University Communications » Internal Communications » MavWire » MavWire 01-28-2013

Dr. Kytai Nguyen

Bioengineer studying how to send drugs to lungs through nanotechnology

Kytai Nguyen, an associate professor of bioengineering, has teamed with a UT Southwestern colleague to develop a nanoparticle drug-delivery system that will help stimulate lung growth and function after partial lung removal or destructive lung disease.

Dr. Nguyen is working on the drug-delivery portion of the project, which is funded by a $3.4 million National Institutes of Health grant through 2016. Her work will be underwritten by $440,000 of the larger grant.

“We will introduce drugs through inhaled nanoparticles that will stimulate lung growth and remodeling following partial lung removal,” says Nguyen, who joined the College of Engineering in 2005 and holds a joint appointment with UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. “We will synthesize biocompatible, biodegradable polymers that will encapsulate, or load, and release the drugs where needed.”

Read more about this bioengineering research.

New ad campaign says 'yes' to solving big problems

Does engineering belong near your esophagus? Do we have a responsibility to change lives? Can we make nursing shortages a thing of the past?

These are among the far-reaching questions posed in UT Arlington’s new advertising campaign. And the answer to all is a resounding “yes!”

Developed by University Communications, the campaign centers around the tenet that saying yes is the first step in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges. The ads drive people to an interactive website—linked from the UT Arlington home page—that shows how the University is asking big questions and delving deeply to find the answers.

The ads and website feature faculty and students who are pursuing groundbreaking scientific research, promoting social responsibility, creating an educated workforce, and contributing to a thriving arts community.

The campaign includes print ads in magazines like Texas Monthly and Fort Worth, Texas, as well as digital ads in online news media like The Texas Tribune.

Aaron Neville

Final spring Maverick Speakers Series event features Aaron Neville, Ellis Marsalis

Grammy Award-winning musician Aaron Neville brings his inimitable voice and timeless lyrics to College Park Center for an added installment of the Maverick Speakers Series.

Neville will be joined by Ellis Marsalis for “A Night with New Orleans Music Legends" on Tuesday, April 2, at College Park Center.

General admission tickets are free but required. A premium-seating package is available for $25 and includes reserved seating, parking, and more. Tickets will be available Friday, March 1, at utatickets.com.

Other Maverick Speakers Series events this semester include astronaut Mark Kelly on Tuesday, Feb. 19, and conservationist Jeff Corwin on Wednesday, March 27.

Read more about Neville and Marsalis.

Take a Maverick Ride after dark with police escort service

Be safe when heading home after a night-time class or event on campus by using the UT Arlington Police Department escort service.

Maverick Ride is available to faculty, staff, and students from 7 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays until 3 a.m. and is operated by students working with the campus police.

UT Arlington Police provide escort service at any time requested. To request a security escort, call 2-3381.

The Green/South shuttle route runs through 10:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, including faculty/staff lots 13 and 17.

On the hot seat State Rep. Diane Patrick, R-Arlington, answers a question during The Texas Tribune’s “The Hot Seat in Arlington” in the hospitality suite at College Park Center on Friday. Patrick and state Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-Fort Worth, participated in a question-and-answer session moderated by Evan Smith, chief executive officer and editor-in-chief of the nonprofit news organization.

Kinesiology prof receives top award

Priscila Caçola, assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology, has been selected to receive the Lolas E. Halverson Motor Development Young Investigator Award from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education and NASPE's Motor Development and Learning Research Academy.

Dr. Caçola, director of the Developmental Motor Cognition Lab, will receive the award at the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance national convention and exposition in April in Charlotte, N.C. The award is given to honor outstanding contributions to research in the motor development field.

Submit nominations for student awards

Nominate your outstanding student workers for the 2012-13 Student Employee of the Year award.

Student employees must have worked a minimum of six months part time. Find the nomination form at Student Employee of the Year. Deadline for nominations is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15.

Scholarships are awarded to the top students selected. All nominees will be honored at an awards reception Thursday, April 11.

For more information, contact Mike Taddesse in the Career Center at 2-5141 or mtadd@uta.edu.

Volunteers needed for spring job fair

The Career Center needs faculty and staff volunteers for the Spring 2013 Job Fair set for 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, in the Maverick Activities Center.

In addition to helping with the job fair itself, volunteers are needed to help with set up, clean up, loading dock crew, and staffing the student and employer check-in tables. Shifts are available in one-hour increments 7 a.m.-4 p.m.

To volunteer, complete the form at Hire a Maverick. Deadline to volunteer is Friday, Feb. 15.

A fair deal Representatives from 185 campus departments and organizations provided information for students at the Activities Fair last Wednesday in the Palo Duro Lounge at the E.H. Hereford University Center. See more photos.

ACES symposium abstracts due Feb. 6

Faculty should remind students that abstracts are being accepted for the Annual Celebration of Excellence by Students, or ACES, until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6.

The ACES symposium is a university-wide, daylong event that showcases the best of student research and creativity with cash prizes for winning oral presentations and posters. Undergraduate and graduate students work with faculty mentors in their disciplines to write and submit abstracts for the competition.

ACES 2013 is Wednesday, March 27, in the E.H. Hereford University Center. For details, email aces@uta.edu or call 2-2315.

Sign up for Preview Day

Campus departments can sign up to have a table presentation at the Academic and Student Life Fair for the next Preview Day on Saturday, Feb. 2.

Preview Day programs give prospective students a chance to see what UT Arlington has to offer and to find answers to questions about all aspects of the University.

Register online or contact Adda Mazariegos at adda.mazariegos@uta.edu. For other information related to Preview Day, contact Cassie Kimbrough at cassie.kimbrough@uta.edu.

Deadline today for adviser nominations

Submit nominations online for Outstanding Academic Adviser by 5 p.m. today, Monday, Jan. 28.

The three categories are professional staff adviser, undergraduate faculty adviser, and graduate adviser.

For more information, contact Delene Remmers in the Office of the Provost at 2-2737.

Register for advising conference by Friday

Registration and payment deadline is Friday, Feb. 1, for the 16th annual UT Arlington Academic Advising Association conference. Registration information is online.

The conference, set for Monday, Feb. 11, in the E.H. Hereford University Center, has a theme of “Advising Tune-Up: Becoming Mechanics for Student Success.”

Keynote speaker is Jennifer Joslin, director of the Office of Academic Advising at the University of Oregon and a member of the National Academic Advising Association board of directors. She is co-author of Academic Advising Administration: Essential Knowledge and Skills for the 21st Century.

Digital Media Studio Workshops

Free introductory software workshops for Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere, and more are offered throughout the semester to faculty, staff, and students. See the list of Digital Media Studio Workshops.

Citizen Police Academy

The UT Arlington Police Department's Citizen Police Academy provides a look behind the scenes of the police department. For faculty, staff, and students, the free academy meets Mondays, Feb. 18-April 22, except during Spring Break.

The Citizen Police Academy website has information and an application form, due by Monday, Feb. 4. For more details, contact Cpt. Nan Rhodes at 2-3901.

Mindful Moments

Take a break from stress 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, Feb. 1

Women GO Red Wear your red to kick off the American Heart Association's Women GO Red month. Giveaways, snacks, screenings. Free. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Palo Duro Lounge, E.H. Hereford University Center. Health Services.

Saturday, Feb. 2

Blacks and Whites in Christian America Jason Shelton, assistant professor of sociology, discusses his book Blacks and Whites in Christian America, which addresses how race relations can shape religious convictions. Free. 10 a.m., St. Paul United Methodist Church, Hurst.

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

Tuesday, Jan. 29

Faculty Bassoon Recital Scott Pool, right, assistant professor of music, performs. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

The Norman Magic Experience Magician Norman Ng displays his magic and comedy with audience participation. Free. 7:30 p.m., Rosebud Theatre, E.H. Hereford University Center. EXCEL Campus Activities.

Wednesday, Jan. 30

Guest Artists Recital Bill Schaffer and Josh Pifer of Auburn University perform on horn and piano. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Friday, Feb. 1

Faculty Flute Recital Sarah Frisof, assistant professor of music, performs. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Saturday, Feb. 2

Women's Basketball Mavericks vs. Louisiana Tech in a Western Athletic Conference game. Tickets $6. 6 p.m., College Park Center. Athletics.

Coming up

Black History Month Lectures, film screenings, and entertainment are scheduled during February. Living our Legacy, the kickoff celebration, noon, Monday, Feb. 4, University Center Gallery. Black History Month, Multicultural Affairs.

Maverick Speakers Series Mark Kelly, right, retired astronaut and naval aviator, discusses "Endeavoring to Build a Better America." Free, but tickets required. Premium seating $25. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, Texas Hall. Maverick Speakers Series.

Ongoing

Pearls of the Antilles: Printed Maps of Caribbean Islands A look at maps and how they reflect and shape the history of Caribbean islands. Free. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, sixth floor, Central Library. Through Saturday, Feb. 9. Special Collections.

Flight Deck Showcases public art at Love Field and DFW International Airport. Free. Gallery hours 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and noon-5 p.m. Saturdays, Fine Arts Building. Through Saturday, Feb. 16. The Gallery at UTA.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Samara: A Mid-Century Dream Home Experience the process of building and living in a home designed by one of America’s greatest architects, Frank Lloyd Wright. $8. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, 1-5 p.m. Sundays, Arlington Museum of Art, 201 W. Main St., downtown Arlington. Through Sunday, Feb. 17. Architecture.

Planetarium Be transported to surreal vistas and experience the most thrilling amusement park rides the solar system has to offer in Spacepark 360. 2:30 p.m., Sundays. Planetarium.

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