MONDAY, APRIL 10 – SUNDAY, APRIL 16
BEST BETS
GOLDWATER SCHOLARS – The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program has selected four UA students as Goldwater Scholars for 2017-2018. From 2007 to 2017, UA is No. 1 in the United States for Goldwater Scholars with 31. Harvard is second with 29. UA is one of only four institutions — along with Stanford, Princeton and Iowa State — to have as many as four nominees selected this year. In addition, 2017 is the third time in the past seven years that UA has had all four nominees selected for this award. The recipients are Sean Devey, of North Salem, New York; Alison Farrar, of South Pasadena, California; Melissa Mathews, of Birmingham; and Melissa Uehling of Cary, North Carolina. For biographies of the students and other information, go here. For more details, contact Richard LeComte, media relations, rllecomte@ur.ua.edu, 205/348-3782.
CAPITOL SCHOOL STUDENTS, PROFESSOR TO LAUNCH BIG AL-THEMED BOOK – Students at Capitol School in Tuscaloosa and Dr. Kevin Corcoran, UA professor of social work, will hold a book launch for a joint-project titled “Big Al, Big Al, What Do You See,” a compilation of the students’ Big Al-themed artwork, Tuesday, April 11, at the Bryant Museum. Students will sign books, which will be for purchase, beginning at 4:30 p.m. Corcoran learned of the art project and paid for publishing of hundreds of copies; he plans to use his half of the books to raise donations for a student scholarship fund in the UA School of Social Work. For more information, contact David Miller, UA media relations, at 205/348-0825 or david.c.miller@ua.edu, or Missy Richey, teacher, Capitol School, at 256/577-7154.
50 YEARS AGO SHE ENROLLED IN NEW PROGRAM, UA TO RENAME IT FOR HER — In celebration of its 50th anniversary and in honor of its longtime director who was formerly a student in its inaugural class, UA’s Computer-Based Honors Program will be renamed the Catherine J. Randall Research Scholars Program. The name change will take place in 2018 in commemoration of this milestone anniversary. For more details, contact Kim Eaton or Chris Bryant in media relations, 205/348-8323 or chris.bryant@ua.edu.
PESKY STARFISH COULD BE REPELLED WITH SCENT – A UA researcher is part of a team that identified genes used to communicate by a starfish that preys upon coral reefs, a promising discovery that could lead to efforts to repel the aquatic pest from sensitive reefs. The findings are published in the journal Nature. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA media relations, 205/348-4328 or adam.jones@ua.edu.
EVENTS
GOLF TOURNAMENT FUNDRAISER BENEFITS RISE CENTER – The RISE Tournament of Champions benefiting UA’s RISE Center will be April 20 and 21 at NorthRiver Yacht Club. The tournament is a four-person scramble (handicaps required) with tee times at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. on both days and shotgun starts. Registration deadline is April 11. In addition to the tournament, golfers and guests are invited to CHIP-In for RISE from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 20, at the Yacht Club at NorthRiver. The event, which is open to the public, includes a silent auction and light refreshments. For more information, contact Kim Eaton, UA media relations, 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.
FACULTY RESEARCH DAY SET FOR WEDNESDAY – The President’s Faculty Research Award will go to six professors from across UA at a ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 12, in the Bryant Conference Center. The award and ceremony are part of Faculty Research Day, established to highlight and celebrate excellence in research and scholarship by bringing together faculty from across the campus. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA media relations, 205/348-4328 or adam.jones@ua.edu.
GRADUATE STUDENTS TO COMPETE FOR TRAVEL AWARDS IN RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM – More than 100 UA graduate students will compete in roundtable paper discussion and poster sessions, both on campus and remotely, in the University’s largest research symposium, Thursday, April 13, at Graves Hall. The symposium begins at noon and runs through 7 p.m., when winners will be announced. As many as six graduate students representing colleges and schools from across campus will win research travel awards of up to $500 each, which they’ll use to present their research at national and international conferences. The symposium has grown from 43 participants in 2013 to 103 last year. Bama by Distance students can now participate through virtual poster sessions and remote video presentations. Additionally, graduate students who have special needs and require specific accommodations, like an interpreter, are invited to participate. For more information, contact David Miller, UA media relations, at 205/348-0825 or david.c.miller@ua.edu.
RISE CELEBRATES SPRING WITH ANNUAL EASTER PARTY — The annual Easter party at UA’s RISE Center will be from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, April 13. There will be music and snacks, and individual classes will have an Easter egg hunt in their classrooms. For more information, contact Kim Eaton, UA media relations, 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.
LOOKING AHEAD
NEW COLLEGE PROFESSOR RECEIVES BURNUM AWARD — A culture and gender studies professor whose research pushed her beyond the typical academic world into the study of fantasy is this year’s recipient of the Burnum Distinguished Faculty Award, one of the highest honors bestowed on professors at UA. The University will present Dr. Catherine Roach, professor of New College, with the Burnum award at 4:30 p.m. April 19 in the Ferguson Center, room 3111, where she will deliver the Burnum Award lecture. A reception and book signing follows, and the public is welcome. For more information, contact Kim Eaton, UA media relations, 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.
ANNUAL SPRING FASHION SHOW COMBINES CREATIVITY, SUSTAINABILITY — T-Time Fashion Show, slated for Tuesday, April 18, is an annual spring fashion show that focuses on sustainable design for students in the College of Human Environmental Sciences’ department of clothing, textiles and interior design. Students will create one or two looks that focus on a mix of sustainable design using alternative materials or knit jersey fabrics. The event begins at 6 p.m. on the front lawn of Doster Hall on UA’s campus. Donations will be taken to help cover the cost of producing the event; the public is invited to attend. For more information, contact Kim Eaton, UA media relations, 205/348-8325 or kkeaton@ur.ua.edu.
‘A CHORUS LINE’ — UA theatre and dance will present the classic musical “A Chorus Line” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 18, through Saturday, April 23, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 22, in the Marian Gallaway Theatre on campus. The show offers insight into the lives of 16 dancers as they audition for a new musical. “It gets inside the world of professional dancers, a world I know well, and enables those who may not be familiar with it to see their struggles from a universal perspective,” said Stacy Alley, the UA associate professor who directs and choreographs the show. “More than anything, I hope it’s the heart of the show and the people in it that we most successfully convey to the audience.” Tickets are available in Rowand-Johnson Hall at the ticket office, by phone at 205/348-3400 or online at UA.tix.com. Tickets are $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and UA employees and $14 for students and children. For more details, contact Jamie Schor, UA theatre and dance, 205/348-3400, uatheatredance@gmail.com or UA media relations, 205/348-5320.