MONDAY, NOV. 14 – SUNDAY, NOV. 20, 2016
BEST BETS
IT’S NOT A BIRD OR A PLANE, IT’S A SUPERMOON – UA’s department of physics and astronomy will hold a public viewing of the “supermoon” that will be visible tonight, Nov. 14. The viewing will be held at the Gallalee Hall Observatory from 8-9 p.m. Dr. Dawn Williams, an associate professor in UA’s physics and astronomy department, will give a lecture at 7 p.m. prior to the viewing period and will be in charge of the 16-inch reflective telescope that will provide a close-up view of the supermoon. This will be the closest a full moon’s orbit has been to Earth since 1948, making it appear larger in the sky. Gallalee Hall is at the northeast corner of University Boulevard and Hackberry Drive, less than a block from Denny Chimes. For more details contact Chris Bryant in media relations, 205/348-8323 or cbryant@ur.ua.edu.
APPAREL DESIGN STUDENTS SHOW FINAL COLLECTIONS IN FASHION SHOW – UA apparel design students will showcase their design talents during the eighth annual Fashion for Life. The design showcase will begin at 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20, at the Ferguson Center ballroom. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased in advance or at the door. For more information, contact Kim Eaton, media relations, 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.
UA SPECIAL OLYMPICS COLLEGE TO PLAY ‘IRON BOWL’ – The UA Special Olympics College will hold a unified flag football game against Auburn Sunday, Nov. 20, at the UA Recreation fields. The game will begin at 2 p.m. A tailgate between the two teams will begin at 1 p.m. Unified Sports is a burgeoning, inclusive sports initiative through Special Olympics and the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association. Teams must have at least 50 percent young adults with intellectual disabilities and the offset from typical students enrolled at UA. For more information, contact David Miller, UA media relations, 205/348-0825 or david.c.miller@ua.edu.
BEAT AUBURN, BEAT HUNGER ENDS — Media are invited to the official weigh-in ceremony and final announcement of the winner of the annual Beat Auburn, Beat Hunger food drive at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, at the West Alabama Food Bank, 3160 McFarland Blvd., in Northport. The event will coincide with a weigh-in and announcement at the same time at the Food Bank of East Alabama in Auburn for the Beat Bama drive. The winner of the competing food drives will be announced. UA’s Center for Service and Leadership coordinates the drive. Started in 1994, Beat Auburn, Beat Hunger has helped collect more than 2 million pounds of food. For more information, contact Richard LeComte, media relations, rllecomte@ur.ua.edu, 205/348-3782.
NEXT STEPS PLANNED FOR UA PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMIC CENTER — For decades, UA’s theatre and dance department has produced world-class performances, actors and dancers. It’s been a top-notch academic program in the Southeast with award-winning professors sharing knowledge and expertise with their students. But the department’s facilities in Rowand-Johnson Hall have never reflected the quality or potential of the theatre and dance programs, which has hampered the growing department’s potential. The UA System Board of Trustees recently approved a proposal to construct the Performing Arts Academic Center on the 168-acre former Bryce Hospital property, acquired by the University in 2010. The new $60-million center, which is now in the final stage of planning and will require funding through bonds and charitable contributions, will not only meet the growing needs of the theatre and dance department, but will serve as a new gateway to the University. For more information, contact Jamon Smith, UA media relations, at 205/348-4956 or jamon.smith@ua.edu, or William Teague, professor of theatre, at 205/348-5283 or wteague@ua.edu.
CURRENT COMMENT
STILL NO RAIN YET? – In the approximate three months that Alabama has experienced drought conditions, the severity of the drought has progressed from abnormally dry to an extreme drought. Some parts of the state are even experiencing the highest level of drought, which is an exceptional drought. Dr. Sagy Cohen, a UA assistant professor of geography who specializes in global hydrology, is available to comment on what’s going on and what it means for the state. For more information, contact Jamon Smith, UA media relations, at 205/348-4956 or jamon.smith@ua.edu
EVENTS
U.S. TRANSPORTATION OFFICIAL TO SPEAK ON CONNECTED VEHICLES – Kenneth M. Leonard, director of the U.S. Department of Transportation Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office, will discuss communication among vehicles, infrastructure and mobile computing in a seminar at 11 a.m. Friday Nov. 18, in the Ferguson Theater. For more information, contact Adam Jones, engineering media relations, at 205/348-6444 or acjones12@eng.ua.edu.