Accolades

First Dystonia Scholars Named at UA

UA undergraduate students Emily Kay Woods and John Ricketts have been honored for their scholarship and research.

UA biology students John Ricketts and Emily Kay Woods, both from Birmingham, have been named the first Alabama Dystonia Scholars.

Ricketts, a University Honors Program student, and Woods, an International Honors Program member, work with Drs. Guy and Kim Caldwell in UA’s biological sciences department. They have been awarded a $20,000 research scholarship that will allow them to conduct extensive research on dystonia, a neurological movement disorder, for the summers of 2008 and 2009.

“I believe both students display the creativity and dedication to the cause of finding a cure for dystonia that I expect from my student researchers, especially those who are to receive generous funds raised by patients and their loved ones. I could not be more pleased with their efforts in our lab thus far and see them as significant contributors for years to come,” said Dr. Guy Caldwell, associate professor of biological sciences, who co-directs what is known on campus as The Worm Shack, a UA research center for dystonia and Parkinson’s disease.

The UA research team uses a microscopic worm in their work to fight and learn more about these diseases. This organism enables testing of genetic factors and drugs that influence the disease state to be more rapidly discerned.

“Dystonia is the most common neurological movement disorder after Parkinson’s and essential tremor, yet it receives minimal medical research funding. Dystonia is characterized by involuntary muscle contractions or spasms of parts of the body from the neck and head to the limbs ... even the eyes and vocal cords,” said Ken Williams of Birmingham who suffers from dystonia and is largely responsible for raising the $20,000 given to UA for the Alabama Dystonia Scholars.

“There is not a celebrity spokesperson to champion funding medical research to find a cause and cure. Only a few medical centers even specialize in diagnosis and available treatments, which at best offer temporary relief,” Williams noted.

“When Drs. Guy and Kim Caldwell of The Worm Shack spoke to a support group I’m active in, it was the first optimistic presentation I’d heard in 20-plus years. I inquired how I could help their research efforts. Funding the salaries and expenses of undergraduate students to remain on campus during summers and work in the biology lab on dystonia research was a priority.

“We even discussed the future possibility of an Alabama Dystonia Research Center. This spurred me to pledge a donation, challenge 10 of my friends and past business associates to ‘match’ my donation, and successfully apply for a matching grant from a national company,” Williams said.

Rabel Receives Bickley Innovation, Creativity Award

Dr. William H. Rabel, John & Mary Louise Loftis Bickley Endowed Teaching Professor of Insurance & Financial Services at UA, has been selected as the first faculty recipient of the John Bickley Innovation and Creativity Award for 2008.

Established by Dr. John S. Bickley, emeritus professor of insurance, the award recognizes a faculty member in the Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration who has created an idea to enhance the image of the College in the eyes of the education world. The award is given to a faculty member who has instituted courses of study which are creative and for initiatives which are beneficial to students. The recipient is chosen by a faculty committee which is appointed by the dean of the College.

Rabel led a team of professors that developed the new actuarial science program at the University. A cooperative venture between the mathematics department and the business school, the program is designed to attract gifted students with a quantitative bent to UA. Initially, Rabel will be responsible for administering and marketing the new program.

“I am overwhelmed to receive the award and thank Dr. Bickley, who founded the award, as well as the selection panel,” Rabel said. “I am pleased to accept the award on behalf of all members of the actuarial science task force. Everyone made an important contribution, and the project would have been less successful if any member had been unable to serve.”

Bickley said, “I believe that students’ lives can be changed forever by innovations in teaching and research that enhances teaching, as well as by new programs like the actuarial science program. I hope that in the future the award will encourage innovations in curriculum, teaching and research.”

UA Professor Appointed IIE Fellow

Dr. Paul S. Ray, professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering at UA, was awarded the Institute of Industrial Engineers’ Fellow Award during the IIE annual conference in Vancouver.

Ray’s contributions to the engineering field and service within the industrial engineering community made him a qualified applicant for the award.

In addition to being elected Fellow, Ray was previously appointed as vice president for IIE’s Region Three. He also was recently selected for life membership for IIE, and he serves as faculty adviser for Alpha Phi Mu fraternity.

Fellow is the highest elected grade of membership within IIE, recognizing outstanding leaders of the profession who have made significant, nationally recognized contributions to industrial engineering. IIE is dedicated solely to the support of the industrial engineering profession and individuals involved with improving quality and productivity..

UA Press Book Wins Two Awards

A Conquering Spirit: Fort Mims and the Redstick War of 1813-1814, written by Gregory A. Waselkov and published by The University of Alabama Press, is the winner of the Adult Nonfiction Book of the Year and the Clinton Jackson Coley awards.

Presented annually, the Adult Nonfiction Book of the Year is given by the Alabama Library Association and seeks to encourage and recognize Alabama authors and promote interest in local authors’ books, whether the books are about Alabama or another subject. The Clinton Jackson Coley award is given by the Alabama Historical Association in alternate years and recognizes excellence in a new study that focuses on local historical concerns. Both awards were presented this spring at the associations’ annual meetings.

Waselkov is a professor of anthropology at the University of South Alabama.

Conquering Spirit is available at major bookstores, online, or directly from the publisher.

The University of Alabama Press, founded in 1945, is one of the largest and fastest-growing publishers in the South. It publishes more than 100 books a year in archaeology, military history, Judaic studies, literary criticism, communication, sports, Civil Rights, religion, southern history, and regional topics. The UA Press recently published its fall/winter 2008 catalog of new books. All UA faculty and staff can purchase Press books through the Supe Store at a 20 percent discount. For more information visit uapress.ua.edu.

McGowan Named Vice Provost, Chief Information Officer

Dr. John P. McGowan has been named vice provost and chief information officer at UA, effective July 14.

McGowan has more than 20 years’ experience in information technology and most recently served as vice provost for information technology and chief information officer at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

“John McGowan has a wealth of experience in managing information technology in a university environment,” said Dr. Judy Bonner, UA executive vice president and provost, in announcing the appointment. “His expertise will be extremely valuable to The University of Alabama, and we are looking forward to working with him.”

McGowan said he looks forward to leading the technology support efforts at UA. “Technology can be an incredible enabler of the business, academic and research components of the University,” he said.

Prior to joining UT-San Antonio in 2006, McGowan served as vice president and chief information officer at Florida International University for five years. At FIU he provided leadership for the Division of Information Technology, University Libraries and the College of Continuing and Professional Studies and oversaw the Center for Internet Augmented Research and Assessment which provides advanced networking capabilities to the Caribbean and South America. Under his leadership, the technology organization of FIU was selected as a Laureate of the Computerworld Honors Program in 2004 for their voice over Internet protocol and advanced networking implementation.

McGowan was selected as one of the world’s Top 10 Leaders in IT by Cisco Corp. in 2003. He served on Cisco’s Enterprise Technical Advisory Board from 2003-2005 and also has been a member of PeopleSoft Corp.’s Technical Advisory Board. He was a member of the project advisory committee of the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study Human Genome Project.

McGowan also has served as chief technology officer for the University of Southern Mississippi, as a consultant to universities and colleges, and as director of project planning for SCT, a major software company in higher education.

In addition, McGowan spent 11 years as a research biochemist in the fields of cancer research and molecular biology. He earned his doctorate in pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of the Pacific.

Weems Named AIHA Fellow

Dr. William H. Weems, director of environmental and industrial programs in UA’s College of Continuing Studies, has been named a Fellow of the American Industrial Hygiene Association, or AIHA.

Weems was one of 41 AIHA members who were named 2008 Fellow Award winners. Members chosen to be Fellows were nominated by colleagues in the profession for their significant contributions to the practice of industrial hygiene or related disciplines. The Fellow classification is limited to no more than 5 percent of the AIHA membership, and candidates must be AIHA members in good standing with at least 15 years of continuous membership.

Weems, a certified industrial hygienist, has more than 40 years of experience in occupational safety and health. He holds leadership positions in a number of national professional associations, and he serves on the board of directors, as past president, of the National Association of Safety and Health Consultation Programs (OSHCON). He is a member of the accredited Z-10 Committee that recently developed an ANSI national consensus standard on Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems.

Cleveland, ALFRA Offering Educational Awareness Seminars

Dr. Denise Cleveland (standing, right), a UA staff member, was in Montgomery when Gov. Bob Riley signed a proclamation declaring April 25 Parental Alienation Day in Alabama. Also pictured is Michael Polemeni, president of the Alabama Family Rights Association, or ALFRA. Cleveland, research administrator for the UA School of Social Work, is also state vice president for public policy for ALFRA. The organization helps those experiencing alienation from their children and grandchildren by encouraging non-custodial fathers and non-custodial mothers to stay involved with their children and by providing social events, moral support, group sessions, and education about divorce and its impact on families. Cleveland and ALFRA are offering educational awareness seminars statewide this summer.

Grogg Named to ALA Advisory Board

Jill Grogg, associate professor/electronic resources librarian at the UA Libraries, has been appointed a member of the American Library Association’s (ALA) American Libraries Advisory Board.

She will serve a two-year term, 2008-2010. The advisory committee reviews and recommends editorial policies for American Libraries, the magazine of the ALA, and provides oversight for the implementation of those policies. The committee also serves as a channel for member communication regarding the scope and coverage of American Libraries. The ALA is the oldest and largest library association in the world.