MavWire 2015 Archive » MavWire — Thursday, January 22, 2015

Dr. Weidong Zhou

Electrical engineering professor earns society's high honor

Weidong Zhou, professor of electrical engineering, has been elected a fellow of SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics.

Dr. Zhou was recognized for “important contributions to nanophotonics, including nano-membranes and photonic crystal lasers.”

Shanhui Fan, an electrical engineering professor at Stanford University, wrote the nominating letter for Zhou, noting: “Professor Zhou has built a world-class research program that is excellent and very active in the areas of nanophotonics, photonic crystals, and flexible on-chip photonics and electronics.”

Read more about Zhou's honor.

Center of attention Mary Lynn Crow, professor of curriculum and instruction, visits with Nakia Pope, director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, at an open house Wednesday for new offices for the center and the Division of Faculty Affairs. The offices are in suite 415 of the Central Library. Dr. Crow was the founding director for the center.

All libraries now require ID; quiet floors change at Central Library

Visitors to the Architecture and Fine Arts Library and the Science and Engineering Library will show their MavID on entering and exiting. Guests who are not students, faculty, or staff can use other types of photo ID.

The Central Library implemented a card swipe system in September. 

The fourth and fifth floors of the Central Library have been designated as quiet floors. The third floor, previously a quiet floor, has changed to a collaborative setting.

Graduate students have their own reserved study space on the second floor of the Central Library. Students must swipe their student ID to enter the room. Space is first come, first served. 

College Street closing starts Monday

South College Street between UTA Boulevard and West First Street will be closed beginning Monday, Jan. 26, for infrastructure improvements. The street will reopen as soon as possible, depending on the weather.

Handicapped parking on West First Street will remain accessible via South West Street.  

If you have questions or concerns, call either Toby Buhrkuhl at 972-832-1490 or Jeff Johnson at 817-798-8456.

Parking reserved for upcoming events

Portions of Lot 39 at First Street and Spaniolo Drive and Lot F11 just north of the E.H. Hereford University Center and will be reserved Thursday, Jan. 22, for a special event in the University Center. Parking options include the College Park District garages. 

The College Park District parking garages will be used for the Varsity Spirit Cheer event parking at College Park Center beginning at 6 a.m. Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 24-25. Parking staff will collect a fee during this time. Traffic in the area will be heavy, so make alternate arrangements for parking.

Contact Parking and Transportation Services at parking@uta.edu or 2-3907.

Vote daily to help UTA win safe schools grant

UT Arlington has been nominated for the Stanley Security Together for Safer Schools grant. The top two schools in each category receive funding for security.

UTA is in the Tier 3 category for schools with more than 20,000 students. The grand prize is $200,000 with a runner-up prize of $75,000.

As of Wednesday afternoon, UT Arlington was in fourth place.

Vote every day. Go online to vote at stanleysaferschools.com, text utaedu to 334455, or tweet using hashtags ‪#‎stanleysecurity and ‪#‎utaedu.

Voting ends at midnight Friday, Feb. 13. See official rules at stanleysaferschools.com for details.

Emergency electrical generator testing Friday

Facilities Management will test the emergency electrical generators 1-2:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23.

Buildings involved are Carlisle Hall, Engineering Lab Building, Engineering Research Building, the Central Library, Life Science Building, Nedderman Hall, Science Hall, Trimble Hall, and Woolf Hall.

The test will only affect the electrical services tied to each building’s generator, not the entire building. There will be a slight “blip” lasting a half-second as the electrical service transfers to the generator and another as it is transferred back to the normal building service. 

Questions? Call Toby Buhrkuhl at 972-832-1490 or Jeff Johnson at 817-798-8456.

A little reading material Jaqueline Ramos, psychology/sociology freshman, checks out one of four "little libraries" on campus. The Allan Saxe Little Free Libraries are in the Fine Arts Building breezeway near the center bridge, the Arlington Hall breezeway, the Hammond and Trimble Hall breezeway, and the Carlisle Hall plaza. Once a visitor has read the book, they can return it, pass it to a friend, or replace it with another book. There are no checkout procedures, no fees, and no due dates. Readers are encouraged to leave notes for future readers and add their own selections to the collection. Peggy Semingson, associate professor of literacy studies, and Evelyn Barker, director of marketing and communications for UTA Libraries, collaborated on the project. Political science Associate Professor Allan Saxe sponsored the book boxes. Find details and photos on the libraries' Facebook page. Attend the launch party at noon Wednesday, Jan. 28, at Arlington Hall.

Free Textbook Project returns

The Textbook Project—a program offering a selection of 1000- and 2000-level textbooks that can be checked out for two hours—has returned for the spring 2015 semester. See the list of available books.

Single copies of select textbooks are stored in the reserves area of the Central Library or the Science and Engineering Library, depending on the subject. The textbooks must remain in the library and copying is permitted. Electronic copies of textbooks are not available.

Learn more at the service desks at the libraries.

Know a student who still needs housing?

If you a know of a student still searching for a convenient place to live, send them to the University Housing office. Spaces are available in the residence halls to move into immediately. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to live on campus.

Residence halls are fully furnished, and all utilities are paid, including electricity, water, unlimited laundry, Wi-Fi and Ethernet connection, and cable TV. Read about rates and amenities of the six unique on-campus residence halls.  

A $150 deposit is required. For questions, call University Housing at 2-2791.

Advising conference registration continues

Register online for the UT Arlington Advising Association's 18th annual advising conference, "Academic Marvels: Unleashing Your Advising Super Powers." The conference is Tuesday, Feb. 17.

ACES symposium now accepting abstract submissions

Abstracts are now being accepted for the Annual Celebration of Excellence by Students (ACES), a University-wide symposium highlighting the best in student research and creativity. Submissions deadline is Friday, Feb. 6.

To be featured at ACES, undergraduate and graduate students work with faculty mentors in their disciplines to write and submit abstracts for the competition. ACES 2015 is Wednesday, March 25, in the E.H. Hereford University Center.

Email questions to aces@uta.edu.

Plaza Food Court banners available to promote your program

Twelve banner display cases are available in the renovated Plaza Food Court in the E.H. Hereford University Center. University departments and student organizations can reserve banner space for two weeks at a time for up to three times per semester.

For details, visit the Student Organizations desk in Room B120 of the University Center or call 2-2293.

Guest housing available on campus

UT Arlington has several fully furnished campus apartments available for departments to use for guests of the University including job candidates, visiting scholars, and guest speakers. These apartments provide the comfort of a hotel environment with the convenience of staying on campus.

Reservations are being accepted for the spring semester. For more information on amenities, pricing, guidelines, and reservations, visit uta.edu/guestapartments. 

Be part of upcoming Preview Days

The Office of University Recruitment wants your academic department or student organization to be represented at Maverick Experience Preview Days. Register online for upcoming events Saturday, Feb. 7, and Saturday, April 18. For questions, email agraves@uta.edu.

Thursday, Jan. 22

Engineering Speakers Series Karen C. Kabbes, president of Kabbes Engineering, presents "Water Resources: Sustaining Quality and Quantity or What Will Be the State of Our Water Resources When Today's Students Rule the World?" 5-7 p.m., Room 601, Nedderman Hall. Engineering.

Tuesday, Jan. 27

Writing/Designing NSF Proposals Workshop A one-day comprehensive workshop on how to submit winning research proposals to the National Science Foundation with interactive exercises, writing examples, lectures, and discussions. Space limited. Register online. $375. Houston Marriott Medical Center, Houston. Details, call 866-704-7268.

Dealing with Difficult Employees and People Register online. 9-11 a.m., Room 200, J.D. Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

Friday, Jan. 30

Motivating Your Employees Register online. 10 a.m.-noon, Room 200, J.D. Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

Statistical Software: SPSS SPSS training. Free. 10 a.m.-noon, Room 04, University Hall. Also, SAS training, Friday, Feb. 6. OIT Statistical Services.

(For an expanded list of events, see the UTA calendar.)

For the win: Lonnie McClanahan, top, and Erick Neal, bottom, contributed their talents to the Mavericks' 66-55 win over Texas State on Monday. The team travels to Louisiana-Monroe on Thursday, Jan. 22, and Arkansas-Little Rock on Saturday, Jan. 24.

Late run propels Mavericks to victory

The men’s basketball team ended the game on a 14-2 run to defeat rival Texas State 66-55 on Monday night at College Park Center.

Senior Greg Gainey led the way with 12 points, including a 3-pointer that put the Mavericks ahead to stay with just under three minutes to play. Senior Lonnie McClanahan added 11 points.

With the win, UTA improves to 4-3 in the Sun Belt Conference and 10-7 overall. The Mavericks travel to Louisiana-Monroe on Thursday, Jan. 22, and Arkansas-Little Rock on Saturday, Jan. 24.

UTA/Louisiana-Lafayette selected for ESPN/ESPN2 broadcast

The upcoming men's basketball game between UT Arlington and Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday, Feb. 7, has been selected as the first of two "wild card" games to be carried by ESPN or ESPN2. The game will now tip at 1 p.m. from the Cajundome in Lafayette, La. The network will be announced one week in advance.

UTA and Louisiana-Lafayette are tied for fourth in the Sun Belt Conference standings. The game will be the first of two meetings this season between the Ragin' Cajuns and Mavericks. It will also be the first meeting between the two teams since the 2014 Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Championship quarterfinals, a 91-85 win for the Ragin' Cajuns en route to the tournament title.

Women's basketball falls to Texas State

A late comeback came up short as the Mavericks lost 60-53 to Texas State on Monday at College Park Center.

Junior LaShanda Green led UTA with a game-high 15 points, and senior Chaun Williams scored 14, all in the second half. Freshman Rebekah Van Dijk added seven points and 13 rebounds.

The loss drops the Mavericks to 3-4 in Sun Belt Conference play and 9-7 overall. Next up are road games at Louisiana-Monroe on Thursday, Jan. 22, and Arkansas-Little Rock on Saturday, Jan. 24.

Indoor track and field teams start season

A trio of Mavericks were crowned individual champions at the Texas A&M Team Invitational, highlighting the first meet of 2015 for UT Arlington’s men’s and women’s track teams. The men placed fourth out of nine teams with 76 points, while the women finished fifth among the same number with 53 points. Texas A&M won the men’s team title, while Baylor claimed the women’s crown. 

On the women’s side, Gabriela Alfonzo was victorious in the 3000 meters with Katelyn Hayward finishing in third place. Chineme Obikudu grabbed third in the triple jump, and Hannah Nilsson was the runner-up in the mile. 

For the men, Michael Guerrero won the 5000 meters, edging  runner-up teammate Eric Ojeda. Roland Sales tied for first in the high jump. Emil Blomberg finished third in the 800 meters, while Craig Lautenslager took the bronze in the 3000 meters.

The Mavericks will compete in the Mark Colligan Memorial on Saturday, Jan. 31, and the Varsity Apartments Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 14, prior to the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships set for Monday-Tuesday, Feb. 23-24, in Birmingham, Ala.

Tennis teams ready for spring action

The UT Arlington men's and women's tennis teams had a solid spring opening Saturday at the UTA Tennis Center. The men beat the University of Incarnate Word by 5-2, and the women came up just short against the Missouri Tigers with a 4-3 final score.

Both the men and women are set to compete in 17 non-conference matches throughout the spring season. The men open Sun Belt Conference play Sunday, Jan. 25, against the Troy Trojans at the UTA Tennis Center. The women’s team has a few weeks before its SBC opener on Friday, March 20, at Louisiana-Monroe.

Hall of Honor banquet set for Jan. 30

Two-time World Series champion Hunter Pence of the San Francisco Giants is among the inductees in the 2015 UT Arlington Athletics Hall of Honor class. The Hall of Honor ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30, in the Bluebonnet Ballroom of the E.H. Hereford University Center.

The 2015 Hall of Honor inductees are Pence (baseball), Elston Cawley (men's track and field), Valeria Whitfield (women's volleyball), Mike Stamps (football), and the 1996-2000 men's track and field teams.

Individual tickets are available for $50 at utatickets.com.

Contact Kimberley Jardine at kjardine@uta.edu or call 2-0694 for questions or to reserve a table near an inductee.

Intramural deadlines include dodgeball, basketball

Upcoming entry deadlines for intramural sports include dodgeball, Wednesday, Jan. 28; billiards, Thursday, Jan. 29; pre-season basketball, Tuesday, Feb. 3; basketball, Wednesday, Feb. 4; rock climbing, Tuesday, Feb. 10; and racquetball, Friday, Feb. 13.

See the intramural sports schedule. Pick up entry forms at the Services and Information Desk of the Maverick Activities Center. For questions, call 2-3277 or email imsports@uta.edu.

(For more sports news, go to utamavs.com, uta.edu/movinmavs, or uta.edu/campusrec.)

Thursday, Jan. 22

Faculty Bass Recital with Jack Unzicker  Jack Unzicker, assistant professor of double bass, performs. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Saturday, Jan. 24

Art of Peace Concert An international expression of music and dance. Performances by mariachi and marimba bands, Japanese drummers, crane dancers, and more. Proceeds benefit Rotary Club educational and humanitarian programs. Tickets $25 general admission. VIP tickets $75 include designated seating and reception after concert. For tickets, contact Dan Morales at 817-994-7575 or dan.dmorales@gmail.com. 6:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Rotaract Club of UTA.

Monday, Jan. 26

Guest Violin Recital Alessandra Jennings Flanagan of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra performs. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Wednesday, Jan. 28

Activity Fair Day Student organizations, departments, and community agencies share info with students. 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Palo Duro Lounge, E.H. Hereford University Center. Student Activities and Organizations.

Thursday, Jan. 29

Artist Talk: Sylvia Plachy Hungarian-born artist Sylvia Plachy discusses her works in the exhibit Sharing Space: Gyorgy Beck and Sylvia Plachy. 12:30-1:30 p.m., The Gallery at UTA, Fine Arts Building. The Gallery at UTA.

Men and Masculinities Week Social Male-identifying students, faculty, and staff are invited to the inaugural Men and Masculinities Week social. RSVP by 5 p.m. today, Thursday, Jan. 22. Free. 12:30-2 p.m., Carlisle Suite, E.H. Hereford University Center. Multicultural Affairs.

Women's Basketball Mavericks vs. Georgia State. Tickets start at $7. 5 p.m., College Park Center. Also, vs. Troy, 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31. Athletics.

Men's Basketball Mavericks vs. Georgia State. Tickets start at $7. 7:15 p.m., College Park Center. Also, vs. Troy, 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31. Athletics.

Friday, Jan. 30

Opening Reception for 'Sharing Space: Gyorgy Beck and Sylvia Plachy' Opening reception for art exhibit by Gyorgy Beck and Sylvia Plachy. 5-6 p.m., The Gallery at UTA, Fine Arts Building. The Gallery at UTA.

Saturday, Jan. 31

Wheelchair Basketball Tournament Free. Through Monday, Feb. 2. Physical Education Building and Maverick Activities Center. Movin' Mavs.

Coming up

Spring Concert with Jessie J British singer and songwriter Jessie J is recognized for an unconventional musical and performance style, mixing soul vocals with contemporary R&B, pop, electropop, and hip-hop beats. Tickets $20 UTA faculty and staff, $15 students; $25 general admission. 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, at Texas Hall. EXCEL Campus Activities.

Maverick Speakers Series Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku presents his thoughts on "Physics of the Future." Autograph signing follows. General admission, preferred packages at utatickets.com. VIP packages, contact Mark LaVelle at mlavelle@uta.edu or 2-5235. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, Texas Hall. Also, former San Antonio mayor and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros on March 26 and sports broadcaster Bob Costas on April 13. Maverick Speakers Series.

Ongoing

Cuba: Histories of the Present Explore daily life in modern Cuba through photographs by David LaFevor, assistant professor of history. Sixth floor, Central Library. Through Jan. 31. UT Arlington Libraries.

Special Collections: The Price of Manifest Destiny Discover how maps and war interlocked in the 19th century. Hours 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, sixth floor, Central Library. Through Feb. 7. UT Arlington Libraries Special Collections.

The Gallery at UTA: Gyorgy Beck and Sylvia Plachy Two Hungarian-born artists share space in both the literal and metaphysical sense. Through Feb. 14. The Gallery at UTA.

Visual Resource Commons and Gallery The African Art Collection is a multi-dimensional collection of 11th- to 20th-century art and artifacts. Free. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, Suite 2109, Fine Arts Building. Art and Art History.

Planetarium The spring schedule features Black Holes, Dynamic Earth, Pink Floyd, Secret of the Cardboard Rocket, and Spacepark 360: Infinity. Planetarium.

(For an expanded list of events, see the UTA calendar.)