MavWire 2016 Archive » MavWire — Thursday, February 25, 2016

Dr. Christian Zlolniski

Zlolniski appointed to Coordinating Board committee on Mexican American studies

Christian Zlolniski, associate professor of sociology and anthropology and director of the Center for Mexican American Studies, has been appointed to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Mexican American Studies Field of Study Advisory Committee.

The 10-member committee will identify the block of courses that can transfer to a general academic teaching institution and must be substituted for that institution's lower division requirements for the Mexican-American Studies degree program.

Dr. Zlolniski joined UTA in 2001. He holds an undergraduate degree in philosophy and master’s and doctoral degrees in cultural anthropology.

Read more about Zlolniski's appointment.

Dr. Samir Iqbal

Electrical engineering professor elected fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry

Samir Iqbal, associate professor of electrical engineering, has been named a fellow of the prestigious Royal Society of Chemistry, the United Kingdom-based association representing more than 50,000 of the world’s leading chemical scientists.

Dr. Iqbal was honored for his expertise in chemical and biological analysis. He is an expert in nanotechnology and biosensors with a substantial portfolio of work in the area of cancer detection at the molecular level.

He holds appointments in the College of Engineering’s electrical engineering and bioengineering departments and is an adjunct professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. He won a National Science Foundation CAREER Award in 2009 to develop new methods of detecting and isolating cancer biomarkers to improve the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

Read more about Iqbal's honor.

Dr. Muthu Wijesundara

UTA Research Institute, U. Pittsburgh researchers to develop automated seat cushion to aid in ulcer prevention

Researchers from the UTA Research Institute, or UTARI, and the Human Engineering Research Laboratories, or HERL, at the University of Pittsburgh are developing an automated seat cushion designed to prevent pressure ulcers in wheelchair users.

The $740,000 project—funded through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program Department of Defense and awarded by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity—is focused specifically on relief for wheelchair users whose impairments were caused by spinal cord injuries or other neurological complications.

UTARI’s Biomedical Technology Division, led by principal research scientist Muthu Wijesundara, will work with HERL Director Rory A. Cooper to develop the smart seat cushion technology.

Read more about the smart cushion research.

Donna Brazile talks tonight at Texas Hall

Tickets are still available to see political strategist and commentator Donna Brazile at today's Maverick Speakers Series event.

She will discuss "Politics and Beyond" at 7:30 p.m. today, 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. Go to utatickets.com.

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

Tickets for Jane Goodall available Tuesday

Tickets to see primatologist and conservationist Jane Goodall for the Maverick Speakers Series are available starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 1, at utatickets.com.

"Gombe and Beyond: An Evening with Dr. Jane Goodall" begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 31, at College Park Center. A student question-and-answer session follows the event.

A United Nation's Messenger of Peace and one of the world’s foremost experts on chimpanzees, Dr. Goodall is best known for her more than five decades of scientific exploration on the behavior of wild chimpanzees at Gombe National Park, which redefined the relationship between humans and animals.

She is the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and its environmental and humanitarian youth program, Roots & Shoots.

Today Dr. Goodall travels nearly 300 days each year, devoting herself to conservation and animal welfare issues while sharing stories of hope and inspiring millions globally to make the world a better place for all living things.

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.

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. The survey is online through Friday, Feb. 26.

Trinity South lot reserved Thursday afternoon, evening

Trinity South parking lot will be reserved the afternoon of Thursday, Feb. 25, for preferred parking for the Maverick Speakers Series event. Political strategist and commentator Donna Brazile speaks at 7:30 p.m. at Texas Hall.

Emergency generator test on Friday

Facilities Management will test the emergency electrical generators on some buildings 1-2:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26.

Buildings to be tested are Davis Hall, Engineering Lab Building, Engineering Research Building, Geoscience Building, Nedderman Hall, Science Hall, and University 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.

MavsArt exhibit deadline extended to Monday

Whether you paint, take photos, sculpt, or merely doodle, show your artistic side in UTA Libraries' MavsArt spring exhibit.

Artwork in two- and three-dimensional forms will be accepted. Submission deadline is Monday, Feb. 29.

Questions? Email janeth.colmenero@uta.edu or visit the MavsArt website.

Submit nominations for outstanding employees by Friday

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.

ARDC maintenance planned for Saturday

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.

You can help with transition to new email system

Volunteer to be part of the Office of Information Technology's email service upgrade. If you would like to have your email and calendar moved early to the new system, fill out the Request to Move Early form on the Exchange Upgrade website.

To prepare your mailbox for the Exchange 2013 Migration, spend a couple of minutes a day to organize and manage your current mailbox.

For the latest updates, detailed instructions, recommendations, and further information on what to expect, visit uta.edu/exchangeupgrade.

For specific questions, contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@uta.edu or 2-2208.

Sign up to volunteer at 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.

Plan now for power outage March 18-20

Facilities Management has scheduled an electrical outage to complete major electrical upgrades/modifications Friday-Sunday, March 18-20.

Buildings affected include the Architecture Building, Engineering Lab Building, Fine Arts Building, Geoscience Building, Nanofab Building, Nedderman Hall, and Woolf Hall.

Emergency generators will support egress lighting, life safety, and all research facilities currently connected to a generator. All buildings will remain locked during the outage.

On Thursday, March 17, clean out all refrigerators and freezers and turn off and unplug electrical devices. Many devices remain in a standby mode or use power even when turned off. If items are plugged into power strips, simply turn off the power strips.

Questions? Contact Toby Buhrkuhl at 972-832-1490 or Jeff Johnson at 817-798-8456.

Thursday, Feb. 25

Introduction to TracDat Register online. 3-4 p.m., 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. UTA 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.

Tuesday, March 1

K-12 Focused Technology Series Explore online learning in K-12 and higher education. Harrison McCoy, connecting globally with technology, noon-1 p.m., Room 111, Trimble Hall. Also, Makerspaces and UTA FabLab, March 8; and Jim Holland, Google Classroom, Canvas, and anything related to LMS/CMS, March 22 and 29. Education.

All-Majors Job Fair Students and alumni meet with company representatives looking for new employees. 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Maverick Activities Center. Career Development Center.

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

Wednesday, March 2

Arlington Technology Association Sahadat Hossain and Melanie Sattler of UTA’s Solid Waste Institute for Sustainability, “Making Landfills More Useful: Giving Worth to Trash.” Light breakfast provided. RSVP. Free. 7-8 a.m., Room 100, Nedderman Hall. Arlington Technology Association.

Women’s History Month Lecture Lisa Tetrault of Carnegie Mellon, “The Myth of Seneca Falls.” Noon, sixth floor parlor, Central Library. Women’s and Gender Studies, Women's History Month.

Diversity Week: 'The Kids Are All Right' This half-hour documentary follows a renegade Jerry's Kid, Mike Ervin, a Muscular Dystrophy Association poster child in the 1960s and now an outspoken disability rights activist. A discussion about charities follows. Free. Noon, Concho Room, E.H. Hereford University Center. Office for Students with Disabilities, Disability Studies.

Saturday, March 5

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, April 9 and May 21. Campus Recreation.

Coming Up

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.)

Time and distance: At top, Tamerah Gorham, left, and Craig Lautenslager are two of the Mavericks who made their mark at the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship. The men's team came in second overall, and the women's team earned sixth place. Baseball and softball fans can buy individual or season tickets at utatickets.com.

Men place second, women finish sixth at SBC Indoor Track, Field Championships

The Maverick men finished second and the women sixth in the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships on Monday and Tuesday in Atlanta, Ga.

Roland Sales won the SBC indoor high jump for the second year. Christian Schiemann won the shot put portion of the heptathlon with a throw of 45 feet, ¼ inch, setting an all-time SBC Championship record.

Freshman Alexus Henry cleared 5 feet, 11½ inches in the high jump of the pentathlon, breaking UTA and SBC records.

Craig Lautenslager led a trio of Mavericks in the 5000 meter with Eric Ojeda in second place and Michael Guerrero third.

The Mavs won in both distance medley relays. The women's team was Tamerah Gorham, Shaniece Prevot, Latrice Brooks, and Katelyn Hayward, and the men's team included Joel Duren, Erik Martinsson, Simba Walker-Williams, and Grant Copeland.

Mavs make history in reaching 10-0

For the first time in UTA softball history, the program is 10-0 to start the season after sweeping a doubleheader at Allan Saxe Field on Saturday.

The Mavericks completed the feat behind a pair of run-rule wins in the Maverick Invitational. UTA beat Princeton 9-1 in the first game before blanking South Dakota State 8-0. The perfect start bested a 9-0 open to the 1980 season.

UTA hits the road for an eight-game road trip that begins at the Charleston Southern Tournament on Friday-Sunday, Feb. 26-28, followed by a visit to Southeastern Louisiana Friday-Saturday, March 5-6.

Sports shorts

• A winning streak continued for the women’s tennis team with 16 victories after Sunday’s defeat of Sam Houston at the UTA Tennis Center. The first road trip is against Central Florida on Saturday and Miami on Sunday.
• The Lady Mavs claimed the program’s 600th win by defeating Louisiana-Monroe 40-32 Saturday at College Park Center. UTA is 13-12 overall and 8-7 in conference play. Next are games at Arkansas-Little Rock on Thursday and Arkansas State on Saturday.
• The baseball team blased Baylor 9-2 Wednesday in Waco. UTA heads to Louisiana Tech for a three-game series beginning Friday.
• The UTA men’s basketball team remains in fourth place in the Sun Belt Conference at 9-6 in league play after Saturday's 64-61 loss to Louisiana-Monroe at College Park Center. The Mavs travel for games at Arkansas-Little Rock on Thursday and Arkansas State on Saturday.
• The men’s tennis team ended a three-match trip by defeating Central Florida on Sunday.
• The Maverick golf team tied for ninth in the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate tournament. The Mavs play in the Louisiana Classics beginning Sunday in Lafayette, La.

Intramural deadline for foosball, dodgeball

Upcoming intramural sports deadlines are 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.)

Annual Powwow includes dance, music, art, films; UTA named to Top 200 list for Native Americans Hundreds of members of Native American nations indigenous to Texas, Oklahoma, and surrounding states will celebrate dance, singing, storytelling, music, and art during the 21st Annual Scholarship Benefit Powwow. The event is 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, in the Bluebonnet Ballroom of the E.H. Hereford University Center. Admission is free and open to the public. Other highlights include traditional drumming and dancers in full regalia. The clothing is considered a unique expression of spirit, often comprised of heirlooms and other articles handmade by family and friends and handed down from generation to generation.  The Powwow will host a film festival 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. In addition to a tribute and ceremonial prayer for Native warriors and all military service people, the Powwow will honor the life and contributions of the late Dr. Rodney Stapp, a member of the Comanche Nation. The American Indian Science and Engineering Society’s Winds of Change magazine named UTA to the 2015-16 Top 200 Colleges for Native Americans list. The schools are presented in alphabetical order by state and are not ranked. UTA is the only UT System school to be named to the list. The Powwow is sponsored by the UTA Native American Student Association, which is the oldest continuously running college Native student group in Texas.

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.

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.

Tuesday, March 1

Basketball Doubleheader Mavericks vs. Texas State. Foam hats, Texas trivia game, Texas music. Tickets $7-20 general public, $3 students. Maverick women's game 5 p.m., men's game 7:15 p.m., College Park Center. Also, vs. South Alabama, Military Appreciation Night, dog tag giveaways, Thursday, March 4; and vs. Troy, Senior Night, Faculty/Staff Night, Saturday, March 6. Athletics.

Friday, March 4

Baseball Mavericks vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Tickets $5 general public, $3 students. 6:30 p.m., Clay Gould Ballpark. Also, noon and 3 p.m. Saturday, March 5, and 1 p.m. Sunday, March 6. Athletics.

Spring Concert with Echosmith “Cool Kids” Echosmith bring their dance-rock-influenced sounds to campus. Tickets $15 faculty/staff, $10-25 students, $25 general public; limited to four per person. 8 p.m., Texas Hall. University Events, EXCEL Campus Activities, Division for Student Affairs.

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.

UTA Libraries: 'Score' Using Special Collections photos, the exhibit showcases the early days of baseball, basketball, and track; the end of Maverick football; and Olympians and Paralympians from UTA. Through April. Also,"Academic Evolution: The University of Texas at Arlington” runs through August. Sixth floor, Central Library. UTA Libraries.

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.)