MONDAY, FEB. 24 – SUNDAY, MARCH 2, 2014
BEST BETS
UA JUNIOR EARNS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM STATE DEPARTMENT – University of Alabama junior secondary education major Aaron Brazelton is like a lot of college undergraduates – dreaming of vacationing abroad. But the fun of traveling to Europe is secondary to Brazelton, who has helped establish The Serbia Fellowship Experience, an educational and social partnership between The University of Alabama Honors College, the University of Novi Sad and the municipality of Blace, Serbia. Brazelton, a Huntsville native, recently earned the International Exchange Alumni Award for the month of February from the U.S. State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The Serbia Fellowship Experience will be recognized on the International Exchange Alumni website throughout the month of February. The group had its first trip to Serbia in 2013, when it helped implement anti-bullying curriculum from the Heritage Panel, a program started by the YMCA. Brazelton helped start a UA branch of the Heritage Panel, which selected 12 students from the Honors College to work with students at Salisbury High School in North Carolina and implement a curriculum that “addresses the negative behaviors of bullying, cliques and exclusion.” For more information, contact David Miller, UA Media Relations, at 205/348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.
UA RESEARCHER FINDS GENDER GAP IN OLYMPIC COVERAGE IS NARROWING – Dr. Andrew Billings, UA’s Ronald Reagan Chair of Broadcasting and professor in the department of telecommunication and film, was part of a team of researchers who have found that NBC’s coverage of the Sochi Olympics showed a smaller gap in the amount of time dedicated to men’s events versus women’s events. “U.S. men and women each won the same number of medals in Sochi, so the factor of American success was largely neutralized in this analysis,” said Billings, author of Olympic Media: Inside the Biggest Show on Television. “While not representing clock-time equity, the gap represents progress for coverage of women’s sports.” Contact: Misty Mathews, UA Media Relations, 205/348-6416, mmathews@ua.edu; Dr. Andrew Billings, 205/239-2337, acbillings@ua.edu.
UA ADDS ARCHITECTURAL, ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING DEGREES – The University of Alabama College of Engineering will offer new degrees in architectural engineering and environmental engineering, beginning this fall, to meet the growing opportunities for engineers with those specialties. See this news release for more details, or contact Adam Jones, UA Media Relations, acjones12@eng.ua.edu or 205/348-6444.
CURRENT COMMENT
UA EXPERT ON CLIMATE CHANGE – Climate change is real, and we ignore it at our peril. The University of Alabama’s Dr. Matthew Therrell points out that the issue around climate change goes deeper than “global warming” or “global cooling” and that failing to recognize the seriousness of real climate change can ultimately be dangerous. Contact: Bobby Mathews, UA Media Relations, 205/348-4956 or bwmathews1@ur.ua.edu
UA EXPERT TIPS
UA MATTERS: HOW TO FILE TAX RETURN EXTENSIONS – As the April 15 filing deadline draws near, some taxpayers may be tempted to request an automatic extension of time to file their personal federal income tax returns. The University of Alabama’s Dr. Shane Stinson offers some key points to consider before requesting such an extension, http://uanews.ua.edu/2014/02/ua-matters-how-to-file-tax-return-extensions/. Contact: UA Media Relations, 205/348-5320
UA’S HEALTH CORNER PROVIDES PRACTICAL HEALTH TIPS – Dr. Scott Arnold talks about screening for colorectal cancer and when a patient should be screened in the latest video in UA’s Health Corner, http://vimeo.com/album/2551337/video/86931927. The video series addresses health topics and provides practical advice and guidance from UA’s expert sources and physicians in the College of Community Health Sciences. A new video topic posts every Wednesday morning. Contact: UA Media Relations, 205/348-5320.
EVENTS
UA ALUM, NYT BESTSELLING AUTHOR TO LECTURE – University of Alabama alumnus Kathryn Stockett will be on campus Feb. 28 to lecture at Moody Music Hall, detailing the story behind the writing of the New York Times bestselling novel The Help. The event is at 3 p.m., and is free and open to the public. Stockett will sign copies of her novel following her talk. Contact: Bobby Mathews, UA Media Relations, at 205/348-4956 or bwmathews1@ur.ua.edu
UA SPORTS SYMPOSIUM SPEAKER WILL ADDRESS LGBTQ ISSUES AND NCAA ATHLETES – The Alabama Program in Sports Communication’s annual symposium will be Feb. 28 with Dr. Susan Rankin, of Pennsylvania State University, as keynote speaker. Rankin’s research focuses on issues faced by LGBTQ NCAA athletes, such as Michael Sam, the NFL prospect and former Mizzou standout who recently publicly announced that he is gay. The event will be from 8:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 28, in Gorgas Library room 205, with Rankin’s address at 2 p.m. For a full schedule, visit http://sportscom.ua.edu/apsc-sports-symposium-2014/. Contact: Misty Mathews, UA Media Relations, 205/348-6416; Dr. Lance Kinney, event organizer and APSC fellow, 205/348-7706, kinney@apr.ua.edu.
NOTED HIGHER-ED SOCIAL JUSTICE RESEARCHER TO SPEAK PANEL ON “INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES” – Dr. Susan R. Rankin, research associate in the Center for the Study of Higher Education and associate professor of education in the College Student Affairs Program at Pennsylvania State University, will deliver a lecture on Stormy Weather: The Influence of Campus Climate on Building Inclusive Communities at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26 in Lloyd Hall, Room 222. The event is free and open to the public. Following Rankin’s lecture, there will be a panel discussion about campus climate and its influence on queer-spectrum and trans-spectrum people. For more information, contact David Miller, media relations, at 205/348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.
EDWARD K. ALDAG JR. BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION FINAL SET FOR FEB. 27 – UA students seeking to start their own businesses now have an opportunity to turn their ideas into reality and receive startup funding. The Edward K. Aldag Jr. $50,000 Business Plan Competition hosted by the Culverhouse College of Commerce will award three students with the winning business plans with startup funding and in–kind services. The competition includes a preliminary round, mentoring session and live finale Thursday, Feb. 27 at The Edge. Judges will select from the initial pool of applicants to move on to a preliminary round that includes a live pitch. Those proceeding to the final round are required to participate in a 10-minute mentoring session and a 15-minute pitch prior to the live finale. The competition is made possible by Culverhouse alumnus Edward K. Aldag Jr., founder and CEO of Medical Properties Trust, Birmingham, and the Culverhouse College of Commerce. For more information visit http://mycba.ua.edu/businessplan. Contact: Edith Parten, UA Media Relations, 205/348-8318, eparten@culverhouse.ua.edu
AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH – UA’s Crossroads Community Center invites the UA campus and community to participate in African-American History Month events throughout February. This year’s campus celebration promotes recognition of the contributions of African-American culture to area communities and the nation. It will highlight moments in African-American history and the ongoing impact of the African-American experience. Events include tours celebrating the civil rights history of UA as well as lectures, exhibits and events. Go to http://uanews.ua.edu/2014/02/ua-celebrates-2014-african-american-history-month-with-tours-events/ for a list of upcoming events. Contact: Richard LeComte, UA Media Relations, 205/348-3782, rllecomte@ur.ua.edu.
UA THEATRE & DANCE PRESENTS ‘PICNIC’ — They say youth is wasted on the young. But UA’s department of theatre and dance will examine that cliche’ in a new production–and maybe discover that youth isn’t wasted; it’s merely seen through the dual prism of experience and inexperience. UA theatre and dance presents Picnic in the Galloway Auditorium from Feb. 24 through March 2 at 7:30 p.m. Contact Bobby Mathews, UA Media Relations, 205/348-4956 or bwmathews1@ur.ua.edu
UA’S MOUNDVILLE CONTINUES ‘SATURDAY IN THE PARK’ SERIES – “Saturday in the Park,” a series of programs running during the warmer months, continues Saturday, March 1, with Paula Nelson, of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, presenting “Mississippian Lifeways.” Guests may learn about ancient Southeastern Indian clothing and adornment while listening to traditional stories. Moundville Archaeological Park hosts “Saturday in the Park” as a free, weekly, education enrichment opportunity for the community and beyond. No additional fees are charged over the park’s basic admission for any of these events and programs. Contact: Moundville Archaeological Park Education Office, 205/371-8732.
LOOKING AHEAD
DIVERSITY SYMPOSIUM KEYNOTE WILL FOCUS ON LGBTQ ISSUES – The College of Communication and Information Sciences’ annual Discerning Diverse Voices: Symposium on Diversity will feature Dr. Tony Adams, assistant professor at Northeastern Illinois University, to discuss “Narrating the Closet.” The symposium will begin at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 4, with a presentation related to the Birmingham Black Radio Museum Project in Reese Phifer Hall room 222, will continue at 8 a.m., Wednesday, March 5, in Gorgas Library room 205, and will end with Adams’ address at 4:30 p.m. Contact: Misty Mathews, UA Media Relations, 205/348-6416, mmathews@ua.edu; Dr. Robin Boylorn, assistant professor of communication studies, 205/348-8078, rboylorn@ua.edu.