UA studying how to make longer, more durable bridge girders
CE News – Sept. 17
Engineering researchers at The University of Alabama (UA) are testing massive concrete girders in a campus laboratory to find ways for bridges to span longer distances with fewer supports underneath. Longer, more durable concrete girders would mean fewer support structures underneath the bridge, and that could lead to lower construction costs. Besides cost saving, longer spans would mean fewer disturbances over water, wetlands or other natural habitats. In urban areas, such as interstates that sit over city streets, fewer supports would mean less disruption of traffic and business below. The two-year project with the Alabama Department of Transportation should end with recommendations on how to design and build concrete girders that can span 180 feet, about 15 feet longer than the longest concrete girders currently used in the state.
Concrete Construction – Sept. 17
Public Works – Sept. 17
Will 25-cent tax hike on cigarettes improve Alabama’s health?
Al.com – Sept. 17
Preston Frazier doesn’t believe a quarter increase in a pack of cigarettes is going to cause him to immediately quit smoking, but he does think it could have some impact on smokers statewide. “The quarter isn’t that bad,” Frazier, 21, of Mobile said. “But any kind of tax is a big deal.” Alabama health officials agree, but remain doubtful the quarter increase is going to make a significant dent in the state’s woeful public health rankings. They do believe the increase approved by the legislature on Tuesday and signed into law by Gov. Robert Bentley Thursday will lead to some smokers quitting. However, they recognize the tax increase wasn’t introduced nor intended to serve as a legislative smoking cessation tool, but rather as a way to generate revenue to help patch a $200 million budget deficit … Richard Fording, professor and chair of the Department of Political Science at the University of Alabama, said the 25-cent tax hike amounted to the legislature approving a “low-hanging fruit” when it comes to taxes. “This is definitely one of the few taxes that is probably politically feasible,” he said .”You don’t get too many people standing up in favor of smoker rights or so-called sin taxes.”
UA professors look toward the stars
Crimson White – Sept. 17
When Ronald Buta was 13 years old, sitting on the couch watching tv with his brothers, he looked out the window and saw a bright star. Amazed, Buta abandoned the TV show and walked out on the porch and seeing the sky like never before. Opening up a book, Buta found out the star was the Sirius star, the brightest star in Earth’s night sky. Fifty years later, Buta still thinks back to that night. An University of Alabama Astronomy Professor, Buta’s work is focused toward developing mathematical simulations of galaxies, studying galaxy structures and formulating theories. “I often wonder why it happened, but it’s been 50 years and I still have the same enthusiasm for the sky as I did since that incident on the couch with my brothers,” Buta said. “I like to show people galaxies.” Buta said there are a handful of opportunities this semester for University students as well as the general public to see galaxies and other astronomical events through a myriad of telescopes at the University observatory. The next event is Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 7-10 p.m. at Gallalee Hall. “What you’re really going to want to see is the lunar eclipse on Sunday, September 27,” Buta said.
$11.5M to be allocated for Black Belt work
Tuscaloosa News – Sept. 17
Economic development and small businesses in Alabama’s Black Belt region will get an $11.5 million boost through local, state and federal funding, Gov. Robert Bentley announced Thursday. The Delta Regional Authority and partner organizations are investing the money in nine projects in the Black Belt, including projects in York and Livingston, Bentley said. The funding will include $80,000 for the city of York for a business incubator supporting start-up and expanding businesses, $150,000 to upgrade and expand a truck-driving program operated in Demopolis by Shelton State Community College, and $100,000 to help the University of Alabama expand or establish business development centers in seven counties. The investments and workforce training programs are expected to help create and retain more than 1,000 jobs in the area, Bentley said.
ABC 9 (Columbus, Ga.) – Sept. 17
Greenfield Daily Reporter (Ind.) – Sept. 17
Free legal clinic offered Thursday at library
Tuscaloosa News – Sept. 17
The Alabama State Bar Volunteer Lawyers Program, in cooperation with the Tuscaloosa County Bar Association, the University of Alabama School of Law and Legal Services Alabama, will host a free legal clinic Thursday for low-income residents of Tuscaloosa County coping with civil legal challenges. The clinic lawyers are experienced in various areas of the law and will be available to answer questions in the areas of divorce/custody/visitation, landlord/tenant issues, wills and estates, debts/bankruptcy/foreclosure and domestic violence. The clinic will be held from 3-5:30 p.m. at the Tuscaloosa County Public Library, 1801 Jack Warner Parkway. For information, call 1-888-857-8571.
Deontay Wilder visits Rise School
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – Sept. 17
Heavyweight boxing champion Deontay Wilder met some of his little fans today at The University of Alabama’s Rise School.
NBC 13 (Birmingham) – Sept. 17
UA Researchers study how birds migrate
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Sept. 17
The University of Alabama is using the school’s arboretum to find out how birds migrate. The school installed multiple recording units in the Arboretum that are capable of recording weeks of bird calls giving researchers an audible census of birds at the site.
ASU Chosen by White House to Lead National STEM Collaborative
Lab Manager – Sept. 17
The White House has announced that Arizona State University will lead the National STEM Collaborative, a consortium of 19 institutions of higher education and nonprofit partners committed to supporting minority girls and women in STEM fields. The announcement by the White House Council for Women and Girls reflects the national recognition earned by ASU’s Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology and the center’s executive director, Kimberly A. Scott, in encouraging greater access to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) for women and girls of color … ASU will lead nine educational institutions and nine nonprofit groups in the collaborative. The educational institutions are: Amherst College, City College of New York, Diné College, Maricopa Community Colleges, Spelman College, University of Alabama, University of California–Riverside, University of Maryland–Baltimore County, and the Project on Race & Gender in Science & Medicine at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University.
OnlineSchoolsCenter.com Releases Their List of the 2015-2016 Top Ranked Online BBA Programs
ABC 4 (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) – Sept. 17
OnlineSchoolsCenter.com has recently released their list of the Top 20 Online Bachelor of Business Administration Degree Programs, a well-rounded list of challenging yet affordable programs intended for adults who are looking for an alternative to more strictly scheduled brick-and-mortar programs … Individuals with a Business Administration degree statistically make twice to three times more than business men and women with no education! For those who are interested in a career in business administration and leadership, it is vastly more beneficial to earn a degree and climb higher in their field. Distance education is a highly viable option for those with current positions of employment, as online coursework allows for substantially more flexibility … Below we have listed the schools that have made the Top 20 Online Bachelor of Business Administration Programs: 10. Ashford University – Clinton, IA; 11. Florida Institute of Technology – Melbourne, FL; 12. University of Illinois Springfield – Springfield, IL; 13. Chadron State College – Chadron, NE; 14. Colorado Technical University – Colorado Springs, CO; 15. University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa, AL.
College Gameday on Campus; Students talk to Rece Davis
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Sept. 17
It is the biggest matchup of the weekend, Alabama versus Ole Miss. ESPN’s College Gameday is in Tuscaloosa for the big game. The Gameday setup built by Home Depot took over the Walk of Champions today…Today students got an inside look at College Gameday when UA grad Rece Davis spoke to UA students about his journey. Students were able to ask questions.
Mercedes Benz is expanding
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – Sept. 17
Around 330 new jobs are coming to Tuscaloosa county. Mercedes Benz will be adding new jobs in what they call “Project Gateway.” Construction has already begun. Many of the new jobs could come from programs that Mercedes has with The University of Alabama and other local colleges.
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Sept. 17