University of Alabama’s Jones Museum at Moundville Archaeological Park to celebrate 75th anniversary
Tuscaloosa News – May 7
The University of Alabama’s Jones Museum at Moundville Archaeological Park is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a series of events and programs, beginning Saturday. Events Saturday are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and include art, craft and technology demonstrations, dance performances and storytelling. In celebration of the anniversary, admission for Saturday will be 25 cents for children and 50 cents for adults, the rate charged when the museum opened in 1939. Regular admission is $6 for children and $8 for adults. Participants Saturday include shell carver Dan Townsend; ancient weapons expert Bill Skinner; potter Chip Wente; textile artist Cat Sloan; living historian Robert Thrower; cultural demonstrator Margaret Baggett; hoop dancer Lyndon Alec; and storyteller Amy Bluemel, according to a release from UA. Rebecca Alec will make frybread for visitors to sample. The museum’s Office of Archaeological Research will also have a table promoting the Alabama Archaeological Society, where visitors may bring artifacts for identification by archeologists.
UA Researchers Study Tornado Damage in Oklahoma
APR – May 8
Alabama researchers are looking into which kinds of structures can best survive tornadoes. Investigators went to Moore, Oklahoma and found that storm shelters survived when other buildings didn’t. University of Alabama associate professor Andrew Graettinger was a lead author of the study. He says they not only looked at the damage in Moore but also at the damage in Joplin, Missouri and Tuscaloosa. And in Moore, they found most shelters survived the damage. Andrew Graettinger: “Both above ground and below ground shelters performed very well. The house could have been completely gone and the shelter was perfectly fine. So it was very encouraging to see. These shelters are a really necessary item to have in people’s homes.” Graettinger says homeowners in Alabama could benefit from the findings.
Coast Guard reservist Avery Lowe honored
Tuscaloosa News – May 6
On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico. It was Petty Officer 1st Class Avery Lowe’s job to help clean it up. Lowe, a police officer at the University of Alabama and a marine science technician in the United States Coast Guard Reserve, was recognized on April 28 as the 2013 National Strike Force Reserve Emergency Responder of the Year. She received the United States Coast Guard Gulf Strike Team Responder of the Year award in January. Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Murphy said she nominated Lowe because she volunteered twice in the 2013 calendar year with the cleanup of the BP oil spill and the cleanup in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey. Murphy said many reservists don’t volunteer but wait until they are required to go. “Not only did she volunteer and she not only did the job that was asked of her but did it well and represented our unit and the Coast Guard as a whole,” Murphy said.
University of Alabama senior wins national award for desegregation documentary
Al.com – May 8
A University of Alabama student took home top honors in the 2013 national Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards with his 18-minute documentary on the desegregation of UA in 1963 and remaining racial challenges. Daniel Roth, a TCF major from Birmingham, was honored for his work titled, “Stepping Through,” a nod to the infamous Stand in the Schoolhouse Door. Roth interviewed the former editor-in-chief of The Crimson White who served during desegregation, the first black athlete to receive a scholarship at UA and former colleagues of Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, among others. His documentary was named “Best Use of Multimedia” in the nation. Roth’s SPJ honor is not the first national award he’s won for his documentary work, though. He chronicled The Crimson White’s coverage of the devastating April 27 tornadoes in 2012, premiering it on the storm’s one year anniversary. Roth’s work went on to win a Pacemaker, the highest honor in college journalism.
Looking to keep your student occupied this summer? Check out these camps at the University of Alabama
Al.com – May 8
Have you got an engineering whiz kid or a budding environmentalist you need to keep busy while school is out of session this summer? While University of Alabama students empty out to head to the beach or summer internships, hundreds of K-12 students will take over classrooms and campus this summer in a variety of educational campus. For the future Indiana Jones among us, the Alabama Museum of Natural History will offer three week-long programs where students can work side-by-side with scientists in paleontology and archaeology. Middle school student Noah Traylor discovered the remains of a marine reptile in rural Greene County during one of the museum’s programs last year, so sign up today if you’re interested in living out your Jurassic Park dreams … If you can’t commit to a week long adventure but still want to get out of the house and shake up your normal schedule, the Museum of Natural History will also host day trips throughout the summer. Museum officials say these trips are designed for students, adults, families and children over the age of 10.
Smithsonian exhibition solicits stories from locals
Dothan Eagle – May 7
William Holman sits down in a photo booth and begins telling his story about working in Dothan. Holman talks about how his grandfather came to Dothan as an agricultural merchant and about his own work history, including his tenure as Landmark Park’s executive director. “I can honestly say I look forward to going to work every day,” Holman said …“It’s sort of a confessional, if you will,” said Mike Letcher, a production manager for the Center for Public Television at the University of Alabama. Letcher said the exhibit displays the experience of a diverse group of Americans concerning their experience in the work world. Letcher said the project has revealed many commonalities in the work experience for Americans.
Snakes are on the move
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – May 7
Temperatures are heating up, which means snakes are on the move. During the past few weeks, two students at Samford University were bitten by snakes on that campus. But University of Alabama biology professor Steven Secor says that the snakes are not targeting humans, specifically. According to Dr. Secor, most snakes, even poisonous ones, are generally harmless. And it’s only when people try to move or pick them up, they are likely to attack. “Most of the bites do come from people handling or coming too close or aggravating the snake, playing with the snake, so the best thing is, leave it alone.” And Secor says if you do get bitten, you should seek medical attention immediately.