University Communications » Internal Communications » MavWire » MavWire 07-12-2012

Dr. Christoph Csallner

Computer team receives grant to de-bug

The National Science Foundation is investing nearly $500,000 in a computer science engineering team’s work to eliminate computer "bugs" or flaws in software programs and systems.

Christoph Csallner, an assistant professor of computer science and engineering, is principal investigator for the three-year grant project titled “Testing Large-Scale Database-Centric Applications.”

Dr. Csallner’s team aims to find as many bugs as possible in computer programs that interact with very large databases and to create techniques that check user programs for those bugs.

“Bugs can be as little as a misplaced or mistyped computer character, and it is extremely difficult to find these bugs in these applications that interact with very large databases,” he says. “Our goal is to find as many bugs as possible as cheaply as possible in these applications.”

Co-principal investigators on the project are Assistant Professor Chengkai Li and Associate Professor Leonidas Fegaras, also from the Computer Science and Engineering Department.

Read more about eliminating the computer bugs.

Robo-research: A test subject, who is not autistic, wears a sensor suit that measures movements and expressions through a robot.

Robot technology can help detect autism

UT Arlington researchers have teamed with colleagues at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, the Dallas Autism Treatment Center, Texas Instruments, and Hanson Robotics of Plano to rewire and rework lifelike robots to improve early detection of autism.

Their goal is to create a human robot interaction system for early diagnosis and treatment of children with autism spectrum disorders.

The work is funded in part by a $100,000 grant from the Texas Medical Research Collaborative.

Researchers aim to develop a robot that not only interacts with autistic children but that also can measure the child’s movement and indicate what therapies work best.

“We believe the research will lead to a better life for the child with autism,” says Dan Popa, associate professor of electrical engineering and the principal investigator for the project. “It’s more than just seeing how autistic children react when interacting with the robot. Eventually, we want to customize the robot to better fit individual needs of children with autism.”

Read more about robot technology for autism.

Answers to FAQs explain laptop encryption

All UT Arlington laptop computers must be encrypted by Aug. 31, and answers from the UT System to frequently asked questions explain the necessity of the process.

To have your laptop encrypted, you may drop it off at the Office of Information Technology lab in Room 231 of Nedderman Hall. Drop-off hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Normal processing time is 24 hours.

Users should back up their data prior to drop-off and must provide the computer's power cord. At the time of pickup, the computer user should be present in order to log into the machine to complete the encryption process. If users have already had SecureDoc software installed on their laptops, they do not need to do anything further.

Contact the OIT Help Desk to make alternate drop-off and pickup arrangements.

If you have questions regarding this directive, contact Maurice Leatherbury, vice president for information technology, at leatherbury@uta.edu, or 2-5602.

Annual Enrollment begins Sunday

Annual Enrollment for the 2012-13 benefit plan year runs from Sunday, July 15 through Tuesday, July 31. During Annual Enrollment, you may enroll, change your group insurance benefit elections, and add or remove dependents from coverage.

Faculty and staff can get more information at the Benefits Fair 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, July 20, in the Bluebonnet Ballroom and Rosebud Theatre in the E.H. Hereford University Center. Both insurance and retirement plan providers will be available to answer questions as well as conduct presentations throughout the day.

For more information regarding Annual Enrollment and UT Arlington benefits for the 2012-13 plan year, see Employee Benefits Services, call 2-5558, or email benefits@uta.edu.

Holiday schedule for 2012-13 includes 13 dates

The holiday schedule for 2012-13 includes 13 days off for faculty and staff. Anyone who wishes to observe a religious holiday(s) may do so in lieu of any holiday(s) for which the employee serves as a member of the skeleton workforce required by statute or by taking a vacation day.

The holiday schedule is:

Topping it off Finishing touches are being put on the College Park District as it is readied for the arrival of students in August. The project, including the opening of the south parking garage, is scheduled to achieve substantial completion by Aug. 1.

Sign the pledge and 'Be Air Aware'

The Office of Sustainability at UT Arlington and Air North Texas are challenging the University community, businesses, and local governments to focus strategies on air pollution watch and warning days.

Things you can do to help include carpooling, using mass transit, biking or walking, and avoiding car idling. Heed air pollution watch and warning notifications, and protect your health by limiting outdoor activity on air pollution warning days.

UT Arlington is seeking to get the maximum number of faculty and staff to sign the pledge to "Be Air Aware" at Air North Texas.

Early voting on campus July 24-26

UT Arlington is an early voting site 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, July 24-26, for the Tuesday, July 31, primary runoff elections.

Polling site is at the Maverick Activities Center, just inside the entrance.

The University also will serve as an early voting site Oct. 29-Nov. 2 for the Nov. 6 general election.

For more information on early voting, see votetexas.gov and Tarrant County elections.

The big picture The Planetarium's massive screen helped physics Associate Professor Jae Yu explain the discovery of the subatomic particle called the Higgs boson, or "God particle." Also weighing in on the topic were physics professors Andrew Brandt and Chris Jackson. The scientists are part of a larger U.S. team working on the ATLAS particle physics experiment at the Large Hadron Collider, the world’s biggest and most powerful particle accelerator.

Get discount and see Rembrandt etchings at Arlington Museum of Art

Enjoy UT Arlington Week at the Arlington Museum of Art Aug. 6-12 and see the summer exhibit Rembrandt: An Evolution of Etchings.

Show your UT Arlington ID and pay only $5 ($3 off the regular admission). The exhibit, which showcases some of Rembrandt's most celebrated etchings as well as some of his lesser known and rarely exhibited pieces, is co-sponsored by College Town UTA.

For hours, location, and other information, see Arlington Museum of Art.

Get tickets now for UT Arlington's own Six Flags Day in August

Go higher and faster with more than 50 thrilling rides at UT Arlington Six Flags Day on Sunday, Aug. 26, at Six Flags Over Texas.

Discount tickets for faculty and staff are $27.50 each with a limit of 10 tickets per person. Tickets include admission to Six Flags, parking, and a "splash back" ticket to Hurricane Harbor. Get tickets at utatickets.com.

Enjoy the fun at the park starting at 10:30 a.m. or come 6-9 p.m. when it's the UT Arlington-only crowd.

The event is open to the UT Arlington community and is sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs.

Celebrating freedom Mavericks celebrated our country's independence in the 47th Annual Arlington 4th of July Parade. The Deakyne family and friends have sponsored the UT Arlington float for 12 years. Jeannie Deakyne ('98 BA, '11 MA) and her husband William ('11 MBA) were married July 4, 2001, and sponsored a wedding float in the parade that year. She is manager of learning and development in Human Resources and an adjunct professor of military science.

Mystery book club meets July 20

The Silence of the Rain by Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza is this month's selection for the International Mystery Book Club, which meets Friday, July 20. All faculty and staff are invited to join the group at noon at the Mellow Mushroom, 200 N. Center St. in Arlington.

The club, hosted by the Department of Modern Languages, is discussing mysteries by non-U.S. authors this summer.

The Silence of the Rain is the first in a series of Inspector Espinosa mysteries by Garcia-Roza, a Brazilian author.

For the summer schedule of meetings and more information, see the International Mystery Book Club.

Green Team has many rewards, including recognition, mountain bike

Form a Green Team in your office and start reducing, reusing, and recycling. Meet certain environmental initiatives and your team can earn recognition.

Complete a self-audit by Tuesday, July 31, and be entered to win a chance for a new mountain bike. The winning department will hold a drawing, and one lucky individual in the office will go home with the bike, courtesy of Pepsi.

For more information, see uta.edu/greenteam or email Becky Valentich, recycling coordinator, at becky@uta.edu.

Abram Street project closes road starting July 23

Abram Street will be closed between Cooper Street on the east and Thornton Street on the west. The closure is for two weeks starting Monday, July 23, for pavement improvements. Use Main Street and UTA Boulevard as alternate routes.

Keep your beneficiary designations up to date

Unlike dependent eligibility for the UT System Benefits program, which is defined by applicable law, your beneficiary for various benefits and retirement plans can be any person (or a trust or other entity) that you choose. The person or entity will receive all or part of the financial benefits that are payable if you die.

Read more about beneficiary designations, Annual Enrollment, and legislative updates in the UT System Benefits July Newsletter.

Step One: Get Organized

Discover how to find extra time in your day to do activities you enjoy rather than digging for your keys, shuffling through papers, missing deadlines, or apologizing to guests for the way your home looks. Call 2-2581 or register online with code SOGO for the faculty, staff discount fee of $50. 7-9 p.m., Mondays, Wednesdays, July 23-Aug. 1, Room E200, Continuing Education Workforce Building. Continuing Education.

Training available on lynda.com

Training for all faculty and staff is now available for a wide variety of subjects on lynda.com, a constantly growing and evolving body of training video tutorials covering a wide selection of technical topics. Professionally edited and produced, the videos show experienced instructors and real-world examples.

Topics include software training for SharePoint, Microsoft Office, Blackboard, and Photoshop, as well as development tools such as Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Flash, and Silverworks. Other topics cover programming languages and databases; and business practices such as time management, goal setting, and project management. Topics also include many personal development and fun subjects such as photography, iPad tips and tricks, Facebook, and audio/video editing.

Faculty and staff have access to the website 24 hours a day at uta.edu/lynda. Log in with your NetID and password. Any department or faculty or staff member who already had a Lynda account can migrate their account to the campus solution and request a refund from Lynda.

For more information, contact the Office of Information Technology help desk.

Summer CPR classes

This four-hour class covers first-aid basics, medical emergencies, injury emergencies, environmental emergencies, adult CPR, and AED use. Participants who complete the class receive an American Heart Association certification card valid for two years. Sign up at the services and information desk in the Maverick Activities Center. $40. 1-5 p.m. Friday, July 13, or Thursday, Aug. 2, Room 102B, Maverick Activities Center. Campus Recreation, Jeremy Roden, jroden@uta.edu.

Mindful Moments

Take a break with Mindful Moments. Free. 12:15-12:45 p.m., Wednesdays, Room 219, Health Services Center. Health Services.

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.

Friday, July 13

Nanofabrication: Empowering Organic Bionics Professor Gordon Wallace, right, director of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, discusses the use of organic conductors to provide a more effective communications channel between the world of biology and electronics. Free. 11 a.m., Room 131, Engineering Research Building. Bioengineering, Mario Romero-Ortega, mromero@uta.edu.

Wednesday, July 18

Government Procurement Conference Small business leaders have an opportunity to meet local, state, and federal government buyers and their prime contractors. Hosted by UT Arlington Business Extension Centers (Cross Timbers Procurement Center, the SBDC for Enterprise Excellence, and TMAC). $90. 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Arlington Convention Center. Jennifer Wilson, jennifer.wilson@uta.edu, 2-5909, Government Procurement Conference.

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

Volleyball schedule includes two home tournaments

Two tournaments and 11 other home matches are included in the 2012 volleyball schedule as the Mavericks serve their way into College Park Center and the Western Athletic Conference.

Coach Diane Seymour's squad opens the season Friday, Aug. 24, against Savannah State in the UTA/Hilton Invitational in their first match at the CPC, which opened in February. The Mavericks also face UT Pan American and Stephen F. Austin in the two-day tournament.

Home matches with North Texas on Aug. 28 and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Sept. 3 precede the Maverick Classic on Sept. 7-8, which includes Marist, Northwestern State, and Southern Mississippi.

The Mavericks begin play in the WAC on Sept. 15 at Louisiana Tech and will have nine conference home matches beginning Sept. 28 against Utah State.

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

Texas Autocross on campus this weekend See some high-speed racecar action as UT Arlington hosts the 12th annual Texas Autocross Weekend on Saturday, July 14, and Sunday, July 15. Admission is free and open to the public. Top cars designed and built by student members of the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers from several universities nationwide will compete for bragging rights on two different autocross tracks on Lot 49 near Cooper and Mitchell streets. The competition measures speed and precision. The public festivities begin at 9 a.m. Saturday. For the first time, Texas Autocross Weekend will include a formal Sports Car Club of America race on campus, rather than relocating to Pennington Field in Bedford as in years past. The SCCA event is set for 10 a.m. Sunday on Lot 49. Among the UTA Racing entries is the H11, a hybrid car project two years in the making. In May the car won the GM Best-Engineered Hybrid Award at the international 2012 Formula Hybrid competition at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. "If you've never seen this kind of racing, you will be amazed. These cars are fast," says Bob Woods, professor of mechanical engineering and team adviser of UTA Racing. Read more about Texas Autocross Weekend, and see a review of the 2011 event.

Thursdays in July

Outdoor Movies Enjoy free popcorn or buy soft drinks and snacks at the concession stand. Bring a blanket or chair for the lawn seating. Children under 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Free. 9 p.m., west lawn, Maverick Activities Center. July 12, The Hunger Games; July 19, Think Like a Man; July 26, The Pirates! Band of Misfits. EXCEL Campus Activities.

Ongoing

897 Square Exhibit features artists who live and/or work in Tarrant County, including UT Arlington faculty, staff, and students. Free. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays; 4-8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, Fort Worth Center. Through Tuesday, July 31. Gallery 76102.

Texas 'Identity' Politics: 1900-Present Focuses on the ways in which politics have become intertwined with our identities. Shows different groups advocating for their civil rights in relation to various aspects of their identities, such as worker, mother, or citizen. Free. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, sixth floor, Central Library. Through Saturday, Aug. 11. Special Collections.

Texas Rangers Baseball Texas Rangers Baseball Get tickets for faculty, staff, students, alumni, family, and friends. Access texasrangers.com/uta and use the password MAVS12 for designated games through Wednesday, Sept. 26.

India Unveiled: The Photography of Robert Arnett A collection of images highlighting the diversity of India and its various regions. Free. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, sixth floor parlor, Central Library.. Through Jan. 5, 2013. Special Collections.

Planetarium Take an adventure along the spectrum and discover the world of color in Cosmic Colors. 2:30 p.m. Saturdays. Planetarium.

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