MONDAY, NOV. 5 – SUNDAY, NOV. 11
BEST BETS
STUDENTS TO TRANSFORM SUV INTO AUTONOMOUS HYBRID FOR NATIONAL COMPETITION – UA is one of 12 schools selected nationwide to participate in the cross-disciplinary, national EcoCAR Mobility Challenge. Graduate and undergraduate students from the engineering, business and communication colleges will put their minds together to create, plan and communicate the transformation of a 2019 Chevy Blazer into a hybrid, autonomous vehicle. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA communications, at 205-348-4328 or adam.jones@ua.edu.
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.
UA TO LAUNCH STATE’S FIRST EDUCATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE PROGRAM – UA is creating the state’s first undergraduate educational neuroscience major. Students may begin enrolling in fall 2020. Educational neuroscience is an emerging field that connects brain and cognitive science with educational research and practice. Researchers can 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. 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. boarder and possible martial law being declared in response, political vitriol, mysterious plots and shenanigans are aplenty heading into 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.
NEED A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT ON TOPICS MAKING NEWS? – See our frequently updated expert directory here.
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 is on display at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center until Dec. 7. The exhibit, titled “Alabama Types,” is 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 Haskins, John 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.
LOOKING AHEAD
RIVER PITCH SEEKS COMMUNITY, STUDENT ENTREPRENEURS – Those with ideas for new products, services or businesses are invited to the Tuscaloosa River Market Nov. 14 to participate in the 2018 River Pitch Business Idea Competition. The competition allows community members and students to pitch their ideas to judges for a chance to win one of eight $1,000 prizes. Participants also receive feedback on their ideas and potentially meet experts in entrepreneurship to help develop their ideas into businesses. For more information, contact Zach Thomas, director of marketing and communications, Culverhouse College of Business, at 205-348-8318 or zthomas@culverhouse.ua.edu. For interviews, contact Dr. Theresa Welbourne, executive director of the Alabama Entrepreneurship Institute and the EDGE Entrepreneurship Center, at twelbourne@cba.ua.edu.