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Hodges Meteorite inspires Haunting at the Museums

University of Alabama Museums will host Haunting at the Museums: Otherworldly Encounters at the Alabama Museum of Natural History and Gorgas House Museum Oct. 27 from 5 to 8 p.m. The free, family-friendly and all-ages event is inspired by a famous meteorite that fell on Sylacauga and will explore the phenomena of specters, space, spirits and science.

For more information, contact Rebecca Johnson at [email protected].

First-gen student crowned Homecoming Queen

Kameron Baba was announced as the 2026 Homecoming Queen during the annual pep rally and bonfire on the UA Quad Oct. 23. She is a first-generation student and senior from Gadsden majoring in marketing. Baba interned in Washington, D.C. over the summer as part of the 2025-2026 Capitol Scholars program and is a member of Capstone Men and Women. She is also a student officer in the Blackburn Institute.

For more information, contact Jennifer Brady at [email protected].

UA leading innovative rural EMS system

A new rural emergency medical services system led by the UA College of Community Health Sciences will help EMS providers treat eligible patients on site, expanding access to care while reducing unnecessary and costly trips to hospital emergency rooms.

Why This Matters: Through $1.76 million in funding from the Alabama Rural Health Transformation Grant Program, the College will provide participating rural EMS agencies with telemedicine and other resources to support the safe care of patients at the scene. In addition to telemedicine equipment, the CCHS project will also provide agencies with connectivity, training, clinical protocols, documentation tools, referral workflows and quality monitoring.

For more information, contact Leslie Zganjar at [email protected].

College voters care, but likely won't act

In election years, young voters get plenty of attention, often with the assumption that they've checked out of politics. New research from UA paints a more complicated picture.

Why This Matters: Civic engagement includes voting, community service, political participation and expressing opinions in person or online. Students remain as vocal and concerned about issues as before, but despite a slight rebound, their real-world participation remains below pre-pandemic levels.

For more information, contact Jessica Nelson at [email protected].

CURRENT COMMENT

Dr. Laura Hansen, director of the UA Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinic, is available to discuss Halloween activities that won't overwhelm children with Autism. Hansen can be reached at [email protected].

Dr. Adam Knowlden, professor of health science and director of the SLUMBRx Lab, can discuss how to adjust your sleep pattern to the time change coming Nov. 1. Knowlden can be reached at [email protected].

EVENTS

Halloween Extravaganza

Oct. 26; Hank Crisp Indoor Practice Facility

Trick or Treat on Sorority Row

Oct. 26; Sorority Row

VISIT THE UA NEWS CENTER FOR STORY IDEAS.

The University of Alabama strives to remain neutral on public policy issues. Strategic Communications may facilitate interviews or share opinions expressed by faculty, staff, students, or other individuals regarding policy matters. However, those opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the University or its leadership, and do not constitute a statement on behalf of the University unless explicitly designated.