Searching for STEM Success
InsideHigherEd.com – Sept. 3
…David E. Hardy and Stephen G. Katsinas, professors at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa’s College of Education, conducted research on the production of STEM graduates in community colleges of different sizes and geographic locations…Their findings are among a handful of articles published in the journal’s newest volume that focus on teaching STEM at two-year institutions…Hardy and Katsinas argue that these data evidence a demonstrable “difference in curricular focus” at rural community colleges. Otherwise, their logic continues, suburban and urban community colleges would have posted similar STEM growth for women and minorities over the same time period… “Why are suburban colleges currently involving greater percentages of women in their engineering and physical science programs, while rural colleges appear to do better with female participation in mathematics and statistics, and urban colleges seem to have the advantage in engineering technology, biological/biomedical sciences, and science technology?” write Hardy and Katsinas. “Might there be a connection between the mathematics programs and the need for K–12 math teachers in rural areas; between biomedical and engineering technology programs and the higher likelihood of securing internships, cooperative education experiences, and eventual related employment in urban centers with more medical and manufacturing facilities; or between engineering and physical science programs at suburban colleges and the kind of proactive academic advising and math/science enrichment programs that are generally more available to high school students — both girls and boys — at suburban high schools?”…
McClatchy Newspapers – Sept. 3
Comic book chronicles astronomy discovery
Tuscaloosa News – Sept. 3
…University of Alabama astronomy professor Bill Keel credits Southern Illinois University astronomy professor Pamela Gay with the idea of a comic book. “Hanny and the Mystery of the Voorwerp” debuted at DragonCon, the world’s largest science fiction convention, in Atlanta. “This was done particularly in collaboration with Pamela Gay, who has really been in the forefront of exploring what people like to call ‘new media’ in regard to science outreach and use of interactive web techniques,” Keel said…
Getting around on gameday
Tuscaloosa News – Sept. 3
…Kickoff on the Quad festivities begin three hours prior to the scheduled kickoff of each home game, so on Saturday it will start at 3 p.m., with food and merchandise vendors. Children’s activities can be found along Sixth Avenue…To protect the turf and landscape, no vehicles or trailers will be allowed on the Quad grass or any building that faces the Quad, Gorgas House, Moore, Little, Fosters, Russell, Gallalee, Osband, Wilson or Farrah halls…Free public parking can be found in and around the Downtown Intermodal Facility parking deck…
NBC 13 (Birmingham) – Sept. 2
EDITORIAL: UA football benefits town, merchants, fans
Tuscaloosa News – Sept. 3
…In addition to a great team to follow, Alabama fans now have one of college football’s premier venues as a setting for their games…the massive stadium is the nation’s fifth largest, and more than 101,000 fans will pack into it. The most recent addition not only boosts capacity but also adds an aesthetically pleasing exterior to the stadium. Yes, bringing all of those fans into town creates some problems…But the fans who crowd the roads and over-stuff the garbage cans bring their wallets with them. Tuscaloosa County’s merchant community, particularly the hospitality and entertainment segments, benefits greatly from home football games. And each sale is taxed, which helps local governments. Football offers the university community, UA alumni and fans and the people of this area a distraction for the daily grind and something positive to rally around. It’s even more fun when the team is really good, like now. We wish Coach Saban and his team luck in 2010. Not that we think they’ll need it.
Reception honors growth of UA’s real estate program
Tuscaloosa News – Sept. 3
The success of the growing program was celebrated Thursday evening at Cypress Inn in a social networking reception called UA FARE (Friends & Alumni of Real Estate). The reception brought together several hundred students, alumni, faculty, industry professionals and leaders who recognized five individuals for their lifetime commitment to Alabama real estate. Honored were: – Billy Helms, chairman of UA’s department of economics, finance and legal studies, which includes the real estate related courses. – Leonard Zumpano, professor of finance and holder of the Alabama Association of Realtors endowed chair of real estate…
Crimson White – Sept. 3