MONDAY, AUG. 31 – MONDAY, SEPT. 7, 2015
BEST BETS
SPORTS MANAGEMENT, PR STUDENTS TO WORK IN DALLAS FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL OPENER – There’s a lot that goes into planning and running a neutral site college football game at one of the country’s largest stadiums, and 10 University of Alabama students majoring in PR and sports management will learn the ropes and work the front lines during game day. Led by PhD student David Vinturella, the students will meet with Dallas-area sports executives, work for ESPN’s College Gameday, meet with Dallas Cowboys executives and work for The Cotton Bowl, which will handle media activities and help staff the Alabama v Wisconsin game Saturday. For more information, contact David Miller, UA Media Relations, at 205/348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.
REGULAR DRINKERS, ABSTAINERS REACT SIMILARLY TO ALCOHOL CUES – Whether one drinks each weekend or once every blue moon, reactions to pictures of alcohol can trigger the same neural responses and motivations to drink, according to Dr. Philip Gable, associate professor of social psychology at UA. Gable’s expanded alcohol cues research used Electroencephalography, or EEG, to measure activity of the left frontal lobe of the brain, a hemisphere of the brain related to approach motivation, in a sample of college students. The equal responses showed that motivation to drink alcohol was not influenced by drinking behavior, though more frequent drinkers will suffer a greater myopic effect to cues. The myopic effect on both light and heavier drinkers can help researchers predict future drinking patterns. For more information, contact David Miller, UA Media Relations, at 205/348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.
SECONDARY MATH ED EARNS NATIONAL RECOGNITION – The secondary math education program in the College of Education at The University of Alabama has a new recruitment tool. The program has received recognition from the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics as a program with a strong emphasis on research-based practices in the preparation of future mathematics teachers. The designation will help the program recruit high-school seniors, both in-state and out-of-state, for its undergraduate program, and will resonate with upper-level math teachers in high schools. Teachers play a vital role in advising high school seniors who want to major in math education, said Dr. Jeremy Zelkowski, SEMA program director. “We have 15 to 20 students who come into this institution each year thinking they want to be a math teacher,” Zelkowski said. “We have to have a higher number of students entering the program.” For more information, contact David Miller, UA Media Relations, 205/348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.
WETLAND FLOODING RESEARCH TAKES NEW APPROACH – A warming world could result in sea levels rising by as much as a meter by the turn of the century, according to estimates. This could, among other things, drastically alter coastal wetlands, impacting their roles as a last line of defense against storm surges and as sanctuaries for various species. A group of scientists, led by a UA researcher, developed a new, low-cost method for studying potential impacts of rising sea levels on wetlands. And, in research publishing today, these authors show how materials available at the local hardware store are central to the new approach. Contact the lead researcher, Dr. Julia Cherry, UA associate professor of New College and biological sciences, at 205/348-8416, Julia.cherry@ua.edu. For assistance, contact Chris Bryant, UA Media Relations, 205/348-8323 or cbryant@ur.ua.edu.
CURRENT COMMENT
U.S. HAS DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF WORLD’S MASS SHOOTINGS – The United States has just 5 percent of the world’s population but 31 percent of the public mass shootings from 1966-2012, according to new research by Dr. Adam Lankford, associated professor of criminal justice at The University of Alabama. Lankford used data from the New York City Police Department and the FBI, among other sources to build his analysis. Lankford also found that the United States, Yemen, Switzerland, Finland, and Serbia, all ranked in the top 5 countries in firearms owned per capita, were ranked in the top 15 countries in public mass shooters per capita. “My study provides empirical evidence, based on my quantitative assessment of 171 countries, that a nation’s civilian firearm ownership rate is the strongest predictor of its number of public mass shooters,” Lankford said. “Until now, everyone was simply speculating about the relationship between firearms and public mass shootings. My study provides empirical evidence of a positive association between the two.” For more information, contact David Miller, UA Media Relations, at 205/348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.
UA EXPERT TIPS
UA MATTERS: WATCHING YOUR WEIGHT WHILE ENJOYING A FOOTBALL TAILGATE — Football season is a time for friends, family, football and, maybe most importantly, food. However, this popular season may be troublesome for those trying to watch their weight while participating in food and drink-focused tailgates. The University of Alabama’s Sheena Gregg, A registered dietitian and assistant director of UA’s department of health promotion and wellness offers tips for making good choices at a football tailgate gathering in this week’s UA Matters. Contact: Kim Eaton, UA Media Relations, 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.
UA MATTERS: PLANNING A WEDDING ON A TIGHT BUDGET – Today, the average American wedding costs about $30,000 — even more in major cities. The good news is that brides can cut back in so many areas and still have the wedding of their dreams. The first step in not spending too much is creating a budget. Put the budget in writing, and keep to it with a good tracking system. The University of Alabama’s Kimberly Boyle, assistant professor in the College of Human Environmental Sciences restaurant, hotel and meetings management program. offers some tips on cutting costs on the big day. Contact: Kim Eaton, UA Media Relations, 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.