MONDAY, JULY 17 – SUNDAY, JULY 23
RESEARCH
LOW BIRTH WEIGHT IN BLACKS TIED TO RACIAL IDENTITY, MOM’S AGE — There has long been a disparity between the birth weights of black infants compared to white infants, and while much research has been done over the years, little has reduced the gap. One UA researcher hopes to change that by examining the role of racial identity and acculturation on birth weights of black infants. For more information, contact Kim Eaton, UA communications, at 205-348-8325 or kim.eaton@ua.edu.
BEST BETS
RISING HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMEN TO GET GLIMPSE OF CYBER SECURITY – More than 50 rising ninth-graders will learn how to retrieve deleted data from thumb drives and learn what information people can access from their social media accounts in a walk-through of UA’s Cyber Hall, Wednesday, July 19. The walk-through is part of UA Early College’s Leaders Exploring Academic Possibilities summer program for Tuscaloosa prep students. The students will participate in various academic, service and team-building activities beginning Monday, July 17 through Friday, July 21. At Cyber Hall on Wednesday, the students will be split between two groups that will participate from 8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. For more information, contact David Miller, UA communications, at 205-348-0825 or david.c.miller@ua.edu.
STEM CAMP — UA’s Center for Community-Based Partnerships will welcome 40 high school students from West Alabama counties for the STEM Entrepreneurship Academy Camp through Friday, July 21. UA’s Career Center joins the camp Monday, July 17, to give students a strengths assessment, and students will participate in a simulation career fair at Capital Hall with other UA entities. At the Tuscaloosa Gateway Center Tuesday, July 18, campers will participate in such science, technology, engineering and math focused exercises as Robots Work at the Gateway, Speed Cubing: The Rubik’s Cube Challenge and 3D Printed Puzzles. The Gateway is at 2614 University Blvd. East. Students will display the results of their projects July 21 at UA’s Bryant Conference Center. For more details, contact Richard LeComte, UA communications, richard.lecomte@ua.edu, 205-348-3782.
EVENTS
MOUNDVILLE PARK HOSTS KNAP-IN, BIRDFEST – UA’s Moundville Archaeological Park will host its annual Knap-In July 21 and 22. Expert knappers will demonstrate how Native arrowheads, points and stone tools are made. There will also be a children’s area, food and other outdoor demonstrations. Birdfest 2017 will also be held Saturday, July 22, at the park’s Riverbank. Expert birders will lead bird walks and do presentations, and Alabama Wildlife will have live raptors and other birds to show. For more information, contact Kim Eaton, UA communications, at 205-348-8325 or kim.eaton@ua.edu.
POTENTIAL FUTURE ENGINEERS TO LEARN IF DESIGNS SINK OR SWIM – It’s the second of three weeks for UA’s SITE program – an opportunity for high school students to discover if engineering is right for them. SITE students spend a week on campus taking classes and participating in a team engineering design project. The students create floatation devices from cardboard, a garbage bag and packing tape. The devices must hold four people and will be tested in a competition from 3:45-5:45 p.m. Thursday at the outdoor pool complex on campus. For more information, visit site.eng.ua.edu. For questions, contact Alana Norris in engineering, at 205-348-6444 or anorris@eng.ua.edu. SITE camps conclude July 28.
SATURDAY IN THE PARK FEATURES NATIVE POTTERY FIRING — UA’s Moundville Archaeological Park will hold its Saturday in the Park program from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 22, in front of the Jones Archaeological Museum. The topic is Native pottery firing with Tammy Beane. Saturday in the Park is a series of demonstrations and presentations related to Native Americans, archaeology, natural history, sustainable gardening and more. Most programs have a hands-on activity for children. For more information, contact Kim Eaton, UA communications, at 205-348-8325 or kim.eaton@ua.edu.
LOOKING AHEAD
ASTRONOMER OFFERS SAFETY TIPS FOR VIEWING SOLAR ECLIPSE – Although the state of Alabama will not be under a total solar eclipse Aug. 21, there is still the opportunity to view a partial solar eclipse. UA astronomers urge people to view the phases of the eclipse safely by not looking directly at the sun. Watch for an upcoming news release with more details. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA communications, at 205-348-4328 or adam.jones@ua.edu.