UTA In The News — Wednesday, June 16, 2021
ERCOT’s energy demand
Wei-Jen Lee, professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, spoke to Fort Worth Star-Telegram about ERCOT’s expected record demand for energy and the company’s call for customers to conserve electricity. Lee said that ERCOT’s 15% energy reserve is a healthy margin for the summer months. The story also appeared on Yahoo! News.
New Alzheimer’s treatment
Kathryn Daniel, associate professor and associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation, spoke to NBC 5 regarding the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of Aducanumab, the first new Alzheimer’s disease treatment in 18 years. Daniel advised that there are significant risks associated with the treatment and said the drug’s approval was premature.
Biden-Putin summit
Brian Whitmore, assistant professor in the McDowell Center for Global Studies, spoke to Al Jazeera and Spotmedia about the Biden administration’s goals for the president’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Whitmore commented that the United States’ unpredictable relationship with Russia and that nation’s military presence in Ukraine pose challenges to the establishment of a peaceful alliance between the leaders.
Strained semiconductors
James J. Coleman, professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, wrote about strained semiconductor layers in a recent article for Electronic Engineering Times, concluding that highly mismatched semiconductor materials can form new structures such as semiconductor quantum dots, which play a unique role in silicon photonics.
FDA’s proposal to ban menthol
Ziyad Ben Taleb, assistant professor of kinesiology and director of the Nicotine and Tobacco Research Laboratory at The University of Texas at Arlington, advised that the Food and Drug Administration’s proposal to ban menthol in cigarettes and all cigar flavorings is an “urgently needed” measure, Targeted News Service, Mirage News and U.S. Fed News reported.