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BEST BETS  

UA AWARDED $360 MILLION TO LEAD NATIONAL WATER EFFORT — With transformative support of up to $360 million over the next five years from the federal government, The University of Alabama is poised to become a standard bearer in translating water research into operations that improve the nation’s ability to predict water-related hazards and effectively manage water resources. The award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the largest external award in the University’s history, will be administered by the Alabama Water Institute and acknowledges UA’s commitment to make water a signature research and academic focus. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA Strategic Communications, at adam.jones@ua.edu.  

UA STUDENT RECEIVES GOLDWATER SCHOLARSHIP FOR 2022-2023 — Jules Bates, a Randall Research Scholar and UA Honors College student from Pace, Florida, was selected by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program as a Goldwater Scholar for 2022-2023. Bates studies chemical engineering and is the 60th UA student to receive the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship. She has worked under Dr. Y. John Kim elucidating the best modes of neural stem cell therapy for treating neurological disorders such as epilepsy. For more information, contact Bryant Welbourne, UA Strategic Communications, at bryant.welbourne@ua.edu 

GOLF TOURNAMENT FUNDRAISER SUPPORTS UA RISE CENTER — The RISE Tournament of Champions benefiting the UA RISE Center will be held April 20-21 at NorthRiver Yacht Club in Tuscaloosa. The tournament is a four-person scramble, handicaps required, with morning or afternoon tee times both days. On April 21, the public is invited to attend Chip in for RISE, a silent auction and cocktail reception, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at NorthRiver Yacht Club. Tickets for the auction are $30 per person or $50 per couple. For more information, contact Bryant Welbourne, UA Strategic Communications, at bryant.welbourne@ua.edu. 

NEW TROPHY ON DISPLAY AT THE BRYANT MUSEUM — The Bryant Museum will add a new item to its Integration of Sports exhibit the week of the Alabama A-Day game. A trophy commissioned by the Jeremiah Castille Foundation and commemorating the first 27 Black football players at The University of Alabama will be on display beginning April 11. For more information contact Olivia Arnold, director of the Bryant Museum, at oarnold@ua.edu. 

EVENTS   

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

OHMIGOD, YOU GUYS! UA THEATRE TO PERFORM “LEGALLY BLONDE” — The University of Alabama Department of Theatre and Dance will perform “Legally Blonde” April 13-15 and 21-23 at 7:30 p.m., and April 24 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in the Marian Gallaway Theatre. Tickets are $25 for adults, $17 for faculty, staff and seniors, and $14 for students, and can be purchased at ua.universitytickets.com. For more information, contact Emilia Stuart, marketing manager for UA Theatre and Dance, at epstuart@crimson.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.  

ANTISEMITISM RESEARCH CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN MONTGOMERY — Students from The University of Alabama, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Troy University, the University of West Alabama and the University of South Alabama have spent the semester studying antisemitism through a virtual class which will culminate in the first Antisemitism in U.S. and Global History Student Conference April 19-20. The conference will be held at the Rosa Parks Library, 252 Montgomery St., Montgomery. For more information, contact Dr. Daniel J. Levine, associate professor and Aaron Aronov Chair of Judaic Studies, at daniel.j.levine@ua.edu. 

UA RESEARCHERS WORKING ON LAW ENFORCEMENT TOPICS TO MEET — The Southern Behavioral Health and Law Initiative at UA is hosting an event for researchers on campus interested in behavioral health, criminal justice, law enforcement, public policy or the law to present and discuss current projects and future collaborations. Members of the media are invited to attend to learn more about UA research in these areas. The event begins at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 14, at Hotel Capstone. For more information, contact Dr. Jennifer Cox, associate professor of psychology, at jennifer.m.cox@ua.edu. 

CURRENT COMMENT  

TIPS FOR LAST MINUTE TAX FILERS — As the federal tax deadline approaches, faculty members in the Culverhouse School of Accountancy at UA’s Culverhouse College of Business have some tips for last-minute filers. First, taxpayers who paid child care expenses for dependents under the age of 13 during 2021 should file Form 2441 with their federal tax returns to claim their credits. Secondly, taxpayers should make sure they received the entire amount of federal stimulus payments that were available in 2021. Taxpayers should have received a letter from the IRS in early 2022 confirming the amount they were paid. And, Alabama residents should make sure their tax software has been updated because of recent tax legislation in the state. This year’s deadline to file income tax returns is Monday, April 18. For more tips, contact Karen Miller, instructor of accounting, at krmiller8@culverhouse.ua.edu, or Lisa McKinney, lecturer in accounting, at lmckinne@culverhouse.ua.edu. 

DISTRACTED DRIVING CAN BE DEADLY — April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and a previous study from The University of Alabama showed how dangerous it can be when a driver is distracted by a phone or other electronic devices. From 2016 to 2020, more than 13,500 crashes were caused by these two distractions, resulting in 71 deaths and nearly 600 serious injuries. “The more you talk while driving, the more of a habit it becomes,” said Dr. David Brown, who led the study for the UA Center for Advanced Public Safety. “Think about the consequences of killing, or even causing injury to yourself or a family member. Think of the guilt you would feel if the crash impacted someone else’s family.” To schedule an interview, contact Dr. Brown at brown@cs.ua.edu. 

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 

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