Physics researchers try new approach for simulating supernovas
Two researchers want to bridge the gap between what is known about exploding stars and the remnants left behind thousands of years later. So they’re trying something new—using SNSPH, a complex computer code developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Sangwook Park, an assistant professor of physics, and Carola Ellinger, a post-doctoral researcher, presented their research this week on “3-D Simulations of Supernovae into the Young Remnant Phase” at the national meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Long Beach, Calif. Their oral presentation focuses on first efforts to use SNSPH, a parallel 3-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics code written in 2005, to create 3-D simulations of a core-collapse supernova evolving into remnants.
“There are a lot of numerical simulations for the explosion of the supernova and a lot of simulations of the blast wave expanding into interstellar medium, but there was no useful work connecting the two, even though the physics are connected,” Dr. Park says. “Now, we are using the most appropriate program we know to do that.”
Read more about simulating supernovas.
Seek alternate routes during closing of railroad crossings
Plan for railroad crossing closures while Union Pacific improves tracks through Arlington.
Railroad crossings between Division and Abram streets at Bowen Road, Davis Drive, Cooper Street, Center Street, Mesquite Street, Collins Street, and Stadium Drive will be closed Wednesday, Jan. 16-Thursday, Jan. 24. A public meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 14, in the Arlington City Council chambers.
Starting Jan. 16, crossings beginning at Bowen and moving east will close. Davis is expected to close Jan. 17, with Cooper, Center, and Mesquite closing Jan. 18, at which point five railroad crossings will be closed at one time. As the project continues to move east, Union Pacific plans to open Bowen before closing Collins and open Davis before closing Stadium.
Available north-south routes within the city limits are Green Oaks Boulevard, Forest Edge Drive, Fielder Road, West Street, and State Highway 360. West Street starts behind the E.H. Hereford University Center and runs north through downtown Arlington, connecting to Division. Fielder, Forest Edge, and Green Oaks are west of campus. Forest Edge and West Street are smaller streets and are expected to have heavy traffic, according to Arlington Police. The streets pass under low bridges, so be cautious if driving tall vehicles.
The city of Arlington also suggests that drivers use routes outside the city limits, including State Highway 161 and Fort Worth's Loop 820.
W-2 forms available online; note security restrictions
The 2012 W-2 forms are now available on UT Direct.
Note the new reporting requirement for W-2s issued after Jan. 1, 2013.
To claim and print your W-2 at UT Direct, log on, select the claim tab, review instructions, scroll down and click "Yes! I claim my W-2!," choose the download tab at the top, and click "Download My Tax Form." You may choose to open your W-2 to print or save.
If you have not upgraded your UT EID security level, go to one of the departments listed below and show your driver's license or passport. If you have forgotten your password, email one of the departments from your UT Arlington email address.
If you do not claim your 2012 W-2 form on UTDirect by Monday, Jan. 28, Payroll Services will print and mail your unclaimed W-2 to your department on campus if you have an active appointment. Otherwise your unclaimed W-2 will be mailed to your home address.
Email should not be used to transmit sensitive data, such as your W-2, the Information Security Office warns.
Note that if the UT EID is not used within 45 days, it must be re-activated by emailing firstname.lastname@example.org from your UT Arlington email account.
'The Hot Seat in Arlington' comes to campus Jan. 25
State Rep. Diane Patrick, R-Arlington, and state Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-Fort Worth, will be featured in The Texas Tribune’s “The Hot Seat in Arlington” 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25, at College Park Center.
This in-depth conversation about the 83rd Legislative Session is part of The Texas Tribune’s series of conversations with prominent elected officials and newsmakers. The moderator is Evan Smith, chief executive officer and editor-in-chief of the nonprofit news organization.
Patrick, a former faculty member in the College of Education and Health Professions, was elected to a fourth term in the Texas House in November. Hancock served in the Texas House since 2006 before being elected to the Texas Senate in November.
The event is free and open to the public. A light lunch will be provided. RSVP at The Texas Tribune.
Khalil Muhammad to speak concerning Martin Luther King Jr.
Khalil Muhammad, director of New York City's Schomber Center for Research in Black Culture, lectures on "What Would Dr. King Do?" at noon Friday, Jan. 18, in Room 108 of University Hall. The lecture is presented by the Center for African American Studies and the Department of History.
Dr. Muhammad, a former professor at Indiana University, wrote The Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime, and the Making of Modern Urban America, an exploration of how notions of black criminality were crucial to the creation of modern urban centers. Books will be available for purchase at the lecture.
The annual Arlington Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration begins with the Sharing the Dream Banquet at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18, at the Bluebonnet Ballroom in the E.H. Hereford University Center. Tickets for the banquet and "An Evening of Spoken Word Slam Poetry" are available at utatickets.com. The slam is at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, in the Bluebonnet Ballroom. MLK events continue through Monday, Jan. 21.
Submit your nominations for Outstanding Academic Adviser
Know some wise advisers? Nominate them for Outstanding Academic Adviser, which has three categories: professional staff adviser, undergraduate faculty adviser, and graduate faculty adviser. Submit nominations online by Monday, Jan. 28.
UT Arlington has recognized academic advisers who have made a difference in the lives of their students since 1984. Many advisers have been recognized nationally by the National Academic Advising Association for their commitment to helping students succeed.
For information about the nomination process, contact Delene Remmers in the Office of the Provost at 2-2737.
Plots available at Community Garden
Put your green thumb into action with a plots at the Community Garden at UT Arlington, located at 406 Summit Ave., just west of the SWEET Center at the corner of UTA Boulevard and Summit Avenue.
The half-acre garden benefits from the UT Arlington compost site and rainwater harvesting. You can adopt a plot and become a gardener or volunteer to help with the harvest. A portion of harvests is donated to a local food bank. The garden is a combined effort of the Office of Sustainability and the Arlington Parks and Recreation Department.
Former Dallas Cowboy to autograph footballs Monday
Former Dallas Cowboy and current Fox sports analyst Daryl "Moose" Johnston will autograph Smiling Moose Deli footballs as part of the campus restaurant's Welcome Back/Grand Opening celebration 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 14.
Smiling Moose Deli joins other College Park District restaurants, such as Pie Five Pizza, Coolberry Frozen Yogurt, Digg's Tacos, and Pho Xpress.
Mavs Book Club to review 'American Stories'
"American Stories" is the theme for this month's Mavs Book Club, which meets at noon Friday, Jan. 18, at the Connection Café in the E.H. Hereford University Center.
The books selected from the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf this semester have been organized by themes, and each theme includes five books.
Meetings are open to the UT Arlington community. For more information, see the club's Facebook page.
Get Inspired for a Healthy New Year
It's a brand new year and a perfect time to make a fresh start on achieving the goals that are most important to you. Many New Year's resolutions focus on improving health and wellness. Making a specific, realistic plan for the goals that are most important to you means the changes you make will be more likely to stick. Learn more about how to set yourself up for success as you set your personal goals for the coming year in the January issue of the UT System Health Newsletter.
Customer Service 101
Learn basic customer service skills, including handling difficult customers, making customers the first priority, and improving listening skills. Free. 9-11 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 16, Room 200, Wetsel Service Center. See a list of HR training classes.
Beginning Cake Decorating
Learn the art of printing and writing, figure piping, drop flowers, and the ever-popular rose. Fee includes required text. Supplies are in addition to course fee. Call 2-2581 for faculty, staff discount fee of $55. 6-9 p.m., Tuesdays, Jan. 22-Feb. 12, Room C100A, Continuing Education Workforce Building. Continuing Education.
Zumba Fitness: Dance the Weight Off
Zumba fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a dynamic fitness program. No dance experience necessary. Call 2-2581 to receive faculty/staff discount fee of $62.50. 7-8 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 22-Feb. 12, location TBA. Continuing Education.
Check out employment opportunities at uta.edu/jobs. Have questions? Call Human Resources/Employment Services at 2-3461 or TDD 2-8139, or email email@example.com. The University of Texas at Arlington is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.
First Pitch Banquet features Hunter Pence
Hunter Pence, a member of the World Series champion San Francisco Giants and former Maverick standout, is the featured speaker at the First Pitch Banquet set for 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, in the Diamond Club at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
Tickets for the banquet along with a meet-and-greet with Pence are $100 for adults and $50 for UT Arlington students. Tickets for the banquet only are $40 for adults and $20 for students.
The evening also includes the presentation of the 2012 Southland Conference championship rings. The Mavericks claimed the SLC title and a spot in the NCAA Regionals. Members of the 2013 baseball team and past UT Arlington players also will be in attendance.
Women host UTSA and Texas State
A pair of former Southland Conference opponents come to campus this week for Western Athletic Conference women's basketball games when the Mavericks take on UT San Antonio at 7 p.m. today, Thursday, Jan. 10, and Texas State at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, at College Park Center.
The Mavericks are 1-2 in the WAC following a 65-58 loss at Louisiana Tech last Saturday. Kiara Parker led the Mavericks with 14 points in that game while Aron Garcia collected nine rebounds.
Mav men seek to rebound on the road
Trying to end a three-game losing skid, the men's basketball team goes on the road this week to face UT San Antonio at 7 p.m. today, Thursday, Jan. 10, and Texas State at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12.
The Mavericks lost 55-52 to Louisiana Tech on Saturday at College Park Center, and are 1-2 in the Western Athletic Conference.
Coach Scott Cross' squad returns home next week for games with Seattle at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17, and Idaho at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19.
Movin' Mavs at Alabama tournament
The Movin' Mavs wheelchair basketball team participates in the 26th annual Pioneer Classic, sponsored by the Lakeshore Foundation, this weekend in Birmingham, Ala.
Games begin at 9 a.m. Friday, Jan. 11, and continue through Sunday, Jan. 13.
The Movin' Mavs host a college-division tournament with games against Alabama and Illinois on Friday, Jan. 18, at College Park Center.
Indoor track begins season at A&M invitational
Men's and women's track teams open the indoor season in the Texas A&M Invitational at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, in College Station.
The Maverick men are led by returning All-Americans Romain Martin and Clayton Vaughn while the women are paced by seniors Shannon Reynolds and DeAndrea Smith.
Read more about the Maverick track teams.
Thursday, Jan. 10
Saturday, Jan. 12
Jiggle Butt Run Women's 5K run and walk begins at Maverick Activities Center. Benefiting SafeHaven of Tarrant County. 9 a.m. JiggleButtRun.com.
Thursday, Jan. 17
Friday, Jan. 18
Wheelchair Basketball Movin' Mavs vs. Alabama. Free. 3 p.m., College Park Center. Also Movin' Mavs vs. Illinois. 7 p.m., College Park Center, and Movin' Mavs vs. Dallas, 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, Physical Education Building. Movin' Mavs.
Athletics Hall of Honor Pete Carlon, Clay Gould, and Mishael Berger join the Athletics Hall of Honor along with the 1990 and 1992 Southland Conference champion baseball teams. $50 (RSVP and payment due Friday, Jan. 11). Reception 6:30 p.m. followed by buffet dinner and induction ceremony. Grand Ballroom, Arlington Hilton, 2401 E. Lamar. Athletics, 2-0694, firstname.lastname@example.org.
Pearls of the Antilles: Printed Maps of Caribbean Islands A look at maps and how they reflect and shape the history of Caribbean islands. Free. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, through Saturday, Feb. 9. Special Collections, sixth floor, Central Library.
Frank Lloyd Wright's Samara: A Mid-Century Dream Home Experience the process of building and living in a home designed by one of America’s greatest architects, Frank Lloyd Wright. $8. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, 1-5 p.m. Sundays, Arlington Museum of Art, 201 W. Main St., downtown Arlington. Through Sunday, Feb. 17. Architecture.
Planetarium Visit the classic Mayan cities of Uxmal, Chichen Itza, Tikal, and Palenque to discover how the Maya aligned their temples to watch their sky gods and used interlocking calendars to record the past and predict the future in Mayan Prophecies. 6 p.m. Fridays, 2:30 p.m. Saturdays. Planetarium.
(For an expanded list of events, see the UT Arlington Calendar.)