MONDAY, JULY 25 – SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2016
BEST BETS
RISE GRADUATION – Media are invited to the dress rehearsal for UA’s RISE Center graduation at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 27, at the Stallings Center. The graduation itself will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 28. Parents and Andi Gillen, director of the RISE Center, will be available to discuss the program. The RISE Center, part of UA’s College of Human Environmental Sciences, serves children with disabilities and their typically developing peers from ages 8 weeks to 5 years. The children are divided by age among six classes, each an average of 16 students, one teacher and three assistants. The school’s mission is the same as the University’s — teaching, service and research. The integrated preschool program benefits families in the community and serves as a practicum and internship site for students from UA and other colleges. For more information on the Rise Center, go to http://riseschool.ua.edu/ or contact Gillen at 205/348-8301. For more details on the dress rehearsal, or assistance, contact Richard LeComte, media relations, rllecomte@ur.ua.edu or 205/348-3782.
PROFESSOR TO JOIN SCIENTISTS EXPLORING THE DEEP OCEAN – Dr. Kevin Kocot, a UA assistant professor of biological sciences and curator of invertebrate zoology at UA’s Alabama Museum of Natural History, is one of 22 marine scientists from across the nation selected to participate in the Chief Scientist Training Cruise put on by the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System. The expedition is from July 28 to Aug. 9, and it will train early-career research scientists in the use of research submersibles used to explore the deep sea. In doing so, they’ll collect biological and geological samples from the Atlantic Ocean’s floor. Kocot may be reached remotely today at kmkocot@ua.edu. For more details, watch for an upcoming news release or contact UA media relations at 205/348-5320.
ENGINEERING CAMPERS TO TEST HOMEMADE BOATS – The Student Introduction to Engineering, or SITE, program is a summer camp designed specifically for rising juniors and seniors in high school. More than 25 years old, the SITE program is three, week-long sessions this summer with about 150 students attending. SITE students live in residence halls and engage in team exercises. They attend mini-courses in mathematics, engineering, computer science and English. As part of the camp, students participate in a design competition, and this week students will design boats made of cardboard boxes, garbage bags and packing tape. The contest begins at the UA Recreation Pool at 3:45 p.m. Thursday July 28. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA engineering media relations, at 205/348-6444 or acjones12@eng.ua.edu.
WOMEN NEEDED FOR RESEARCH STUDY — Women ages 55-69 are needed for a research study to evaluate the taste, texture and other sensory characteristics of different watermelon-flavored beverages. Women in this age group without any food allergies are eligible to participate. Participants will come to the Food Lab in Doster Hall at UA to taste test the beverages and complete a computerized sensory evaluation. The visit will take approximately a half hour to complete. Researchers are evaluating the cardio-protective effects of compounds naturally found in watermelon juice. Interested participants can make a testing appointment by phoning, toll-free, 1-844-348-7057. For more details, contact UA media relations, 205/348-5320.