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Yamaha Corporation of America has named The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System, as a 2021 honoree in its inaugural Institution of Excellence program, acknowledging the school's extraordinary commitment to innovation in the study of music.

Photo Credit Michael Mercier

Dr. Nicole Pacino, associate professor in the Department of History in The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System, has published a recent article, "Disease Outbreaks and State Legitimacy in Post-Revolutionary Bolivia" for the academic journal The Latin Americanist. The article explores three epidemic episodes in 1950s Bolivia. The project came out of Pacino's broader research on public health initiatives in Bolivia in the 1950s and the 1960s, after the 1952 National Revolution.

Abstract: This article explores three epidemic episodes in 1950s Bolivia: a typhus outbreak in Oruro in September 1954, a typhoid outbreak in Cochabamba in January 1956, and a polio outbreak along the Bolivia-Argentine border in March 1956. Each case discusses state-imposed quarantine and sanitation measures, using newspaper reports and editorials, letters to health officials, and government publications to document institutional responses to these epidemic episodes and people's reactions. Through press coverage, the article analyzes praise and critiques of government responses to these epidemics to assess what measures public health authorities implemented, how effective they were, and how Bolivians felt about their political and medical leadership during these crises. These case studies evidence that Bolivians did not respond uniformly to government containment policies, and responses varied by region and disease. They also demonstrate that quarantines are effective even if not always popular, and that the public's perception of the measures' efficacy and implementation impact their feelings about state legitimacy. Finally, they show that disease outbreaks create opportunities for citizens to critique government officials and push for improvements to public health.

While examining the 1950's, the themes of outbreaks, quarantines, and questioning political and medical leadership are ripped from headlines today. Along with several other historians, Pacino was hosted on a recent episode of the "Historias Podcast" to connect their research to current-day Bolivia. The panel explores such critical actors and elements as the military, miners, cruceño elites, and public health in contemporary Bolivia by placing them in broader historical arcs to present a complex picture of this Andean nation. You can listen to the complete podcast hereor below.

"As the world currently reels from a global pandemic, it is easy to feel isolated, scared, and uncertain. Yet, as my research shows, people in the past have faced infectious disease outbreaks and crises of state legitimacy, and societies have emerged from them, although not always unscathed. Epidemics can exacerbate social divisions and aggravate political tensions, but these crisis moments can also create opportunities to change society for the better. It is too early to know how the current pandemic will end, but the lessons of the past are, and will continue to be, useful for understanding the present moment."

Dr. Pacino regularly teaches classes on modern Latin America for interested students.

For questions about our Department of History, please contact history@uah.edu

Dr. Cynthia Ann Young, head of the Department of African American Studies at Pennsylvania State University, will be featured when The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System, presents a webinar to highlight the work of humanities scholars from underrepresented demographics.

Spring 2021 Faculty Exhibit.

Photo Credit Department of Art, Art History & Design

The Spring 2021 Faculty Exhibit features The University of Alabama in Huntsville's Department of Art, Art History & Design. Enjoy visually creative pieces that incorporate painting, mixed media, photography, and more! The exhibit is on view through February 5th in the UAH Salmon Library Gallery.
The Faculty Exhibit is available through a virtual tour until February 12th.

Spring 2021 Faculty Exhibit Virtual Tour

Nicholle Nizer's BFA exit show title #influentialsimulation.

Photo Credit Nicholle Nizer

Glam, nails, lips, and teeth! Currently, on display in the UAH Wilson Hall Gallery, Nicholle Nizer's BFA exit show title #influentialsimulation is a body of work that represents Nizer's interest in playful colors, dinosaurs, and fashion. This exhibition encompasses a plethora of making techniques, representing Nizer's full arsenal of skills. Painting, sculpture, graphic design, and drawing all find their way into an exhibition fit for an array of audiences.

The exhibit runs through February 3rd. Virtual tour available through February 12th.

#influentialsimulation virtual tour

Alexandria Flanigan, a pre-law student at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System, has been named Miss Alabama USA 2021.

NEW Degree Master of Arts in Teaching Music starting Fall 2021.

 

The University of Alabama in Huntsville is excited to announce a new graduate degree in music education. The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT P-12) Music degree allows individuals with any Bachelor’s degree in Music (BA, BM, BS) to complete a Master’s Degree and earn an Alabama Class A teaching license in Choral or Instrumental Music. 

We are currently recruiting the first cohort of students for this degree to begin Fall 2021. Many of the courses are online or offered in person in the late afternoon and evening to accommodate working professionals. The first music course in the program will be offered online this summer, MUSIC 611: Survey of Music History with Dr. Carolyn Sanders.  

Eligible students must successfully audition for the Department of Music on their primary instrument, have at least a 3.0 undergraduate cumulative GPA, and present a passing score on the Praxis II Music Exam. The required Praxis exam is test code 5113, and students must earn a qualifying score of 161 or higher. 

The Master of Arts in Teaching Music is offered in conjunction with the College of Education. The course of study includes graduate music courses, professional education courses in the College of Education, classes in music learning and teaching, and practicum opportunities. 

The academic advisor for the MAT and all teaching certifications is Ms.Chantaye Robinson-Jones of the College of Education. Please refer general inquiries about the degree program and music courses to Dr. Dave Ragsdale, Department of Chair of the Department of Music. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MAT PROGRAM AND THE SPECIFIC DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

For more information on the Praxis Exam go to ets.org. 

For more information about the Music audition process

Questions? Please contact us at music@uah.edu

Find a study spot in Morton Hall.

Photo Credit Jennifer Clifton

Navigating college can be daunting during a pandemic. Having a connection to campus, whether virtually or socially distant and engaging in your online classes, is crucial to maintaining the college experience! Here are six tips to help you stay engaged and connected this semester!

1. Schedule dedicated time each week for asynchronous classes. Since asynchronous classes do not have set meeting times, make your own schedule for your asynchronous classes! Carving out set times each week to work on assignments for that class will help you stay on track and make it feel more like a synchronous class.
2. Stay engaged during Zoom lectures. If you have Zoom lectures, treat them like in-person classes. By limiting distractions, taking notes, and participating in your Zoom classes, you will not only retain the information and concepts better, but you will also connect with your professor and classmates more. 
3. Find an organizational style that works best for you. Everyone’s brains learn differently, but one thing that can’t be compromised is organization. Keep track of all your class schedules, assignments, extracurriculars, events, and work schedules not to forget anything. My favorite organizational method that has helped me stay organized since my freshman year of college is to put all my school assignments in a paper planner and put all my classes, extracurriculars, events, and work schedules into my Google Calendar. I also recommend color-coding your different classes and categories of schedules if you are a visual learner!

Find a focused study spot. Morton Hall has many dedicated study areas.
Photo Credit Jennifer Clifton
4. Find a focused study spot. No matter if you’re on campus or back in your hometown, finding a study spot that meets your study needs will help you stay focused on your assignments. Some of my favorite study spots on campus are the study rooms at Morton Hall, the second floor of the Salmon Library, and the Charger Union. If you are working on an assignment or exam that requires silence and absolute focus, make sure that your study spot has limited distractions. If you’re working on a group project or something that doesn’t require as much focus, you could find a study spot that optimizes socially distant group study. 
5. Go to online UAH events.There are still ways to connect to campus, even if you are fully online this semester. UAH offices such as the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and the Office of Student Life have virtual events this semester. Be sure to check the Charger Student Newsletter and your individual colleges’ newsletter in your email to stay up to date on these virtual events! UAH registered student organizations (RSOs) are also hosting virtual events and meetings this semester! Check out this list of UAH RSOsand contact them to find out when they host meetings and events!
6. Take advantage of UAH resources. UAH has many in-person and virtual resources that can help you academically and keep you connected to campus! The UAH Student Success Center (SSC) offers traditional and writing tutoring in-person at the Salmon Library and virtually. The SSC is a great opportunity for UAH students to excel academically, no matter if you’re online, hybrid, or in-person this semester! The UAH Counseling Center offers individual counseling, group therapy, and workshops to UAH students enrolled in at least 3 credit hours. All counseling sessions will be held virtually this semester. The Counseling Center is a great resource for students that may feel overwhelmed during this pandemic. Another great resource on campus is your academic advisors!The academic advisors for your college are there to help you with your college plan and assist you with any questions you may have about your class schedule! I recommend seeing your academic advisor at least once a semester to make sure you’re taking the right classes so that you can graduate on time. They are also very helpful if you are considering switching your major or minor!

Blog Post by Arianna Kholanjani (Communication Arts), College Ambassador & Outreach Student Assistant
Photo Credit Jennifer Clifton

Questions? Contact us at cahs@uah.edu 

Congratulations to our Psychology Alumni!

Baylee Jenkins (‘20 M.A. Psychology) 

Baylee Jenkins (‘20 M.A. Psychology)

Photo Credit Jennifer Clifton

Jenkins’ thesis  "Testing the Forensic Confirmation Bias: How Jailhouse Informants Violate Evidentiary Independence" was recently accepted for publication at the Journal of Police and Psychology.  

Abstract: Research has demonstrated that primary confessions corrupt perceptions of forensic evidence, such as handwriting evidence. Additionally, research on secondary confessions indicates that statements made by jailhouse informants influence juror decision making to the same degree as primary confessions. The goal of the current study was to investigate whether jailhouse informant statements bias perceptions of forensic evidence. Participants were presented with a brief case summary about a bank robbery along with confession evidence from a jailhouse informant, in which both reliability and incentive presence were manipulated. Participants were then asked to examine a pair of either matching or mismatching handwriting samples before making case-relevant judgments. Results indicated that participants exposed to the reliable jailhouse informant were more likely to believe the samples were matching as well as rate them higher in similarity. These findings suggest that participants fell prey to the forensic confirmation bias.  

Dr. Danielle Franks (‘13 B.A. Psychology)

Dr. Danielle Franks (‘13 B.A. Psychology)

Photo Credit Austin College

Joined the Department of Psychology at Austin College in Fall 2020 as an Assistant Professor. After completing her degree at UAH, she pursued graduate studies at Louisiana Tech University where she earned a M.A. in Counseling and Guidance in 2018 and a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology in 2020. Dr. Frankes completed her pre-doctoral internship at Ball State University’s Counseling Center where she worked with college students from various marginalized identities from a feminist relational-cultural perspective. Dr. Frank's research interests fall under the broad umbrella of Multicultural Psychology and its intersection with Counseling Psychology. More specifically, her research examines White allyship in racial justice advocacy, counselor multicultural competence, racism and classism, and the relationship between political ideology and racial attitudes. 

Jared Godwin (‘18 B.A. Psychology) 

Jared Godwin (‘18 B.A. Psychology)

Photo Credit Jared Godwin

After graduation, Jared Godwin started the UAB Physician Assistant Studies program. Godwin is currently in his clinical year, serving as his cohort’s class president. He says, “I will implement my Psychology background into a couple of local clinical rotations: a Psychiatry office in Huntsville and a Neurosurgery practice at Huntsville Hospital.” 

Please consider sharing your Alumni Story HERE. 

Questions? Contact the Department of Psychology at psychology@uah.edu

The exhibition is on view January 9-February 21, 2021, at the Carnegie Visual Arts Center in Decatur, AL.  Since opening in 2003, the Carnegie Visual Arts Center has focused on programs, collects, and events that encourage art all levels and ages. 

Cuba: Memories Revisited is an exhibition of photographs that illustrate Betancourt’s memories as a five-year-old and his visit back to Cuba after 48 years. It combines the assembled photographs and stories collected before his visit with the documentary-style photographs from his trip in March 2019. 

“For my visit, I decided to tell the story of how things are now. Re-discovering family and place were the most important things for me. The family that stayed were mostly on my father’s side; my grandmother and my great aunts and uncles from this large family of eleven children. My documentary-style photographs attempt to describe the place as it is now and possibly reflecting on the life I may have lived there.” 

The most exciting part of this exhibit is that my images will be projected on to the Carnegie Library building, built in 1904. I am interested in finding historic architecture to juxtapose with the images from Cuba so that the viewer is transported to a different place and culture.

January 22, 6:00-8:00 pm-Join us for a Special Projection Event. It will be featuring the digital art mapping of José Betancourt’s photos of Cuban architecture onto the exterior of the Carnegie Visual Arts Center. During the projection, the gallery will be open for viewing of the exhibit. Maintaining the governor’s recommendations, a maximum of 50 people, masked and socially distanced, will be admitted in the gallery at one time. The projection will be visible from Oak and Church streets and can be viewed from the grounds or by car. Digital mapping presented by Nathan Adamek and LED Orange.

February 26, 6:00-8:00 pm Member's Artist Reception. Registration is required. Limited space is available. Contact Carnegie, 256-341-0562 for more details.

Questions? Contact our Department of Art, Art History & Design at  art@uah.edu.