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RESEARCH

UA LEADS EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND IMPERILED MUSSEL BIODIVERSITY  — A nearly $1.8 million project led by UA hopes to identify the processes and mechanisms that underlie patterns of biodiversity in freshwater mussels to better arm managers of environmental resources. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA communications, at 205-348-4328 or adam.jones@ua.edu.

DATA TOOL TO HELP COMBAT OPIOID EPIDEMIC – Across the country, opioid abuse has reached epidemic levels, severely impacting communities and straining public safety resources. The Institute of Business Analytics, or IBA, a research unit at UA’s Culverhouse College of Business, received an approximate $1 million grant from the Justice Department to develop a data-driven tool to help officials better understand the scope of the opioid epidemic in Alabama and how to intelligently allocate resources. UA’s team, which consists of Drs. Matthew HudnallJason Parton and Dwight Lewis, will develop the system that pulls in data from multiple sources and analyzes it to create reports that will assist officials in combating opioid abuse in Alabama. For more information, contact Zach Thomas, Culverhouse director of marketing and communications, at zthomas@culverhouse.ua.edu.

BEST BETS

GREENSBORO STUDENT SPARKS JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOMETOWN – UA student Felecia Travis knew residents in her Greensboro hometown needed jobs, so, equipped with business acumen, determination and a little help, she took matters into her own hands. The senior business management major obtained commitments from 18 companies to attend a job fair she arranged for Friday, Nov. 2. It will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Greensboro Recreation Center, 515 Green Street, Greensboro. For interviews, contact Travis at 334-507-5729 or ftravis@crimson.ua.edu; Larry Baldwin, director of UA’s Human Resource Institute, provided guidance, 251-643-6680 or lebaldwin@cba.ua.edu. Greensboro Mayor Johnnie Washington can address the town’s sponsorship of the event, 334-624-8119. For assistance, contact Chris Bryant, UA communications, at chris.bryant@ua.edu or 205-348-8323.

HORN QUARTET FIRST IN UA’S HISTORY TO WIN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION – The “Capstone Horn Quartet,” also known as “Tater and the Tots,” joins the spotlight with doctoral student Joshua Williams as some of the best horn players in the world. The group became the first UA horn quartet to win the International Horn Society Summer Symposium Student Amateur Quartet Competition, which was held earlier at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. For more information, contact Jamon Smith, UA Strategic Communications, at 205-348-4956 or jamon.smith@ua.edu.

LATE PROFESSOR TO BE INDUCTED INTO SOCIAL WORK HALL OF FAME – Dr. Kathleen (Kathy) Bolland, who worked at UA in various capacities from 1985 until her death in 2015, is the lone 2018 inductee into the Alabama Social Work Hall of Fame. Bolland previously chaired the bachelor of social work and doctoral programs in UA’s School of Social Work. She will be honored at a Nov. 2 ceremony at Hotel Capstone on the UA Campus from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, contact David Miller, UA Strategic Communications, at 205-348-0825 or david.c.miller@ua.edu.

UA TO LAUNCH STATE’S FIRST EDUCATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE PROGRAM – UA is creating the state’s first undergraduate educational neuroscience major. The University will begin enrolling students in the major in fall 2020. Educational neuroscience is an emerging, multidisciplinary field that connects brain and cognitive science with educational research and practice. For instance, researchers are able to monitor brain development and activity to determine the effects of environmental and teaching influences. “We believe our program proposes a new pathway for improved teaching-learning engagements and for a more informed perspective on educational policy,” said Dr. Peter Hlebowitsh, dean of UA’s College of Education. Dr. Firat Soylu, who spearheaded the creation of the new major, will be available for interviews at select times Thursday and Friday. For more information, contact David Miller, UA Strategic Communications, at 205/348-0825 or david.c.miller@ua.edu.

MAKING NEWS

EXPERTS AVAILABLE TO DISCUSS MIDTERM ELECTIONS, POLITICAL CHAOS  – With bombs being mailed to the nation’s top Democrats, thousands of immigrants headed toward the U.S. border and possible martial law being declared in response, political vitriol, mysterious plots and shenanigans are aplenty a little more than a week out from the nation’s midterm elections. Several UA political science professors are available to offer their expert commentary. Contact Drs. Joseph Smith, chair of UA’s political science department, jos.smith@ua.edu; Richard Fording, professor of political science, rcfording@ua.edu; Allen Linken, assistant professor of political science, 256-617-3580, aelinken@ua.edu; William Stewart, professor emeritus of political science, 205-462-3839,  mwhick78@gmail.com. For more information, contact Jamon Smith, UA Strategic Communications, at 205-348-4956 or jamon.smith@ua.edu.

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EVENTS

‘WORLD’S GREATEST’ TYPEWRITER COLLECTION ON EXHIBIT IN TUSCALOOSA – The “world’s greatest” collection of typewriters formerly owned by famous writers, actors, playwrights musicians and others will be on display at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center from Nov. 2 to Dec. 7. The exhibit, titled “Alabama Types,” will be free and open to the public. The collection is on loan from Steve Soboroff, commission president of the L.A. Police Department, and includes the typewriters of Tom Hanks, Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote, Maya Angelou, James HaskinsJohn Lennon, Ernest Hemingway and George Bernard Shaw. For more information, contact Jamon Smith, UA Strategic Communications, at 205-348-4956 or jamon.smith@ua.edu.