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CYBER SECURITY SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE TO UA STUDENTS – UA will provide scholarships through a national program aimed at recruiting future cyber security professionals interested in government service. The University received a five-year $3.1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to provide scholarships to UA students interested in pursuing government careers in cyber security. The scholarships are offered through the CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service, which is supported by the NSF and the Department of Homeland Security. The program provides a full-tuition scholarship along with a stipend – $25,000 annually for undergraduate students and $34,000 annually for graduate students. Watch for an upcoming news release. Media interviews will be available BEGINNING Thursday. For details, contact Adam Jones in communications at 205-348-4328 or adam.jones@ua.edu.

UA DISPLAYS COLLECTIONS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA INITIATIVE — From Feb. 3-7, museums and other cultural institutions worldwide will display social media content based on their collections using the hashtag #ColorOurCollections. UA Museums and The Fashion Archive will participate. Each day, a different collection will be showcased. To view, follow UA Museums (@uamuseums on Facebook and Twitter, @ua_museums on Instagram) and The Fashion Archive (@TheFashionArchiveAtUA on Facebook, @thefa_ua on Twitter, and @thefashionarchive_ua on Instagram). For more information, contact Dr. Marcy L. Koontz, curator, The Fashion Archive of UA’s College of Human Environmental Sciences at 205-348-6396 or marcy.koontz@ua.edu. For assistance, contact Bryant Welbourne in UA communications at bryant.welbourne@ua.edu or 205-348-8325

EXPERIENCE ALL FOUR SEASONS AT FAMILY NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM — The weather outside won’t matter when the campus and local communities get a taste of all four seasons at the 10th annual Family Night at the Museum Feb. 8. The seasons-themed event will feature interactive activities developed by numerous UA graduate departments. These family-friendly activities will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Smith and Lloyd halls on the UA campus. Admission is free to the public. For more information, contact Bryant Welbourne in UA communications at bryant.welbourne@ua.edu or 205-348-8325.

CURRENT COMMENT

TODAY’S IOWA CAUCUS LIKELY LESS IMPORTANT TO BIDEN – In America’s heartland, the appeal of Democrat presidential candidates to primarily white voters will undergo a critical test, said Dr. Richard Fording, a UA professor of political science. Joe Biden is leading nationwide, and he has strong support among the African American community, and so winning the Iowa Caucus is likely less important for him than it is his opponents, Fording says. Reach him directly at rcfording@ua.edu or 205-348-5528Dr. Regina L. WagnerUA assistant professor of political science, may also be contacted regarding the Iowa Caucus. Contact her at rlwagner1@ua.edu. For assistance, contact Jamon Smith in UA communications at jamon.smith@ua.edu or 205-348-4956.

WASHING HANDS HELPS PROTECT FROM CORONAVIRUS, EXPERTS SAY – A new coronavirus that appears to have begun in China has been detected in other countries. UA’s Dr. John Higginbotham, an epidemiologist, says the virus is believed to spread much like the flu, with “person to person contact, including being exposed to droplets from coughs or sneezes.” To arrange a potential interview with Higginbotham, contact Bryant Welbourne at bryant.welbourne@ua.edu or 205-348-8325. 

LOOKING AHEAD

‘STEEL DAY’ PROVIDES STUDENTS INSIGHT INTO STEEL INDUSTRY — UA’s department of metallurgical and materials engineering is hosting Steel Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 10, in H.M. Comer Hall’s McAbee Grand Foyer. This event will give students the opportunity to network with representatives from the steel industry and learn about steel-related degree programs offered at UA. Lab tours will be given. Industry representatives from Nucor Steel, Arcelor-Mittal/Nippon Steel Corporation, U.S. Steel, SSAB America, Steel Dynamics, SMS Group, ACIPCO, Scot Forge, and Carpenter Technology Corp. will attend. Dr. Nilesh Kumar, assistant professor of metallurgical and materials engineering, will be available for media interviews from 1-2 p.m. Feb. 10 For more information, contact Alana Norris in engineering  communications at  anorris@eng.ua.edu or 205-348-6444. 

SEE A LIST OF CAMPUS EVENTS AT https://www.ua.edu/events/.

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