UA is top school in state on 2015 Best College Rankings
WPMI-NBC (Mobile) – Sept. 9
The University of Alabama is the top school in the state on the 2015 best colleges list. U.S. News and World Report unveiled the listing today. Alabama is tied at number 88 with six other schools on the list.
NBC 13 (Birmingham) – Sept. 9
ABC 33/40 (Birmingham) – Sept. 9
University of Alabama, Lockheed developing new lab
Montgomery Advertiser – Sept. 9
Global aerospace titan Lockheed Martin has partnered with the University of Alabama to develop an analytics research lab at the Culverhouse College of Commerce. The partnership, announced Monday, will result in the first such facility of its kind in the United States that is dedicated exclusively to the field of data science. “The University of Alabama and the Culverhouse College of Commerce have become recognized leaders in business analytics and innovation,” said University of Alabama President Judy Bonner. “We are excited that this lab will provide research to businesses that will help them become more effective not only locally, but globally as well.” Designed to help companies of all sizes better compete in a global economy, the laboratory will serve as a research center for data analytics — the science of discovering meaningful patterns within data — and provided collaboration and research across government, industry, and academia to help companies anticipate and solve problems. By incorporating UA students, the lab is meant to supplement the traditional classroom experience by focusing on the development and application of analytics technology.
Eugene Register-Guard (Ore.) – Sept. 9
ABC 2 (Nashville) – Sept. 9
WAAY-ABC (Huntsville) – Sept. 9
NBC 13 (Birmingham) – Sept. 9
WPMI-NBC (Mobile) – Sept. 9
USA Today – Sept. 10 (Print edition only)
Lipid deficiency linked to neuron degeneration in lab study
Science Daily – Sept. 8
A type of lipid that naturally declines in the aging brain impacts — within laboratory models used to study Parkinson’s disease — a protein associated with the disease, according to a study co-authored by University of Alabama researchers. The study, which published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, focuses on lipids, fat-like molecules that naturally occur in organisms, and their potential roles in a complex process that leads to the death of neurons that produce dopamine. When dopamine-producing neurons malfunction or die, this leads to the symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease. “This gets right to the heart of understanding, possibly, the mechanism by which one form of lipid is impacting the process of neuron degeneration,” said Dr. Guy Caldwell, UA professor of biological sciences and one of the study’s co-authors. The study, led by researchers at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, focused on phosphatidylethanolamine, a lipid known as PE. Today’s scholarly article details how low levels of PE lead to high-levels of alpha-synuclein, a protein previously linked to Parkinson’s. It also show the promise a second lipid, ethanolamine, or ETA, has in boosting PE levels.
“Stand Up To Cancer” not standing up to cigarette promoters: guest opinion
Al.com – Sept. 9
In three previous national telethons, Stand Up To Cancer has raised more than a quarter of a billion dollars for cancer research. Contributions to the “War on Cancer” pledged in the fourth such telethon on September 5 would seem to be welcome. But several sponsors that were praised in the telecast appear to be doing more to promote the leading cause of cancer — cigarette smoking — than to prevent or cure cancer. Take SIEMENS, a multinational engineering and electronics corporation that has cultivated an image as a medical equipment and health-care company in advertisements in major magazines and newspapers with headlines such as “More health care stories with happier endings.” But this self-proclaimed health company also is a leading manufacturer of cigarette-making machinery. Among SIEMENS’s customers is Philip Morris USA, maker of the best-selling cigarette brand Marlboro. ((Alan Blum, MD, is Professor and Gerald Leon Wallace, MD, Endowed Chair in Family Medicine at the University of Alabama, where he directs the Center for the Study of Tobacco and Society. Email him at ablum@cchs.ua.edu.)
Books about Neil Young, Sheila E, Jerry Lee and more: 10 great music reads coming in fall and winter 2014
Nola.com – Sept. 9
Besides much-anticipated cooler weather and a ton of great shows in New Orleans, the fall and winter of 2014 will deliver a host of intriguing new books about music … “Top 40 Democracy: The Rival Mainstreams of American Music,” Eric Weisbard (University of Chicago Press, Nov. 20) Weisbard, a critic who balances academic work with a keen sense for pop (a former Village Voice music critic, the University of Alabama professor is a founder of the 12-year-old Experience Music Project pop conference, which brings scholars and lay journalists together for an annual geekfest that digs eagerly into all things music) examines the history and meaning of radio formats and charts, exploring how a taxonomy of popular music has been invented, and how in turn that has affected the way the music itself, and the way we define it, has evolved.
Adaptive Golf Tournament
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Sept. 9
Members of the University of Alabama’s adaptive golf team were out on the golf course today, joining other golfers for the 2nd Annual ABC Medical Adapted Golf Championship. That was happening out at Ol’ Colony Golf Complex in Tuscaloosa. Proceeds from today’s tournament go to benefit the Alabama Adapted Athletics program.
Signature in the cell lecture discusses evidence of faith
Crimson White – Sept. 10
H.E. “Buddy” Payne, Jr., the President of Florida College, said he believes faith in a divine being can be proven through biological makeup. Tuesday night at the Ferguson Center Theater, he discussed his beliefs in a lecture titled “Signature in
the Cell.” The lecture was a part of the “Why Faith” series, with Payne discussing evidence of faith in the modern age. His lecture focused on evidence within the cell, which explained the reason why life was created through intelligent design. He broke down the processes within the cell that lead to reproduction of DNA. Using diagrams to show the functions in cells that use proteins and nucleic acid to create DNA, he said there are signatures within the cell that could not be created without
intelligent design.
Professors have freedom to construct their own courses
Crimson White – Sept. 10
Students creating their own major is relatively common, but there is a growing trend of teachers creating their
own classes. Anil Mujumdar, a practicing lawyer in Birmingham and adjunct professor in the American studies department, created a class about the year 1964, which explores civil rights, social justice, music and culture. Mujumdar said he has other ideas for classes he might want to teach in the future, but the 1964 class is special because it coincides with the 50th anniversary of the events he is
teaching about. “What is particularly interesting to me in teaching it is that a lot of the events and people that we’re talking about are close to the same age as the students in the class,” he said. “I thought it would be interesting to see if college students now think the same as students 50 years ago or are there lessons to be learned? Are there issues that are out there today that require the same sense of social engagement? Or was that a unique time?” Last summer he brought the idea for the new course to Dr. Lynne Adrian, chair of the American studies department. “We’re an interdisciplinary department, and we use methods of many different areas to study American culture, so it’s easy to find new ways of looking at things,” Adrian said. “It’s unlike something in chemistry or biology where there’s a fairly rigid sequence of courses. So I think that makes it easier to create courses.”
Campus offers multiple non-profit groups
Crimson White – Sept. 10
With the first few weeks of classes complete, students are looking for ways to get involved in organizations outside the realm of academia. UA Dance Marathon is a student run organization that partners with the Tuscaloosa and Birmingham area to raise funds for Children’s Hospital of Alabama in Birmingham. This organization collects donations throughout the year through different events. The total amount of funds raised is announced at the 10-hour, no-sitting Dance Marathon. Each hour is themed, and participants are encouraged to dress up for each theme and enjoy games and treats. Participants also spend valuable time speaking with patients of Children’s Hospital and hearing their personal stories. … Another way for students to get involved is through the University’s annual Beat Auburn, Beat Hunger food drive. Students, faculty and Alabama staff compete to collect more non-perishable food items for the West Alabama Food Bank than Auburn University. The competition has taken place in West Alabama since 1994.
UA group seeks to redefine feminism
Crimson White – Sept. 9
At this year’s 2014 MTV music video awards, Beyonce stood on stage with the word “feminist” in bright lights behind her. Closer to The University of Alabama, the UA Feminist Caucus will be holding its first meeting Wednesday at the Ferguson Center Forum to discuss how feminism has changed and students can get involved. “The issue of feminism impacts us everyday regardless of gender, sexual orientation or anything like that. That’s why it’s so important to be involved,” Cassidy Ellis, club president and a first year graduate student studying gender and race studies, said. … The meeting will also focus on upcoming events like “Feminism Is for Everybody” later this month and will have four panelists made up of students and professors. The meeting will host two guest speakers, Bria Harper and Bri Swims, both graduate students from the gender and race studies department.
Conference, facility sign of big things to come
Springfield News-Leader (Mo.) – Sept. 9
Next Wednesday, Sept. 17, Missouri State University will be hosting its inaugural conference on civic engagement. The theme of the conference is “Building and Sustaining Partnerships for Stronger Communities.” … Stephen Black, JD, Director of the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility at University of Alabama will be speaking on the moral obligations of citizenship.
Resonance show choir expands
Crimson White – Sept. 10 (Print edition only)
The University of Alabama Resonance, much like the TV show “Glee,” is a show choir filled with students who are passionate about music. Founded in 2008 by UA alumnus Michael Zauchin, Resonance offers a chance for members to express themselves creatively and make new friends. The group works independent of faculty … Resonance has welcomed 20 new members, bringing the number of performers to a total of 40.