University Communications » Internal Communications » MavWire » MavWire 04-05-2010

Professors receive Fulbright awards

Babak Fahimi, an associate professor of electrical engineering, and Qinhong "Max" Hu, an assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences, have been selected to receive Fulbright Scholar awards for 2010-11.

Dr. Fahimi will receive the Fulbright Scholarship, which will allow him to spend eight months next year conducting research at the Institute for Electric Machines at the Rheinisch-Westfaelische Technische Hochschule in Aachen, Germany. His research centers on energy conversion, power electronics, and the modeling and stability assessment of multi-converter systems.

Dr. Hu has been selected for a Fulbright Senior Specialists grant to lecture and conduct research at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology in Japan during April and May. The Fulbright Senior Specialists Program, created in 2000 to complement the traditional Fulbright Scholar Program, provides short-term academic opportunities (two to six weeks) to prominent U.S. faculty and professionals to support curricular and faculty development and institutional planning at post-secondary, academic institutions around the world.

"These are very competitive national awards and the fact that we have not one, but two recipients speaks very highly of the quality of the UT Arlington faculty," says Donald Bobbitt, provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. The Fulbright Program is administered by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.

Therapy formula: Dr. Wei Chen has found in his research that when a certain combination is targeted to tumor cells, a toxin is produced that destroys the cells.

Physics professor continues photodynamic research on prostate cancer treatment

Wei Chen, an assistant professor of physics, contends that photodynamic therapy, which has been used successfully in treating skin cancers, may be an effective treatment for prostate cancer.

Dr. Chen is researching a new photodynamic therapy system that uses light generated by long-lasting afterglow nanoparticles. The research is funded by a $324,529 grant from the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs. In 2009, Chen received a $472,000 grant from the same program to do similar research on breast cancer.

"Dr. Chen is at the forefront of developing new targeted therapies to treat cancer," says Ronald Elsenbaumer, vice president for research and federal relations. "It is exciting to see our faculty discover innovative ways to improve lives."

The grant is for the work at UT Arlington, but Chen and his research group are collaborating with a number of international scientists. Chen's research is representative of the biomedical research programs that are propelling UT Arlington on its mission of becoming a nationally recognized research institution.

For more information, see the news release.

Faculty, staff invited to open house for city's Hike-and-Bike Master Plan

The City of Arlington is creating a city-wide Hike-and-Bike System Master Plan, and your input is needed. Join other faculty and staff and Arlington citizens for an open house from 6:30-9 p.m. Wednesday, April 7, at Arlington City Hall, 101 W. Abram. The open house will be in the council briefing room on the third floor.

Participants can review results from the first public workshop and comment on preliminary recommendations. Read more on the Hike-and-Bike System Master Plan online.

First-class glass Glass came in all shapes and sizes at the annual glass art sale Friday at the Studio Arts Center. The sale included works by students and faculty and attracted hundreds of participants, with more than 1,000 pieces sold. The UT Arlington glass art program is one of the nation's best, attracting top students from across the country and the annual sale has been a major factor in the program's development. For student work, half the proceeds go to the students. The remainder benefits the glass art program and will be used to buy materials and equipment.

Kenya Safari Acrobats bring stunts, comedy routine to campus Thursday

Stunts, comedy, audience participation, and heart-pounding music combine to create a production that will have all ages on the edge of their seats as the Kenya Safari Acrobats perform "Lost in Africa" at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 8, at Texas Hall.

Watch a preview of the troupe. The event is presented by UT Arlington EXCEL Campus Activities. Cost is $7 for faculty and staff. Tickets are available at utatickets.com.

University partnering with Fort Worth for greener Main Street Arts Festival

The Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival is partnering with UT Arlington to take the already environmentally conscious event to an even greener level. The festival is scheduled for Thursday-Sunday, April 8-11 on downtown Fort Worth's Main Street.

Visit the UT Arlington exhibitor booth, designed by UT Arlington interior design students to incorporate and feature sustainable materials.

Website addresses working off-campus

In support of the recent new policy on Flexible Work Arrangements, the Office of Information Technology has published a website to address connectivity topics on working off-campus.

Planning guides are available for faculty and staff. Contact your departmental IT support provider or the OIT Helpdesk at 2-2208 or helpdesk@uta.edufor details.

Nominations due Friday for Distinguished Alumni Awards

The Alumni Association is accepting nominations for the 2010 UT Arlington Distinguished Alumni Award. This is the highest honor an alumna/alumnus can receive from UT Arlington.

Award criteria and a nomination form can be found on the Alumni Association website. The deadline for submitting nominations is Friday, April 9. Awards will be presented at the 2010 Distinguished Alumni Gala on Saturday, Oct. 16. For more information, contact Stephanie Thompson at 2-2594.

Thinking about earthquakes Dr. Pamela Jansma, left, dean of the College of Science, was a guest Wednesday on the KERA radio program Think as she talked about earthquake science with host Kris Boyd. Dr. Jansma, a geo-sciences expert, discussed what scientists have learned from the recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile and how earthquake science can help us be better prepared for such disasters.

Business Week starts next Monday, features technology, market speakers

Bruce Tanner ('90 MBA), chief financial officer at Lockheed Martin, will be the keynote speaker at the Executive Dinner that highlights Business Week, which begins Monday, April 12. A 6 p.m. reception will precede the dinner, which starts at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 13, at the Bluebonnet Ballroom of the E.H. Hereford University Center.

The theme for Business Week 2010 is "Innovations Transforming Business in North Texas and Beyond." Guest speakers will provide insight on the business case for nanotechnology and its applications in various product and service markets, including transportation and logistics, construction, medicine and health care, energy, and sports and entertainment.

Business Week is co-hosted by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and the College of Business. Tickets and table sponsorships for the dinner are available at utatickets.com.

Got data? Classification process must be completed by April 15

All members of the University community are required to participate in the data classification process if they are the owner of any data that is considered sensitive according to the UT System definition. If you are an owner of sensitive digital data, go online to complete the data classification process. The data classification must be completed by Thursday, April 15

Since UT System Policy UTS165 requires that owners of information resources classify all data that is sensitive, you must determine who owns the data. To accomplish this, determine if the maintained data is the official version or a copy. If you maintain the official version of the data, then you are considered to be the owner of that data and must classify it. You are not responsible for classifying data if you only use a copy of the official data.

For assistance or more information, review UT Arlington's data classification standard or see the extended list of Category-I data classification examples. As soon as all the data has been gathered, reports for each area will be available to the responsible parties. These reports will provide actionable information and enable informed decisions about the risk of information resources in your department.

OIT to increase space available in J Drive

The Office of Information Technology plans to increase the space available for faculty and staff in their online storage, commonly called the J drive. The increase is from the current 200 meg to 10 gig, an increase of 50 times, and should be completed by the end of April. See the OIT website for details.

Writing Effective E-Mails

E-mail has become an essential communication tool for most individuals and organizations. Learn the basics of e-mail communication as well as all of the dangers. In this course, participants will learn the keys to effective e-mails as well as proper cyber manners and how to avoid e-mail overload. 9-11 a.m., Tuesday, April 13, Room 200, Wetsel Service Center. See the complete list of HR training classes.

Webinar provides information on applying for NSF grants

The Office of Grant and Contract Services will host a webinar on how to write a successful National Science Foundation CAREER proposal. The webinar is intended for faculty and will cover

• How to decide if and when you should apply for a CAREER grant

• How to position yourself and your research to be competitive for a CAREER

• How to structure your proposal

• How to develop an educational plan

• Keys to success and common mistakes to avoid

• A step-by-step discussion of each section of the proposal and what it needs to tell the reviewers

• Questions and answers

Light refreshments will be served. Seating is limited and registration is required. 1-3 p.m. Tuesday, April 13, Room 327, Davis Hall.

Be S.M.A.R.T. with Your PC

This S.M.A.R.T. (Stimulating Maturity through Accelerated Readiness Training) workshop is designed to provide tips and tools that will help you become a more confident and secure computer user. Register to attend. 2-4 p.m. Wednesday, April 14, Room 319, Architecture Building. See the complete list of OIT training classes.

Take a break with Mindful Moments

Health Services offers a break from stress with Mindful Moments at 12:15 p.m. each Wednesday in Room 235 of the Business Building. The program is free.

Employment information

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

Monday, April 5

Barksdale Lecture Series Paul Christesen, assistant professor of classics at Dartmouth College, speaks about "Competition, Violence and Nudity: Sport in Ancient Greek Society." He discusses the origins and significance of the ancient Greek athletic practice of nudity in the contexts of exercise in the gymnasium and public competitions. The lecture series is presented by Phi Alpha Theta, the history honor society, in collaboration with the Classics Club and the Honors College. Noon, Room 002, University Hall. Don Kyle, kyle@uta.edu, 2-2884.

Wednesday, April 7

Booziotis Lecture Paul Lewis of Booziotis & Co. Architecture speaks on "Opportunistic Architecture." 6 p.m., Room 204, Architecture Building. Robert Rummel-Hudson. rhudson@uta.edu, 2-2314.

Thursday, April 8

Teachers Teaching Teachers: Fostering Student Engagement This roundtable features English Department instructors and welcomes all educators to share ideas and best practices. Featured guests will share their innovative lessons, prompts, assignments, and activities. Attendees are invited to bring their classroom innovations for fostering student engagement. 2 p.m. Room 307, Preston Hall. Lorie Jacobs, ljacobs@uta.edu.

Biology Colloquium Series Professor Peter Greenberg from the University of Washington speaks on "The Social Life of Bacteria: Communication and Cooperation." 4 p.m., Room 124, Life Science Building. Dr. Woo-Suk Chang, wschang@uta.edu, 2-2872.

Friday, April 9

III-Nitride Micro- and Nano-photonics: Lighting, display and energy Hongxing Jiang, Ph.D., chair and professor of electrical and computer engineering at Texas Tech, provides a brief overview on recent advances in micro- and nano-photonic nitride structures and devices. He also presents his work on hydrogen generation using solar water splitting. 11 a.m., Room 601, Nedderman Hall. Weidong Zhou, wzhou@uta.edu, 2-1536.

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

International Week gets into full swing today This year's International Week theme of "Global Fusion" features the Parade of Banners led by the UTA Samba Band, a food fair with food from all over the world made by international students, a fashion show, intriguing and intricate cultural exhibits created by the students, and a talent show. At noon today, Monday, April 5, students bearing banners from more than 130 countries will walk from Nedderman Hall around campus to the Central Library mall, where Provost Donald Bobbitt will deliver opening remarks. The ceremony ends in the Bluebonnet Ballroom of the University Center with refreshments and student performances. During the International Food Fair from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.on Tuesday, April 6, on the E.H. Hereford University Center mall, the community will be able to purchase ethnic food items. The fashion show begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 7, in the Bluebonnet Ballroom of the UC; expect to enjoy a fun, cultural night of ethnic outfits and costumes. Check the International Week schedule, or contact Lauren Cutcher at 2-2355 or lcutcher@uta.edu for more information.

Monday, April 5

Movies Without Borders: City of God (Cidade de Deus) This Russian film tells how two boys growing up in a violent neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro take different paths: one becomes a photographer, the other a drug dealer. Free. 7 p.m., Lone Star Auditorium, Maverick Activities Center. 2-2963.

Flute for Thought Recital UT Arlington Flute Choir performs. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. music, 2-3471.

Tuesday, April 6

Blue Out: Baseball, Softball, and Hooters Night Join Athletics and the Student Alumni Association at the Maverick softball game against Louisiana Tech and the baseball game against Oral Roberts. Hooters will provide free food (first-come, first-served). Free blue T-shirts and spirit items available. $2 faculty, staff. Softball, 6 p.m., Allan Saxe Field. Baseball, 6:30 p.m., Clay Gould Ballpark. www.utamavs.com, 2-2261.

Faculty Piano Recital Young-Hyun Cho of the music faculty will perform. Free. 7:30 p.m. Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. music, 2-3471.

Wednesday, April 7

Clavier Series Piano Recital UT Arlington piano students perform. Free. 7:30 p.m. Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. music, 2-3471.

Thursday, April 8

Timpani: New Works Consider the sound of a timpani: emerging from the silence, building from a faint rumble to a rich riot of sound. "Timpani" artists Carol Benson, Susan Harrington, and Chris Powell, use disparate media but approach inspiration in similar manner by allowing ideas to rise intuitively to conscious form. Art exhibit. Free. Opening reception 6-8 p.m., Gallery 76102, Fort Worth Center. 2-5988.

Kenya Safari Acrobats "Lost in Africa" is a spectacle for the eyes, ears, and the heart. Death-defying stunts, comedy, audience participation, and heart-pounding music combine to create a production that will have all ages on the edge of their seats. $7 faculty, staff. 7 p.m., Texas Hall. www.utatickets.com, 2-2963.

Faculty Voice Recital Soo Hong Kim of the music faculty performs. Free. 7:30 p.m. Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. music, 2-3471.

Saturday-Sunday, April 10-11

Softball Stephen F. Austin. $2 faculty, staff. 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday, noon Sunday. Allan Saxe Field. www.utamavs.com, 2-2261.

Through April 24

Outside Influences Features works by American artists Michael Noland and Fred Stonehouse, along with pieces from their outsider/folk art collections. The Gallery at UTA. Fine Arts Building. 2-5658.

Ongoing

Downtown Farmers Market Arlington's downtown farmers market includes with locally grown produce and locally made baked goods, arts, and crafts. Co-sponsored by UT Arlington Dining Services. 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Fridays-Saturdays, 215 E. Front St.

Planetarium See the complete Planetarium schedule. $4 faculty, staff. 2-1183, planetarium@uta.edu.

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