MONDAY, JUNE 23 – SUNDAY, JUNE 29, 2014
BEST BETS
YOUNG SCIENTIST TO MEET WORLD’S BEST – UA graduate student Brandon Hill was selected to spend a week interacting with about three dozen Nobel-Prize winning scientists in a week-long event in Germany June 29-July 4. He’ll join young scholars from about 80 other countries during the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting. These annual meetings provide a forum for scientific debate on issues of global importance. Hill is a doctoral student studying biology. Contact him directly via bjhill@crimson.ua.edu. Reach to Dr. Carol Duffy, a UA associate professor of biological sciences with whom Hill works, cduffy3@as.ua.edu. For assistance, contact Chris Bryant in media relations, 205/348-8323, cbryant@ur.ua.edu
COMMUNITY MEMBERS SEARCH FOR PIECE OF HISTORY – Several community members are digging into history this week during the Alabama Museum of Natural History’s Expedition 36 public camp. The focus of this year’s expedition is archaeology. Campers are searching for evidence of the ancestral home of one of the families that settled Alabama before it became a state. The dig site is located in Perry County. Media are invited to the site to interview campers, as well as museum staff. For more information on the camp, which concludes Saturday, June 28, contact Kim Eaton, UA Media Relations, at kkeaton@ur.ua.edu, or call the media relations office at 205/348-5320.
STATE EDUCATION OFFICIAL VISITING TEACHER TRAINING IN COMPUTER SCIENCE – Dr. Philip Cleveland, director of career and technical education for the Alabama State Department of Education, plans to visit a UA-led effort to train high school teachers in a new computer science course. Dr. Jeff Gray, professor of computer science, is leading the effort. Both will be available for interviews from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 24 in 256 Hardaway Hall. For more information, contact Ed Crenshaw, Public Information Specialist with ALSDE, at 334/353-5220 or ecrenshaw@alsde.edu; or Adam Jones, UA Engineering Media Relations, at 205/348-6444 or acjones12@eng.ua.edu.
HIGH-SCHOOLERS LAND SUMMER JOBS CONDUCTING MATERIALS SCIENCE RESEARCH – Eight rising high-school juniors and seniors are pocketing $1,500 and a wealth of research experience over the next eight-weeks through participation in the UA MINT Center’s Summer Internship Program. The local students selected for these full-time summer jobs are mentored by scientists from the Center for Materials for Information Technology, known as MINT, as they complete individual research projects. UA’s MINT Center conducts fundamental studies on materials for data storage, energy storage, sensors and other applications of new materials and technologies. For more information on the program, which concludes Aug. 1, contact Dr. Timothy Mewes, associate professor of physics and MINT researcher, tmewes@ua.edu or 205/348-9187. For assistance, contact Chris Bryant, UA Media Relations, at 205/348-8323 or cbryant@ur.ua.edu
UA RECEIVES GRANT TO ESTABLISH CYBERCRIME LAB – Crime researchers and law enforcement agencies are often working toward the same goal of catching criminals and preventing future crimes. Too often, though, there isn’t a centralized location where researchers and practitioners can collaborate. The University of Alabama’s department of criminal justice will help both parties connect after receiving a $60,000 grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs to establish a cybercrime lab on the UA campus. The lab will allow law enforcement officers to process any evidence in which a crime occurred via computer technology, from laptop computers to video game systems. The lab will work for local and national law enforcement agencies to provide evidence for use in cyber-crime prosecutions. UA students will begin internships at the lab beginning January 2015. Dr. Kathryn Seigfried-Spellar, assistant professor of criminal justice and director of the lab, said the lab should begin processing cases by mid-October. For more information, contact David Miller, UA Media Relations, at 205/348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.
CURRENT COMMENT
COLLINSVILLE PD FILES AT RISK FOR COURT ADMISSIBILITY – The Collinsville Police Department in North Alabama was hit with a type of malware known as “ransomware” over the weekend. When an employee receives an email that is seemingly legitimate and follows the link in the email, the Trojan-type virus then either begins to encrypt files on the user’s computer and subsequent network, or the ransomware virus simply locks the user from using the computer all together. A countdown clock becomes visible with the amount of money demanded by a certain date and time, or the files will be destroyed. “Cryptolocking viruses, like the one that hit the Collinsville PD, are unfortunately not as uncommon as we’d like,” said Dr. Diana Dolliver, assistant professor of criminal justice at The University of Alabama. “All of us are vulnerable to such viruses, but its developers usually have specific targets in mind, such as a police department. The consequences of such a virus are much more serious in this case; now a third party has had access to the either sensitive or confidential information, which means it may no longer be admissible in court. Cybersecurity measures put in place by police departments are also called into question following a ransomware attack, as well as police training and awareness of such vulnerabilities.” Fore more information, contact contact David Miller, UA Media Relations, at 205/348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu, or Dr. Diana Dolliver, assistant professor of criminal justice, at 205/348-2062 or DLDolliver@ua.edu.
UA EXPERT TIPS
UA MATTERS: WAYS TO AVOID HEAT STROKE – Having some fun in the sun is typically a popular summer activity, but it can also be dangerous. The University of Alabama’s Dr. Anne Halli-Tierney offers a few tips on how to enjoy the summer sun and stay safe, http://uanews.ua.edu/2014/06/ua-matters-ways-to-avoid-heat-stroke/. Contact: UA Media Relations, 205/348-5320.
UA MATTERS: COLLEGE PREP TIPS FOR HIGH-SCHOOL SOPHOMORES – Whether you’re an incoming high-school freshman or senior, there are a multitude of things you can do to prepare for college. UA’s admissions office offers a few suggestions on how students can better plan for their college futures. This week’s post, the second in a series of four posts, focuses on high-school sophomores, http://uanews.ua.edu/2014/06/ua-matters-college-prep-tips-for-high-school-sophomores/.Contact: UA Media Relations, 205/348-5320
EVENTS
SUMMER ENRICHMENT WORKSHOP UNDER WAY AT MATHEWS ELEMENTARY – Gifted and talented students in the Tuscaloosa area enrolled in The University of Alabama College of Education’s Summer Enrichment Program are spending three weeks at Matthews Elementary School in Northport, where they are launching rockets, participating in simulated archaeological digs, and studying the ins and outs of launching a business. The program, in its 35th year, lasts until June 27. The program is offered on a first come, first serve basis to students in grades K through 8 who are enrolled in gifted programs. Registration is closed. More than 200 students are participating this year. For more information, contact David Miller, UA Media Relations, at 205/348-0825 or dcmiller2@ur.ua.edu.