UTA In The News — Friday, December 10, 2021
Omicron variant in Texas
The newest COVID-19 variant has reached North Texas, and local experts, including UTA public health assistant professor Tiffany Kindratt, are weighing in with D Magazine. “We’re at such a better advantage at this point than we were a year ago in that we have the tools to combat the virus,” said Kindratt. “We are seeing that there are more reinfections because naturally induced immunity is going away. But we’re not starting from square one."
Accelerated nursing program
The University of Texas at Arlington has launched its first accelerated campus-based Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, the city of Arlington reported. The program allows students to finish their last two years of nursing school in 15 months. The first cohort in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation began earlier this year.
Better planning for disasters
Michelle Hummel, an assistant professor in UTA's Civil Engineering Department, and UTA computer science Professor Ramez Elmasri are testing how crowdsourcing can help assess and build resilience in communities susceptible to natural disasters, U.S. Fed News reported. The team was awarded a $396,200 grant from the National Science Foundation for the research. For the project, Hummel and Elmasri are teaming with Antwi Akom of the University of California at San Francisco and Aekta Shah of the Institute for Sustainable Economic, Educational, & Environmental Design, whose mobile app, Streetwyze, will be one tool used to collect data from citizens.
New global partnership
UT Arlington has entered into a cooperative agreement with Danubius University Galati, an international research university located in Romania, Mirage News reported. The institutions announced their intention to establish a program of exchange and collaboration to promote interest in teaching and research and deepen the understanding of economic, cultural and social issues.