BEST BETS
STATE BUSINESS LEADERS OPTIMISTIC ON EARLY 2021 ECONOMY — Even with the continued stress from the pandemic, business leaders in the state remained mostly optimistic their businesses will have a positive start to 2021, according to a quarterly survey done by economists at The University of Alabama. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA communications, at adam.jones@ua.edu.
UA RESEARCH TO HELP RURAL RESIDENTS WITH HEARING LOSS — A more than $2 million grant will accelerate The University of Alabama’s work to improve the lives of people with hearing loss living in rural areas of the state. Dr. Marcia Hay-McCutcheon, professor of communicative disorders and an Alabama Life Research Institute Fellow, will lead the grant from the National Institutes of Health that addresses accessibility and affordability of hearing healthcare in rural communities. The 5-year grant will help to mitigate the negative effects of hearing loss for those living in underserved communities in five rural counties. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA communications, at adam.jones@ua.edu.
TUSCALOOSA AFRICANA FILM FESTIVAL TO BE VIRTUAL — The 9th annual Tuscaloosa Africana Film Festival featuring acclaimed movies from the African continent and broader African Diaspora will be held virtually Feb. 27- 28. Films will be available online starting at 6 p.m. Feb. 27. Participants can join anytime during the 24-hour viewing period. The film festival is presented by the Edward A. Ulzen Memorial Foundation and Afram South Inc., two non-profit organizations supporting education and public health initiatives in Ghana, West Africa and West Alabama, respectively. The festival is also co-sponsored by UA’s College of Community Health Sciences and Tuscaloosa Sister Cities Commission. Tuscaloosa is a sister city of Sunyani-Techiman in Ghana. This year’s films include SNCC 2020, Mama Africa and The Mali-Cuba Connection/Africa MIA. For more information, contact Bryant Welbourne, UA communications, at bryant.welbourne@ua.edu.
STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE OF BLACK HISTORY TO BE TESTED IN INAUGURAL SCHOLAR BOWL — The University of Alabama’s Black Faculty and Staff Association, in partnership with the Division of Student Life, will host the inaugural Dr. Trudier Harris Intercollegiate Black Scholar Bowl on Feb. 27, at 11 a.m. Teams of undergraduate students from UA, Stillman College, Alabama State University and Alabama A&M will participate. For more information, contact Jamon Smith, UA communications, at jamon.smith@ua.edu.
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