January 21, 2016  •  Alumni E-Newsletter Archive

The UTA campus is bustling with activity this week as the spring 2016 semester gets underway. We’ve been cheering on the men’s and women’s basketball teams and looking forward to this Saturday’s doubleheader at College Park Center. We’re also getting ready for two captivating Maverick Speakers Series events in February, the first with former Congressman Ron Paul and the second with political strategist Donna Brazile. Please share your UTA success story at utacommunications@uta.edu. Go Mavs!

Home Court Hoops

Our men’s and women’s basketball teams are back at home for conference play Saturday, Jan. 23 with a doubleheader against Sun Belt powerhouse University of Arkansas-Little Rock. The Lady Mavs tip off at 5 p.m., followed by the men’s game at 7:15 p.m. Let’s pack the house! Click here for tickets and game info.

Lasting Influence

Ralph Hawkins, a UTA Distinguished Alumnus and former chairman of HKS Inc., was recently presented with the prestigious American College of Healthcare Architects Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honor that the organization can bestow on an architect. Hawkins earned his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from UTA in 1973. HKS designed College Park Center. Hawkins has served as a significant adviser to the University and to the College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs.

Robotic Response

Why do we feel the need to be polite or friendly when interacting with Siri or companion robots? UTA Department of Theatre Arts lecturer Julienne Greer discusses why we want our robots to like us with Discovery News: “Our technology has reached a point where we have effectively made machines that look like human beings, and it is my belief that we wish to emotionally bond with these machines,” Dr. Greer said. “Being polite and hoping they like us may be the first step in that bonding.”

Sustainable Solutions

Professor Sahadat Hossain, director of UTA’s Solid Waste Institute for Sustainability, is leading a discussion on improving landfill management during the International Solid Waste Association’s Winter School on Solid Waste Management: Landfill and Landfill Mining through Jan. 29 on the UTA campus. Dr. Hossain is collaborating on a research initiative with the City of Denton to recycle long-buried materials and extend the lifespan of the city’s landfill. They hope to increase the amount of methane gas produced as materials decompose, as it can be used to power homes and businesses.

SAVE THE DATE

UTA Day at the Rodeo

We can’t wait to see ticketed alumni and friends for Sunday’s noon barbecue and the 2 p.m. performance at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. This event sold out; please drop us a line on other community gatherings you would like to see organized for UTA alumni.

Maverick Speakers Series: Ron Paul

The Maverick Speakers Series presents former Congressman Ron Paul in a lecture on “Liberty Defined: The Future of Freedom.” Preferred ticket packages and free general admission tickets are available at utatickets.com. Tickets for the 5:30 p.m. VIP private reception and dinner with the congressman are available online.

First Pitch Fundraiser

Tickets are on sale for $25 for the Fifth Annual First Pitch Fundraiser, benefitting the UTA baseball and softball programs, at 6 p.m. Feb. 6 at the Justin D. Wilson Batting Facility at Clay Gould Ballpark. You can read more about the event here and buy tickets here.

Maverick Speakers Series: Donna Brazile

The Maverick Speakers Series presents political strategist and commentator Donna Brazile. She will deliver a lecture on “Politics and Beyond.” Preferred ticket packages and free general admission tickets are available at utatickets.com.

To tell us what you’d like to know more about from UTA, contact utacommunications@uta.edu or the Office of Alumni Relations.

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