Dialog, UA Faculty and Staff News

Museum of Natural History to Host River Walk Activities
Paleontology Volunteers Wanted
UA Fossil Facts
Moody Gallery Exhibiting MFA Students' Art
Research Advisory Committee Grants Deadline Nearing
FRC Announced Workshops
School of Music Schedules Performances

Museum of Natural History to Host River Walk Activities

Pascagoula River, Mississippi

Cahaba River, Alabama

Long Creek Falls, South Carolina

The Museum of Natural History will host the photographic exhibit "River Walk: A Journey Toward the Future of Southern Rivers" Jan. 18-May 5 in Smith Hall. Featuring full-color photographs by Beth Maynor Young and a strong educational message by freelance journalist Jennifer Greer, the exhibit explores the animals, plants, and habitats of aquatic areas and presents biodiversity, watershed management, and other water resource issues. With the exhibit, the museum will offer related programs such as canoeing, white water rafting, fly-fishing, and riverboat cruising. From the canyon streams and waterfalls of the Southern Appalachians to the deltas and swamps of the Coastal Plain, "River Walk" identifies and illustrates the fragility, beauty, and sacredness of Southern rivers, and provides steps for protecting waters for future generations. For details, call 348-9473.

Young, founder of Cahaba River Publishing and former staff photographer for the Southern Progress Corp., publisher of Southern Living magazine, has dedicated her work to creating an identity of the South’s remnant wild places. "River Walk" is organized by the Anniston Museum of Natural History, through the contributions of the Alabama Power Foundation; Jemison Investment Co., Inc.; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; The Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation, Washington D.C.; Alagasco; BellSouth; and the Anniston Water Works and Sewer Board. Through a contribution from Alagasco, "River Walk" will travel to museums and institutions throughout the Southeast.

Paleontology Volunteers Wanted

The Alabama Museum of Natural History on the UA campus is looking for fossil lovers and paleontology buffs who would like to train as paleontology volunteers. The museum is offering short courses in the area of paleontology to provide education and training. Volunteers may choose lab or field work. The courses are free and scheduled according to demand during days, nights and weekends. For more information, contact Dr. Ed Hooks at 348-2319 or ehooks@biology.as.ua.edu.

Courses are:

Introduction to Paleontology (one four-hour lecture, prerequisite for all other courses)
Introduction to Laboratory Techniques
Advanced Lab Techniques
Introduction to Field Techniques (a one-day field trip; required for all field volunteers)
Advanced Field Techniques (one four-hour lecture/lab required for all field supervisors. Minimum age 18).

UA Fossil Facts

More than half the history of complex life forms on Earth is recorded in Alabama rocks.
More dinosaur remains have been recovered in Alabama than in any other eastern state.
UA has one of the largest fossil collections in the southeastern United States.

Moody Gallery Exhibiting MFA Students' Art

Works by Master of Fine Arts candidates Wanrudee Buranakorn and Terrell Nicholson-Taylor will be featured in an exhibition at the Sarah Moody Gallery of Art in Garland Hall Feb. 1-March 17. An opening reception is scheduled for Feb. 1 from 6-8 p.m. Buranakorn uses the figure to illustrate the captured moment in her photography, while Nicholson-Taylor investigates ideas of transformation and time in her installation of collage/panel paintings entitled "Sequence." Gallery hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and Sunday, 2-5 p.m. For more information, call 348-1891.

Research Advisory Comittee Grants Deadline Nearing

The Research Advisory Committee is currently accepting applications for research grant funding. The grants, available for full-time permanent UA faculty and staff, are awarded in amounts up to $5,000, for grant-in-aid (salary for all or part of the summer), assistants, supplies, equipment, books and travel. Mini-grants of $500 or less are also available. Details of the procedures, priorities and restrictions used by the committee in awarding research funds are printed in the committee manual, which can be requested from Rhonda Hester in the Office for Sponsored Programs, 152 Rose Administration Building, or call 348-4881. The deadline for applications is Thursday, Jan. 31.

FRC Announces Workshops

The Faculty Resource Center has announced its spring 2002 technology workshops and seminars designed to enhance teaching. The FRC will offer WebCT, PhotoShop, DreamWeaver, FireWorks, Flash, PowerPoint and Video Production. Although the workshops this semester will be geared primarily toward advanced users, there are also some workshops for beginners. Go to http://frc.ua.edu/seminars.html for more information and to register, or call Lennie Schmandt at 348-6095.

School of Music Schedules Performances

The UA College of Arts and Science's School of Music has scheduled two upcoming musical events. William Kanegiser will give a guest guitar recital Tuesday, Jan 22. Tickets are $10 general admission, and proceeds from the concert will underwrite future guitar events. The program will include compositions by Bela Bartok, Leo Brouwer, W.A. Mozart, J.S. Bach and more. Kanegiser is recognized as one of America’s most brilliant guitarists.

Aleck Karis will be the guest pianist in a free recital Tuesday, Jan. 29. The program will include "Images, Book II" by Claude Debussy, "Might Fantasies" by Elliott Carter, "Toccata in E Minor" by J. S. Bach and "Harrison’s Clocks" by Harrison Birtwistle. Both recitals will be at 7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall of the Moody Music Building. For more information, call 348-7111.