- University News Archive - 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock /news-archive/tag/astronomy/ 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Wed, 03 Feb 2021 16:24:02 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock receives $1 million planned gift from Damerows to support science scholarships /news-archive/2021/02/03/damerow-one-million-science-scholarship-gift/ Wed, 03 Feb 2021 16:24:02 +0000 /news/?p=78282 ... 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock receives $1 million planned gift from Damerows to support science scholarships]]> Jerry and Sherri Damerow, longtime supporters of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in Arkansas, have made a planned gift of $1 million to support scholarships for science majors at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.聽 The gift will benefit the Jerry and Sherri Damerow Endowed Science Scholarship, which provides scholarships for students majoring in astronomy, biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and Earth Science. The scholarship will provide assistance for education-related expenses including tuition, fees, books, and room and board. 鈥淭his incredibly generous gift from the Damerows will be a wonderful legacy for two people who have steadfastly supported science education at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock for many years,鈥 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Chancellor Christina Drale said. 鈥淎s we expand our applied fields in the sciences, it is important to remember that basic science education remains the foundation for all that we accomplish in the applied fields. I am grateful to the Damerows for supporting this curriculum and for investing in our future.鈥 Jerry Damerow, a former managing partner for Ernst & Young, and Sherri Damerow, a retired kindergarten teacher and artist, believe helping students earn a college degree in a STEM area represents a 鈥渃ommitment to lifelong learning,鈥 a goal the couple has supported for many years. 鈥淭here are multiple reasons why we decided to fund an endowed science scholarship at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock,鈥 said Jerry Damerow. 鈥淔irst, we believe a strong 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is extremely important to Arkansas鈥 economy going forward, particularly Central Arkansas. We do not believe we can simply sit by and expect others to build and support this important university. Arkansas鈥 Women鈥檚 Hall of Fame member Dorothy Stuck once told me, 鈥業f we don鈥檛 build Arkansas, who will?鈥欌澛 The Damerows received the 8th annual Fribourgh Award in 2017, which recognizes individuals who have made considerable contributions to the state through the disciplines of mathematics and science. Jerry Damerow is a past president and current board member of the Dean鈥檚 Science Council and the Centennial Campaign Cabinet at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. His long history of civic and professional involvement includes serving as a member and past director of the Rotary Club of Little Rock, as past board chair of the EAST Initiative, as chair of 颁补谤别尝颈苍办鈥檚 board of directors, as 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 Business Advisory Council member, and as a former chair of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 College of Science and Mathematics Advisory Council. 鈥淲别 believe we have been blessed and have an obligation to help other Arkansans realize their potential,鈥 Jerry Damerow said. 鈥淟ast, we believe our economy is going through a huge transformation driven by technology thereby dramatically increasing the importance of a STEM education. Many jobs are going away, and new ones will be created by scientists and engineers and those who qualify for those jobs will require a strong grounding in science and engineering.鈥 Sherri Damerow has been involved in numerous charitable causes, including teaching computer skills to seniors at the 糖心Vlog传媒MS Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging and volunteering with Literacy Action of Central Arkansas and the Humane Society of Pulaski County. 鈥淛erry and Sherri Damerow have been active in promoting our community for a long time, and this generous gift aligns well with their continuing gift of time in impacting our community for the better both now and in the future,鈥 said Dr. Lawrence Whitman, dean of the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. 鈥淚 am glad to know people like Jerry and Sherri.鈥]]> Heath shares love of astronomy with central Arkansas /news-archive/2019/06/10/darrell-heath-astronomy/ Mon, 10 Jun 2019 12:58:36 +0000 /news/?p=74504 ... Heath shares love of astronomy with central Arkansas]]> Last month, many scientists were saddened by the ending of the television program, 鈥淭he Big Bang Theory,鈥 which popularized physics, astronomy, and other scientific topics that often seemed out of reach to people.聽 Darrell Heath, an animal lab technician at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, can especially relate to the child character of Sheldon, a young misunderstood genius growing up in a small, religious, conservative town in Texas, portrayed in the 鈥淭he Big Bang Theory鈥 spinoff 鈥淵oung Sheldon.鈥 鈥淚 can very much relate to young Sheldon, a very smart kid growing up in the South,鈥 Heath said. 鈥淚 can relate to a lot of the things Sheldon goes through with his family, teachers, and church. I relate to young Sheldon, not as a genius by any means, but as a kid who just doesn’t feel as though he fits in with the rest of the crowd.鈥 Often described as 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 space expert (though Heath calls himself a 鈥渄evout astronomy enthusiast鈥), he is the man who sends out emails about the best time to view the International Space Station, planets, meteor showers, eclipses, and other heavenly bodies. Heath, who has a passion for space and astronomy that he loves to share with others, thinks that most people have a natural interest in space. 鈥淚 think people are inherently interested in the mysterious and unknown, and space represents that,鈥 he said. 鈥The night sky has inspired us over the centuries. It鈥檚 inspired religious leaders, artists, poets, scientists, and scholars. Before we knew what stars and planets were, we were looking at the night sky and telling stories about gods and monsters. The stars were our storybooks.鈥 After getting involved in amateur astronomy in 2005 and taking an astronomy course with Dr. Tony Hall at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, Heath has served as past president and is the current outreach coordinator of the Central Arkansas Astronomical Society, which hosts star parties and other educational events on space and astronomy. He is also a volunteer with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory鈥檚 Solar System Ambassador program, dedicated to conveying to the public information about NASA鈥檚 ongoing missions to explore the solar system.
Darrell Heath is a volunteer in the NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Solar System Ambassador Program, which works to communicate the science and excitement of NASA's space exploration missions and discoveries, some of which can be seen here in the NASA Hubble Space Telescope exhibit at the Laman Public Library in North Little Rock. Photo by Ben Krain.

Darrell Heath is a volunteer in the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Solar System Ambassador Program, which works to communicate the science and excitement of NASA’s space exploration missions and discoveries, some of which can be seen here in the NASA Hubble Space Telescope exhibit at the Laman Public Library in North Little Rock. Photo by Ben Krain.

鈥淚 do outreach programs for NASA鈥檚 Jet Propulsion Laboratory and talk about the latest missions that are happening in the solar system,鈥 Heath said. 鈥淭his has been a fun experience for me. I travel around the state and do programs in schools and parks. It鈥檚 always nice to see the support people have for science, space, and NASA.鈥 In 2015, Cheryl Hellman, director of university television, saw an opportunity to share Heath鈥檚 knowledge with a larger audience. 鈥淚 am always looking for interesting people at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock that we can put on the university television channel,鈥 Hellman said. 鈥淒arrell had been putting out announcements about interesting things that were going on in the sky. We talked about doing a monthly television segment. That became 鈥楾he Night Sky.鈥欌 Every month, Heath produces a short episode of 鈥淭he Night Sky鈥 about topics in space and astronomy. Episodes have included the mythology of the constellations, tips for observing meteor showers and eclipses, a buyer鈥檚 guide for telescopes, amazing facts about the moon, and meteorites at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. He also writes companion articles posted on the website that include highlights of night sky for the month and a feature story about a phenomenon in space. 鈥溾楾he Night Sky鈥 has become one of our most popular shows on the university channel,鈥 Hellman said. 鈥淵ou鈥檒l see some episodes on YouTube that have more than 100,000 views. It鈥檚 watched all over the globe, and it鈥檚 used in classrooms as part of educational programs. It鈥檚 a very popular show. Darrell puts a lot of heart and soul into this program.鈥 Heath said that his newfound popularity as an expert on space has led him to some unusual conversations. 鈥淚 get emails from all across the world,鈥 he said. 鈥淧eople always want to know if I have seen a UFO, and kids ask me if I have been in space. I have people come up and tell me what a full moon will do to them.鈥 While he鈥檚 never seen a UFO, a close encounter at one of the Central Arkansas Astronomical Society鈥檚 summer star parties led to a memorable experience. 鈥淲别 did a star party at Pinnacle Mountain State Park one June. There must have been 300 or 400 people in the crowd,鈥 he said. 鈥淎ll of a sudden, I began to notice that people were looking in the sky and pointing their cell phones up there. Up in the sky, there was a formation of green lights moving slowly across the sky in uniform. It was kind of creepy at first. Then we turned our telescopes on it, and we realized it was a group of Chinese lanterns that the wind was carrying away in a pattern. At first, it looked like an alien invasion, but it turned out to just be a wedding.鈥 For anyone interested in getting started in astronomy, Heath recommends 鈥淭he Stars: A New Way to See Them鈥 by H.A. Rey, the inventor of Curious George. 鈥淎ll a person needs to get started stargazing is just their eyes,鈥 Heath said. 鈥淲别 have all looked at the sky with wonderment and curiosity. I think people are inherently curious about the universe I see that every time we do a star party. We have hundreds of people show up, and I鈥檓 amazed by how excited they are.鈥 聽]]> Celebrate International Observe the Moon Night /news-archive/2018/10/12/international-observe-moon-night-2/ Fri, 12 Oct 2018 17:01:02 +0000 /news/?p=72023 ... Celebrate International Observe the Moon Night]]> Anyone who is interested in getting a closer look at the surface of the moon can join the International Observe the Moon Night festivities Friday, Oct. 19, for a full night of lunar viewing.聽 The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 7-9 p.m. at the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub, 204 E. Fourth St. in North Little Rock. In case of rain, the event will be held Saturday, Oct. 20. Telescopes will be set up for a close-up look at the moon鈥檚 surface, with a zoom in on craters, lava plains and tunnels, and mountains. Members of the and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock will be on hand to answer questions and provide insight on the moon. Dr. Tony Hall, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock associate professor of astronomy, will provide meteorite samples for viewing and touching. Additionally, Bruce McMath of the Central Arkansas Astronomical Society will give a talk on light pollutions and tips for observing the moon. The Innovation Hub will also be holding its 鈥淢ake it Scary鈥 event from 5-8 p.m., where guests can screen print Halloween-themed T-shirts, laser cut Halloween crafts, and paint pottery.]]> Undergraduate Research Signature Experience recipients announced /news-archive/2017/11/13/signature-experience-awards/ Mon, 13 Nov 2017 22:01:26 +0000 /news/?p=68560 ... Undergraduate Research Signature Experience recipients announced]]> Chancellor Andrew Rogerson introduced the awards in fall 2017 to inspire 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock undergraduate students to conduct research and creative projects. Each of the recipients will receive up to $1,000 to cover the cost of materials for this one-semester signature experience in research or creative works. 鈥淚t is our goal for all students to have the opportunity to have a Signature Experience during their time at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock – one in which they actively engage in creative work with faculty,鈥 Dr. Rogerson said. 鈥淣ot only will their academic experience be enriched by these connections, but they in turn will enrich the lives of others who benefit from the research. It is also my hope that it will help students engage with their major and consider graduate school.鈥 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is one of only two Arkansas higher education institutions with Carnegie designation for doctoral research. 鈥淲ith the Chancellor鈥檚 recognition, and strong support for undergraduate research, the university will enable valuable research experiences between our faculty mentors and our students,” said Dr. Velmer Burton, executive vice chancellor and provost. “This is further evidence at work of the value that our teacher-scholar model has for both students and faculty.鈥 Daryl Rice, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, noted that undergraduate research is tied to increased student persistence and graduation. 鈥淭his is not surprising,鈥 Rice said. 鈥淯ndergraduate research gives students a special connection to a living scholar and provides an exhilarating taste of actually doing science, of doing sociological, historical or psychological research themselves, which has a big motivational effect.鈥 The students鈥 projects range across disciplines and include topics such as a study of coral reef disease on San Salvador Island, a law review of tenant-landlord laws in Arkansas, an analysis of student perceptions of open education resources, the construction of a thermochemical system for conversion of municipal solid waste into fuel, and a reproduction of Egyptian faience ceramic techniques. 鈥淭here were outstanding projects across the colleges,鈥 said Dr. Jeremy Ecke, chair of the Student Research and Creative Works Committee. 鈥淭he committee was particularly heartened to see proposals from the fine arts, theater and dance, music, math, and other disciplines that have been underrepresented in the annual research and creative works expo. This year’s launch of an expanded Student Research and Creative Works Showcase is off to a great start. I hope the awards will inspire other students to showcase their work in the spring.鈥 Recipients of the Signature Experience Awards will exhibit their work at the Student Research and Creative Works Showcase on April 12 in the Jack Stephens Center. The showcase is open to all students across disciplines. Applications will be accepted beginning Jan. 1, 2018. Students interested in presenting work at the showcase or who want to learn more are asked to respond to a The Signature Experience Award winners by their respective colleges are as follows: College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences Reem Al-Shukri, Nanotechnology Emily Anderson, Chemistry Marina Avram, Chemistry Erin Beeman, Philosophy & Interdisciplinary Studies Lilly Bessette, Biology Becky Blackburn, Fine Art Andrew Blackwell, Art & Design Marvin Bonney, Physics and Astronomy Kenneth Burnett, Biology Brock Butler, Chemistry Michael Caysido, Music-Piano Performance Amairani Paredes-Cheguen, Biology Nathaniel Darbonne, English Jenish Desai, Chemistry Corrie Green, Theatre, Arts and Dance Jake Green, English Kristen Gregory, Biology Robert Hill, Chemistry Davonte Hokes, Chemistry Thomas Jackson, Theatre Arts and Dance Travis Lewison Jumper, Chemistry Emily E. Junkans, English/ World Languages Grishma Kc, Biology Amy King, History/Secondary Education William King, Biology (working with CINS) Cameryn Kirkham, English Samantha Macchi, Chemistry Katie Matthews, Biology Tyler Maxwell, Biology Rebecca Parker-Moreira, Chemistry Joy Madeline Reinbold, English Grace Rutter, Biology Paloma Salazar, Chemistry James Sellers, Chemistry Alaa Mohammed Shahare, Biology Kimber Stout, Physics Daniel Stuckey, Chemistry Zaria Sumler, Biology Sylvia Szewdo, Chemistry Thuy Thanh Le, Chemistry Conor VanLierop, Theatre Justice Williams, Biology LeShonta Williams, Chemistry Tori Williams, English Scott Wolf, Math and Statistics Dylan Wright, World Languages College of Education and Health Professions Cynthia Wyman, School of Social Work College of Social Sciences and Communication Charlana Benefiel, Political Science Desiree Doyle, Applied Communication Jesse Horton, Criminal Justice Saiyeeda Hossain, Sociology and Anthropology Cassandra Lester, Criminal Justice Chloe Moses, Rhetoric and Writing Trye Price, Criminal Justice Christina Redmann, Political Science Courtney Reed, Sociology and Anthropology Nigel Spears, Applied Communication Emily Summers, Anthropology Kimberly Thornton, Rhetoric and Writing Nicole Ursin, Anthropology George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology Bergras Asgeirsdottir, Engineering Anderson Banihirwe, Computer Science Rebecca Bishop, Earth Science Kayla Bolin, Earth Science Pablo Centeno, Engineering Technology John Graham, System Engineering J’von Jackson, Engineering Technology Nicholas Lester, Information Science Joshua Miller, Engineering Technology Tarang Parikh, Engineering Technology Olivia Pate, Earth Science Jason Simmons, Earth Science Zachary Smith, Earth Science College of Business Madeline Burke, Marketing & Advertising Deepali Lal, International Business and Human Resource Management Abigail Resebdiz, Business Logan Vickery, Economics Ian Wren, Marketing Ottenheimer Library Amanda Pennington, Collections and Archives In the upper right photo,聽students work on a physics project in Ottenheimer Library. Photo by Lonnie Timmons III / 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Communications.]]>