Alabama University Gets Grant to Find Bacteria to Degrade Gulf Oil
EnvironmentalProtection.com – June 22
Two University of Alabama biology professors have received a National Science Foundation Rapid Response Research grant to research environmental clean-up solutions for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Behzad Mortazavi, Ph.D., assistant professor of biological sciences, and Patricia Sobecky, Ph.D., professor and chair of biological sciences, will use the grant for their project titled, “RAPID: Accelerating biodegradation of hydrocarbons from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico with Naturally Occurring Marine Substrates.” They will focus on finding ways to accelerate the chemical breakdown of the hydrocarbons contained in the oil in the northern Gulf of Mexico coastal zone. Among their objectives is to identify sources of naturally occurring marine organic matter in the affected areas that will speed up the rate of this breakdown and identify the bacteria involved in degrading the hydrocarbons. The long-term goal of the project is to develop feasible engineering solutions to assist in mitigating the effects of oil contamination in coastal waters.
UA researchers receive $4.5 million to study global warming
NBC13 (Birmingham) – June 21
Four and a half million dollars. That’s how much money researchers at the University of Alabama will receive to study global warming. They want to see if they take coal emissions, which destroys the ozone and put it into water, if it will help save the atmosphere.
University of Alabama to become home to large private collection on southern history and culture
Birmingham News – June 22
The University of Alabama Libraries will become home June 28 to the A.S. Williams III Collection of History and Culture of the South, the University of Alabama announced today. The private collection of American and Southern history includes more than 20,000 books, 12,000 photographs and documents gathered by Williams, a Eufaula native, UA graduate and former executive of Protective Life Corp. It will be housed in the Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library and will open to the public in October.
Plans to transform Allen & Jemison building into cultural arts center coming together
Tuscaloosa News – June 22
… Income will be generated from rentals of the space and the gallery, which will probably be operated as an artists’ co-op, Penick said…Interns and docents will be sought from the University of Alabama and the community to help run programs…