UA civil engineering professor releases details on tornado study
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – April 30
In the wake of the recent tornado outbreak, one UA professor is releasing details on a study which looks into how we can make our homes, businesses, and other structures more tornado safe. WVUA’s Travis Leder takes a closer look at these findings in our team coverage. UA civil engineering professor Andrew Graettinger says we don’t construct our homes to withstand a tornado. Andrew Graettinger: “All that we really have are simple nails and things that are holding the roof on and you expect that weight of the roof to stay on but in a tornado there’s such uplift force that that roof can just be pulled off.” In his study, he finds many communities are making the same design flaws, including Moore, Oklahoma, Joplin, Missouri, and even in Tuscaloosa.
UA civil engineering professor says retaining walls are designed to hold back the soil
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – April 30
In Tuscaloosa, a University of Alabama student died as a result of the storms. Officials say the 21-year-old, John Servati, died saving the life of his girlfriend from a collapsing retaining wall, in a basement where he and others were seeking shelter. University of Alabama civil construction and environmental engineering professor, Andrew Graettinger says retaining walls are designed to hold back soil in areas of different elevation. He says these types of walls are often composed of cement blocks and mortar, with re-bar for extra support. Graettinger says retaining walls are designed to withhold extreme pressure. “Well, now, when we design a retaining wall, we are typically considering that the soil has some sort of strength. That’s the why soil can kind of pile up and stand in a pile. So there’s some strength that holds soil up and if you get enough water behind there and soil mixed together, often times it will lose its strength and it can put more pressure on the wall.
UA TCF professor teaches an unusual college class
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – April 30
When you head to college, there are your standard classes: math, English, and so on. But you can also find some more unusual topics, like zombies, and the Beatles. Professors say there’s added value in these courses. Students at the University of Alabama looking for an offbeat course can sign up for a lesson in zombies. “It’s actually a really great historical course that allows us to look at the way the zombie monster changes through almost 100 years of popular fiction.” Mathew Payne shows his students how the zombie character is used to reflect human culture. “If you look at the films from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s they’re about racism, consumerism, classism and militarism.” You won’t find a traditional textbook in this class.
The PECASE Winners Offer Advice
ScienceMag.org – April 17
In town this week to receive their awards, the winners of the most prestigious U.S. government prize for young scientists had some advice for anyone hoping to follow in their footsteps: Publish early and often, be prepared to “do it all yourself,” and hope for a bit of luck. The new batch of recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) were honored Monday at a White House ceremony. However, the 102 honorees had to share their moment in the spotlight with the political crisis in Ukraine: A phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin caused President Barack Obama to run 45 minutes late, for which he apologized. Samantha Hansen, an assistant professor of geological sciences at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa who works in Antarctica, agreed that “luck has something to do with it. But we all work our tails off, too.” She said winning an NSF postdoctoral fellowship “showed that I can bring in money, and I was told that was a big advantage for me” as a job applicant.
Phys.org – April 16
Best Travel Credit Cards for Summer 2014
Card Hub – April 28
With the economy improving and more families expected to travel in 2014 than in years past, lucrative travel rewards credit cards figure to receive a great deal of consumer attention in the coming weeks and months. What is the spring/summer travel outlook? Jeannie Hahm, University of Alabama : “The outlook for leisure travel this spring and summer looks positive. This past winter season was one of the coldest and snowiest that affected many travelers. In many cases, people were not able to travel due to the bad weather, road conditions, and flight cancellations. As a result, travel agents have been seeing many advanced bookings for the upcoming seasons. Also, there were many last minute bookings to escape the cold and the snow. The cruise industry seems to be rebounding. It will be interesting to see if there will be any impacts from other weather related issues and the new fear of flying generated from the missing plane.”
UA students work to help in disaster relief after tornado
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – April 30
Two days after an EF 1 tornado hit parts of south Tuscaloosa, some University of Alabama students are working to make a difference in the lives of strangers. WVUA’s Katie Malone continues our coverage … Caleb: “We’ve really made it a mission of ours to be involved with disaster relief wherever it happens. Especially here at home in Tuscaloosa.” The student ministry at Tuscaloosa’s Central Church of Christ knows disaster relief well. William Orman: “It’s part of our calling. It’s part of what we’re called to do, and so we’re answering that as best we can.” After their church was destroyed on April 27, 2011, the community’s outpouring of support inspired them to make a difference when disaster strikes.
National Student Exchange student follows in parents’ footsteps
Iowa State Daily – May 1
An ISU student will be following in his father’s footsteps when he spends the upcoming school year at the University of Alabama as part of the National Student Exchange program. William Rabe, a sophomore in chemical engineering and biochemistry from Ramsey, Minn., will have the opportunity to attend the alma mater of both his father and mother next year because of the program. “Both of my parents went [to Alabama],” Rabe said. “We’re huge Alabama fans.” Rabe’s father, William Rabe III, spent a year at the University of Alabama as a participant in the National Student Exchange program 31 years ago as a college student at the University of North Dakota. “He had told me that he had done [the National Student Exchange program] and I didn’t realize that until this year,” Rabe said. “[The University of Alabama] has my major so that worked out pretty well.” It was at the University of Alabama that Rabe’s father met his mother, Kimmie. Rabe’s father transferred to the University of Alabama and Rabe’s parents continued to study in Alabama until they both completed medical school there.
Bonds receives “Health Hero” recognition
Talladega Daily Home – April 30
He may not have taken home the big prize, but Richard Bonds’ work still earned him special recognition by a statewide organization. Bonds received honorable mention at the Alabama Health Heroes awards given by the University of Alabama Institute for Rural Health Research at its 15th annual conference April 29 in Tuscaloosa. Health Hero awards honor rural healthcare providers and others in Alabama who assist communities in preventing childhood diseases and illnesses. … Bonds, who is prevention services coordinator at Cheaha Mental Health Center in Sylacauga, received honorable mention in the community organization category…