MavWire 2014 Archive » MavWire — Monday, November 17, 2014

Homecoming 2014 events bring wave of excitement

Maverick Country welcomes alumni and friends to campus for Homecoming 2014, Monday-Saturday, Nov. 17-22.

Start the week with Paint Your Ride with Maverick Pride, a vehicle decorating event at Arlington Hall today, Monday, Nov. 17.

Enjoy the Chili Cook-Off on Wednesday and the Global Grounds Coffee Hour on Thursday. Take part in the Distinguished Alumni Awards and the Step Show on Friday before heading to The BASH. 

Saturday is filled with the 5K run/walk and a golf tournament, followed by reunions. Head to the College Park District for the pre-game street festival at 3:30 p.m. and The Party on the Plaza at 4 p.m. Cheer on the Homecoming parade at 5:45 p.m., and hoot and holler at the pep rally before the men's basketball game at 7:30 p.m.

Order Homecoming event tickets online.

Volunteer for one or more Homecoming events.

See the schedule and details for Homecoming 2014.

Dr. Nan Ellin

Dean named to lead integration of schools of Architecture, Urban and Public Affairs

UT Arlington has appointed Nan Ellin, professor and chair of the University of Utah Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, as founding dean of a new college that will be formed through the integration of the School of Architecture and School of Urban and Public Affairs.

Dr. Ellin previously served at Arizona State University, where she directed programs in planning, urban and metropolitan studies, and a doctoral program in architecture and environmental design. She is the author of numerous books and articles.

At UT Arlington, her first priority will be to shepherd the integration of the School of Architecture and the School of Urban and Public Affairs into a new college that will extend the reputation, impact, and influence of the University in areas related to design, architecture, urban planning, and public affairs. 

She officially joins UT Arlington on Jan. 5.

Read more about Ellin's appointment.

Parental pains: A new study by Dr. Matthew Walsh, assistant professor of biology, examines non-genetic changes in water flea development that shows it can adapt itself or its offspring regarding external threats.

Team says non-genetic changes can help parents or offspring

A new study from UTA biologists examining non-genetic changes in water flea development suggests something human parents have known for years: Ensuring a future generation's success often means sacrifice.

Matthew Walsh, assistant professor of biology, and his team looked at a phenomenon in the Daphnia abigua, or water flea, that can mean a generation speeding up its own physical maturation in response to a predator threat or speeding the maturation of its offspring.

Current theory says similar conditions will favor phenotype changes within and across generations of organisms. Dr. Walsh’s experiment, which involved about 25 lineages of Daphnia, contradicts that thought.

Read more about the water flea research.

UT Arlington awarded national grant for adaptive sports programs

UT Arlington recently received a grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for $57,488 under the Grants for Adaptive Sports Programs for disabled Veterans and Members of the Armed Forces.

Funds were awarded to increase and expand adaptive sports opportunities for disabled veterans and members of the armed forces, allowing participation within the community, as well as at regional and national events.

The grant will help the Movin’ Mavs Adaptive Sports and Recreation Program fund camps, clinics, and program participation costs for veterans with physical disabilities.

Read more about the VA adaptive sports grant.

What a day The UT System Day celebration brought a crowd to the Palo Duro Lounge for food and fellowship on Friday, courtesy of Human Resources.

Another generator test planned

Facilities Management will test the emergency electrical generators on some buildings 1-2:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21.

The test will affect only the electrical services tied to each building’s generator, not the entire building.

There will be a slight “blip” of a half-second as the electrical service transfers to the generator and another as it is transferred back to the normal building service.  

Buildings to be tested are College Park Center, Davis Hall, Engineering Lab Building, Engineering Research Building, Heights on Pecan Apartments, Kalpana Chawla Hall, Life Science Building, Nedderman Hall, and Woolf Hall.

For questions, call Toby Buhrkuhl at 972-832-1490 or Jeff Johnson at 817-798-8456.

Participate in emergency response exercise

Faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend the Office of Emergency Management’s annual Clery Act tabletop exercise Thursday, Dec. 4. The program is 1-4 p.m. in the back gym of the Maverick Activities Center.

The exercise addresses emergency response and evacuation on a campus-wide scale.

Chippin' in Cecilia Puga, left, business sophomore, and Mariana Navarro, nursing sophomore, enjoy chips and salsa at the grand opening of Moe's Southwest Grill, a new dining venue in the E.H. Hereford University Center.

Food drive sets one-ton goal

The Golden Key International Honour Society seeks your help to reach its goal of 2,000 pounds of food for needy families.

Provide a box for your office donations and urge co-workers to bring nonperishable food items. The departments with the most total weight of goods and the most creatively decorated box will receive awards.

Current box locations are:

• Room 318, Science Hall
• Watson Building, 219 W. Main St.
• Room 118, Fine Arts Building
• Room 501, Nedderman Hall
• First floor, Central Library
• Room 130, Chemistry and Physics Building
• Room 205, J.D. Wetsel Service Center

Donations are due by Tuesday, Dec. 2. For drop-off or pick-up details, contact Kevin Schuck at keschuck@uta.edu or 2-0102 or Micaela Seals at mlseals@uta.edu. All donations go to the Tarrant Area Food Bank.

Reception Wednesday for College Park Center's West Corridor

Faculty and staff are invited to a reception showcasing the newly branded West Corridor on the College Park Center concourse. The corridor reflects the partnership between UTA Athletics and Texas Trust Credit Union.

The event is 4:30-6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, at the West Corridor. RSVP to Amanda Keomanivong at 972-595-1765 or akeomanivong@texastrustcu.org.

Selfie time The star of the Dragon Dance posed for a selfie last week with, from left, Chigozie Izuogu, business information systems sophomore; Miriam Guerrero, criminology sophomore; and Mahesh Biyyala, computer science graduate student. The dance was part of the Cultural Extravaganza, an Asian Heritage Month event.

Bookstore sale this week

The UTA Bookstore's latest sale is Tuesday-Wednesday, Nov. 18-19, and features a 25 percent discount on selected items and $50 off Dell laptops. Discounted items include fleece apparel, cold weather accessories, diploma frames, auto accessories, backpacks, totes, fashion bags, earbuds, headphones, and more. 

Adopt a child from Angel Tree in Leadership Center

Make a child's holiday wish come true this season through the Salvation Army Angel Tree sponsored by the UTA Volunteers. Choose an infant to young teen to sponsor by yourself, with friends, or with your department.

Adopt an angel by Wednesday, Nov. 26, in the Leadership Center in Suite B 160N of the lower level of the E.H. Hereford University Center. All gifts are due by Tuesday, Dec. 2. For questions, call the Leadership Center at 2-9220.

Proposals needed for advising conference

The UT Arlington Advising Association is looking for interactive, innovative, and engaging presentations for its 18th annual advising conference. "Academic Marvels: Unleashing Your Advising Super Powers" is set for Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015.

Abstracts of approved proposals will be included in the conference program and on the conference website. Submissions are due by Monday, Dec. 1. 

Recruit for your program at transfer New Maverick Orientation

University departments and registered student organizations can tell transfer students about their programs at Involvement Fairs. Upcoming sessions are Saturday, Dec. 6; Wednesday, Dec. 10; Monday, Jan. 12; and Wednesday, Jan. 14.

Learn more and register online.

Monday, Nov. 17

Curriculum and Instruction Brown Bag Stephanie Gutierrez, biology and UTeach undergraduate, and Ann Cavallo, associate dean for research and graduate studies in the College of Education, present findings from a study of undergraduate perceptions and beliefs on evolution, and exchange student Amanda Selkee discusses her experiences with Finnish and American high schools. Free. 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m., planetarium conference room, Chemistry and Physics Building. Curriculum and Instruction.

DocNet Ph.D. Info Session Learn about DocNet, a global consortium of business doctoral programs and an affiliate of AACSB International. Free. 5 p.m., Hospitality Suite, College Park Center. Business.

Tuesday, Nov. 18

Financial Investments: The Rules of the Road Joseph Way, financial adviser with Edward Jones, will discuss 10 principles for sound investing and how to identify the most common investment mistakes. Free. Noon, sixth floor atrium, Central Library. African American Faculty and Staff Association, Faculty Affairs.

Moving Beyond the Spectrum Lindsey Anderson discusses the NeuroQueer Project, which challenges cure-centric models of autism and embraces multiple, intersecting identities. Free. 5:30 p.m., sixth floor parlor, Central Library. Disability Studies, Office for Students with Disabilities, Women and Gender Studies.

Wednesday, Nov. 19

Time Management Register online. Free. 9-11 a.m., J.D. Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

Faculty Research Incubator Seminar Series Terry Skantz, associate professor of accounting, presents “The Informativeness of Pro Forma and Street Earnings: An Examination of Information Asymmetry Around Earnings Announcements.” Free. 2-3:30 p.m., Room 241, Business Building. Business.

Business Plan Pitch Competition Students have 12 minutes to pitch an idea to experts for a chance to win $1,000 plus professional advice for launching their venture. 2-4 p.m., sixth floor parlor, Central Library. Business.

Thursday, Nov. 20

Biology Colloquium Adam Leaché of the University of Washington is guest speaker. Free. 4 p.m., Room 118, Life Science Building. Biology.

Engineering Speaker Series Ali Erdemir of Argonne National Laboratory discusses "Facing the Hard Truth about Friction and Its Impact on Global Energy Consumption." Free. 6 p.m., Room 100, Nedderman Hall. Engineering.

Transgender Day of Remembrance Screening of film Boys Don't Cry, Rated R, followed by a candlelight vigil. Free. 6-8 p.m., sixth floor parlor, Central Library. LGBTQA Program.

Friday, Nov. 21

Welcoming Diversity Register online. Free. 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., J.D. Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

Qualitative Research Meetup Sabrina Williams, assistant professor of communication, talks about video data collection and analysis. Free. Noon-1 p.m., Room 521, University Hall. Qualitative Research Meetup.

Chemistry and Biochemistry Speaker Series Boniface Fokwa of Aachen University in Germany discusses "Understanding and Designing New Magnetic Materials.” Free. 3 p.m., Room 112, Chemistry Research Building. Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Management Lecture Series Laszlo Tihanyi of Texas A&M University discusses "The Governance Drivers of Competitive Actions." Free. 2 p.m., Room 609, Business Building. Business.

Tuesday, Nov. 25

Management Lecture Series Daniel Armanios of Stanford University presents “Is Policy Enough? Understanding the Government Sector in the Midst of Reform.” Free. 2 p.m., Room 609, Business Building. Business, Management.

Coming up

Human Resources Training Conducting Effective Meetings, 9-11 a.m., Friday, Dec. 5; Managing Stress in the Workplace, 9-11 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 9; Partnering with Your Boss, 9-11 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 10; and The Art of Listening, 9-11 a.m., Friday, Dec. 12. Register online. Free. J.D. Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

(For an expanded list of events, see the UTA calendar.)

Wednesday, Nov. 19

'A Streetcar Named Desire' The Maverick Theatre Company presents a Tennessee Williams classic. Tickets $7 faculty, staff, students, seniors; $10 public. Box office 2-2669. 8 p.m., Mainstage Theatre. Also, 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 20-22, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23. Theatre Arts.

Ongoing

Max Sullivan Gallery: Statera-Hymns of Balance Paintings by Andrew Kochie. Gallery hours 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Free. Max Sullivan Gallery, Room 206, Architecture Building. Through Nov. 27. Architecture.

Gallery 76102: Above & Beyond Kalee Appleton's series is inspired by time and time’s tendency to both transform and preserve. Gallery hours noon-6 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays, Gallery 76102, 1401 Jones St., Fort Worth. Through Nov. 30. Fort Worth Center, Gallery 76102.

MavsArt The semi-annual UTA community art show features 67 works by 25 artists who are UTA students, faculty, and staff. Through Dec. 3. UT Arlington Libraries, MavsArt.

Special Collections: The Price of Manifest Destiny Discover how maps and war interlock in the 19th century in a new exhibit. Hours 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, sixth floor, Central Library. Through Feb. 7, 2015. UT Arlington Libraries Special Collections.

Visual Resource Commons and Gallery The African Art Collection is a multi-dimensional collection of 11th-20th century art and artifacts. Free. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, Suite 2109, Fine Arts Building. Art and Art History.

Planetarium The fall schedule includes Astronaut; One World, One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure; Pink Floyd; Spacepark 360 Infinity; Two Small Pieces of Glass; and We Are Astronomers. Planetarium.

(For an expanded list of events, see the UTA calendar.)