Only five miles separate the Universityof Houston and the Alley, but thanks to a bold new graduate program, these two institutions are closer than ever.

This fall, the curtain was raised on the Alley Theatre and UH School of Theatre & Dance Master of Fine Arts Professional Training Program, which offers UH students the opportunity to work alongside the Alley’s seasoned pros.

“Bridging an academic setting with the professional world creates a unique experience for students,” says Steven Wallace, School of Theatre & Dance director. “It helps prepare them for what lies ahead in their careers and opens their eyes to what’s happening in the industry right now.”

The school has a long tradition of bringing renowned talents to UH. Tony winners Mark Medoff and Stuart Ostrow and Tony-nominated Kevin Rigdon, Alley Theatre’s associate director of design, are among UH’s current faculty. Noted dramaturg Mark Bly, Alley’s newly appointed senior dramaturg and director of new play development, also joined the faculty this fall.

Learning from such esteemed luminaries has benefitted many young stage actors from UH, but this alliance with the Alley further enhances the experience by putting students to work on professional theatre productions.

UH graduate directing, dramaturgy, and design students will work as assistants on Alley productions. Actors could earn roles in Alley’s annual production of
A Christmas Carol while second-year graduate actors could be cast in regular-season Alley productions. Additionally, an Alley director will helm an annual production designed by and featuring UH graduate students.

“Theater education is at its best when students engage in productions and interact with working professionals,” says John Antel, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences dean. “Our students will receive the highest-quality training as a part of this collaboration.”

Students aren’t the only ones who will learn and be inspired by this partnership.

“Working artists thrive on collaboration,” says Gregory Boyd, Alley Theatre’s artistic director. “We welcome the opportunity to mentor and help train these students and expect that the interaction of students with our professional company will yield rich creative ideas and experiences.”

Wallace points out that this union will have a far-reaching effect.

“This is a Texas-sized partnership,” says Wallace. “The strengthening of two of the city’s most prolific theatre entities means even more great things will be happening on the city’s stages, and that’s good news for theatre fans and the city of Houston.”

The possibilities are limitless for students to explore, discover, and succeed in their learning experience at the University of Houston.

Integrating research into all aspects of student learning is essential to UH’s quest to become a top-tier institution. To meet these challenges, UH developed and implemented a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) that focuses on enriching an undergraduate’s learning experience through researchrelated skills training and expanding undergraduate research opportunities.

“A strong undergraduate research program effectively links academia with the needs of industry,” says Donald L. Birx, vice president for research. “It’s an integral part in the process of discovery, providing hands-on involvement in the learning process.”

The UH Office of Undergraduate Discovery Programs and the Discover-Based Learning Initiative will administer QEP offerings. This

fall, undergraduate students will partner with mentors and connect to resources on campus and in the community.

Discovery Programs include the annual Undergrad Research Day, a work-study research internship program, the Discovery Seminar Series, and an online information clearinghouse for research related resources and opportunities.

UH developed the QEP as part of its reaffirmation of accreditation by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and began implementing the plan in 2008.

“The SACS accreditation team mentioned that our Quality Enhancement Plan is one of the best that they have seen anywhere in the nation,” says UH President Renu Khator. “UH is transforming the undergraduate educational experience to bring it in line with the experience at other top-tier institutions.”

STUDENT RESEARCH NEWS

Web Site Wins Big

Joshua Kovitz, junior electrical engineering major, took first place in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Student Branch Web Site Contest, Region 5. Judges especially liked the site’s professionalism and accessible links. Kovitz will now compete with students across the nation as well as Asia, Africa, and Europe. He worked on the redesign for approximately 150 hours. The judges evaluated entries on content, navigability, originality, overall presentation, portability, and load time. Visit his winning Web site at www.ieee.uh.edu.

Gas Not Needed

A team of chemical engineering students came up with the idea of a hydrogen-powered car that uses manganese dioxide and hydrogen peroxide to create oxygen. The car is powered when the oxygen reacts with hydrogen that is emitted from two attached balloons. The team captured first place at the annual Chem-E Car Competition during the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Regional Meeting—beating out Lamar, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M-Kingsville universities—to earn an opportunity to represent the region at the national competition this fall. The team includes Alex Beaty, Gabriel Busquet, Josiah Cantu (team captain), Jekee Desai, Yazan Ibrahim, Julian Martinez, Camille Meza, and Jason Zamora. Micky Fleischer, adjunct professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, is the team’s advisor.

Aiming High

Selected from more than seventy entries from around the globe, UH College of Technology students Hunter Copeland, Brandon Poxon, and Neill Whiteley were members of the sole U.S. team competing in the Parametric Technology Corporation Education Design Challenge. Using skills learned in the classroom, the team built a working vertical take-off and landing craft capable of recording aerial video and photography. The craft can be controlled from the ground via a typical RC grade radio transmitter. The innovative design provides a less expensive alternative to the traditional methods of acquiring professional HD footage.