Warhawk Weekly 9–22: NSF grant; COVID-19 Dashboard; Alum dishes comfort

NSF grant supports cloud detection research

A National Science Foundation-supported research project involving two AUM faculty members could have major implications in the fields of weather prediction, agriculture, climatology and hydrology. The three-year project, supported through a $328,252 NSF grant, will also offer undergraduate research opportunities for AUM students.

Assistant professor of computer science Semih Dinc serves as co-principal investigator of a project focused on developing an open-source software framework that can provide higher accuracy images of clouds in real time.

AUM assistant professor of astronomy Randy Russell also serves in a senior role in the project, which will provide nearly 30 undergraduate research assistantships for AUM students over three years.

“The study will directly impact our undergraduate students as they will be exposed to today’s important topics such as machine learning, computer vision, and high-performance computing,” Dinc said.

Read more in the AUM Pressroom.

AUM launches COVID-19 dashboard

In an effort to help students and employees understand campus conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic, Auburn University at Montgomery has launched an online dashboard to provide weekly updates on testing.

The totals will be updated each Monday and will reflect test results from the previous week.

Students and employees are also encouraged to participate in the random Sentinel Testing Program, which focuses on identifying potential asymptomatic coronavirus cases.

The program will provide weekly testing to better understand and mitigate potential community transmission of COVID-19. Employees can create an account at https://healthy.verily.com/ (utilize your AUM email address) in order to be enrolled in the program.

If you receive an email request to set up an appointment, log into your Verily account to complete a pre-test symptom screen and schedule your test.

View the dashboard: http://www.aum.edu/aumdashboard

Alum dishes up comfort from the kitchen

Stacey Little, a 2004 graduate, turned his hobby into a profession — much to the delight of home chefs who rely on his popular food blog and cookbook for inspiration.

Learn how one blog post about decadent pecan chewies paved the way for a Wall Street Journal best-selling cookbook, an appearance on The Today Show and a loyal following among Southern foodies.

Get in the kitchen with Stacey Little!

Building Career Readiness Skills

The Career Development Center and the Division of Student Affairs will host a Building Career Readiness Skills session to help students with their resumes and interviewing skills Monday, Sept. 28 on the Quad.

Students can test their interview skills from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. through a series of interview questions based on the NACE Competencies for Career Readiness. Each competency will be represented at a table, where students will be asked an interview question designed to help them assess their current level of proficiency in that competency.

The Career Development Center also is seeking volunteers from the campus community to work in 30 minute shifts at a table asking questions and providing feedback to students. Available shifts are:

• 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
• 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please email [email protected].

Wellness Center expands service to students

AUM’s Wellness Center has expanded service to students this week with modified hours, online workout time reservation, virtual group fitness classes and indoor pool operation.

Reservations are required in order for students to use the Wellness Center. Reserve your workout time by downloading the IMLeagues mobile app or utilizing the AUM Wellness Center and Intramural web page.

Wellness Center operating hours for the Fall semester are:

Fall hours

• Monday-Thursday:  8 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Friday:  8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Saturday:  Closed
• Sunday:  12 p.m.-5 p.m.

Pool Hours

• Monday-Thursday:  10 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Friday:  10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Saturday:  Closed
• Sunday:  12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Athletics hosting LifeSouth Blood Drive

Did you know that donating one pint of blood can help save three lives?

Help save lives locally during the Auburn University at Montgomery Blood Drive on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Donate from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the LifeSouth Community Blood Centers blood mobile. The blood mobile will be parked near the AUM Athletics Complex.

All donors will receive a recognition item, as well as a cholesterol screening. Donors must be 16 or older, weigh at least 110 pounds and have a photo ID.

Student Success Workshops

AUM’s UNIV courses help new students build the skills they will need throughout their college careers. For Fall 2020, the AUM Library and UNIV Student Success Program will offer virtual UNIV Student Success Workshops from 12:10 to 12:40 p.m. on the following days:

Tuesday-Wednesday, Sept. 22-23
UNIV: Midterm Prep/PowerPoint Workshop with Amy Ingram

Tuesday-Wednesday, Sept. 29-30
Wellness/Mental Health with Greta Chambless & Amber McGlawn

Tuesday-Wednesday, Oct. 6-7
Study/Test-Prep with Heather Adams & Paul Arrington

Tuesday-Wednesday, October 13-14
Information Literacy with Samantha McNeilly

Wednesday, October 21
Service/Experiential Learning with Brenda Plympton

Access the sessions via the following Zoom link: https://auburn.zoom.us/j/92455937401.

University Communications team earns regional honors

AUM’s Office of University Communications recently earned recognition from the Southern Public Relations Federation.

AUM earned an Award of Excellence for its social media management efforts as part of SPRF’s Lantern Awards program. SPRF’s membership includes public relations practitioners from Alabama, North Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi who represent such industries as education, tourism, healthcare, government and technology.

The honor comes on the heels of the AUM University Communications earning multiple honors in the Public Relations Council of Alabama’s 2020 Medallion Awards.

AUM’s University Communications team includes Executive Director Troy Johnson, Communications Specialist Adrienne Nettles, Photographer Frank Williams, Multimedia Specialist Matt Pellegrin, Nicolette Parrish and Sonya Jackson.

Get instant updates on campus happenings

AUM students and employees can get quick updates on campus events and important news via text message.

We promise not to bombard you, but we will share information that matters to you (like where to score some free food, for example).

Opt in for text messaging.

AUM Bookstore offers September Sale

The AUM Bookstore is offering some blockbuster deals and huge savings beyond its ever-popular $5 T-shirts. Stop by the bookstore to check out its September Sale between now and month’s end.

Follow Student Affairs on social media

Want to keep up with virtual and in-person events for students?

Follow the new AUM Office of Student Affairs social media accounts:

Instagram: @studentaffairsofaum

Facebook: @StudentAffairsofAUM

Become a Working Warhawk

Are you looking for work on campus? AUM’s Career Development Center is ready to assist students with finding work on campus using Handshake, the university’s online tool for connecting students with off-campus employers and on-campus job opportunities.

To begin your search and access Handshake, complete the following steps:

• Go to MyAUM and select the Handshake link. You will be taken directly to the Handshake login page.
• Register for an account in Handshake. Simply select Auburn University at Montgomery, complete a brief informational section, and you’re all set!

Within the job search, you can search specifically for on-campus positions. To do this, select Jobs from the top menu bar and this should take you directly to the job search page.

To find positions designated as on-campus jobs, click the on-campus filter. This will give you all of the jobs that have been specified as on-campus positions.

You will find details regarding the job responsibilities, campus location, hours, and pay range.

If you need additional assistance with creating resumes and cover letters or preparing for interviews, visit the Career Development Center in Taylor Center 323 or email [email protected] for more information.

Get ready for a new website experience

Auburn University at Montgomery students and employees will note some changes when they log on to www.aum.edu on Wednesday.

AUM’s Office of University Marketing will launch a redesign of the university’s website. According to Executive Director of University Marketing Keri Burnett, the new site will improve the user experience with simplified navigation and organization of content while also providing a more consistent aesthetic experience.

AUM Volleyball needs your vote

We’re still a few months away from athletic competition resuming on the court, but the Gulf South Conference is trying to keep rivalries alive, AUM currently ranks third in the GSC’s social media voting for “Best Volleyball uniforms.”

You can help improve that position. Vote through 10 p.m. Wednesday to help the Warhawks get recognized for fashions that are as killer as their spikes. Vote now!

Cyber Security Center hosts Homeland Security expert

AUM’s new Center for Cyber Security will host a special webinar on October 1 to kick off National Cyber Security Awareness Month.

Learn about the center and hear from special guest speaker Matthew Travis, Deputy Director for the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

RSVP by September 31 to secure your spot.

Celebrate Hispanic Latino Heritage Month

AUM Diversity & Inclusion is sponsoring a series of events as part of Hispanic Latino Heritage Month. Join in on the fun, which includes poetry, literature and a documentary watch party.

Get the full schedule of events.