South Asian Students Cultural Association (SASCA)

The South Asian Students Cultural Association (SASCA) is back in action! You may have spotted them around campus selling delicious home baked goods or advertising for their exciting upcoming events! SASCA is a nonprofit organization and raises money for charities in South Asia such as Pratham, Aasthan Latif Welfare Society, and Khasdobir, which are charities to ensure education for South Asian children living in poverty. Upcoming events include the Nazaara Cultural Show and Holi, a celebration of colors celebrated throughout the world by South Asians. SASCA will be advertising their events throughout the semester through their Facebook page, emails, and on the campus bulletin boards! Be sure to join our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/217036981691632/) to get updates on events. Keep a lookout for the fun and exciting events coming to you this Spring 2012!

Healthy Heart Conference at The University of Arizona Medical Center:

The UA Sarver Heart Center would like to cordially invite you to attend the Healthy Heart Conference at the University of Arizona Medical center on Saturday, February 4th.
The Basics:
Healthy Heart Conference
Saturday, Feb. 4
8am - Noon (Registration, Screenings, Breakfast at 8:00am, Program begins 9:15am)
$15 per person (covers food & materials)
Details: Learn everything you need to know to keep your heart going strong from the experts at The University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center by joining us for the annual Healthy Heart Conference on February 4, 2012! Registration is $15/person and check-in begins at 8AM. Sign in will be located in the main lobby at the University of America Medical Center. Health screenings for blood pressure, diabetes and asthma will also be available in the cafeteria on a first-come, first-served basis until 11 a.m. provided by UA College of Pharmacy students. The program will begin in the DuVal Auditorium at 9:15 a.m.
Speakers: This year speakers include Gordon A. Ewy MD, Lorraine Mackstaller MD, Leslie Ritter PhD/RN, Betsy Dokken NP/PhD, Karl B. Kern MD, Julia Indik MD/PhD, and Robert S. Poston MD. Experts in their fields, they will provide education about how to keep your heart healthy, the important risk factors for heart disease, how to recognize stroke, and controlling diabetes. They will also present findings from research about unblocking arteries, controlling arrhythmias using ablations, and the frontier of robotic surgery.
Dialogue: This panel of Sarver Heart Center experts will also available to answer questions about cardiovascular health, heart disease and current treatment options during extensive Q&A Sessions. Based on successful panel discussions at past Sarver Heart Center events, Dr. Ewy has asked that we build lots of question-and-answer time into each presentation, so truly this conference can be a dialogue between the MDs and PhDs of the UA Sarver Heart Center and the community we serve. Bring your questions!
Outreach: Please consider inviting friends, family and neighbors. This conference is an outstanding opportunity to give them a positive and heart-healthy experience at a half-day event which showcases the best of the Sarver Heart Center. Consider it an early Valentine’s Day gift – even better than chocolate! (And, there will be chocolate!)
How Do I Register? You may register online with a credit card at www.heart.arizona.edu. Online registration is secure, quick, and saves you a stamp! Please register by Wednesday, Feb. 1.
Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions. Thanks - we hope to see you on Saturday, February 4th!
Melissa Ludgate
Assistant Health Educator
UA Sarver Heart Center
(520) 626-2419

Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) Program

It's time again to consider applying to the Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) Program. If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, have a 3.0 GPA, will have at least 3 semesters left at University of Arizona after the current spring semester, are interested in pursuing research and aspire a graduate degree in a biomedical field, then you certainly should apply. The benefits and opportunities are MANY and there is no prior research experience required.
The simple application and more information can be found at http://www.cbc.arizona.edu/marc/
The financial benefits are:
paid partial or full tuition
paid health insurance
$1800 per year to travel to science meetings
approximately $900 per month in stipend
The application deadline is Wednesday, February 1st.
If you'd like to discuss the possibilities or have ANY questions, PLEASE feel free to contact me via email (cjneal@email.arizona.edu) or by phone at 621-4667. I'd be very happy to talk with you.
Cindy Neal, Assistant Director
MARC Program
University of Arizona

Become an Arizona Ambassador!
Are you obsessed with the UA? Do you love to show off your backward walking skills? Have you ever found yourself suddenly singing the fight song?
If you answered YES to any of these questions, then apply to become an Arizona Ambassador!
The Arizona Ambassador Honorary is a volunteer/service organization on campus and has been around since 1979. Ambassadors provide campus tours to prospective students on a daily basis and participate in numerous on and off campus recruitment events. The organization logs nearly 1000 community service hours a semester.
This is a great opportunity to share your unique Wildcat Experience, meet prospective students, improve your public speaking skills, make amazing networks and connections among the campus community, and learn things about the university you NEVER knew! Recruiting new students will open up more opportunities than you can imagine!
Applications are available NOW at one of the following locations:

- Office of Admissions (Old Main Lower Level)

- ASUA
- Center for Student Involvement and Leadership

- Student Transitions
- Martin Luther King Center

- Asian/American Student Affairs

- Chicano/Hispano Student Affairs

- Native American Student Affairs

OR download an application from http://admissions.arizona.edu/ambassadors/become_ambassador
Hurry – the deadline is Friday, February 10th at 3pm!
If you have any questions, please contact Katy Murray or Leo Oppenheimer at kmurray2@email.arizona.edu or loppenhe@email.arizona.edu, or Scott Kirkessner, Senior Coordinator, Programs and Tours at kirks@arizona.edu

Volunteer in Costa Rica & Nicaragua this summer!

Volunteer in Costa Rica & Nicaragua this summer!
Gain valuable experience, travel to new countries, and have the time of your life doing it!
You will participate in 6 full day clinics, perform procedures, shadow professionals, gain hands-on experience, and go on adventures such as ziplining and snorkeling.
No experience needed.

VidaVolunteerTravel.org
Medical/Dental/Veterinary Clinics
June 23-July 6, 2012
Information Session February 1st at 6:30pm in the union’s Kiva room
If you’re interested, contact Paola Casillas at paolamc@email.arizona.edu
Join on Facebook: VIDA UofA Interest Group

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Consortium

The University of Arizona Graduate College administers five undergraduate research programs. Most are summer-only programs; however, two programs are year-round. All are described below. These programs, along with affiliated Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) are collectively known as the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Consortium (UROC). The UROC programs are designed to prepare underrepresented students for the rigors of graduate school and give them the skills and motivation to apply to top graduate schools & programs. UROC provides participants with excellent research training and graduate school preparation.

Typical eligibility requirements:
Class standing
US citizen or permanent resident
3.0 GPA or above
Strong interest in pursuing graduate education, particularly in earning a master’s or PhD.
Low income or first generation college or underrepresented minority - (requirements vary by program; be sure to check the requirements for each program)
Dates: June 3 - August 8, 2012

Application deadline: most programs have a February 1 deadline (see below for exceptions)

Summer 2012 research opportunities for UA students:
For detailed information visit http://grad.arizona.edu/UROC

Summer Research Institute
SRI, funded by the University of Arizona, is open to juniors and seniors of all disciplines, including social science, humanities and fine arts.
Application Deadline: February 1
Contact: Donna Treloar: dtreloar@grad.arizona.edu
http://grad.arizona.edu/UROC

Minority Health Disparities
MHD, funded by NIH and UA, focuses on health issues that affect minority communities in a disproportionate manner. Open to junior or senior biomedical majors interested in continuing their education at the Ph.D. level.
Application Deadline: February 1
Contact: Stephanie Adamson: adamsons@u.arizona.edu
http://www.grad.arizona.edu/UROC

Biosphere 2 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF REU)
UA’s Biosphere 2 facility is the site of this summer research experience. By using a multidisciplinary approach (involving disciplines such as hydrology, geology, geochemistry, ecology, biology, physics, engineering, and atmospheric sciences) research teams focus on understanding how earth systems respond to environmental change. Open to freshmen, sophomores, and Juniors.
Application Deadline: March 1
Contact: Katerina Donsova, dontsova@email.arizona.edu
http://www.b2science.org/earth/outreach/REU

Hooked on Photonics
HoP, sponsored by the NSF's Center on Materials and Devices for Information Technology Research (CMDITR) of which the UA is a partner institution, is open to undergraduates at any level who are interested in chemistry, physics, material science, engineering or optics. Under-represented students are highly encouraged to apply.
Application Deadline: February 15
Contact: Kimberly Sierra-Cajas kimberly@optics.arizona.edu
http://stc-mditr.org/students/REU/index.cfm

Collaborative Research in the Chemical Sciences
CRCS, an NSF-funded REU program, focuses on collaborative, multidisciplinary research projects that cover a broad range of disciplines within chemistry and biochemistry. Open to freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors graduating after program begins.
Application Deadline: February 14
Contact: Dr. Katrina Miranda, kmiranda@email.arizona.edu http://www.cbc.arizona.edu/REU/

Integrated Optics for Undergraduates
UA is the lead institution for this NSF Engineering Research Center. Students work collaboratively with faculty, graduate students, and other professionals on research projects which focus on creating ultra-broadband communication networks using photonics and various other optics applications.
Application Deadline: end of February
Contact: Trin Riojas, trin@optics.arizona.edu
http://www.cian-erc.org/

Year-round research opportunities for UA students:

Ronald E McNair Achievement Program
Funded by the US Department of Education, this program provides low-income, first-generation college, and underrepresented students with opportunities and activities to excel in their undergraduate studies and assistance in admission into doctoral programs.
Application Deadline: February 1
Contact: Andrew Huerta, ahuerta@email.arizona.edu
http://www.grad.arizona.edu/UROC

Minority Access to Research Careers Program
This is a unique research, mentoring, financial, and academic opportunity for UA undergraduates belonging to a group considered underrepresented in biomedical research and who have interest and potential to pursue a career in this broad field. Training and financial support for the last two years of enrollment at UA.
Application Deadline: February 1
Contact: Cindy Neal, cjneal@email.arizona.edu
http://www.grad.arizona.edu/UROC

WEEKEND PAID POSITION RELATED TO HEALTHCARE:
Male quadriplegic university employee seeks personal care assistant to get me dressed and in my wheelchair on weekends. It only takes approximately one hour in the morning at 7 am (starting time slightly negotiable). I live in northwest Tucson, near Wetmore and Flowing Wells. Will train and no heavy lifting is required. Competitive hourly rate. Health care experience is a plus, but dependability and punctuality are the most important qualifications. Please email me at: mlittler@email.arizona.edu.