Tuesday, March 26, 2013 // Issue 94, Volume 78
THE DAILY COUGAR
T H E
O F F I C I A L
S T U D E N T
N E W S PA P E R
O F
T H E
U N I V E R S I T Y
O F
H O U S T O N
TECHNOLOGY
S I N C E
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OPINION
App educates on ozone levels Anthresia McWashington Contributing writer
English literature senior Brooke Lightfoot uses the new Ozone Map app on her smartphone to check the daily ozone safety. | Nichole Taylor/The Daily Cougar
Houstonians are now able to determine air quality levels around the city in real time, with the development of the new OzoneMap app. UH computer science students developed the app under a partnership between the University, Air Alliance Houston and the American Lung Association. Honors college and philosophy professor Dan Price said the app will assist people who may be concerned with air quality levels in taking precaution because it has a map of Houston that displays color coordinated index values to indicate the amount of ozone in the atmosphere. Price said although Houston’s air quality levels have improved over time, the app is beneficial for those who may be sensitive to air pollution, like children and the elderly. “Over the last twenty years the amount of air pollution in Houston has gotten significantly better,” Price said. “What we really should think about is what use this type of science
could be for people who have asthma or worries about heart disease and other things that are connected to health affects because of ozone exposure.” Computer science senior and developer of the android version of the app Ashik Khatri said the app will help people to know when the best times are to go outdoors. “It is important for people to be aware of ozone in the atmosphere since it is harmful to be outside during a time of high ozone activity,” Khatri said. He said if the app shows a red or purple cloud it is advisable to stay indoors until the ozone cloud clears. Because of UH’s proximity to chemical plants and major highways that emit air pollutants, the app is a key tool to keep members of the university community informed. “Since UH is close to Pearland, which is a polluted part of town due to a lot of chemical plants, it is important
Calhoun Lofts complains LIFE+ARTS
Students mingle with advocates SPORTS
TECH continues on page 3
SCIENCE
Program trains future educators Julie Heffler Staff writer
Starting this fall, potential health science educators can now get an expedited doctorate through the UH College of Education. The executive doctorate for health sciences is a two-year program that will require its participants to go through two years of schooling — fall, winter, spring and summer — along with online classes. The need for professional instruction on how to be a teacher is greatly needed in the Texas Medical Center, said Bernard Robin, program coordinator for the graduate programs for health science educators in the College of Education. This need was originally addressed in the early 2000s by a master’s program. “It turns out that there a lot of people working in the Texas Medical Center who find themselves with teaching responsibilities but no experience in how to be a good teacher,” Robin said. “They have to prepare lectures
and they have to decide on curriculum material. They have to do program evaluations. They have to learn how to become teachers, and they’ve never had any experience or any courses that help them with that. So, we decided to start offering a master’s degree that would be specifically tailored toward professionals who are in that position, who work in the Texas Medical Center and want to become better teachers in addition to becoming better nurses or better dentists or better doctors.” The new doctorate will be mostly face-to-face, while the master’s program will be switched to an online only program, Robin said. Many of these health educators don’t initially see themselves becoming teachers and therefore don’t train in that field, but more and more students are joining the advanced degrees in education due to the increased competition they perceive in the job market. EDUCATION continues on page 3
Cougars net ranking GET SOME DAILY
thedailycougar.com The Bauer Internal Audit Program was honored as the “Center for Internal Audit Excellence” and received $100,000 to create an endowment fund. | Courtesy of UH.edu
BAUER
Auditors take 3rd Manuella Libardi Contributing writer
The UH Bauer Internal Audit Program has become the third in the nation and sixth in the world to be recognized by the Global Institute of Internal Auditors as a Center of Excellence. The IIA, an organization with chapters around the world, represents internal auditors and encourages internal audit courses in educational institutions. It presented
the Department of Accountancy & Taxation at the C.T. Bauer College of Business with $100,000 to create an endowment to secure the program’s success. “Our vision is to further assist UH in attracting top students to meet the growing needs of the Internal Auditing profession in Houston by creating a scholarship endowment for their Internal BAUER continues on page 3
ONLINE POLL What is your favorite thing to do on Easter weekend?
TOMORROW Analysis of Cougars’ College Basketball Invitational loss.
COUNTDOWN
5
Day until Easter.
Get ready for the only day when putting bunny ears on your friend is OK.