Dr. Amy Lang studying shark skin
Discovery – March 2
What do a Mako shark and a golf ball have in common? For Dr. Amy Lang, it’s all about their need for speed. Did you know why a golf ball has dimples? To control the airflow over the ball, so you can hit it farther and it decreases what we call “drag.” Amy believes she can make the world a faster place, not with dimples on golf balls, but with shark skin.
Alabama barbecue about politics, culture, history
Tuscaloosa News – March 1
At various times in Alabama, barbecue has served as a social event bringing together rural communities, a political tool, civil rights backdrop and an avenue for entrepreneurship. “What I found really interesting was, over the course of the state’s history, barbecue has really served as an occasion and a vehicle to bring people together who don’t always spend a lot of time together,” said Josh Rothman, professor of history and African-American studies at the University of Alabama. The history of the cooking style is the subject of an essay by UA graduate student Mark Johnson, which was edited by Rothman and published as part of the state tourism department’s Year of Alabama Barbecue campaign, which began recently and highlights Alabama’s tradition and eateries. “Pork Ribs and Politics: The origins of Alabama barbecue” was published as a multimedia website presentation by the Southern Foodways Alliance, a nonprofit organization based at the University of Mississippi that documents and celebrates the food cultures of the South. The nonprofit and the state funded the essay on the history of barbecue and a second essay on Alabama’s foodways with an $18,000 grant.
University of Alabama theater group to pay homage to Tennessee Williams, Marian Gallaway
Tuscaloosa News – March 1
It began with a postcard of Gaineswood, the Greek Revival plantation home in Demopolis, uncovered among the scrapbooks of Edwina Dakin Williams, mother of Tennessee Williams. Scholar Steve Tischel came across that and diary entries chronicling numerous courtships, in archives at the Harry Ransom Center in Austin, Texas. “She was quite the recipient of her own gentlemen callers,” said William Gantt, one of the founders of the Southern Literary Trail, and chief motivator behind “Tennessee Williams: The Alabama Tribute,” a two-day event celebrating the famed playwright’s connections with the state, tonight at Gaineswood and Tuesday at the University of Alabama’s Marian Gallaway Theatre. … Tonight’s Gaineswood event will feature performances by UA students, with Williams scholar Ken Holditch, author of “Tennessee Williams and the South,” discussing Edwina Dakin Williams as role model for domineering Amanda Wingfield of “The Glass Menagerie.” Tuesday’s Tuscaloosa portion of “Tennessee Williams: The Alabama Tribute” will focus on his friendship with the late Marian Gallaway, a longtime friend, and the driving force behind the creation of UA’s theater department. Performances and an armchair discussion led by Holditch and Edmond Williams (no relation), UA theater professor emeritus hired by Gallaway, will be held in the theater named for her.
UA chapter founder of ONE campaign seeks help in Washington
Tuscaloosa News – March 1
University of Alabama student Morgan Moran is part of a delegation of than 175 people meeting with lawmakers in Washington, D.C., this week to seek support for foreign assistance programs affiliated with the ONE campaign. ONE, a nonprofit group that seeks to end extreme poverty and preventable disease, was co-founded 10 years ago by Bono, lead singer of U2. Moran is a senior political science major who started the ONE chapter on the UA campus during her sophomore year. She had “liked” a ONE campaign advertisement on Facebook, and the group contacted her about bringing the organization to the Tuscaloosa campus. At the time, she had just changed her major from biology and chemistry to political science and was looking to get involved in more extracurricular activities.
Gorgas case exhibits black history artifacts
Crimson White – March 2
To explore the contents of the glass display cases and frames in Gorgas Library’s Pearson Foyer is to peer at a snapshot of historically and culturally significant representations of the last 150 years. Reverend Wylheme H. Ragland and his son, Frederick Kennedy, said they’re aiming to reconstruct a more realistic understanding of the significant contributions of people of color in Alabama through the exhibit, which displays cookbooks, scrapbooks, letters, photographs, wills, journals and funeral bulletins, primarily from north Alabama. “I think it’s absolutely vital to have different [tools] tell a story, and we want to have things that take the story out of the textbook,” Kennedy said. “If you can hold the diary of a Jubilee Singer, [a touring group of Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee], that was written 80 years ago as she performed across the world, it really helps shape your perspective.” Kennedy, who acts as an associate curator for the collection, said he often looks for dates of significance to enhance the meaning the collection’s exhibits. “The most recent donation of lot of African American content in February [was instigated] by it being Black History Month,” he said. “We thought adding to the collection would make the [celebration] more real. Having things other than the landmark [Martin Luther King Jr.] and Malcolm X, such as a book of memoirs from the 1800s, sparks new interest and makes more of an impact.”
‘Frozen’ told through dance in Southeast Alabama Dance Company production
Dothan Eagle – Feb. 27
The Southeast Alabama Dance Company is bringing their own interpretation of “Frozen” to the Dothan Civic Center, and the production is already one of the company’s most popular shows. … Solomon said “Frozen” is the largest production in SEADAC’s history with 168 non-company roles performed by area children. The production also features two guest artists – University of Alabama dance majors Collin Daffin and George Berry – to dance the male roles with Beth Ann Robinson as Elsa and Montana Pilcher as Anna. Two school shows on March 6 are sold out.
Dean’s List students named for UA Fall Term
Southeast Sun (Enterprise) – Feb. 27
A total of 9,302 students enrolled during the 2014 fall semester at the University of Alabama were named to the Dean’s List with an academic record of 3.5 (or above) or the President’s List with an academic record of 4.0 (all A’s). The UA Dean’s and President’s lists recognize full-time undergraduate students. The lists do not apply to graduate students or undergraduate students who take less than a full course load. Local students named to the President’s List include Eric P. Powers of Newton. Local students named to the Dean’s List include Cecilia K. King of Newton.
Horseshoe Bend Science Olympiad team brings home a state crown
Alexander City Outlook – Feb. 27
Kolbe Giddens and Colby Peters have skills that many in the area do not have. The two can build and program robots and even control the robots with their phones. The most amazing part is the team of Kolbe and Colby are not adults. They are seventh graders at Horseshoe Bend Middle School. The pair along with teammates competed this past weekend at the University of Alabama in the Middle School Science Olympiad with Kolbe and Colby competing in robotics. “They kept calling up other teams at the awards,” Horseshoe Bend Middle School science teacher and sponsor Micki Carroll said. “We knew we did pretty good at robotics and were hoping to finish third.” We were starting to get a little down after they announced third and then second,” Carroll said. “It was our first competition and we’re still having fun. Then the announcer called out Horseshoe Bend for first in robotics. You would have thought we had won a world championship or something by the way we were yelling and doing flips.”
Sorority to host fundraising 5K for child abuse prevention
Crimson White – March 2
The University of Alabama chapter of Kappa Delta will host a Shamrock Run 5K on March 7 from 1 to 3 p.m. to raise money for child abuse prevention. Registration takes place either online or on the day of the event at noon in the Kappa Delta sorority house. A link to online registration can be found at the “UA Kappa Delta Shamrock Run” Facebook page. Community members can sign up online for the race or make a donation. The chapter’s fundraising goal for this year is over $50,000.