UA Preview

MONDAY, APRIL 27  – SUNDAY, MAY 3,  2015

BEST BETS

SPRING COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES – UA will hold its spring commencement ceremonies May 1 and 2 at Coleman Coliseum on campus. The first session will be held at 6 p.m., May 1, when degree candidates from the College of Communication & Information Sciences, College of Education, College of Human Environmental Sciences and Capstone College of Nursing will participate in commencement exercises. Three separate commencement ceremonies will be held May 2. The first, at 9 a.m., will include the College of Arts & Sciences and School of Social Work. The Culverhouse College of Commerce and College of Engineering will participate at 1:30 p.m., while the School of Law will hold its own ceremony at 5:30 p.m. More than 4,700 degrees will be awarded over the weekend. For more information, contact David Miller, UA Media Relations, 205/348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.

STATE JOB GROWTH CONTINUES, OPTIMISTIC ECONOMIC FORECAST – Alabama job growth continues to pick up from the slow pace seen in the first half of 2014, according to data from the Center for Business and Economic Research at UA. The state gained a net 28,600 jobs from March 2014 to March 2015. Also, the state’s Gross Domestic Product is projected to increase to around $190 billion, up 2.0 percent from 2014. Industries such as automotive manufacturing, aerospace, tourism, healthcare and biotechnology are expected to remain major economic drivers. Alabama employment is expected to increase by about 1.5 percent in 2015, a stronger gain than the 0.7 percent increase seen in 2014. For more details, contact Ahmad Ijaz, director of economic forecasting, UA Center for Business and Economic Research, 205/348-2955 or aijaz@cba.ua.edu. For assistance, contact Edith Parten, 205/348-8318, eparten@culverhouse.ua.edu. 

PROFESSOR, STUDENTS TO LEAD FREE MEMORY SCREENINGS – Over 50? Feel forgetful? Feel healthy? You may be as sharp and focused as ever or experiencing increased forgetfulness.  If you have concerns about your memory or just want to see how you are doing, the Memory Screening event may be for you. UA is hosting an open-enrollment period for a free memory screening to be conducted over the next few months. The screening will last about 45 minutes and will take place at Gordon Palmer Hall on the UA campus. Interested community members must be over the age of 50. If interested, phone 205/348-9973. The project is led by Dr. Forrest Scogin, professor of psychology at UA. Scogin led similar studies in 2013 and 2005. For more information, contact David Miller, UA Media Relations, 205/348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.

GRAD STUDENT PURSUING HER LOVE OF SPORT WITH SUMMER PROGRAM – UA graduate student Gennelle Chatman has one passion in life — athletics. She has played almost every competitive sport there is and can’t imagine doing anything other than building on that passion. This summer, she will be one step closer to realizing that goal. The 23-year-old Orlando native was recently selected to participate in the United States Olympic Committee’s FLAME program. FLAME — Finding Leaders Amongst Minorities Everywhere — is a highly selective, eight-day program that provides diverse college and graduate-level students with a unique look into the world of elite sport. Contact: Kim Eaton, UA Media Relations, 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.

STUDENT WINS ‘PEOPLE’S CHOICE’ AWARD FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR AT 3-MINUTE THESIS COMPETITION – UA graduate student Brandon Chicotsky won the ‘People’s Choice’ award at the regional 3MT conference in New Orleans. Chicotsky is the second straight UA student to win the award. Contact: Bobby Mathews, UA Media Relations, 205/348-4956 or bwmthews1@ur.ua.edu.

SCHOLARS SEEK TO BRIDGE GAP BETWEEN COMMUNITIES, RESEARCHERS – A team of UA scholars aims to strengthen the relationships between researchers and the communities they study via a new grant. Without a well-established relationship, researchers may miss opportunities to improve surveys and gain accurate data. Ideally, community-based research projects, particularly those of an ongoing nature, should have partners who work with researchers and community members to achieve the best results. The UA research team seeks to bridge that gap in a pair of in-state communities through a Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Award by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. The approximate $250,000 contract will support development of community stakeholder groups and allow UA team members to learn their advice on research and experiential learning opportunities in their communities. The project will be based in Sumter County and Holt and will last for two years. For more information, contact David Miller, UA Media Relations, 205/348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.

STRAN TO CONDUCT WHEELCHAIR STUDY WITH AREA YOUTH – Dr. Margaret Stran, assistant professor of kinesiology and associate director of UA’s Adapted Athletics program, has received a $21,362 grant from the Christopher Reeve Foundation to conduct a manual wheelchair study with students in Tuscaloosa City Schools over the next year. Stran, along with colleagues in the kinesiology department, will help address issues of poorly-fitted wheelchairs, like arm length and arm positioning, and length of the back, all of which can lead to poor posture and impact a person’s quality of life, Stran said. UA researchers will make changes to students’ chairs, including axle position, brake position and removal of unnecessary items. For more information, contact David Miller, UA Media Relations, at 205/348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.

UA EXPERT TIPS

UA MATTERS:  TIPS FOR BURPING YOUR BABY – Burping helps your baby rid excess air that he or she swallows while feeding. Signs that your baby needs to be burped include fussiness, crying and frequent stoppages during feedings. UA’s Dr. Maria Hernandez-Reif offers a few tips for feeding and burping your baby. Contact: Kim Eaton, UA Media Relations, 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.

UA MATTERS: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT CHILD ABUSE, NEGLECT – Child maltreatment is a serious issue in Alabama and across the United States. The University of Alabama’s Dr. Tricia Witte, associate professor in the department of human development and family studies, offers valuable insight into what you should know about child abuse in this week’s UA Matters. Contact: Kim Eaton, UA Media Relations, 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.