BEST BETS
ANNUAL 100 ALABAMA MILES CHALLENGE PARTNERS WITH STRAVA — The 100 Alabama Miles Challenge, a free statewide public program designed to inspire all Alabamians to be active, go explore and connect with others by getting 100 miles of physical activity each year will kick off March 26. While participants can walk, run, hike, bike, swim, paddle, ride or roll to their 100-mile goal anywhere, organizers encourage Alabamians to visit the state’s remarkable parks, nature preserves and rivers with their friends and family. This year, tracking miles will be even easier for participants thanks to a new partnership with Strava, a popular free digital service that enables users to automatically track their miles using a variety of wearable devices or with a mobile app. For more information, contact Brian Rushing, UA Center for Economic Development, at brian.rushing@ua.edu.
EVENTS
ALL OF US RESEARCH PROGRAM SEEKS PARTICIPANTS — The All of Us Research Program from the National Institutes of Health is seeking one million participants to share information about their health, habits and what it’s like where they live. An enrollment event for the program will be held in the College of Community Health Sciences’ mobile outreach unit, which will be parked in front of Honors Hall on the UA Quad March 8, 10 and 11 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. All adults over the age of 19 are eligible to participate. A valid U.S. driver’s license or state-issued ID is required. Participants will receive a $25 gift card for enrolling. For more information, contact Candace Hagler, program coordinator for the All of Us Research Program at cahagler@ua.edu.
UA RESEARCH PROJECTS SEEKING VOLUNTEERS — Several research projects on campus are seeking participants, particularly children, teens and parents, with some offering small payments and leading-edge therapy. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA Strategic Communications, adam.jones@ua.edu.
CURRENT COMMENT
LIMITING NEGATIVE SLEEPING EFFECTS CAUSED BY DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME — “While adding extra sunshine to our waking day is known to positively affect mood which helps individuals with depression, it also affects sleep,” said Dr. John Burkhardt, associate professor with UA’s department of psychiatry and behavioral medicine. “Individuals can experience mild to moderate difficulty adjusting to a new wake time and this transition can cause an average loss of 40 minutes of sleep. To limit the negative sleep effects of this transition, consider practicing good sleep hygiene such as monitoring your alcohol and caffeine intake before bed, and setting a consistent sleep/wake time; gradually change your bedtime a few days prior to prepare for transition; maintain your normal schedule on Sunday, which includes meal and bedtimes; and spend time outdoors to help maintain good circadian rhythm.” To schedule an interview, contact Burkhardt at jeburkhardt@ua.edu.
CYBERATTACKS BECOMING A COMMON WARFARE TACTIC — “Nation-targeted cyberattacks occur on a rather frequent basis and can have varying levels of impact depending on the tools utilized and the resources targeted,” said Dr. Matthew Hudnall, assistant professor of management information systems at UA. “As countries look to intervene in the developing Russian invasion of Ukraine, cyber conflicts are a significant concern. The largest threat in that area is the fear of an unknown/unpublished exploitation that could cripple large segments of infrastructure and industry. Such ‘zero-day’ attacks are typically held onto by hacking groups until ideal usage scenarios and large-scale cyber warfare would seem opportune times to use them. The good news is that this is a battlefield that the U.S. government, industry and critical infrastructure have been fighting daily for multiple decades. However, such attacks could result in significant economic impacts, temporary loss of utility and government services, and other impactful scenarios that other countries have faced in recent years.” To schedule an interview, contact Hudnall at matthew.hudnall@ua.edu.
BOOK BANS HARMFUL TO CHILDREN’S UNDERSTANDING OF SOCIETY — Efforts to ban books from school libraries across the country goes against the Library Bill of Rights from the American Library Association and can harm children, said Dr. Jamie Campbell Naidoo, interim director and the Foster-EBSCO Endowed Professor in UA’s School of Library and Information Studies. Naidoo’s research and expertise in children’s literature, particularly in library services to diverse populations and diverse representation in children’s and young adult books, brings a unique perspective to a trend in local school districts to remove some books from circulation. “The type of book banning we see now seeks to erase the existence of diverse children, families and individuals from the pages of books, an existence that is extremely important as children develop their sense of self and understanding of our culturally pluralistic society,” he said. To schedule an interview, contact Dr. Naidoo at jcnaidoo@slis.ua.edu.
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The University of Alabama strives to remain neutral on public policy issues. Strategic Communications may facilitate interviews or share opinions expressed by faculty, staff, students, or other individuals regarding policy matters. However, those opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the University or its leadership, and do not constitute a statement on behalf of the University unless explicitly designated.