TrailBlazer 2015 Archive » TrailBlazer — Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Nepal earthquake victims remembered in candlelight vigil Wednesday

A candlelight vigil and fundraiser are planned to show UT Arlington's support for those affected by the earthquake in Nepal.

The vigil is set for 7:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, on the library mall. The Nepalese Student Association will collect donations for disaster relief during the event.

"UTA stands united in sympathy with the people of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh in the aftermath of the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck central Nepal on Saturday," says Timothy Quinnan, vice president for student affairs. "Our thoughts are with the Nepalese community during this extremely difficult time."

The quake affected more than 6.6 million people and caused widespread destruction.

The University is assisting those directly impacted by the quake—which includes more than 300 Nepalese students—with communication with family members, expediting travel home, offering counseling and other support services, and fundraising for relief efforts.

For additional assistance or questions, contact Satu Birch of the Office of International Education at 817-272-2355.

New 'Inquiry' magazine explores genetics, space exploration, more

What can pythons, pigeons, and beetles tell us about what it means to be human? More than you might expect, according to a trio of biologists in the College of Science.

In the latest issue of Inquiry, UT Arlington’s research magazine, you can read about how researchers are using comparative genomics to better understand and explore the genetic mechanisms and evolutionary processes that make humans tick.

The spring 2015 issue also discusses new treatments for college-age students with mental illnesses; how UTA physicists are exploring the wonders of the universe from a variety of angles; and why political cartoons are key to free speech and cultural expression across the globe.

Vote early on campus for May elections

UT Arlington is an early voting site for the May 9 joint election. The polling site will be open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. today, Tuesday, April 28-Thursday, April 30, in the Maverick Activities Center.

To vote early on campus, you must be registered to vote in Tarrant County and must present an approved photo identification such as a Texas driver license or Texas election identification certificate, Texas concealed handgun license, or U.S. passport.

For more information on early voting, see votexas.org and Tarrant County elections.

Contact Student Congress at 817-272-0556 with any questions.

Leading the pack Loan Ho, left, business senior and Student Congress president, and Courtney Brocker, history/philosophy senior, tied for the Wayne Duke Leadership Award at the Leadership Recognition Ceremony last Tuesday. Dr. Duke was a longtime vice president of Student Affairs.

Money Smart Week includes financial workshops, advice

Students and members of the Arlington community can receive personal financial advice and credit consultations from 30 volunteer financial service professionals during Money Smart Week, Tuesday-Friday, April 28-May 1. 

The College of Business and the Student Money Management Center sponsor the event for Financial Literacy Month.

Workshops are offered on student loan repayment, setting financial goals, money management, and credit. Volunteers from the FDIC, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and other partners from the Financial Fitness Dallas-Fort Worth Coalition also will offer workshops.

Professional loan officers will offer personal credit report evaluations and recommendations for improvement. Attendees will receive a free copy of their credit report.

Part of Lot F6 reserved for early voters

Parking spaces in Lot F6, north of the Maverick Activities Center, will be reserved Tuesday-Thursday, April 28-30, for early voter parking.  

Parking options include permit spaces in the surrounding lots. Contact Parking and Transportation Services at parking@uta.edu or 817-272-3907.

Ambassadors take robots to campus groups

UTA Libraries is launching a new service to help campus organizations use telepresence robots outside the library.

Robot Ambassadors—library staff members—will provide training and assistance before a scheduled event, troubleshoot technical issues, and usher the robot to and from the event. Robots may be checked out for three hours at a time.

To reserve a robot or find out more, contact the Robot Ambassadors at robots@uta.edu.

Learn more about the library's robots.

Library offers digital recorders

Students can now borrow digital recorders for use in class or as part of a project.

Two Sony digital recorders can be checked out for four-hour periods. The devices are available at the technology lending station on the first floor of the Central Library. 

Other technology available for checkout includes laptops, calculators, drawing tablets, and telepresence robots.

Summit Avenue closed for water line upgrade, road resurfacing

Summit Avenue from Greek Row Drive to Fourth Street will be closed beginning Tuesday, April 28, for approximately three weeks to allow the city of Arlington to upgrade water and sewer lines and resurface the street.

Arbor Oaks tenants will need to enter their parking lot from either Kerby Drive or Fourth Street.

Bottled up Student volunteers round up plastic bottles at last Wednesday's Earth Day celebration on the University Center mall. The bottles were traded by visitors for herb plants. Earth-friendly vendors touted various recycling and green programs.

Plan around IT maintenance schedules

The Office of Information Technology performs regularly scheduled maintenance on MyMav, OIT servers, and the campus network 2-7 a.m. every Sunday. Occasionally, additional maintenance may occur between 7 a.m.- noon. The system will be unavailable during those times.

Automated software updates are the second Tuesday of each month for Microsoft products and the fourth Tuesday of each month for supported software.

Visit OIT's software update page for more information about upcoming maintenance.

FabLab lowers prices

Prices for 3-D prints have dropped from $0.35 per gram to $0.05 per gram at the UTA FabLab in the Central Library. The cost applies to the library's stock of ABS 3-D-print filament. If you bring your own roll of ABS, use of the printer is free.

Enjoy Texas Rangers games with discounted tickets

UT Arlington students, faculty, staff, and alumni can enjoy selected Texas Rangers games with discounted tickets. Visit texasrangers.com/grouptickets, click on University of Texas at Arlington, and use the password GOMAVS to get your discounted tickets.

Sign up for Involvement Fair

University departments and student organizations may sign up for a table at the summer Involvement Fair at New Maverick Orientation for transfer students.

The fairs are an opportunity for you to speak with incoming students regarding your organization, program, or service. Visit uta.edu/sao to sign up your group and for detailed information.

In balance Javier Giribet-Vargas entertained faculty and staff members at the Nedderman Society cookout Friday. The broadcast junior juggles to pay for college expenses.

UTA Bookstore open during renovations

The UTA Bookstore remains open during its renovations, which include adding a new Starbucks Café. The bookstore will be open regular hours with east and west entrances open. Park at the College Park District garages or retail lots.

University College seeks peer educators for fall term

Motivated students are needed to become peer educators with TRIO-Student Support Services and University Tutorial and Supplemental Instruction.

Peer educators are students who are successful in their courses and have completed at least one semester at UTA. All students must have an A or B in the course for which they are applying. Positions include one-on-one tutors, small group tutors/mentors, and Supplemental Instruction leaders.

If you think you would be a good peer educator, go to uta.edu/tutoringjobs.

The application deadline for all peer educator positions is Thursday, April 30.

Campus job openings on Snap Jobs

Several job openings on campus for 2015-16 are listed on SnapJobs.

The University Housing office needs a graphic design intern. Apply online for ID 8149 by 5 p.m. Friday, May 1.

For more details and to apply, go to UTA's Snap Jobs site.

Claim your Commencement tickets

Commencement tickets for students who applied to graduate in May are now available.

Detailed instructions on how to claim your graduate and guest tickets were sent to your UT Arlington email.

Visit the Commencement website for details on ticket quantities and availability. If you experience technical difficulty claiming your tickets, contact the Box Office at 817-272-9595.

Commencement ceremonies are Thursday-Saturday, May 14-16, in College Park Center.

Registration now open for summer and fall 2015

Priority registration for summer and fall terms has begun. Advising is available in your academic department.

Check for your appointment time on the registration timetable, which is available in your MyMav Student Center, along with information on whether you need to see an academic adviser before you’re eligible to register. A list of academic advising offices is online.

The MyMav schedule of classes is being updated daily. Plan to validate your course selections when registration opens.

Summer intersession begins May 20

Summer intersession begins Wednesday, May 20. Class dates are online. To register for summer intersession classes, click on the Additional Search Criteria link on the schedule of classes page. The Schedule of Classes link is on the right.

Spring final grades to be called official May 20

Final grades for the spring semester are scheduled to be available after noon Wednesday, May 20. View grades by logging in to MyMav.

When the grades are official, a notice will be posted on the Records and Registration website. Grades are sometimes viewable before all end-of-term processes are completed, so check that they have been announced as official.

You can hold your transcript order for final grades.

Transcripts available in PDF format

UT Arlington now offers transcripts in PDF format. Students can send PDF transcripts by email to another university, a potential employer, or themselves. Read more about ordering transcripts.

Berachah Home exhibit a new digital collection In an often overlooked corner of the UT Arlington campus lies a graveyard. Its flat stones are all that remain of a 67-acre complex known as the Berachah Industrial Home for the Redemption of Erring Girls. Now, UT Arlington Libraries is highlighting this piece of local history with an online pilot project of 18 digital images. The Berachah Home was established in 1903 by the Rev. J.T. Upchurch and his wife, Maggie Mae, as a place for homeless, usually pregnant, young women. The Upchurches strongly believed that mother and child should not be separated, so they helped the women learn to care for their children and taught them a trade so they could support their families. One of those trades was printing. The Berachah Home had its own printing facility and printed the Purity Journal, a periodical that campaigned against brothels and saloons, but also shared stories of redemption and salvation. Three Purity Journal covers are included in the online collection. The Berachah home closed in 1942, and the land was sold to Arlington State College (now UTA) in 1963. UTA Libraries Special Collections acquired the Berachah Home materials in 1982 and 1984. The digital collection is the first in what UTA Libraries hopes will be many more digital projects supported by Omeka, a content management and Web publishing tool.   See the Berachah Home digital exhibit. For information about the home or the project, contact Special Collections at spcoref@uta.edu or 817-272-3393.

Tuesday, April 28

String Chamber Ensembles Recital  Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Thursday, April 30

UTA Choir Concert Tickets $9 for adults, $5 for students and seniors. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Friday, May 1

Baseball Mavericks vs. Arkansas-Little Rock. Tickets $5-7; $3 students. 6:30 p.m. Also, 2 p.m. Saturday, May 2; 1 p.m. Sunday, May 3. All at Clay Gould Ballpark. Athletics.

Guest Bass Recital Nick Scales of West Texas A&M performs. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Saturday, May 2

Softball Mavericks vs. Texas State. Tickets $5-7; $3 students. 1 and 3 p.m. Also, noon Sunday, May 3. All at Allan Saxe Field. Athletics.

Monday, May 4

BFA Art Exhibit The work of 43 Bachelor of Fine Arts candidates includes painting, drawing, sculpture, glass, printmaking, film/video, photography, digital imaging, and visual communication. Hours 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, noon-5 p.m. Saturdays. Through Saturday, May 16. The Gallery at UTA.

Friday, May 8

Baseball Mavericks vs. Appalachian State. Tickets $5-7; $3 students. 6:30 p.m. Also, 2 p.m. Saturday, May 9; 1 p.m. Sunday, May 10. All at Clay Gould Ballpark. Athletics.

UTA Dance Ensemble Recital $5 with student ID, $7 general admission. 8 p.m., Mainstage Theatre. Also, Saturday-Sunday, May 9-10. Theatre Arts Department.

Coming up

Commencement The Class of 2015 graduates. Tickets required. Thursday, May 14, 7 p.m., College of Nursing and Health Innovation. Friday, May 15; 11 a.m., School of Urban and Public Affairs/School of Social Work/University College/School of Architecture; 3 p.m., College of Science; 7 p.m., College of Liberal Arts. Saturday, May 16, 11 a.m., College of Business; 3 p.m., College of Engineering; 7 p.m., College of Education. All at College Park Center. Commencement.

Ongoing

MavsArt The semi-annual UTA community art show features 67 works by 25 artists who are UTA students, faculty, and staff. Through May 15. UT Arlington Libraries, MavsArt.

Special Collections: !Viva Mexico! A Comic Book History of Mexico A rare look inside the rise of comic books in 20th century Mexico, their literary, cultural, and entertainment value, and influence by the Mexican government. Hours 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, sixth floor, Central Library. Through Aug. 8. UT Arlington Libraries Special Collections.

Juneteenth in Texas: 150 Years of Freedom More than 60 photographs explore issues of Texas African-Americans from Emancipation to the Civil Rights era. Hours 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Through Aug. 9. Sixth floor, Central Library. Center for Greater Southwestern Studies.

Planetarium The spring schedule features Black Holes, Dynamic Earth, Pink Floyd, Secret of the Cardboard Rocket, and Spacepark 360: Infinity. Planetarium.

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

Tuesday, April 28	Advising: Prepping for Finals Free. 1:30 p.m., first floor lobby, Ransom Hall. Also, 11:30 a.m. Thursday, April 30; 10:15 a.m. Friday, May 1. University Advising Center. UTARI Seminar Kevin Schug, right, the Shimadzu Distinguished Professor of Analytical Chemistry and Shimadzu Science Advisor to the Vice President for Research, presents “New Vacuum Ultraviolet Spectroscopy Detector for Analysis of Volatile and Semivolatile Organic Compounds.” RSVP to ride shuttle. Lunch included. Free. Noon-1 p.m., boardroom, UTARI, 7300 Jack Newell Blvd. S. UT Arlington Research Institute.
Thursday, April 30	Mavs Talk: Grief Register or join day of event. 3:30-4:30 p.m., Room 104, Preston Hall. Counseling and Psychological Services. Biology Colloquium David Pollock of the University of Colorado Denver, "Molecular Convergence, Adaptation, and Coevolution." Free. 4-5 p.m., Room 124, Life Science Building. Biology. Mathematics Lecture David Eisenbud of the University of California, Berkeley and director of the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute presents “Counting From Infinity: A Non-Technical Account of a Mathematical and Personal Triumph.” Clips of the movie Counting from Infinity: Yitang Zhang and the Twin Prime Conjecture shown. Free. 5-6 p.m., Room 100, Nedderman Hall. Office of the Provost.
Friday, May 1	Materials Science and Engineering Seminar Anton Malko of UT Dallas presents "Quantum Phenomena to Applications in Energy Sustainability." 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Room 104, Engineering Research Building. Materials Science and Engineering. Flying with SOFIA M.H. Tykoski, an eighth-grade science teacher in Wylie, tells about her flight on the SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy. 5:30 p.m. reception, 6 p.m. lecture, Planetarium. Planetarium.
Wednesday, May 6	Arlington Technology Association George Siemens, right, executive director of the Learning Innovation and Networked Knowledge (LINK) Research Lab, explores how education is changing due to massive open online courses (MOOCs), big data, digital networks, and the Internet. Light breakfast provided. RSVP. Free. 7-8 a.m., Room 100, Nedderman Hall. Arlington Technology Association.
Thursday, May 7	Social Work Colloquium Jeffrey Jenson is guest speaker at the Colloquium on Agency Collaboration and Community-Based Human Service Innovation. He will discuss the public health approach for preventing child and adolescent health and behavior problems and preventive interventions aimed at promoting positive youth development. Dr. Jenson is the Philip D. and Eleanor G. Winn Professor for Children and Youth at Risk at the University of Denver. Register online. 1-4 p.m., Room 107, Social Work Complex General Academic Building. Social Work.
Coming up	U.S. Manufacturing Symposium The symposium is a Walmart initiative to create affordable, flexible, automated solutions to bring manufacturing back to the United States. See the schedule. Admission $35, $120 for exhibitors; 25 free passes for students. Wednesday, June 3, UTARI, 7300 Jack Newell Blvd. S., Fort Worth. UT Arlington Research Institute.
Ongoing	Career Development Job search assistance, including resume reviews and interview and networking tips; employer events, such as information sessions and on-campus interviews; and career development assistance are provided. Upcoming events are on the website. Call 817-272-2932 for an appointment. Career Development Center. Center for Students in Recovery Celebrate Recovery 12-step meeting, 7 p.m. Tuesdays, Room 107, Social Work Building; and student-led, open Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting, noon, Wednesdays, Room 314, Central Library. Center for Students in Recovery.
(For an expanded list of events, see the UTA calendar.)

Here's the pitch: Pitchers, from left, Chad Nack, Brad Vassar, and Joel Kuhnel gave strong performances in the weekend series against Louisiana-Lafayette.

Baseball team swept in weekend series

The Mavericks scored only three runs in dropping all three games of a weekend series at Louisiana-Lafayette.

UTA received strong pitching performances from Chad Nack, Brad Vassar, and Joel Kuhnel but lost 5-0 in Game 1, 3-2 in Game 2, and 4-1 in the finale.

The Mavericks are 17-25 overall and 8-13 in the Sun Belt Conference. They visit Houston Baptist today Tuesday, April 28, before hosting Arkansas-Little Rock for three games Friday-Sunday, May 1-3, at Clay Gould Ballpark.

Mavericks drop doubleheader at Troy

The softball team lost a doubleheader 5-3 and 9-4 to Troy on Sunday in Troy, Ala. Saturday’s game was canceled due to inclement weather.

The Mavericks left 15 runners on base in the two games. Senior Nina Villanueva extended her streak of reaching base safely to 23 games with a hit in each contest.

UTA is 27-24 overall and 8-12 in the Sun Belt Conference. The team returns to action this weekend when it welcomes Texas State for a three-game series beginning Saturday, May 2, at Allan Saxe Field. Senior Day is scheduled for noon Sunday, May 3.

Track teams impressive in regular season finale

The women’s and men’s track and field teams wrapped up the outdoor regular season with strong performances Saturday at the Bobcat Classic in San Marcos.

Sophomore Tamerah Gorham finished first in the 800 meters while teammate Latricia Brooks was second. In men’s action, junior Roland Sales won the high jump.

The Mavericks compete in the 2015 Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships beginning Friday, May 8, in Gulf Shores, Ala.

Golf team second in Sun Belt Championship

A late surge vaulted UTA to a runner-up finish at the Sun Belt Men's Golf Championship last Tuesday in Miramar Beach, Fla.

The Mavericks began the final round tied for fourth and dropped several spots before a nice run on the back 9 moved them up the leaderboard. UTA shot a 1-over-par 285—the second best round of the day—to complete a plus-13 865.

Freshman Aaron Guanlao paced the Mavericks with an eighth-place individual finish.

Intramural deadlines include FIFA video game

Upcoming entry deadlines for intramural sports include FIFA video game, Wednesday, May 6, and poker tournament, Thursday, May 7.

See the intramural sports schedule. Pick up entry forms at the Services and Information Desk of the Maverick Activities Center. For questions, call 817-272-3277 or email imsports@uta.edu.

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