Tag: Department of Biological Sciences


A&S in the News – August 12-18

Dancer Madison Fendley finding new ways to express her art Dothan Eagle – Aug. 13 It’s not every day you meet a college student pursuing a double major in dance and political science. But Madison Fendley has a plan ‒ dance, choreograph and then maybe law school. A 2014 graduate of Houston Academy, 20-year-old Fendley is a rising junior at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Like other young dancers, she toyed with the idea of forgoing college to chase […]

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A&S in the News – August 5-11

What if we never named the shooters? NBC 9 (Denver, Colo.) – Aug. 6 It’s a question that psychologists and journalists increasingly wrestle with: Are the people who engage in public violence trying to become famous, and would it help if the media stopped naming and showing them? … There are many theories about the factors that contribute to public violence. Criminologist Adam Lankford from the University of Alabama is concerned about the power of celebrity in present day U.S. […]

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A&S in the News – July 29-August 4

Everglades Restoration Effects, Greenhouse Gases Under Study Fondriest.com – Aug. 1 The Everglades is a special ecosystem, comprising the largest subtropical wetland system in North America. But beyond its size, it is also home to an astounding array of plant and animal life, including the American alligator, American crocodile and 73 threatened or endangered species, according to the Everglades Foundation. What does the future hold for the crucial region as an ambitious Everglades restoration plan gets underway? It’s hard to […]

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Scholarships Matter: Destined for Dentistry

Scholarship recipient John Davis Diaz

From the July 2016 Desktop News | Scholarships Matter is a series of stories highlighting students in the College of Arts and Sciences who have received and been impacted by scholarships. The student featured in this story is the recipient of one College-wide scholarship, the Lauris D. Graves and Jacqueline D. Graves Endowed Scholarship. Scholarships like these are made possible by generous support from our alumni and friends. John Davis Diaz was practically raised in a dentist’s office: his dad owns his […]

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UA Researchers Receive NSF Grant to Study Everglades’ Greenhouse Gases

From the June 2016 Desktop News | Drs. Gregory Starr and Christina Staudhammer, professors in the Department of Biological Sciences, along with collaborators from Florida International University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Forest Service recently received $834,000 from the National Science Foundation to continue their study of greenhouse gases in the Everglades. They will specifically look at how changes in fresh- and sea-water levels are affecting the balance of carbon-dioxide and methane emissions in the Everglades. “Historically, the Everglades were a […]

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Students Receive Truman, Hollings, and Fulbright Awards

From the June 2016 Desktop News | Each year students from the College of Arts and Sciences prove themselves nationally, and with two Truman scholars, two Hollings Scholarships, and four Fulbright Awards, this year is no exception. Fulbright Awards The highly competitive Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for individually-designed research projects or for English-teaching assistantships. More than 11,000 applicants compete for approximately 1,500 awards each year. The program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, is the largest U.S. […]

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Debunking Major Misconceptions

English, biology majors explore not-so-obvious opportunities for graduates in their fields What can you do with an English degree? English professor Cassander Smith says she’s heard that question a lot. To help English majors figure out the answers, Smith and colleague Lauren Cardon have created a series of professional development workshops, kicking off this February. “There’s this common misconception that a degree in English is just preparing you for education, but the truth is that it’s a versatile degree and […]

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A Model Mentor

From the October 2015 Desktop News | Few people would look for a “family feeling” in a scientific laboratory, but that is what most students immediately notice in the lab of Dr. Ryan Earley. For his work in mentoring student researchers, Earley, an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, has been awarded the Chenault Research Fund Award for undergraduate research support through UA’s Honors College. This fund, created by Dr. Alice Chenault, a retired psychiatrist from Huntsville, Alabama, […]

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PBS Special Features Edward O. Wilson

From the September 2015 Desktop News | Alabama Public Television will premiere “E.O. Wilson − Of Ants and Men,” a documentary about UA alumnus and Pulitzer Prize-winning biologist Dr. Edward O. Wilson, on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 8 p.m. It will be followed by a one-hour Discovering Alabama Special about Wilson at 10 p.m. The documentary, produced by PBS International, begins with his unusual childhood in Alabama and his education at The University of Alabama. It includes footage of Wilson at […]

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Presenting Undergraduate Research

From the June 2015 Desktop News | Five undergraduates in the College of Arts and Sciences presented their research findings April 16-18 at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research. The annual event, held this year at Eastern Washington University, is dedicated to promoting undergraduate research, scholarship and creative activity in all fields of study. Arts and Sciences students who presented are: Christine Kim, psychology of Auburn; Taylor Sheeran, English and communication studies, San Antonio, Texas; Erin Hein, biochemistry and art history, […]

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