UTA In The News — Wednesday, March 31, 2021
COVID-19 transmission at bars and night clubs
Erin Carlson, associate clinical professor and director of graduate public health programs in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation, spoke to The Dallas Morning News about whether visits to bars, restaurants, and clubs are safe as the state lifts COVID-19 restrictions and businesses return to 100% occupancy.
Redesigning historic Black settlements
The SOM Foundation awarded a team from the College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs a $40,000 research prize to support its development of a design playbook for Black settlements in North Texas, Dallas Innovates reported. The project centers on questions about the role of environmental justice, historic preservation and economic development in creating a more equitable future for those neighborhoods.
On-demand, autonomous transportation
The city of Arlington, in partnership with The University of Texas at Arlington, Via and May Mobility, launched the Arlington RAPID pilot program, an on-demand ride-share service that utilizes self-driving vehicles, Smart Cities Connect and Autobody News reported. The program, funded by a grant from the Federal Transit Administration, will provide free transportation to UTA students.
Diversity award
Sharareh Kermanshachi, assistant professor of civil engineering, received the Rosa Parks Leadership Diversity Award from the Women’s Transportation Seminar Greater Dallas/Fort Worth chapter, Targeted News Service reported. Kermanshachi, who also is director of the Resilient Infrastructure and Sustainable Environment Lab, earned the award based on her research and leadership in the field.
Social services workforce fatigue
Rachel Voth Schrag, assistant professor in the School of Social Work, identified age, recent life stress and heavy workloads as factors that contribute to compassion fatigue in the intimate partner violence and sexual assault workforce in a new study published in Violence Against Women, NewsRx Policy and Law Daily reported. Voth Schrag recommends workload reduction, among other techniques, to mitigate staff burnout.