MavWire 2016 Archive » MavWire — Monday, April 25, 2016

Men's tennis wins Sun Belt title; awaits NCAA bracket

For the first time since 2006, UTA men's tennis raised a conference championship trophy after downing South Alabama 4-1 in the Sun Belt finals on Sunday at the Pepsi Tennis Center in New Orleans.

The Mavericks, the fifth seed in the tournament, capped their memorable journey throughout the bracket with a dominating performance in singles play to clinch a position in the NCAA Tournament. Along the way, UTA had to pull three upsets as it downed No. 4 Louisiana, No. 1 Georgia State, and No. 2 South Alabama

With the win, the Mavericks set a new all-time wins record as they improved to 18-5 overall. The title is UTA's first as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. The team won the 2006 championship in the Southland Conference. 

Read more about the men's tennis championship and see more photos.

Dr. Yue Deng

UTA leads initiative to create next-generation space weather simulator to improve forecasting

Physicists at UTA are leading a $7.3 million national initiative to develop a next-generation space weather simulator capable of predicting energy distributions during events like solar flares to an accuracy of about 100 kilometers in each direction. Space weather can affect the stability of GPS and communication systems.

Yue Deng, associate professor of physics, leads the five-year project funded by the Department of Defense through the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative program. It also involves physicists from six universities.

Read more about the space weather simulator project.

Reliant powers UTA with donation of NRG Street Charge stations

UTA has joined forces with Reliant, an NRG Company, to provide students and faculty with the latest in mobile charging technology—two NRG Street Charge solar charging stations.

The 12.5-foot towers, donated by Reliant, are located near the Central Library mall and near the campus bus stop outside the College of Business.

The stations are equipped with solar panels and a collection of mobile device charging cables so users can plug in for a free charge during study breaks and between lectures.

The donation supports UTA’s commitment to provide the latest resources to support students and faculty and aligns with Reliant’s mission to power people’s lives on the go.

Read more about the Street Charge stations.

Candidates for dean of College of Engineering to visit campus

Candidates for dean of the College of Engineering will have a session open to the University community at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28, in Room 204 of the Architecture Building; 3:30 p.m. Friday, April 29, in Room 100 of Nedderman Hall; 3:30 p.m. Monday, May 2, in Room 204 of the Architecture Building; and 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 4, in Room 204 of the Architecture Building. Each candidate will speak and then answer questions.

The candidate's name will be released 24 hours in advance of his or her campus visit.

Visit the Senior Leadership Searches webpage to learn more about the dean search for the College of Engineering as details become available.

Nedderman Society Cookout honors employees Friday

The Nedderman Society Cookout will serve up burgers and information 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Friday, April 29, in the Palo Duro Lounge or the E.H. Hereford University Center.

The society, founded to recognize faculty, staff, and retirees who contribute financially to UTA, is named for President Emeritus Wendell Nedderman and his late wife, Betty. During Dr. Nedderman's 20-year tenure as president (1972-1992), the University added 21 baccalaureate, 27 master's, and 17 doctoral degree programs, and increased enrollment by more than 10,000 students.

The Nedderman Society exists in the same spirit of progress and improvement that the Neddermans exhibited. Faculty and staff who contribute to any area of the University are automatically members. If you'd like to become a Nedderman Society member, learn more about giving options.

The Nedderman Society Cookout is presented by the Office of Development and Alumni Relations and sponsored by Texas Trust.

Professional learning communities' virtual mini-conference starts today

A virtual mini-conference for UTA's professional learning communities is set for Monday-Friday, April 25-29, in an online-only environment.

The event showcases the work of the Blended Learning and Synchronous Learning Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) for the 2015-2016 academic year. These fellows are supported by the LINK Research Lab and the Office of the Provost.

Read more about the PLC virtual mini-conference.

Temporary electrical outage Sunday at Business Building

A temporary electrical outage will  occur 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, May 1, at the Business Building. The outage is required for maintenance to the building's electrical service.

The Business Building is equipped with an emergency generator that will operate during the outage but will support egress lighting and life safety only. To prevent any possible damage, Facilities Management recommends turnning off all electronic equipment including computers, scanners, and copiers before leaving for the weekend. These devices do not need to be unplugged. All refrigerators and freezers should be cleared of perishable items.

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

Step up to Blazing Race challenge

Join your fellow Mavericks for an hour-long event of wellness and competition in The Blazing Race at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 18.

Individuals or teams will race—running or walking—around campus on the two routes—low impact and high impact—to follow clues to lead them to several destinations on campus.

To register and find details, go to uta.edu/wellness.

Money Smart Week workshops, credit counseling available

The Department of Finance at the College of Business will host a series of financial literacy workshops and free credit counseling during Money Smart Week, Monday-Thursday, April 25-28.

Receive personal financial advice and credit consultations from financial services professionals 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at different locations on campus.

Professional loan officers will be available to offer personal credit report evaluations and recommendations for improvement. Attendees will obtain a free copy of their credit report and consultation.

Read more about the Money Smart Week workshop schedule.

Block Party requires Spaniolo Street closure

The annual Block Party is set for Thursday, April 28, requiring Spaniolo Drive to be closed 1-11 p.m. between First and Third streets.

To accommodate stage set-up, Moritz Plaza will be closed from Wednesday morning until Friday morning. College Park District residents and businesses should plan accordingly.

Look for updated announcements on social media and an electronic sign board on Spaniolo Drive.

The Block Party is an annual student event of live music, carnival-style treats, games, and activities.

ERB crosswalk's electronic warning system awaiting upgrade

The electronic crosswalk notification/warning system on UTA Boulevard, north of the Engineering Research Building, will be out of service for an undetermined amount of time.

Signage regarding the outage is in place, but students, staff, and faculty need to take special precautions when accessing this crosswalk to ensure all pedestrians remain safe. Facilities Management has ordered a replacement circuit board, but is unsure of the delivery schedule.

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

Tuesday, April 26

Dealing Effectively with Conflict and Confrontations Register online. 9-11 a.m., Room 200, Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

Financial Statements and the Reconciliation Process Register online. 2-4 p.m., Room E200C, Enterprise Development Building, 140 W. Mitchell. Business Affairs.

Wednesday, April 27

Effective Delegation Register online. 9-11 a.m., Room 200, Wetsel Service Center. Human Resources.

Texas American College of Sports Medicine Lecture Hirofumi Tanaka, director of the Cardiovascular Aging Research Laboratory at UT Austin, “Masters Athletes: Super Humans with Gray Hair and Wrinkled Skin?” Noon, Lone Star Auditorium, Maverick Activities Center. Kinesiology.

Social Work Colloquium Joanne Sobeck of Wayne State University, “Building Research Capacity.” RSVP to michael.olayiwole@mavs.uta.edu. 1-2 p.m., Room B107, Social Work Complex B. Research and Professional Development, Social Work.

Thursday, April 28

Finance Lab Register online. 8:30-10:30 a.m., Room E200C, Enterprise Development Building, 140 W. Mitchell. Business Affairs.

Frontiers in Science Edward F. DeLong of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, “Towards 4-Dimensional (Eco) Systems Biology in the Sea.” 1 p.m., Carlisle Suite, E.H. Hereford University Center. Biology.

Friday, April 29

Psychology Colloquium Stephan Motowidlo of Rice University, “Knowledge about the Utility of Prosocial Professionalism.” Noon, Room 110, University Hall. Psychology.

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

Monday, April 25

Administrative Professionals Day A luncheon for UTA's administrative professionals. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Bluebonnet Ballroom, E.H. Hereford University Center. Human Resources.

Friday, April 29

Baseball Mavericks vs. Louisiana-Lafayette. Tickets $5, $3 students. 6:30 p.m., Clay Gould Ballpark. Also, 2 p.m. Saturday, April 30, and 1 p.m. Sunday, May 1. Athletics.

Clavier Piano Recital Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

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

Saturday, April 30

Softball Softball Mavericks vs. Troy. Tickets $5-7, $3 students. 1 and 3 p.m., Allan Saxe Field. Also, 11 a.m. Sunday, May 1. Athletics.

The Day of the Child The multicultural celebration of children, families, and reading includes storytelling in several languages, entertainment, crafts, games, and prizes. 2-5 p.m., Maverick Activities Center. Modern Languages.

Ongoing

Faculty Creative Works Exhibit Artwork by faculty of the Art and Art History Department and posters, playbills, and a model set design by Theatre Arts faculty from their 2015 productions. Sixth floor, Central Library. Through Monday, April 25. UTA Libraries.

UTA Libraries: 'Academic Evolution: The University of Texas at Arlington' Through Aug. 31. 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.)