian workforce,” says Leroy Hurt, Associate Dean, of Professional Development and Community Engagement, College of Continuing Studies. With the help of World Education.net, University of Alabama, College of Continuing Studies, now offers programs that can help individuals at any stage of their career whether the student is interested in switching careers, obtaining advanced skills and certificates, or a first-time job seeker in need of specialized training.
COLLEGE NEWS: 2/16
Tuscaloosa News – Feb. 16
University of Alabama — Sylvia D. Turner of Gainesville made the UA president’s list for the fall 2013 semester … Gamma Phi Beta will celebrate its 25th anniversary at the University of Alabama on Feb. 26. It held an anniversary celebration on Feb. 8 at the Cypress Inn Pavilion … Its Epsilon Lambda chapter started with 71 members. Today, there are more than 1,100 Epsilon Lambda members and alumnae … The chapter is constructing a $12 million home that is expected to be ready for occupancy by spring 2015 …Three University of Alabama students, Madison Butz, Staci Ethridge and Jillian Bibbins, will graduate from the Leading Edge Institute on March 1. LEI is a nine-month leadership program to prepare and empower young women to be leaders.
Panel discusses definition of black masculinities
Crimson White – Feb. 19
Tuesday’s Black Masculinities panel dealt with the question “What do Nelson Mandela and Kanye West have in common?” The event was sponsored by the Women’s Resource Center and the department of gender and race studies in association with African-American History Month. “We wanted to have a really thoughtful discussion about gender during African-American History month,” Jessi Hitchins, assistant director of the WRC, said. “That includes both masculinity and femininity. That’s not a conversation that often happens in context of the intersection of both gender and race.” Hitchins, who planned the event with WRC Coordinator Eric Patterson, contacted four speakers with “scholarship and activism in the area of black masculinity” for the panel, including Brandon Davis, a graduate teaching assistant in the political science department who said he regularly dabbles in critical race theory and feminist theory, especially how it relates to the state.