BEST BETS
ROAD FATALITIES, RURAL ROAD CRASHES UP DURING HOLIDAY SEASON — During the December winter holidays, vehicle crash fatalities are higher than expected and there are more crashes along rural roads than the rest of the year, according to a study from The University of Alabama. The study, which examined crash data from the last half of the past five Decembers, also showed several rural counties led the state during the holidays for having more crashes than during other times of the year. During the focus period, several factors including impaired driving; swerving to avoid an animal, unseen object or person; and driving too fast for conditions are overrepresented as the cause for crashes compared to the rest of the year. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA Strategic Communications, at adam.jones@ua.edu.
UA-LED PROJECT TO IMPROVE PATIENT CARE IN RURAL ALABAMA — With about $1.8 million in funding, The University of Alabama is leading an effort to significantly increase the emergency telemedicine capabilities in rural Alabama. The faculty members will use the funding to assist the Alabama Office of Emergency Medical Services to connect 49 ambulances with 18 hospitals across 19 rural counties. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA Strategic Communications, at adam.jones@ua.edu.
UA RESEARCH VP ELECTED AS FELLOW OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF INVENTORS — Dr. Russell J. Mumper, vice president for research and economic development at The University of Alabama, has been elected as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. A prominent researcher in the field of pharmaceutical sciences and biomedical engineering, Mumper is the first faculty member at UA elected as an NAI Fellow. The NAI Fellows Program highlights academic inventors who have demonstrated a spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society. Election to be an NAI Fellow is the highest professional distinction accorded solely to academic inventors. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA Strategic Communications, at adam.jones@ua.edu.
UA PROFESSOR HONORED WITH PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH AWARD — Dr. Ravi Kumar has been chosen for the Humboldt Research Award, granted annually by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Kumar is a Distinguished University Research Professor in the College of Community Health Sciences with a joint appointment in the College of Arts and Science’s department of biological sciences and an adjunct appointment in the College of Engineering’s department of chemical and biological engineering. He is an internationally recognized leader in the fields of nanoscience and nanomedicine, which broadly aim to deliver drugs more effectively to the body using particles one-billionth the size of a meter. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA Strategic Communications, at adam.jones@ua.edu.
CURRENT COMMENT
STAYING HEALTH CONSCIOUS DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON — “The holidays can be an exciting time to see friends and family, as well as an opportunity to enjoy delicious food,” said Sheena Gregg, a registered dietitian nutritionist with the UA Department of Health Promotion and Wellness. “A few tips for managing your health goals while indulging in a variety of holiday gatherings include eating a light snack before a family gathering so you don’t arrive famished; taking time to eat your meal, which can result in taking in smaller portions; and avoiding exclusively eating refined carbohydrates. Also, stay hydrated throughout the holiday season because dehydration can often mimic the feeling of hunger.” For an interview with Gregg, contact Bryant Welbourne, UA Strategic Communications, at bryant.welbourne@ua.edu.
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