UA clinical psychology chairman earns SEC faculty achievement honor
Tuscaloosa News – April 11
A University of Alabama psychology professor was named Wednesday as one of the winners of the 2013 SEC Faculty Achievement Awards. “I feel very honored and am very appreciative to receive this award,” said John E. Lochman, the Doddridge Saxon chairman in UA’s clinical psychology department. The annual award recognizes professors from the 14 SEC member universities who have meritorious records in teaching and scholarship and who serve as role models for other faculty and students, according to a news release from the SEC. Lochman will receive a $5,000 honorarium from the Southeastern Conference and will be UA’s nominee for the SEC Professor of the Year Award. The SEC Professor of the Year receives an additional $15,000 honorarium and will be presented at the annual SEC awards dinner in Destin, Fla. Lochman said he will be proud to represent UA in the Professor of the Year competition. “I really have enjoyed my time at UA. The school has played an important role in my life,” said Lochman, who is in his 15th year at the Capstone.
UA robotics team finishes 4th at IEEE SoutheastCon
Crimson White – April 11
A team of eight UA electrical engineering seniors placed fourth out of 51 teams at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers SoutheastCon Hardware Competition last week. Kenneth Ricks, associate professor for electrical and computer engineering and faculty advisor for the team, said the competition was comprised of three preliminary rounds and a finals round. “The scores from each of the three preliminary rounds were totaled and the top eight schools advanced to the finals,” Ricks said. “UA had a total score of 1,700, which placed them in second place after the preliminary rounds. “In the finals, the teams were seeded and went head-to-head in an eight-team bracket. UA finished fourth in the finals.” For this year, the team had to design a robot that was completely autonomous, which means that once the start button was pressed, there was no operator control, Ricks said. Sarah Betzig, a member of the team, said she and team members broke the robot down into subsystems – detection, navigation, chassis, power, motors, coding, gripper and unloading – and delegated each subsystem to two team members, a primary, or leader, and a secondary, or supporter. Betzig was the primary for the color detection subsystem and secondary for the navigation subsystem.
‘Seinfeld’ director’s book spoofs ‘Hardy Boys’
Tuscaloosa News – April 11
After a longish detour to Hollywood, where he directed and produced the first five years of “Seinfeld,” along with “NewsRadio” and other TV sitcom hits, Tom Cherones has come back to his hometown of Tuscaloosa, and to a childhood love, for his second — or third? fourth? — career. This afternoon at Reese Phifer Hall on the University of Alabama campus, where he’s also headquartered teaching an intensive class in short filmmaking, Cherones will read from his new novel “The Hardly Boys: The Mystery of the Golden Goblet.” The first of an intended series, the book is a loving spoof of the old “Hardy Boys” mysteries he devoured while growing up on the streets of downtown Tuscaloosa in the 1940s and ’50s, working in his dad’s record store, Radio Electric Co., sometimes stopping in at his Greek-immigrant grandfather’s steakhouse, Tuscaloosa Cafe.
SGA hosts Unity Day to bring campuses together
Crimson White – April 10
The University of Alabama Student Government Association is hosting Unity Day on Friday to encourage UA students to forge a closer relationship with students at Stillman College. Unity Day allows students from both schools to come together to socialize and gain a better understanding of life at each school. Shalyn Smith, Stillman SGA president, said she hopes the event will offer students an opportunity to clear up misconceptions they may have about the other school. “We have Stillman, a historically black college and UA, a historically white institution, but we want to show the community that we’re not necessarily segregated, you know. We all love each other and we’re united,” Smith said. Smith said Unity Day is an annual event that has been hosted for about five years, sometimes including Shelton State Community College as well. The event will take place Friday on Greek Row at Stillman College. Buses will be available to transfer UA students from the Ferguson Center at 3:45 p.m. UA students can also receive two Panhellenic points for attending.
UA fly fishing gets philanthropic with nonprofit Fishing’s Future
Crimson White – April 11
The last paved road ended 30 miles ago. A birdsong, water trickling and the wisp of a line being cast are the only sounds the fly fishing club can hear this deep in the woods. Adam Hudson, a senior majoring in biology and secretary of the UA Fly Fishing Club, said his mind is at rest while fly fishing. “No other aspect of your life really matters,” Hudson said. “You’re thinking about making a good cast and trying to fool a fish whose brain is the size of your thumb.” The University of Alabama Fly Fishing Club takes trips like this as often as it can, not only to get away from the stress of school and work, but to maintain friendships. Matthew Allen, club president and a senior majoring in geology, said the club knew it wanted to base its philanthropy project on getting kids fishing and outdoors. The Fly Fishing Club sponsor, Trout Unlimited, linked the club with a Texas-based, nonprofit organization called Fishing’s Future, whose mission is to reconnect kids to nature, strengthen family relationships, increase participation in recreational angling and to teach and increase awareness on environmental issues. The Fly Fishing Club is in the process of becoming an official chapter of Fishing’s Future and will be the first in Alabama. Currently fundraising to reach $1,300, the club is meeting with sponsors this week and hopes to file the paperwork by April 12. The first event will be hosted before the end of spring semester or during the summer because kids will be out of school.
Measuring building safety: most April 27, 2011 tornado damage done by EF1 or EF2 winds
Crimson White – April 11
In the days and months following the storms and tornadoes that ripped through Tuscaloosa and much of Alabama on April 27, 2011, UA professors, administrators and students took part, not only in rescues and clean up work, but also in research projects in various fields concerning tornadoes. While some departments studied the aftermath of such a case of extreme weather and others attempted to research preventative and preparatory measures, all the researchers were united in their efforts to make the most out of the wide- reaching tragedy. The storm’s destruction and fallout provided an opportunity for the study of everything from building structure and materials to real estate markets and the environment in the wake of a powerful tornado. Professors in the civil engineering department realized this window of study was time-sensitive but could potentially reveal industry-changing results. Andrew Graettinger, a professor in the civil engineering department, worked with several colleagues from the University and other universities as part of a response team gathering information directly in the wake of the tornado to study the impact of the storm on how the mainly wood-frame structures were engineered. “We looked at a phenomenon that hadn’t been engineered for before, which is tornadoes,” Graettinger said. This study was unique, Graettinger said, because in the past, people have assumed that nothing can be done to prevent an EF4 or above tornado from wreaking this level of destruction.
Black Warrior Film Festival will be held Saturday in Reese Phifer
Crimson White – April 11
The Black Warrior Film Festival will be held Saturday in Reese Phifer. The daylong event, held in conjunction with the department of telecommunication and film, The Student Producer’s Association, Crimson Cinema Productions and Creative Campus, will feature films by UA students along with master classes, panels and activities aimed at promoting local art through student film. The festival will feature three blocks of films, bringing local directors into the spotlight. Danny Ryan, programming and marketing leader for the festival, believes this will highlight the talent that can be found around the Capstone. “The films that will be shown are exceptional student films,” Ryan said. “Many have won various awards and have been getting national attention. Some of the films, such as ‘Corner Man’ and ‘Land of Oz,’ have brought this attention to regional perspectives that are relevant to Tuscaloosa.” Ryan said the reverberations of this film festival and others like it affect local culture in a way that brings people together while pushing artistic innovation to the forefront. “Films made by these students are reflections of the local culture.” Ryan said. “Their work being shown at the BWFF represents our school, as well as our community. Film festivals are important to the local culture because it allows the community to gather and celebrate the work that other members of this community have done. It helps people to appreciate the local culture and be proud to be a part of it.”
UA hosts Relay for Life to raise money for cancer
Crimson White – April 11
The University of Alabama will host Relay for Life at Sam Bailey Track and Field Stadium Friday. Relay for Life is a national overnight event sponsored by the American Cancer Society to raise money and awareness for cancer treatment and research. “Teams have been formed, and each team is supposed to have at least one member walking or running on the track at all times,” Leela Foley, a junior majoring in public relations and marketing director for the event, said. “The idea is that ‘cancer never sleeps,’ and so not only do teams raise money, but they are symbolically fighting back against cancer by not sleeping as well.” The relay will begin Friday at 6 p.m. and end Saturday at 6 a.m. “To students I would say that Relay For Life is important to attend, because cancer is something that affects us all,” Foley said. “Unfortunately, almost everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer.”
AIME Day to feature local entrepreneurs
Crimson White – April 11
UA Entrepreneurial Week activities begin Wednesday at 5 p.m. in the Hotel Capstone Ballroom, with different activities held throughout the week. Entrepreneurial Week will finish with an all-day event known as the University’s Alabama Innovation and Mentoring of Entrepreneurs Day from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday in Room 110 of the Alabama Institute of Manufacturing Excellence Facility. Greg Sheek, director of Alabama Launchpad programs, David Snyder of Urban Cookhouse and Sam Brewer and Nick Wright of Game Day Tents are all to be featured at the week’s beginning forum in the ballroom. AIME Day, the final day of the week, includes presentations made by faculty and students along with University representatives participating in the Alabama Launchpad business plan at The Edge in downtown Tuscaloosa. Judges will select winners from 16 competing entrepreneurial teams that will be given funding and help from the University, Lou Marino, director of the entrepreneurial program in the College of Business, said.
Students host Hunger Talks to fund Secret Meals
Crimson White – April 11
A group of Alabama students is working to solve the rising problem of child hunger in the state through an event called Hunger Talks next Monday, April 15, at the Baptist Campus Ministries building. Hunger Talks is a program in collaboration with Tide Talks, an organization that presents a series of diverse ideas and personal stories from Alabama students. All proceeds from ticket sales go to Secret Meals for Hungry Children, a statewide organization that provides weekend meals for children. Secret Meals for Hungry Children allows teachers to identify any student they may think is experiencing hunger. Secret Meals provides six meals for the teacher to slip into the child’s backpack so he or she has enough to eat over the weekend. “It’s not something they can sign up for. Teachers see that these kids are hungry, and they really need help,” Kristin Nelson, a group member for Hunger Talks, said. Nelson, a senior majoring in public relations, said Hunger Talks will feature a lunchroom-style hunger simulation, providing a flashback to elementary or middle school days for those who attend. “You experience what it’s like to be a child in school with not enough to eat, while everyone around you has food,” Nelson said. “It puts you in their situation.”