Auburn University breaking ground for new MRI research center
February 1st, 2010
Auburn University and the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering will host a groundbreaking ceremony for a new $21 million facility that will house Auburn University's new Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI, Research Center on Thursday, Feb. 4, at 2 p.m. The facility will be located in the Auburn Research Park on Devall Drive. The event, which is free and open to the public, will include remarks by Alabama Gov. Bob Riley, Auburn University President Jay Gogue, Auburn Board of Trustees member Charles McCrary, as well as Jeffrey Bundy, vice president, MRI, for Siemens Healthcare. To read more, see the news release.
Members of the Board of Trustees and the president and chief executive officer of EBSCO Industries Inc., Dixon Brooke, will hold the dedication of the new Learning Commons in Auburn University's Ralph Brown Draughon Library at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5. Funding through a gift by EBSCO helped create this space that was designed to respond to the needs of today's students. Throughout the past three years, The Libraries has worked closely with Auburn's students to gather input in order to have a space designed by the students and for the students. The Learning Commons features 300 additional power outlets, 10 group study rooms and almost 500 new seats. The Libraries partnered with the Miller Writing Center, the Office of Information Technology and Study Partners to provide academic and technologic assistance in one convenient space with library reference services for users.
Auburn University Tigerettes and Tiger Hosts serve as public relation representatives for the Auburn Athletics Department. This group assists the department by working with the office of the athletic director, the football coaching staff, Tigers Unlimited and the alumni association. The orientation meeting is Monday, Feb. 1, at 5:30 p.m. in the Rane Room in the athletic complex. Bring five copies of your application, five copies of a picture and $10 to the meeting. The first round is Feb. 2-3 and the second round is Feb. 4. Applications are available at the front desk of the athletic complex, the Foy Desk in the Student Center or online at this 
Some internal Auburn e-mail addresses did not receive the AU ALERT test message last week, so a follow-up test of the system (e-mail only) will be conducted at 12:50 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3. The test will not take place if there is an actual emergency or threat of severe weather. The test message will be sent to all Auburn e-mail addresses as well as all external e-mail addresses registered with the system. To register or update your contact information, log on to 
An Auburn University professor in the College of Agriculture who was on the ground during the massive earthquake that devastated Haiti and who provided medical care to many of the victims presented a seminar about his experience on Friday, Jan. 22. This seminar is available for viewing at AU iTunes. Dennis Shannon, professor of agronomy and soils, arrived in Haiti the day before the earthquake struck and was standing in his hotel lobby when the tremors began. Shannon, a U.S. Department of Agriculture economist and two University of Florida agronomists were in the country to work on a food security initiative for the U.S. Department of State. The details of his experience in Haiti, as well as his thoughts on what should be done in the immediate and long-term future to help the Haitian people recover, were included in his presentation. You can find Shannon's seminar by following these steps: Click this 
The Art of Living Yoga Club will host a free “Yoga of Breath” workshop on Monday, Feb. 1, at 7 p.m. in 2218 Student Center and Wednesday, Feb. 3, at 6 p.m. in 2222 Student Center. This workshop is an introduction to the science of one's breath. Discover the latent power of your breath and its therapeutic faculty to enhance the quality of your personal, professional and social life. The workshop will include breathing techniques and a guided meditation which help one relax instantly, focus better and gain clarity of mind.
Students are always welcome to take advantage of Career Development Services' walk-in hours in 303 Martin Hall from noon to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Now you can likely find a career counselor in your college or the Student Center weekly. The schedule is as follows: Student Center: Mondays, noon to 2 p.m. by the Foy Information Desk; College of Agriculture: second Wednesday of the month, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the lobby; College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences: third Wednesday of the month, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the lobby.; College of Human Sciences: first Wednesday of the month, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30a.m. in the lobby; College of Liberal Arts: Wednesdays, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in 321 Tichenor; College of Sciences and Mathematics: Thursdays, 12:45 p.m. to 2p.m. in 239 the Student Center.
A viewing of the film, "Precious," will be held Tuesday, Feb.2, at 7 p.m. in 2370 Haley Center.
Photographic Services, located in 104 Foy Hall, is having a half-price sale of the "2010 Jordan-Hare Stadium: Points of View" calendar. The price is $5.37 including tax. This sale ends Friday, Feb. 5.
Students in the Harrison School of Pharmacy can help individuals who are dealing with chronic health conditions and need assistance in dealing with both their conditions and medications. In routinely scheduled visits, student pharmacists can take blood pressure, check blood sugars, fill pill boxes and respond to questions or problems the participant may have with his or her condition or medications. In addition to the benefits the participant receives by having students monitor medications, participants are afforded the opportunity to mentor students and expose them to situations that will enhance their learning. For more information about this free service, contact Kathy Kyle at 844-8345 or 
This year’s Big Read book is Mark Twain’s "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer." The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage citizens to read for pleasure and enlightenment. Auburn University will host a public lecture by Alan Gribben, internationally known Mark Twain scholar, on Thursday, Feb. 11, at 3 p.m. in the Special Collections lecture room at the Ralph B. Draughon Library. Gribben's lecture will focus on "Ten Good Reasons to Read Tom Sawyer." Other events include a scavenger hunt and public Lunch and Learn discussions. To read more go to this 
Rita Kemp, of the Auburn Birding Club, will host a bird identification program Saturday, Feb. 6, at 2 p.m. in the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve. Learn about The Great Backyard Bird Count, identifying the most common birds found in the area, and some feeding tips to attract birds. After quick lesson on using binoculars and scopes, guests will head out for some birding on the preserve trails. You will go home with a bird ID sheet and some confidence to participate in the count or enjoy birding on your own. Admission is $2 and all proceeds will go for bird seed for the preserve feeders. For more information, call Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or visit the preserve 
Career Development Services is inviting students to network to find jobs at the Career Expo. The expo for engineering and technical majors is Tuesday, Feb. 9, and for business and non-technical majors on Thursday, Feb. 11. Both events are from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at The Hotel at Auburn University. Students should prepare by visiting this 
Associate professor Mark Bertus of the College of Business died Tuesday, Jan. 26. Bertus was born Dec. 21, 1971, in Bartlesville, Okla. He earned his Ph.D. in finance from Oklahoma University and taught finance at Auburn University, where he received multiple teaching awards. With his outgoing personality and love of life, he worked to further collegiality within the department and College of Business. Donations are being accepted for the Mark Bertus Scholarship Fund and can be made at any Auburn Bank location or mailed to P.O. Drawer 3110, Auburn, AL 36831.
Auburn's newly founded chapter of Engineers Without Borders will be taking students to the village of Quesimpuco, Bolivia, in August to complete work in the community. The trip is open to any interested students, regardless of major. Application deadline is Thursday, Feb. 4. For more information, visit the EWB-AU Web site at this 
The Auburn University Department of English has announced its annual Robert Hughes Mount Jr. Poetry Prize, sponsored by the Academy of American Poets and endowed by Frances Mayes. The grand prize is $100 and a one-year membership in the Academy of American Poets for the Auburn University student submitting the best poem. Graduate and undergraduate students may submit up to three poems to Jeremy Downes's mailbox in 9030 Haley Center. The contest deadline is Monday, March 1. Questions about the contest and information regarding submission criteria should be directed to the Poetry Prize coordinator Jeremy Downes at 844-9040 or 
Technology security expert Bruce Schneier will present a Littleton-Franklin Lecture, "Beyond Security Theater: Fighting Terrorism the Smart Way," at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2, in the Sciences Center auditorium, College of Sciences and Mathematics. Dubbed "security guru" by The Economist, Schneier is an internationally renowned security technologist and author. His bestseller, "Applied Cryptology," explains the science of secret codes and was described by Wired magazine as "the book the National Security Agency wanted never to be published." Schneier's other books include "Secrets and Lies," "Beyond Fear" and "Schneier on Security." For more information, contact Jim Bradley at 
A traveling exhibition of contemporary craft and traditional art produced in the southeastern United States is on display at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University through May 15. Auburn's museum is the only venue in Alabama that will host the exhibition. This collection, "Tradition/Innovation: American Masterpieces of Southern Craft and Traditional Art," contains more than 100 objects including works of art in glass, clay, fiber, metal, wood, paper and mixed media. To enrich the viewer's experience, the museum is offering an array of artist interviews as well as stories and background information on the artists and their processes. Organized by the Southern Arts Federation, a nonprofit regional arts organization, "Tradition/Innovation" features 58 of the region's master artists from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. See the entire feature story at this 
The Career Leadership Seminar: Finding the Leader Within is an opportunity for juniors, seniors and graduate-level students to increase self awareness, enhance leadership skills and prepare for the career development process. Participants will learn how to evaluate, market and communicate their leadership skills to potential employers, while facilitating a better understanding of themselves. The seminars will be held in the Student Center on Tuesdays, March 2, 9, 23, 30, April 6 and 13, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Lunch will be provided as students engage in exploration, listen to innovative speakers and collaborate together. Interested students should submit a brief statement of interest to Katie Mantooth at 
The Athletics Department is now accepting applications for Executive Suite Ambassadors for the 2010 football season. Executive Suite Ambassadors are the official hosts and hostesses of the skyboxes at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Applications are being accepted through March 15. For an application, e-mail Janie Boles, director of Donor Services and Annual Giving, at 
The Auburn Alumni Association has 12 parking spaces available for lease at $200 per semester. The spaces are located in the association's parking lot at the corner of Gay and Miller streets behind the Auburn Alumni Center. For more information or to reserve a space, contact Nancy Ingram at 844-2586.
