MavWire 2016 Archive » MavWire — Thursday, February 18, 2016

UTA to host first regional 60X30TX conference

In partnership with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, The University of Texas at Arlington announces the convening of the first comprehensive regional gathering of North Texas leaders to discuss ideas on how to meet the targets of the state’s 60X30TX educational goals, programs that have been effective to date, and potential pathways for more collaboration among all educational organizations.

"60X30 North Texas" will be from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 5, at College Park Center.

The overarching goal of the statewide higher education strategic plan calls for 60 percent of adults ages 25 to 34 to hold college degrees or certificates by 2030 in order to meet the workforce demands and intellectual capital expectations of the next generation of Texans.

The conference is open to area public school systems, community colleges and other four-year universities, business and industry, government, and nonprofit educational organizations.

Read more about the 60X30 Conference.

Town hall meetings seek feedback on 'campus carry' draft

As a follow up to UTA’s submission of its draft recommendations on implementing Senate Bill 11, known as “campus carry,” there will be two additional town hall meetings on Tuesday, Feb. 23, open to the campus community to attend and to provide feedback on UTA’s implementation plan.

The faculty meeting is at 12:30 p.m. and the student meeting is at 2 p.m., both in the Lone Star Auditorium at the Maverick Activities Center.

The draft recommendations are posted on UTA’s campus carry site at uta.edu/campuscarry along with background information and FAQs.

An online survey is available at uta.edu/campuscarry for those who cannot attend an open meeting but wish to submit their thoughts and concerns.

Dr. Samir Iqbal

Electrical engineers develop device to diagnose cancer rapidly at the cellular level, improve early detection

Samir Iqbal, associate professor of electrical engineering, has developed a novel cancer cell detection method that will improve early diagnosis through a tool that tracks cellular behavior in real time using nanotextured walls that mimic layers of body tissue.

Dr. Iqbal detailed his team's results in a recent edition of Nature’s Scientific Reports. The published results stem from a 2014 $480,000 National Science Foundation grant.

He worked on the project with Young-tae Kim, associate professor of bioengineering; doctoral candidate Muhymin Islam; and engineering students Mohammad Motasim Bellah, Adeel Sajid, and Mohammad Raziul Hasan.

Read more about Iqbal's cancer detection research.

Dr. Krishnan Rajeshwar

Researchers devise more efficient materials for solar fuel cells

Krishnan Rajeshwar, UTA Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and co-founder of the University’s Center of Renewable Energy, Science and Technology, has developed new high-performing materials for cells that harness sunlight to split carbon dioxide and water into useable fuels such as methanol and hydrogen gas. These green fuels can be used to power cars, home appliances, or even to store energy in batteries.

The new hybrid platform uses ultra-long carbon nanotube networks with a homogeneous coating of copper oxide nanocrystals. It demonstrates both the high electrical conductivity of carbon nanotubes and the photocathode qualities of copper oxide, efficiently converting light into the photocurrents needed for the photoelectrochemical reduction process.

For the solar fuel cells project, Dr. Rajeshwar worked with Csaba Janáky of the University of Szeged in Hungary and Janáky’s graduate student Egon Kecsenovity. Janaky served as a UTA Marie Curie Fellow from 2011 to 2013.

Read more about Rajeshwar's green fuels research.

Dr. Yi Hong

Engineer earns NSF CAREER grant to develop conductive bioelastomers for more effective, safer tissue engineering

Yi Hong, assistant professor of bioengineering, has won a five-year, $500,000 National Science Foundation Early Career Development, or CAREER, Program grant to develop a polymer that will allow engineers to develop a scaffold that is flexible, conductive, and biodegradable for biomedical applications such as tissue repair.

Dr. Hong’s technology is an advancement over conventional conductive polymers that are very stiff, hard to process, and non-degradable. The research holds great promise in biomedical fields such as tissue repair and drug delivery, but it also has potential to expand to biodegradable electronics and stretchable, wearable electronics.

Read more about Hong's research.

Military Times ranks UTA Top 50 Business School for 2016

The College of Business is among the top 50 best business schools for veterans in the United States, according to rankings released Monday by Military Times.

UTA serves more than 3,000 student veterans or dependents of military veterans among its more than 50,000 students. UTA placed No. 43 on the list of 77 institutions recognized for their commitment to providing opportunities to America’s veterans.

Military Times evaluated 180 institutions based on university culture, student support for military veterans, academic outcomes, quality academic policies, cost, and financial aid when conducting and scoring the fourth annual Best for Vets: Business Schools survey.

Read more about the Best for Vets recognition.

Donna Brazile at Texas Hall next week for Maverick Speakers Series

Tickets are still available to see political strategist and commentator Donna Brazile at the next Maverick Speakers Series event.

She will discuss "Politics and Beyond" 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. Tickets to a private VIP dinner with Dr. Goodall benefit the President’s Fund for Excellence at UTA.

Give input about HR training programs

The Learning and Development team of the Office of Human Resources wants your input about training courses. Take the survey, which is available through Monday, Feb. 22.

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.

Share your thoughts about 'Maverick Connection'

The Maverick Connection, published in the fall semester, contains contact information for university departments, employees, and students. Help Student Publications and Student Congress serve you better with this directory by taking this short, four-question survey about the campus telephone directory.

Health Care Professionals Night includes health fair, discount game tickets

Your heart matters at Health Care Professionals Night with a mini health fair prior to the men’s basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 20.

At 4 p.m., students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the College of Nursing and Health Innovation will promote healthy lifestyles and awareness of cardiovascular ailments, such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. February is Heart Health Month.

Use the promotion code CONHI for $5 game tickets.

Maverick Parking Garage closed this weekend

The Maverick Parking Garage will be temporarily closed for maintenance and repairs from 7 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, until 7 a.m. Monday, Feb. 22.  Maintenance and repairs will include a thorough cleaning along with lighting and signage upgrades.

For questions, call the Parking and Transportation Office at 2-3907.

Volunteers needed for Spring Job Fair

The Career Development Center needs more than 125 volunteers to help make the Spring Job Fair a success. The Job Fair is from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, at the Maverick Activities Center.

Choose a 1.5-hour shift or indicate your availability between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tasks include set-up, clean-up, carrying employer materials, escorting employers to their booths, and staffing the student check-in tables.

Register by 5 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 24.

For questions, call 2-2932 or email Alissa Anderson at alissa.anderson@uta.edu.

Emergency generator test on Friday

Facilities Management will test the emergency electrical generators on some buildings 1-2:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19.

Buildings to be tested are the Business Building, the Central Library, Chemistry Research Building, Hammond Hall, the Health Services Center, Kalpana Chawla Hall, Life Science Building, Pickard Hall, and Trimble Hall.

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

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

Don't fall for tax time scams

With tax season in full swing, so is criminal activity targeting tax refunds. The Information Security Office encourages you to file your taxes as early as possible to reduce the chance of criminal elements filing for refunds before you do.

The IRS has recognized this problem and has published Security Awareness Tax Tips.

Share the tips with your family, friends and your tax preparer. If you fall victim to tax fraud, contact the IRS right away.

Phone scam continues to target students, demands payment

A telephone scam first reported in October 2014 continues to target students and has resulted in nearly $16,000 in fraudulent payments, the UTA Police Department reports.

A scammer claims to be from the University, a government agency, or a police department and tries to collect money for unpaid debt. The caller requests payment with the purchase of a gift card or MoneyGram. The caller threatens the individual with arrest and solicits immediate payment for the alleged debts.

The telephone number used has been cloned from a legitimate agency or University office.

University officials, law enforcement, and government officials will not contact you in this manner or threaten arrest for non-payment of debts.

Always be cautious about providing your personal information over the phone especially to individuals who initiate the call. In such cases, always verify the nature of the call and offer to hang up and to call them back at a number they provide. Seek out the organization's official number and contact it directly. If you suspect attempted fraud or fall victim to it, contact your local law enforcement agency.

If you encounter this or similar scams or have information about them, contact the UTA Police at 2-3381.

Use good judgment and caution when clicking Web or email links or opening attachments. If you receive an email that appears suspicious, send it to phish@uta.edu. Do not click on the links or open attachments.

Volunteers needed for ACES

Lend a hand at the Annual Celebration of Excellence by Students (ACES), a University-wide symposium highlighting the best in student research and creativity.

Faculty, staff, and students can serve as volunteers. Shifts for morning or afternoon sessions are available. Register to volunteer.

ACES is Wednesday, March 23, in the E.H. Hereford University Center.

ARDC maintenance planned for Feb. 27

The Arlington Regional Data Center will undergo maintenance on Saturday, Feb. 27, to continue stabilizing UTA’s services in the event of a power disruption.

As a result, High Performance Computing and High Energy Physics services will be temporarily unavailable. Other services may be temporarily interrupted. In the event of a service interruption, you will be notified through the IT status page.

Subscribe to the IT Status list to receive scheduled maintenance notifications.

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. Submit nominations online through Friday, Feb. 26.

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

Friday deadline for changes 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.

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

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.

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. 18

Financial Statements & the Reconciliation Process Register online. 2-4 p.m., Room E200C, Continuing Education Building. Business Affairs.

Friday, Feb. 19

IRB Mini-Conference Learn about the Institutional Review Board (IRB) submission process and how to conduct ethical research studies with human subjects. See conference schedule and RSVP. 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., sixth floor, Central Library. Regulatory Services, Research Administration.

Managing Across Generations Register online. 10 a.m.-noon, Room 200, Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

Psychology Colloquium Craig Neumann of the University of North Texas, “Understanding Psychopathy via Variable- and Person-Centered Approaches.” Noon, Room 110, University Hall. Psychology.

Dallas Festival of Ideas Architecture Professor-in-Residence Mark Lamster moderates a panel discussion on “The Physical City.” See the schedule. Free, but registration required. Fair Park, Dallas. Also, Saturday, Feb. 20. Dallas Festival of Ideas, College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs.

Saturday, Feb. 20

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., Room 223, Maverick Activities Center. Also, Saturdays, March 5, April 9, May 21. Campus Recreation.

Tuesday, Feb. 23

Performance Management Forms and Procedures Register online. Noon-1 p.m., Room 200, Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

Travel and Expenses Register online. 8:30-11 a.m., Room E200C, Continuing Education Building. Business Affairs.

Film Screening: 'Becoming Bulletproof' A film screening and discussion about disabled actors and representations of people with developmental disabilities. Real-time captioning will be provided for the discussion. The film has open captioning and audio description. For other disability-related accommodation requests, contact Sarah Rose at srose@uta.edu or 817-272-6843. Free pizza. Free. 5 p.m., Room 108, University Hall. Disability Studies.

Wednesday, Feb. 24

Partnering with Your Boss Register online. 9-11 a.m., Room 200, Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

Black History Month Lectures Cheryl Wattley, UNT Dallas College of Law, “Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher and Her Fight to End Segregation,” noon-1 p.m., Room 200, Trimble Hall. History, African American Faculty and Staff Association.

K-12 Focused Technology Series Explore online learning in K-12 and higher education. Mobile learning and microlearning, noon-1 p.m., Room 111, Trimble Hall. Also, 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. Education.

Thursday, Feb. 25

Introduction to TracDat Register online. 3-4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, fourth floor conference room, Wade Building. Also, 4-5 p.m. Friday, March 11; 1:45-2:30.p.m. Tuesday, March 22; 10:45-11:30 a.m. Monday, March 28; 2:45-3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 31; 9:45-10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 5; 4:15-5 p.m. Wednesday, May 4; all in Room E200E, Workforce Development Building. Institutional Effectiveness and Reporting.

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

Friday, Feb. 26

UTARI Lunch and Learn Kimon Valavanis, director of the Unmanned Systems Research Institute at the University of Denver, "Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Challenges in Design for Autonomy and in Circulation Control Wing Based Aircraft." Register online. Shuttle available. Lunch provided. Noon, UTARI, 7300 Jack Newell Blvd. S., Fort Worth. UT Arlington Research Institute.

Monday, Feb. 29

Unit Effectiveness Process Refresher Register online. 11 a.m.-noon, fourth floor conference room, Wade Building. Also, 1-1:45 p.m. Tuesday, March 22; 10-10:45 a.m. Monday, March 28; 2-2:45 p.m. Thursday, March 31; 9-9:45 a.m. Tuesday, April 5; 3:30-4:15 p.m. Wednesday, May 4; all in Room E200E, Workforce Development Building. Institutional Effectiveness and Reporting.

Diversity Week: Support the Trans Community Free. Noon-1 p.m., Concho Room, E.H. Hereford University Center. Multicultural Affairs.

Coming Up

All Majors Job Fair Meet with company representatives looking for new employees. Free for students and alumni. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, Maverick Activities Center. Career Development Center.

Diversity Week: Addressing Islamophobia Amer Ahmed of University of Massachesetts-Amherst, “Addressing Islamophobia: Dispelling Myths of Break Down Barriers.” 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, Rosebud Theatre, E.H. Hereford University Center. Multicultural Affairs.

Annual Celebration of Excellence by Students The University-wide symposium highlighting the best in student research and creativity. Wednesday, March 23, E.H. Hereford University Center. Annual Celebration of Excellence by Students (ACES).

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

(For an expanded list of events, see the Events Calendar.)

Play ball: Drew Charles, top left, and LaShanda Green, right, join fellow Maverick basketball athletes in taking on Louisiana-Lafayette Thursday, Feb. 18, at College Park Center. The women's softball team, middle left, swept the UTA Invitational with a perfect 6-0 record. Joel Kuhnel, bottom left, warms up for the season-opening UTA Tournament against Oklahoma State and Stephen F. Austin this weekend at Clay Gould Ballpark.

Mavericks swept UT Arlington Invitational with 6-0 record

The softball team wrapped up play in the UTA Invitational with a perfect 6-0 record, scoring 46 runs and knocking 58 base hits during the weekend tourney.

The Maverick Invitational starts at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19, against Princeton followed by a clash at 6 p.m. South Dakota State. The tourney continues Saturday, Feb. 20, with play against Princeton at 11 a.m. and South Dakota State at 1:30 p.m. The games are at Allan Saxe Field.

Track completes regular season with solid showings

UTA track and field athletes set records with wins during a busy weekend.

Craig Lautenslager set a school record in the 5000 meters and came in second place at the Iowa State Classic.

Porschea Wilson claimed the women's 60 meter hurdles at Wichita State’s Herm Wilson Invitational. Also at Wichita, both 4x400 meter relay teams picked up victories. In team standings, the women placed second while the men were third.

The Sun Belt Conference Championships are Monday-Tuesday, Feb. 22-23, in Birmingham, Ala.

UTA cruises past Appalachian State

The men's basketball team cruised past Appalachian State 91-60 on Saturday night at College Park Center.

The Mavericks progressed to 8-5 in Sun Belt play and 17-7 on the season, which is tied for the third-best start in program history. The Mavs remain in fourth place in the Sun Belt standings.

UTA's three-game homestand continues with a visit from Louisiana-Lafayette at 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18. College of Engineering Night includes a limited COE T-shirt giveaway and touch screen gloves for the first 250 fans.

Louisiana-Monroe tips off at 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, which will be broadcast on ESPN3. Health Care Professional Night includes a health fair at 4 p.m. and limited T-shirt giveaway from the College of Nursing and Health Innovation. The doubleheader is also Boy Scouts Can Food Drive Night and Fraternity/Sorority Spirit Night.

Tickets are available at utatickets.com.

Tennis teams mark weekend wins

The men's tennis team carried its momentum through a 5-2 victory over Missouri-Kansas City last Saturday at the UTA Tennis Center. The Mavericks improved to 6-3 on the season. Up next, the Maverick men face Florida Atlantic on Friday, Feb. 19; Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday, Feb. 20; and Central Florida on Sunday, Feb. 21.

The women's team improved its home winning streak to 14 matches by sweeping Nevada 4-0 on Saturday at the UTA Tennis Center. The team returns to action on Friday, Feb. 19, against Missouri State at the UTA Tennis Center.

Lady Mavs nab fourth in a row

The women's basketball team finished strong to nab a 65-58 victory over Appalachian State on last Saturday.

The Lady Mavericks 12-11 overall and 7-6 in Sun Belt Conference play.

UTA hosts Louisiana-Lafayette at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, at College Park Center, along with Maverick Spirit Kids Day with area students. The team plays Louisiana-Monroe at 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20.

See the men's basketball story above for more game promotion details.

Baseball opens season this weekend

Maverick baseball starts its season with the UTA Tournament Friday-Sunday, Feb. 19-21, at Clay Gould Ballpark.

The team faces Oklahoma State at 11 a.m. and Stephen F. Austin at 2:30 p.m. Friday. The Mavs play OSU at 2:30 p.m. Saturday and SFA at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

Road games follow the tournament at Baylor Tuesday, Feb. 23, Louisiana Tech Friday-Sunday, Feb. 26-28, and SFA Tuesday, March 1.

Intramural deadline for racquetball, indoor soccer

Upcoming intramural sports deadlines are racquetball, Friday, Feb. 12; indoor soccer, Wednesday, Feb. 17; tennis, Friday, Feb. 19; softball, Wednesday, Feb. 24; foosball, Tuesday, March 1; dodgeball, Wednesday, March 2; MavStrong competition, Thursday, March 10; NCAA Tournament pick 'em, Thursday, March 17; NCAA Sweet 16 bracket challenge and fantasy baseball, Thursday, March 24; sand volleyball, Friday, March 25; badminton doubles, Friday, April 1; table tennis, Thursday, April 21; wheelchair football, Monday, April 25; battleship, Monday, May 2; FIFA video game, Wednesday, May 4; and poker tournament, Thursday, May 5.

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.)

Thursday, Feb. 18

Basketball Doubleheader Mavericks vs. Louisiana-Lafayette. Tickets $7-20 general public, $3 students. Maverick women's game 11:30 a.m., men's game 7:15 p.m., College Park Center. Also, vs. Louisiana-Monroe, women 5 p.m., men 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20. Athletics.

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

Maverick Musical Student teams perform Broadway-style productions to compete for cash awards. 7 p.m., Rosebud Theatre, E.H. Hereford University Center. EXCEL Campus Activities.

SAI Alumni Recital Former members of the Sigma Alpha Iota music fraternity perform. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Friday, Feb. 19

Baseball: UTA Tournament Mavericks vs. Oklahoma State, 11 a.m.; vs. Stephen F. Austin, 2:30 p.m. Tickets $5 general public, $3 students. Clay Gould Ballpark. Also, vs. Oklahoma State, 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, and vs. Stephen F. Austin, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21. Athletics.

Women's Tennis Lady Mavs vs. Missouri State. Free. 2 p.m., UTA Tennis Center. Also, vs. Sam Houston State, 10 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 21.  Athletics.

Softball: Maverick Invitational Mavericks vs. Princeton, 3:30 p.m.; vs. South Dakota State, 6 p.m. Tickets $5-7 general public, $3 students. Allan Saxe Field. Also, vs. Princeton, 11 a.m., and vs. South Dakota State, 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20; and vs. Princeton, 9 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 21. Athletics.

UTA Jazz Festival International jazz performer Denis DiBlasio headlines Friday and Saturday. Tickets $9 general public, $6 students, seniors. UTA Jazz Ensemble with Ken Edwards, adjunct instructor of trumpet, directing, 2 p.m., Bluebonnet Ballroom, E.H. Hereford University Center. Also, UTA Jazz Orchestra with Professor Tim Ishii, coordinator for the Jazz Studies, directing, 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20. Music.

Friday Night Film: 'The Good Dinosaur' Rated PG. Free popcorn. Concessions for sale. $2, $2.50 with credit card. 8 p.m., Rosebud Theatre, E.H. Hereford University Center. EXCEL Campus Activities.

Monday, Feb. 22

Guest Double Bass Recital Jeff Bradetich performs. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Friday, Feb. 26

Men's Tennis Mavericks vs. Incarnate Word. Free. 2 p.m., UTA Tennis Center. Athletics.

Opera Performance of Johann Strauss' 'Die Fledermaus' A joint production of the music and theatre arts departments. Tickets $12 general public, $9 students, seniors, faculty, staff. 8 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Also, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28. Music.

Saturday, Feb. 27

Dr. Seuss Birthday Party Celebrate beloved children's author Dr. Seuss and the joy of reading. Children can enjoy stories read by UTA students, Dr. Seuss-themed arts and crafts, face painting, puppet shows, and picture opportunities. Free. 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Palo Duro Lounge, E.H. Hereford University Center. Freshmen Leaders On Campus, Leadership Center.

Women’s Basketball on ESPN3 Mavericks vs. Arkansas. 3:05 p.m., ESPN3. Athletics.

NASA's 21st Annual Powwow Celebration of Native American culture at the scholarship fundraiser. E.H. Hereford University Center. Native American Student Association.

Sunday, Feb. 28

Men's Tennis Mavericks vs. Oral Roberts. Free. 2 p.m., UTA Tennis Center. Athletics.

Monday, Feb. 29

Vocal Division Recital Free. Noon, Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Percussion Ensemble Concert Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

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 Events Calendar.)