FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                              Contact: Molly J. Kelly, Executive Director
                                                                                (217) 684‐3007 or naidc@wdexpo.com

AAMU Team Earns Silver Award at North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge

Syracuse, NY—A team of four students from the Alabama A&M University won a Silver Award in the recent North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge (NAIDC) held in Syracuse, N.Y.

A total of 29 teams from the United States and two from Canada competed in the eighth annual event, hosted by the Northeast Region NAIDC committee.

The team coached by Dr. Gamaleden Abdelrahim consisted of Laquanda Hall, Montgomery, Ala.; Christopher Ragland, Huntsville, Ala.; Brandi Roebuck, Jacksonville, Fla.; and Kimberley Williams, Harvest, Ala.

Dairy Challenge was designed by professionals from the allied dairy industry and university educators to bring classroom training to life in the real world for students preparing for dairy careers. The Alabama A&M team spent two days at the contest. On the first day, they combed through cow and farm management data, as well as financial records, then conducted an on‐site evaluation. Later that day, they also interviewed the farm owner.

After identifying opportunities to increase efficiency and profitability for the herd owner, the team presented its findings to a judging panel comprised of a dairy business owner and four experts in dairy nutrition, herd health, reproduction, and financial management. Teams were judged on their analysis of the operation, recommendations, and overall presentation.

Reflecting on this year’s competition, reproduction expert and judge Dr. Ray Nebel from Select Sires Inc. said, “Besides being the best training of students for what they will face in the future, the Dairy Challenge contest brings together the whole dairy industry for a great common goal. The knowledge, excitement, enthusiasm, and teamwork displayed by the students at the 2009 Dairy Challenge made me feel good about the future of the dairy industry and the outstanding leaders it will have.”

About Dairy Challenge
The mission of the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge is to facilitate education, communication and an exchange of ideas among students, agribusiness, dairy producers and universities that enhances the development of the dairy industry and its leaders.

The 2010 national contest will be held April 8 through 10 in Visalia, Calif., with four regional contests scheduled for late fall 2009 and winter 2010. For more information or to become a sponsor of the Dairy Challenge program, visit www.dairychallenge.org or contact Molly J. Kelley, Executive Director, at naidc@wdexpo.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jerome Saintjones, (256) 372- 5607

A&M Science Day Attracts Hundreds

Huntsville, Ala. —- The School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at Alabama A&M University lured some 300 students to its recent annual Science Exploration Day.

Hundreds of high school seniors, juniors and counselors from throughout Alabama participated in hands-on workshops in the food and agricultural sciences. The workshop delved into such topics as biodiesel classroom on wheels; the measurement of environmental pollution; forestry frolic; plant biotechnology; the proper use of credit; health bodyweight; high tech small engines; computers in agribusiness; and several other subjects.

Twelve Alabama high schools participated: Booker T. Washington High, Tuskegee; Bullock County High, Union Springs; Choctaw County High, York; Dadeville High, Dadeville; Demopolis High, Demopolis; Francis Marion High, Marion; Linden High, Linden; Monroe County High, Monroeville; Notasulga High, Notasulga; Sparkman High, Harvest; and Vincent High, Vincent.

Student wrap-up comments were highlighted by two students indicating being admitted to other state colleges, but after experiences received during “Science Exploration Day”, they had a change of heart and completed AAMU admission applications, were accepted on-the-spot, their fees were waived, and they will be attending AAMU during the fall semester.

Hospitality Expressions, a student food service organization within the department of Family and Consumer Sciences, provided and served breakfast and lunch for the event on the lawn of the J. I. Dawson Cooperative Extension Building. Students were given a peek at “student life while in college” by a step presentation from Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and a dance routine from AAMU’s Maroon Mirage Dance Team.

Over 50 student, staff, and faculty volunteers were essential to the effectiveness of the event which was sponsored by a USDA/CSREES grant “On-line Duel Credit Partnership for Recruiting 21st Century Professionals in the Food and Agricultural Sciences”.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jerome Saintjones (256) 372-5607

AAMU Honda Team Gets No. 1 Seed in 20th National Tournament

Just Wait’ll Next Year!

Huntsville, Ala. —- The Alabama A&M University Honda Campus All Star Challenge (HCASC) national champion competition team for the third consecutive year advanced to the Sweet 16 in the HCASC National Competition Tournament (NCT) in Orlando, Fla.

The team won the Pre-NCT at Harris Stowe University in St. Louis, Mo., and at the end of the Round Robin play in the NCT was 7-0, with the highest number of points per toss-up among all 64 teams chosen for this year’s competition. Thus, the group earned the #1 seed for the playoffs. The AAMU team made it to the quarter finals in the NCT and gained the respect of all the players and coaches for their discipline, style of play, quick recall, and overall knowledge, according to team coach, Dr. Barbara A.P. Jones.

The 2008 HCASC team was led by Kevin Render, senior biology major from Buffalo, N.Y. Other members of the team were Kyle Davis, senior, urban planning, Birmingham, Ala.; Mary Lynn Hayes, junior, chemistry, Woodbury, Ga.; Steven Sanders, senior, sociology, Trotwood, O hio; and DeVonna Freeman, junior, management, Russellville, Ala.. They are coached by Dr. Barbara A.P. Jones, Department of Economics and Finance, and Carla Draper-Holloway, director of the Honors Center, is campus coordinator.

HCASC is a University-wide program and student competitors in the campus-launched competitions represent all disciplines offered by the University. Although the Honors Center has been very supportive of the program, many outstanding HCASC players are not honor students. Every AAMU student with a passion for trivia and a strong knowledge base is encouraged to participate in the program.

Coach Jones has already begun recruiting for the 2009-2010 HCASC team. Interested students and faculty who want to be a part of the program are encouraged to contact her or Ms. Holloway. An information session will be held on Friday, April 10, 2 p.m., in the School of Business library on the second floor of the School of Business building.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jerome Saintjones, (256) 372-5607

A&M Gets ‘Spaced Out’

AAMU Makes First-Ever Balloon Launch!

Huntsville, Ala. —- Two Alabama A&M University engineering Senior Design classes recently launched BalloonSat from the National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC) site in Huntsville, Ala.

The historic balloon launch, which took the AAMU name and logo to the outer edges of space, was made possible by a funded proposal written by AAMU electrical engineer Koy Cook to the Alabama Space Grant Consortium (ASGC). Dr. Cook also secured other funding for the project. The technical assistance the two senior design teams needed for their respective projects was provided by Dr. John Piccirillo of the Huntsville-based Radiance Technologies.

AAMU BalloonSat (Senior Design Teams ‘E-Boys’ and ‘ACES’) was launched about 10:34 a.m. Saturday, April 4, from the NSSTC site, and it was allowed “to go to burst,” after achieving an altitude greater than 89,000 feet, according to John Piccirillo, an avid senior design volunteer at AAMU and UAHuntsville.

The balloon launch endeavor was “the first ever by an AAMU team,” noted Stoney Massey, an AAMU assistant professor of electrical engineering, who witnessed the launching of the AAMU BalloonSat. Massey lauded the support of ASGC as a contributing factor to the success of the AAMU teams.

The AAMU payloads were recovered about 100 miles east of Huntsville, reported Piccirillo, only about two miles from a payload from a balloon launched by a team at UAHuntsville.

AAMU BalloonSat carried the payloads of the two distinct senior design teams. The Team E-Boys’ project measured the payload spin rate with a MEMS gyroscope, the ambient light intensity with a light-to-frequency sensor, and internal and external temperature sensors. A solar panel atop the payload was used in parallel with battery power to provide power for the electronics. Both still and video cameras were used to collect imagery.

Piccirillo says the payload of the second AAMU group, Team ACES, measured the payload tilt as it swings below the balloon with a MEMS accelerometer; the speed-of-sound with a small sonar sensor; and atmospheric pressure and internal and external temperature. A solar panel atop the payload was used in parallel with battery power to provide power for the electronics. Still and video cameras were used to collect imagery.

“We are excited about the balloon launch and what our students have accomplished, said Dr. V. Trent Montgomery, dean of the School of Engineering and Technology at AAMU. “We are producing quality students who can interact and solve today’s problems.”

Montgomery called the launch “a tremendous growth experience” that will re-enforce the pride the students have in their education and capabilities. One of the goals of the projects was to test the efficiency of different solar cells as power sources for experiments. During the flight, the balloon traveled at speeds in excess of 160 miles per hour.

Tracking of the payloads was performed by committed balloon trackers Jason Winningham, Shane Wilson and Bill Brown.

Dr. Koy Cook is the faculty mentor for the AAMU teams. For additional information about the launch and the AAMU teams, call Dr. Cook, Department of Electrical Engineering, (256) 372-5561, or Stoney Massey at (256) 372-5673.

The Black Family Technology Summit is a local Component of the national Black Family Technology Awareness week campaign which seeks to ease the “Digital Divide” which is often most prevalent within the African American community.

The objective is to reach out to the African American community and distribute information, encouragement and opportunity that leads to an increase in the number of technical savvy families and a continuous output of African American engineers, scientist and computer professionals that will contribute to the national and global economy.

The Black Family Technology Summit will highlight technical career and educational opportunities through demonstrations, seminars and how-to-sessions. The event is free to the public and will offer a wonderful time of fellowship, learning and fun.

We encourage you to share this information with your family, friends, community and church congregation.

FREE ADMISSION, FREE FOOD AND BEVERAGES!

Summit Highlights

Technical Career Exploration
Technical Degrees, Education and Training
Youth Technology Camps
Understanding Green Technology
Community Technology Center Information
How To Sessions
Digital Photography & Video
Who’s Who in Technology
Finding Jobs Online
Marketing Your Church or Business Online
Upgrading Your Computer
Online Safety & Security
Mobile Technology & Communications
Video Games and High Tech Family Fun
Free Admission, Food and Beverages
Summit Participants:

100 Black Men of Birmingham, AT&T, The Black Data Processing Association, Urbanham.com, ITT Tech, AKA Upsilon Eta Omega Chapter, Playover Games and Movies, Verizon Wireless, Media.Broadcast.Internet, Dreamscape Communications, The Math and Science Fun Network, City of Birmingham Division of Youth Services and many more!
GENERAL INFORMATION

LOCATION: Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church | Fellowship and Conference Center

2135 Jefferson Ave | Birmingham, AL 35211

DATE/TIME: Saturday, February 21, 2009 | 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

CONTACT INFORMATION

Coordinator: Russ McClinton
GSBC Community Technology Center Manager
Founder, Technical Edge, Inc.
email: rmcclinton@technicaledgeinc.org
phone: (205) 218-0605