SPORTS
FOOTBALL
CAMPUS
Losing season fuels Cougars
Sharing Latin influences, cultures
After missing a bowl last year, UH used the bad taste to motivate it to more success. The Cougars are 4-0, but don’t expect the team to get complacent with the better beginning.
Spanish association founded to bring Hispanic awareness to university. SEE PAGE 7
SEE PAGE 5
CALENDAR CHECK:
OCT.
5
World Teacher Day. Show some appreciation to your favorite professors.
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
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Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Issue 23, Volume 79
H O U S T O N
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ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
ACADEMICS
UH receives $4 million chemistry research grant Andrea Sifuentes Staff writer
A collaborative effort between the Departments of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, the Division of Research and the Offices of Development, the Provost and the President prompted the Welch Foundation give the University a $4 million grant to establish the Center of Excellence in Polymer Chemistry, sending UH to the forefront of polymer research. “It will allow us to be at the
forefront of making the next generations of new materials,” said Randall Lee, associate dean of research at the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. The Welch Foundation is based in Houston and is one of the nation’s oldest and largest private funding resources for the advancement of chemistry in Texas. “Throughout the years, the Welch Foundation has been incredibly generous to the University of Houston,” said Dan E. Wells, interim dean of
the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, in a press release. “We are grateful to receive this grant that will advance our Tier One research and generate a uniquely skilled workforce for Houston and Texas.” The foundation’s grant will allow UH to ascend to new heights in polymer research. “A polymer is like a necklace, which is made up of several links. For a polymer, the links are small CHEMISTRY continues on page 3
The new Center of Excellence in Polymer Chemistry, established by a $4 million grant from the Welch Foundation, will give UH the opportunity to make strides in polymer research. | File photo/The Daily Cougar
CAMPUS
ORGANIZATIONS
New compactors keep campus clean, green
Program ignites leadership flames
Erika Forero Staff writer
UH’s effort to be environmentally friendly has increased again this year with the addition of more solar-powered recycling systems on campus. The University has replaced its old recycling bins with new recycling compactors that use solar power to make the process for discarding waste much easier. As of this
semester, there are 80 dual recycling receptacles and solar-powered trash compactors around campus that collect plastic, aluminum and paper. The compactors work side-byside, using power from the sun to collect the waste, crush it and then make room for more. Once a unit is full and ready to be emptied, a sensor will send a signal to the Recycling and Solid Waste staff at GREEN continues on page 3
Andrea Sifuentes Staff writer
the business is asking right now is whether fracking is sustainable. It’s questions like those that are going to be discussed.” The symposium is especially important to UH because so much of Houston’s business focuses on the energy industry. Energy Communications Manager Taylor Nussbaum, who also helped to organize the
The Center for Student Involvement’s Ignite Leadership Program is in its second semester and is calling all freshmen who are looking to be better leaders and more active in their community for its third semester beginning in January. “Ignite teaches the basics of leadership — tools that will help students succeed personally, academically and professionally including time (and) stress management, public speaking, values and ethics,” said Stephanie Schmidt, associate director of leadership and civic engagement for the Center for Student Involvement. “The purpose of Ignite is to give new student leaders the confidence to get involved on campus and beyond.”
ENERGY continues on page 3
LEADERSHIP continues on page 3
The compactors are not only solar powered, but also are recycling bins, promote green living and reduce UH’s carbon footprint. | Izmail Glosson/The Daily Cougar
EVENT
Symposium to unearth energy problems Ryan Graham Staff writer
UH Energy and the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics will be holding an Energy Symposium Series, a set of debates over the 2013-14 school year in which experts will discuss serious issues facing the world of energy. The symposium consists of four events: two during the fall semester
and two during the spring. Each debate will tackle a different controversial topic and will bring together experts from fields affected by that topic to discuss each side of the issue. The first of these debates will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Hi l t o n U H , Krishnamoorti
and will cover hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.” “If you go back and look today at what’s going on in the fracking business, more than half of all frack jobs being done today are re-fracking previously worked reservoirs because they didn’t do it right the first time,” said chemistry and engineering professor Ramanan Krishnamoorti, who is one of the event’s organizers. “One of the important questions