MavWire 2016 Archive » MavWire — Thursday, February 4, 2016

UTA named elite Research-1 university in Carnegie Classification

UTA was named in the elite group of R-1: Doctoral Universities-Highest Research Activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, the definitive list for the top doctoral research universities in the United States.

The University joins a distinguished group of 115 institutions including Harvard and Johns Hopkins in the highest research, or R-1, category.

The Carnegie Classification analyzes data from all U.S. post-secondary institutions and evaluates measures of research activity for doctoral universities in making its assessments, which are released every five years.

Read more and watch the video about UTA's research and the Carnegie recognition.

Dr. Weidong Zhou

Engineers pursue applications for ultra-thin semiconductor lasers

A new type of ultra-thin semiconductor laser under development at UTA can be integrated with mainstream electronics on the same silicon substrate with increased capacity and energy efficiency.

Weidong Zhou, professor of electrical engineering, will use a three-year, $600,000 grant from the U.S. Army Research Office to build upon advances made through previous grants he has received for printed photonic crystals and silicon “lab-on-a-chip” technology. Yuze “Alice” Sun, assistant professor of electrical engineering, is co-principal investigator.

Read more about the ultra-thin semiconductor lasers.

Donna Brazile next on Maverick Speakers Series list

Political strategist and commentator Donna Brazile will discuss "Politics and Beyond" at the next Maverick Speakers Series event.

The lecture is at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, at Texas Hall. A question-and-answer session will follow.

Brazile is an adjunct professor, author, syndicated columnist, and vice chair of voter registration and participation for the Democratic National Committee. Her work as campaign manager for Al Gore made her the first African-American woman to manage a presidential campaign. Her many accolades include the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s highest award for political achievement.

General admission is free, but tickets are required. Preferred ticket packages are available and include reserved seating, parking, and more. For all these ticket options, go to utatickets.com.

For VIP packages, contact Mark LaVelle at mlavelle@uta.edu or 2-5235.

Tickets for "Gombe and Beyond: An Evening with Dr. Jane Goodall" will be available Tuesday, March 1. Dr. Goodall will speak at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 31, at College Park Center.

Ron Paul at UTA Former Congressman shared his thoughts about freedom, politics, and the future Tuesday at UTA. After meeting with a master class in political science, Dr. Paul enjoyed dinner with alumni and VIPs. He spoke to a packed house at Texas Hall for the Maverick Speakers Series, then signed copies of his book Swords Into Plowshares and posed for a few selfies. See more photos.

Maverick Parking Garage now under UTA management

UTA Parking and Transportation Services begins management of the Maverick Parking Garage on Friday, Feb. 19.

General parking permit holders will need to renew permits online.

Reserved space permit holders must renew their permits at the parking office in the Wetsel Service Center.

Changes at the garage are:

• Gates will be removed.
• Night passes will not be available.
• General permits are $499 per semester.
• Reserved spaces permits are $599 per semester.
• The hourly rate is $3 per hour.
• A new digital parking meter will be on the first floor for hourly users.

The Maverick Parking Garage will remain a separate entity. Garage permits are not valid at UTA parking lots.

Go online for questions about the Maverick Parking Garage and to read the garage rules and regulations.

For more information, contact Parking and Transportation Services at parking@uta.edu or 2-3907.

Take yourself to the ballpark Saturday for alumni game, fundraiser

See some of UTA's outstanding baseball players from years past as well as the 2016 team on Saturday, Feb. 6.

The baseball alumni game will give fans a chance to see a number of former Mavs such as Michael Choice, Adam Moore, Preston Beck, and Dillon Gee. The game starts at noon at Clay Gould Ballpark with warmups and batting practice, during which the hitters' home runs will be tracked as part of a pregame home run derby. First pitch for the game is tentatively set for 2 p.m.

The First Pitch Fundraiser follows the game at 6 p.m. in the Justin D. Wilson Batting Facility. UTA baseball coach Darin Thomas and softball coach Kristie Fox will look back on their 2015 seasons and preview the 2016 squads. Members of the 2015 baseball and softball teams and former UTA players also will attend.

Tickets are $25 and available at utatickets.com.

For details on ticket sales for the game or the fundraiser, contact Kris Wood at kriswood@uta.edu at 2-9613.

Police Department recognized with National Night Out award

UTA has received the National Night Out All-Star Award from the National Association of Town Watch. 

The NNO All-Star Awards honor individuals, organizations, and programs for outstanding participation, leadership, and assistance during the National Night Out campaign. The All-Star Award also recognizes exceptional or innovative accomplishments.

Read more about the National Night Out award winners and look for two photos from UTA's event.

Walk 10 minutes on Feb. 10 for UT System Heart Walk

The UTA Wellness Committee invites you to to walk for 10 minutes anytime between 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, for the UT System Heart Walk. Walk around campus or the hallways in your building. There's no limit, so walk more than 10 minutes if you're so inclined.

All of the UT System locations will have events that day in recognition of Heart Health Awareness Month.

All UTA participants will receive a collector's pin. For more information, go to the UTA Wellness Committee website.

Friday deadline to register for advising conference

Advisers can explore a variety of ways to grow professionally at the 19th Annual UTA Advising Association's conference, "Professional Growth in Advising: Dig it!"

Late registration ends Friday, Feb. 5. The conference is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 16.

Questions? Email UTAAA@uta.edu.

Info sessions this week for MAVS 1000 instructors

MAVS 1000 is recruiting dynamic faculty and staff with a passion for helping first-year students succeed for the fall 2016 semester.

Informational sessions are noon today, Thursday, Feb. 4, and 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5. Both are in Room B170F in the E.H. Hereford University Center. The application deadline is Friday, March 11.

For more details, visit the First-Year Experience website or email Molly Albart at molly@uta.edu.

K-12-focused technology sessions also look at higher education

Join colleagues in exploring online learning in K-12 and higher education in the K-12-focused technology sessions, sponsored by the College of Education. All faculty and staff are invited to the sessions at noon-1 p.m. Tuesdays in Room 111 of Trimble Hall.

Upcoming topics include Twitter chats, hashtags, and social media as learning, Feb. 9; speaker Kayla Parker of Coppell ISD, Feb. 16; mobile learning and microlearning, Feb. 24; Harrison McCoy, connecting globally with technology, March 1; Makerspaces and UTA FabLab, March 8; and Jim Holland, Google Classroom, Canvas, and anything related to LMS/CMS, March 22 and 29.

For details, contact Peggy Semingson at peggys@uta.edu.

Planetarium hosts 'Romancing the Stars'

Bring your sweetheart to the Planetarium this Valentine's Day for a special event, Romancing the Stars.

The program takes a lighthearted look at the night sky and tells stories of love and devotion that can be found there.

Showtimes are 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12; 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13; and 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14.

Tickets are $12 per couple for the UTA community and Planetarium members and $15 for the general public.

Call 817-272-1183 or email planetarium@uta.edu for more information.

IRB Mini-Conference set for Feb. 19

Faculty, staff, and students can learn about the Institutional Review Board (IRB) submission process, how to conduct ethical research studies with human subjects, and more at the IRB Mini-Conference 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19, on the sixth floor of the Central Library.

Sessions include what to expect during the IRB review process, hot topics in human subject research, and a sampling of protocol case studies. Attendees can earn credits for RCR training and human subject training requirements.

See the conference schedule and RSVP. Regulatory Services and Research Administration sponsor the conference.

Sign up for Dallas Festival of Ideas

Register now for the Dallas Festival of Ideas on Friday-Saturday, Feb. 19-20, at Fair Park in Dallas.

The free program focuses on Dallas in the next century with thought-provoking programs, interactive discussions, live music, visual art, and stage performances. See the schedule.

Architecture Professor-in-Residence Mark Lamster will moderate a panel discussion with five nationally prominent speakers on “The Physical City.” He also is the architecture critic for The Dallas Morning News.

Admission is free, but registration is required. A limited number of VIP tickets are available for $195.

Nominations needed for student employee awards

Nominate your outstanding student employees for recognition and a chance to win cash awards. Nominations are due by Friday, Feb. 19.

For questions, contact the Career Development Center at 2-2932.

Submit nominations for outstanding employees by Feb. 26

Now is the time to nominate a great employee or team of employees for the Outstanding Maverick Awards.

Regular full-time and part-time employees who have been employed for a minimum of two years are eligible for nomination. Each Outstanding Maverick selected will receive $1,000 and a plaque at a dinner honoring the recipients.

Award categories are professional, para-professional, and technical; administrative support; service and maintenance; administrative and professional; and team with a maximum of 10 members.

Submit nominations online through Friday, Feb. 26.

For questions or concerns, contact Eunice Currie at 2-7091.

Mark calendars, check list for Employee Service Awards

Through the Service Awards Program, the University honors employees who have made a significant career commitment. The honorees are faculty and staff members reaching milestones of 10 years or more.

On Wednesday, April 6, the University will host a dinner at 5:30 p.m. in the Rio Grande Ballroom of the E.H. Hereford University Center to honor employees with 25 years of service. Included in this celebration will be employees who have 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50 years of service and the winners of the Outstanding Maverick Awards.

On Wednesday, April 13, the University will host a reception at 3 p.m. in the Rio Grande Ballroom to honor employees who have 10, 15, and 20 years of service. 

Employees and departments are encouraged to review the service awards list accuracy. Email any changes, additions, or deletions to hrspecialprojects@uta.edu by Friday, Feb. 19.

Commuter meal plans offered to faculty, staff

Dining Services dishes up three meal plans for faculty and staff. All include credit at the Connection Cafe and Dining Dollars to use anywhere on campus.

The three commuter meal plans range from $362 to $525 plus tax, with 21-70 meals and $100-$215 Dining Dollars. Use your MavID card to redeem meal credits and Dining Dollars.

Sign up at the University Housing Office on the main level of the E.H. Hereford University Center.

Tax help available at Central Library

Representatives of Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) are available to help with figuring out your taxes. The free service runs through Tuesday, April 12, in Room B20 of the Central Library.

Hours are 5-9 p.m. Mondays-Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturdays, and noon-6 p.m. Sundays.

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, Feb. 4

Genomics Core Facility S3 Research Product Show Meet with vendors and learn how they can help your research. Free refreshments, snacks, lunch, and product samples. 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Guadalupe Room, E.H. Hereford University Center. Science, Genomics Core Facility.

Frontiers in Science Lecture Mark Zoback, director of Stanford University's Natural Gas Initiative, "Earthquakes Triggered by Unconventional Oil and Gar Development and How to Stop Them." 4 p.m., Room 100, Geoscience Building. Science.

Friday, Feb. 5

Performance Management Forms and Procedures Register online. 2-3 p.m., Room 200, Wetsel Service Center.  Also, 9-11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 8; noon-1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23. Human Resources.

Saturday, Feb. 6

RAD Self Defense Class Self-defense course for female faculty, staff, and students. Register online. Free. 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Room 102-B, Maverick Activities Center. Also, March 26, April 9. UTA Police.

Monday, Feb. 8

Lean Six Sigma Prepare for the IASSC exam with yellow belt course. Register online. $895. 6-10 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Division of Enterprise Development.

Wednesday, Feb. 10

Black History Month Lectures Heather Thompson, University of Michigan, “Mass Incarceration,” 7 p.m., sixth floor parlor, Central Library. Also, Theron Bowman, Arlington deputy city manager, “Lawz N the Hood,” noon-1 p.m., and attorney Jermaine Watson, “The Anatomy of a Lawsuit,” 1-2 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 17, Room 200, Trimble Hall; Cheryl Wattley, UNT Dallas College of Law, “Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher and Her Fight to End Segregation,” noon-1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24, Room 200, Trimble Hall. History, African American Faculty and Staff Association.

Thursday, Feb. 11

Career Development Discussions for Managers Register online. 2-4 p.m., Room 200, Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

Coming Up

Human Resource Training Register online. Writing Effective Performance Reviews, 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17; Performance Management Forms and Procedures, noon-1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23. All in Room 200, Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

CPR/AED/First Aid Class A single, five-hour class covering the American Red Cross first aid basics, medical and environmental emergencies, adult CPR, and AED use. Registration at MAC Services and Information desk.  $50. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, Room 223, Maverick Activities Center. Also, Saturdays, March 5, April 9, May 21. Campus Recreation.

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

Top honors: Point guard Erick Neal, top, netted UTA's first triple-double in men's basketball in last Thursday's game against Louisiana-Monroe. Senior Mya Anderson, bottom, was named to the Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference Softball Team.

Neal nets UTA's first triple-double

Sophomore point guard Erick Neal etched his name in UTA's record books with the program's first triple-double in last Thursday's game against Louisiana-Monroe. Neal finished the game with a career-highs in points (27), rebounds (10), and assists (12).

The Mavericks came up short in a 99-88 loss to UL-M and fell 90-75 to Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday.

The Mavericks are 14-6 for the season and 5-4 in the Sun Belt Conference play.

Upcoming games on the road include Georgia Southern today, Thursday, Feb. 4; Georgia State Saturday, Feb. 6, and Texas State Tuesday, Feb. 9.

Anderson named to SBC preseason softball team

After nearly breaking the UTA softball season-single home run record in 2015, senior Mya Anderson has been named to the Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference Team.

UTA opens its season Thursday, Feb. 11, against Texas Southern as part of the Maverick Classic.

The tournament runs through Sunday, Feb. 14, with the Mavs hosting Texas Southern, Missouri State, Detroit, and Northern Colorado.

The Mavericks open Sun Belt Conference play March 19 with a three-game slate at home against No. 11 Louisiana-Lafayette.

Track team performs well in return to action in Houston

The UTA men's and women's track teams continued their indoor seasons Saturday with strong performances against a large field of college and unattached athletes at the Houston Invitational.

D'Undre Mitchell claimed the lone individual title for UTA, winning the 200 meters. The men's 4x400 meter relay team was first with Mitchell, Erik Martinsson, De'Vion Simpson, and Styron Williams.

UTA will head to College Station to compete in the Charlie Thomas Invitational on Friday-Saturday, Feb. 5-6.

Lady Mavs hit season high on free throws

UTA's Lady Mavs basketball team connected on a season-high 30 free throws to snap a four-game losing streak and upend Louisiana-Monroe 60-50 last Thursday. The team shot 60 percent in the game, the best performance under coach Krista Gerlich.

After losing 63-52 to Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday. the team is 8-11 in season play and 3-6 in the Sun Belt Conference.

UTA continues its road trip at Georgia Southern today, Thursday, Feb. 4, Georgia State Saturday, Feb. 6, and Texas State Tuesday, Feb. 9.

Men's tennis team sweeps matches on Saturday

The men's tennis returned to winning form Saturday with victories over Dallas Baptist (7-0) and DePaul (6-1) at the UTA Tennis Center.

The Mavericks improved to 2-3 on the season after sweeping their home-opening doubleheader. UTA dropped just one match out of 17 played.

UTA continues its four-game homestand with a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 6, against Cameron and Seminole. First serve is at 10 a.m.

February features 'Why I Love UTA' campaign by Maverick Club

Student-athletes share why they love UTA in February and encourage alumni and others to share their reasons through email, social media, and even phone calls.

Share your testimonials regarding your affection for UTA on social media (#WhyILoveUTA) or joining the Maverick Club.

The goal of the Maverick Club is to provide scholarship assistance and academic resources and to forge lifelong friendships between student-athletes, alumni, and supporters. Read more about the Maverick Club.

Intramural deadline for rock climbing, racquetball

Upcoming intramural sports deadlines are rock climbing, Wednesday, Feb. 9; racquetball, Friday, Feb. 12; indoor soccer, Wednesday, Feb. 17; tennis, Friday, Feb. 19; softball, Wednesday, Feb. 24.

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.)

'Dark' explores universe at Planetarium Explore the what, where, and infinite whys of the universe in Dark, the new show at the Planetarium at UTA. Alan Duffy, an astronomer at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research at the University of Western Australia, creates simulations of dark matter evolution inside supercomputers. He introduces the idea of dark matter, why astronomers think it exists, and explains why radio astronomy is so well-suited to its discovery. Dark showtimes are 6 p.m. Fridays and 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

Thursday, Feb. 4

Women Go Red Learn about heart disease and how to keep your heart healthy. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Palo Duro Lounge, E.H. Hereford University Center. Health Services.

Friday, Feb. 5

Friday Night Film: 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2' Rated PG. Free popcorn. Concessions for sale. $1, $1.50 with credit card. 8 p.m., Rosebud Theatre, E.H. Hereford University Center. Also, The Good Dinosaur, Friday, Feb. 19. EXCEL Campus Activities.

Flight 12 Improv Steeped in fun, the Maverick Theatre Company's Flight 12 Improv has a style that's always outrageous. Tickets $5. 8 p.m., Studio Theatre, Fine Arts Building. Also Saturday, Feb. 6. Theatre Arts.

Friday, Feb. 12

Friends of the Library Houston Faust Mount II, Oilfield Revolutionary: The Career of Everette Lee DeGolyer. 7:30 p.m., sixth floor parlor, Central Library. Friends of the Library, UTA Libraries.

UTA College Invitational Wheelchair Basketball Tournament Free. All day, Maverick Activities Center, Physical Education Building. Also, Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 13-14. Movin' Mavs.

Coming Up

Focus on Faculty Krystal Beamon, associate professor of sociology and anthropology. Noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17, sixth floor parlor, Central Library. UTA Libraries.

Third Thursday Game Night Free. 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, basement, Central Library. UTA Libraries.

Maverick Musical Student teams perform Broadway-style productions with singing, dancing, stepping, strolling, instrumentals, and other performance aspects in this unique competition. Cash awards for top three acts. 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, Rosebud Theatre, E.H. Hereford University Center. EXCEL Campus Activities.

NASA's 21st Annual Powwow Celebration of Native American culture. Saturday, Feb. 27, E.H. Hereford University Center. Native American Student Association.

Ongoing

The Gallery at UTA: 'Whew…That’s a Relief! The Madcap World of John Hernandez' A retrospective exhibition by San Antonio artist John Hernandez that spans four decades. Gallery hours 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and noon-5 p.m. Saturdays. Through March 30. The Gallery at UTA.

Planetarium Explore the secrets of the universe in the new show Dark. The spring schedule includes Astronaut, Cosmic Colors, From the Earth to the Universe, Pink Floyd, and SpacePark 360: Infinity. Through May 29. UTA Planetarium.

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