EVENTS
STUDENTS HIGHLIGHT RESEARCH, CREATIVE ACTIVITY DURING ANNUAL CONFERENCE — More than 450 undergraduate students at UA are highlighting their research and creative projects during the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Conference April 4. The 15th annual conference, hosted by UA’s Office of Undergraduate Research, will be held between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday, April 4, at the Bryant Conference Center. More than 275 presentations of student research and creative work will be showcased across three sessions. If planning to attend, contact Adam Jones, UA Strategic Communications, at adam.jones@ua.edu.
WGRC HOSTS DAY OF ACTION — The Women and Gender Resource Center will be hosting its annual Day of Action for Sexual Assault Awareness Month Tuesday, April 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Great Hall in The University of Alabama Student Center. The WGRC hosts several events throughout April, raising awareness about sexual assault and domestic violence. Activities include “Teal Tuesday,” letter-writing campaigns, a mobile library and more. For more information, contact Anna Russell, UA Women and Gender Resource Center, at aerussell1@ua.edu.
UA HONORS WEEK 2022 CULMINATES WITH TAPPING ON THE MOUND— UA will recognize the achievement of outstanding students and faculty during Honors Week, April 4-8, culminating in the Tapping on the Mound ceremony on Honors Day. The Tapping on the Mound ceremony will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday, April 8, on the Mound at the west side of the UA Quad. The Tapping on the Mound ceremony has been a UA tradition since the early 1900s. University honor groups Omicron Delta Kappa, Mortar Board, Blue Key National Honor Society and Anderson Society will induct members. For more information, contact Bryant Welbourne, UA Strategic Communications, at bryant.welbourne@ua.edu.
BLACK WARRIOR FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS — The Black Warrior Film Festival premieres April 8-10, providing virtual and in-person panels, screenings and more. Held in the Ferguson Theater in The University of Alabama Student Center, the festival offers student filmmakers a chance to meet industry professionals and community members. American screenwriter Phyllis Nagy is the keynote speaker, and Tabitha Jackson from the Sundance Film Festival will be visiting. For more information, contact Dr. Kristen Warner, College of Communication and Information Sciences, at kwarner@ua.edu.
BAMA BUG FEST RETURNS IN-PERSON AT NEW LOCATION — Bama Bug Fest will return in-person to celebrate the diversity and benefits of arthropods at the Alabama Museum of Natural History April 9. The free event from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. will showcase the multitude of arthropods, which includes insects, arachnids, myriapods and crustaceans, as well as true bugs like cicadas and plant-hoppers. More information about the event, parking and things to do can be found on the Bama Bug Fest website. For more information, contact Dr. John Friel, Alabama Museum of Natural History, at jpfriel@ua.edu.
CROSSINGPOINTS STUDENTS TO PRESENT DINNER THEATER — Students in UA’s CrossingPoints program will present a dinner theater production of “Shrek” Wednesday, April 13, at 6 p.m. at the Bryant Conference Center. CrossingPoints is an on-campus postsecondary transition program that helps students with significant disabilities develop skills necessary for successful adult functioning. Tickets for the dinner theater are $35 for individuals or $300 for a table of 10 and may be purchased from the CrossingPoints website. For more information contact Jeremy Reid, UA CrossingPoints Program, at jeremy.reid@ua.edu.
STROKE PREVENTION TOPIC OF RURAL HEALTH CONFERENCE — Stroke prevention is the topic of the 21st Annual Rural Health Conference hosted by the UA College of Community Health Sciences and its Institute for Rural Health Research. The conference, “Tightening the Stroke Belt: Prevention, Emergency Management, and Rehabilitation of Stroke in the Nation’s Most Affected Region,” will be April 14-15 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Bryant Conference Center. Keynote speakers include Dr. Janet S. Wright, a director in the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For more information, contact Bryant Welbourne, UA Strategic Communications, at bryant.welbourne@ua.edu.
BEST BETS
UA BREAKS GROUND ON BRYCE MAIN, RANDALL WELCOME CENTER — UA hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking April 1 for a new welcome center that will be located in the historic Bryce Main building. Construction is underway for the new home of UA Undergraduate Admissions, which will be named the Catherine and Pettus Randall Welcome Center, pending approval by The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees. The Randall Welcome Center is named in honor of the late Pettus Randall and his wife, Dr. Catherine J. Randall, who have contributed in countless ways to UA and the Tuscaloosa community for decades. For more information, contact Stephanie Kirkland, UA Division of Advancement, at stephanie.kirkland@ua.edu.
WANT TO BE HAPPIER? PLAN A VACATION — Planning a beach vacation is the perfect way to welcome the warmer weather of spring and summer, and according to research by faculty members in The University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences, it also improves your overall happiness. Dr. Jameson Hayes, associate professor and director of UA’s Public Opinion Lab, along with Jay Waters, an instructor in advertising and public relations, recently completed a research study in collaboration with the 30A Company, a beach media and lifestyle brand in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. The data gathered by Hayes and Waters suggests looking forward to a future vacation makes people happier and is essential to mental well-being. For more information, contact Morgan Gay, UA College of Communication and Information Sciences, at mbgay@ua.edu.
CURRENT COMMENT
APHASIA CAN BE LIFE-ALTERING — With Bruce Willis’ recent announcement that he will step away from acting due to aphasia, people are wondering about the disorder. “Aphasia is an acquired neurological communication disorder where there is loss or impairment of language skills,” said Mary Ray-Allen, a clinical educator and instructor in UA’s department of communicative disorders. About 1 million people in the United States have aphasia, according to Ray-Allen, with strokes being considered the most common cause of the disorder. “The impact of aphasia can be life-altering for persons living with aphasia, as well as their family or caregivers,” Ray-Allen said. To schedule an interview, contact Ray-Allen at mary.ray-allen@ua.edu.
CYBERATTACKS POSE THREAT TO CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, INDUSTRIES — “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. “The largest threat in that area is the fear of an unknown or 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.
CLIMATE CHANGE, OUTDATED INFRASTRUCTURE EXACERBATE FLOODING — Much of today’s infrastructure to handle storm water and drainage was designed using old information and guidelines that still have not been updated to reflect altered precipitation due to climate change and land-use intensification, said Dr. Hamed Moftakhari, assistant professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering and a research associate with the Center for Complex Hydrosystems Research. “Our in-place infrastructure is designed to guidelines and data back decades ago,” he said. “This means our outdated infrastructure design is subject to failure, and we should not get surprised with recent flood events.” To schedule an interview, contact Moftakhari at hmoftakhari@eng.ua.edu.
NEED A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT ON TOPICS MAKING NEWS? – See our frequently updated experts directory here.
VISIT THE UA NEWS CENTER FOR STORY IDEAS.
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.