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MONDAY, MARCH 23 – SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2015

BEST BETS

‘SANKOFA AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUSEUM ON WHEELS’ TO VISIT UA – Historian Angela Jennings will hold a colloquium, “Sankofa African-American Museum on Wheels” at noon today in room 104 of Little Hall. The colloquium will include displays of artifacts that originated in 1860s Africa, slavery in the United States and the Civil Rights Movement. This event is sponsored by the School of Social Work and the Black Faculty and Staff Association of The University of Alabama. There will be a campus and community reception for Jennings from 4-6 p.m. in Little Hall. Jennings will have a letter detailing the jailing of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Birmingham and will examine King’s response if it had been done in 140 character tweets. For more information about either time, contact David Miller, UA Media Relations, at 205/348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.

DIVERSITY EXPERT TO SPEAK MARCH 23 – Dr. Damon A. Williams, an expert on diversity who has spoken on more than 250 college campuses, will deliver a talk titled “ Higher Education Diversity and the 21st Century Global Economy: A Perfect Storm” at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 23, at the Moody Music Building Concert Hall. The event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. For tickets, email Courtney Fair in the School of Music at clstokes2@ua.edu.. For more information, contact Dr. Scott Bridges of the Ad-Hoc Diversity Education and Leadership Study Group at SBridges@aalan.ua.edu or 205/348-5027 or Richard LeComte, UA Media Relations, at 205/348-3782 or rllecomte@ur.ua.edu.

UA DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE LAUNCHES CYBERCRIME MINOR — The University of Alabama’s department of criminal justice will help staff future cybersecurity workforces in the burgeoning field following the announcement of a new cyber crime minor. The 18-credit hour minor will begin in Fall 2015 and will include classes within the department as well as computer science, psychology and accounting. The Pentagon and Congress announced March 5 the approval to hire 3,000 civilian cyber experts, in part because of growing cyber security threats and the struggle by Cyber Command to keep up. “Currently there’s a disconnect between criminal justice and the broader social sciences, and computer science and information technology. Our degree program is aimed at bridging that gap,” said Dr. Diana Dolliver, assistant professor of criminal justice at UA. “We’re providing one of the first such programs in the country that’s housed in a social sciences department. Federal investigators are currently recruiting candidates with both social science and tech backgrounds.” The launch of the minor comes on the heels of the department’s launch of a cybercrime lab and partnership with UAPD and other law enforcement agencies. For more information, contact David Miller, UA Media Relations, at 205/348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.

WORLD’S LARGEST PARTICLE ACCELERATOR TO SWITCH ON THIS WEEK, HAS UA TIES – The world’s largest particle accelerator is expected to be switched on this week near Geneva, Switzerland following a two-year hiatus. Two UA physicists are among the thousands of scientists working on the project designed to both give insight into the early universe and provide a better understanding of some of the fundamental science that surrounds us. It’s the same site that discovered evidence of the so-called “God particle” – scientists prefer the name Higgs boson — that drew international media attention in 2012. Drs. Conor Henderson and Paolo Rumerio, UA assistant professors of physics, won a three-year, $630,000 research grant from the Department of Energy in May to assist in their contributions to the project. Called the Large Hadron Collider, the particle accelerator is buried 300-feet underground and has a 17-mile circumference. For more information about UA’s role, contact Chris Bryant, UA Media Relations, 205/348-8323 or cbryant@ur.ua.edu. Contact Henderson directly at 205/348-5843 or conor.henderson@ua.edu. Rumerio may be reached at 205/348-2565 or pgrumerio@ua.edu.

WHAT PLACE DOES EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE HAVE IN NURSING EDUCATION? It takes more than a high IQ to make a good nurse, said Michelle Cheshire, an assistant professor in UA’s Capstone College of Nursing. Cheshire suggests “soft skills” should also be used in considering which applicants are good fits for nursing programs. Combining traditional admission criteria — such as test scores and grade point averages — with applicants’ emotional intelligence – things like compassion and ability to manage emotions – could provide nurse educators with more insight into whether an applicant is apt to be successful. Contact: Kim Eaton, UA Media Relations, 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.  

CURRENT COMMENT

MARCH MADNESS AND THE MEDIA – Dr. John Vincent, a professor of kinesiology in UA’s College of Education, says viewers who closely watch media coverage of this year’s NCAA basketball tournament are likely to see some familiar themes. Vincent, who has interest in how the media’s coverage of sporting events can shape issues of national identity, gender and race, says media outlets often deem parents of athletes as  newsworthy, especially athletic dads. Look, Vincent says, for dad’s to be credited with honing their athlete’s physical skills while moms are most often portrayed as the provider of emotional support. In a study published in 2008, Vincent and his research colleagues analyzed 508 sports stories from the NCAA tourney and found more than twice the number of references to an athlete’s dad versus an athlete’s mom. Vincent, who  will be one of 13 UA faculty members recognized for research efforts during an upcoming campus event (see http://uanews.ua.edu/2015/03/uas-first-faculty-research-day-set-for-april-8/), says viewers can also expect to see frequent references to football, despite this being the height of basketball season, and descriptions that seem to fit with the stereotypical approach that African-American athletes are superior natural athletes while European American athletes are  hard-working and smart overachievers lacking natural athleticism. Vincent, whose primary interest is in international sporting events, including soccer and the Olympics, may be reached at jvincent@bamaed.ua.edu or 205/348-8369. For assistance, contact Chris Bryant, UA Media Relations, 205/348-8323 or cbryant@ur.ua.edu.

UA EXPERT TIPS

UA MATTERS: TIPS FOR FINDING A GOOD NURSING HOME – Helping a loved one transition to long-term nursing care away from their home can be an emotional and stressful experience. You can find the right nursing home for your loved one with a bit of time and research. The University of Alabama’s Dr. Heather Carter-Templeton offers the following tips to help you determine the right nursing home for a loved one in this week’s UA Matters. Contact: Kim Eaton, UA Media Relations, 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.

UA MATTERS: HOW CAN PARENTS AND CHILDREN SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY TOGETHER? – “Servers” come in all shapes and sizes. Children serve with an authenticity that is sometimes hard to replicate as they get older. Research shows that participating in service at a young age helps build a lifetime commitment to helping others. The University of Alabama’s Courtney Chapman Thomas, director of community service, offers insight on how parents can serve with their children in UA Matters. Contact: Kim Eaton, UA Media Relations, 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.

EVENTS

UA SPEECH TEAM PREPARES FOR ANOTHER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP EFFORT — The Alabama Forensic Council will hold a Nationals Showcase at 7 p.m., March 23 in Alston Hall room 30 in preparation for its upcoming Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha National Individual Events tournament. The AFC holds numerous team and individual national titles. Additionally, the AFC will hold a team showcase Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Bidgood Hall room 140 and Thursday at 7 p.m. in Bidgood Hall room 110. Contact: Misty Mathews, UA Media Relations, 205/348-6416, mmathews@ua.edu or Bobby Imbody, director of forensics, 205/348-8077, imbody@ua.edu.

EASTER EGG HUNT – The Alabama Panhellenic Association will host its annual Easter Egg hunt for the Tuscaloosa community on the front lawn of the President’s Mansion on Sunday, March 29. The event is organized for children 12 and younger and is free to the public. The hunt will begin at 2 p.m. and last until 4 p.m. or until the last egg is found. The event will include refreshments by Bama Dining and candy filled eggs for the children to hunt. The eggs will be provided and stuffed by sorority women organized through the APA Junior Panhellenic Delegate program. Parking is available behind sorority row and the hunt will be cancelled in the case of inclement weather. Please do not park in the lot behind the President’s Mansion. For more information, please visit www.uapanhellenic.com. Contact: Richard LeComte, UA Media Relations, rllecomte@ur.ua.edu, 205/348-3782.

STARTUP WEEKEND RETURNS TO UA CAMPUS – UA and Culverhouse College of Commerce students and area residents will once again have the opportunity to bring their business ideas to life as Startup Weekend returns to campus Friday, March 27, to Sunday, March 29. Last year, Brewery Buddy was a winner in the competition. The 54-hour event brings together those with technical backgrounds and business backgrounds to help entrepreneurs find merit to move ideas forward. It will be held at the South Engineering Research Center on the UA campus. Learn more about Startup Weekend Tuscaloosa at Tuscaloosa.up.co or register at Startup Weekend Tuscaloosa. For more information, contact Edith Parten, UA Media Relations, 205/348-8318, eparten@culverhouse.ua.edu.

UA ENGINEERING STUDENTS HELP HOST ROCKET CONTEST – A water-rocket contest among middle school students on Tuesday, March 24 is the culmination of an outreach effort by UA students. The engineering students assisted sixth-grade science teachers at Hillcrest Middle School in Tuscaloosa County prepare students for competition, which will be at at 2 p.m. at the Hillcrest football field off Patriot Parkway. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA engineering media relations, 205/348-8644 or acjones12@eng.ua.edu.

UA HOVERCRAFT TEAM READY TO RACE RIVAL, OTHERS – A team of UA engineering students is set to race in the Third Annual University Hoverbowl Challenge on Saturday, March 28, at Lake Lurleen State Park just outside Tuscaloosa. The race will feature crafts built and driven by students from UA and Auburn University along with other hovercraft enthusiasts. Drivers prepare for the races at 9 a.m., with the first heat scheduled for 11:30 a.m. For more information, visit http://www.hoverclubofamerica.org/content.aspx?page_id=87&club_id=831743&item_id=384549 or contact Adam Jones, UA engineering media relations, 205/348-8644 or acjones12@eng.ua.edu.

UA’S MOUNDVILLE SATURDAY IN THE PARK PROGRAMS – The University of Alabama’s Moundville Archaeological Park features pots and potters at its Saturday in the Park program this week. Tamara Beane will display her work, as well as perform an out-of-door pottery firing in a manner as ancient as some of the pottery she reproduces. Children can play with clay, trying out different tools that would have been used by prehistoric and historic Native Americans The program will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., March 28. Contact: Kim Eaton, UA Media Relations, 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu

LOOKING AHEAD

HONORS WEEK – UA will recognize the achievements of outstanding students and faculty during Honors Week activities on campus from Monday, March 30, to Sunday, April 5. The Tapping on the Mound ceremony, a tradition since the early 1900s, will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday, April 3, on the Mound at the west side of the UA Quad (rain location will be Moody Music Building Concert Hall). University honoraries Omicron Delta Kappa, Mortar Board, Blue Key National Honor Society and Anderson Society will induct members at this time. Contact: Richard LeComte, UA Media Relations, rllecomte@ur.ua.edu, 205/348-3782.

FIRST FACULTY RESEARCH DAY SET FOR APRIL 8 – Thirteen faculty members representing a cross section of campus will be presented with the President’s Faculty Research Award Wednesday, April 8, as part of UA’s first Faculty Research Day. The event will be held in the Bryant Conference Center’s Sellers Auditorium from 4 p.m. until 5:45 p.m., with a reception following. Dr. Denise Barnes, section head for the National Science Foundation’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, known as EPSCoR, is the keynote speaker. Award winners, selected by their individual colleges, will be profiled at the event. For more information, contact Chris Bryant in media relations, 205/348-8323 or cbryant@ur.ua.edu.

PARTNERSHIP PROMISES CREATIVE LOOKS DURING ANNUAL UA FASHION SHOW – UA apparel and design students have teamed up with Arts n’ Autism to create a fashion show that is truly one-of-a-kind. The annual T-Time Fashion Show, which is slated for April 14, has added a special category this year. The students with Arts n’ Autism are painting fabric inspired by a book they are currently reading. Contact: Kim Eaton, UA Media Relations, 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.