Mirrors and Mangroves

Though Dr. Ryan Earley has flown to coasts off the Caribbean Sea at least once a year for the last seven years, his meccas are not the places most tourists want to see. Instead of lying out on luxurious sandy beaches and swimming in crystal clear water, Earley spends his time knee-deep in the dark sulfured sludge of coastal mangroves—looking for a tiny fighting fish. According to Earley, the fish, commonly known as the mangrove rivulus, holds some of the […]

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‘Til the Wheels Fall Off

Twenty-two year old U.S. Army Sgt. Shaun Castle was on a training mission in Germany when the pulsing rounds of a Mark 19 automatic grenade launcher rang out unexpectedly and drastically changed the course of his life. He had been teaching a solider how to use the weapon, which was mounted on the top of a Humvee, but the soldier fired prematurely. The Humvee recoiled, and, in an instant, the brush guard of the vehicle slammed into Castle’s lower back—cracking […]

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‘Til the Wheels Fall Off

Twenty-two year old U.S. Army Sgt. Shaun Castle was on a training mission in Germany when the pulsing rounds of a Mark 19 automatic grenade launcher rang out unexpectedly and drastically changed the course of his life. He had been teaching a solider how to use the weapon, which was mounted on the top of a Humvee, but the soldier fired prematurely. The Humvee recoiled, and, in an instant, the brush guard of the vehicle slammed into Castle’s lower back—cracking […]

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‘Til the Wheels Fall Off

Twenty-two year old U.S. Army Sgt. Shaun Castle was on a training mission in Germany when the pulsing rounds of a Mark 19 automatic grenade launcher rang out unexpectedly and drastically changed the course of his life. He had been teaching a solider how to use the weapon, which was mounted on the top of a Humvee, but the soldier fired prematurely. The Humvee recoiled, and, in an instant, the brush guard of the vehicle slammed into Castle’s lower back—cracking […]

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Faculty Recognized for Outstanding Teaching

From the November 2015 Desktop News | Two professors in the College of Arts and Sciences, Drs. Paul Houghtaling and Timothy Snowden, received Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Awards from The University of Alabama’s National Alumni Association. These awards are the University’s highest honor recognizing excellence in teaching. Houghtaling is an associate professor of voice in UA’s School of Music and is the director of UA’s Opera Theatre. Under his leadership, UA’s Opera Theatre has gained national recognition as a training […]

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Nall President’s Mansion Painting Unveiled

From the November 2015 Desktop News | A painting of UA’s historic President’s Mansion by internationally recognized artist and UA alumnus Nall was recently unveiled on Nov. 9 on campus to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the mansion’s construction. The painting hangs in the lobby of UA’s Bryant Conference Center and is the first work by an Alabama artist to be installed there as part of a new public gallery of art from UA collections and Alabama artists. The University […]

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Carnegie Hall Showcase

From the November 2015 Desktop News | A composition by Tyler Grant, a sophomore in the School of Music, has been selected to be showcased at Carnegie Hall in New York City in April. “Panoramic Landscapes” will be performed by the Scarsdale, New York, High School wind ensemble under the direction of Jason Noble. It is Grant’s first work to be played at Carnegie Hall. Originally written for a brass ensemble, Grant later transcribed the three-minute concert fanfare for full […]

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Wood-Based Alternatives Fuel Scientific Collaboration

From the November 2015 Desktop News | Researchers in the Department of Chemistry, in collaboration with researchers in Germany, have developed a new way to use wood and other kinds of biomass to make chemical materials without relying on the usual non-renewable petrochemical starting materials. The idea, the researchers said, is to produce everyday products from renewable resources while remaining economically competitive and without harming the environment. Toward that end, researchers, including Dr. Anthony J. Arduengo III, the Saxon Professor […]

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Faculty Selected for 2016 Alabama-Greece Partnership

From the November 2015 Desktop News | Seven faculty members in the College of Arts and Sciences will travel to Thessaloniki, Greece, in May as part of an academic partnership with faculty members at Aristotle University. The UA faculty members have proposed projects that they will complete in partnership with Aristotle University faculty members. Dr. Ana Corbalan, an associate professor in UA’s Department of Modern Languages and Classics, will examine effects of multiculturalism and migrations in Southern Europe, comparing responses […]

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Associate Dean Named SEC Fellow

From the November 2015 Desktop News | Dr. Tricia A. McElroy, associate dean of humanities and fine arts in the College of Arts and Sciences, is among 50 Southeastern Conference faculty and administrators selected as Academic Leadership Development Program fellows by the SEC this year. The professional development program seeks to prepare academic leaders for roles within SEC institutions and beyond. McElroy is among four faculty and administrators selected from UA this year. All are participants of Leadership U, UA’s […]

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