Faculty & Staff

Hoover Named an Assistant Dean at UA’s Culverhouse College of Commerce

Dr. Gary A. Hoover, associate professor of economics and Harrison Teaching Excellence Faculty Fellow, has been named assistant dean for faculty and graduate student development at The University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce. Hoover will assume his new role beginning this summer.

UA French Professor Publishes Book on Hermes and Aphrodite in Today’s Culture

Hermes and Aphrodite may be ancient Greek gods, but they are alive and well in contemporary literature and culture, according to a book edited by a University of Alabama professor who specializes in modern French literature.

UA Engineering Names New Barfield Chair

The University of Alabama College of Engineering recently named Dr. Ajay K. Agrawal as the Robert F. Barfield Endowed Chair in Mechanical Engineering.

UA Professor Receives NSF Major Research Instrumentation Grant

Dr. Gregory B. Thompson, assistant professor of metallurgical and materials engineering at The University of Alabama, recently received a $1.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Major Research Instrumentation award to purchase a new transmission electron microscope.

Look for 2005 to be a Busy Year for Tax Legislation

A University of Alabama accounting professor said there are at least four areas of U.S. tax code that need attention and are likely to be considered next year when tax reform takes center stage.

More States to Fund Stem Cell Research; Interest to Increase in New Technology with Potential to Make Issue Moot

Nearly a half-dozen states will follow California’s lead and promote stem-cell research in 2005, while a new technology that could eventually make the entire debate moot will continue developing in the months ahead, predicts a University of Alabama biologist.

Look for Chilling Re-Regulation in the Media in 2005

The Federal Communications Commission and Congress are likely to take steps to curtail press freedom in 2005, a University of Alabama communication expert predicts.

Housing Market in 2005 Should be Good, but will Not Rival Predicted Record-Setting 2004

A 2005 economy strong enough to keep housing prices firm, tempered by the potential impact of the growing federal deficit will combine for a good housing market, but not one as strong as 2004, predicts a real estate expert at The University of Alabama.

Hispanic Population in Alabama to Continue Growing

While Alabama is not a premier destination state for Hispanic migrants, the state has not yet peaked in its potential to absorb additional Hispanic residents, and the Hispanic population in Alabama will continue to grow throughout the decade, according to Annette Watters, manager of the Alabama State Data Center at The University of Alabama.

World Demand and OPEC’s cuts Mean High Gas Prices for 2005

The price of oil in 2005 will be volatile, says a University of Alabama engineering professor. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, known as OPEC, recently announced a one-million barrel a day cutback in production, which, if enforced, should keep the price above the old target price of about $25 a barrel, according to Dr. Peter Clark, associate professor of chemical and biological engineering at UA.