Extra Credit

Texas A&M tops list of schools being sent ACT scores by Texas test takers

Which colleges and universities are Texas seniors sending their ACT college admissions test scores?

The Texas Education Agency has listed the top 10 schools where college-bound seniors from the Class of 2012 are having their scores sent as part of admissions applications. All 10 are in Texas. Two are in the Metroplex: University of North Texas and TCU. Number 1 is Texas A & M University's main campus in College Station.

They are:

1. Texas A&M University – College Station
2. The University of Texas at Austin
3. Texas Tech University
4. Texas State University
5. Baylor University
6. The University of Texas at San Antonio
7. The University of Texas – Pan American
8. University of North Texas
9. University of Houston – Main Campus
10. Texas Christian University

Jessamy Brown

UNT Citizen-scientists to record Vensus's transit across the sun

Ron Dilulio, director of UNT's Astronomy Laboratory Program and planetarium

(Photo provided by UNT)

A team of modern citizen-scientists is picking up some unfinished science.

In 1769, British Capt. James Cook led an expedition to Tahiti to document the transit of Venus across the sun in an effort to calculate the astronomical unit – the earth's distance from the sun, according to the University of North Texas.

But weather conditions and a conflict with the people of Tahiti halted Cook's work. Now, nearly 250 years later a team of citizen-scientists from the University of North Texas will attempt to complete the experiment on June 5 (Tuesday) during this century's last Venus transit, the university said in a press release.

"Scientists have been able to calculate the astronomical unit, but we want to validate that the methods proposed by Edmund Halley in the 18th century were sound," says Ron Dilulio,director of UNT's astronomy program and leader of the expedition.

DiIulio will lead a team to Anchorage, Alaska, and Preston Starr, UNT observatory manager, will lead a team to South Point, Hawaii. These locations will allow the teams to capture the entire Venus transit before the sun sets, according to the university.

Randy Peters, UNT planetarium manager, will lead a viewing of the transit on the UNT campus. The viewing is open to the public and will be held in the parking lot on the western side of UNT's Environmental Education, Science and Technology Building. Venus will make first contact with the sun in North Texas at 5:07 p.m. on June 5 (Tuesday), and second contact at 5:22 p.m.

-Diane Smith

 

 

Strange things flew over UNT this Halloween

On Monday, UNT launched a social media campaign announcing that campus had been invaded by pterodactyls – the campaign included a spoof news release, safety tips highlighting some of UNT’s resources and a subtitled public service announcement from their mascot Scrappy the Eagle. UNT wanted to encourage students to engage with the university’s Facebook and Twitter page. Students actively submitted photos of their own pterodactyls. Students were urged to: “Stay alert. If you see a pterodactyl on campus, immediately report it to the UNT Facebook or Twitter page (@UNTnews), and include a photo if possible. Photos of pterodactyls will be used by UNT’s Loss Prevention Task Force for tracking and documentation.” Pictures submitted included a sighting outside Clark Hall and another image documented a pterodactyl flying above UNT’s Apogee Stadium. Find more pics at http://www.facebook.com/northtexas

There is also a video.

 

UNT also offered safety tips at this site.

-Diane Smith

Joel Burns takes his anti-bullying message to UNT

Joel Burns, Fort Worth City Council member, will speak to UNT students about how to stop bullying. His Oct. 6 stop at the UNT Union comes one year after his anti-bullying speech went viral. 

"UNT students will connect with Joel Burns' message because every one of us has, in some direct or indirect way, been affected by bullying," said Tom Evenson, dean of UNT's College of Public Affairs and Community Service, in a press release. 

Burns' speech will take place at 11 a.m. at the UNT Union, 1155 Union Circle in Denton. 

You can find out more here.

-Diane Smith

Fort Worth teen wins first Google Global Science Fair

A Fort Worth teen took the first Google Global Science Fair grand prize last night for her research on
ovarian cancer.

Shree Bose, 17, (pictured at far right) found that a metabolic enzyme affects ovarian cancer cells that can cause them to become resistant to certain treatments and discovered a way to improve cancer treatment when such resistance happens.

The Fort Worth Country Day senior wins $50,000 in scholarships, a trip to the Galapagos Islands for her project and a three-day internship to the prominent European Organization for Nuclear Research near Geneva, known by its French acronym as CERN. Fair winners were announced last night at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, Calif.

Bose was inspired to research cancer after her grandfather died from the illness two years ago. She has presented related work to various science fairs, winning some top honors in the Fort Worth Regional Science and Engineering Fair and the Exxonmobil Texas Science and Engineering Fair. She was one of 15 finalists in the Google competition.

She did her research for the project as part of a larger research with Alakanada Basu, a professor of molecular biology and immunology at the University of North Texas Health Science Center who is studying drug resistant cancers. Basu said the teen approached her about two years ago to help in her lab.

"I'm so proud of her," Basu said. "We really challenged her on this project, and she just excelled. She’s doing not only well in science but in swimming and violin. Whatever she does she has the desire to excel."

Bose has spent many years competing in science fairs. In 2008, for example, she invented a new railroad tie aimed at reducing toxins. She was a finalist for the national Society for Science and Public Middle School Program competition for that project and had a minor planet named in her honor for it. She told the Star-Telegram then that she had been inspired to take on ambitious projects when she was 10 and her older brother Pinaki was competing in national science competitions.

“It was just surprising to me to see kids close to my age doing some really amazing things. ... I wanted to do something big like that,” she said at the time.

Learn more about Bose's project here.

Photo courtesy of Google.

-Eva-Marie Ayala

UNT bees will be given to area beekeepers so they can form new colonies

After living peacefully on the UNT campus for several years, bees from two colonies will be moving. UNT announced this week that a professional bee removal company will be taking the bee colonies off the walls of the Radio, Television, Film and Performing Arts Building on Saturday and Sunday. One of the bee colonies has been on campus for 18 years, according to UNT. Another one, located about 50 from the original colony, has existed for about two years.

"UNT has allowed the bees to live peacefully for many years because of their benefit to the environment," the university state in a press release. "One of the colonies has recently shown signs of becoming aggressive, which led to the decision to remove the colonies."

Several streets, parking lots and buildings will be closed during the bee colony removal.

-Diane Smith

Benefit concert for Japan at UNT

University of North Texas College of Music students and faculty will perform a benefit concert to help victims of Japan's earthquake and tsunami. Performers will include Emanuel Borok, former concertmaster of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Jennifer Lane, a mezzo-soprano and associate professor of music. The One O'Clock Lab Band will present the world premiere of Don't Give Up Hope, by band director Steve West. The event is set for 8 p.m. at Murchison Performing Arts Center, located along the north side Interstate 35 E at North Texas Boulevard. Tickets are $10. Proceeds will go to the American Red Cross. For more information contact: 940-369-7802 or www.thempac.com.

Composer Jake Heggie is UNT's artist-in-residence

 Jake Heggie, composer of Moby-Dick, is serving as artist-in-residence at the University of North Texas Institute for the Advancement of the Arts this academic year. Heggie is on commission to compose a major work for orchestra, chorus and soloist. The UNT Symphony Orchestra and Grand Chorus will premiere the composition in April 2012. Heggie is also coaching composition and voice students during his residency.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jonathan Reynolds/UNT



UNT student's design wins 2nd place in fashion contest

   
UNT student Robert Richard took second place and earned a $4,000 scholarship for his vision of the modern job interview suit. The suit, designed for the the national Design Your Future competition, is described as his interpretation of a classic American-style two-button suit. It features peak lapels and metallic sheen. Richard was one of five finalists who competed in the Sept. 19 event. He had to model his creation on the runway.

-Diane Smith

UNT dean will train journalists in Liberia

Dr. Mitchell Land, interim dean of the University of North Texas Frank W. and Sue Mayborn School of Journalism, will travel to the Republic of Liberia to train journalists. The Liberian journalists will be covering the African nation's general election in 2011. Land was recruited by the U.S. Department of State. Liberians will elect a president and fill seats in the House of Representatives and half of the seats in the Senate on Oct. 11, 2011.

_Diane Smith