The University of Alabama

10/07/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/07/2024 07:18

UA Preview — Oct. 7-13, 2024

BEST BETS

Fighting Food Insecurity

The 31st annual Beat Auburn Beat Hunger food drive kicked off Oct. 4 at The University of Alabama. The drive runs through Nov. 21 and results will be announced the following day.

Why This Matters: The Beat Auburn Beat Hunger food drive aims to raise awareness about food insecurity while collecting donations for the West Alabama Food Bank. According to Feeding America, one in six people, including one in four children, struggle with food insecurity in Alabama.

For more information, contact Bryant Welbourne at [email protected].

Developing Leaders

Sean Coffman Atchison, a May 2024 graduate, has been named a Fulbright-John Lewis Civil Rights Fellow.

Why This Matters: Atchison was one of 29 awardees from around the nation selected to receive the fellowship that is a new part of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. This new fellowship provides access to activities such as a dedicated lecture series, leadership training and other professional development activities, as well as a capstone seminar after the completion of each awardee's Fulbright Program. These activities are in addition to, and complement, the fellows' Fulbright projects.

For more information, contact Bryant Welbourne at [email protected].

Legends in the Making

UA is again waiving application fees for domestic and international undergraduate, graduate, online prospective students and students applying to UA Early College from Oct. 7-11.

Why This Matters: UA aims to empower prospective students during Free App Week by removing the financial barriers that may keep them from applying for admission.

For more information, contact Jennifer Brady at [email protected].

Upcycling Waste

In a recently awarded grant project led by UA, researchers will upcycle agricultural and industrial waste into affordable and greener construction materials.

Why This Matters: Many rural and poor communities grapple with the intersection of a changing climate and industrial waste. The NET technology proposed has the potential to help remove hazardous materials and generate new jobs and revenue while also contributing to the global effort to reduce carbon emissions.

For more information, contact Jessica Nelson at [email protected].

Inspiring Storytellers

The College of Communication and Information Sciences unveiled the Holle Center for Communication Arts, an incubator and collaborative space for modern storytelling.

Why This Matters: The work of the Holle Center is guided by a commitment to advance narratives through innovative and arts-informed research, community engagement and creative co-operation. The center, located on the fourth floor of Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium adjacent to the Digital Media Center, features a collaboratory for digital storytelling that includes a podcast studio, editing workspace and cyclorama - a panoramic, cylindrical backdrop for filming.

For more information, contact Alex House at [email protected].

Understanding Drought Impacts

In a recently published study, UA researchers at the Center for Complex Hydrosystems Research conducted a comprehensive analysis to determine the impact of drought on hydropower generation during the 18-year period and identify the relative vulnerability of each state to drought.

Why This Matters: Researchers found a considerable decline in hydroelectric power between 2003 and 2020 at a cost of an estimated $28 billion to the sector nationwide. Hydropower facilities not only lost out on revenue, but the energy deficit then had to be purchased from other utilities.

For more information, contact Jessica Nelson at [email protected].

EVENTS

Fiction Collective Two 50th Anniversary Reading

Oct. 7; Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center

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The University of Alabama strives to remain neutral on public policy issues. Strategic Communications may facilitate interviews or share opinions expressed by faculty, staff, students, or other individuals regarding policy matters. However, those opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the University or its leadership, and do not constitute a statement on behalf of the University unless explicitly designated.