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MONDAY, SEPT. 23 – SUNDAY, SEPT. 29   

RESEARCH

RESEARCHER STUDIES HOW OBESITY, SLEEP AFFECT CHRONIC DISEASES — A UA researcher recently received a National Institutes of Health grant to conduct a study investigating the relationship between obesity and sleep and their roles in development of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Dr. Adam Knowlden, UA associate professor in the department of health science, was awarded more than $800,000 to develop an obesity-sleep model to lay the foundation for further research into the prevention and treatment of obesity and sleep-related cardiometabolic disease risk factors. Watch for an upcoming news release with more details, or contact Bryant Welbourne in UA communications at bryant.welbourne@ua.edu or 205-348-8325. Knowlden has interview availabilities beginning Tuesday afternoon. 

RESEARCH EXAMINES PATH TO CANCER FOR COMMON CARCINOGENRecent research from UA sheds light on how a common industrial chemical and potent carcinogen begins the path to cancer. The work led by Dr. John B. Vincent and Dr. Stephen A. Woski, UA professors of chemistry and biochemistry, could lead to methods to prevent the development of cancer from exposure to a variant of chromium, known as chromium (VI) or hexavalent chromium. Chromium (VI) is an additive to steel and a coating in a large number of materials, and people can be exposed to it in industrial and construction settings or in contamination of drinking water. When inhaled, it is a potent carcinogen that can kick start cell mutation that results in cancer. For assistance, contact Adam Jones in UA communications at 205-348-4328 or adam.jones@ua.edu.

BEST BETS

ANNUAL CICADA RACKET COMING TO CLOSE – Listen. Frogs may be croaking and birds may be singing, but the loud, incessant droning of cicadas that grate on psyches like nails on a chalkboard is fading. Around 20 species of cicadas claim Alabama as home. They crawl from the ground and transform into their winged adult forms yearly from May to September, said John Abbott, UA director of museum research and collections.  “They can be so abundant and so loud that I’d say annoyance is the biggest issue people have with them,” Abbott said. “They make noise during the day and in the evenings, but now their season is coming to a close.” Watch for a news release with more details, or contact Jamon Smith in UA communications at jamon.smith@ua.edu or 205-348-4956. Abbott has interview availabilities Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

MILLION DOLLAR BAND TO PERFORM IN 2020 MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE – UA’s Million Dollar Band has been selected to perform in the 2020 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, representing the state of Alabama. This will mark the first appearance by the band in the Parade. For assistance, contact Shane Dorrill in UA communications at 205-348-8319 or shane.dorrill@ua.edu.

NSF AWARDS CAREER AWARD TO TWO UA PROFESSORSThe nation’s most prestigious recognition of top-performing young scientists was recently awarded to a biologist and a physicist at UA. The National Science Foundation granted a CAREER Award to Dr. Paulo T. Araujo, UA assistant professor of physics and astronomy, and Dr. Kevin M. Kocot, UA assistant professor in biological sciences and curator of invertebrate zoology in the Alabama Museum of Natural History. With the funding from the awards, Araujo will understand how to control the optical properties of certain polymers and expand their application toward more sustainable technology while Kocot will use cutting-edge techniques to speed up identification of new species of a group of worm-like mollusks while also training the next generation of scientists studying invertebrates. For more information, contact Adam Jones in UA communications at 205-348-4328 or adam.jones@ua.edu.

NEW DEGREE MIXES, MUSIC, ENGINEERING — UA is now the place where technical engineering skills and musical talent meet. The musical audio engineering degree, housed in the College of Engineering in collaboration with the School of Music, offers a balance between the two disciplines to prepare students for careers involving technical aspects of music. Students will learn about recording studio operations, live recording environments, equipment use and the signal processing necessary to become trained audio engineers. Students take a mixture of foundational engineering courses, like physics, electronics and calculus, as well as traditional music courses, like performance, history and theory, to earn their degrees. For assistance, contact Alana Norris, engineering communications, at 205-348-6444 or anorris@eng.ua.edu or UA communications, 205-348-5320.  

LOOKING AHEAD

MOUNDVILLE FESTIVAL CELEBRATES NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE – UA’s Moundville Archaeological Park will host the 31st annual Moundville Native American Festival Oct. 9-12. The event features artists, craftsmen and educators from around the nation sharing their knowledge of Native American culture. Festival hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 9, 10  and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 11 and 12. Admission is $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Pre-registered groups of 10 or more are $8 per person. Visit moundville.ua.edu for more information on early group registration. Watch for an upcoming news release with more details or contact Bryant Welbourne in UA communications at bryant.welbourne@ua.edu or 205-348-8325.

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