MavWire 2015 Archive » MavWire — Thursday, August 13, 2015

Pre-med students paired with physicians in UTA-THR preceptorship program

UT Arlington and Texas Health Resources, one of the largest faith-based, nonprofit health systems in the United States, are collaborating to offer undergraduates pursuing medical careers a unique opportunity to experience a physician’s work firsthand.

The Pre-Medical Student Preceptorship Program began as a pilot project in spring 2015 and formally launches this fall, pairing high-achieving students selected through a highly competitive process with physician-mentors in a hospital setting. Selected students participate in a six-week, for-credit course shadowing physicians at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital in the operating room and in patient settings.

Participants will analyze medical literature and present case studies to their physician-mentors for critique. They will meet with UT Arlington faculty members to evaluate, discuss, and enhance their clinical experience, including analyzing relevant published topics such as clinical trials, molecular research, ethical issues, patient experiences, and more.

Read more about the UTA-THR Pre-Med Student Preceptorship.

Handy work: Muthu Wijesundara, left, and Mahdi Haghshenas-Jaryani, research scientists at the UT Arlington Research Institute, work on the robotic glove that would help rehabilitate post-stroke patients. The research is being done in collaboration with the University of North Texas Health Science Center.

UTARI researchers developing soft robotic glove for post-stroke hand rehabilitation

Initial rehabilitation therapy for many stroke victims may focus on regaining the ability to walk. But when hands also are affected, therapy focused only on the legs can leave hand muscles contracted, a condition that can be difficult to overcome.

A new, soft robotic glove that can open and close a patient’s hand may bring stroke victims relief in a lightweight device that is less expensive and more pliant than current exoskeleton technology. The glove is being developed through the Texas Medical Research Collaborative at the UT Arlington Research Institute in Fort Worth.

A team led by Muthu Wijesundara, UTARI principal research scientist, and University of North Texas Health Science Center researchers Drs. Rita Patterson, Nicoleta Bugnariu, and Timothy Niacaris won a $99,000 grant to move their prototype into a clinical setting. Development of this device will be conducted at UTARI, while UNTHSC collaborators will evaluate the system’s safety and usability.

Read more about the robotic rehab glove.

Dr. Robert Gatchel

Developing new ways to treat back pain

Robert Gatchel, director of UT Arlington’s Center of Excellence for the Study of Health and Chronic Illnesses and a Distinguished Professor of Psychology, is a collaborator in a project called Precision Texas designed to treat lower back pain.

The long-term goals are to focus on developing a large biobank of patient genomic profiles, as well as data on diet, lifestyle, and occupational variables. One important outcome will be to advance pharmacogenetics in order to evaluate the “right drug for the right patient at the right dose,” Dr. Gatchel says.

Read more about Precision Texas.

Sign up for a table at Activity Fair Day

Have your department or program represented at the Maverick Cookout Featuring the Activity Fair Day on Wednesday, Sept. 2. The event is part of Maverick Stampede events welcoming students to campus for the fall semester. Hundreds of campus and community resources and opportunities will be represented along with live music and food.

A limited number of tables are available. Sign up through the Student Activities and Organizations website by 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31.

Faculty orientation week filled with workshops, info

The Division of Faculty Affairs is partnering with departments across campus to help faculty with professional development, connect with new colleagues, and learn about new initiatives. These orientation events lead up to the first day of classes, Thursday, Aug. 27.

New Faculty Orientation offers a variety of workshops and sessions Wednesday-Thursday, Aug. 19-20 and Tuesday, Aug. 25.

The All-Faculty Orientation is Monday, Aug. 24, in the Bluebonnet Ballroom of the E.H. Hereford University Center.

Join the staff of Faculty Affairs for coffee and bagels 8:30-10:30 a.m. on the first day of classes, Aug. 27, in Room 415 of the Central Library.

Read the faculty orientation schedule.

Volunteers needed for 2015-16 Maverick Stampede events

The countdown is on to the kickoff of Maverick Stampede beginning Monday, Aug. 24.

Volunteer for two hours at the Residence Hall Move-in Event on Monday, Aug. 24. Faculty, staff, and student volunteers help new residents unpack and settle in. Volunteer online.

Register to volunteer for other events, such as the Parent and Family Center Cookout, Waffleopolis, the MavsMeet AfterParty, Late Night Shopping at Target, and Ask Me Days.

Don't miss MavsMeet Convocation at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26, at College Park Center or the AfterParty on The Green at College Park.

Be a Maverick Cookout volunteer for a 30-minute shift 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2.

Read more about the Maverick Stampede schedule of events.

Hearing officers needed for student conduct, discipline process

The Office of Community Standards is accepting nominations for faculty and staff members to serve as University hearing officers.

Hearing officers are an integral part of the student conduct and discipline process. Responsibilities include: 

• Reviewing alleged violations regarding general misconduct and scholastic dishonesty
• Conducting disciplinary hearings
• Weighing evidence and testimony to determine if rules were violated
• Making decisions on a student’s level of responsibility and assessing disciplinary action or sanctions, including suspension or expulsion from the University

Needed are faculty and staff members with sound decision-making skills who are comfortable with responding to potentially severe situations or who have a background in student conduct or discipline. 

Send nominations to Charity Stutzman at stutzman@uta.edu by Monday, Aug. 24. For questions, email Stutzman or call 2-2354.

Register your vehicle for new parking permits

General parking permits are available now for faculty and staff, and reserved space permit renewals begin Saturday, Aug. 15.

UT Arlington’s virtual parking management system, MAVPark, is an online service that increases efficiency for customers and eliminates the need for parking decals and paper citations. MAVPark uses vehicle-mounted license plate readers to identify license plate numbers of parked vehicles for comparison against the virtual database of permitted vehicles.

To purchase a parking permit, visit uta.edu/MAVPark and click on Obtain a Permit under the big blue P.

Read more about MAVPark.

Automated computer patch management available

The Office of Information Technology now has an automated patch management solution available to University-owned Linux and Windows devices that are not registered to the UTA domain.

Users of the IBM Endpoint Manager for Patch Management will see the benefits of automatically managed patches regardless of location, connection type, or status. Users will receive critical patches whether at work, home, or on the road, and on or off the network.

For links to download the patch management solution and additional information, go to IBM Endpoint Manager for Patch Management.

Upgrade browser before using MyMav

If you experience difficulties accessing MyMav, upgrade your browser. Upgrades and downloads available are:

Internet Explorer 11—Windows

Firefox 39—Windows or Mac

Firefox ESR 38—Windows or Mac

Chrome 44—Windows Mac Linux

Not sure? Go to whatismybrowser.com to identify your browser and check if it is up to date.

If you need further assistance, contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@uta.edu or 2-2208.

Give back on Super Service Saturday

Join your fellow Mavericks for a morning of community service Saturday, Aug. 29, at Mission Arlington, the Community Garden, Arlington parks, and more.

Meet at 8 a.m. in the foyer by the Bluebonnet Ballroom and Rosebud Theatre in the E.H. Hereford University Center. Groups will leave for their sites promptly at 8 a.m. and conclude work at noon. Volunteers will receive a free T-shirt and lunch.

To participate, contact the Leadership Center at 2-6327 or utavolunteers@uta.edu.

Super Service Saturday is coordinated by UTA Volunteers!, The Big Event, and Alternative Breaks and is sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs as part of Maverick Stampede.

CrashPlan offers a continuous backup to secure your files

To help avoid potential loss of University data and information, the Office of Information Technology and the Information Security Office recommends installing CrashPlan on all University computers.

CrashPlan is a comprehensive desktop solution that backs up important data for Mac, Windows, or Linux computers. The software includes a desktop application managing your backups and restoring your files. CrashPlan provides little impact on performance and runs quietly in the background to avoid work disruption.

Read more and download CrashPlan.

Windows 10 testing underway

The Office of Information Technology is testing Windows 10 and its compatibility with other software used at UT Arlington.

Do not upgrade your Windows 7 or Windows 8 Operating System until all testing is completed and OIT announces that upgrades can be done.

Questions? Email desktop@uta.edu or itssupport@uta.edu.

Nominate a speaker for TEDxUTA 2016

Suggest a great speaker for TEDxUTA 2016. Complete the nomination form online.

TEDxUTA provides an opportunity for people to share ideas. An independent organization, TEDxUTA is designed to give communities, groups, and individuals the opportunity to stimulate dialogue at the local level.

New insurance ID cards coming for 2015-16

Your UT SELECT medical insurance ID cards will be reissued for the 2015-16 plan year, which starts Tuesday, Sept. 1. Keep your current UT SELECT medical ID cards until new ones arrive.

For all other continuing coverage, including UT SELECT prescription coverage, your current insurance ID cards will remain active for 2015-16.

Your current UT FLEX debit card remains valid through the expiration date displayed on the card. If your card is due to expire this year, you will receive a new card prior to the expiration date.

For coverage you have added or made changes to, you will receive a new ID card prior to the start of the plan year.

To order additional ID cards for your dependents, check the specific plan website or contact Employee Benefits Services at benefits@uta.edu or 2-5554 after Sept. 1.

Employment Information

Check out employment opportunities at uta.edu/jobs. Have questions? Call Human Resources/Employment Services at 2-3461 or TDD 2-8139, or email employment@uta.edu. The University of Texas at Arlington is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

Thursday, Aug. 13

Managing Department Funds For employees responsible for reconciling the monthly financial statements. Register online. 8:30-10:30 a.m., Room E200C, Continuing Education. Business Affairs.

Monday, Aug. 17

Peer Observation of Teaching Training Learn about this powerful tool for professional growth, documenting great teaching, and sharing new ideas. Register online. 9 a.m.-noon, Room 415, Central Library. Also, 1-4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11. Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, Faculty Affairs.

Tuesday, Aug. 18

Timekeeper Register online. 8:30-11:30 a.m., Room E200C, Continuing Education. Business Affairs.

Wednesday, Aug. 19

Professional Telephone Techniques Register online. 9-11 a.m., Room 200, Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

ProCard Register online. 2:30-4:30 p.m., Room E200C, Continuing Education. Business Affairs.

Thursday, Aug. 20

Position and Workforce Management Register online. 2:30-4:30 p.m., Room E200C, Continuing Education. Business Affairs.

Coming up

Arlington Technology Association Michael McCabe, executive director of the UT Arlington Research Institute, describes how its interdisciplinary team of engineers links discovery, development, and commercialization to achieve new products, new companies, and economic impact for our region, state, and nation. Wednesday, Sept. 2

Human Resources Training Register online. Conducting Effective Meetings, 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9; Fundamental Skills for Supervisors and Managers, 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16; Partnering with Your Boss, 10 a.m.-noon Friday, Sept. 18; Leadership Skills for Supervisors, 9-11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22; Managing Stress in the Workplace, 9-11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 24; Developing Assertive Communication Skills, 9-11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29; and Advanced Supervisory Skills, 9-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30. All in Room 200, Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

Business Affairs Training Register online. Travel and Expenses, 8:30-11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25; Requisitions, 2-4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26; and Payment Vouchers, 2:30-4:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27. All in Room E200C, Continuing Education. Business Affairs.

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

Dig it: Mavericks volleyball opens the season at home hosting the Maverick Classic on Aug. 28-29.

Tickets on sale for 2015 volleyball season

Season and single-game tickets for the 2015 UTA volleyball season are on sale at utatickets.com or by calling the College Park Center box office at 2-9595.

Season tickets are $40 for all 13 home matches at College Park Center, while single-game tickets are $5 for general admission seating.

The Mavericks open the season at home hosting the Maverick Classic on Aug. 28-29. Opponents are Campbell, Grambling, and Texas A&M Corpus Christi. See the full schedule.

Sports Shorts

• The Maverick Open, formerly the Chip-N-Classic, will take place Thursday, Sept. 10, at Texas Star Golf Course in Euless. To reserve your place, contact Kris Wood at kriswood@uta.edu or 2-9613.

• Former UTA golfer Paul McConnell earned his first start on the Web.Com Tour this week after winning Monday's qualifying event for the Price Cutter Charity Championship in Springfield, Mo.

• Former Mavericks Karol Gruszecki and Brandon Edwards have signed new contracts with international basketball teams. Gruszecki inked a deal with 2015 Polish League champion Stelmet Zielona Góra, while Edwards joins Melilla Baloncesto in the LEB league in Spain.

Fall intramural sports deadlines approaching

Upcoming intramural sports deadlines are Madden NFL '15 Tournament, Monday, Aug. 31; co-rec flag football, fantasy football, and college football pick 'em, Thursday, Sept. 3; tennis, Friday, Sept. 4; foosball, Tuesday, Sept. 8; softball, Wednesday, Sept. 9; and racquetball, Friday, Sept. 11.

See the intramural sports schedule. Pick up entry forms at the Services and Information Desk of the Maverick Activities Center. For questions, call 2-3277 or email imsports@uta.edu.

(For more sports news, go to utamavs.com, uta.edu/movinmavs, or uta.edu/campusrec.)

Book club examines 'Anna Karenina' A new book club allows staff, faculty, and students to share ideas and impressions about humanity expressed in Leo Tolstoy’s classic novel Anna Karenina. The Anna Karenina Book Club will meet at noon Wednesdays in September, hosted by the Department of Modern Languages and the Department of English. Christopher Conway, chair of Modern Languages, will be the moderator. The book club will be reading the new English translation of the novel by the celebrated translator Marian Schwartz, who will give a lecture “Anna Karenina: Is it Love?” at noon Wednesday, Sept. 30. RSVP to conway@uta.edu for location and other details.

Friday, Aug. 14-Sunday, Aug. 16

Discount Rangers Tickets Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays. Visit texasrangers.com/grouptickets, click on University of Texas at Arlington, and use the password GOMAVS to get your discounted tickets. Various times, Globe Life Park. Upcoming games are Seattle Mariners, Aug. 17-18; Toronto Blue Jays, Aug. 25-27; Baltimore Orioles, Aug. 28-30. Texas Rangers.

Friday, Aug. 28

UTA Night at the Rangers Put on your Maverick blue for a night of fun when the Texas Rangers take on the Baltimore Orioles. Join fellow faculty, staff, alumni, students, and friends for a pre-game Maverick picnic from 6-7:30 p.m. on the third base concourse featuring an all you can eat barbecue buffet with water and soft drinks, and great Maverick giveaways. Game time is 7:05 p.m. Pre-game tickets are $30 for the picnic and game or $20 for the game only. For more information, go to Alumni Relations.

Welcome Back Movie: 'The Avengers: Age of Ultron' Rated R. Free admission and popcorn. Concessions for sale. Lawn seating; bring a blanket or chair. Free. 9 p.m., west lawn, Maverick Activities Center. EXCEL Campus Activities.

Ongoing

Ornament and Adornment: The Decoration and Application Techniques of African Masks Examine the design and style of decorations on African masks from the Dowdey-Campbell and Brodie African Art Collections. Gallery hours 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Through Aug. 31. Visual Resources Commons, Room 2109 of the Fine Arts Building. Art and Art History.

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