UA In the News — May 9

UA In the News — May 9

UA Astrobotics team prepares for competition
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – May 8
The University of Alabama robotics is vying for its fourth title in a row in a NASA robotic mining contest. The team already has four titles on the wall dating back to 2012. They have the ability to design robots that are autonomous, meaning no hands on the robot as it does its digging mission.
Fox 6 (Birmingham) – May 8
WDAM 7 (Moselle, Mississippi) – May 8
ABC 10 (Albany, Georgia) – May 8
NBC 12 (Montgomery) – May 8
WTOC 11 (Savannah, Georgia) – May 8
 
87-year-old graduates from The University of Alabama
WKCF-CW (Orlando, Florida) – May 8
A University of Alabama graduate is living proof that you’re never too old to reach your goals. 87-year old Patricia Cassity graduated from Alabama over the weekend. She started attending Alabama back in the late 40’s.
WTOK-ABC (Meridian, Mississippi) – May 8
WZTV-Fox (Nashville, Tennessee) – May 8
 
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix graduates from The University of Alabama
WFRV-CBS (Green Bay, Wisconsin) – May 8
 Ha Ha gets the last laugh to those who said he should have stayed in college instead of leaving early for the NFL. Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix graduated over the weekend from the University of Alabama with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He posted this photo with his college coach Nick Saban.
WDJT-CBS (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) – May 8
 
Adapted toy car will allow kindergartener more freedom
Shelby County Reporter – May 8
As the covering was pulled off a special surprise for Inverness Elementary School kindergarten student Bailey Harris, getting around the school was transformed from a test to a thrill. Bailey was born with no arms and restricted use of his legs as a result of Roberts syndrome, a genetic disorder characterized by limb abnormalities. A specially adapted toy car presented to Bailey by University of Alabama engineering students on May 4 will allow him to move around the school independently and in style.
WAAY-ABC (Huntsville) – May 8

Biosciences powers Alabama’s economy by $7.3 billion a year
Al.com – May 8
A new University of Alabama study says the state’s biosciences industry contributes $7.3 billion to Alabama’s annual economy. That’s the work of 780 companies and includes almost 48,000 direct and indirect jobs. According to the study, commissioned by the BioAlabama industry trade group, biosciences employ directly 17,871 workers, with an average annual salary of $67,664. . . . Senior Research Economist Sam Addy prepared the report with the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Business, with assistance from BioAlabama. He said Alabama should continue to focus its economic strategy on biosciences “since these industries provide high-wage jobs and are highly productive.”

Amber Road Develops Export Compliance Solutions Targeted to Universities & Research Institutions
Bristol Herald Courier (Virginia) – May 8
Amber Road (NYSE: AMBR), a leading provider of global trade management (GTM) solutions, announced today the release of a focused solution of its industry-proven export compliance software for universities and research groups … “The move to Amber Road has been a positive change for our institution, mainly because of the reduction in false positive hits while conducting restricted party screening,” said Tanta Myles, Director & Research Compliance Officer at The University of Alabama. “The new university edition is a game-changer for higher education export compliance programs given that the solution is custom built for our needs.”
ABC 25 (Waco, Texas) – May 8
ABC 7 (Tyler, Texas) – May 8
Business Wire – May 8
WAFF 48 (Huntsville) – May 8
KAKE.com (Wichita, Kansas) – May 8
Tucson News Now – May 8
NBC 12 (Montgomery) – May 8
Crossroads Today – May 8

UGA Study: Payday Loans Not Just a Poor Person’s Issue
Metro Atlanta CEO – May 9
A team of researchers led by faculty at the University of Georgia found that payday loan borrowers often come from middle- and higher-income households, not just poor or lower-earning populations … “It’s nearly a two-fold increase in the likelihood that someone would turn to a payday lender if they don’t have a family member or a friend that they can borrow $3,000 from,” said Robert Nielsen, professor and head of the consumer sciences department at the University of Alabama, who helped to analyze the dataset.
Middle Georgia CEO – May 9
Augusta CEO (Georgia) – May 9
Savannah CEO (Georgia) – May 9
Albany CEO (Georgia) – May 9
 
Duke University recognizes Clements seventh-grader
Athens News Courier – May 9
Seventh-grade Clements High School student Mason Butler was honored by the Duke University Talent Identification Program at a ceremony Monday at the University of Alabama. He was among approximately 150 Alabama seventh-graders in the state who were recognized for their exceptional scores on the ACT or SAT.
 
Ebony, Double Salary and Moesha’s Truth
Modern Ghana – May 9
When Ms. Ebony Reigns died, I was only vaguely aware of her. She was obviously a talented, expressive young performer. It is the circumstances of her death that horrified me. (T. P. Manus Ulzen is Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the University of Alabama and Author of Java Hill: An African Journey – A historiography of Ghana)

Excellence in Education
Meridian Star – May 8
Morgan Ross of Meridian, Mississippi, was inducted into two honor societies during the recent Tapping on the Mound ceremony at the University of Alabama. Ross was inducted into the Mortar Board and Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society. . . . Joshua Campbell of Bailey, Mississippi, has been inducted into the University of Alabama’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.

Alabamians urged to participate in 100 miles challenge
Times Daily (Florence) – May 8
In an ongoing effort to promote healthy lifestyles, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama is encouraging Alabamians to participate in the 100 Alabama Miles Challenge. The challenge officially starts Saturday with kick-off events in several cities and towns throughout the state and at Chewacla State Park in Auburn.

Area Agency on Aging hosting Senior Citizens Appreciation Day
Tuscaloosa News – May 8                                             
Senior adults in West Alabama are invited to a Senior Citizens Appreciation Day on May 16 in Tuscaloosa. The theme of this year’s event is “Engage at Every Age,” with a full schedule of games, prizes, exhibits, entertainment and a free lunch. The celebration will be from 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at the Bryant Conference Center, 240 Paul W. Bryant Drive on the University of Alabama campus.