University Communications » Internal Communications » MavWire » MavWire 10-17-2011

Collision course: UT Arlington professors are playing a key role in research at the Large Hadron Collider, the world's biggest and most powerful particle accelerator.

Physics and engineering professors collaborate on collider detector

A time-of-flight detector designed by a research team led by physics Professor Andrew Brandt could one day significantly boost measurement capabilities at the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland.

Dr. Brandt recently received new U.S. Department of Energy funding for research and development on the project. He has worked on the new proton sub-detector since 2006 as a member of the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. His goal is to construct the fastest detector ever deployed at a particle accelerator, with 10 picosecond—trillionths of a second—time resolution.

Co-principal investigators on the project are Ronald Carter and W. Alan Davis, electrical engineering professor and associate professor, respectively.

"Measuring the events where both protons stay intact, yet you still get a massive system produced by a collision in the central ATLAS detector would be a new capability for ATLAS and potentially a very exciting part of the discovery physics program," Brandt says.

Read more about UT Arlington's work with the Large Hadron Collider.

Alumni Association gives University $2 million endowment boost

In a show of support for the University, the independent UT Arlington Alumni Association has announced a major gift that will increase the University’s endowment by more than $2 million.

The gift means that $1 million previously held by the association for scholarship support will double in value through the University’s Maverick Match program, which uses natural gas royalties to encourage new endowment commitments and greater philanthropic support.

“This is the ultimate expression of support from the Alumni Association, and it couldn’t come at a better time,” President James D. Spaniolo says. “It reflects the deep commitment our alumni have to ensuring that their University ranks among the best in the world in supporting our students.”

The association supports 31 individual scholarships, many of which are awarded to promising freshmen and sophomores with a goal of encouraging students to stay on track and earn their undergraduate degrees, says Lora J. Malone, executive director for the Alumni Association.

Read more about the Alumni Association endowment.

Emmitt Smith

Emmitt Smith kicks off Maverick Speakers Series with 'A Championship Vision'

Football hall-of-famer Emmitt Smith launches the 2011-12 Maverick Speakers Series with "A Championship Vision" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, at Texas Hall.

Smith, the National Football League’s all-time leading rusher, amassed 18,355 yards during his 14 seasons, 12 of which were with the Dallas Cowboys. He was also the 2006 winner of the popular ABC television show, Dancing With the Stars.

Smith is majority partner and co-chairman of ESmith Legacy, Inc., a Dallas-based commercial real estate company focused on real estate solutions and services for general and minority marketing development.

Although tickets are sold out, guests without tickets will be seated as space permits. Arrive at Texas Hall by 6:30 p.m. and check in at the Guest Relations window.

See more about the Maverick Speakers Series.

SECC fair shows how you can help others

More than 20 health, education, and animal-service charities will offer information, referrals, and prizes to employees at the Charity Fair for the State Employee Charitable Campaign 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, in the Palo Duro Lounge of the E.H. Hereford University Center.

Charitable groups like these can benefit Texas families now.

• Community Health Charities of Texas

• Community Shares of Texas

• Black United Fund of Texas

• Save Texas History

• Texas Match the Promise Foundation

For $2 per pay period through payroll deduction, you can save a life. If you haven’t received a pledge form and want to donate or need more information, visit the UT Arlington SECC webpage or contact Rosa Newman or Jake Allen in Human Resources at 2-5554.

Statistical software available, browsers being updated

The Office of Information Technology has new software available and also has information about browser updates.

OIT offers IBM SPSS Statistics 19 software to faculty and staff. Learn more about SPSS online.

OIT will deploy Firefox version 7 and Internet Explorer version 9 to all Windows computers. Firefox 7 will be deployed starting Monday, Oct. 24, followed by Internet Explorer 9 starting Monday, Nov. 7. Both browsers include important security updates to their previous versions. Users will not need to take any action to accomplish the change.

For more information or SPSS installation questions, contact the OIT Help Desk at helpdesk@uta.edu.

Dr. Susan Reverby

OneBook speaker featured Wednesday

Susan M. Reverby of Wellesley College discusses bioethics and the Tuskegee syphilis study and medical experiments in Guatemala as part of this year's OneBook program. The free lecture is at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, in the Rosebud Theatre of the E.H. Hereford University Center.

Her lecture "Escaping Melodrama: Rethinking the Tuskegee and Guatemala Experiments" focuses on the OneBook theme of bioethics. This year's OneBook selection is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.

Dr. Reverby is the Marion Butler McLean Professor in the History of Ideas and professor of Women's and Gender Studies at Wellesley College.

She has completed two books on the infamous Tuskegee syphilis study where hundreds of African-Americans were watched, but not treated, for syphilis by U.S. Public Health Service researchers for 40 years (1932-1972).

In January, Reverby published a groundbreaking study about medical experiments in Guatemala from 1946 to 1948 where the U.S. Public Health Service injected hundreds of Guatemalan prisoners and soldiers with syphilis to test the effectiveness of penicillin. Her revelations led to a public apology by President Barack Obama to President Colom of Guatemala and to the creation of the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues.

Focus on integrity Dr. James Campbell Quick, the John and Judy Goolsby Distinguished Professor, discussed "Integrity First: West Point and John Goolsby" in the Focus on Faculty series Wednesday in the Central Library.

Sign up for Preview Day

Campus departments can sign up to have a table presentation at the Academic and Activities Fair for the next Preview Day on Saturday, Oct. 29.

Preview Day programs give prospective students the opportunity to get a close-up look at what UT Arlington has to offer and to get answers to questions about all aspects of the University.

Register online or contact Sophia Pomaney at pomaney@uta.edu.

Display your work at GIS Day

Showcase your Geographic Information Systems research at GIS Day 2011 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, in the sixth floor parlor of the Central Library.

GIS Day is a global event to educate millions of people about the variety of GIS uses.

Andrew Milson, professor of curriculum and instruction and geography, will speak noon-1 p.m. on using GIS in secondary education. Participate in an ArchGIS hands-on workshop at 2:30 p.m., or try your hand at geocaching at 4 p.m. on the Central Library mall. See examples of spatial analysis and maps, and enjoy prizes, food, and a giant GIS Day cake 1-2:15 p.m.

Register online, or for more information, contact Joshua Been at 2-5826.

Join Weight Watchers At Work on Thursday

The first meeting of Weight Watchers At Work's 17-week session starts at 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, in Room 401 at Davis Hall.

For more information, contact Sandra Golightly at sgolightly@uta.edu.

National Save for Retirement Week

Are you confident that you will be able to secure a financially comfortable retirement? Explore your options at "Is TRS Enough?" 12:30-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, "My Retirement Outlook" 11 a.m.-noon and "Retirement: Staying the Course" 12:30-1:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, and "Avoid Identity Theft" 9-11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 21. Free. Register. Room 200, Wetsel Service Center. Judy Oslund, Human Resources, 2-5417.

Flu Shot Now Covered at Pharmacy

Flu shots and nasal flu mist are covered 100 percent without a co-payment at participating Blue Cross/Blue Shield providers. As an enhanced benefit, effective Nov. 1, using your Medco Prescription ID card, a flu shot will be covered 100 percent at a Medco retail pharmacy, such as CVS, Kroger, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart. To find a doctor or pharmacy, see UT System Benefits. If a UT Select ID card is presented, full payment will be required and the member must submit a paper claim to BCBS for reimbursement. For members who received their flu shot at a retail pharmacy between Sept. 1 and Oct. 31, a paper claim must be submitted to BCBS to receive reimbursement.

APA: The Inside Scoop

Long the standard in the social sciences, the sixth edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association has some new details. No registration required. Free. 2-3 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 19, Room B20, Central Library. Technoscholar workshops.

Rape Aggression Defense System

Learn the 10 basic principles of self-defense, risk avoidance, and more. Free for female students, faculty, and staff. Register online. Free. 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 22, Room 135, Maverick Activities Center. UTA Police, Officer Randy Reynolds, reynolds@uta.edu.

Mindful Moments

Take a break with Mindful Moments. Free. 12:15-12:45 p.m. Wednesdays, Room 236, Business Building. Health Services, Marie Bannister, 2-2771.

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.

Tuesday, Oct. 18

Ethical Fitness: Young Adult Decision-Making Judy Browne, head of the Shelton Upper School in Dallas, covers a variety of ethical topics relevant to young adults. Free. 7 p.m., Room 100, Nedderman Hall. Freshmen Leaders on Campus, Molly Alfers, mollyalfers@uta.edu.

When the Crowd Stops Cheering: Life After Sports Krystal Beamon, assistant professor of sociology, discusses the sociology of sport. Free. 7 p.m., George W. Hawkes Central Library, downtown Arlington, 101 E. Abram St.

Wednesday, Oct. 19

McNair Scholars Open House Find out more about the McNair Scholars Program. Free. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Suite 202, Ransom Hall, mcnair@uta.edu.

Thursday, Oct. 20

Viruses, Malware & Spyware...Oh My! Third in a series for National Cyber Security Awareness Month lunch and learn for faculty and staff. Free. Register for lunch. Noon, Concho Room, E.H. Hereford University Center. Information Security Office, security@uta.edu.

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

NPR correspondent speaks on 'border war' National Public Radio correspondent John Burnett speaks about "The War Next Door" at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, in the sixth floor atrium of the Central Library. The event is part of the "The War Next Door: Narco-Violence and the U.S.-Mexico Border" series tied to the "Life and Death in the Northern Pass" photography exhibit in the Central Library sixth floor parlor. Burnett, who is based in Austin, has spent much of his career producing investigative reports from the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. His special reporting projects have included New Orleans during and after Hurricane Katrina, the U.S. invasion of Iraq and its aftermath, and many reports on the drug war in the Americas. He has received the Scripps Howard National Journalism Award and an Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative reporting. His reports are heard regularly on NPR's award-winning newsmagazines Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. For more information, contact Sam Haynes in the Center for Greater Southwestern Studies at 2-3997 or haynes@uta.edu.

Monday, Oct. 17

Downtown Arlington Music Mondays A concert featuring UT Arlington music students. Lunch is served after the concert. Free. 12:15-12:45 p.m., sanctuary, First Baptist Church, 300 S. Center. Music, 2-3471.

Tuesday, Oct. 18

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

Wednesday, Oct. 19

$2 Movie: Corpse Bride A shy groom practices his wedding vows, and a deceased young woman rises from the grave assuming he has married her. Rated PG. 5:30 p.m. Also 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21. Planetarium, 2-1183.

Thursday, Oct. 20

Duo Piano Recital Features Gustavo Romero of the University of North Texas. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music, 2-3471.

Thursday-Sunday, Oct. 20-23

The Mousetrap A blinding snowstorm traps a group of eccentric travelers in a boarding house outside London in the Agatha Christie mystery. $7 faculty, staff. 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Mainstage Theatre, Fine Arts Building. Theatre Arts, 2-2669.

Saturday, Oct. 22

Astronomy Day Telescope viewing, presentations, a free movie, and kid prices for shows. 2-10 p.m. Planetarium, 2-1183.

Movin' Mavs Basketball Movin' Mavs open the season against the Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks. Free. 4 p.m., Maverick Activities Center. Movin' Mavs, dgarner@uta.edu.

Fall Festival and Concert Includes a petting zoo, pony rides, caricatures, bounce houses, wax hands, magicians, jugglers, pumpkin painting, live music, games, a photo booth, and many more fun activities. Part of Parent and Family Weekend. Free. 7 p.m. University Center mall. Parent and Family Center, 2-2128.

Ongoing

Searching from Memory Photography exhibit features artists Caleb Dulock and Jessica Fuentes. Free. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays; 2-6 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays. Through Nov. 30. Gallery 76102, Fort Worth Center.

Life and Death in the Northern Pass Photojournalist Dominic Bracco II ('08 BA) provides a view of drug violence in Ciudad Juarez. Free. Through Jan. 14. Sixth floor parlor, Central Library.

Impressions of the West: Works of Art from Special Collections The American West comes alive in more than 30 paintings, sculptures, and prints. Free. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Through Jan. 14. Special Collections, sixth floor, Central Library, 2-3393.

Planetarium Spacepark 360 is an out-of-this-world entertainment experience. Get transported to surreal vistas and experience the most thrilling amusement park rides the solar system has to offer. 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Planetarium, 2-1183.

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