Mobile games can be found by the thousands on the App Store and Google Play, but one game might be more intriguing than the rest -- especially because the creators are stationed here in Albuquerque.
The Department of Spanish and Portugese, in collaboration with the Latin American and Iberian Institute, is holding readings of the renowned Spanish novel Don Quixote, which celebrates its fourth centennial anniversary this year. Anthony Cardenas, professor and chair of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, as well as a volunteer participating in the reading of “Don Quixote”, said he encourages students to attend the readings of one of the best-selling novels of all time.
A team of UNM researchers in collaboration with the National Institute of Health have developed a vaccine to treat high cholesterol. The vaccine targets a molecule called PCSK9, a protein involved in cholesterol metabolism, according to a UNM press release. The vaccine is a cost-effective alternative for other drugs and could provide a widely applicable mode of treatment for high cholesterol control and cardiovascular diseases, according to the statement.
Enrollment for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), or benefits offered by UNM, will soon be available to University employees. Sign-ups begin on Oct. 28 and run through Nov. 11, according to a UNM press release. Employees are encouraged to start planning.
Candelario Vasquez was in his freshman year at Florida State University when he first read the stories that made him want to be a writer who centered his work around community issues. The majority of the stories he had to study were about British writers. He said he felt like the stories the professor gave him for analysis never really spoke to him, he said. “I didn’t grow up reading a lot of minorities of color, so it was hard for me. I couldn’t relate to the writings in any way. I didn’t have a mentor, and I knew it was going to be hard for me to find a mentor of color,” said Vasquez, an FSU communication studies and English literature graduate who spent time teaching community media at Encuentro, a non-profit organization in Albuquerque.
UNM International Studies Institute’s Fall 2015 lecture series will feature 14 speakers following the theme “Peace: From Conflict to Reconciliation,” according to a UNM press release. The series kicked off on Monday with a panel on Israel and Palestine led by speakers Alex Lubin, chair of American Studies at UNM, and Les Field, chair of the anthropology department at UNM.
UNM is set to launch its annual United Way of Central New Mexico’s fundraiser. UWCNM is the local branch of the United Way of America. The organization focuses on helping communities in Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia counties by obtaining resources to improve lives and strengthen communities, according to the UWCNM website.
Leona Woelk is an associate scientist at the UNM Prevention Research Center. She works under Theresa Cruz, principal investigator for a sexual violence prevention project. They work with the New Mexico Department of Health, the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs and rape crisis centers and other organizations across the state that are receiving funding from NMDOH to work on sexual violence prevention. The researchers provide training and technical assistance to the organizations to implement and expand primary prevention efforts, meaning efforts to prevent sexual violence from happening in the first place. In June 2015, the UNM Prevention Research Center completed a year-long, statewide strategic planning process for primary prevention of sexual violence for NMDOH. The scientists worked with many different organizations and communities throughout New Mexico to complete the plan, including conducting 11 focus groups across the state to learn more about sexual violence and prevention efforts in the local setting. One of those focus groups was conducted at UNM with male students and other young men from the Albuquerque community to learn more about how to engage men in sexual violence prevention work.
ASUNM held its latest full senate meeting last Wednesday, and discussed several pieces of legislation including a new bill to amend the senate's standing rules and the latest round of appropriations.
UNM is hosting a rare opportunity for students to hear a world-renowned environmental activist speak on the relationship between Earth and those who inhabit it. Vandana Shiva will speak at UNM for an event organized by UNM’s Sustainability Studies Program, entitled Abundance 2015: Earth, Health and Wellbeing. Her speech will focus on the concept that “we are all seeds of abundance and creativity.”
What are your general thoughts on Homecoming Week?
For some, growing vegetables is a job. For others, it may be a hobby. For Silver Leaf Farms, it’s a way of life. Co-owners Aaron and Elan Silverblatt-Buser have been promoting the use of local produce for six seasons by producing and selling to local growers markets, restaurants and grocery stores. It wasn’t until two months ago that the brothers decided to take the next step to better the Albuquerque community by reducing the team’s carbon footprint. Silver Leaf Farms has now expanded its business to be open year-round with hydroponic plants, and chose to install 20 solar panels in order to help minimize energy waste.
UNM is preparing to launch its third annual mobile app contest, partnering with CNM for the first time in a collaboration that has brought innovations to the competition, including an award for teams composed exclusively of women. The “Women in Technology” award is up for grabs for female applicants to the contest, whether they apply individually or as a team. So far the contest has four such applicants, according to Manikantam Chitturi, the contest coordinator. “We thought of encouraging women to be involved more,” Chitturi said.
The UNM Police Department’s annual Security and Fire Safety Report, released Oct.1, shows that the number of reported sexual assault, stalking and domestic violence cases on campus property increased in 2014 from the previous year. According to the report, the number of reported sexual assaults on campus increased from 12 to 18 between 2013 and 2014. The number of reported stalking crimes on campus also increased from five in 2013 to 28 in 2014.
It’s common for students to be unsure about career options before or even during college, and CareerBuilder’s new website, findyourcalling.com, is trying to help. Around 41 percent of freshmen in higher education do not finish their college careers, according to the National Center for Education. All of these people who are unemployed and undecided on their next career moves have many resources that attempt to point them in the right direction, with findyourcalling.com now in that arena.
The New Mexico News Port, a digital news lab at the UNM's Communications and Journalism Department, was named the grand prize winner in the Online News Association's “Challenge Fund for Innovation in Journalism Education.” UNM was one of 24 schools out of 200 to be selected for this program, accordingto the News Port. The journalism lab will receive $10,000 in grand prize money from ONA. “This is exactly the high level of work we were hoping for when launching the Challenge Fund,” said ONA President Jane McDonnell in the statement.
Spain is the most popular country for UNM students to study abroad, according to data from the University’s Global Education Office. Mexico is second with a large number of faculty-led programs, and the United Kingdom is third. One of the many things college students are invited to do during their time in school is study abroad. However, there are various factors to consider before making a final decision such as finances, what type of program to do, credit transfers and, most importantly, where to go. With the rise of globalization, especially in the job market, international jobs are becoming increasingly popular. This makes being bilingual or having international experience, such as studying abroad, invaluable. Overall across the United States and at UNM, study abroad enrollment is on the rise.
Professor Richard Wood, chair of UNM’s department of sociology, traveled with 150 other New Mexicans to research Pope Francis’ recent visit to America and its effect on the political forum, according to a University press release. Wood traveled to Washington D.C. to watch Pope Francis address Congress from the capitol building, and he attended his speech on religious freedom and immigration at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. “What I focus on is the intersection of faith and public life in the United States,” Wood said in the release. “Think of it as religion and politics, but really thinking about when people of faith, of any tradition, come into the public arena, what difference does their faith make as they vote and as they take positions on issues.”
The University of New Mexico received the 2015 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the “oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education,” according to a University statement. In the November issue of the publication, UNM will be featured with 91 other participants being honored for the award. The HEED award is the only such honor recognizing colleges and universities for outstanding diversity and inclusion efforts across their campuses, according to UNM. UNM was selected by INSIGHT for its dedication to recruiting historically underrepresented and first-generation minority students, as well as having resource centers for various ethnicities represented by the University’s diverse student body, according to the statement.
The Associated Students of UNM hosted a summit on Friday at the SUB to discuss possible upcoming changes to the Legislative Lottery Scholarship. The summit was attended by student representatives from colleges and universities across the state. It was coordinated by the efforts of the state’s student governments to work together in adequately representing the needs of students in New Mexico affected by the Lottery Scholarship, participants of the summit said.
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