A&S in the News: September 17-23, 2017

Inns of Court Scholarship

Cheers for Sept. 17Gadsden Times – Sept. 17

Recent Gadsden City High School graduate Madeline Mills has been awarded this year’s Inns of Court Scholarship, Presiding Judge David Kimberley announced. Mills, now a freshman at The University of Alabama, recently received the $1,500 scholarship at an awards dinner…At Alabama, she majors in biology and will pursue a career in pediatric physical therapy.

International Horn Competition of America

UA musician wins international competitionTuscaloosa News – Sept. 17

The city of champions adds another to the pantheon: Horn player Joshua Williams, with one year more on his doctoral work at The University of Alabama, won out over every other player in the International Horn Competition of America, best of the best. Every one: Labor Day weekend in Fort Collins, Colorado, the Hillcrest High School graduate blew all competition away, taking first prize in the professional, rather than university, division. For the first time in its 38-year history, the pro level was won by someone who flew back to his day job as a student, said his teacher since ninth grade, and director of UA’s School of Music, Charles “Skip” Snead. It was as if a student won the U.S. Open, said Snead, who deemed it “a stunning, essentially lifetime achievement.”

North Korea

Special assistant to Reagan to discuss North Korea and nuclear weaponsCrimson White – Sept. 17

What: North Korea, Nukes and Nuts: Is Donald Trump or Kim Jong-un the more dangerous threat? Doug Bandow, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute who previously served as a special assistant to President Ronald Reagan, will be speaking about the current situation regarding North Korea and nuclear weapons … Where: ten Hoor Hall room 116.

Stephen Bannon

How Stephen Bannon looms large in Alabama’s GOP Senate raceAl.com – Sept. 17

Stephen Bannon, the former White House chief strategist and current executive chairman at Breitbart News, has zeroed in on the Alabama Senate runoff with hopes of unseating Luther Strange and delivering a blow to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s power structure … “Recent polls, if accurate, show that Moore doesn’t really need outsiders to come to his assistance,” said William Stewart, professor emeritus of political sciences at The University of Alabama.

Million Dollar Band

Former ‘Bama band member joins grandson on fieldMSN – Sept. 18

Fay Black joined her grandson for one more performance in The University of Alabama’s Million Dollar Band.
KOCO 5 (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) – Sept. 18
NBC 11 (Baltimore, Maryland)
– Sept. 18
KMBC 9 (Kansas City, Missouri)
– Sept. 18
NBC 5 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
– Sept. 18
WAPT 16 (Jackson, Mississippi)
– Sept. 18
NBC 5 (Burlington, Vermont)
– Sept. 18

Quest to Treat Parkinson’s Disease

Researchers find new path to promising Parkinson’s treatmentMedical Xpress – Sept. 19

Three researchers at The University of Alabama are part of work that is leading to a new direction for drug discovery in the quest to treat Parkinson’s disease. Findings from the study are published today in the journal Nature Neuroscience, with the UA researchers among the co-authors. “This provides real evidence for a long-sought mechanism, and, simultaneously, it provides a good rationale for a different path for drug discovery,” said Dr. Guy Caldwell, University Distinguished Research Professor in biological sciences. “This path and these ideas have been out there. This paper really brings it together and supports the evidence for those ideas.”

Trump in Alabama

Risky move by Trump in Alabama perplexes supporters, punditsAl.com – Sept. 19

Trump shook up Alabama’s special Senate election with a Tweet Saturday announcing he’ll stump in Huntsville this weekend for incumbent Sen. Luther Strange, who is viewed as the preferred candidate among the Senate establishment. . . . Added William Stewart, a professor emeritus of political sciences at The University of Alabama: “Yes, there is risk for Trump. There is never a dull moment with this president.”

Contemporary Art Gallery

Fanfare honors sculpture artistThe Lion’s Roar – Sept. 19

Fanfare will welcome the sculpting talents of Jamey Grimes to the Contemporary Art Gallery. The opening reception will be held Oct. 11 from 5-7 p.m., and Grimes’ works will be on display in CAG until Nov. 10. His interest in art became more specified to sculpture over time … While in graduate school, Grimes sought out exhibition opportunities. He has displayed work in the Woods Hall Gallery in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and the Kronos Gallery in Staunton, Virginia among others. He became a full-time instructor at The University of Alabama in 2008.

National Science Foundation

Laura Reed
Dr. Laura Reed

NSF awards $14.7 million for research to deepen understanding of Earth’s biodiversityDeath Rattle Sports – Sept. 20

Symbiotic bacteria — microbes that have close and long-term relationships with their “hosts” — are everywhere on Earth: in soil, in coral reefs, in humans … 2017 NSF Dimensions of Biodiversity Awards … Laura Reed, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa: Dimensions: Collaborative Research: Integrating phylogenetic, genetic, and functional approaches to dissect the role of toxin tolerance in shaping Drosophila biodiversity.

Republican Runoff

What to know about the Republican runoff for Jeff Sessions’ Senate seatABC News – Sept. 22

Next week, Alabama voters will head to the polls for a Republican primary runoff for the Senate seat previously occupied by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. After a first round of voting failed to yield a single candidate receiving a majority of the votes, two candidates are running for the Republican nomination in a race that has gained national prominence … According to Richard Fording, a professor of political science at The University of Alabama, this election “will continue to be influenced by Trump and that it will flat out be a referendum on his performance as president.”
ABC 11 (Raleigh, North Carolina) –  Sept. 22
ABC 7 (New York, New York) – Sept. 22
ABC 7 (San Francisco, California) – Sept. 22
ABC 7 (Chicago, Illinois) – Sept. 22
ABC 13 (Houston, Texas) – Sept. 22
ABC 6 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) – Sept. 22
ABC 30 (Fresno, California) – Sept. 22
Dot Emirates – Sept. 22

Gorgas House

Gorgas House exhibit displays life of William GorgasCrimson White – Sept. 22

History is all around The University of Alabama’s campus, from the President’s Mansion to Bryant Hospital. The history of the University is best seen in the Gorgas House Museum, found in front of Morgan Hall.  The house, established in 1831, provides a window into the University’s past. Currently, the museum’s exhibit, “William C. Gorgas and the Great War,” highlights the life of William C. Gorgas, son of Josiah and Amelia Gorgas, who lived in the Gorgas House, and the lives of Tuscaloosans during World War I.

Alabama Senate Debate

Analyzing the Republican debate for Senate (Live Interview)Fox 6 (Birmingham) – Sept. 22

This morning, we’ve shown you some of the highlights from the Luther Strange – Roy Moore debate. Now it’s time to get some perspective from our political analysts. Joining us this morning in studio is conservative commentator Chris Reid, who was recently quoted prominently in the New Yorker about this race. And joining us by Skype, Dr. Allen Linken, political professor at The University of Alabama.

Moundville Native American Festival

Moundville Native American Festival aims to celebrate, educateTuscaloosa News – Sept. 23

Organizers of next month’s Moundville Native American Festival say the goals of the event remain the same: to celebrate culture and educate guests. This marks the 29th consecutive year the festival has been held at Moundville Archaeological Park, which is 16 miles south of Tuscaloosa on Alabama Highway 69. Each year, the festival adds new vendors, performances and opportunities for visitors to learn about the culture of Southeastern Native Americans … Volunteers from The University of Alabama Museums, the city of Tuscaloosa and UA students have helped the festival run smoothly throughout the years, Rasco said.