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HERE COME THE STUDENTS: UH BACK TO SCHOOL
TIP SHEET
As students relish the remaining few days of summer, universities
are gearing up for the start of the fall semester. As you consider
back to school story ideas, please keep in mind these tips from
the University of Houston. For more information or to arrange interviews,
give us a call at 713-743-8153.
Jet Lag 101
As kids switch their schedules from summer vacation to early, school-day
wake up calls, they may find themselves in an adjustment period
much like that of jet lag as their biological clocks get used to
a new, earlier schedule. In doing so, they may also opt for late-night
cramming for exams. UH researchers have found the latter to not
be such a good idea since the circadian clock regulates the formation
of memory at night, shutting down long-term memory in the wee hours.
Call or e-mail Arnold Eskin, John and Rebecca Moores Professor of
Biology and Biochemistry, at 713-743-8381 or eskin@uh.edu
for more information.
On Vietnamese Americans
In recognition of the growing influence of Houston’s Vietnamese
American population, UH will offer four new classes this fall: two
Vietnamese language classes, a course on culture and a class on
the history of Vietnamese Americans. For additional information,
call Angie Joe at 713-743-8153 or ajoe@uh.edu.
Welcome Week
Lost students are a familiar sight on the first day of school, but
UH staff members hope to change this image. On the first day of
the fall semester, UH staffers will await campus neophytes with
campus maps and directions to their classes. “Cougar First
Impressions” is an annual event in which UH staff members
guide new and returning students to their destinations. Stationed
throughout campus, staffers offer directions, bottled water, pens,
pencils, UH maps and other helpful items. For more information,
contact Mike Emery at 713-743-8186.
Eye on Safety
When students return to UH this fall, they’ll be under the
watchful eyes of the university’s Department of Public Safety.
More than 150 security cameras were installed in parking lots, buildings
and high-traffic pedestrian areas to monitor campus safety. Overseeing
these cameras is a new virtual patrol room that is monitored by
UH police officers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. To learn more
about how UH is increasing its safety measures, contact Eric Gerber,
interim director of University Communication, at 713-743-8189.
Give Peace a Chance
The school year begins peacefully for more than 50 Houston volunteers
who will gather at UH on Aug. 20 to learn the curriculum of for
PeaceJam, an international program that brings Nobel Laureates and
high school students together to create community projects. Houston
and UH will host Peace Jam for the first time in November, and Laureate
Adolfo Pérez Esquivel will be featured. He won the 1980 Nobel
Peace Prize for his leadership in human rights for the people of
Latin America. For more information, please contact Brian Trachte
at bltrachte@uh.edu or 713-743-8039.
Ice Castles
A former National Hockey League player is going from the ice rink
to the construction site. Former Edmonton Oiler and Pittsburgh Penguin
Greg Callahan is among the many non-traditional students pursuing
master’s degrees in architecture at UH’s Gerald D. Hines
College of Architecture. While once he practiced stick handling
techniques, he now practices design and building techniques, most
recently for an outdoor film structure for a Heights-area Middle
School. Reach him at gdcallahan@hotmail.com
or 617-448-2245.
BOUNCE to Good Health Habits
Fifty youngsters at Rusk Elementary School will BOUNCE into fall.
The girls are participating in a study that joins nutrition, counseling,
exercise and fun in an attempt to stave off obesity and other health
issues. The UH Health and Human Performance Department is directing
the three month study that begins in August. For more information,
please call Norma Olvera, primary investigator, at nolvera@uh.edu
or 713-743-9848
Managing Global Energy
The nation’s first executive master’s of business administration
in global energy management (GEMBA) has been launched by the C.
T. Bauer College of Business. This specialized curriculum works
to provide industry workers with the knowledge and skills necessary
to advance their careers in the global energy sector. Courses include
studies of the energy value chain, international energy finance
and emerging energy technologies, along with an international residency.
For more information, go to http://www.bauer.uh.edu/embagem/index.html
or call
713-743-8153.
Taking a Closer Look at Learning
With eyes providing 80 to 85 percent of sensory input to the brain,
vision is the most used tool a child has in learning. While school
nurses provide simple screenings, the tests are limited to certain
grades and only catch severe ocular problems. UH College of Optometry
experts say that annual professional assessments by an optometrist
are essential for all school-aged children starting as young as
Kindergarten and uncover many missed eye problems – many of
which hamper a child’s learning. For more information, contact
Clinical Professors of optometry Norman Bailey at 713-743-1916 or
nbailey@uh.edu, or Suzanne Wickum
at swickum@optometry.uh.edu
or 713-743-0745.
For more information about UH visit the university’s ‘Newsroom’ at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom.
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