Wearable device to track diet under development
Science Daily – Nov. 6
Sensors and software used to track physical activity are increasingly popular, as smart phones and their apps become more powerful and sophisticated, but, when it comes to food, they all rely on the user to report meals. Dr. Edward Sazonov, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at The University of Alabama, hopes to change that through development of a sensor worn around the ear that would automatically track diet, giving medical professionals and consumers accurate information that can be missed with self-reporting. “Weight gain comes from an unbalance of the energy we take in versus the energy we expend,” Sazonov said. “We can estimate diet and nutrient intake, but the primary method is self-reporting. The sensor could provide objective data, helping us better understand patterns of food intake associated with obesity and eating disorders.” Sazonov is the lead on a $1.8 million, five-year grant from the National Institute of Health to test the practical accuracy of the wearable sensor in tracking diet. Already proven viable, the device will be updated, further miniaturized and validated in a more formal, robust experiment in the community.
UA receives $30,000 from General Motors
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – Nov. 10
A team of University of Alabama students received $30,000 from General Motors to build a car of the future. Here are members of Eco-Car Team 3 holding the check during a presentation ceremony. They have four years to start and finish the project. The team must redesign and market a 2016 Chevy Camaro into a hybrid electric vehicle. The university is competing against 14 other schools in the contest. They’ll get the Camaro that must be turned into a hybrid vehicle next year.
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Nov. 10
Alabama Graphite and The University of Alabama Formally Engage in Research Collaboration
Market Watch – Nov. 11
Alabama Graphite Corp. (“Alabama Graphite” or the “Company”) (ALP) (otcqx:ABGPF) (frankfurt:1AG WKN) (ISIN# CA0102931080) is pleased to announce that it has been collaborating under a Sponsored Research Agreement with The University of Alabama. The Company has teamed up with the lab of Dr. Nitin Chopra, Associate Professor in the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department at The University of Alabama. The Research Agreement commenced in July of 2014 and has been focused on characterization of graphitic material from the Company’s Coosa Project, located in Coosa County, Alabama, USA. The collaborative work is focused on understanding the structure, properties and purification parameters of natural flake graphite from Alabama. This work is a necessary precursor for developing potential commercial applications for the Company’s defined graphite resource. Dr. Chopra is a leading expert in carbon materials research and is well known for his work in carbon chemistry, synthesis and applications. He has dedicated his lab extensively to this research collaboration over the past months. “Carbon materials, especially graphite, have been the essence of my research for quite a while,” Dr. Chopra commented. “For an individual that is used to working with synthetic carbon, finding a natural graphite partner in my backyard is truly exciting.
Accountability Act Goes To Court And Helping Veterans
Alabama Public Radio – Nov. 11
Supporters of Alabama’s Accountability Act may soon learn the measure’s fate. Alabama Public Radio’s Pat Duggins reports the state Supreme Court will soon hear arguments over the plan … The University of Alabama Student Government Association is helping veterans this Veteran’s Day. The SGA is raising funds and awareness for Honor Flight. The program sends veterans of World War II and the Korean War up to Washington D.C. so they can see their war memorials. The SGA set up a website to collect money and even asked for donations on campus to help raise awareness and dollars. Branden Greenberg is the University of Alabama SGA Speaker Of Senate. He feels that the SGA is doing something to help out our veterans around Veterans Day.
University of Alabama releases homecoming details
Tuscaloosa News – Nov. 11
The University of Alabama’s homecoming football game with Western Carolina University will be at 3 p.m. Nov. 22, and a week’s worth of homecoming activities will begin this Sunday. The game between the Tide and the Catamounts will be televised on the SEC Network, according to details announced Monday. The organizers of the annual homecoming parade, held before the football game, are expected to announce the time today, according to a UA spokesperson. The route traditionally includes Greensboro Avenue and University Boulevard into campus, but this is subject to change. The parade is the culmination of a week of homecoming events ahead of the game. The theme for homecoming this year is “Tide Together: Celebrating the Capstone Spirit.”
UA Wall Honors Veterans (gallery)
Tuscaloosa News – Nov. 11
Mariah D’Angelo signs a wall in honor of Veterans including her father, grandfathers, uncles and UA student Keith Hinton Monday, Nov. 10, 2014. The wall was set up on the Quad on the campus of the University of Alabama for people to stop by and sign the name of a veteran with the headline “On UA Veterans Week, We Honor:”. Members of the Student Government Association and Caring for Camo worked together on the project.
Speakers discuss abuse
Crimson White – Nov. 11
Smooth jazz welcomed guests as the crowd filled into the North Zone of Bryant-Denny Stadium for the Shatter the Silence event. Flat screen televisions throughout the space scrolled through domestic violence facts, places to find help and other information. Miss University of Alabama Danielle Dubose began the proceedings, welcoming UA President Judy Bonner, Alabama First Lady Dianne Bentley and many others. Bonner welcomed the crowd and showed her gratitude, saying how proud she is of Dubose’s work. Dianne Bentley told the crowd how dating had changed since her time at Alabama. When she was dating Governor Bentley, they had to talk on the one phone on the wall in her sorority house, and when he picked her up, it was announced over a speaker that sounded throughout the house. She offered the crowd words of encouragement, telling them “a bad date will be a bad mate” and “love does not hurt.” The keynote speaker Sharon Love, spoke next. Six weeks before her daughter Yeardley Love would have graduated college, Yeardley’s ex-boyfriend broke in to her room while she was sleeping and beat her to death. Love said her own life and the lives of Yeardley’s sister and friends were changed forever.
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Nov. 11
‘Are You Smarter Than a Professor?’ UP event asks
Crimson White – Nov. 11
Students will challenge their professors during University Programs’ event in the Late Night Series called “Are You Smarter Than a Professor?” The event will take place from 8 to 10 p.m. in the Ferguson Ballroom. “We wanted to be able to have an event where students and faculty have the chance to let loose and have fun together,” said Morgan Smith, a senior majoring in communication studies, who is the event programmer for the Late Night Series. “As a student, you never want to go against your teacher/professor but with this event, you finally have the chance to.” University Programs is aiming to give students a safe and fun option for their late night plans. Smith said the event is a spinoff of the hit show”Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?” and will feature students in teams of five facing off in a trivia game against a panel of UA educators.
Aaron Huang survives cancer, writes memoir
Crimson White – Nov. 11
Near the end of 2012, Aaron Yitao Huang was attending The University of Alabama, majoring in geography and geology with a concentration in geographic information science, and was living over 7,000 miles away from his home in China. During that winter, Huang’s time in America was cut short. He was diagnosed with lymphoma and leukemia and returned to China the following January. … Huang has completed four runs of chemotherapy and finished a bone marrow transplantation last year. … After the BMT, he started to write a book called “Reborn,” to share his experience, his mood and his thoughts during the period. … He published the book in Chinese recently, and it has done well in the Chinese market. … Huang hopes to return to 100 percent health soon and get back to campus to finish his bachelor’s degree. … “I love UA and Tuscaloosa. When I was lying in the bed in hospital, I would always think about UA.” Huang said. “I love my friends, professors and the UA football team. I think I will come back to UA as soon as possible. I love studying in this beautiful university, and I want to get the diploma from UA. “
Students study abroad to discover family heritage
Crimson White – Nov. 11
For Keelan Vaughn, the question of his citizenship takes more to answer than simply pulling out his passport. Vaughn, a sophomore majoring in environmental engineering and German, is in the process of becoming a dual German and American citizen and will soon become what is known as a heritage student – students who study abroad in their family’s ancestral country. Vaughn’s mother hails from Germany, and his plans to study abroad in Mannheim, Germany during Spring semester reflect his interest in regaining that side of his heritage. He said a part of him wants to stay connected to his German ancestry, especially after the recent death of his German grandmother. … Carolina Robinson, director of Capstone International Academic Programs, said around 1,000 students studied abroad during the 2013-2014 academic year. Robinson said studying abroad offers many advantages for students, academically and personally, and having a familial connection with a country can add to their personal growth.