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Treating for worms helps animals survive, then spread infectious diseases RESEARCH NEWS
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The University of Georgia Ballroom Magic event to showcase student, guest, alumni performances
January 20, 2015
Vol. 42, No. 21
www.columns.uga.edu
UGA GUIDE
4&5
2015 State of University address to be held Jan. 21
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Another year older UGA to celebrate 230th anniversary with Founders Week events
By Elizabeth Elmore eelmore@uga.edu
UGA will observe its 230th anniversary in 2015. The UGA Alumni Association will celebrate by hosting a weeklong series of events, including the 13th annual Founders Day Lecture Jan. 26 at 1:30 p.m. in the Chapel. Paul M. Kurtz, UGA School of Law J. Alton Hosch Professor of Law and associate dean emeritus, will present the lecture, “A New York Yankee in Abraham Baldwin’s Court: (Almost) Fifty Years Behind ‘Enemy’ Lines.” “Like Abraham Baldwin, I am a Yankee who has experiPaul Kurtz enced life on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line,” Kurtz said. “On this Founders Day as we commemorate his role in the establishment of the university which has been my home for most of my life, I look forward to sharing my reflections on the journey I have taken since my arrival in the South in 1964.” Kurtz was a Georgia Law faculty member for nearly 40 years, specializing in criminal law and family law. He served as the law school’s associate dean from 1991 to 2013 and was named the Hosch Professor of Law in 1994. Active in law school and university affairs throughout his career, Kurtz was elected by colleagues to three terms on the University Council as well as two terms on the board of
the Athletic Association. Kurtz earned his bachelor’s and law degrees from Vanderbilt University and his master of laws degree from Harvard University. The student response will be given by Carey Miller, 2012 UGA alumnus and the current law school student body president. Jessica Pacheco, a member of the Class of 2015 pursuing a doctorate in musical arts, will provide pre-lecture entertainment on the piano, followed Carey Miller by an official welcome by the UGA Alumni Association and university leaders. The Founders Day Lecture recognizes the date the university was established—Jan. 27. On this day in 1785, the Georgia General Assembly adopted a charter establishing UGA as the nation’s first state-chartered institution of higher education. The lecture is sponsored by the UGA Alumni Association and the Emeriti Scholars, a group of retired faculty members known for their teaching abilities who continue to be involved in the university’s academic life through part-time teaching, research and service assignments. In conjunction with the lecture, the UGA Alumni Association will host an invite-only luncheon Jan. 26 during which the President’s Medal (see story, below) will be presented to Gary Bertsch, founding director of the Center for International See ANNIVERSARY on page 8
Former professor Gary Bertsch to receive President’s Medal during Founders Week By David Bill
dbill@uga.edu
Retired UGA professor Gary Bertsch will receive the 2015 UGA President’s Medal during Founders Week. The President’s Medal recognizes extraordinary contributions of former employees who have supported students and academic programs, advanced research and inspired community leaders to enhance Georgians’ quality of life. Bertsch served on the UGA faculty from 1969-2010. After serving as an undergraduate
adviser in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and undergraduate director and graduate director in the Gary Bertsch political science department, he became the founding director in 1987 of the Center for International Trade and Security. A UGA-based program conducting international research, teaching and outreach to promote economic prosperity,
international peace and security, CITS is recognized worldwide and has generated more than $30 million in external funding. Bertsch was designated a University Professor in 1995, the highest recognition of his endeavors on behalf of the university’s mission. He served on the board of trustees of the UGA Foundation from 1994-2004 and the board of directors of the UGA Research Foundation from 1987-1997. “Dr. Bertsch has been a wonderful member of the University of Georgia community for more
See MEDAL on page 8
UGA President Jere W. Morehead will deliver the State of the University address Jan. 21 at 3:30 p.m. in the Chapel. The event is open to the public. The speech will be broadcast live on channel 15 of the university cable system and channel 181 of the Charter cable system. It also will be streamed live at http://www.ctl.uga.edu/.
Law school receives $3.4M from estate of Gov. Carl Sanders By Heidi M. Murphy hmurphy@uga.edu
The UGA School of Law has received a $3.4 million gift from the estate of former Georgia Gov. Carl E. Sanders. Approximately $2.4 million will be used to create the Carl E. Sanders Law Scholarship Fund, which will provide scholarships to law students. The remainder of the gift will be added to the Carl E. Sanders Chair in Political Leadership Fund, which was established in 2002 to support a faculty position for someone to “educate students
about the roles of law and lawyers in shaping public policy and about the role of lawyers in positions of leadership.” This donation is the largest single gift in the law school’s history and makes the late governor, who earned his law degree from UGA in 1948, the law school’s greatest individual benefactor. The governor’s wife of 67 years, Betty Foy Sanders, said, “Carl was still a student at the Georgia law school when we were married in 1947. And from there he went on to achieve much for which he always
See SANDERS on page 8
Terry College of Business
Economic outlook: Georgia moving in right direction By Matt Weeks
mweeks@uga.edu
Georgia’s economy will grow faster than its long-run average for the first time since the Great Recession, thanks to increased job growth, rising home prices and a solid economic development strategy. That will be the message delivered by Benjamin C. Ayers, dean of the UGA Terry College of Business, at the Georgia Economic Outlook event Jan. 21 in Athens. “This will be a positive change from what Georgia has experienced in recent years. Specifically, we
expect Georgia’s GDP to grow by 3.2 percent in 2015,” Ayers said. “That’s higher than Georgia’s long-run rate of GDP growth of 2.9 percent and exceeds the 2.8 percent growth we expect from the nation as a whole.” According to the forecast, which was prepared by the college’s Selig Center for Economic Growth, jobs in Georgia will rise by 2.3 percent throughout the year, completely replacing all the jobs lost by the Great Recession by midyear. Comparatively, the U.S. as a whole will add 1.8 percent more jobs. See OUTLOOK on page 8
Public Service and Outreach
Guest lecturer to discuss student homelessness on college campuses By Kathleen Cason kcason@uga.edu
Cyekeia Lee, director of the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, will present the lecture “Understanding Youth Homelessness on College Campuses” Jan. 22 at 10 a.m. in the Chapel. She will discuss ways in which higher educational institutions and communities can support young
people who are homeless. The lecture is open free to the public. About 58,000 college students identified themselves as homeless in 2012-2013, a number that likely is underreported. That same year, more than 1.2 million homeless students attended K-12 schools, according the U.S. Department of Education, which defines homelessness as “the lack of a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime
See LECTURE on page 8
2 Jan. 20, 2015 columns.uga.edu
UGA arts council
Georgia State University, Georgia Perimeter College to consolidate
Around academe
Georgia State University and Georgia Perimeter College will consolidate to form a new institution to be named Georgia State University. At its Jan. 6 meeting, the University System of Georgia Board of Regents approved a proposal from Chancellor Hank Huckaby recommending the consolidation of these two institutions to improve student success. The decision to consolidate the two institutions, whose combined enrollment this fall is 53,927 students, follows the six guiding principles for consolidation approved by the regents in 2011. Georgia State President Mark Becker will serve as the president of the new institution. The consolidation timeline calls for the approval of the plan by the board of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges by the end of this year, followed by regents’ approval of the new institution in early 2016.
Regents finalize consolidation of Kennesaw State, Southern Polytechnic
The University System of Georgia Board of Regents granted final approval to the creation of the new Kennesaw State University from the consolidation of Kennesaw State University and Southern Polytechnic State University. Dan Papp, current president of KSU, will serve as president of the newly consolidated Kennesaw State. The board’s action followed the December 2014 required approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges of the KSU consolidation plans.
Locate source of bad odors in household water to ensure quality
News to Use
Drinking clean water is an important part of staying healthy. If the water in a home gives off an odor, the smell needs to be investigated. Homeowners can use these steps to determine the cause of the odor and what to do in the event of a larger problem. If the odor occurs in all water faucets, the problem is probably in the main water supply. Run the water for a few minutes to see if the smell goes away. If it does not, check to see if the water smells only when it’s hot. If that’s the case, the smell is the magnesium rod in the hot water tank. If both hot and cold water smell, then the odor is in the water source and potentially the plumbing system. In this case, contact the water provider or the county health department immediately. If the odor occurs only in certain faucets, the problem is likely in the fixtures or pipes supplying those specific faucets. If the problem goes away after running the water for a few minutes, the problem is somewhere in the household plumbing system. If the odor is persistent, the problem could be the water source or a combination of both the water source and the plumbing system. Contact the water provider if the odor continues. More information is online at http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail. cfm?number=C1016. Source: UGA Extension
Counting clerks The UGA School of Law ranks No. 10 in the U.S. for the number of 2012 graduates working at judicial clerkships with federal judges.
Rank University
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Source: U.S. News & World Report
Yale University Stanford University Harvard University University of Chicago Duke University Vanderbilt University University of Virginia University of Notre Dame University of Pennsylvania UGA Janet Beckley
2014 Spotlight on the Arts festival sees growth, breaks attendance record By Camie Williams camiew@uga.edu
More than 21,000 people attended the UGA Arts Council’s 2014 Spotlight on the Arts festival, an increase of 29 percent over the previous year. Held Nov. 6-14, the festival featured more than 60 events, including plays, concerts, book talks, dance performances and art exhibitions involving nationally and internationally recognized guest performers as well as UGA faculty and students. A total of 21,467 people participated in the nine-day festival compared to 16,659 people in 2013 and 14,778 people in the festival’s inaugural year, 2012. “The fact that this year’s Spotlight festival was so well attended speaks to the outstanding quality of the arts facilities, programming and scholarship on campus,” said Pamela Whitten, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “I’m already looking forward to next year’s festival and to the many world-class arts events that occur yearround on this campus.” Planning is already underway for the 2015 Spotlight on the Arts festival, which is scheduled for Nov. 5-14. “The annual Spotlight on the Arts festival is a true group effort, and I want to thank the members of the UGA Arts Council and our many partners for making this year’s festival such a success,” said Vice Provost Russell Mumper, who chairs the UGA Arts Council. “We look forward to shining a spotlight on the arts in 2015 and beyond.”
Andrew Davis Tucker
Junior management information systems major Robert Griffeth conducts the Hodgson Wind Ensemble on the Tate Center Plaza during a “Conduct Us” Student Spotlight performance during the Spotlight on the Arts festival.
ON THE WEB
Information on arts events that occur year-round on campus can be found at www.arts.uga.edu https://www.facebook.com/UGAarts or https://twitter.com/UGA_arts.
Dorothy Kozlowski
A dramatic group dance is presented during the department of dance’s Performance Sampler on Nov. 14.
Georgia Museum of Art Office of the Vice President for Research Georgia Museum of Art to host Four collaborative research biennial fundraising gala proposals receive seed funding By Elizabeth Poland ejpoland@uga.edu
The Georgia Museum of Art at UGA will host its most important fundraiser Jan. 31. Elegant Salute XIV, “An Elegant Salute to Georgia,” is the museum’s biennial gala featuring a reception, dinner, dessert and dancing. Hosted by the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art, the museum’s membership program, this year’s gala will highlight the museum’s distinction as the official state museum of art and celebrate Georgia’s rich heritage of art, agriculture and natural beauty. The evening will begin with a reception in the Jane and Harry Willson Sculpture Garden. Hors d’oeuvres will be followed by dinner catered by Epting Events in the M. Smith Griffith Grand Hall. Following dinner, guests will return to the sculpture garden at 9:30 p.m. for dessert and dancing at the after-party featuring DJs Alfredo and Zdog. The after-party is themed “Get Your Pucci On” in celebration of the museum’s exhibition Emilio Pucci in America, on view through
Feb. 1. Guests of the afterparty are encouraged to wear Pucci-inspired clothing. Guests can track postings or join in on the conversation about the after-party using #getyourpuccion on Instagram and Twitter. The museum relies on private donations to fund programming and exhibitions, making this event vital to the museum’s success. The Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art hopes to raise $155,000 in support this year. The net proceeds will support the museum’s exhibitions and educational programming. Tickets for the event are sold in two tiers: full event or after-party. Tickets for the full event are $300 and can be purchased until Jan. 21. Tickets for the after party only are $50 for members and $65 for nonmembers; they allow entry for the dessert and dancing in the sculpture garden. The after-party tickets can be purchased until Jan. 28.All tickets can be purchased online at http://bit.ly/gmoa-es2015 or from Michele Turner, director of membership, at maturner@uga.edu or 706-542-0830.
By Terry Marie Hastings thasting@uga.edu
Four collaborative research proposals aimed at encouraging competitive extramural grant proposals involving personnel from both UGA and Georgia Regents University have been selected for funding. Jointly supported by GRU and UGA, the new seed funding program is intended to promote interdisciplinary or translational research. A total of 41 proposals were evaluated by faculty and administrators from UGA and GRU for scientific merit and potential to lead to new external grants, and thus the competition was rigorous. Applicants committed to submitting applications to external funding agencies by specified deadlines. “These highly competitive seed grants will fund research that builds on the unique strengths and capabilities of UGA and GRU scientists and facilities,” said David Lee, UGA vice president for research. The funded proposals
and their principal investigators are: • “Role of Helicobacter pylori in the Development of Gastric Cancer.” Robert Maier, microbiology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, UGA; and Artur Muszynski, Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, UGA; Stuart Thompson, biochemistry and microbiology, School of Medicine, GRU. • “Cell Enrichment Microfluidic Chip for Lung Cancer Circulating Tumor Cell Counting.” Leidong Mao, College of Engineering, UGA; Carsten Schroeder, surgery, School of Medicine, GRU. • “Smart Catheter for Magnetic Resonance Imaging-guided Cardiac Electrophysiology Treatment.” Zion Tse, College of Engineering, UGA; Kent Nilsson, medicine, School of Medicine, GRU. • “X-ray Inducible Photodynamic Therapy for Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer Treatment.” Jin Xie, chemistry department, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, UGA; Zhonglin Hao, medicine, School of Medicine, GRU.
Research News
columns.uga.edu Jan. 20, 2015
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Digest University of Memphis professor to lecture on 1972 play ‘Histoire de nègre’
Kristen Morales
Alan Stewart, an associate professor in the UGA College of Education’s counseling and human development services department, is part of a team that found a link between seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, and a lack of sunlight.
SAD outcome
Vitamin D deficiency, depression linked in study By Sandra Hutchinson
s3.hutchinson@qut.edu.au
Vitamin D deficiency is not just harmful to physical health, but it also might impact mental health, according to a team of researchers that has found a link between seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, and a lack of sunlight. “Rather than being one of many factors, vitamin D could have a regulative role in the development of SAD,” said Alan Stewart of the UGA College of Education. An international research partnership between UGA, the University of Pittsburgh and the Queensland University of Technology in Australia reported the finding in the journal Medical Hypotheses. Stewart and Michael Kimlin, from QUT’s School of Public Health and Social Work, reviewed more than 100 leading articles and found a relationship between vitamin D and seasonal depression. Seasonal affective disorder, which is depression related to changes in season, affects up to 10 percent of
the p opulation, depending upon geographical location, according to Stewart, an associate professor in the counseling and human development services department. “People with SAD have the same symptoms every year, starting in fall and continuing through the winter months,” Stewart said. Based on the team’s investigations, vitamin D was likely to be a contributing factor in seasonal depression. “We believe there are several reasons for this, including that vitamin D levels fluctuate in the body seasonally, in direct relation to seasonally available sunlight,” he said. Studies show there is a lag of about eight weeks between the peak in intensity of ultraviolet radiation and the onset of SAD. This time correlates with the time it takes for UV radiation to be processed by the body into vitamin D. Vitamin D is involved in the synthesis of serotonin and dopamine within the brain, both chemicals linked to depression. “It is logical that there may be a relationship between low levels of v itamin D
and depressive symptoms,” said Kimlin, a Cancer Council Queensland Professor of Cancer Prevention Research. Since vitamin D levels vary according to the pigmentation of the skin, people with dark skin often record lower levels of vitamin D, according to the researchers. “Persons with greater skin pigmentation may experience not only higher risks of vitamin D deficiency, but also be at greater risk of psychological and psychiatric conditions,” Kimlin said. Kimlin, who heads QUT’s National Health and Medical Research Council Centre for Research Excellence in Sun and Health, said adequate levels of vitamin D were essential in maintaining bone health, with deficiency causing osteomalacia in adults and rickets in children. “What we know now is that there are strong indications that maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D are also important for good mental health,” Kimlin said. “A few minutes of sunlight exposure each day should be enough for most people to maintain an adequate vitamin D status.”
Chemical in coffee may help prevent obesity-related disease jhataway@uga.edu
UGA researchers have discovered that a chemical compound commonly found in coffee may help prevent some of the damaging effects of obesity. In a paper published recently in Pharmaceutical Research, scientists found that chlorogenic acid, or CGA, significantly reduced insulin resistance and accumulation of fat in the livers of mice that were fed a high-fat diet. “Previous studies have shown that coffee consumption may lower the risk for chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” said Yongjie Ma, a postdoctoral research associate in UGA’s College of Pharmacy and lead author of the paper. “Our study expands on this research by looking at the benefits associated with this specific compound, which is found in great abundance in coffee, but also in fruits like apples, pears, tomatoes and blueberries.” During the past 20 years, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in
the U.S. More than one-third of the nation’s adults and 17 percent of children are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The annual medical cost of obesity is more than $147 billion. Aside from weight gain, two common side effects of obesity are increased insulin resistance and the accumulation of fat in the liver. Left untreated, these disorders can lead to diabetes and poor liver function. To test the therapeutic effects of CGA, researchers fed a group of mice a high-fat diet for 15 weeks while also injecting them with a CGA solution twice per week. They found that CGA was not only effective in preventing weight gain, but it also helped maintain normal blood sugar levels and healthy liver composition. “CGA is a powerful antioxidant that reduces inflammation,” said Ma, who works in the laboratory of professor Dexi Liu in the pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences department. “A lot of evidence suggests that obesityrelated diseases are caused by chronic
Office of Service-Learning’s new Innovators lecture series to open Jan. 27
The Office of Service-Learning, a public service and outreach unit, will launch its Innovators lecture series Jan. 27 at 6:30 p.m. in the Chapel. The inaugural lecture will be given by Becca Stevens, an Episcopal priest and founder of Magdalene, a residential community of women who have survived prostitution, trafficking and addiction. During the lecture, which is open free to the public, Stevens will discuss the history and model of Thistle Farms (thistlefarms.org). Founded by Stevens in 2001, Thistle Farms is a social enterprise in Nashville that currently employs nearly 50 residents and graduates of Magdalene and supports a natural body care line, paper and sewing studio and the Thistle Stop Cafe. While working at Thistle Farms, women learn about manufacturing, packaging, marketing, sales and administration to acquire the skills they need to earn a living wage and become independent. On Jan. 28, a community workshop with Stevens will be held at 12:15 p.m. at the Presbyterian Student Center, at 1250 S. Lumpkin St. Lunch will be provided.
GeorgiaFunder exceeds goal
College of Pharmacy, UGA Obesity Initiative By James E. Hataway
Andrew Daily, an assistant professor of modern French and global history at the University of Memphis, will give a public lecture on the 1972 play Histoire de nègre (Black History) Jan. 27 at 11 a.m. in the auditorium of the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries. The play is a collaboratively authored, participatory drama performed by and for local audiences throughout Martinique. Originally published in the February 1972 issue of the Martinican journal ACOMA, Histoire de nègre combined music, dance, image and text into a three-act history of peoples of African descent in the New World from enslavement through neo-colonialism. The Martinican novelist and critic Edouard Glissant was a key member of both ACOMA as well as the group that wrote and produced the piece. A specialist in French Caribbean intellectual history, Daily also will discuss his collaborative work with Emily Sahakian, an assistant professor of Romance languages and theatre and film studies in UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and Christian DuComb and Mahadevi Ramakrishnan of Colgate University to translate, stage and interpret the play for American audiences and students. While at UGA, Daily also will conduct a graduate workshop on translation. His visit is sponsored by the theatre and film studies department, the Romance languages department, the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Institute and the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts.
inflammation, so if we can control that, we can hopefully offset some of the negative effects of excessive weight gain.” But the authors are quick to point out that CGA is not a cure-all. Proper diet and regular exercise still are the best methods to reduce the risks associated with obesity. The mice in this study received a high dose of CGA, much higher than what a human would absorb through regular coffee consumption or a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. However, the researchers do believe that CGA may form the foundation of a treatment for those who need extra help. They plan to conduct more research to develop an improved CGA formulation specifically for human consumption. “We’re not suggesting that people start drinking a lot of coffee to protect themselves from an unhealthy lifestyle,” said Ma, who is also a member of UGA’s Obesity Initiative. “But we do think that we might be able to create a useful therapeutic using CGA that will help those at risk for obesity-related disease as they make positive lifestyle changes.”
UGA recently launched a new crowdfunding platform called the GeorgiaFunder (giving.uga. edu/funder), which aims to raise relatively small donations from a large group of people to directly benefit UGA programs and organizations. The pilot crowdfunding initiative exceeded its goal on #GivingTuesday, a national day of philanthropy Dec. 2, by raising more than $29,000 from 220 donors. The effort exceeded the day’s goal of $25,000 and more than doubled last year’s amount. Gifts will benefit university-wide initiatives, school or college support funds or other specific interests. The GeorgiaFunder is modeled after other Web-based commercial services such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo. These initiatives rely on social networks and can spread quickly through social media, email, websites and other grassroots forms of communications. With GeorgiaFunder, faculty, staff and students can initiate approved campaigns to raise money for official UGA causes. Funds go to the project whether the project reaches its goal or not.
PERIODICALS POSTAGE STATEMENT Columns (USPS 020-024) is published weekly during the academic year and biweekly during the summer for the faculty and staff of the University of Georgia by the UGA News Service. Periodicals postage is paid in Athens, Georgia. Postmaster: Send off-campus address changes to Columns, UGA News Service, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Athens, GA 30602-1999.
For a complete listing of events 7 8 5 at the University of Georgia, check the Master Calendar on the Web (calendar.uga.edu/). I
The following events are open to the public, unless otherwise specified. Dates, times and locations may change without advance notice.
exhibitions
UGAGUIDE Lecture “A Case for the Flipped Classroom: A Three-Year Longitudinal Study of Student Perception, Engagement and Performance,” Russell J. Mumper, UGA’s vice provost for academic affairs. 1 p.m. Reading Room, Miller Learning Center. 706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu.
The Nightmare Transported into Art: Odilon Redon’s “St. Anthony.” Through Jan. 25. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu. Emilio Pucci in America. Through Feb. 1. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu. Witness: The Photographs of Billy Howard. Through Feb. 12. Circle Gallery, Jackson Street Building. Not Ready to Make Nice: Guerrilla Girls in the Artworld and Beyond. Through March 1. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu. Creatures in the Garden. Through March 8. State Botanical Garden. The Life and Work of Alice Fischer, Cultural Pioneer. Through March 8. Boone and George-Ann Knox Gallery II, Georgia Museum of Art. A Year on the Hill: Work by Jim Fiscus and Chris Bilheimer. Through March 18. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-9078, mlachow@uga.edu. “OC” Carlisle Solo Art. Through May 11. Candler Hall. Food, Power and Politics: The Story of School Lunch. Through May 15. Russell Library Gallery, special collections libraries. Terra Verte. Through May 31. Jane and Harry Willson Sculpture Garden, Georgia Museum of Art.
Advisories
4&5
EVENTS AT A GLANCE
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20
The Georgia Museum of Art at UGA is presenting the exhibition Not Ready to Make Nice: Guerrilla Girls in the Artworld and Beyond through March 1.
columns.uga.edu Jan. 20, 2015
Spring Tuesday Tour Join a guided tour of the three museum galleries. 2 p.m. Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries. 706-542-8079, jclevela@uga.edu. Guest Lecture “Revival and Subversion: The Racial Politics of Amateur Photographic Humor,” Tanya Sheehan, Colby College. Sheehan’s lecture will explore commercial photographs of African-American citizens who are depicted as frequent subjects of humor in the decades following emancipation. 6 p.m. S150 Lamar Dodd School of Art. charlotte.maier@uga.edu. Men’s Basketball vs. Ole Miss. To be televised on the SEC Network. $15. 7 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum. 706-542-1231.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21 Native Plant Symposium Gardening with native flowers and trees along with related conservation issues. $60. 8:45 a.m. Terrace Room, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu. Panel Discussion This panel will address what authority the federal government has to detain, isolate and/or quarantine individuals with Ebola; consent and privacy issues for Ebola patients undergoing treatment; travel restrictions for people leaving West Africa and the sealing of borders for countries with an Ebola epidemic; the rollout of experimental drugs being developed in the U.S. to
Africa; and the significance of Ebola being identified as a threat to international peace and security by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2177. 12:30 p.m. Larry Walker Room, Law School. lkagel@uga.edu.
tchagood@uga.edu.
Tour at Two Led by docents. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-9078, mlachow@uga.edu.
Ballroom Magic The UGA Ballroom Performance Group will perform. Also to be held Jan. 23 at 8 p.m. and Jan. 24 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. $16; $10 for children, students and seniors. 8 p.m. New Dance Theatre, dance building. (See story, below left).
State of the University Address UGA President Jere W. Morehead will deliver the annual report to the university community. 3:30 p.m. Chapel. (See page 1). UGA Marine Institute reception A reception highlighting the UGA Marine Institute on Sapelo Island’s past, present and future. 5 p.m. Coverdell Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences. kgentry@uga.edu. UGA Hockey vs. Auburn. $7-$25. 7 p.m. Classic Center, 300 N. Thomas St. Green on the Screen Growing Cities. 7 p.m. Fireside Lounge, Rooker Hall.
Women’s Basketball vs. Texas A&M. $5; $3 for youth. 7 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 23 Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Breakfast “The Power of the Dream: Justice for All.” Speaker: Ambassador Andrew Young, the former mayor of Atlanta. Also recognition of the President’s Fulfilling the Dream Award recipients. Tickets sold out. 7:30 a.m. Grand Hall, Tate Student Center. sartavia@uga.edu. Men’s Tennis ITA KickOff Through Jan. 24. vs. Michigan State on Jan. 23. Also vs. Elon or Utah on Jan. 24. Lindsey Hopkins Indoor Tennis Courts. 706-542-1621.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 22 Guest Lecture Cyekeia Lee, director of the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, will present the lecture “Understanding Youth Homelessness on College Campuses.” 10 a.m. Chapel. (See story, page 1). Blood Drive 11 a.m. College of Veterinary Medicine. Workshop “What The Best College Teachers Do On Day One.” This session offers faculty new to UGA’s First-Year Odyssey a panel of experienced FYO instructors offering “best of” experiences and advice. 1 p.m. North Instructional Plaza Mall 706-583-0067,
2015 Sustainability Science Symposium A showcase of the wealth of sustainability initiatives at UGA in research, instruction, public service and outreach, that facilitate cross-disciplinary networking among faculty, staff, students and community members. $25; $10 for UGA students. 9 a.m. Georgia Center. 706-542-0458, talleyv@uga.edu. dance Performance Urban Bush Women. Additional performance on Jan. 24. $40-$45. 8 p.m. Fine Arts Theatre, Fine Arts Building. 706-542-4400, ugaarts@uga.edu. (See story, below).
SATURDAY, JANUARY 24
Healthy Eating in the Perimeter of the Aisle,” Louise Wicker, a professor of food science and technology and team leader of the UGA Obesity Initiative: Food Ingredients and Obesity. Part of the Sustainable Food Systems Seminar Series. 3:35 p.m. 103 Conner Hall. 706-542-8084, sustainag@uga.edu.
Women’s Tennis ITA KickOff Weekend Through Jan. 25. vs. Samford Jan. 24 at 1 p.m. Also vs. Auburn or Wake Forest. Lindsey Hopkins Indoor Tennis Courts. 706-542-1621. Gymnastics vs. Kentucky. $10; $6 for youth. 4 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum. 706-542-1231. India Night 2015 A showcase of Indian culture through skits, dances and musical performances. Hosted by the Indian Cultural Exchange. 6 p.m. Classic Center, 300 N. Thomas St. 678-602-1456, rpatel92@uga.edu.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 25 Guest lecture Andy Stanley, television personality, author and speaker on leadership issues and pastor of Atlanta’s North Point Community Church, will speak in celebration of Athens Church’s 10-year anniversary. Sponsored by Athens Church. 10:30 a.m. Stegeman Coliseum. 706-310-9300, mike.koslowsky@athenschurch.com. Spotlight Tour Led by docents. 3 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-9078, mlachow@uga.edu.
MONDAY, JANUARY 26 2015 Founders Day Lecture Speaker: Paul Kurtz, UGA School of Law J. Alton Hosch Professor of Law and associate dean emeritus. 1:30 p.m. Chapel. 706-542-8199, wdarden@uga.edu. (See story, page 1). Blood Drive 2:30 p.m. East Campus Village. Lecture “Foods for the Non-Foodie: Barriers to
Showcase Week Kickoff The financial planning, housing and consumer economics department is having a Showcase kickoff event where faculty will host a reception to celebrate with current and prospective students. 4 p.m. Pecan Tree Galleria, Georgia Center. 706-542-4856, sworthy@uga.edu. (See story, below). CPR/AED/First Aid Course This course will certify participants in adult and pediatric CPR/AED. $55 for students, faculty, staff and dependents; $65 for alumni. 5 p.m. 119 Ramsey Student Center. 706-542-5060, mdecembe@uga.edu. Performance Garrison Keillor, American author, storyteller, humorist and host of the radio variety show A Prairie Home Companion. $40-$75. 8 p.m. Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4400, ugaarts@uga.edu. (See story, below).
Coming up Lecture Jan. 27. Andrew Daily, an assistant professor of modern French and global history at the University of Memphis, will give a public lecture on the 1972 play Histoire de nègre (Black History). 11 a.m. Special collection libraries auditorium. (See Digest, page 3). Innovators Lecture Jan. 27. Hosted by the Office of ServiceLearning. Speaker: Becca Stevens, founder of Magdalene, a residential community in Nashville for women who have survived trafficking, prostitution and addiction. 6:30 p.m. Chapel. coenen21@uga.edu. (See Digest, page 3).
Family and Consumer Sciences Showcase Week to be held By Cal Powell
cpowell@uga.edu
The financial planning, housing and consumer economics department in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences will host its second annual Showcase Week Jan. 26-29. The event will “highlight all the great things going on in the department,” said department head Sheri Worthy and will feature informational sessions for prospective students, panel discussions involving all three majors offered and an internship/career fair. Showcase Week will begin Jan. 26 from 4-6 p.m. with a fun and informal “kickoff” featuring prizes, T-shirts and
Construction is nearing completion on the Veterinary Medical Learning Center, above, a $75 million, 200,000-square-foot project on a 100-acre site on College Station Road at Barnett Shoals Road. Veterinary Medical Learning Center Through Jan. 31. Construction is nearing completion on the $75 million, 200,000-squarefoot project on a 100-acre site on College Station Road at Barnett Shoals Road. The facility includes a Lameness Center, large lecture hall and instructional spaces for veterinary students, offices for clinical faculty and staff and outdoor spaces for animals. A dedication ceremony is planned for Feb. 13 at 2 p.m. Foley Baseball Stadium renovations Through Jan. 31. Renovation of Foley Baseball Stadium will require road and sidewalk closures on adjacent Rutherford Street and Pinecrest Drive. Sidewalks on both Rutherford and Pinecrest adjacent to the stadium will be closed throughout the construction period. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is set for Feb. 13 at 4:30 p.m. South precinct chilled water and steam line Through Feb. 16. The service drive area behind Snelling Dining Hall and the McPhaul Child Development Lab is closed for this project. Rock drilling and chipping is involved, so expect some noise disruption. Visitors Center (Four Towers) parking lot expansion Through March 6. A project to expand the parking lot at the UGA Visitors Center will be underway in the traffic circle area directly in front of the Four Towers Building. Traffic will be able to enter the parking lot from either end, but through traffic from College Station Road to River Road will be prohibited during the construction. Correll Hall Through May 31. Construction is underway on the $35 million, 75,000-square-foot Correll Hall, the first phase of the Terry College Business Learning Community. The building will house graduate programs, college administration, classrooms and an innovation lab. The site is bounded by Lumpkin, Baxter and Hull streets. Pedestrian and vehicular traffic disruptions may occur occasionally at the construction site entrances from both Hull and Lumpkin streets. Science Learning Center Through July 31, 2016. Construction is underway on the $44.7 million, 122,500-squarefoot Science Learning Center. The site is at the southwest corner of D. W. Brooks Mall, bounded by Carlton Street, Pharmacy South and the McPhaul Center parking lot. The facility will encompass 33 instructional labs, two 280-seat lecture halls and two 72-seat classrooms. College Station Road Through Oct. 31, 2016. The Georgia Department of Transportation is replacing the College Station Road bridges over the North Oconee River, building new structures to include two lanes in each direction with bike lanes and sidewalks. A new bridge will be constructed north of the original bridges, and then through a series of traffic shifts, the existing bridges will be replaced. Two lanes will remain open in each direction during peak hours throughout the project. Lane closures are possible from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and during overnight hours.
Calendar items are taken from Columns files and from the university’s Master Calendar, maintained by University Public Affairs. Notices are published here as space permits, with priority given to items of multidisciplinary interest. The Master Calendar is available on the Web at calendar.uga.edu/.
UGA Ballroom Performance Group
Ballroom Magic event to showcase student, guest, alumni performances
a photo booth in the Pecan Tree Gallery of the Georgia Center that is open to all UGA students. Following that event, several financial planning, housing and consumer economics faculty members will host a discussion targeted at freshmen interested in housing and residential property management majors. A panel discussion on consumer journalism and consumer economics will be held Jan. 27 from 6-8 p.m. followed by a similar discussion on financial planning Jan. 28 from 6-8 p.m. Location for those events will be determined. A career and internship fair is scheduled for Jan. 29 from 1-4 p.m.
Garrison Keillor to present an evening of storytelling Jan. 26
By Jessica Luton jluton@uga.edu
Ballroom Magic, the annual showcase performance by the UGA Ballroom Performance Group, will be held Jan. 22-24 in the New Dance Theatre at the UGA dance building.The event will feature choreographed pieces in smooth and Latin ballroom dance styles, with appearances by special guest artists and alumni. This year’s performance, “Lights, Camera, Magic,” will feature 45 UGA students performing classic ballroom styles such as the waltz, foxtrot, American tango, Argentine tango, quickstep, Viennese waltz, paso, cha cha, salsa, rumba and swing. Co-directors Natalie Grier Cox and Mike Fulford, both UGA and Ballroom Performance Group alumni, helped orchestrate this year’s performance. “This isn’t your typical dance performance,” Cox said. “Everything is a ‘wow’ factor when it comes to planning and executing this show—from routines to costumes to music, lighting and effects. We expect you to leave thinking magic is the only word to describe it. You will be entertained.” Performances will be held Jan. 22-24 at 8 p.m., with an additional matinée performance Jan. 24 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $16 for adults and $10 for children, students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased at pac.uga.edu, the Tate Student Center box office and by phone at 706-542-4400. Special discounted rates, $5 off each ticket, are available for groups of eight or more for the Jan. 22 evening and Jan. 24 matinée performances. Special guests include the CONTACT dance company from Dancefx, professional Atlanta-based ballroom coach Christjohn Batters and his amateur partner, the UGA Tango Club and Swung. There also will be a Romanian folk dance performance. The show features a unique theater-in-the-round setup that gives some audience members a view just a few feet away from the twirling action. “This show inspires a lot of people to start dancing,” Cox said. “Many of my students tell me they first attended a performance to support a friend or family member and then realized they wanted to learn too. New people attend this event every year, and they always promise they will never miss another performance. They come back year after year and become part of our larger BPG family.” More information on the UGA Ballroom Performance Group is at www.ugaballroom.com. Questions about dances, performances or auditions can be sent to ugaballroom@gmail.com.
By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu
Urban Bush Women
Urban Bush Women to perform in 30th anniversary celebration By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu
The UGA Performing Arts Center will present Urban Bush Women Jan. 23-24 at 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Theatre. Urban Bush Women is celebrating its 30th anniversary as one of the premier dance companies in the U.S. exploring the African-American experience. Tickets for the performances are $40-$45 and are discounted for UGA students. Tickets can be purchased at the UGA Performing Arts Center box office, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-4400. UBW was founded in 1984 by dancer and choreographer Jawole Willa Jo Zollar as a performance ensemble dedicated to using cultural expression as a catalyst for social change. The company presents bold and innovative works that weave contemporary dance, music and text with the history, culture and spiritual traditions of the African diaspora.
To submit a listing for the master calendar and columns Post event information first to the Master Calendar website (calendar.uga.edu/). Listings for Columns are taken from the Master Calendar 12 days before the publication date. Events not posted by then may not be printed in Columns.
in the Tate Center and will feature up to 32 employers. The week will conclude with the financial planning banquet Jan. 29 and will feature guest speaker and media consultant Gary Belsky, former editor of ESPN: The Magazine and best-selling author who lectures on behavioral economics and decision-making. “We’re thrilled to have a speaker of his reputation address our group,” said Russell Whitehead, a financial planning, housing and consumer economics graduate student and president of the Student Financial Planning Association. “He’ll teach our students about behavioral finance and that will help our growth of client relations.”
Any additional information about the event may be sent directly to Columns. Email is preferred (columns@uga.edu), but materials can be mailed to Columns, News Service, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Campus Mail 1999.
The UGA Performing Arts Center will present Garrison Keillor in an evening of storytelling Jan. 26 at 8 p.m. in Hodgson Concert Hall. Keillor originally was scheduled to perform Sept. 24 but had to reschedule because of surgery. Tickets purchased for the September performance are good for Jan. 26. Good seats remain for the Jan. 26 performance. Tickets are $40-$75 and are discounted for UGA students. Tickets can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center box office, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-4400. Keillor is the host of the long-running radio program A Prairie Home Companion. First broadcast in 1987, A Prairie Home Companion is enjoyed by over 17 million listeners on more than 900 public radio stations each week. Keillor played himself in the 2006 movie adaptation of the show, starring opposite three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep. Keillor is also the best-selling author of many books including Lake Wobegon Days, The Book of Guys, The Old Man Who Loved Cheese, Wobegon Boy, Me: By Jimmy “Big Boy” Valente As Told to Garrison Keillor, Love Me, Homegrown Democrat, Pontoon, Liberty: A Lake Wobegon Novel and Life Among the Lutherans. In 2013 he published his first book of poetry, O, What a Luxury: Verses Lyrical, Vulgar, Pathetic & Profound. Keillor’s numerous accolades include a Grammy Award for his recording of Lake Wobegon Days, two Cable ACE Awards and a Peabody Award. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and was presented with a National Humanities Medal by the National Endowment for the Humanities. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1994.
Next columns deadlines Jan. 21 (for Feb. 2 issue) Jan. 28 (for Feb. 9 issue) Feb. 4 (for Feb. 16 issue)
6 Jan. 20, 2015 columns.uga.edu
CAMPUS CLOSEUP
Wall Street gridlock
A New York Times article that examines the impact of congressional gridlock on the stock market quotes UGA political scientist Keith Poole, an expert on political polarization. The Philip H. Alston Jr. Distinguished Professor in the School of Public and International Affairs, Poole said investors on Wall Street might have personal reasons for liking gridlock. Rising political polarization in Congress correlates closely with rising income inequality in the U.S., according to Poole. “We’re now approaching levels of inequality we haven’t seen since the Gilded Age,” he said. With a highly polarized Republican-dominated Congress likely to bicker with a Democratic president in his last two years in office, major tax and regulatory legislation to restore a more equitable balance is unlikely, according to Poole. “Wall Street is getting very rich,” he said. “And with gridlock, that trend is likely to continue. It’s no wonder that Wall Street likes gridlock.”
When bedbugs bite
Rick Tarleton, a Distinguished Research Professor in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences’ cellular biology department, was quoted in Newsweek about research that shows bedbugs can spread Chagas disease among mice. Chagas disease previously was thought to only be carried by the kissing bug, but a study published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene showed that bedbugs can become infected after feeding on diseased mice. The researcher also showed bedbugs can pass on the disease-causing parasite to mice. “Any time you have an infectious disease and identify a new route of infection, that’s something to be concerned about,” Tarleton said. The article noted that bedbugs are in contact with humans more than kissing bugs.
Ingesting insects
Marianne Shockley, an academic professional associate in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ entomology department, was quoted in the Irish Times for an article about the consumption of insects. Shockley said historically most of the research and interest in the practice has come from Mexico, Africa and Asia “as it is already part of their culture.” The article focused on crickets, which are considered easy to farm and a good source of protein. “If you compare beef to crickets on a one-toone ratio, a gram of each contains the same amount of protein,” Shockley said. “But the advantage of insect protein is that it has added vitamins and minerals.” There also are vegetarians who eat insects, according to Shockley. Shockley told the publication that there is a Western stigma against consuming insects, primarily because people make too much of a connection between insects and disease. She said that a lot of education will be needed to overcome those beliefs.
RETIREES January
Thirty-five UGA employees retired Jan. 1. Retirees, their job classification, department and length of employment are: Amsale M. Abegaz, administrative specialist I, African Studies Institute, 17 years, 5 months; Karen E. Aiken, development officer II, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 15 years, 2 months; Judi H. Barr, administrative associate I, University Health Center, 14 years, 4 months; Gregory L. Bell, chemical lab safety manager, Environmental Safety Division, 19 years, 2 months; Valarie Blyden, human resources assistant III, Facilities Management Division-administration and human resources department, 21 years, 2 months; Charles Daniel Bowdoin, associate accountant, food administration, 17 years, 5 months; Steve L. Brown, assistant dean, Office of the Associate Dean for Extension, 24 years, 6 months; Omer Paul Carroll, maintenance foreman, Savannah River Ecology Lab, 6 years, 11 months;
Paul Efland
Amy Miller, shop manager for the Georgia Museum of Art, is a native Athenian who has been involved in the arts since childhood.
Georgia Museum of Art shop manager balances business, artistic beauty By Matt Chambers mattdc@uga.edu
When she was 6 years old, Amy Miller played Gretel in her church’s production of Hansel and Gretel. The experience of curling her hair, wearing mascara and taking to the stage impacted her so much that the arts have been a part of her life ever since. Now the shop manager at the Georgia Museum of Art, Miller continues to be surrounded by the arts in both her personal and professional lives. As shop manager, Miller is responsible for maintaining the art museum’s shop, something she likens to being a business owner. “This is essentially a small business,” she said. “Everything you’d have to do for a small business, I’m doing here— ordering, buying, inventory control, financial reports, money management.” Miller is responsible for handling any interest in the art museum’s wholesale publications that it produces in-house. She also manages three to four federal work-study students and some volunteers. The art museum’s shop is open Tuesday through Sunday every week. The shop only closes for major holidays. “Since I’m the only museum staff person in charge of the shop, I’m essentially on-call whenever I’m not here,” Miller said. “There have been times when I’m out of town or on vacation
Edna Carson, cashier clerk, East Village Commons, 23 years, 3 months; Eva C. Christian, digital print technician II, Office of the Dean of Students, 24 years, 11 months; Valerie W. Cown, program coordinator II, College of Family and Consumer Sciences-human development and family science department, 27 years, 4 months; Michael B. Dennis, special IT projects coordinator, Enterprise Information Technology Services, 12 years, 4 months; Jack M.S. Doubrley, data management specialist I, Facilities Management Division-engineering department, 15 years, 11 months; Laura A. Dowd, administrative manager II, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences-Dean’s Office, 31 years, 1 month; Winston N. Drury, cafeteria manager II, 4-H and Youth-UGA Extension, 21 years, 3 months; William R. Galt III, maintenance foreman, residence hall facilities administration, 14 years; James L. Hamrick III, Regents Professor, plant biology, 28 years, 10 months; Robert Timothy Jarrett,
and answering questions about the cash register.” Part of her role as shop manager includes deciding what merchandise to sell. Miller coordinates the inventory with the current exhibitions at the museum, something that can take many phone calls to various sales representatives. “When I’m not out here on the floor helping customers, I’m researching new products for shows coming up,” Miller said. “We really want everything in the shop to reflect what’s in the galleries and to extend the visitor’s experience so that they can take a little bit of that exhibition home with them.” The shop does not sell many reproductions of artworks—just some prints and postcards—so Miller often has to take the exhibition and interpret it to determine what items to sell. “What I have to do is translate and find things that speak of the period or style of the exhibition while also keeping the artistic integrity of it,” she said. A native Athenian, Miller managed the Athens-Clarke County Library’s shop before coming to the art museum. Before the library, she held various positions at the Classic Center Theatre. During her time away from work, Miller remains committed to the arts. She’s served on the Athens Area Arts Council board and held many titles, including president, on the Town & Gown Players’ board of directors. Miller credits her parents’ influence
laboratory technician III, veterinary biosciences and diagnostic imaging, 29 years, 10 months; Harvey N. Johnson, housekeeper, Facilities Management Divisionbuilding services-President’s House, 38 years, 4 months; Marlys J. Jones, administrative assistant II, Hugh Hodgson School of Music, 28 years, 3 months; Thomas Robert Jordan, associate director, Center for Geospatial Research, geography department, 32 years, 6 months; Randall R. Klebs, project architect, Facilities Planning Office, 16 years, 7 months; Ronald G. Laughton Sr., carpenter, Facilities Management Division-Structural Shop (South Campus), 28 years, 9 months; Elizabeth Lester-Roushanzami, associate professor, College of Journalism and Mass Communication, 25years,3months; Michael L.Moore,building services worker II, Facilities Management Division-building services (second shift), 34 years, 4 months; James D. Nobles, skilled trades worker, 4-H and Youth-UGA Extension, 20 years, 6 months; William L. Power, professor, religion, 47 years, 4 months;
Facts Amy Miller Shop Manager Georgia Museum of Art B.A., English, UGA, 1993 At UGA: Seven years
for her passion for the arts. Miller’s father was a professor in the UGA sociology department, and her mother taught in the local school system. They ensured that Miller was exposed to the arts throughout childhood. “I was definitely raised to appreciate all kinds of art and cultural things,” she said. “I don’t ever remember us going on a family vacation that was just sitting on the beach and laying around for a week. If we went somewhere, we were always going to a museum, play or concert.” Miller continued acting throughout her childhood and eventually took the stage in a production by the Town & Gown Players when she was 16. Since then, she’s volunteered with the group regularly. Miller has directed shows, acted as stage manager and performed in plays. She also has created many of the costumes for the group. “I did my first show with Town & Gown in 1988, and I’ve met some of my closest friends in the world there,” Miller said. “It’s like a big family. It’s really been central to my life.”
Jeffrey M. Riley, building services worker II, Facilities Management Division-building services (North Campus), 28 years, 9 months; Dianne J. Satterfield, senior sales manager, Georgia Center sales and marketing, 18 years, 1 month; Beverly Ann Sexton, human resources coordinator, food administration, 14 years, 2 months; Duchess Hereford Street, food service worker I, Bolton Dining Commons, 11 years, 4 months; Donald W.Tadlock, director, Facilities Management Division-construction department, 28 years, 9 months; Andre P. Venot, research professional IV, Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, 16 years, 5 months; Harriet A. Wetzelberger, administrative associate II, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, 14 years, 2 months; and John D.Youmans, agricultural research coordinator I, plant pathology research, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (Griffin campus), 38 years, 2 months. Source: Human Resources
Odum School of Ecology, College of Veterinary Medicine
Not a win-win
columns.uga.edu Jan. 20, 2015
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Treating for worms helps animals survive, then spread infectious diseases By Beth Gavrilles bethgav@uga.edu
Parasitic worms, which infect millions of people and animals around the world, have been shown to influence how the immune system responds to diseases like HIV and tuberculosis. In a new study of African buffalo, UGA ecologist Vanessa Ezenwa found that deworming drastically improved an animal’s chances of surviving bovine tuberculosis—but with the consequence of increasing the spread of tuberculosis in the population. The findings, published in Science, have implications for human health. “If you think about humans in this context, this is what we’d like to do—to figure out how to help people who get infected by something to live longer and be less sick,” Ezenwa said. “But here we found that doing exactly that can have unanticipated consequences.” Ezenwa, an associate professor in the UGA Odum School of Ecology and College of Veterinary Medicine’s infectious diseases department, and co-author Anna Jolles of Oregon State University conducted the research in South Africa’s Kruger National Park. In 2008, with the assistance of the park’s Veterinary Wildlife Services Department, they captured 216 African buffalo and tested them for parasitic worms, known as helminths, and for bovine TB. Half of the buffalo received treatment for helminths; the rest were left untreated as a control group. For the next four years, they recaptured and retested each buffalo approximately once every six months. They found that animals treated for worms were nine times more likely to survive TB infections than untreated animals; with the worms gone, their immune systems were able to mount a stronger defense against TB. This finding confirmed predictions about the effects of worms on the immune system
based on an earlier study of TB and helminth infections in African buffalo, according to Ezenwa. “We’d done a one-off, shortterm experiment to see if we could replicate, in this wild animal, the immunological results seen in laboratory experiments treating helminths in mice,” she said. “That led to this larger experiment in a much bigger population over a longer time.” Ezenwa said the previous work also suggested treatment would reduce the rate at which individuals acquire TB infection, and therefore the TB transmission rate. “We expected it would be a net positive for the individual and for the population,” she said. “But in fact when you carry out an experiment at this larger scale, in a real population, you see it’s not all positive outcomes.” The improved survival rate allows infected buffalo to continue to spread TB within the herd, Ezenwa said. Since they still get infected at the same rate, there is an unexpected negative result for the population as a whole. “Because co-infection is such a complicated area, laboratory studies are really essential in telling us about the detailed mechanisms of how immunological interactions work,” she said. “But we will never understand the real implications if all the work concentrates in the lab.” John Gittleman, dean of the Odum School, said that the findings underscore the general importance of ecology for understanding infectious diseases. “Studies such as this reveal an increasingly proactive approach to predicting factors that contribute to disease spread before it’s too late,” he said. “The high-profile nature of these findings show that by adopting a broad ecological perspective we can enhance disease control and prevention efforts.” Ezenwa said in order to address human infectious disease problems, researchers also need to look at coinfection in populations that bear
weekly reader
UGA Press book focuses on courthouses
The courthouses of Georgia’s 159 counties hold the keys to the history of individual families and entire communities alike. From their primary role as the temples of justice for the court system to their betterknown function as the official repository of public records for significant life events, these buildings anchor many of Georgia’s town squares. In Courthouses of Georgia, photographer Greg Newington captures the prominence and character of these great structures. His images pay tribute to the community’s investment in preserving historic courthouses for future generations and celebrate new facilities designed to accommodate expanded county programs and services. In his introduction, former Georgia House of Representatives Majority Leader Larry Walker, a UGA School of Law alumnus, shares memories of county courthouses by legislators, authors, judges and other notable state figures. Historian
Peter Frey
Associate professor Vanessa Ezenwa, who has a joint appointment in the Odum School of Ecology and the College of Veterinary Medicine, said one of the highlights of her career is taking undergraduate and graduate students to Africa to conduct field research.
more similarity to humans. “African buffalo are long-lived, they’re living in the wild in social groups, they’re genetically variable—that’s a little bit closer to people than laboratory mice, which have the same genetic background and live under artificial conditions,” she said. And understanding bovine TBhelminth co-infection in African buffalo is particularly relevant for human health because helminths are known to influence human immune responses to TB. “The number of human cases of bovine TB worldwide is unknown, but where studied, it appears to be a substantial fraction of the total TB cases,” said Frederick Quinn, head of the infectious diseases department in the College of Veterinary Medicine. “It also is unknown if bovine TB bacteria transmit more efficiently than other TB bacteria, what traits this pathogen possesses that allows infection of so many different species of mammals or
Vanessa Ezenwa
A female African buffalo and her juvenile eye the researchers who were testing the herd for bovine tuberculosis.
what happens when the host is co-infected with parasites or HIV. Dr. Ezenwa’s work is a tremendous start in answering some of the fundamental questions about this disease and how best to control it in animal and human populations.” “Public health interventions can sometimes have unexpected and unwelcome outcomes,” said
Sam Scheiner, National Science Foundation program director for the NSF-National Institutes of Health-USDA Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases Program, which funded the research. “By examining such outcomes, we can design better intervention strategies for infectious diseases.”
ABOUT COLUMNS
Cybersights
Columns is available to the campus community by subscription for an annual fee of $20 (second-class delivery) or $40 (first-class delivery). Faculty and staff members with a disability may call 706-542-8017 for assistance in obtaining this publication in an alternate format. Columns staff can be reached at 706-542-8017 or columns@uga.edu
Editor Juliett Dinkins Art Director Janet Beckley Courthouses of Georgia Photographs by Greg Newington Text by George Justice University of Georgia Press Hardcover: $34.95
Photo Editor Paul Efland
RBC updated site highlights research
http://www.rbc.uga.edu/ and UGA alumnus George Justice
highlights the civic and architectural heritage of each structure to provide additional context. Organized by the nine travel regions of Georgia, the book offers the perfect starting point for touring any of Georgia’s counties and instills an appreciation for historic preservation.
Senior Reporter Aaron Hale
The Regenerative Bioscience Center’s website has been completely replaced to better reflect the collaborative framework between multidisciplinary teams of scientists. The updated site now highlights the translational research being done. The website also
has videos and short, informative question-and-answer elements to provide further insight into the Regenerative Bioscience Center and its members. The website’s new research spotlight section highlights work that’s been featured in various publications both on and off campus.
Reporter Matt Chambers Copy Editor David Bill The University of Georgia is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action. The University of Georgia is a unit of the University System of Georgia. I
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8 Jan. 20, 2015 columns.uga.edu
ANNIVERSARY from page 1
A change of location
Contractors from Steve Savage Roofing and Carpentry prepare the roof trusses for removal during the deconstruction of the old red barn off South Milledge Avenue. The roof is being sectioned off and will sit on top of a barn in Oconee County owned by local businessman Tony Townley. Other parts of the barn will be moved at a later date. Photos by Andrew Davis Tucker
Bulletin Board Writing Intensive Program
The Franklin College Writing Intensive Program invites proposals from arts and sciences faculty in all disciplines for innovative courses that encourage writing. The program aims to enhance undergraduate education by emphasizing the importance of writing in the disciplines by offering courses throughout the college—from classics to chemistry, from music to microbiology. Visit the program’s website (www.wip.uga.edu) to find proposal forms and guidelines. The deadline for proposal submissions is March 6. Send questions to Michelle Ballif, WIP director, at mballlif@uga.edu.
Training and development
Training and development course offerings for January, February and March are now available. The schedule includes new courses and other offerings to meet professional and career development needs. For program highlights, visit http://www.hr.uga.edu/training and select “Current Session Highlights.”
EyeMed vision plan
For 2015, the University Health Center is “in-network” with the EyeMed vision plan. Any faculty or staff member with the plan (and their dependents age 16 and older) may use the vision benefit at the UHC Vision Clinic. The clinic provides annual exams for contacts or eyeglasses; treatment
of eye injuries, diseases and infections; evaluation for Lasik and other refractive procedures; contact lens ordering in the office or online at uhs.uga.edu/contacts; and eyeglass packages as low as $39. In addition, the clinic’s UGA Shade Shack sells designer and specialty sunglasses as low as $29. Visit www.uhs.uga.edu or call 706-542-5617 for more information.
Self-service website log in
UGA’s self-service website for employees (employee.uga.edu) has a new log-in process. Employees no longer are asked to provide their MyID and password directly on the home page. Instead, after clicking on a button on the website’s home page, they are redirected to UGA’s Central Authentication Service log-in page, which is used by multiple UGA online services. After providing their MyID and password on the CAS website, employees will be logged in to the self-service website. Once logged in, they may be asked to provide their MyID and password again for specific external functions linked within the self-service website, such as Parking Services.
Out-of-state vehicle rental policy
The University System of Georgia Board of Regents’ travel policy for the rental of out-of-state motor vehicles has been clarified. Employees are advised to include in the vehicle rental the additional insurance coverage that addresses loss or damage to the rental unit if the employee rents
Trade and Security, a UGA-based program conducting international research, teaching and outreach to promote economic prosperity, international peace and security. As part of the anniversary observance, the UGA Student Alumni Association will sponsor the following free events for students: • Jan. 27: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., UGA’s 230th birthday celebration and T-shirt giveaway at the Tate Student Center Plaza. • Jan. 28: noon to 5 p.m., UGA Career Fair at the Classic Center. Student Alumni Council members will provide information about graduation-related events for seniors and the
2015 Senior Signature campaign. • Jan. 29: Birthday cupcakes will be in UGA dining halls during lunch and dinner. • Jan. 29-30: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., 100 Days Until Graduation in Grand Hall of the Tate Student Center. • Jan. 30: 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., “Larger Than Life” Dawgs After Dark in Tate Student Center. Meredith Gurley Johnson, executive director of the Alumni Association, said, “It is an honor to be the first state-chartered university in the country. I encourage the students, university and Athens communities to join us in celebrating our history during FoundersWeek.”
OUTLOOK from page 1
MEDAL from page 1
Georgia’s biggest job gains will come from construction, followed by professional and business services and mining and logging, Ayers said. The education and health care fields will see modest growth, while the only sector to lose jobs will be the government. Increases in home prices, a crucial economic engine for entrepreneurs, combined with more favorable demographic trends will help Georgia’s financial institutions. Other economic drivers, such as the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project, renewed in-migration to Georgia and plummeting domestic natural gas prices, will sharpen the state’s competitive advantage. Although unlikely, the state’s risk of recession is 25 percent. It’s vulnerable to federal spending cuts and Federal Reserve policy, Ayers said. “Federal spending accounts for only 11.3 percent of Georgia’s GDP, which is below the U.S. average of 16.2 percent,” Ayers said. “Nonetheless, Georgia’s military-base communities are extremely dependent on federal dollars. In fact, Georgia’s dependence on military spending is nearly twice the U.S. average. “If the Federal Reserve policy shifts from an accommodative stance to a more restrictive stance, it will create more economic drag in Georgia than in other states because Georgians carry relatively more debt and relatively less savings,” he also said. “In addition, interestsaving economic sectors, such as construction, real estate development, building materials manufacturing and forestry have a relative greater impact on Georgia’s overall growth than on the nation’s.”
than 45 years, and he has made significant contributions to the institution,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “His commitment to the university’s core missions of teaching, research and service are evident in the many accolades he has earned during his distinguished career. This latest recognition is well deserved.” Bertsch earned numerous awards at UGA, including the Pi Sigma Alpha Teacher of the Year Award, the Lothar Tresp Teaching Award, the General Sandy Beaver Teaching Professorship and the Alumni Society Service Award. He was selected as a Fulbright Professor in England and an International Research and Exchanges Board Professor in the former Yugoslavia. After his retirement from UGA in 2010, Bertsch founded and serves as chairman of the international advisory group TradeSecure LLC. He also serves as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing. He and his wife, Joan, live in Athens. The President’s Medal was conceived by the UGA Emeriti Scholars and first awarded during the 2014 Founders Day program. The inaugural recipients were Louise McBee, UGA emerita vice president for academic affairs and former state representative for Athens, and Thomas Dyer, UGA emeritus professor and former vice president for instruction, who was honored posthumously.
outside of the statewide contract. Travelers will be reimbursed for the additional insurance coverage. Since the state’s mandatory contract provider for out-of-state rentals (currently Hertz) includes this insurance coverage, this change would only apply to those situations where Hertz is not available. UGA’s updated travel policy is at http://t.uga.edu/1ae. Email Jennifer Collins (jfinch@uga.edu) or Andre Simmons (asimmons@uga.edu) with questions.
Mileage reimbursement rate
The State Accounting Office has updated the mileage reimbursement rate. When it is determined that a personal vehicle is the most advantageous form of travel, the employee will be reimbursed for business miles traveled at $0.575 per mile (the previous rate was $0.56 per mile). If a personal motor vehicle is not determined to be the most advantageous form of travel, but it is used, the employee will be reimbursed for business miles traveled at $0.23 per mile (the previous rate was $0.235 per mile). The travel expense statement (http://t.uga.edu/1ad) has been modified to reflect these changes. The UGA travel policy has been updated and can be viewed at http://t.uga.edu/1ae. Bulletin Board is limited to information that may pertain to a majority of faculty and staff members.
SANDERS from page 1
felt deep gratitude to the university, and particularly the law school. ... This gift and our prior gifts to the law school reflect our sincere gratitude for what Carl’s legal education and his long association with the law school meant to him and to his legal career.” During the 1960s, Gov. Sanders said: “The people of Georgia want and deserve nothing short of the best. The University of Georgia School of Law is, therefore, to be one of such excellence that no citizen of Georgia need ever leave (the) state because a superior legal education is available elsewhere.” This statement is etched into the school’s outer wall, and it is evidence of Sanders’ desire to make Georgia Law one of the nation’s finest law schools. UGA President Jere W. Morehead said, “Gov. Sanders’ ongoing support ensures that the law school’s future will remain part of his legacy for this great state.We are very indebted to this wonderful public servant for all that he has done. He will be missed.”
LECTURE from page 1 residence.” This represents a 58 percent increase since 2008. Homeless youth face numerous barriers, like gaining access to higher education and being able to complete degree programs if they are in college. Lee works with state networks, education professionals and others to streamline access to higher education for homeless youth. Prior to joining the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, she served as a financial aid administrator at Wayne State University in Michigan, where she worked to provide financial aid to homeless youth and post-foster care students. The lecture is hosted by the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development, a public service and outreach unit, and Embark Georgia, a statewide initiative that serves post-secondary professionals and institutions to support youth who have experienced foster care or homelessness.