May 2012 - GSO News

Volume 3, Issue 3, May 2012

Graduate Research Day 2012

Inside this Issue Graduate Research Day

1

GSO Students Work Towards Mending a Heart

2

2012 Student Leadership Awards

4

28th Annual Graduate Research Day Awards

5

Student Spotlight: Stacie Studstill

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Student Spotlight: Maha Coucha

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Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Richard White

7

GSO Continues Superbowl Tradition

8

Winter Coat Drive

8

APS Manuscript Writing Course

8

Phi Kappa Phi: GHSU Chapter is Granted

8

Vesalius Trust Awards

9

GHSU Students Receive Honors at UGA/GHSU Student Scientific & Medical Illustration Exhibition

9

Augusta Half Marathon

10

New Year’s Resolutions

11

Games: Spot the Location

12

GSO Game Night

13

Acknowledgements

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The GSO News

Margaret Zimmerman and Namita Hattangady As per the tradition for several years, the GHSU College of Graduate Studies (CGS) sponsored and hosted the 28th Annual Graduate Research Day on March 22nd and 23rd. CGS hosted a total of 118 participants, of which 105 were students from the PhD, M.S/MPH, and International Graduate Exchange Trainee programs. The GRD was planned with perfect timing, a month prior to the very vastly attended Experimental Biology meeting as well as several other international conferences! The event provides students an opportunity to present their work in a professional setting and receive suggestions and inputs whilst

they prepare for the ‘conference season’.

On the morning of the 23rd of March, amongst the colorful and impressive posters displaying research in basic physiology, vascular biology, neuroscience, immunology, molecular and cellular biology, and genetics, were also animations presented by the talented crew of CGS’s Medical Illustration program.

These animations were designed for students to develop a better understanding of the processes of lung development, traumatic brain injury and weight training. ...to“Graduate Research Day”, pg. 4

Photos Provided by Dr. Patricia Cameron

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GSO Students Work Towards Mending the Heart Colleen Carey, Anil Bhatta, Ashley Wilson, Katie Spitler, Kate Buckley Members of the CGS and GSO spent the month of February actively involved in the Enterprise-wide American Heart Association fundraising initiative of Georgia Health Sciences University. The goal, to raise $50,000 campus wide. What was not anticipated by GHSU and AHA planners was the tremendous drive and passion to raise money for such a great cause here on campus. In total GHSU surpassed its goal exponentially by raising over $111,000. The members of the CGS teams were able to contribute close to 50 walkers and over $4,500 in funds raised.

The CGS/GSO fundraising campaign began in December/January through the sale of Candy Bars, both on campus and off campus. Efforts were then was ramped up in February with a number of planned events to raise money. These events were no walk in the park for those involved in the planning, however all efforts were well worth the expenditures with the support that was shown by those who participated. Each event had a very different target audience. In all, the event promoted the awareness of AHA’s presence on our campus, and

therefore the need to give back, and also presented the school with opportunity to come together as a College as a whole, to meet a goal that was set.

Have a look below for some reflections on these great events that were planned.

AHA Bake Sale Pushes GSO Closer to Fundraising Goal On Friday, February 10 2012, GSO ...to “GSO Mending the Heart”, pg. 3

Provided by Colleen Carey

The GSO News

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...from “GSO Mending the Heart”, pg. 2 held its highly anticipated bake sale at GHSU’s Annex I Building from 11 am to 2 pm to raise money for the American Heart Association’s Heart Walk in March. Donations from students, staff, faculty and even local businesses like Boll Weevil were generous and overwhelming enough so that over five long tables were covered with delicious items such as 5 layered cakes from Boll Weevil along with other bakeries, homemade cayenne pepper cupcakes, banana pudding and chocolate covered pretzel sticks. With so many extra baked goods, students packed boxes with an assortment of snacks to sell on campus. The sale was a hit with all of the goods being sold before having GSO’s Bar Bake Sale that was planned for that evening.

GSO’s AHA Bake Sale generated over $500 dollars and pushed GSO closer to its $4,500 fundraising goal. GSO plans to make this an annual event for the AHA Heart Walk. Thank you again to all of you who donated your baked goods and time to this fundraiser. None of it would have been possible without you!

Jumping for American Heart!

GSO always acknowledges the love and importance for family and encourages their involvement in most of their events.

This AHA fund raiser was no exception.

Family friendly fun was on hand for the American Heart Association on Friday night, February 10th! Parents were able to have an evening of private time while a group of graduate students had fun with their kids at Monkey Joe’s in Evans. For a donation of $4 dollars the parents got to leave and have a great time without worrying about their children. The kids spent the night jumping and playing and enjoying pizza and drinks with each other. All the kids and the graduate students

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had a great time and many parents were interested in future babysitting events.

Of special mention is Katylyn Kersey, who assumed a large responsibility in babysitting. In total over $100 was raised for the AHA! Anyone interested in future events please contact Kate Buckley at kbuckley@georgiahealth.edu.

Serve for a Healthy Heart Tennis Tournament The “Serve for a Healthy Heart” tennis tournament was held on February 18th at the Newman Tennis Center to benefit the Heartwalk. The 14 participants in the tournament included GHSU students, faculty and their families and friends. While most participants contributed their talent at the game, others lent a hand by babysitting the young ones and providing energy, food, and refreshments. Through some keenly contested matches, and some played by novices for fun, the evening was overall enjoyable and financially productive. With separate tournaments for men and women, the two declared winners received a gift cards from Starbucks as prizes. The tournament raised a handsome $125 for the Heartwalk.

Zumbathon Another fund raising endeavor of the GSO took the shape of a massive Zumbathon “Lets Get Physical” with the CGS and the Zumba instructors at GHSU. This event of dance, exercise and fun took place on Saturday, February 22nd.

To add to the fun, the event was themed around the 80’s, as participants danced around, surrounded by neon, spandex and colorful armbands. A prize for best outfit went to three students at GHSU in the Medical Illustration program, they dressed as Tom Cruises’ character from

Risky Business. The event featured a large variety of the CSRAs Zumba instructors that turned fitness fun by putting together some choreography to a variety of songs that really got you moving to the beat and provided a great work out. The Zumbathon successfully churned out approximately $300, all of which went towards AHA’s HeartWalk.

Around the World Luncheon The College of Graduate Studies (CGS) at GHSU is proud to have a large representation of international students.

They account for more than half of the he international population on campus.

These, along with students from different corners of the United States make CGS a very diverse college. The GSO decided to sue this characteristic to their advantage in their fund raising endeavors for the HeartWalk. As part of an international luncheon on February 27th, volunteers (students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty members) representing parts of the world and the U.S prepared their ethnic dishes. Tickets that sold for just $ 5 each gave GHSU employees the opportunity to sample more than 60 different international and American dishes. The GSO raised $ 600, all of which went towards American Heart Association Heartwalk. GSO would like to thank all the volunteers and the participants for their support for the event and are hoping this to be an annual GSO fundraising event for future AHA Heartwalk.

Congratulations

Team

GSO!

O

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...from “Graduate Research Day”, pg. 1 Each of the posters and presenters was graded by a few members of a large judging committee consisting of several faculty members. The poster session attracted audiences from all schools of GHSU, including administrative staff members that were interested in viewing the ‘actual science’ that happens in the school laboratories.

Amongst the crowds and discussions, GHSU President, Dr. Ricardo Azziz, also visited the poster session to support and encourage the presenters. Dr. Azziz says, “The purpose of all great universities is not solely to educate and train future generations, but to serve as homes, or better still as ecosystems, where creativity and discovery are fostered and nurtured, where the next generations of thinkers and innovators who will continue to positively transform the face of our society, our globe, develop. And that is exactly why we

should be very proud of our Graduate Research day… where tomorrow’s best thinkers start to show us their mettle.”

Also spotted with her camera was Dr. Patricia Cameron, enthusiastically capturing moments to be proud of, such as, students explaining posters and the camaraderie amongst the students and faculty. In keeping with a relatively newer tradition, GRD 2012 also encouraged the participation of postdoctoral fellows.

The day prior to student presentations, in a very keenly contested session, a total of 14 post- doctoral fellows presented their work through oral presentations.

Finally, students, post-doctoral fellows and faculty were also invited to attend a much anticipated lecture by this year’s GRD keynote speaker, Dr. Carl Wu, Ph.D., and Senior Fellow from the HHMI Janelia Farm Research Campus. Dr. Wu is an NIH Distinguished Investigator, Emeritus, and an elected member of the National Academy of

Sciences, the Institute of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Academia Sinica, and the European Molecular Biology Organization as well as a wonderful and very much student oriented speaker. Dr. Wu’s presentation was entitled ‘Chromatin Remodeling and the Regulation of Gene Expression in Eurkaryotes’ and left the audience giving a furious applause.

The 28th Annual Graduate Research Day culminated with all participants, both students and post-doctoral fellows, attending the Graduate Research Awards Banquet in the GHSU Alumni Center on April 10th. Here, several awards were announced and celebrated.

The GSO thanks CGS for this wonderful opportunity, congratulates all the participants and wishes them the best for the declaration of awards! All in all, one more success story wonderfully accomplished by CGS! O

2012 Student Leadership Awards College of Graduate Studies Student Leadership Awards Lakiea Bailey Scott Webster SGA Officers starting their terms 2012-13 Caitlin Madigan (President) Katie Spitler (Humanitarian) SGA Officers completing their terms 2011-12 Samuel Herberg (Vice President) Caitlin Madigan (Humanitarian) Community Impact Award for a Registered Student Organization Community Education Outreach Organization Colleen Carey (Student President) Dr. Kevin Frazier (Advisor) College of Nursing / CGS Senior Student Leadership Award Krystle Sabb

The GSO News

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28th Annual Graduate Research Day Awards College of Graduate Studies Graduate Faculty Assembly Award for Excellence in Research by a Graduate Student Joanna Erion Brett Gunn Chaitanya Patwardhan Wanwisa Promsote Juilee Rege Rui Wang R. August Roesel Memorial Award Research Excellence in Biochemistry Rajneesh Pathania Award for Excellence in Research in Cell Biology & Anatomy Suchreet Takhar UGA Clinical & Experimental Therapeutics Award Maha Abdalla Virendra B. Mahesh Award Research Excellence in Endocrinology Erin Scott Medical Illustration Educational Multimedia Award Paul Kim Award for Excellence in Research in Molecular Medicine Buvana Ravishankar Award for Excellence in Research in Neuroscience Junko Ariga Award for Excellence in Research in Oral Biology Inas Helwa Lowell M. Greenbaum Award in recognition of Research Excellence in Pharmacology Anil Bhatta Award for Excellence in Research in Physiology Wenting Du Award for Excellence in Public Health Research Abiodun Akinwuntan Award for Excellence in Research in Vascular Biology Jutamas Suwanpradid Ji Cheng Memorial Award for Excellence in Research by a Biomedical Sciences Student in the Early Years of Training Sean Connolly Fisher Scientific Award for Excellence in Biomedical Research Haiyun Liu Maha Coucha The GHSU/UGA Student Exchange Awards Wararat Kittikulsuth Honorable Mention: Folami Lamoke International Exchange Trainee Jianping Peng

The GSO News

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Student Spotlight Stacie Studstill Cam McCarthy Robert Frost once famously wrote: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

However for many of us, unlike Frost, the advice and/or example of a friend, colleague, or family member can make all the difference. This is particularly true in the case of upcoming nursing graduate (B.S.) Stacie Studstill, of Lake Park, GA. Stacie’s decision to attend GHSU (then MCG) was based on her desire to follow in her sister’s footsteps.

Since coming to GHSU, Stacie has been an enthusiastic contributor to campus

Student Spotlight Maha Coucha Bhavna Desai After teaching at a pharmacy college in Egypt for 3 years, in 2008 Maha Coucha decided it was time to move on towards enhancing her career. Maha’s fellow Egyptian friends informed her about GHSU being a good school with diverse research and distinguished faculty. Incidentally, Maha also met Dr. Adviye Ergul, an advisory committee member on her husband’s who was himself pursuing his Ph.D at Athens. Immediately impressed by Dr. Ergul’s supporting personality, patience and drive to pursue science, Maha realized that she had found her future mentor. Before she knew it, Maha had applied to GHSU, enrolled in the Ph.D. Biomedical Sciences Progam and finally joined Dr. Ergul’s laboratory. Maha’s research interests lie in

The GSO News

activities. Some of Stacie’s roles have included being an SGA representative for her nursing class, active member of Student Nurses Association MCG Chapter, and she also worked as part of the student fee committee. Moreover, as an ambassador for GHSU, Stacie cites being involved in the Georgia Social Business and Microcredit Forum at Georgia Tech as her most rewarding experience while at GHSU. At this event, Stacie was able to interact with a diverse range of people from other Georgia University System campuses and colleges, as well as hear from Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunnus and other University System leaders.

However, all work with no play would not sit with Stacie’s philosophy (Stacie’s recommendation to current GHSU students is to “work hard so you can play hard later”). Therefore, outside of school, Sta-

understanding ischemia (reperfusion injury) and the mechanisms underlying it.

Maha is now close to completing 3 years with Dr. Ergul’s laboratory, studying the impact of ischemia on the structural and functional properties of cerebral vessels. More specifically, she is interested in how early cerebrovascular myogenic dysfunction after ischemia contributes to stroke outcome, especially in conditions associated with poor stroke outcomes like acute hyperglycemia. Maha has been very productive in her research and already submitted her first paper! She has also presented her Ph.D. work at several forums like GHSU Graduate Research Day, Southern Translational Education and Research (STaR) Conference and the Twelfth International Conference on Endothelin. Maha has also been a recipient of several awards such as the STaR Graduate Student Best Poster Award in September 2011 as well as the UGA Clinical & Experimental Therapeutics Award

Provided by Stacie Studstill

cie enjoys Green Jackets games, football games, and just hanging out with friends.

Although graduation is now upon Stacie, she already is planning to put her degree into practice and work as a nurse; however, in the future she is also aspiring to go back to school for her Master’s degree. For Stacie, like Frost, two roads diverged in a wood – and Stacie is about to embark on the one less traveled. O

at the Graduate Research Day 2012!

Provided by Maha Coucha

Besides being a strong, career driven woman, Maha is also enjoys spending time with her family, as loving mother and wife. She also very social and enjoys hanging out with friends and getting to know people from different countries and cultures. She also participates in GSO activities and meetings and other events like the AHA Heart Walk. After completion of her Ph.D., Maha and wishes to continue the ...to “Maha Coucha”, pg. 7

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...from “Maha Coucha”, pg. 6 next part of her journey in the United States.

Maha believes that in addition to pursuing research or any professional goal, it is imperative to know how to deal with

Faculty Spotlight Dr. Richard White Namita Hattangady Alumnus and faculty member, Dr. Richard White needs no introduction.

We have all enjoyed lectures by this wonderful, much loved and respected researcher, with most of us leaving our lecture halls feeling truly inspired and passionate about research. GHSU has been fortunate in having a very long standing relationship with Dr. White.

Having been raised mostly in Atlanta, Dr. White completed his Ph.D. at our very own GHSU. He describes himself as a ‘living link to the past generations of scientists at MCG’ especially since he was fortunate in being the last student to be trained by the renowned Dr. Raymond Ahlquist who discovered the alpha and beta adrenergic receptors. After graduation, he moved to Emory for a post-doctoral fellowship and later to Wright State University Medical School for an Assistant Professor position, but quickly found his way back home as faculty in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology. Not including his student days, Dr. White has been an integral part of our University for over 13 years, and seen it blossom to the competitive level that we are at today.

Despite having several different areas of research, Dr. White’s first love is cardiovascular physiology, with a preference for vascular smooth muscle physiology. However, while thumb-

The GSO News

people. She says, “GHSU has a mixture of people from different cultures and nationalities which has helped me understand different perspectives and get along with different people.” At an academic level, she firmly states that GHSU is an excellent training ground for her doctoral work and it will help her start ing through a research article late one Friday afternoon in 1994, Dr. White got the idea of studying the role of estrogen on coronary arteries. This paved the way for high impact research that Dr. White achieved as he focused on patch clamp electrophysiology, with applications toward signal transduction and drug and hormone action. Dr. White’s group was the first to demonstrate that both, estrogen and testosterone open potassium channels in vascular smooth muscle cells, and link this molecular event to vasodilation. Over several years, he has worked in collaboration with faculty on campus to define the role of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species in this process. As Dr. White says “Moral of the story: Don’t take off early on Friday afternoons; you never know what might happen!”

Whilst at our University, Dr. White has had several wonderful achievements and publications, including those in Nature and Science which he modestly plays down as being “mainly just lines” on his CV. Being realistic, Dr. White advises, “Highly-cited papers are great accomplishments for sure, and things that help you secure a faculty position.

But probably not a lot of lasting impact- such is the nature of science……. in a few short years, someone builds on what you did and that new and improved knowledge now gets the notoriety, and so the cycle continues. ” Dr. White attributes the most cherished part of his career to the lives he has been able to personally influence. He

her career in science on solid and scientific grounds. Maha is willing to share her experiences with new students and help them with any questions or concerns that they might have. mcoucha@georgiahealth.edu. The GSO wishes Maha the best in all her future endeavors. O

Obtained from the GHSU website

has been a true ‘mentor’ rather than a boss by encouraging his students to develop independence and helping them learn to develop their project on their own. It is this love for teaching students and genuine desire to help them grow that earned Dr. White the “Outstanding Teaching Awards” from the Colleges of Graduate Studies and Medicine!

Dr. White also enjoys a life outside of lab. While he loves spending time with his family, he also plays the keyboard in his church band! He has also enjoyed teaching in various churches for over 30 years. After retirement, Dr. White wishes to pursue a graduate degree in Systematic Theology. Dr. White encourages students to work to the best of their abilities and secure a good postdoctoral position to learn to mold their careers as independent researchers. The GSO would like to extend their love and appreciation to Dr. White and wish him the best in all his future endeavors! O

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GSO Continues Superbowl Tradition Colleen Carey The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL), and the day on which the game is played has become a ‘psuedo’ holiday for football fans, dubbed “Super Bowl Sunday”. On Sunday Feb 5th, 2012 there was no shortage of fans at the 5th Annual GSO Super Bowl Party. Whether you were a fan of the game itself, or the commercials that aired during the game, there was something for everyone. The game, played in Indianapolis, between the New York Giants (woot woot!) and the New England Patriots, was a great game to watch (especially as a Giants fan!) and resulted in a Giants victory of 21-17 over the Patriots. The party had multiple rooms for viewing, and tons of food catered by Teresa’s Mexican grill. O

Winter Coat Drive Ashley Wilson Augusta has been known for its recent unpredictable weather. Augusta residents got their first good taste of this winter’s cold temperatures the beginning of the New Year. Unfortunately, not everyone had a warm home to retreat to.

Recognizing this need, the GSO kicked off its second annual Winter Coat and Blanket Drive on Saturday January 21 2012. Donation drop boxes were placed in the Student Center, Allied Health and CB buildings, and the Graduate Studies Office for less than two weeks; despite the short collection period, GHSU’s faculty, staff, and students responded with a generous amount of donations. Even inclement weather did not perturb the drive. A car packed with countless bags of coats, sweaters, and blankets was

driven around the city of Augusta. The 52 jackets and 21 blankets that GSO obtained were distributed to the needy.

At the last stop, The Soup Kitchen, a child was overheard asking his mother if shoes were being given out as well.

The boy’s shoes were plainly ruined and barely held together. The mother responded, “Only jackets, but you should always be thankful for what you get.”

An experience like that really makes you reconsider what is important in this life, and serves as an eye opener for us all. GSO plans to continue the Winter Coat/Blanket Drive, and hopes to ally with other programs to expand the annual fundraiser by increasing the number of donations, collecting shoes, and umbrellas in years to come.

Thank you again, GHSU, for keeping Augusta warm, one jacket at a time. O

APS Manuscript Writing Workshop Katie Spitler Every year the American Physiological Society puts together a writing workshop focused on how to write a scientific manuscript. This year’s event was held in Orlando, Florida and 40 graduate students and post-doctorates made their way to the Disney city. Both students and post-doctorate fellows from GHSU made an impressive showing at the writ-

ing workshop. It was an intense but informative few days with an occasional breaks to have splendid dinners with new acquaintances and network with leaders in the physiology field. We came out of the workshop being able to better plan and critique manuscripts, having learnt a little about networking and enjoying a few days away from the regular grind of laboratory work! The workshop is a definite recommendation to students! O

Phi Kappa Phi: GHSU Chapter is Granted Colleen Carey

munity of scholars in service to others”.

Phi Kappa Phi (PKP), founded in 1897, is the nation’s oldest, largest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Phi Kappa Phi’s mission is “To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the com-

As you may know, currently GHSU does have chapters of some disciplinespecific academic honor societies for several programs. However, many students (including the graduate students) do not have the opportunity to be recognized due to the lack of an appropriate

The GSO News

honor society. A chapter or Phi Kappa Phi at GHSU will allow for the recognition of students from all of our programs and to provide an additional opportunity for interprofessional collaborations between the colleges here on our campus.

...to “Phi Kappa Phi”, pg. 11

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Vesalius Trust Awards Bill Andrews Medical Illustration graduate students Jessica Holland and Stephen Robinson, both Class of 2012, have received recognition for their research proposals. They and four of their classmates competed for research grants from the Vesalius Trust for Visual Communica-

tion in Health Science. With entries from across the US and Canada, the Vesalius Trust only awarded 15 grants. Jessica and Stephen each received a $500 grant to use towards their Master’s Project.

Logic: Interactive 4D Neuroscience Consistency & Context for the Neurology Classroom’ are both interactive animations, intended for use in the Phase 1 MCG curriculum. Congratulations Jessica and Stephen! O

Jessica’s Master’s project titled ‘Liver Structure and Fluid Dynamics’ and Stephens’ Master’s Project titled ‘Neuro-

GHSU Students Receive Honors at UGA/GHSU Student Scientific & Medical Illustration Exhibition Bill Andrews Opening on February 28th, the 2012 UGA/GHSU Student Scientific & Medical Illustration Exhibition runs through March 11th at the Lamar Dodd School of Art on the University of Georgia campus in Athens. More than fifty masterful pieces of scientific and medical illustration are on display. The scientific artwork documents and explains the natural world around us, and the medical artwork enlightens and inspires us about the world of medical science and the inner-workings of the human body. The

illustrations were created by students in either the BFA program in Scientific Illustration at the University of Georgia, Athens (UGA) or the MS program in Medical Illustration at the Georgia Health Sciences University (GHSU).

At the Awards Ceremony in Athens on Wednesday, February 29th, three GHSU students received honors. Lee Nyquist, Class of 2012, received the prestigious William J. Stenstrom Award of Excellence for “Delivery by Muscle Sparing Cesarean Section.” The purpose of this suite of illustrations is to inform surgical

residents about the process through which a newborn is delivered by cesarean section so that they may assist effectively during the procedure. Megan Gullotto, Class of 2012, received an Award of Merit for “Right Popliteal to Tibial Artery Bypass.” This series of illustrations, intended for a surgical atlas, depicts the process of creating an arterial bypass between the popliteal and the tibial arteries using the great saphenous vein. Will McAbee, Class of 2013, received an Award of Merit for “The Path of the Azygos Vein.” The purpose of this illustration is to provide medical students with a clear understanding of where the azygos vein terminates and the pathways of its tributaries in relation to the vertebral column and ribs within the posterior mediastinum.

Congratulations to all our talented award winners!

The exhibition will move to GHSU’s Greenblatt Library at the end of March, and will be on view through May. For more information about medical illustration or the medical illustration program please contact Bill Andrews at bandrews@ georgiahealth.edu or 706-721-3266. O

Provided by Mr. Bill Andrews

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Augusta Half Marathon Student Training Group Samuel Herberg Everyone has either said it or at least heard this before: Augusta is boring and does not have much to offer. In reality, however, we all know that this is far from being true. Over the last couple of years, among other city offices, the Greater Augusta Sport’s Council has put in tremendous efforts to bring large sports events to our city. Of course, Augusta is home to the most famous golf tournament in the world - but that’s not the only first class sports event to call Augusta home. From world class rowing to nationally recognized college

football awards; from the Augusta Half Marathon to the world’s largest Ironman 70.3 triathlon; from disc golf to international barrel racing, just to name a few. Thus, being an avid athlete who likes to train but loves to race, I always wondered why I hardly ever saw other GHSU graduate students at local events.

And with the 4th Annual Augusta Half Marathon scheduled to take place on a new course on February 26, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to reach out to GHSU’s student body and offer a coached student training group.

who signed up as part of team, including Davies Agyekum, Junko Ariga, Joanna Erion, Namita Hattangady, Christina Torres, Rui Wang and Rochelle Tiedemann. I was genuinely impressed and immediately finalized the training plans together with Jason Covar. We provided a 15-week training plan for Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced runners, based on their personal fitness assessment. The majority of the students on the team had little to no experience with racing and this proved to be a key motivating factor for all of us.

Within 24 hours we had several students

...to “Half Marathon”, pg. 10

Augusta Half Marathon GHSU Group 2012

Provided by Namita Hattangady

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...from “Half Marathon”, pg. 10 On November 14, 2011 we began our training program and never lost track of the goal to ultimately conquer 13.1 miles of running! We offered 3 organized runs per week stepwise increasing the distance over the course of the program, and most students took advantage of training with and meeting new friends all around our city. The downtown area, the North Augusta Greeneway and riverfront, the Augusta Canal – we had it all. Although the first cold weeks were challenging for all of us, once we reached January ...from “Phi Kappa Phi”, pg. 8 Membership in Phi Kappa Phi recognizes and rewards academic success.

Membership is by invitation only for the top 10 percent of graduate students and celebrates those students who prove to be strong scholars throughout their academic careers. If selected as members of PKP, you will become part of a select community of top scholar and professionals therefore providing a variety of networking and leadership opportunities, as well as access to a mentorship program, regular online learning seminars, and a career center with job opportunities. Furthermore, some of you are already PKP members from your alma maters, since membership is life-long!

the ones who were committed showed great dedication and worked very hard to reach their personal goal. Unfortunately, along the way we lost a key team member (Namita) due to injury, but luckily she stayed involved all the way to the end and came out to cheer and take pictures!

The weeks flew by, the mileage, fitness and confidence increased with every training run, and on Sunday, February 26, race day was finally here! The entire team met the night before for a carbloading dinner and in the morning we all teamed up again at the starting line.

This March, a Phi Kappa Phi site visit was conducted at GHSU and various student leaders were asked to meet with PKP National Board of Directors members Ms. Lourdes Barro and Dr. Michael Bassman, PKP Southeast Regional Representative, to participate in discussions with regards to starting a campus-wide, nationally recognized academic honor society at GHSU. Discussions covered a variety of topics including the sharing of ongoing community service activities of GHSU students, as well as eligibility requirements and the importance of a society such as this in helping to unify our university. Overall, discussions went wonderfully and both Ms. Barro and Dr. Bassman were impressed by the involvement of our students in the community.

Jason was running and I provided race support on my bike including cheering with my cowbell from start to finish. At the end, the most rewarding scenario for every coach is to see all of his/her athletes cross the finish line. And as expected, all GHSU graduate student runners successfully completed the 13.1-mile journey to the finish and were rewarded with a beautiful medal and priceless memories! Congratulations again to all 2012 Augusta Half Marathon Student Training Group members. Go Team! O

Recently, it has been shared that GHSU has been granted it’s very own Chapter. We anticipate that membership invitations will soon be offered to those who are eligible. Should you have any questions, or would like to learn more about PKP, please check out their website at http://www.phikappaphi.org/web/ About/About_Phi_Kappa_Phi.html. **Of note, Augusta State currently does have a chapter of PKP; however GHSU is being individually recognized prior to the consolidation. It is anticipated that although a chapter will start at GHSU, we will eventually merge with the ASU chapter once the merger has been completed. O

New Year’s Resolutions You’ll Actually Stick With...

Ashley Wilson Every New Year begins with promises of big change. We recently welcomed the start of 2012. What resolutions did you make this year? And are you still sticking to them? Many of us might have started with setting rather unrealistic goals, often with the best of intentions, but have not managed to keep up to them. With that being said, we have compiled a list

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of 10 New Year’s resolutions that you might just stick with this time. They don’t cost a penny, require minimal effort, and can bring about some positive changes well after New Year’s End. 1. Take the stairs. Losing weight is probably the most common New Year’s resolution. And it is not unrealistic. Gym membership enrollments may rise, but often go unused. Try to be more realistic

when making your exercise goals. If you don’t have time to fit in your afternoon workout, just incorporate more physical activity during your regular day.

For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator, ride a bike instead of driving, etc. Augusta has beautiful weather coming up, utilize it to the fullest!

...to “New Year’s Resolutions”, pg. 12

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...from“New Year’s Resolutions”, pg. 11 2. Cut out the gossip. Some choose not to gossip, but take it a step further. Don’t let people gossip to you.

You will be seen as a more trustworthy person and will probably engage in better conversations in general.

3. Be better than punctual. To be on time is a fine resolution. But why settle for ‘on time’? You will probably find that getting there five minutes early will lead to improved time management. With that in mind, be better than punctual.

4. Start the day off right. With life becoming increasingly hectic, it is easy to bypass one of the most important meals of the day – breakfast. Not only does it give you energy for a productive day, but it can make for a quicker road to that body you’ve been wanting. So if you are the habitual breakfast-skipper, try and take a mere 10 minutes to get something down. You’ll really see a difference!

5. Bringing back the thank you card.

Writing thank you letters used to be an art. What happened? Texting has indeed become a very convenient and efficient

means of communication; however, next time you want to show someone appreciation, even for something small, why not resist the urge to type that quick “thank you”, and break out that pen and paper?

It much more personal, conveys a more genuine thoughtfulness, and will probably mean a lot to the person receiving it.

6. Leave the credit card at home. How much of what you spend do you really need? Many don’t realize this, but people are less likely to make expensive or impulsive purchases when using cash instead of a debit or credit card. Having the money in your hand provides a tangible reminder of how much you are actually spending. Now that’s an easy way to force responsible spending behavior!

7. Eat in more than you eat out. As busy as we are, we often find it hard not to pick up a take-out menu or go to a restaurant for many meals. Why not take the time to cook at home? This will help you pick up some new cooking skills along the way, save some extra cash, keep to your healthy diet resolution and appreciate the meal a lot more since you have cooked the meal yourself!

8. Turn that cell phone off. Let’s face it, we have entered an era that almost completely revolves around the digital world. Why not live in the moment?

Turn the cell phone off. At work, it makes for a much more productive day, at social occasions it makes face-to-face time more valuable. Turn off your cell phone even when you are alone and you will find that extra time quite refreshing.

9. Be a better listener. Listening is probably the one faculty we use the least! Make eye contact with those you speak to; it shows you are actually engaged in the conversation. Be an active listener. You will find you learn a lot more when you do less taking. Making the most of this face time is a rare skill these days, which is probably the reason it’s such a highly appreciated skill.

10. Get out of your comfort zone.

Try doing something you aren’t used to. Running the extra mile, eating at a restaurant by yourself, taking a class to learn a new skill. Encountering and tackling a few challenges here and there can really do some positive things to your self-esteem. O

Games - Spot the Location As promised, we have tried to make the games in this issue more interactive. How you ask? It’s simple – guess the location in the picture below and email your answers to both, Colleen Carey and Ashley Wilson at cocarey@georgiahealth.edu and awilson@georgiahealth.edu. The FIRST THREE persons guessing the right answer get a free GSO T-shirt each! On your marks, get set, guess away!

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GSO Game Night Brings Out Students’ Inner Gamer Ashley Wilson

Who would have thought that all it took was a few board games, some late night snacks, and a couple of good friends to bring out so many inner gamers?!! O

Provided by Ashley Wilson

On Saturday January 27, GSO held Game Night so that members could hang out with fellow students and unwind from a long, tiring week. Over 50 students gathered at Lombardy Court to play board games such as Timeline and Taboo, along with Poker, and video games such as Guitar Hero. It was anticipated to be one of GSO’s smaller events for the year, but turned out into being the most fun social event the GSO has had thus far. It was a very laid back way for students to get acquainted with one another.

NOW ACCEPTING DESIGNS FOR THE 2012-2013 GSO T-shirt YOUR DESIGN HERE!!

Submissions will be voted on by GSO members and the winning design will be featured on the next GSO T-shirt! Designer will also receive their shirt for free!

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Contact Information

Newsletter Staff

Website

Co-Editor in Chief

http://www.georgiahealth.edu/gradstudies/students.html

Namita Hattangady

Facebook Group

Address

Students of GHSU GSO

Graduate Student Organization College of Graduate Studies Georgia Health Sciences University 1120 15th St. CJ 2201 Augusta, GA 30912-1500

Email

GSO@georgiahealth.edu

Colleen Carey

Editors Bhavna Desai Samuel Herberg Ashley Wilson Cam McCarthy Kate Buckley

Anil Bhatta Margaret Zimmerman Bill Andrews Katie Spitler

Layout Design Jamie Rippke

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