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MONDAY, AUG. 25 – MONDAY, SEPT. 1, 2014

BEST BETS

SLEEPY STUDENTS STRESSED BY JOBS – About 60 percent of college students get insufficient sleep and, in a new study conducted by a UA researcher, the students cite job stress and a lack of time as the primary reasons. Dr. Adam Knowlden, assistant professor in UA’s department of health science, said students in the study also indicate they were more concerned with short-term consequences of insufficient sleep then they were long-term. Long-term links have previously been made, Knowlden said, between poor sleep and diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity. The study will publish in a forthcoming issue of Family & Community Health, an academic journal. Knowlden may be reached at 205/348-1625 or aknowlden@ches.ua.edu. For assistance, contact Chris Bryant in media relations, 205/348-8323 or cbryant@ur.ua.edu.

UA SOCIAL WORK STUDENT WINS NATIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARD – Ning Tang, a doctoral student in UA’s School of Social Work, has been named the winner of the 2014 Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work Student Award for Leadership and Services for her efforts to enhance mutual understanding and cooperation between Chinese and American social workers. Among her efforts, Tang established the International Association of Chinese Social Workers, a non-profit professional global network for social workers of Chinese descent. Over 400 Chinese social workers have become members. Since her arrival in the United States four years ago, Tang’s research has helped social work students in China learn about social work education in the U.S. Contact: David Miller, UA Media Relations, 205/348-0825, dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu

UA EXPERT TIPS

UA MATTERS: OPTIMIZING YOUR ENERGY THROUGHOUT THE WORKDAY – As more and more Americans work long hours, it is no surprise that individuals are looking for ways to improve energy, feel better and perform at their best – both at work and at home. Researchers have noted that fatigue in the United States workforce is a common symptom with reported prevalence ranging from 7 percent to 45 percent. Employees with lower energy and signs of fatigue are significantly more likely to miss work and experience long-term work absence than workers without fatigue. The University of Alabama’s Dr. Rebecca Kelly, director of health promotion and wellness. offers a daily guide on how to boost energy during the workday, http://uanews.ua.edu/2014/08/ua-matters-optimizing-your-energy-throughout-the-workday/. Contact UA Media Relations, 205/348-5320.

CURRENT COMMENT

NEW SEC NETWORK RAISES QUESTIONS – Dr. Andrew Billings, Ronald Reagan chair of broadcasting in UA’s department of telecommunication and film, said the SEC Network is set to make a big impact in college sports. “In just its first year, the SEC Network has now assured a large footprint in the cable and satellite world,” Billings said. “With this week’s agreement with DirecTV, the SEC Network already stands to be earning at least the fourth-highest sports channel income with even more possibilities. Now questions will move to issues such as: what are the ramifications for watching games on Saturday? How will the SEC Network potentially alter game attendance?” Contact: Dr. Andrew Billings, 205-239-2337, acbillings@ua.edu