Kalin, McCartney secure $5,000 grant

Nadine Kalin and Laura Lee McCartney of the University of North Texas have received a $5,000 learning and leadership grant from the National Endowment for the Arts Foundation to review literature, survey students and analyze the best practices within other doctoral programs in order to develop and implement an orientation course to help doctoral students become higher-education faculty.

The study group will share results with other faculty and post activities online.

Autism program earns award for service

The College of Public Affairs and Community Service at the University of North Texas has recognized the Autism Treatment Program at Easter Seals North Texas with its 2009 Community Service Award. The award, which will be presented at an April 24 dinner, recognizes the unique partnership the university and Easter Seals have developed for working with families that have a child with autism.

UNT president named advocate of the year

Communities In Schools of North Texas (CISNT) recently announced an event, “Celebrating Successes — Stars, Stetsons & Stilettos,” to be held at 6 p.m. April 25 at the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine.

State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, will help the organization honor University of North Texas President Gretchen M. Bataille as CISNT advocate of the year.

The organization also will honor its educator, volunteer, community partner and business partner of the year.

Celebrating Successes is a pivotal fundraising event for CISNT’s dropout prevention programs in Denton and Wise counties. Sponsorship and ticket information are available at www.cisnt.org or by calling 972-436-6377.

Event to feature experts on animal behavior

A student organization at the University of North Texas will give community members and students an opportunity to meet six animal behaviorists whom the organization’s president calls six of the great minds in animal training.

The event, known as “The Great Minds Conference,” is being hosted by the Organization for Reinforcement Contingencies with Animals (ORCA).

The theme of the conference will be, “The Art and Science of Animal Training: Where are we now? Where are we going?”

ORCA is a student organization that was started by Dr. Jesus Rosales-Ruiz, associate professor in the behavior analysis department.

The conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on March 20 in the University Union, located one block west of Welch and West Prairie streets. The event will feature behaviorists specializing in equine, avian, canine and marine mammal training.

The event will include an open panel discussion hosted by Rosales-Ruiz. The topic of the discussion will be “challenges and the future of animal training.”

A schedule of speakers, abstracts for the speakers’ presentations and registration information are available at www.orgs.unt.edu/orca.

Registration costs $125 for the general public through this Friday. After Friday, registration will cost $150. Registration for UNT students, faculty and staff costs $65. The cost of lunch is included.

For more information about the conference, contact ORCA President April Becker at aprilmbecker@msn.com .