Category: Life & Arts
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Pokemon League diversifies group events, activities
Every Friday, a group of Pokemon fans gather in ATEC to play games, discuss strategy and meet new people. About once a month, a tournament is held, attracting even more fans, with the winner receiving a coveted in-game item or Pokemon. For almost three years, the Pokemon League at UTD has been organizing these meetings…
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Q&A: DreamWorks Animators
On March 2, director Tom McGrath and producer Ramsey Ann Naito came to UTD for a presentation about the creation of the movie “The Boss Baby,” coming to theaters soon. McGrath and Naito have worked on a variety of films for DreamWorks including “Penguins of Madagascar,” “Shrek 3” and “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.” The Mercury…
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New app celebrates, promotes ‘geek culture’
Zac Cooner, a computer science junior, co-developed a platform to connect a community enthusiastic about “geek culture.” He was inspired after attending the Fan Expo Dallas in June. Then, he noticed there was no app to help people at the convention interact with each other. “I was shocked at how there was really no technology…
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Documentary examines race relations, black identity
James Baldwin, outspoken African American author and civil rights activist in the late 20th century, wrote extensively on race and white America’s influence on African American identity. With the writing’s personal significance to Baldwin, however, it was not just about politics. His most discerning work manifests itself in his letters, personal musings and public debates.…
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‘Miss Julie’ reinvents play with contemporary setting
Love, sex and power all trapped inside a cage — this is perhaps the simplest way to capture the essence of “Miss Julie,” a play masterfully brought to life on stage by UTD’s own. UTD Director Thomas Riccio adapted “Miss Julie” to present a contemporary take on the production. The lead role of Miss Julie,…
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Soul group wows with debut album
Maya Piata, a local singer/songwriter band with lively style, recently released its debut EP, “Sunny Days.” It is composed of five songs, running just short of 20 minutes. However, within that short time frame, the lead singer, Maya Hook, captures her listeners with strong vocals that express feelings of love, heartbreak and nostalgia. The opening…
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Q&A: ATEC Dean Anne Balsamo
Q: What are your plans for the ATEC program as its first dean? When an opportunity like this comes up, which is pretty rare, it’s a real testimony to the boldness of UTD to start a new school. So the first year has been doing this kind of inventory of what is the current status…
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Guitar program expands abroad
In junior high, Enric Madriguera travelled with his father from Connecticut to New York to attend a guitar concert by the famous Andre Segovia. That experience convinced Madriguera to become a lifelong guitarist, resulting in him travelling the world with his music as a professor at UTD. He first graduated from the Royal Conservatory in…
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Comet Clash smashes into local gaming scene
What began as a hobby turned into a competitive opportunity to earn rewards and recognition for members of the “Super Smash Brothers” community at UTD. A group of students gather every week for Comet Clash, a “Super Smash Bros.” for Wii-U tournament series hosted at UTD by organizational behavior and human resources freshman Adam Alami.…