MavWire 2016 Archive » MavWire — Monday, May 2, 2016

Dr. Joohi Lee and Dr. Mohan Pant

Competency-based online course to help math teachers better teach geometry students

Two UTA researchers are developing a competency-based online, graduate-level course that will help math teachers more effectively learn to teach conceptual geometry by measuring their competencies throughout the course.

Associate Professor Joohi Lee and Assistant Professor Mohan Pant, both of the College of Education’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction, say the competency-based learning course will enable educators to master targeted academic knowledge and skills at their own pace.

The UTA team launched the pilot phase of the study, “Competency-Based Learning: Developing a Competency-Based Geometry Methods Course (A Two-Year Longitudinal Study),” this spring semester.

Read more about the geometry competency-based study.

Faculty, staff, student employees honored for outstanding service

Read about outstanding faculty members honored at the Spring Meeting of Faculty and Associates and this year's Outstanding Mavericks and employee service awards.

The Outstanding Student Employee award honorees are:

• Graduate Student Employee of the Year—Vijay Thakkar, College of Business Department of Management
• Undergraduate Student Employee of the Year—Gabriel Rodriguez, Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
• Distinguished Student Employee of the Year—Madalyn Cooper, UTA Libraries, Access and Discovery Department

Creative strategists A unique packaging lab, strong industry partnership, and coursework focused on creative thinking lead UTA’s Visual Communication Design students to success in a wide range of careers. Watch the video.

Candidate forums for dean of College of Engineering continue

The next candidate for dean of the College of Engineering will have a session open to the University community at 3:30 p.m. today, Monday, May 2, in Room 204 of the Architecture Building.

Peter Crouch is dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Previously, he was vice provost for global engagement at Arizona State University. His research interests include control theory, nonlinear systems theory, and dynamical systems and their applications to problems in electrical, mechanical, and aerospace engineering. The online survey for Dr. Crouch ends at noon Tuesday, May 3.

The last candidate is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 4, in Room 204 of the Architecture Building. The candidate's name will be released 24 hours in advance of his or her campus visit.

Visit the Senior Leadership Searches webpage to learn more about the dean search for the College of Engineering as details become available.

Get Texas Rangers discount tickets

To claim discounted tickets for select Texas Rangers' home games, visit texasrangers.com/grouptickets, click on the University of Texas at Arlington, and use the password GOMAVS.

Prepare proposals for HUB Spot Bid Fair

Small and historically under-utilized businesses (HUBs) can bid "on the spot" at the Spot Bid Fair hosted by state Sen. Royce West on Monday-Tuesday, May 9-10, at the Irving Convention Center.

The fair is in conjunction with the Statewide HUB Program’s 2016 Procurement Connection Seminar and EXPO (PCSE) and the Dallas/Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council’s Business EXPO. Read more details about Spot Bid Fair bid opportunities.

Questions? Contact Laurie Thompson, HUB coordinator, at lauriethompson@uta.edu.

Plan now for South Nedderman closure

To allow for an upgrade of the water and sewer lines, Facilities Management will close South Nedderman Drive from Cooper Street to Planetarium Place to all traffic at noon on Friday, May 13, for an indefinite time period.

The closure includes the exit from Lot F-10.

Deliveries to the Central Library and Life Science Building will need to be made from West Street. Visitors to the Planetarium also will need to use West Street.

Pedestrians will be redirected from the south student parking lots and Parking Lot F-10.

Questions? Contact Jeff L. Johnson at jljohnson@uta.edu or 817-798-8456.

Step up to Blazing Race challenge

Join your fellow Mavericks for an hour-long event of wellness and competition in The Blazing Race at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 18.

Individuals or teams will race—running or walking—around campus on the two routes—low impact and high impact—to follow clues to lead them to several destinations on campus.

To register and find details, go to uta.edu/wellness.

Friday, May 6

Grant Writers Workshop for the Humanities Discover the principles and fundamentals of grant writing for humanities and arts with interactive presentations and hands-on practices. RSVP online. $75. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Room 100, Geoscience Building. Research Administration.

(For an expanded list of events, see the Events Calendar.)

Accessibility subject of exhibit, panel discussion Explore how UTA began to become a model accessible campus for students with disabilities at the Central Library. "Building a Barrier-Free Campus” introduces viewers to both UTA’s status as a leader in disability accessibility today and the multi-championship-winning Movin’ Mavs adapted sports program. The exhibit also showcases other disability rights initiatives to come out of UTA—such as the non-profit Helping Restore Ability, public transit activism, local K-12 adapted sports programs, and the Arlington Mayor’s Committee on People with Disabilities. An opening reception includes panel discussion at noon Wednesday, May 4, in the sixth floor parlor of the Central Library. Panelists are Wayne Duke, former vice president for student affairs; Laura Kelsey-Raney, sister of Jim Hayes, founder of UTA’s adaptive sports program; John Dycus, co-founder of the Arlington Handicapped Association and UTA alumnus; and Mark Knoblock, Freewheeler wheelchair basketball player and UTA alumnus. The exhibit, which runs through Sept. 16, is in the sixth floor parlor of the Central Library. Exhibit and discussion sponsors include UTA Libraries, the History Department, the College of Liberal Arts’ Festival of Global Ideas, and the Office for Students with Disabilities.

Monday, May 2

The Gallery at UTA: Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition Works by 44 graduating art students, including drawing, sculpture, glass, printmaking, film/video, photography/digital imaging, and visual communication design. Through Thursday, May 14, The Gallery at UTA, Fine Arts Building. Opening reception 5-7 p.m. Friday, May 6. Art and Art History.

Friday, May 6

Via Dance A collection of dance works by UTA faculty, student choreographers, and guests that includes includes contemporary ballet, modern, musical theatre, and tap. Tickets $7 faculty, staff, students, seniors; $10 general public. 8 p.m. Mainstage Theatre, Fine Arts Building. Also, 8 p.m. Saturday, May 7, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 8. Theatre Arts.

Saturday, March 7

Salute to Community Bands Eight of the nearly 40 community bands in North Texas perform, folk songs, and contemporary pieces. Free. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Texas Hall. See the schedule. Music.

Coming Up

Commencement Ceremonies Thursday, May 12-Saturday, May 14, College Park Center. Commencement.

Friends of the Library Debra Wintergarten, author of Oveta Culp Hobby. 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 13, sixth floor parlor, Central Library. UTA Libraries.

Ongoing

MavsArt Enjoy the art of UTA faculty, staff, and students. See the online gallery. Free. second floor, Central Library. Through May 13. UTA Libraries.

Gallery 76102: 'Tree House Divided' Works by artist Jessica Fuentes. Gallery hours noon-6 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays. Through May 31. Free. Gallery 76102, Fort Worth Center.

UTA Libraries: 'Academic Evolution: The University of Texas at Arlington' An exhibition of UTA's academic history. Through Aug. 31. Sixth floor, Central Library. UTA Libraries.

Planetarium Explore the secrets of the universe in the new show Dark. The spring schedule includes Astronaut, Cosmic Colors, From the Earth to the Universe, Pink Floyd, and SpacePark 360: Infinity. Through May 29. UTA Planetarium.

(For an expanded list of events, see the Events Calendar.)