MavWire 2015 Archive » MavWire — Monday, October 26, 2015

No small honor: Dr. Purnendu “Sandy” Dasgupta, left, is the first faculty member to hold the Hamish Small Chair of Ion Analysis, which is named for Dr. Hamish Small, right, who invented ion chromatography. Thermo Fisher Scientific established the chair.

Endowed chair honors Hamish Small; Dasgupta first recipient

The University of Texas at Arlington celebrated the $1 million endowed Hamish Small Chair of Ion Analysis with an event honoring Purnendu “Sandy” Dasgupta, the first faculty member to hold the chair, and the chair’s namesake, renowned chemist Hamish Small.

The endowed chair was established through a gift from multinational company Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Dr. Small invented ion chromatography, the process that allows the separation of ions based on their charge.

Dr. Dasgupta, UTA’s Jenkins Garrett Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, holds 20 U.S. patents, including one on electrodialytic reagent generation technology on which current ion chromatography is based.

Read more about Small and Dagupta.

All business: The College of Business celebrates its 50th anniversary this year with a variety of events. At bottom, from left, John Terrell, Kathy Weaver, and Eric V. Brown, were honored at the annual Alumni and Service Awards Ceremony on Oct. 16.

Business marks 50 years with alumni honors, celebrations

The College of Business began celebrating its 50-year anniversary by recognizing alumni and sharing fun events.

At the annual Alumni and Service Awards Ceremony on Oct. 16, the college honored three outstanding alumni. Honored were John Terrell ('08 EMBA), Outstanding Career Achievement Award; Kathy Weaver ('14 EMBA), Outstanding Early Career Achievement Award; and Eric V. Brown, past president of the College of Business Advisory Council, Dean’s Award for Extraordinary Service. Read more about the honorees. See more photos and watch the video from the event.

The celebration fun this week includes a ’60s Halloween party starting at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, when a late-1960s costume will win you some treats.

Bring your appetite to the Department of Accounting’s annual Chili Cook-Off  9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, on Oak Street between Third and Fourth streets. The free event includes costume contests, food trucks, field games, bounce houses, and live music.

Read more about Business’ 50-year history and upcoming events.

UTA, colleges of liberal arts, science also turn 50

Also turning 50 this year are the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Science. The two were one college until they divided in 1965, when UTA joined the University of Texas System. See each college’s website for upcoming events and 50th anniversary celebrations.

Celebrate UTA’s 50 years with the UT System on UT System Day 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, in the Palo Duro Lounge of the E.H. Hereford University Center.

Plan now for Homecoming

Now is the time for all Mavericks and Maverick supporters to register to buy tickets, register, and volunteer for Homecoming 2015 events.

Start the week-long fun with the Homecoming Step Show on Saturday, Nov. 7.

Put you culinary skills to work by entering the Chili Cook-Off on Wednesday, Nov. 11.

Join the pep rally and trip to Waco for the women's basketball vs. Baylor game or attend the Distinguished Alumni Awards dinner honors UTA’s finest grads Thursday, Nov. 12. 

Homecoming really gets rolling on Saturday, Nov. 14. Start the day with the Homecoming Golf Tournament and the Homecoming 5K Walk/Run. The Class of 1965 and Greek alumni have gatherings. Enjoy the Street Festival, the Party of the Plaze, the Homecoming Parade, a pep rally, and the men's basketball game against Fordham.

Tickets, registration forms, and volunteer sign up are all at uta.edu/homecoming. Tickets for the women's basketball trip and game and for the men's basketball game are detailed in the story below.

Reserve your tickets now for Homecoming games, both on the road and at home

Make plans to cheer on the women's basketball team when they face the Baylor Bears on Friday, Nov. 13, at the Ferrell Center in Waco.

Participate in the pre-game tipoff with food and activities 1:30-3 p.m. at Moritz Plaza at College Park Center. Buses leave for the game at 3 p.m. The game starts at 6 p.m.

Tickets are $30 for faculty, staff, and alumni and $15 for students. Price includes the game ticket, food, a T-shirt, and transportation to and from the game. Tickets are available at uta.edu/homecoming along with other details about Homecoming 2015. Purchase tickets by Monday, Nov. 2.

Drive yourself to the game and purchase individual tickets starting Tuesday, Oct. 27.

The Homecoming men’s game against Fordham tips off at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at College Park Center. Tickets are $5 at utatickets.com.

Questions? Student Affairs has answers at 2-6080.

State Employee Charitable Campaign concludes Oct. 31

The State Employee Charitable Campaign is your opportunity to impact the world.

There is a charity that matches your interests, from Adopt-A-Beach to EarthShare to Global Impact. Choose from hundreds of organizations. UTA's goal is $60,000 for the campaign, which runs through Oct. 31.

Payroll deduction through online giving is the easiest way to donate. Go to UTA's SECC page to see the guidebook with a list of charities. Click on the red banner to give.

For questions, contact your department representative, Amber Campbell at amber@uta.edu, or Colin Sanor at colinsanor@uta.edu.

InnovationDay@UTA UTA showcased a range of technologies at the second annual InnovationDay@UTA on Thursday at College Park Center. Student Paulo Esperon, top, worked on his entry in a robotics competition. Alumnus Fadi Bishara, bottom, founder and CEO of Blackbox, a global start-up accelerator in Silicon Valley, and guest panelists discussed innovation, entrepreneurship, and how to attract angel investors. Faculty and students provided posters on their research. Watch the video and see more photos.

Educause conference looks at higher ed and technology

Educause Virtual Conference, a premiere event for technology in higher education, will explore tough issues facing institutions around the world.

The conference is Wednesday-Friday, Oct. 28-30, on the UTA campus. Sponsors are University Analytics, UT Arlington Libraries, the Center of Teaching and Learning, and the Office of Information Technology.

Topics include “Analytics, Business, Intelligence, and Data Management,” “Leading and Partnering across the Academy,” “Teaching and Learning,” and “Risk Management.”

See the schedule and register for the Educause Virtual Conference.

Environmental Health and Safety has new training website

In the fall issue of Maverick Safety Matters, Environmental Health and Safety introduces its new training management website for online safety courses.

Also, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the laboratory is nothing to experiment with. Read about the importance of wearing PPE to protect yourself from hazards.

Texas FreshAIR Conference showcases therapeutics, devices

A new heart disease medication and other discoveries made by University of Texas System researchers will be highlighted at the 2015 Texas FreshAIR Conference on Wednesday-Thursday, Oct. 28-29, at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

Texas FreshAIR is a world-class UT System conference designed to showcase faculty research at the System’s 14 institutions, industry research, new medications, medical devices, and startups. The conference brings great minds together to foster academic-industry collaborations that will help commercialize more faculty research.

There will be 70-plus scientific lectures and presentations at Texas FreshAIR. More than 250 researchers, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and executives from Texas and the country’s top pharmaceutical and venture companies are expected to attend.

Read more about the Texas FreshAIR Conference.

Training offered for new Unit Effectiveness Process software

Results Reports and Improvement Reports for the Unit Effectiveness Process are due to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Reporting soon.

Training sessions for TracDat, the new Unit Effectiveness Process assessment software, is 3-5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30; 1-3 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2; and 10 a.m.-noon Wednesday, Nov. 4.

The deadline for Improvement Reports for 2013-14 and 2014-15 is Friday, Nov. 6. The deadline for Results Reports was Oct. 16.

Register for TracDat training.

Tickets available to see Daymond John at next Maverick Speakers Series event

Tickets to see entrepreneur Daymond John for the Maverick Speakers Series are available online.

John will speak on "Shark Tank Entrepreneurship" at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, at College Park Center. An audience question-and-answer session and book signing will follow the lecture.

For VIP packages, contact Mark LaVelle at mlavelle@uta.edu or 2-5235.

NetIDplus adds new level of security for off-campus connection

In response to the growing number of sophisticated cyber threats, the Office of Information Technology is adding steps to safeguard personal and University information.

On Monday, Nov. 2, UTA will begin to implement NetIDplus, which will require two-factor authentication when you remotely access UTShare and VPN. Use of two-factor authentication is mandated by the UT System.

For more details, visit uta.edu/netidplus to find the definition of two-factor authentication, enrollment and training schedules, changes to your VPN group, frequently asked questions, troubleshooting guidelines, supported devices, and additional documentation.

 For assistance or questions, contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@uta.edu or 2-2208.

Streaming video now available via library

The UTA Libraries recently implemented the Alexander Street Press Streaming Video. This collection provides access to more than 23,000 videos across multiple disciplines from a wide variety of providers such as BBC, Bloomberg, Canal+, CRM Learning, Discovery, CBS, HBO, Janus Films (Criterion Collection), Kantola, Medcom, National Geographic, NBCUniversal, Opus Arte, Royal Anthropological Institute, and many more.

On the library website, go to the Database A-Z List  and select Alexander Street Press Streaming Video to search all streaming video and audio available.

Video tutorials are available to show how to make clips, create playlists, and use other tools that will enhance the use of the streaming videos in teaching and learning.

Donate to Golden Key food drive

The Golden Key International Honour Society hosts its annual food drive for the Tarrant Area Food Bank.

See a list of donation locations. Donations are due by Nov. 19.

For drop-off or pick-up details, contact Kevin Schuck at keschuck@uta.edu or 2-0102 or Micaela Seals at mlseals@uta.edu. All donations go to the Tarrant Area Food Bank.

Computer repair services offered at Central Library

The Campus Technology Repair Center offers drop-in troubleshooting for Apples, PCs, and laptops in the Central Library's first floor Service Zone. Technical staff are available noon-4 p.m. Mondays-Fridays.

The center is a licensed AppleCare repair shop providing free services for Apple computers or laptops under warranty. Other work is done at competitive fees.

Simple repairs may be completed on site. Computers needing more extensive work are sent to the repair center in the UTA Bookstore.

Share your thoughts with Dining Services

The Dining Services survey seeks to better understand the University community's dining preferences and satisfaction. At the end of the survey, choose to participate in a drawing for one of four prizes: a $150 gift card grand prize or one of three $50 gift cards.

Symposium focuses on breast health

Students, staff, and faculty can attend the 2015 Breast Health 101 Symposium, sponsored by the College of Nursing and Health Innovation and Susan G. Komen of Greater Fort Worth.

The free event is 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Maverick Activities Center. Register online, and use code BH101.

Be part of Maverick Experience Preview Day

The Office of University Recruitment invites your academic department or student organization to participate at the Academic Fair or Student Life Fair at the Maverick Experience Preview Day on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Register online. Questions? Contact Alicia Graves at agraves@uta.edu.

Last chance to confirm your annual enrollment elections

Check your pay stub or billing statement carefully to verify that your UT Benefits coverage is set up correctly. If you find an error, contact Employee Benefits Services no later than Saturday, Oct. 31. Read more about annual enrollment elections.

Flu shots and wellness checkups are free from Catapult Health

UTA has partnered with Catapult Health to provide free, quick, and confidential preventive health checkups and annual flu vaccines on campus.

These checkups and flu shots are available to all employees covered under the UT Select Medical Plan at no charge. You must make an appointment to take advantage of this benefit. The clinics will be held on Thursday-Friday, Nov. 5-6.

For more information and to make your appointment, visit the Office of Human Resources website and click on the link Flu Shots.

Use your UT FLEX funds and file your claims for 2014-15

The use-it-or-lose-it rule applies to all UT FLEX reimbursement accounts. Get the most out of your accounts by not missing important deadlines.

If you have a UT FLEX Health Care Reimbursement Account (HCRA) with PayFlex, the HCRA has a use-it-or-lose-it rule. This means you will forfeit any funds left in your account at the end of the plan year. To avoid losing your HCRA funds, remember these dates:

Nov. 15—Last day to spend your HCRA funds.
Nov. 30—Last day to submit claims for reimbursement. PayFlex must receive your claims by this date.

Read more about the UT Flex deadlines.

Employment Information

Check out employment opportunities at uta.edu/jobs. Have questions? Call Human Resources/Employment Services at 2-3461 or TDD 2-8139, or email employment@uta.edu. The University of Texas at Arlington is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

Monday, Oct. 26

Disability Studies Lecture Doug Garner, Movin’ Mavs coach, speaks on “Adaptive Sports: Past, Present, Future.” Free. Noon-1 p.m. Room 25, University Hall. Also, Robert and Schuyler Rummel-Hudson, “Fighting Monsters with Rubber Swords,” Nov. 4; and Catherine Kudlick, “Disabling Cures: Rescuing History’s ‘Incurables’ from the Clutches of the Present,” Nov. 19. Disability Studies.

Tuesday, Oct. 27

Financial Statements and the Reconciliation Process Register online. 8:30-10:30 a.m., Room E200C, Continuing Education Building. Business Affairs.

Thursday, Oct. 29

Position and Workforce Management Register online. 1:30-3:30 p.m., Room E200C, Continuing Education Building. Business Affairs.

Women's and Gender Studies Symposium Speakers include Whitney Peoples, Provost Post-doctoral Fellow in Women's and Gender Studies, and Ana Louise Keating of Texas Woman's University addressing the theme "Minding the Field: Exploring and Expanding Women's and Gender Studies in North Texas.” 9 a.m.-5 p.m., sixth floor, Central Library. Women’s and Gender Studies.

Biology Colloquium Series Bryan Carstens of Ohio State University. 4 p.m., Room 124, Life Sciences. Biology.

Friday, Oct. 30

UTARI Lunch and Learn Fan Gao of UT Southwestern Medical Center. Register online. Shuttle available. Lunch provided. Noon, UTARI, 7300 Jack Newell Blvd. S., Fort Worth. UT Arlington Research Institute.

Qualitative Research Brown-bag Meetups Priscila Caçola, assistant professor of kinesiology, "Mixed Methods and Working on Research as an Interdisciplinary Team." Noon-1 p.m., Room 414, Central Library. Also, Yekang Ko and Ann Foss of planning and landscape architecture, "Measuring Climate Literacy: Using Survey Data for Interdisciplinary Environmental Education," Nov. 12. Qualitative Research Meetup.

Coming up

Arlington Technology Association Xinbao Yu, right, associate professor of civil engineering, discusses "Using Geothermal Energy to Remove Ice and Snow from Roads and Bridges." Light breakfast provided. RSVP. Free. 7-8 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, Room 100, Nedderman Hall. Arlington Technology Association.

Food for Thought Allison Dominguez, a registered and licensed dietitian, discusses what to eat before and after you exercise. Noon-1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, Room 213, Maverick Activities Center. Campus Recreation.

Focus on Faculty: Traci Freling Traci Freling, associate professor of marketing. Free. Noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, sixth floor, Central Library. UTA Libraries.

Mathematics Colloquium Series Patrick Shipman of Colorado State University. 3 p.m., Nov. 6, Room 311, Pickard Hall. Mathematics.

RAD Self-Defense for Women For female faculty, staff, and students. Register online. Free. 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Nov. 7, Room 102-B, Maverick Activities Center. UTA Police.

Current Research on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder A discussion of the impact and implications of traumatic life experiences on veterans and civilians. Panelists are Alexa Smith-Osborne, associate professor of social work and director of the Center for Clinical Social Work; Cheryl Anderson, associate professor of nursing; and Mary Kate Kenworthy, readjustment counselor for Veterans Affairs. 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, sixth floor parlor, Central Library. Veterans Upward Bound.

Business Affairs Training Register online. Managing Department Funds, Tuesday, Nov. 3; Travel and Expenses, Thursday, Nov. 5; ProCard, Monday, Nov. 9; Timekeeper, Wednesday, Nov. 11; Position and Workforce Management, Friday, Nov. 13; Financial Statements & the Reconciliation Process, Monday, Nov. 16; Requisitions, Wednesday, Nov. 18; Payment Vouchers, Friday, Nov. 20. All in Room E200C, Continuing Education Building. Business Affairs.

Human Resources Training Dealing with Difficult Employees and People, Tuesday, Nov. 10; Writing Effective Email, Friday, Nov. 13; Managing Projects and Making Decisions, Wednesday, Nov. 18; Fundamental Skills for Supervisors and Managers, Friday, Nov. 20. All in Room 200, Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

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

Lots of treats on campus for Halloween Treats, not tricks, are in store for Mavericks this weekend. The Planetarium at UTA will take $2 off admission for anyone wearing a costume Friday-Sunday, Oct. 30-Nov. 1. The Great Pumpkin Carnival is a night of family fun on Greek Row 6-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. Fraternity and Sorority Life provides games, popcorn, and candy for all ages. Maverick volleyball games encourage fans to dress up for two games this week. Flashback Friday's game against Troy includes a prize for best '90s outfit. A costume contest and trick-or-treat giveaways are part of Saturday's contest with Louisiana-Monroe. Both games start at 6:30 p.m. at College Park Center. Tickets are $5.

Tuesday, Oct. 27

Orchestral Conducting Studio Recital Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Thursday, Oct. 29

Lunafest 2015 Short films produced and directed by and for women. $5. 7-9 p.m., Lone Star Auditorium, Maverick Activities Center. Women’s and Gender Studies.

Guest Trombone Concert Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Friday, Oct. 30

Opening Reception: 'Reunion: XV Faculty Biennial and Invited Alumni Exhibition' Receptions for concurrent exhibitions featuring 35 faculty members and 26 invited art graduates. Free 5-7 p.m. Gallery West, Studio Arts Center; and 6-8 p.m., The Gallery at UTA, Fine Arts Building. Art and Art History.

Violin Studio Recital Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Volleyball Mavericks vs. Troy. Flashback Friday, '90s Night, prize for best '90s outfit. Tickets $5. 6:30 p.m., College Park Center. Also, vs. Louisiana-Monroe, Trick-or-Treat giveaway, costume contest Oct. 31; vs. South Alabama, Nov. 15. Athletics.

Coming Up

Tail-Waggin’ Wednesday Students, faculty, and staff can take a break filled with unconditional love from therapy dogs. Free. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, sixth floor, Central Library. UTA Libraries.

UT System Day Wear your Maverick attire and celebrate UT System Day. UTA joined the UT System 50 years ago. Free. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, Palo Duro Lounge, E.H. Hereford University Center. Human Resources, UT System Day.

Concerts and Recitals Guest Recital, Yuri Anshelevich, Friday, Nov. 6; Percussion Ensemble Concert, Monday, Nov. 9; Faculty Chamber Recital, Thursday, Nov. 12; Wind Symphony Concert, Friday, Nov. 13; Faculty Recital, Laura Bennett Cameron, Saturday, Nov. 14; Trumpet Studio Recital, Monday, Nov. 16; Clavier Piano Recital, Tuesday Nov. 17; Guest Recital, Stephen F. Austin Wind Faculty, Thursday, Nov. 19; Bassoon Studio Recital, Friday, Nov. 20; UTA Symphony Orchestra Concert, Saturday, Nov. 21; Symphonic Band Concert, 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 22; Trombone Ensemble Concert, Monday, Nov. 23; Viola Studio Recital, Tuesday, Nov. 24; UTA Choir Concert, Thursday, Dec. 3; Flute Studio Recital, Friday, Dec. 4. All 7:30 p.m., unless noted, Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Ongoing

Reunion: XV Faculty Biennial and Invited Alumni Exhibition Concurrent exhibitions feature 35 faculty members and 26 invited art graduates. Hours for both galleries 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, and noon-5 p.m. Saturdays. Gallery West, Studio Arts Center; and The Gallery at UTA, Fine Arts Building. Through Nov. 21. Art and Art History.

Ornament and Adornment: The Decoration and Application Techniques of African Masks 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, Visual Resources Commons, Room 2109, Fine Arts Building. Through Dec. 9. Art and Art History.

University Center Gallery: Digital Photography Student Exhibit 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. University Center Gallery, E.H. Hereford University Center. Through Dec. 12. EXCEL Campus Activities.

Special Collections: Ringside: Memories of WCC Wrestling 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, sixth floor, Central Library. Through Jan. 16. UTA Libraries Special Collections.

Planetarium Fall shows SOFIA 3-D, Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, From the Earth to the Universe, Astronaut, Pink Floyd, and Spacepark 360: Infinity. Planetarium.

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