UTA In The News — Friday, November 19, 2021
Beaver moon lunar eclipse
Levent Gurdemir, UT Arlington planetarium director, spoke to The Dallas Morning News, Good Morning Texas and Dallas Observer about this month’s beaver moon lunar eclipse, the longest eclipse to occur in nearly six centuries. Gurdemir explained the science behind the phenomenon and offered insight into ancient and mythological interpretations.
Planning an African American cultural center
Jason Shelton, associate professor of sociology and director of the Center for African American Studies, moderated a public forum to discuss a new African American cultural center in Fort Worth, KERA 90.1 reported. Shelton stated that the center should preserve and present histories and cultures of African Americans, with an emphasis on stories of African Americans in Fort Worth.
COVID-19 booster availability
Erin Carlson, associate clinical professor and director of graduate public health programs in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation, spoke to CBS 11 about the FDA’s vote to approve eligibility for all adults to have access to COVID-19 booster shots. Carlson said receiving a booster shot will provide an extra layer of protection against severe disease.
Senior social scenes
Noelle Fields and Ling Xu, associate professors of social work, spoke to The Dallas Morning News about the social transitions that occur when people move into retirement communities. Fields said adults should know that it is normal to experience a period of adjustment while making new friends. Xu emphasized the importance of social relationships to combat the ill effects of loneliness, which can include mental health issues, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
Panhandling policies
Hannah Lebovits, assistant professor of public affairs and planning, spoke to Dallas Observer about Dallas City Council’s plans to reduce panhandling. Lebovits expressed concern that the city’s efforts may have a negative impact on its homeless population.
COVID-19 vaccination tracking
Some Tarrant County schools have chosen to not track the vaccination status of their staff and students preferring instead to offer vaccination incentive programs, Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. Lisa Nagy, UT Arlington vice president for student affairs, said the University has created policies that it believes align with the spirit of Texas vaccination regulations.
UTA launches telehealth certificate program
A new certificate program at UT Arlington aims to prepare undergraduate students to better understand the fields of telehealth and health informatics, Mirage News reported. Both fields are meant to foster better collaboration among health-related providers and produce better health outcomes for patients, said Gabriela Wilson, professor of kinesiology and co-director of UTA’s Multi-Interprofessional Center for Health Informatics.
Wearable devices to monitor blood levels
UTA bioengineers and scientists, in collaboration with Austin’s Shani Biotechnologies LLC, have developed a new noninvasive technology that may help real-time monitoring of key blood parameters, such as hemoglobin, especially in Black patients, ASEE First Bell reported. George Alexandrakis, associate professor of bioengineering, said the idea is to develop a wearable device that would read the blood through the skin.