UA In the News: April 14

UA to add 116 new faculty members
Tuscaloosa News – April 14
The University of Alabama hopes to add about 116 tenure-track faculty by the start of classes next fall. The figure includes replacement hires as well as new faculty being added as part of UA’s five-year strategic plan, UA President Stuart Bell said. Bell gave the update Thursday as part of remarks during the annual spring campus assembly meeting for faculty and staff. “We are now well into adding more than 300 new faculty positions on our campus,” Bell said. About one-third of the 116 new hires have already signed contracts, with the remaining two-thirds in the process of reaching agreements, Bell said.
Bristol Herald Courier (Virginia) – April 13

UA Graduate students compete for Research Scholarship Competition
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – April 13
Dozens of University of Alabama graduate students are competing for scholarship money today. They are participating in a research symposium where they can sharpen their presentation skills. The top six students will win research travel scholarships up to $500 each. They are going to use the money to present their research at national and international conferences around the world.

UA Researcher helps to protect coral reefs from starfish
Fox 6 (Birminhgam) – April 11
A University of Alabama researcher is part of a team that could help repeal aquatic pests from sensitive reefs. The findings are the first glimpse into what chemicals attract and repel a starfish that preys on coral reefs. Researchers say this discovery could help them develop a bait that would keep the starfish and other nuisances off of the reefs.

UA Theater and Dance Department to perform “A Chorus Line” in Mobile (live interview)
WALA-Fox (Mobile) – April 12
“A Chorus Line” is going to be taking the stage for a one-night only performance presented in Mobile, by The University of Alabama Theater Department. This morning we have Stacy Ally, director and choreographer, and Jonathan Bryan, a cast member and theater student.

Millennials at University of Alabama pitch in with Renew Our Rivers on the Black Warrior River
Alabama News Center – April 13
University of Alabama students kicked off their Green Week Monday with a river cleanup in partnership with Alabama Power’s Renew Our Rivers program. Students collected trash along the River Walk on the Black Warrior River Monday. This was the second Student Government Association-led cleanup at the University of Alabama this school year, having collected more than 800 pounds of trash in their fall cleanup.

Why Narcissists Want to Make Their Partners Jealous
Rocket News – April 13
If you’ve ever had a partner who flirted with other people right in front of you, chatted up attractive strangers and tried to make you feel like you couldn’t measure up, well, maybe you were dating a narcissist. And maybe they were doing it on purpose. New research suggests that people who have a high level of narcissistic traits strategically induce jealousy in their mates as a way to meet certain goals: Control, in some cases, or a boost in their self-esteem. “There is some element of normality to narcissists, in that they pursue goals much like everyone else does,” said study author Gregory Tortoriello, a psychologist at the University of Alabama. “We’re just finding that it’s to a slightly greater degree.”

Computer hackers target online retailers
ABC 33/40 (Birmingham) – April 13
A safety expert is calling this a massive bulk attacks against Amazon. Hackers are using stolen credentials to post fake deals. Dr. Matthew Hudnall says third-party stores on Amazon are the target, and once they get into the seller’s account “they can change the bank account information, and post fake items on Amazon, and take money from individuals by selling fake products.

Students write Big Al book
CBS 42 (Birmingham) – April 13 
Some second and third grade students in Tuscaloosa have written their own book about the city’s favorite mascot. A new, popular children’s book about Alabama’s mascot Big Al, and his events on game day have now been published. The young illustrators and authors are students at the Capitol School. The project took one year to complete.

UA Baldwin County Alumni Chapter to hold golf tournament (live interview)
WALA-Fox (Mobile) – April 13
The University of Alabama’s Baldwin County Alumni group is hosting it’s annual fund-raiser. The Bama Scramble Golf Tournament provides scholarships for local seniors to go to college at The University of Alabama. Rodney Hamric is here, proudly wearing his University of Alabama shirt, to tell us all about it.

PREVIEW: Department of Chemistry to host Arudengo Chemistry lecture
Crimson White – April 13
This weekend, the annual tradition of the Arudengo Lecture on element chemistry or physical organic chemistry continues with a speech from a renowned specialist from the University of California, Berkeley. The lecture will discuss the role that certain oxidized metal species will play in the future of producing solar fuels.

UA professor discusses bill that would allow church to form its own police force
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – April 12
Lawmakers in the Alabama Senate voted 24-4 on a bill that would allow Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham to establish a law enforcement department. The church says it needs its own police officers to keep its school as well as its more than 4,000 members congregation safe. Critics of the bill argue that a police department that reports to church officials could be used to cover up crimes. UA Law Professor Paul Horowitz says there may be bigger issues that come with a bill like this.

Easter weekend activities include Glow In The Dark Easter Egg Hunt at UA
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – April 13
Students at The University of Alabama even have an opportunity for an Easter event at Bryce Lawn on campus.

Distracted Driving Awareness Month
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – April 12
According to the National Safety Council, cell phone use is the top distraction while driving. That’s why the safety council observes April as Distracted Driving Awareness month. Lt. Teena Richardson with the Tuscaloosa Police Department says if you need to check your phone, just pull over to the side of the road. Here’s what some University of Alabama students had to say about this issue.

Students from Hartselle City Schools place in UA’s Robotics Competition
WHNT-CBS (Huntsville) – April 12
A shoutout to some local winners of the University of Alabama’s robotics competition. The elementary and high school teams from Hartselle City Schools both placed third. Sixty teams from across the state competed.

Emily Goldstein Chosen to Present at University of Alabama Research Conference
Santa Clarita Valley Signal (California) – April 13
Emily Goldstein of Santa Clarita was selected to present a research project titled “Preschooler’s Interest in Medical Play vs. Non-medical Play” at The University of Alabama’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Conference held on March 30. In addition to bringing attention to the outstanding work being done by UA’s undergraduates, the conference allows students to gain experience presenting, become eligible for cash prizes, and form relationships with faculty mentors and fellow conference presenters.

Health Matters: Adult Immunizations
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – April 12
I’m Doctor Rick Streiffer, and this is Health Matters. Today, we’ll be talking about adult immunizations.

How college students are fighting human and sex trafficking
USA Today College – April 13
Samia Kamal stands in front of 50 college students at Princeton, telling the story of how she found herself there so far from home. She’s a refugee. Her village was raided by ISIS. Kamal, only 16 years old, and her family were sold into slavery, she says, to be passed around among the the terrorists. She escaped and sought asylum in Germany, separated from her family and everything she had ever known. She is just one of the formerly faceless victims of modern human trafficking and slavery. She just one of 36 million. (Matthew Wilson is a University of Alabama student and a USA TODAY College correspondent.)

Freshmen reflect on their first year at the University
Crimson White – April 13
Life as a freshman at a university is often full of adaptations. It involves new people, new places and new ways to get involved. Life for freshmen at The University of Alabama is much the same. Now that the 2016-2017 school year is coming to a close, freshmen have a much different perspective of college now than when they first stepped on campus.