UTA In The News — Wednesday, November 11, 2020
New social media platform
An alternative social media network, Parler, is gaining popularity in conservative circles in the wake of the presidential election, KTVT CBS 11 reported. Mark Tremayne, UT Arlington associate professor of communication, said private companies can do what they want to control misinformation without it being an issue of free speech. He said governments is what censors such sites. He said the big social media companies have shown some resolve in controlling misinformation.
Mask mandate could help
President-elect Joe Biden called for science to prevail in the fight against COVID-19 and introduced the idea of a nationwide mask mandate, the Dallas Observer reported. Erin Carlson, UT Arlington associate clinical professor in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation, said such a mandate could potentially save tens of thousands of lives. “The way that you fight this disease and the way you prevent this disease, it has nothing to do with modern medicine,” Carlson said. “The way you prevent transmission is very simple: You wear a mask, you stay away from people.”
Using geothermal energy
Xinbao Yu, a UT Arlington associate professor of civil engineering, is determining whether geothermal energy can make Texas bridges and overpasses safer during winter weather, Engineering Business Daily reported. The project is sponsored by the Texas Department of Transportation.
Zhou named OPS fellow
The Optical Society has named Weidong Zhou, a UT Arlington electrical engineering professor, a fellow, Electronic Business Daily reported. He is the sixth UTA engineering professor to receive the honor.
Abolmaali named ASCE fellow
Ali Abolmaali, professor and chair of the UT Arlington Civil Engineering Department, was named a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers, 7thSpace.com and Scienmag reported. Abolmaali is the sixth UTA engineering awarded this status.