Tuscaloosa Symphony, UA team up for world premiere of new opera
The Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 20
For Monday’s world premiere of Joseph Landers’ new opera “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men,” put aside what you know about the seminal Depression-era book, advises Paul Houghtaling. Though the sagas of impoverished tenant farmers do involve trials and tragedies, the overriding message is of hope, said Houghtaling, who directs the production. His University of Alabama Opera Theatre is collaborating with the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra, conducted by TSO music director Adam Flatt. Monday’s performance, at the Moody Concert Hall on the UA campus, will be filmed for Alabama Public Television.
E-cigarette smoke associated with lung cancer, inflammation, as federal agencies respond to vaping deaths
Cancer Letter – Oct. 18
E-cigarette smoke, like tobacco smoke, may, in fact, cause cancer, new studies suggest. According to one just-reported study, mice exposed to e-cigarette smoke were five times more likely to develop lung cancer, and 10 times more likely to develop precancerous lesions of the bladder. Another study found that a specific vaping component led to lung inflammation, a result of short-term e-cigarette use on the lungs. Inflammation often presages medical conditions that include bronchitis, asthma, heart disease, and cancer. Alan Blum, director of The University of Alabama Center for the Study of Tobacco and Society, said researchers and policymakers don’t need to wait that long to act on e-cigarettes.
Controversial ‘Dark Matter Free Galaxy’ Passes Its Most Difficult Test
Forbes – Oct. 21
In theory, all galaxies should contain copious amounts of dark matter, with one exception. Galactic mergers, interactions, or gas stripping events can isolate large amounts of normal matter. These liberated clumps should gravitate and re-collapse, creating dark matter-free galaxies. Hanny’s Voorwerp, identified in 2011, was the first of some 20-odd objects now known to be a… [+] NASA, ESA, W. KEEL (UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA), AND THE GALAXY ZOO TEAM Detractors argued their absence proved dark matter’s non-existence.
Choices can be limited for students with eating disorders
Crimson White – Oct. 21
If you are a student who has an eating disorder or might be at risk of one, it may be difficult to obtain care in Tuscaloosa. An eating disorder is a serious and psychological illness. Common eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake. Mackenzie Baldwin is the leader of the University of Alabama’s National Eating Disorder Association and a senior majoring in addiction and recovery. She entered treatment for an eating disorder as a junior in high school and has since recovered.
International spouses learn UA culture, history
Crimson White – Oct. 21
The International Spouse Group (ISG) has been serving the partners of foreign students and staff members over recent years. The ISG meets once a week, and faculty advisers are there to answer any questions the members have or just to talk about how their day is going. It is a casual and inviting environment, which is the goal of advisers Melanie Walker and Kay Geno.
Alabama Debuts New LED Lights at Bryant-Denny Stadium
Edison Report – Oct. 21
The University of Alabama was finally able show off its new LED lighting system that was installed at Bryant-Denny Stadium during the offseason.
University of Alabama aligns inventor resources, collaboration with business incubator
Alabama Newscenter – Oct. 20
The robust push by the University of Alabama to promote entrepreneurship both on campus and throughout the region is increasing with an alignment of resources to better support innovators. The Bama Technology Incubator, which includes on-campus laboratories and additional support for startup companies, recently changed its name to EDGE Labs and serves as the strategic counterpart to The EDGE, a 26,000-square-foot off-campus business incubator that opened in February as a collaboration between UA, the City of Tuscaloosa and the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama.
Trash talk: Alabama cities, counties consider private garbage hauling
Al.com – Oct. 20
Solid waste is often the most likely service considered for outsourcing by city or county governments. The industry is dominated by some big dogs in private waste hauling including Houston-based Waste Management and Phoenix-based Republic Services. Combined, the two companies employ over 79,000 workers and generate over $24 billion in annual revenues. James Caillier, an associate professor of political science at the University of Alabama, said one of the downsides with outsourcing solid waste collections is that even when a private entity is hired, the complaints about service are still forwarded to City Hall.
LEND A HAND: Rise Center to add new sensory suite
The Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 19
The University of Alabama’s Rise Center hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 17 for an addition that will house a state-of-the-art sensory suite. The suite will include an infant classroom, a multipurpose therapy room and a sensory room. The use of a multi-sensory environment in therapeutic and educational settings allows children to benefit from adequate stimulation to excite the brain, improve the organization of the brain and increase functional activity.
WERC-FM – Oct. 18
Social media cues about your political leanings might influence whether you’re hired or not
LSE US Centre – Oct. 19
Highly charged political issues appear daily in the news in Europe and the US. In Europe, the English Brexit vote, French energy taxes/policy, and immigration issues in many countries have aroused intense emotions. These feelings manifested in England with extreme behaviors such as throwing milkshakes at politicians and in France with months of rioting. Jason Bennett Thatcher is an MIS endowed fellow at the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Business. He has studied the positive and negative implications of information technology’s applications and use in organizations. Dr. Thatcher has been actively engaged in understanding how online environments shape human behavior for the past twenty-five years. His recent work directs attention to the implications of technology for how individuals define themselves vis-à-vis technology use and vis-à-vis how others use information technology. He is a past-president of the Association for Information Systems.
Murphy High School offers early college program
NBC (Mobile) – Oct. 18
Murphy High School offers an early college program that partners with Bishop College and The University of Alabama. Students are able to gain college credit through this program, while still in high school free of charge because tuition is paid for.
COLLEGE NEWS: October 20, 2019
Tuscaloosa News – Oct. 20
Katelyn E. Senkus, of Tuscaloosa, was recently awarded a Love of Learning Award worth $500 from the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Senkus is one of 200 recipients to receive the award. Love of Learning Awards are designed to help fund post-baccalaureate professional development for active Phi Kappa Phi members including graduate or professional studies, doctoral dissertations, continuing education, travel related to teaching and research, career development and more. Senkus, a doctoral student at the University of Alabama, will use funds from the award to support her preventive nutrition research investigating the connection between oral and cardiovascular health. Senkus was initiated into Phi Kappa Phi in 2019 at the University of Alabama.