UTA In The News — Wednesday, September 15, 2021
Artificial intelligence in North Texas
Artificial intelligence may be the next big idea in technology but North Texas is lagging far behind, The Dallas Morning News reported. The story quoted a Brookings Institution study that showed that Dallas-Fort Worth has some ground to make up. Gautam Das, associate dean of research for UT Arlington’s College of Engineering, said Dallas has a large, diversified economy with employers of all size that will create great opportunities in AI.
COVID-19 question-and-answer
The Dallas Morning News ran a question-and-answer story about the upcoming COVID-19 vaccine booster shot. Erin Carlson, the director of graduate public health programs at UT Arlington, said, “I think it is important that the immunocompromised population has access to the booster, and I appreciate [having] that opportunity both personally and professionally.” Carlson, who has rheumatoid arthritis and takes immunosuppressive drugs, recently received her third dose of the COVID vaccine.
Flight passengers more irate
Erin Bowen, UT Arlington A. Dale Thompson Professor of Leadership and an aviation psychology researcher, spoke to Berlingske, one of Denmark’s oldest newspapers, about the increase in unruly behavior by airline passengers in the United States. Bowen said flying has always been somewhat stressful, but the number of security and health protocols now enforced by airlines may cause additional stress for passengers who are infrequent flyers, leading to disruptive incidents between passengers and crew.
Random COVID-19 testing
UT Arlington has started random testing for COVID-19 of students, faculty and staff, KERA 90.1 FM reported.
National anthem birthday
David E. Narrett, a UT Arlington history professor, said the national anthem became a powerful symbol of unity for a young nation trying to weld unity out of sectional rivalries, the Lewiston (Idaho) Tribune reported in a story about the song’s 187 birthday this week.
Student artist
Fernando Rojas Cervantes, a UT Arlington architecture student and Fort Worth artist, wrote a first-person piece for Fort Worth Report that told his story and journey toward art. The story also appeared in Arlington’s Patch.com.