University Communications » Internal Communications » MavWire » MavWire 04-14-2011

Brain feedback: Lin Li, a doctoral student in bioengineering, has his brain scanned as doctoral bioengineering student Matthew Cloud and Alexa Smith-Osborne, assistant professor of social work, listen to bioengineering Professor Hanli Liu, far right, explain how the machine operates.

Blended testing methods could benefit student veterans

Social work and bioengineering professors are collaborating on research they think will lead to better treatment for veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

Alexa Smith-Osborne, an assistant professor of social work, and Hanli Liu, a bioengineering professor, are marrying their methods of evaluating PTSD and TBI to better serve veterans who suffer from those conditions.

Dr. Liu says her brain-scanning device is much easier to use and less costly than using a functional MRI machine where the patient could spend about 40 minutes in a tube.

The duo hopes to provide veterans with a better baseline on their learning ability. They hope that information also could provide the Veterans Administration and health care providers with needed information on how to address these veterans’ cases of PTSD or TBI.

Dr. Smith-Osborne says the research also could help auto accident victims or others who have sustained head injuries.

Read more about the PTSD/TBI research.

Dr. Andrew Hunt

Science professor to study fix for lead contamination in New Orleans' soil

Andrew Hunt, an assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences, will soon begin testing a unique method for cleaning up dangerous lead contamination in urban soil with the help of a new $498,138 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Dr. Hunt has been studying problems related to health and environmental hazards in urban and indoor environments for more than two decades. He recently was appointed to serve on a panel of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Science Advisory Board.

Hunt will use a phosphate called Apatite II to treat plots of vacant land in New Orleans. Years of leaded gasoline use and repeated applications of lead-based paint to the outside of homes have left many areas in New Orleans and other urban environments with unsafe levels of lead in the soil, he says.

Read more about Hunt's environmental study.

Tomb relics: Items found in the tomb of an ancient Maya ruler include an incense burner with the image of a jester god headdress, vessels, jars, and plates.

Archaeologist part of team that discovered oldest Mayan royal tomb

Michael Callaghan, an adjunct assistant professor of archaeology, is gaining international recognition for his role in research that revealed the oldest known tomb of an ancient Maya ruler, dating to about 350 B.C.

Dr. Callaghan worked on a team led by research associate John Tomasic of the University of Kansas, who found the burial site in 2008 at K’o, Guatemala.

Archaeologists unearthed the body of a man believed to be in his fifties and in seemingly good health at the time of his death, along with numerous ceramics.

“One pot had a little crown with a three-pronged headdress on it, and that’s known to be only associated with kingship,” says Callaghan, who analyzed the ceramics. “The work was supported by radiocarbon analysis, which gave us a date of 350 B.C.”

Read more about the Mayan archaeology find.

'False Promise of Green Energy' shows proponents' lack of evidence

A cleaner environment. Gobs of jobs. Better quality of life. Green energy promises an alluring future, almost Nirvana like.

There’s just one problem, according to Roger Meiners, the Goolsby Distinguished Professor of Economics in the College of Business: the lack of credible evidence that any of those goals can be realized.

Dr. Meiners, chair of the Department of Economics, explains his theory in his new book, The False Promise of Green Energy, co-authored by Andrew Morriss of the University of Alabama; economist William Bogart, president of Maryville College; and Andrew Dorchak, head of reference at the Case Western University School of Law.

“It’s certainly a topical issue and one that is getting a lot of investment,” Meiners says. “A lot of taxpayer money is being wasted because of political ties and on friends of politicians. We enumerate those things in this book.”

Read more about The False Promise of Green Energy.

President's Convocation for Academic Excellence recognizes honorees today

Faculty and student achievement will be celebrated at the President’s Convocation for Academic Excellence at 3:30 p.m., today, Thursday, April 14, in Texas Hall.

The event recognizes students named as University Scholars, All “A” Honor Roll recipients, the Annual Celebration of Excellence by Students (ACES) awardees, OneBook program essay contest winners, and Service Learning awardees. Faculty awards also will be announced.

Dana Dunn, associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and former provost and vice president for academic affairs, is the featured speaker. A reception will follow on the lawn, east of Texas Hall.

For more information, contact the Office of the Provost, 2-2103.

Showcasing creative works Distinguished Scholar Professor of English Ken Roemer, left, and College of Liberal Arts Dean Beth Wright discuss the Celebration of Faculty Creative Works in the sixth floor atrium of the Central Library on Tuesday. The annual reception honored faculty who authored, edited, or compiled books, served on editorial boards, published music, exhibited art, or had patents granted in 2010.

The Big Event makes a big difference with Saturday's day of service

More than 1,000 volunteers for The Big Event on Saturday, April 16, will lend a hand in projects that include sorting library books, cemetery property cleanup, baseball field maintenance, and garden renovation. A total of 36 project sites are getting a makeover in Arlington and surrounding communities.

In its 11th year, The Big Event is one of the largest days of community service in North Texas. It is sponsored by UTA Volunteers, Student Activities, and the Division of Student Affairs.

Recycle and receive a plant at Earth Day celebration on April 20

Bring a recyclable item to exchange for a plant at Earth Day from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, along the E.H. Hereford University Center mall.

A compostable lunch is available for $1, and T-shirts are $10. Vendors will be on hand to demonstrate their “green” efforts.

Bring electronic waste to be recycled. Departments can get rid of old computer components, or you can bring your personal electronics for recycling. Please observe the policies and procedures for disposal of departmental computers through surplus.

Vandergriff Chevrolet will have a new electric Volt on display.

For more information, contact Becky Valentich at becky@uta.edu.

Voter registration deadline is today

Voter registration applications must be postmarked today, Thursday, April 14. Applications are available in the Student Congress office, Suite B150, in the E.H. Hereford University Center. Voter registration information and links to local election offices are available through the Texas Secretary of State office at votexas.org.

UT Arlington is an early voting polling site 8 a.m.-5 p.m. May 2-4 for the May 14 local elections. The polling site will be in the Palo Duro Lounge of the University Center.

For more information, contact Jennifer Fox at sc-extr@uta.edu or 2-0556.

Library meeting features author Jane Roberts Wood

Jane Roberts Wood discusses her newest book, Out the Summerhill Road, at the Friends of the Library meeting at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 15, in the sixth floor parlor of the Central Library.

The story is propelled by a murder in a small East Texas town, Cold Springs, in 1946, and the impact the murder has on lives 34 years later when the only “person of interest” in the murder moves back into town.

Wood is a fellow of both the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. She received the Texas Institute of Letters Award for Best Short Story and has written several novels, including The Train to Estelline, A Place Called Sweet Shrub, Dance a Little Longer, Grace, and Roseborough.

Copies of Out the Summerhill Road will be available after the lecture. A reception and book signing follow. The event is free and open to the public. RSVP today, Thursday, April 14, to Betty Wood at 2-7421 or bwood@uta.edu.

Health Services, Library seek information through surveys

Take a few moments to complete the quick and anonymous patient satisfaction Health Services' survey through April 29. 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.

Take the Library's survey and give your thoughts, suggestions, and insight into how the new website is working for you. At the end of the survey, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up for a drawing. The survey and drawing run through April 30, with prizes awarded in the last week of the spring semester.

Picnic in the Park Mavericks of all ages turned out for food, games, and visiting at the Picnic in the Park hosted by the Alumni Association on Saturday at Doug Russell Park. See more picnic photos.

Volunteers needed for Commencement

Be a volunteer greeter for Commencement 2011 May 12-15, and share your Maverick pride with our graduates' families and guests.

To sign up, contact Susann Asebedo at 2-2963 or susann@uta.edu.

Walkway closed during construction

The walkway between Pickard Hall and the parking garage will close Monday, April 18, for a water line upgrade in that area. Pedestrian traffic will be re-routed through Pickard Hall or the garage during the project, which should take approximately three weeks.

For more information, see Blazin' Construction.

No hot water for three days in May

The Thermal Energy Plant will shut down steam service to the campus May 23-25 to complete inspection and repair requirements of the system components.

Buildings served by the plant will be without hot water and steam during that time, but will still have electrical power, air conditioning, and cold water service.

For information concerning the buildings or equipment affected by this outage, call Larry Harrison in the Office of Facilities Management at 2-3458.

Safe Zone Ally Training

Learn about heterosexual privilege, campus and community resources, and how to be supportive to members of the LGBT community. Space is limited. RSVP to Adria Villarreal at adriav@uta.edu. 2-5 p.m. Friday, April 15, Room 303, Ransom Hall.

Rape Aggression Defense System

Learn the 10 basic principles of self-defense, risk avoidance, and more. Free for female faculty, staff, and students. Register online. Free. 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday, April 16, Room 135, Maverick Activities Center. UTA Police, Officer Randy Reynolds, reynolds@uta.edu.

Fire Extinguisher Training

When a fire breaks out, your most important decision is whether to fight the fire or escape. It is important that you know how to operate the fire extinguisher before you attempt to fight a fire. Come to this hands-on course and learn how to use a fire extinguisher to safely put out a small fire. Free. 9:30-10:30 a.m., Thursday, April 21, Engineering Health and Safety Office, 500 Summit Ave. See the complete list of HR training classes.

Ballet Aerobics

Set to sweat-inspiring music, this 60-minute total body workout combines the fundamentals of ballet with cardio and strength training. Call 2-2581 for faculty, staff discount fee of $49.50. 6:30-7:30 p.m., Fridays, April 22-June 3, Room 102B, Maverick Activities Center. Continuing Education.

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.

Perfect double: Nikola Matovicova and her doubles partner Maria Martinez-Romero are 9-0 in Southland Conference women's tennis.

Women's tennis remains perfect in SLC

The women's tennis team's domination of the Southland Conference continued Sunday with a 7-0 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at the UTA Tennis Center. The Mavericks improved their overall record to 15-4 and remained flawless in conference action with a 9-0 mark.

Linda Aqvist, Giada D'ortona, and Maria Martinez-Romero remain perfect in singles action, each with 9-0 league records. The doubles team of Martinez-Romero and Nikola Matovicova is also 9-0.

The Mavericks hit the road for SLC matches at Southeastern Louisiana and Nicholls State on Saturday-Sunday, April 16-17.

Martin second in decathlon at Texas Relays

Romain Martin finished second in the decathlon at the prestigious Texas Relays last week at UT Austin. Competing against 19 other performers from schools nationwide, Martin won the decathlon’s high jump and was second in both the javelin and the 110-meter hurdles.

Also for the men’s team, Cordero Gray finished fourth in the 100-meter dash while the women’s distance medley relay team finished third.

The Mavericks compete in the Mount Sac Invitational at Walnut, Calif., Thursday-Friday, April 14-15, and the Northwestern State Invitational at Natchitoches, La., Saturday, April 16.

Softball team slips to second in conference

Losing two of three to Northwestern State last weekend, the Maverick softball team slipped out of first place in the Southland Conference but still has a solid hold on the second spot with a 14-4 record.

The Mavericks, 27-15 overall, play at Stephen F. Austin on Saturday-Sunday, April 16-17.

Baseball hosts McNeese this weekend

The baseball team resumes Southland Conference play this weekend, hosting McNeese State in a three-game series Friday-Sunday, April 15-17, at Clay Gould Ballpark.

In non-conference games this week, the Mavericks downed Mary Hardin-Baylor after losing to Baylor. Coach Darin Thomas' squad is 18-16 overall and 8-7 in the SLC after losing two of three to Southeastern Louisiana last weekend.

Sports shorts

• The golf team finished third in the Jim West Intercollegiate on Tuesday in Victoria. Wes Worster was second in the individual standings with a six-under-par score of 210. The Mavericks host the Southland Conference Men's Golf Championship April 25-27, at Waterchase Golf Course in Fort Worth.

• Men’s tennis is 10-8 overall and 1-2 in the Southland Conference. The Mavericks defeated UT Pan American and UC Santa Barbara last weekend before losing to Baylor. They play SLC matches at Nicholls State and Lamar on Friday-Saturday, April 15-16, before going to Rice for a non-conference match Sunday, April 17.

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

Thursday, April 14

Mavs Book Club Socialism is Great!: A Worker’s Memoir of the New China by Lijia Zhang is this month's selection. The book illuminates the sweeping historical forces at work in China after the Cultural Revolution as the country moved from one of stark repression to a vibrant, capitalist economy. Free. 5:30 p.m. Basement, Central Library. Mavs Book Club.

Thursday-Sunday, April 14-17

Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival Visit the UT Arlington booth that includes information about academic programs, the Alumni Association, sustainability, and College Town UTA. UT Arlington also sponsors a performing arts stage. Open at 10 a.m. each day. Downtown Fort Worth. Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival.

Theatre Arts Production: Doubt Set in a Bronx Catholic school in 1964, Doubt centers on a nun who confronts a priest after suspecting him of abusing a student. At right, Stephen Tyler Howell plays Father Flynn while Tonya Free is Sister Aloysius. $7 faculty, staff. 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday; 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Mainstage Theatre, Fine Arts Building. Theatre Arts, 2-2669.

Friday, April 15

UT Arlington on WFAA News 8 Daybreak WFAA Channel 8 has invited the UT Arlington community to appear as an on-air audience as hosts discuss The Big Event, which is the following day. Faculty, staff, students, and alumni are welcome. Wear your best UT Arlington shirt and hat; bling encouraged. Transportation to the studio is on a first-come, first-served basis. Register. If you’re taking the bus, meet at 5 a.m. in front of the Starbucks at the E.H. Hereford University Center or meet at WFAA Victory Park Studio in Dallas by 5:40 a.m.

Opening Reception for MFA Student Exhibition Reception for MFA candidates exhibiting their artwork in The Gallery. Free. 5-7 p.m., The Gallery at UTA, Fine Arts Building. 2-5658.

$2 Movie: The Social Network A 2010 drama about the founding of the social networking website Facebook and the resulting lawsuits. 5:30 p.m. Also 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 16. Planetarium, 2-1183.

Baseball Mavericks vs. McNeese State. Free with UT Arlington ID. 6:30 p.m. Also 2 p.m. Saturday, April 16, and 1 p.m. Sunday, April 17, Clay Gould Ballpark. Athletics, 2-2261.

Spring Big Band Concert Features the Jazz Orchestra directed by Tim Ishii, the Jazz Ensemble directed by Dan Cavanagh, and special guest pianist and composer James Miley. $5. 7:30 p.m., Texas Hall. Music, 2-3471.

Sunday, April 17

African-American Faculty and Staff Association Academic and Service Awards Kendall Harris, dean of the College of Engineering at Prairie View A&M University, is the keynote speaker. Free. 2 p.m., Bluebonnet Ballroom, E.H. Hereford University Center. Debbie Berry, 2-5374 or specialevents@uta.edu.

Opera Workshop Performances Students perform songs and scenes from various operas and plays. Free. 3 p.m. Also 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 18. Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music, 2-3471.

Monday, April 18

Downtown Arlington Music Mondays Music faculty and students perform in a 30-minute concert. Free. 12:15 p.m., First Baptist Church sanctuary, 300 S. Center St. Music, 2-3471.

Open Forum: Dean of Engineering Candidate Jean-Pierre Bardet, professor of civil engineering at the University of Southern California, is the second of four dean of engineering candidates to visit campus. A reception follows in the atrium. Free and open to the public. 2-3 p.m., Room 100, Nedderman Hall. College of Engineering Dean Search.

Ongoing

Architecture Exhibit: Richard Ferrier The School of Architecture is honoring the late Professor Richard Ferrier, right, through an exhibit of his work and his life. Ferrier taught at UT Arlington from 1968-2010 and was associate dean from 1985-95. He died in August 2010. Part of the exhibit includes his work featured in the United States Library of Congress. His old drawing board and desk are in the exhibit. Free. 1-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays through April 30. Room 206, Architecture Building. Architecture.

Gallery 76102 "Reconsidering Art History," a solo exhibit by Betsy Williamson ('06 BFA), who uses pre-existing images to create specific juxtapositions. Free. Gallery hours are 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and 2-6 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. Through May 31. Gallery 76102, Fort Worth Center. 2-0365.

Planetarium See what it takes to become an Astronaut and the effect space has on the human body. 1:30 p.m. Sundays. See the complete Planetarium schedule, 2-1183.

Combat Narratives: Stories and Artifacts from UT Arlington Veterans Artifacts, memorabilia, and gear on loan from UT Arlington military veterans and objects carried, used, or found by U.S. servicemen and women in Iraq and Afghanistan. Free. Through May 21. Sixth floor atrium, Central Library. Library and OneBook.

Exposure: Photos from the Second Battle of Fallujah Photographs from the Second Battle of Fallujah taken by UT Arlington student and Marine Corps veteran Joel Chaverri. Free. Through May 21. Sixth floor parlor, Central Library. Library and OneBook.

Six Flags Over Texas Exhibit Celebrate 50 years of an Arlington landmark. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Through Aug. 13. Special Collections, sixth floor, Central Library.

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