MONDAY, NOV. 30 – SUNDAY, DEC. 6, 2015
BEST BETS
INNOVATION DAY TO SHOWCASE NEW TECHNOLOGY, ADVISING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENTREPRENEURS – Acoustic waves generated by two helmets colliding and that can alert athletic trainers to a potential concussion along with a new wireless protocol and artificial intelligence program to increase signal integrity and reliability in cell networks will be highlighted during UA’s Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development’s Innovation Day, Wednesday, Dec. 2, in room 3700 of the Ferguson Center. Additionally, the event will feature sessions on how to market technology and grow a startup and which laws entrepreneurs should know. Innovation day is open and free to the public. For more information, contact David Miller, UA media relations, at 205/348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.
WHERE ALICE IN WONDERLAND MEETS ALBERT EINSTEIN — One hundred years ago this month, Albert Einstein published his theory of general relativity, one of the most important scientific achievements in the last century. Results from a study of the “Cheshire Cat” group of galaxies show how manifestations of Einstein’s 100-year-old theory can lead to new discoveries today. Astronomers named the collection after its smiling, cat-like appearance. Some of the feline features are actually distant galaxies whose light has been stretched and bent by the large amounts of mass, most of which is in the form of dark matter detectable only through its gravitational effect. Dr. Jimmy Irwin, a UA associate professor in physics and astronomy, is the lead author in a recently published journal article about the findings. Contact Irwin directly at 205/348-3791 or jairwin@ua.edu. For assistance, contact Chris Bryant in media relations, 205/348-8323 or cbryant@ur.ua.edu.
GRANT TO FUND EFFORTS TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE, NEGLECT — UA’s Child Development Resources is one of five Tuscaloosa organizations to receive more than $379,000, combined, to help fund community programs committed to preventing child maltreatment. The Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention will present the organizations with the individual grant awards at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, at UA’s Child Development Research Center. This year’s grant recipients include Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Alabama ($50,000), Child Abuse Prevention Services ($40,000), United Cerebral Palsy of West Alabama ($22,500), Tuscaloosa’s One Place ($173,250) and UA’s Child Development Resources, which is part of the College of Human Environmental Sciences ($93,750). For more information, contact Kim Eaton, UA media relations, at 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.
HIV/AIDS ACTIVISTS FEATURED SPEAKERS AT DEC. 4 CONFERENCE — The Ministers Dissemination Conference, which is sponsored by UA’s College of Community Health Sciences’ Project FAITHH, or Faith-based Anti-stigma Initiative Towards Healing HIV/AIDS, will be held 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Maggie Street Baptist Church in Montgomery. Project FAITHH is a four-year study developed to examine the role that African-American congregations can play in reducing HIV/AIDS-related stigma in rural Alabama. It was funded in 2012 by a $530,368 grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Minority AIDS Research Initiative. For more information, contact Kim Eaton, UA media relations, at 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.
NEUTRINO NEWS — A team of UA physicists has received recognition for making key contributions to a landmark study of neutrinos that won the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics recently in California. The $3 million prize, awarded earlier this month, celebrates a series of experiments involving physicists and labs around the world. They investigated neutrino oscillation and mass. The experiments showed that neutrinos — neutral subatomic particles and fundamental constituents of matter — have mass and that they change character as they travel through space. Before this work, neutrinos were believed to be massless. The scientists cited include Dr. Andreas Piepke and Dr. Jerry Busenitz, professors of physics and astronomy. For more details, contact Richard LeComte, media relations, rllecomte@ur.ua.edu, 205/348-3782.
UA STUDY: FALL, HOLIDAYS DANGEROUS TIME FOR YOUNG DRIVERS – The last three months of the year can be treacherous for all drivers, but young drivers are involved in considerably more crashes during that time than the rest of the year, according to a recent study of traffic data by UA’s Center for Advanced Public Safety. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA engineering media relations, 205/348-6444 or acjones12@eng.ua.edu, or Rhonda Stricklin, associate director of CAPS, at 205/348-0991, or rstricklin@cs.ua.edu.
LOOKING AHEAD
UA-AFFILIATED TECHNOLOGY AIMS TO IMPROVE DRINKING WATER – A method of cleaning drinking water with light is being tested and developed at UA with the hope of creating a product available for homes and businesses. A company, LiTeWater, spun off from the technology and will be one of five teams competing in the Alabama Launchpad Startup Competition Dec. 10 in Huntsville. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA media relations, at 205/348-6444 or acjones12@eng.ua.edu.
UA EXPERT TIPS
UA MATTERS: GIFTS CHILDREN CAN MAKE FOR THEIR PARENTS — Children love to make things for their parents, especially during the holidays. They feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in anything they make, and parents usually love whatever it is that they have worked so hard on. UA’s Amy Walker offers a few simple ideas that children can make for their parents this holiday season in this week’s UA Matters. Contact: Kim Eaton, UA media relations, at 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.
UA MATTERS: HOW TO HAVE A WELL-STOCKED FIRST AID KIT — A well-stocked first-aid kit can help you respond effectively to common injuries and emergencies. Ideally, one kit should be in the home and one in the family car. UA’s Dr. Louanne Friend provides a list of items that are recommended for first-aid kits for the home. Contact: Kim Eaton, UA media relations, at 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.