University Communications » Internal Communications » MavWire » MavWire 10-18-2010

Active journalist: Lisa Ling, host of National Geographic Explorer, will speak Nov. 23 at Texas Hall as part of the Maverick Speakers Series.

Journalist, TV host, activist Lisa Ling next in Maverick Speakers Series

Tickets are now available for journalist, TV host, and activist Lisa Ling for the next Maverick Speakers Series lecture. She will discuss "Open Heart, Open Mind" at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23, in Texas Hall.

Ling is host of National Geographic Explorer and former co-host of The View. Since joining Explorer as host in December 2002, she has covered the looting of antiquities in war-torn Iraq, investigated the increasingly deadly drug war in Colombia, examined the complex issues surrounding China’s one-child policy, and journeyed more than 1,600 feet to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.

She serves as a contributing editor for USA Weekend and has produced eight documentaries for PBS, several of which have won awards. Ling co-wrote the books, Mother, Daughter, Sister, Bride: Rituals of Womanhood and Somewhere Inside.

Tickets are free, but required for admission. They are available at utatickets.com.

Hormonal help: Dr. Subhrangsu Mandal received a grant from the National Institutes of Health to test for hormone-disrupting chemicals in the environment.

Biochemist receives NIH grant for study of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in environment

The National Institutes of Health has awarded a three-year, $444,000 grant to a UT Arlington researcher looking for chemicals in the environment that could interfere with normal hormone functions, causing problems with reproduction, behavior, and development and fueling cancer growth.

Subhrangsu Mandal, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Science, will use the grant to test items such as commonly used growth hormones, water from various sources, and milk for endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Endocrine disruptors are a family of chemicals that can mimic and interfere with the activities of hormones, such as estrogen, when they enter the body.

“It’s a huge concern because the hormones are a very critical player to life. They control development, disease, everything,” Dr. Mandal says. “Many of these things are used to produce meat and vegetables because they amplify growth, and people do not realize how it eventually can interfere with your normal endocrine pathways.”

Mandal recently was awarded $213,807 from the NIH for a proposal to explore how the biochemical mechanism of estrogen signaling is linked with control of blood cholesterol. Although NIH rules prevent him from accepting both grants, Mandal will continue studying that project. Such studies may result in new therapies for cardiovascular diseases.

Read more about biochemist study.

Speaking from experience: Karen Borta, Channel 11 news anchor and UT Arlington alumna, will deliver the keynote address for Communication Day.

Communication Day events feature alumna Karen Borta as keynote speaker

Karen Borta ('87 BA), anchor for KTVT Channel 11, is the keynote speaker for the second annual Communication Day, which expands to two days, Wednesday-Thursday, Oct. 27-28.

Communication Day offers an opportunity for faculty and students to network with top communication professionals and distinguished alumni and to explore the field of communication, including advertising, broadcast, communication studies, communication technology, journalism, and public relations.

This year's theme is "Carpe Opportunity/Communication Diem" and offers two days of expert panels, practical workshops, training sessions, student organization activities, free T-shirts, and one-on-one networking with alumni.

Borta, a broadcast communication major, will deliver the keynote address 9:30 a.m.-10:20 a.m. Wednesday in the Rosebud Theatre of the E.H. Hereford University Center. Other speakers include many UT Arlington alumni.

The event is presented by the Department of Communication in the College of Liberal Arts. For more information, see Communication Day.

Early voting begins today, on-campus location available Oct. 25-28

Early voting for the Nov. 2 election begins today and continues through Oct. 29. An on-campus early-voting site is set for Monday-Thursday, Oct. 25-28, in the Palo Duro Lounge of the E.H. Hereford University Center.

The polling station, sponsored by Student Congress, will be open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Free parking will be available along the 300 block of West First Street.

Voters must be registered in Tarrant County and should present a valid driver's license or voter registration card. Early voting continues statewide Oct. 18-29.

More about the Nov. 2 ballot is available through the Texas Secretary of State office. Local election issues are available online for Tarrant County and Dallas County.

Food fest "An Evening with a Celebrity Chef" featured Rick Bayless as part of the Maverick Speakers Series on Thursday at the Lone Star Auditorium. Bayless spoke about how he became a chef and discussed his favorite Mexican dishes. He has written many best-selling cookbooks, including Mexico: One Plate at a Time, which inspired the PBS series now in its fifth season. Bayless owns and operates two Chicago restaurants, Frontera Grill and Topolombampo, and recently opened a new restaurant called XOCO. He is the face behind the Frontera food brand in supermarkets.

Help your office earn gold with the new Green Event Planning Certification

The Green Event Planning Certification program is now available online through the Office of Sustainability and will determine whether your office ranks in the gold, silver, or bronze category.

Green Event Planning Certification recognizes campus departments and events that have taken extra steps to be more sustainable. Depending on the number of prescribed actions that are incorporated into an event, the event is awarded a bronze, silver, or gold rating.

Follow the Steps to Certification online. For more information on certification, contact Meghna Tare, director in the Office of Sustainability, at 2-9299.

Vendor fair features underutilized businesses on Wednesday

Faculty and staff will get a chance to meet with representatives of historically underutilized businesses at the Super HUB Vendor Fair, 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 20, in the Bluebonnet Ballroom at the E.H. Hereford University Center.

Take time to meet more than 40 local businesses that compete for your department's business. Door prizes, giveaways, and a former NFL player are part of the event.

For information, contact Jean Carlton of the Office of Procurement Services at carlton@uta.edu or 2-2140.

Friday's Instructional Support Session concerns 'Test Construction and Grading'

“Test Construction and Grading” is the topic for the next faculty Instructional Support Session, 1-4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22, in Room 101 of Trimble Hall.

This workshop covers the construction of all types of quizzes, tests, and exams. If you have previously felt tied to the textbook test bank, learn to do an even better job on your own. The three different grading systems will be covered. This should be especially beneficial for those who are new to teaching. All faculty, both full and part time, are invited to participate.

The session will be taught by Mary Lynn Crow, professor in the College of Education and Health Professions. Register for the free program by contacting Delene Remmers at 2-2737 or remmers@uta.edu. Handouts and light refreshments will be provided.

Been to Health Services? Please fill out a survey

Take a few moments to complete the quick and anonymous patient satisfaction survey for Health Services through Nov. 19. Health Services is committed to meeting and exceeding your expectations. Feedback on your impressions of the facility and experiences of care, service, and staff are important and encouraged.

Graduate know-how Candace Freeman, left, finance senior, talks with Becky Neilson, director of Graduate Business Services for the College of Business, at GradFest '10 Wednesday at the E.H. Hereford University Center. UT Arlington hosts the annual event, which brought representatives from area universities to one spot to share details about graduate school.

Fourth Annual Fall Festival and Concert is family friendly and free

Faculty and staff are invited and encouraged to bring their families to the Fourth Annual Fall Festival and Concert from 7-9:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, on the E.H. Hereford University Center mall.

The event will be family friendly and will include a petting zoo, caricatures, bounce houses, wax hands, magicians, jugglers, face painting, a pumpkin patch, live music, games, a photo booth, cotton candy, and many more fun activities.

The annual festival coincides with Parent and Family Weekend and is sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs. There is no cost to attend or participate. For more information, contact parentsweekend@uta.edu.

Proposals for Academic Advising Association conference due Nov. 5

Faculty and staff interested in presenting at the Academic Advising Association annual conference should submit proposals by Friday, Nov. 5. Information should be submitted to UTAAA.

Don Asher is the keynote speaker for the conference Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011, in the E.H. Hereford University Center. Asher is a nationally known speaker and writer on careers and higher education. His topics include choosing a major, on-boarding and retention, career re-entry and repair, and networking.

He has been the career columnist for USAirways Magazine, education columnist for MSN, and a contributing writer for the Wall Street Journal's CareerJournal.com and CollegeJournal.com, careerbuilder.com, Dow Jones' Managing Your Career Magazine and National Business Employment Weekly, and the NACE Journal.

Super Bowl volunteers needed, register online

Don't miss a chance to register as a Super Bowl volunteer. The deadline to sign up is Sunday, Oct. 31, to be one of the faces of North Texas during the weeks leading up to Super Bowl XLV on Feb. 6, at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.

The North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee is looking to recruit and train volunteers who will welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors to North Texas to enjoy the Super Bowl experience. Volunteers will staff numerous activities and venues throughout the region, including the area's airports, major hotels, and the NFL Experience.

All volunteers will be issued a limited edition and official volunteer uniform and will be invited to a volunteer appreciation event in the weeks following Super Bowl XLV.

Members of the Super Bowl Host Committee will be on campus during Parent and Family Weekend from 7-9:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, at the Fall Festival and Concert on the E.H. Hereford University Center mall.

Register to be a Super Bowl XLV volunteer, or visit northtexassuperbowl.com.

Give it a shot: Cathy Spitzenberger, library assistant, receives her annual influenza immunization from Liz Smelley, a nurse with Health Services. The two were on the Central Library mall as part of Health Services' flu vaccine outreach.

Flu vaccine continues outreach program

Health Services' flu vaccine outreach program continues this week with stops at the Wetsel Service Center and Davis Hall. Immunizations are available on the following dates at these locations.

• 9-11 a.m. today, Monday, Oct. 18, Human Resources, Wetsel Service Center

• 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 20, Bursar lobby, Davis Hall

• 9-11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 25, Watson Building (for Watson Building employees only)

• 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27, OIT Building, Fort Worth (for OIT employees only)

The all-in-one shot includes vaccines for two type A influenza strains, including H1N1, and one type B influenza, or seasonal flu, says Bob Blum, Health Services director. Cost is $15 for faculty, staff, and students.

Vaccines at the Health Center are offered 8:30 a.m.-noon and 1-4:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, except for the dates above. No appointment is needed.

For more information, contact Health Services online or at 2-2771.

Learn to use Blackboard now

Are you new to Blackboard, the learning management system that will replace WebCT this spring?

The Center for Distance Education offers several formats to learn Blackboard. The classroom session “Essentials” allow you to choose sessions on tools that meet your specific needs, while "Comprehensive" offers four two-hour sessions covering the basics. Registration details are available on the Blackboard Faculty Support website.

Other options include "Blackboard On Demand,” which offers video and text-based instructions for using different features you might need to know on the fly. A weekly Blackboard webinar allows faculty to come together online, share ideas, and learn new tricks.

Learn about WebCT to Blackboard course conversion options online.

Safe Zone Ally Training

Participants in Ally Training will learn about heterosexual privilege, campus and community resources, and how to be supportive to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.

After completion of the training, participants will receive a Safe Zone decal and resources and will be equipped with the tools necessary to:

• respond in an appropriate, affirming, and supportive manner to LGBT individuals

• know resources or where to find them

• examine their own attitudes, behaviors, and values and challenge others to do the same

RSVP early; space is limited. Include your name and the date of training you plan to attend. Noon-3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22, or Friday, Nov. 19, Room 303, Ransom Hall. Adria Villarreal, adriav@uta.edu.

The Building Blocks of Business Writing

Taking the time to communicate effectively in writing is a key to your workplace success. Learn skills to improve your writing. Free. 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 20, Room 200, Wetsel Service Center. See a complete listing of HR training classes.

Publisher 2007

Develop the skills needed to create brochures, flyers, and newsletters. Free. 9-11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 21, and 2-4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22, Room 123, Hammond Hall. See more OIT training classes.

Mindful Moments

Take a break from stress with Mindful Moments. Mindfulness draws on one's internal resources to cultivate awareness and to practice being present in each moment of our lives. Free. 12:15-12:45 p.m., Wednesdays, Room 235, Business Building. Health Services, Marie Bannister, 2-2771.

LEED Green Associate Exam Prep

UT Arlington employees can receive a 50-percent discount for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Associate (GA) Certification Exam Prep course. The GA accreditation is new to LEED and is designed for anyone interested in pursuing a career in fields related to the green building industry who does not necessarily participate in design and construction work. The accreditation is a prerequisite for other LEED specialty exams. $297.50 for faculty and staff. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, Nov. 2-3. Continuing Education and Workforce Development Center, 140 W. Mitchell St. Continuing Education, 2-2581.

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 e-mail employment@uta.edu. The University of Texas at Arlington is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

Wednesday, Oct. 20

Physics Faculty Research Expo Five physics faculty members discuss their research. Free. Reception, 3:30 p.m., Physics Library. Expo, 4 p.m., Room 101, Science Hall. Physics, 2-2266.

Architecture Lecture Series Architect David Jameson of Alexandria, Va., is guest speaker. Free. 4 p.m., Room 204, Architecture Building. Architecture, 2-2801.

Green Development in North Texas Speaker is Jyl DeHaven, owner of Green Urban Development, chief communications officer of Prism 3 Solutions, and an adjunct instructor in the UT Arlington School of Urban and Public Affairs, where she teaches a course in sustainable environmental development. Free. 7 p.m., Rosebud Theatre, E.H. Hereford University Center. Interdisciplinary Studies National Leadership Organization, Cindy Atha-Waldon, 2-2338.

Thursday, Oct. 21

Biology Lecture Series Jennie McLaren of the University of British Columbia speaks on the effects of plant identity on ecosystem function in a northern Canadian grassland. Free. 3:45 p.m., Room 124, Life Science Building. Biology, 2-2871.

Downwinders at Risk: Protecting North Texas Air Quality Jim Schermbeck of the nonprofit activist organization Downwinders at Risk explains how a "perfect storm" of industrial air pollution keeps DFW in violation of the Clean Air Act. Free. 7 p.m., Room 101, College Hall. Sustainability.

Friday, Oct. 22

Cancer Imaging: Innovations and Opportunities Professor Ralph Mason of UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas reviews imaging capabilities, multimodality imaging strategies, and opportunities for collaborative interactions. Free. 11 a.m., Room 254, Business Building. Amanda Kerby, akerby@uta.edu, 2-0109.

Marketing Brown Bag Series Priyali Rajagopal, assistant professor of marketing at Southern Methodist University, presents "I Imagine, I Experience, I Like: The False Experience Effect." Free. 12:30 p.m., Room 609, Business Building. Ritesh Saini, saini@uta.edu, 2-0221.

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

Author reviews postcard photos for Friends John Miller Morris, author of Taming the Land: The Lost Postcard Photographs of the Texas High Plains (TAMU Press, 2009), shares tales of the postcards, their photographers, and the Texas Panhandle at the next Friends of the Library meeting. The free program is at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22, in the sixth floor parlor of the Central Library. RSVP to Betty Wood at bwood@uta.edu or 2-7421. A postcard craze gripped the nation from 1905 to 1920, as the rise of outdoor photography coincided with a wave of settlement and prosperity in Texas. Hundreds of people took up cameras, and photographers of note chose some of their best work for duplication as photo postcards—sold for a nickel and mailed for a penny to distant friends and relatives. These postcards left what Dr. Morris calls a "significant visual legacy" of the history and social geography of Texas. Morris is an associate professor of political science and geography at UT San Antonio. He specializes in the historical geography of the Southwest and is the author of three other books, including multiple award winner El Llano Estacado: Exploration and Imagination on the High Plains of Texas and New Mexico, 1536–1860.

Monday, Oct. 18

McNair Scholars Program Open House Faculty and staff are invited to learn more about McNair Scholars, whose recruitment runs through Nov. 5. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Room 202, Ransom Hall. Joan Reinhardt, 2-3715.

Downtown Arlington Music Mondays This lunchtime concert features UTA music faculty and students. Free. 12:15 p.m., First Baptist Church-Arlington, 300 S. Center St. Music, 2-3471.

Fall Concert Hip-hop artist B.o.B (aka Bobby Ray Simmons) performs along with Cali Swag District and Playboy Tre. Faculty, staff $15, utatickets.com. 6:30 p.m., Texas Hall. Division of Student Affairs.

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

Tuesday, Oct. 19

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

Wednesday, Oct. 20

$2 Movie: Karate Kid An update on bullies and black belts. Rated PG. 5:30 p.m., also 5:30 p.m. Friday, 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Planetarium, 2-1183.

Thursday-Sunday, Oct. 21-24

Cabaret Doomed romances and personal identity in a changing world take center stage in this Tony Award-winning musical in the first production of the 2010-11 season by the Department of Theatre Arts. Faculty, staff, $8. 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Mainstage Theatre, Fine Arts Building.

Ongoing

Charting Chartered Companies: Concessions to Companies as Mirrored in Maps, 1600-1900 Exhibit focuses on maps and how they shaped the histories of chartered companies. Through Jan. 8. Free. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Mondays-Saturdays, Special Collections, sixth floor, Central Library. 2-2179.

Gallery 76102: flats and rounds Artist Nicholas Wood works in hybrid forms of painting, drawing, and sculpture. 6-8 p.m. Gallery 76102, Fort Worth Center, 1401 Jones St., Fort Worth.

Jay Cantrell Exhibit Drawings and paintings by Dallas architect Jay Cantrell ('97 BS). Through Oct. 29. Gallery, Room 206, Architecture Building. Robert Rummel-Hudson, 2-2314.

Notations of Beauty and Loss Exhibit of large-format photographic prints features Kenda North, professor of art and art history. Through Nov. 13. Craighead Green Gallery, 1011 Dragon St., Dallas.

Planetarium programs See the newest show, Spacepark 360, the most thrilling amusement park rides in the solar system. Planetarium schedule, 2-1183.

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

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