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Ecology study reveals unexpected fire role in longleaf pine forests RESEARCH NEWS
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UGA Presents 2019-2020 season to feature show by Broadway’s Patti LuPone Vol. 47, No. 3
August 12, 2019
www.columns.uga.edu
UGA GUIDE
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Interdisciplinary seed grants are awarded to seven faculty teams By Michael Terrazas
michael.terrazas@uga.edu
Dorothy Kozlowski
James Anderson, standing, takes part in microteaching, one of the activities in the Active Learning Summer Institute.
Adding the ‘why’ Faculty redesign courses in Active Learning Summer Institute
By Krista Richmond krichmond@uga.edu
Active learning is much more than group projects. For the participants in the Center for Teaching and Learning’s Active Learning Summer Institute, it’s a shift in mindset to making sure their students are purposefully engaged in the material. “We are experts in the content, but we can always be developed more in the strategies and procedures that we use to work with our students,” said James C. Anderson II, assistant professor in agricultural leadership, education and communication in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Anderson was one of 24 participants in this year’s Active Learning Summer Institute, hosted by CTL. Twelve faculty members participated in two cohorts—the first group met May 13
through June 7, and the second met June 10-28. They will continue to work with their assigned consultant from CTL throughout the academic year and have access to programming such as lunch and learns, workshops and seminars specially designed to support this group. The cohorts, who were selected through a nomination and application process, met daily for group feedback sessions on course materials and discussion of active learning pedagogy and other evidence-based teaching practices with the goal of redesigning one of their courses to incorporate more of these strategies. “All of those opportunities to actually sit down and open up your course to others to get feedback were so valuable to me,” Anderson said. The institute began in 2018 as an effort to promote a wider adoption of active learning pedagogies. UGA
President Jere W. Morehead designated $250,000 for an intensive program to help faculty incorporate active learning strategies into their undergraduate courses. A total of 55 faculty have participated, and up to 24,000 students will have been taught in their redesigned classes by the end of the 2019-2020 academic year. “The first thing I want the faculty participants to think about is what active learning means to them in their context and for their students,” said Megan Mittelstadt, director of the Center for Teaching and Learning. “I want them to be able to articulate not only what active learning is, but also what it is in their discipline and for their students.” According to Mittelstadt, there are a variety of active learning techniques that all enhance learning outcomes for students.
See LEARNING on page 8
FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
After a highly successful first round of grants, seven new faculty teams have been awarded funds through a second round of Presidential Interdisciplinary Seed Grants. The grants will facilitate research projects spanning 15 colleges, schools and other units at the University of Georgia. When the Presidential Interdisciplinary Seed Grants were first awarded in 2017, 12 faculty teams received funds totaling some $1.37 million. The work enabled by those seed grants supported
subsequent applications for external funding that have brought nearly $13 million in new grants to UGA to date.This remarkable 10-to-1 return on investment led President Jere W. Morehead to announce a second round of grants for 2019-2020. “This initiative underscores the amazingly diverse expertise of our faculty across campus, and it capitalizes on the highly collaborative environment at UGA,” said Morehead. “This interdisciplinary research will result in meaningful benefits to our state, nation and world while helping to expand the university’s research enterprise.”
See GRANTS on page 8
DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS
University invests in the future of housing with renovation projects By Carrie Campbell
carrie.campbell@uga.edu
Two years ago, the University of Georgia’s Russell Hall had “good bones,” but the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems were nearing the end of their life cycle. Student rooms and lounges no longer fit the needs of residents, nor did they encourage social interaction. Nearly a year has passed since University Housing rededicated the first-year high-rise following a 15month renovation, and the response to the improved residence hall has been overwhelmingly positive. Following the renovation, Russell Hall became the most popular building for incoming first-year students. In fact, the building was in such high demand that, during the process for first-year students to select housing in fall 2018, students
claimed 100% of the building’s 1,000 spaces on the first day of signups—even before people had the opportunity to see the building in person. The bathrooms feature upgraded fixtures and full doors on individual stalls and showers, increasing the level of privacy while also affording students the opportunity to get to know others in their community. “The renovation is lovely,” said Russell resident Rachel Black. “I really like all the study rooms and space for just hanging out with my friends—it makes it feel like the whole building is my living room.” The Russell Hall renovation received multiple awards, including a statewide award from the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation for Excellence in Sustainable Preservation; “Two Peaches” from the See HOUSING on page 8
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
University of Georgia, Cortona celebrate UGA funds faculty research 50th anniversary of a beautiful friendship to study role of slavery in By Heather Skyler
heatherskyler@uga.edu
Prisca Zaccaria grew up in Cortona, Italy, and every summer for as long as she can remember, she anticipated the day when the Americans would arrive in Cortona from Rome by bus. These Americans were students in the University of Georgia’s study abroad program in Cortona. “I remember growing up seeing these different people in town.They would wear shorts, and baseball caps and running shoes. Rayban sunglasses,” Zaccaria said. “They took their cameras everywhere,
and they would be photographing, painting and sketching everything they saw.The views, the architecture and art that the American students marveled over were all things we locals took for granted.” Zaccaria is part of the UGA Cortona inception story. Her father worked for the Ministry of Public Education in Italy, and when UGA professor Jack Kehoe stumbled across the small town of Cortona on his way to Rome back in 1969, he met with her father and asked if there was any room in town for study abroad students. Zaccaria’s father offered up the elementary school, which was vacant during
summer, and the Cortona program was born. The program turned 50 this year, and an alumni celebration took place Aug. 10 in Sandy Springs, Georgia. After making friends with many of the UGA students and professors from the program, Zaccaria wanted to know what it was like to study and live in another country, so she moved to Athens where she studied at UGA. She graduated in four years and married a local man. They had two daughters, and the older one— now a senior at UGA—studied in the Cortona program last year. See CORTONA on page 4
institution’s early development
The University of Georgia has issued a call for faculty research proposals to learn more about the role of slavery in the early development of the institution.This research initiative, supported by private funds, is intended to culminate in one or more definitive, publishable histories on the subject. According to the call issued by the Office of the Vice President for Research, successful proposals should be focused specifically on documenting the role of slavery in the institution’s development from its founding in 1785 through the end
of the Civil War in 1865. “As a research institution, it is the stated mission of the University of Georgia ‘to teach, to serve and to inquire into the nature of things,’” said President Jere W. Morehead. “This research initiative reflects that mission. The new scholarship that results will document the contributions of slaves and recognize the role these individuals played in the history of the University of Georgia.” On May 23, 2019, the university made public a comprehensive report on the Baldwin Hall site that it
See RESEARCH on page 8
2 Aug. 12, 2019 columns.uga.edu
INNOVATION DISTRICT INITIATIVE
Why I Give
Commit to Georgia 2019
Name: Dr. Joseph Bartges Position: Professor of Medicine and Nutrition, Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine
Joseph Bartges
At UGA: Three years Beneficiaries of his gift to the university: College of Veterinary Medicine Support Fund, Dr. Steeve Giguère Memorial Fund, College of Veterinary Medicine Building Fund, Georgia Fund, Small Animal Medicine Fund Why he contributes: “I come from a family of teachers and strongly believe in the importance of education. Therefore, I contribute as an alumnus (DVM, 1987) and as an educator (professor since 2016). Go, Dawgs!”
To make your contribution to the Commit to Georgia Campaign, please contact the Office of Annual Giving at 706-542-8119 or visit give.uga.edu. Source: Office of Development
Dorothy Kozlowski
President welcomes Dawg Camp Innovate students President Jere W. Morehead met with 20 incoming students for Dawg Camp Innovate, a new program focused on entrepreneurship and innovation. Announced at the president’s State of the University Address in January, Dawg Camp Innovate is a weeklong immersion program that helps students launch new ideas and connect with local entrepreneurs and Athens nonprofits. The program, along with Launch Pad (a first-year living-learning community focused on innovation and entrepreneurship) and the Student Center for Entrepreneurship, is growing the pipeline of student entrepreneurship at UGA and contributing to a thriving innovation ecosystem. Dawg Camp Innovate is part of UGA’s nationally renowned Dawg Camp extended orientation program run by the Center for Leadership and Service.
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Provost completes leadership team By Sam Fahmy
sfahmy@uga.edu
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost S. Jack Hu, who joined the university on July 1, has completed the appointment of a leadership team that includes well-respected faculty and administrators who are committed to promoting academic excellence, diversity and inclusion. Marisa Pagnattaro, a faculty member and administrator with a record of advancing research, graduate education and diversity, joined the Provost’s Office as vice provost for academic affairs on Aug. 1. Pagnattaro has served as associate dean Marisa Pagnattaro for research and graduate programs in the Terry College of Business since 2015, and she is a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor and the I.W. Cousins Professor of Business Ethics in the Terry College. Pagnattaro holds a J.D. from New York Law School and a Ph.D. in English from UGA. As vice provost for academic affairs, Pagnattaro assists with all matters of academic administration, policy and planning, and acts on behalf of the provost when he is not available. The vice provost for academic affairs also chairs the UGA Arts Council and oversees the Georgia Museum of Art, Institute for Higher Education and the Performing Arts Center. Michelle Cook continues to serve as vice provost for diversity and inclusion and strategic university initiatives. A vice provost since 2017, she works with academic and administrative units across campus to promote diversity and excellence. She is coMichelle Cook facilitating the development of the university’s 2025 strategic plan and supports institutional initiatives such as textbook affordability and the New Approaches to Promote Diversity and Inclusion grants program, which is sponsored by the President’s Office. She also provides strategic leadership to the Office of Institutional Diversity and chairs the
university’s Diversity Advisory Council. Cook is an affiliate faculty member in the Institute for African American Studies as well as the Institute for Women’s Studies and is a collaborating faculty member in the Foot Soldier Project for Civil Rights Studies. She holds a doctorate in history from Duke University. Margaret “Meg” Amstutz serves as associate provost for academic programs and chief of staff to the provost. As associate provost, she continues to oversee the Office of Academic Programs, to serve as the institution’s liaison to the Southern Association Margaret Amstutz of Colleges and Schools and to oversee the Office of Accreditation and Institutional Effectiveness. In her chief of staff role, she serves as a key adviser on administrative and academic affairs, leads campus-wide initiatives of the Provost’s Office and works closely with campus and external stakeholders. She directs, advises and supports the Provost’s Office staff, who report through her to the provost. Amstutz holds an academic appointment at UGA as adjunct assistant professor of English and holds a doctorate in English and American literature from Washington University in St. Louis. Other members of the provost’s leadership team include Vice President for Instruction Rahul Shrivastav, Vice President for Research David Lee, Vice President for Public Service and Outreach Jennifer Frum and Vice President for Information Technology Timothy Chester. In addition, associate provosts direct areas of broad-based responsibility: Chris Miller, Academic Fiscal Affairs; Sarah Covert, Faculty Affairs; Noel Fallows, Global Engagement; David Williams, Honors Program; and Toby Graham, University Libraries. Vice President for Student Affairs Victor Wilson now reports to directly to President Jere W. Morehead, and oversight of the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography has moved to the vice president for research. “The depth and quality of leadership exhibited by these members of the university community is exceptional,” Hu said. “Each of them brings a commitment to promoting academic excellence to their position, and I am grateful for their service to the University of Georgia.”
SCHOOL OF LAW
Kim and Brian Cain created the scholarship to honor their parents.
$1 million gift to UGA law school will fund two student scholarships By Lona Panter lonap@uga.edu
Thanks to a $1 million gift, law students who have demonstrated success in the face of challenging circumstances will have assistance as they earn their law degrees from the University of Georgia School of Law. The Brian and Kim Cain Family Scholarship Fund, established by 1987 alumnus Brian P. Cain and his wife, Kim McLemore Cain, will offer two full scholarships for students who have overcome significant hardships while on their journey to law school. The Cains said they were pleased to create this scholarship to provide financial support for UGA law students, noting the scholarship honors their parents, who valued hard work, higher education and faith, and set a lifelong example of service and philanthropy. “We appreciate the tremendous opportunities afforded by a great legal education,” Brian Cain said. “We hope this scholarship will help the School of
Law in its mission to provide an affordable legal education to its students and to continue being recognized as the best value in legal education in the country.” In recent years, the School of Law has focused on ensuring that obtaining one’s dream of becoming a lawyer and serving state and society are possible for any student. “The cost of a legal education should never deter a passionate student from working toward his or her goals,” Dean Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge said. “The law school is grateful the Cain family has recognized this need and made a commitment to help future lawyers and leaders as they earn their degrees and pursue jobs that make sense for them without burdensome debt.” Brian Cain has been with the law firm Holt Ney Zatcoff & Wasserman, LLP, since his graduation from law school, representing commercial real estate developers, owners and investors in all aspects of real estate ownership. Kim Cain earned her degree in broadcast journalism from UGA. The couple lives in Marietta.
RESEARCH NEWS
columns.uga.edu Aug. 12, 2019
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Digest CAES faculty to present research Aug. 14 at annual Midville field day
Associate professor Nina Wurzburger collects data at the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory in Otto, North Carolina.
Dorothy Kozlowski
Burning question
Ecology study reveals unexpected fire role in longleaf pine forests By Beth Gavrilles bethgav@uga.edu
The longleaf pine forests of the southeastern U.S. depend on frequent fire to maintain their structure and the diversity of plants and animals they support. New research from the University of Georgia has found that fire may be playing another, unexpected role: releasing excessive nitrogen that appears to have accumulated as a legacy of prior land use. The paper, “Nitrogen fixation does not balance fire-induced nitrogen losses in longleaf pine savannas,” was recently published in Ecology. “It was not what we were expecting,” said senior author Nina Wurzburger, an associate professor in the Odum School of Ecology. “We first were wondering whether there was enough nitrogen fixation to balance nitrogen losses from fire, and now our hypothesis is that fire might be necessary to remove excess nitrogen from these ecosystems. We basically turned the question on its head.” Longleaf pine forests are considered one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America. Once covering 90 million acres stretching from Virginia to Texas, they are now found on only about 3% of their original range. Much of the longleaf that exists today was planted as part of restoration efforts by public and private landowners. These forests are managed with controlled burning.
But fire, though necessary, removes nitrogen—a nutrient essential for tree growth—from the soil. Nitrogen is returned to the system chiefly through a process known as fixation, in which soil microorganisms take nitrogen from the atmosphere and convert it into forms usable by plants. “One big hypothesis is that nitrogenfixing organisms can replenish the nitrogen lost through fire in fire-dependent systems,” said lead author Julie Tierney, a master’s student at the Odum School of Ecology at the time of the research. This was the idea that she, Wurzburger and their colleagues set out to investigate as part of a five-year study funded by the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program of the U.S. Department of Defense— responsible for managing hundreds of thousands of acres of longleaf pine at southeastern military installations—in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Wurzburger and her team established 54 2.5-acre plots, 24 at Fort Benning in Georgia and 30 at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. These included both planted and naturally regenerated stands of different aged trees, ranging from 2 years to 227 years old, and stands with different fire return intervals, from 1.5 to 20 years. For each plot, they calculated how much nitrogen was being fixed by
acteria that associate with the ecob system’s legumes, like indigo or prairie clover, or live in the soil. They also took into account atmospheric nitrogen deposited on the plots from sources like rainwater and fertilizer-laden dust from agricultural fields. Then they calculated the amount of nitrogen being lost to fire, comparing soil and vegetation samples from before and after each fire event from each plot. While there were differences depending on site location, stand age and fire frequency, overall they found a substantial deficit in nitrogen inputs compared to outputs. On average, only 38% of nitrogen lost to fire was being replenished through fixation and atmospheric deposition. But they also found, to their surprise, that despite those losses there was plenty of nitrogen in the soil and no evidence of a decline in tree growth. “We came to the conclusion that fire might be getting rid of excess nitrogen,” said Wurzburger. “Most of the longleaf pine that exists today has been planted, and those areas have legacy effects of agriculture or grazing or fire exclusion. Our research is suggesting that all those things, and nitrogen deposition too, have put too much nitrogen in the ecosystem. So maybe we should think about fire as a management tool to remove nitrogen that accumulated historically, and to help return these ecosystems to their natural nitrogen-poor state.”
COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Group studies work burnout and weight gain links By Lauren Baggett lbaggett@uga.edu
A new study from the University of Georgia has found that feeling overworked contributes to a variety of unhealthy behaviors that can cause weight gain. Results from the study published in the Journal of Health Psychology point to the role work stress can play in the ability to adopt the necessary strategies to maintain a healthy weight. “We have so many things coming at us every day, and we only have so much energy,” said lead author Heather Padilla, faculty member and researcher in the Workplace Health Group at UGA’s College of Public Health. “When our energy gets used up, we don’t have the energy to make ideal
decisions about what we eat,” she said. Despite the growing presence of workplace-based wellness and weight management programs, over two-thirds of working adults are overweight or obese. Most worksite programs focus on things like nutrition education, access to healthy foods or access to a gym. Job demands are rarely, if ever, incorporated into weight loss interventions. Padilla and her colleagues began to wonder if work stresses might be depleting the mental and physical energy employees needed make changes to their diets or fit in a workout. So, she decided to look at how workload and burnout impact a person’s nutrition and physical activity choices. The researchers recruited 1,000 men and women working in full-time jobs to
answer questions about their workloads and exhaustion or burnout. They were also asked to report their eating and exercise habits. The results of their analysis showed that employees with heavier workloads were more likely to emotionally eat, eat without stopping, and reach for fattier foods, and those who were burned out tended to do the same and exercise less. “Anecdotally, the findings aren’t shocking,” said Padilla, but she said they do point to a greater need to understand how job demands affect issues like obesity. “We spend so many of our waking hours at work,” she said. “These findings require us to think about how our work affects our health behaviors and self-care.”
The University of Georgia Southeast Georgia Research and Education Center in Midville will host its field day on Aug. 14. Registration will begin at 9 a.m., and tours are set to begin at 9:30 a.m. A free lunch will be available at 12:30 p.m. Preregistration is not required for the event. The field day will feature presentations and research findings from UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences researchers with an emphasis on cotton, corn, peanuts and soybeans. Featured speakers will include Mark Abney, UGA Cooperative Extension peanut entomologist; David Bertioli, CAES assistant research scientist in the Center for Applied Genetic Technologies; Mark Freeman, East Georgia Extension agronomist; Bob Kemerait, UGA Extension plant pathologist; Zenglu Li, CAES soybean breeder; Scott Monfort, UGA Extension peanut agronomist; Phillip Roberts, UGA Extension cotton and soybean entomologist; and Daniel Mailhot and Dusty Dunn with the UGA Statewide Variety Testing Program. For more information about the SREC, see https://t.uga.edu/56r.
New scholarship at UGA’s School of Law honors advocacy director
The law firm Epps, Holloway, DeLoach & Hoipkemier, LLC, has created the Kellie R. Casey Scholarship Fund at the University of Georgia School of Law to recognize Casey’s contributions to the school and its advocacy program. Starting this fall, a scholarship will be awarded to a law student with a demonstrated interest or achievement in advocacy. Under Casey’s 19 years of leadership, the law school’s advocacy program has won 25 national championships, more than 40 regional titles and 15 state trophies. School of Law alumni Kevin E. Epps, Jeffrey W. DeLoach and Adam L. Hoipkemier spearheaded the effort on behalf of their law firm, saying that due to Casey’s tireless passion and commitment, advocacy students enter into the practice of law “well-prepared to be formidable advocates for their clients.” In honor of the gift, the space currently used by the school’s advocacy program will be named the Epps, Holloway, DeLoach & Hoipkemier, LLC Student Advocacy Program Suite. Others are invited to support the Kellie R. Casey Scholarship Fund to strengthen the special legacy Casey is building at the law school by contacting the school’s advancement office at 706-542-7959 or lawgifts@uga.edu.
IRIS teams up with Natural Infrastructure Initiative
The University of Georgia’s Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems has become the first academic organization to join the Natural Infrastructure Initiative, a team of companies and organizations working together to promote the adoption of natural infrastructure. In 2017, Caterpillar formed the NII after its Restoring Natural Infrastructure Summit, which brought interested groups together to develop a white paper on how to advance the use of natural infrastructure—things like forests, dunes and marshes—to capitalize on the many services they naturally provide: water purification and protection from storm surges and flooding. IRIS is a team of experts at the University of Georgia from 15 different disciplines, ranging from engineering to ecology, who specialize in blending natural and traditional infrastructure to create more resilient communities. To learn more, visit: http://iris.uga.edu.
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 Division of Marketing & Communications. Periodicals postage is paid in Athens, Georgia. Postmaster: Send off-campus address changes to Columns, UGA Marketing & Communications, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Athens, GA 30602-1999.
4 Aug. 12, 2019 columns.uga.edu CORTONA
from page 1
Zaccaria, who works as a senior director of prospect development for the Department of Alumni Relations, said, “I feel like I went full circle. First, I was a student at UGA, and now I work in fundraising for the University of Georgia. This is perhaps a way for me to give back to an organization that has given me so much. UGA is my home away from home.” On Aug. 9, 2017, Zaccaria became an American citizen. The UGA students made a big impact on Zaccaria’s life and the lives of many other residents of Cortona. For example, well known Italian musician and rapper Jovanotti’s music was influenced by the 1980s rap music students brought to his hometown. But the impact worked both ways. Many of the UGA students who studied in Cortona were deeply affected by their experience. For some, it changed their lives. Take Rebecca Ghezzi, who first met her husband while studying in the Cortona program in 1988. Roberto was a Cortona resident who owned a specialty shop on the main street, Via Nazionale. “He sold wine, cheese and truffles among other things. I went in there to buy some things to take home and met him for the first time. Then I came back the next summer, and the second time I met him, we went out,” she said. They were married a few years later in 1992.“We sat down at one point and discussed what we were going to do because his visa was running out and neither of us wanted to leave the other. We decided to get married in my home town, first at City Hall in Waynesboro, Virginia, and then a year later on the same date, at the church of San Niccolo in Cortona, surrounded by friends and family,” she explained. They returned to UGA together. Ghezzi finished up her graduate degree in printmaking, and Roberto studied English as a foreign language.After living in Washington, D.C., for several years, and after the birth of their two daughters, they returned to Cortona where Ghezzi taught printmaking and drawing in the UGA Cortona program and worked in the administration office. Now, 27 years later, their lives are divided between Cortona and the U.S. Rebecca runs an art gallery in Blacksburg, Virginia, and Roberto is a real estate agent in Cortona. There is a lot of back and forth, said Ghezzi, who is working on getting dual citizenship, as she is the only one in the family without it. She plans to retire in Cortona with her husband. UGA alumna Rita Morgan Richardson was also deeply affected by Cortona—and she didn’t even study there. Her son Zach did. She and her husband Tim fell in love with the area during a visit to see Zach and then decided to buy an apartment in the neighboring town, Castiglion Fiorentino.Their apartment is part of the same palazzo as a stunning, crumbling baroque chapel. “One sunny day I was walking by it, and I just knew that we were supposed to save it,” said Richardson. The chapel, Oratorio San Filippino, had been abandoned for 50 years, but Richardson convinced her husband they needed to take on the project,and the couple has been doing just that since Richardson’s epiphany outside of the chapel doors back in 2011. “Nothing happens quickly in Italy,” Richardson explained. When she and Tim finally got in to see the chapel, which is owned by the Archbishop of Arezzo, they returned home, made a video and started sending it out to Italian American organizations. Four years ago, they established a nonprofit in the U.S. To date, they have raised $50,000 for a new chapel roof. The goal is to raise another $450,000 to completely restore the chapel, which will be used for weddings, communions and other events, providing an economic boost to the town’s struggling town center. Included in the restoration are adjoining apartments, which will be available to visiting scholars, clergy, artists, writers and pilgrims of all kinds. More evidence of Cortona’s lasting impact on the Americans who studied there can be seen in the chapel’s donors. During the initial fundraiser in Georgia, four UGA artists came forward on their own and offered to donate art to the event because they had studied in Cortona, Richardson said. “Each one separately told me that studying in Cortona changed their life.”
INNOVATION DISTRICT INITIATIVE
Housing help
Tim Martin, left, and Josh McCauley work with 3D models of McCauley’s idea for building blocks for houses.
Dorothy Kozlowski
I-Corps helps Athenian bring homebuilding idea to life By Leigh Beeson lbeeson@uga.edu
Josh McCauley had an idea he just couldn’t shake: an affordable, build-it-yourself housing option that used recycled plastic that otherwise would end up in landfills. McCauley had worked in an architectural design and small manufacturing firm where he’d learned the basics of designing in 3D computer programs, but he didn’t have an engineering background. He was a history education major in college, and he wasn’t working in construction. And, despite living in Athens for over a decade, he didn’t have any ties to the University of Georgia. But a serendipitous conversation with family friend and UGA alumnus Peter Dale was all it took to help connect McCauley with the university resources that could help him turn his idea into a reality. Dale introduced McCauley to David Sutherland, a senior lecturer in innovation and entrepreneurship at the university, and at one of Sutherland’s classes, McCauley met Ty Frix, a UGA alumnus and current lecturer in the Terry College of Business. At the time, Frix was working for Innovation Gateway, UGA’s research commercialization office that helps researchers
and community members like McCauley develop their ideas into actual businesses. He connected McCauley to Tim Martin, the associate director of the UGA Startup Program, and Kevin Wu, a design engineer with the program. In 2017, Innovation Gateway received a grant from the National Science Foundation to create a program on campus that assists startup businesses. Innovation Corps, or I-Corps for short, helps entrepreneurs determine whether there’s a market for their product and who their potential customers are. “They say, ‘I’m interested in creating a startup company, and this is what the product would be.’ Then we basically tell them not to talk about their product anymore; talk about who you would sell this to, and go talk to them,” said Martin. During the four-week-long accelerator program, McCauley was expected to do at least 20 interviews with potential clients.After successful completion, each of the 30 teams receives $3,000 to continue the customer discovery process. Since 2017, 49 teams have graduated from the accelerator. “Through the interviews, it really helped shape and narrow down the idea from ‘it would be cool to do this’ to ‘what’s my next step?’ ”McCauley said.
He had printed 3D models before getting involved in the program, showing how the plastic blocks he envisioned would snap together to create the walls of a home. The houses are meant to be moderately sized. But he thought the genius of the idea is that customers can really build just about anything they want out of the interlocking blocks. The final structures look sort of like a honeycomb, which inspired the name of the company, COMB. Martin and Wu helped McCauley write a provisional patent and showed him how finding investors could help further his goal. McCauley had been toying with the idea of making COMB a nonprofit. “My goal was to see how I could give this tool away to people who need it,” he said. “But I realized through the program that it’s not always an either/or choice of doing something good or making money and that I can use any profits from COMB to give back.” Now, with Martin and Wu’s guidance, McCauley is planning a meeting with the Department of Community Affairs in Atlanta to share the project with them and get the office’s input on zoning and building codes before he starts fundraising. He already has a manufacturer in Hartwell that can produce the blocks.
REGENERATIVE BIOSCIENCE CENTER
RBC graduate students take part in STEMapalooza
By Charlene Betourney cbetourney@uga.edu
Earlier this summer, graduate students of the University of Georgia’s Regenerative Bioscience Center engaged with more than 600 teachers as nearby as Marietta and as far away as Mississippi, who gathered for the annual STEMapalooza. Held at Kennesaw Mountain High School, STEMapalooza is designed for educators to learn more about science, technology, engineering and math and, according to event organizers, how to design a STEM curriculum that is more interesting and centered around real world problem-learning. UGA RBC graduate students Samantha Spellicy, Kelly Scheulin and Ty Scott Maughon were invited by the event’s coordinator, Sally Creel, after she heard about the RBC Poster Drive spearheaded by Spellicy. “We loved the idea, to put these resources
in the hands of educators conducting research at all levels,” said Creel, STEM & innovation supervisor for Cobb County Schools. A typical conference poster is printed on 48- by 36-inch poster paper and is widely used at research symposiums for scientists to discuss and share their research. Most academic labs, hallways and closets are littered with past poster presentations. Recognizing a need to recycle and give new life to research posters outside of trashing them, Spellicy suggested that the posters should be shared in hopes of inspiring secondary-school students to want to learn more about regenerative research, build interest in becoming a scientist and at the same time discover how research at the RBC is transforming health for the better of the community and society. “The younger students are when they understand the significant impact of scientific
research, the more likely they are to consider a similar pathway,” said Spellicy, a dual M.D./ Ph.D. student working in the lab of Steven Stice, director of the RBC. Earlier this year, Spellicy was selected in the international Three Minute Thesis Competition, as the People’s Choice Winner. She was also elected as the Policy Committee co-chair for the American Physician Scientist Association, and she was chosen as the 2019 delegate to the American Medical Association on behalf of APSA. Most recently, Spellicy received recognition as one of UGA’s “Amazing Students” and was awarded the NanoBio REU Excellence in Mentorship award. “It was a wonderful opportunity to show off all of the terrific research projects that are happening right here in the RBC and hopefully will help us attract students to come to UGA for both education and careers in biomedical research,” said Spellicy.
UGAGUIDE
columns.uga.edu Aug. 12, 2019
For a complete listing of events, check the Master Calendar on the Web (calendar.uga.edu/). The following events are open to the public, unless otherwise specified. Dates, times and locations may change without advance notice.
EXHIBITIONS
Larger Than Life: New Deal Mural Studies. Through Sept. 8. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.
Women of the WPA. Through Sept. 8. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu. Celebrating Heroes: American Mural Studies of the 1930s and 1940s from the Steven and Susan Hirsch Collection. Through Sept. 15. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu. Color, Form and Light. Through Oct. 13. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu. Out of the Darkness: Light in the Depths of the Sea of Cortez. Through Oct. 27. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817. hazbrown@uga.edu. Moon Rocks! Through Dec. 24. Russell Gallery, special collections libraries. 706-542-5788. washnock@uga.edu.
practices. Learn about services and resources available across campus that offer support for teaching and learning. As per TA policy, all graduate teaching and laboratory assistants are required to attend TA orientation at least once before their appointment begins. Attendance at all sessions is mandatory. 8:30 a.m. First floor, Miller Learning Center. 706-542-1355. gradteach@uga.edu. TOUR AT TWO Tour of highlights from the permanent collection led by docents. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. UGA INTERACTIVE COLLOQUIUM Join the 24 faculty of the 2019 Active Learning Summer Institute for a poster colloquium and reception celebrating their course (re)design projects. 3 p.m. Grand Hall, Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1355. jamie.adair@uga.edu. (See story, page 1.)
Storytelling in Renaissance Maiolica. Through Jan. 5. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.
FACULTY/STAFF GOLF LEAGUE All UGA faculty and staff of every skill level are welcome to join 9-hole events in individual or team formats. Weekly and season-long winners will receive golf shop credits. Entries into weekly events are on a first-come, first-served basis. Weekly event entry fee is $5 per player. League 9-hole green fee is $11.85 including tax. Nine-hole cart fee is $10.17 including tax. 5 p.m. UGA Golf Course. john.crumbley@uga.edu.
MONDAY, AUG. 12
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 14
Now and Then: 1979. Through Dec. 24. Russell Gallery, special collections libraries. 706-542-5788. washnock@uga.edu.
ADVISEMENT For fall semester.
CLASSES BEGIN For fall semester.
EID AL-ADHA Islamic religious observance.
DROP/ADD Through Aug. 20. For fall semester undergraduate- and graduate-level courses.
ORIENTATION For fall semester. NEW FACULTY ORIENTATION The New Faculty Orientation welcomes new faculty to UGA with this day-long opportunity to learn about UGA and to connect to support services and other new faculty. 8 a.m. Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel. 706-542-0383. kcfite@uga.edu. ELC DROP-IN: GETTING SET FOR THE SEMESTER Release conditions and intelligent agents are tools in eLC that can be implemented to customize the student experience in courses. Configuring these features can guide student movement through the content and manage access for students. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to create release conditions and intelligent agents. 1 p.m. M.A.L.L., Instructional Plaza. 706-542-0538. philip.bishop@uga.edu.
TUESDAY, AUG. 13 REGISTRATION For fall semester. TA ORIENTATION An orientation for all new graduate students with instructional responsibilities during 2019-2020. Provides an overview of policies and procedures pertinent to the TA role and an introduction to effective teaching strategies and
ELC DROP-IN: GETTING SET FOR THE SEMESTER Release conditions and intelligent agents are tools in eLC that can be implemented to customize the student experience in courses. Configuring these features can guide student movement through the content and manage access for students. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to create release conditions and intelligent agents. 10 a.m. M.A.L.L., Instructional Plaza. 706-542-0538. philip.bishop@uga.edu.
THURSDAY, AUG. 15 AUGUST FULL MOON HIKE Hike up to 2 miles on wooded trails and in the garden at night. Discussion topics will include the moon, constellations or nocturnal creatures. For all ages. A backpack carrier is suggested for parents bringing infants and young children. Preregistration is required. $5 per person or $15 per family. 8 p.m. Visitor Center & Conservatory Front Room, State Botanical Garden. 706-538-0894. bwboone@uga.edu.
FRIDAY, AUG. 16 MORNING MINDFULNESS Guests are welcomed into the galleries to participate in free guided mindfulness meditation sessions, held every
Calendar items are taken from Columns files and from the university’s Master Calendar, maintained by Marketing & Communications. Notices are published as space permits, with priority given to items of multidisciplinary interest. The Master Calendar is available at calendar.uga.edu/.
other Friday during the school year. Sessions include a variety of instructor-led meditation, movement and mindfulness techniques. No experience or special clothing is necessary. Meditation pillows or stools are provided. Reservations are encouraged; please call 706-542-8863 or email sagekincaid@uga.edu. 9:30 a.m. Georgia Museum of Art.
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UGA PRESENTS UNVEILS LINEUP FOR ITS 2019-2020 SEASON
INTERNATIONAL COFFEE HOUR Celebrate culture with food from around the world and conversation with other UGA students. Hosted by International Student Life. 11:30 a.m. Ballroom, Memorial Hall. 706-542-5867. bridget.webster@uga.edu. SOCCER vs. Duke. 6 p.m. Turner Soccer Complex.
SATURDAY, AUG. 17 VOLLEYBALL Red & Black Scrimmage. Time to be announced. Stegeman Coliseum.
MONDAY, AUG. 19 FITNESS & WELLNESS FREE WEEK Through Aug. 23. Join Fitness & Wellness and any of the group fitness or small group training classes for free. Ramsey membership is required. Ramsey Student Center. 706-542-8023. lisawilliamson@uga.edu. GRADTEACH WORKSHOP: WELCOME TO TEACHING Also Aug. 20 at 12:30 p.m. In this workshop, participants will discuss strategies for starting off the semester on the right foot including overcoming anxiety, encouraging classroom community from day one and discussing classroom and course expectations. Sample syllabi, handouts, worksheets and other resources will be provided. 2:30 p.m. 372 Miller Learning Center. 706-542-1355. gradteach@uga.edu. BRAND TRAINING An overview of the University of Georgia brand for external agencies and vendors who want to work with campus units. 3:30 p.m. Suite 200N, Marketing & Communications Conference Room, Hodgson Oil Building. 706-542-8051. michele.horn@uga.edu.
COMING UP WORKSHOP Aug. 20. Beatrice Brown leads an exploration of many natural sources that can be used in textile dyeing. 5:30 p.m. Visitor Center & Conservatory Front Fountain, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156. cscamero@uga.edu. SUNFLOWER CONCERT Aug. 20. Austin Darnell, formerly of the Darnell Boys, will be joined by Jojo Glidewell, formerly of Modern Skirts, and Dave Kirslis from Cicada Rhythm. Presented by Friends of the Garden, Flagpole, Athens Coca-Cola and Northeast Sales & Distributing. $15, general admission; $10, members; $5, children ages 6-12. Season tickets are $50 or $35 for members. 7 p.m. Flower Garden Lawn, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6138. lpbryant@uga.edu.
Rahav Segev
UGA Presents’ 2019-2020 season includes Patti LuPone’s one-woman show, “Don’t Monkey with Broadway.”
By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu
University of Georgia Performing Arts Center Director Jeffrey Martin has announced the roster of artists for 2019-2020. The upcoming season will include 35 events in seven series showcasing the world’s premier entertainers. “This new season, UGA Presents will bring dynamic performances by artists from 16 different countries spanning numerous genres and styles of music, theater and dance to the heart of the University of Georgia’s campus,” Martin said. The 2019-2020 season will feature a diverse array of musical talent including Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, two-time Tony winner and Georgia native Sutton Foster, the Kronos Quartet with Iranian vocalist Masha Vahdat and the London-based Kingdom Choir, whose performance of “Stand By Me” at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was seen by more than 2 billion people worldwide. In addition to the regularly scheduled series, UGA Presents will feature two special events: the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis on March 28 and Tony-winner Patti LuPone in her one-woman show, “Don’t Monkey with Broadway,” on April 24. Classical and chamber music will be well-represented with concerts by world-renowned ensembles including the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, the Bel Canto Trio, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the British choir Tenebrae. One highlight of the classical offerings will be a duo recital with violinist Robert McDuffie, also a Georgia native, and pianist and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra music director Robert Spano. True to its name, the World Stage series will feature talent from around the globe with India’s Nrityagram Dance Ensemble, Ireland’s Danú performing “An Emerald Isle Christmas,” Argentina’s Che Malambo dance troupe, Denmark’s Dreamers Circus folk band and America’s own Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn. The Theatre series will include the return of the always-popular Second City comedy improv troupe, Europe’s Out of Chaos performing a high-octane 80-minute adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” and Australia’s Last Great Hunt company with “New Owner,” which incorporates puppetry, live performance and animation. Other notable events include Ailey II, one of America’s leading dance companies; Circa, an Australian contemporary circus; and Scrap Arts Music, a Canadian ensemble that transforms recycled materials into extraordinary percussion instruments. The season opens Sept. 6 with a concert by the Aaron Diehl Trio, featuring virtuoso jazz pianist Diehl, bass player Paul Sikivie and drummer Quincy Davis. Subscription packages are now on sale for the 2019-2020 season with savings up to 25% off single ticket prices. UGA Presents also is offering UGA faculty and staff the opportunity to purchase tickets before events go on sale to the general public. During the pre-sale period, which ends Aug. 14, faculty and staff can save 10% off regular ticket prices. Tickets go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. on Aug. 15. Tickets and subscriptions can be purchased online at pac.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-4400. Tickets can also be purchased at the Performing Arts Center box office, 230 River Road. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
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.
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, Marketing & Communications, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Campus Mail 1999.
NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES Aug. 14 (for Aug. 26 issue) Aug. 21 (for Sept. 3 issue) Aug. 28 (for Sept. 9 issue)
6 Aug. 12, 2019 columns.uga.edu
Caroline Paris Paczkowski, the School of Public and International Affairs’ marketing and communications director, was named one of the Public Relations Society of America Georgia’s inaugural 40 under 40. While the board at PRSA Georgia is recognizing Paczkowski for her work at SPIA, Caroline they also recognize her volunPaczkowski teer and community contributions, citing her participation in the Junior League of Athens, LEAD Athens and TEDxUGA advisory council as setting her apart from other finalists. Jamie Hunt, who completed his second season as the associate head coach for the University of Georgia men’s tennis team in May, has been named the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Southeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year. Hunt entered his current post after serving seven seasons as an assistant coach at Vanderbilt University. He helped lead its men’s tennis program to a No. 15 national ranking in 2013 and its 15th NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017. The San Antonio native was a star tennis player for Georgia from 2006-10, earning All-SEC and All-America honors. His 116 career singles wins rank No. 12 in Bulldog history. Hunt’s 238-80 combined record in singles and doubles still ranks third in the Georgia record book. Andrew Grundstein, professor and graduate coordinator in UGA’s geography department in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, received the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut’s Lifesaving Research Award for his contributions to preventing sudden death in sport. His research focuses on the interactions between climate and human health, with particular interests related to heat exposure and the impacts of heat on athletes and children. Some examples of this research tied to athletics include developing heat safety regions based on local climate conditions, examining weather conditions associated with exertional heat-related fatalities of football players, using climate data in event planning, and considering how climate change will impact heat hazards. J. Edward Kellough, a faculty member in the School of Public and International Affairs, is the recipient of the American Political Science Association’s 2019 John Gaus Award and Lectureship. APSA is the premier association for political science Edward Kellough conferences and publications and publishes four academic journals. The John Gaus Award and Lectureship is given annually to honor a lifetime of exemplary scholarship in the joint tradition of political science and public administration. A professor of public administration and policy and Ph.D. program director in SPIA, Kellough has been a faculty member at UGA since 1988. He previously served as the department head of public administration and policy and MPA director. He specializes primarily in the field of public personnel management, with recently published articles addressing issues such as decreased diversity associated with government contractors and affirmative action in the public sector. He is currently on the editorial boards of numerous academic journals. Kellough will accept the award later this month at the annual APSA meeting in Washington, D.C. Kudos recognizes special contributions of staff, faculty and administrators in teaching, research and service. News items are limited to election into office of state, regional, national and international societies; major awards and prizes; and similarly notable accomplishments.
CAMPUS CLOSEUP
Dorothy Kozlowski
In his role as director of the College of Education’s Innovation in Teaching and Technology initiative, Nicholas Holt focuses on what’s next.
College of Education director drawn to blend of art, technology, learning By Krista Richmond krichmond@uga.edu
Connector. Reflector. Sifter. Scanner. Nudger. Listener. Nicholas Holt’s work as director of the Innovation in Teaching and Technology initiative in the College of Education includes all those roles and more, but it all boils down to one thing—what’s next? “We live in a world that privileges specialization, but the world right now needs more generalists,” Holt said. “We need people who live at the intersections between domains and can understand the different languages that different professions and academic communities speak and to find more ways to bring them together.” Holt grew up in Athens and has a deep appreciation for its culture. In fact, he’s worked with R.E.M. and helped start the Kudzu Film Festival, directing and producing it through 2001. But it was an interest in MIDI— Musical Instrument Digital Interface, which allows instruments to “talk” to computers—that he explored as an undergraduate that inspired a career in technology. After what Holt called a “transformative” study abroad program in Tunisia, he graduated from UGA with his first degree—he’s a Triple Dawg— and took a temporary position with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, a
public service and outreach unit, doing geographic information systems work. Once he completed his master’s degree, he started a company to help doctors, lawyers and schools convert paper records to digital formats. Later, a friend mentioned that there was an innovation and teaching laboratory in the College of Education, the Learning Performance and Support Lab, that needed a manager. In that position, which he held for six years, Holt got to work with early virtual reality equipment. Holt wanted to explore what people learn from their hobbies. For example, what does someone who is an avid gardener learn about botany and entomology simply by gardening regularly? This type of “collateral learning” became the subject of his dissertation exploring what individuals collaterally learned while playing video games. Technology continues to be at the heart of his work at UGA. He’s been in his current position for seven years where he plans the annual Innovation in Teaching conference. He also leads two Innovation in Teaching and Technology academies each year. Held once per semester, participants cover a variety of topics during the 12 total hours that are meant to address their own pedagogical and technological needs and issues. The original purpose of the academies was to help faculty keep up with
FACTS Nicholas “Nic” Holt
Director, Innovation in Teaching and Technology Program Adjunct Assistant Professor, Counseling and Human Development Services College of Education Ph.D., Recreation and Leisure Studies, UGA, 2011 M.Ed., Instructional Technology, UGA, 1996 B.A., Classical Culture, UGA, 1992 At UGA: 25 years
technological changes, but Holt also sees these sessions as opportunities to break down departmental silos and help participants to work and collaborate across academic disciplines. “I enjoy building these longer-term relationships,” Holt said. “I really thrive in that spirit of cooperation and collaboration.” Holt continues to learn about “what’s next” by attending the Consumer Electronics Show and InfoComm and brings that information back to help faculty incorporate it in their own active learning practices. “I strongly believe in the College of Education, the University of Georgia and the Athens community,” Holt said. “There is nowhere I would rather be.”
COLLEGE OF FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES
Penn named associate dean for Extension, outreach By Cal Powell
jcpowell@uga.edu
The College of Family and Consumer Sciences has named Allisen Penn from the University of Tennessee Extension as its associate dean for Extension and outreach. Penn, who joined UGA on Aug. 1, spent the previous decade as regional program leader for UT Extension in Nashville, Tennessee. The FACS associate dean for Extension and outreach is responsible for leading the college in fulfilling its land-grant university mission of providing Georgia’s residents, businesses and communities access to quality educational experiences and the institution’s knowledge base. “Dr. Penn is a proven leader who
brings extensive experience and skills to support Extension and outreach p r o g r a m m i n g ,” FACS Dean Linda Kirk Fox said. “With 10 Extension faculty and 52 FACS Extension Allisen Penn agents delivering programming throughout the state, Extension and outreach efforts are a vital part of our overall land-grant mission. We’re excited to have Dr. Penn as a member of our team and look forward to her leadership of this critical component of the college.” Penn will work closely with leaders from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, UGA
Extension, the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach and other colleges and units for the successful application of research to priority needs of the state. She also will lead through the Georgia Clinical Translational Science Alliance to address health and wellness needs, particularly in rural and underserved populations, by strengthening and expanding research collaborations with faculty from a variety of disciplines. Penn has an extensive background in Extension work. She has provided more than 150 presentations and trainings and has authored nine publications. In addition, she has developed educational materials for Extension and outreach. She succeeds Deborah Murray, who retired in June after serving in the role since 2012.
ENTERPRISE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
columns.uga.edu Aug. 12, 2019
7
GRADY COLLEGE
Himelboim named Dowden Professor of Media Analytics By Sarah Freeman freemans@uga.edu
Dorothy Kozlowski
Jennifer Leyting and John Tong were paired as part of EITS’ Mentorship Program.
New perspectives
Mentorship Program expands beyond the technical By Krista Richmond krichmond@uga.edu
Jennifer Leyting had a question. John Tong had the answer. Thanks to their pairing through the EITS Mentorship Program, Leyting now has access to better data, and Tong has more understanding of student reporting needs. “We can be each other’s resources,” said Leyting, assistant graduate coordinator for the doctoral program in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s infectious diseases department. “Never be afraid to ask for help.” The program began in 2008 as a way for EITS employees to learn from each other and was based off a military mentorship model. The topics for mentor/protege pairings were technical in nature. It expanded in 2010 to include EITS student workers and IT staff external to EITS. In 2013, the program expanded again to include IT and non-IT employees across the University System of Georgia. Participants can apply to mentor a fellow staff member or be mentored by someone with expertise in a specific area. That area can be anything from learning a specific software program to developing leadership skills.
“The intent of the program is to provide an avenue of professional development and networking,” said Jonathan Hardy, EITS director of systems engineering and telephone services and leadership sponsor for the program. Applications for the fall cycle, which will run from September through January, are open through Aug. 26. Visit https://eits.uga.edu/mentorship_program/ to apply. After the application period closes, the 13 members of the mentorship council make the pairings. For the spring cycle, around 30 pairs participated. Council members, mentors and proteges gather for a kickoff meeting at the beginning of the cycle, a midpoint social and an end-of-cycle celebration. Those are the only official meetings. The council shares its guidelines at the kickoff meeting, but Hardy said the pairs are encouraged to set their own goals and schedule. Leyting and Tong were paired in the spring 2019 cycle but have continued to meet. She initially wanted someone to help with relational database management for information related to students she works with, and Tong’s area of expertise is student reporting. It wasn’t their first time in the program. Tong has mentored twice, and
WEEKLY READER
Leyting has been a protege twice and served on the mentorship council. “Being able to have this kind of mentorship allows for a different kind of growth,” said Tong, application analyst principal in EITS. “You learn to work on a one-on-one basis.” Vince Selvidge, IT project manager in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and Stacy Boyles, IT program manager in EITS, have been working together for more than two years. “It makes us more collaborative as a university,” Selvidge said. Selvidge came to UGA from a government background and requested Boyles’ help as a mentor through the program to learn about project management in higher education, and they have remained friends since then. Not only does the mentorship program create new relationships and networking opportunities, but Boyles and Selvidge also said that it breaks down silos by pairing people from other areas, gets people out of their comfort zone, creates an informal learning environment, and introduces new and different perspectives. “That’s one of the best things about the mentorship program—it helps everyone,” Boyles said.
Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication has named Itai Himelboim the Thomas C. Dowden Professor of Media Analytics. Himelboim is an associate professor of advertising and director of the SEE Suite, the Social Media Engagement & Evaluation lab. “Dr. Himelboim, one of the world’s leading experts on social media analysis, will take the Media Analytics program at Grady College to new heights as the Thomas C. Dowden Professor,” said Charles N. Davis, dean of Grady College. “The demand for students trained in media analytics grows daily, and we’re listening to industry demand in expanding our work in the field.” Itai Himelboim As Dowden Professor, Himelboim will direct research on social, political and economic issues involving media, and social media in particular. These subjects align closely with his areas of study and teaching, which focus on the role that social media, including Twitter and Facebook, play in news, politics and international communication. Applying network analysis, Himelboim examines the network structures that are formed when users interact on social media, including the emergence of information echo chambers and the diffusion of content within and across these communication silos. His work also studies influential users, emerging communities and the impact that news media play in these interpersonal communication spaces. “In this big data era, media analytics is more important than ever for students, faculty and the industry,” Himelboim said. “I am thrilled and humbled to hold the Thomas C. Dowden Professorship in Media Analytics, and I look forward to continuing the work of making Grady College a leader in media analytics research and education.” Himelboim joined Grady College in 2008 and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses including “Social Media Analytics, Listening & Engagement,” “Network Analysis of Social Media” and “Insights & Analytics,” among other courses. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Himelboim also directs the SEE Suite, overseeing the analytics lab where students examine large, cross-platform social media data through a variety of software, like Crimson Hexagon. The Dowden professorship was created in 2007. “While the original goal of the Dowden professorship was to explore the emergence of new media, the growing emphasis on media research and analytics is a new and important discipline in the field,” Dowden said of the new appointment. “I look forward to Itai’s involvement and contributions in this area under the aegis of the Dowden Professorship.” Ann Hollifield, who retired in January, was the inaugural Dowden Professor.
CYBERSIGHTS
ABOUT COLUMNS
Book details Tifton campus’s first century Before farm-to-table was trendy, scientists and University of Georgia Cooperative Extension personnel in Tifton were taking research from the lab to the farm. That work is documented in A Century of Impact: From Experiment Station to Campus, a book published in recognition of the Tifton campus’s centennial. The impact spans 100 years of agronomic research and history, including rescuing the Southeast peanut industry from the death knell of disease; moving livestock production from subsistence to abundance; providing blueberry varieties to Jackie Onassis; and A Century of Impact: From breeding turf for global venues such as Experiment Station to Campus World Cup soccer games. By Pam Golden Caraway Opening with a foreword by Presiwww.ugaextensionstore.com dent Jimmy Carter, the book highlights the opening of the experiment station in Hardback: $33 (includes 1919 when Silas Starr was the first direcshipping and tax) tor; the eradication of the boll weevil and its impact on the cotton industry in the early 1990s; the introduction of precision agriculture; and the advancements of genetics in plant production.
Columns is available to the 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 Associate Editor Krista Richmond
Welcome UGA site gets refresh for new year
welcome.uga.edu
The Council on the First-Year Experience, the Division of Student Affairs and the Office of Instruction have updated the Welcome UGA website for students who are new to campus to discover programs, resources and events. Students can learn about engagement opportunities, view
academic and wellness resources and clarify the numerous support programs across campus. The website also includes a calendar of Welcome UGA events and a social media feed. Post using #WelcomeUGA and #UGA23 to share news with the newest Bulldogs.
Art Director Jackie Baxter Roberts Photo Editor Dorothy Kozlowski Writer Leigh Beeson
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.
8 Aug. 12, 2019 columns.uga.edu RESEARCH
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s ubmitted that day to the State Archaeologist’s Office.This exhaustive 826-page report greatly enhanced the record of the Old Athens Cemetery by including extensive archival research about the cemetery and the surrounding area. The report also referenced the role of slaves during the early development of the University of Georgia and the surrounding city of Athens. At the beginning of the Civil War, the institution existed in several buildings on the historic North Campus and had
HOUSING
an enrollment of approximately 160 students; the population of the local Athens community was about 3,800, nearly half of whom were African American. However, very little other information has been documented in a scholarly manner. “The report demonstrated the need for additional research to fill a void, and it is our hope that faculty and students from several disciplines will participate in this significant research initiative,” said David Lee, vice
as incorporating several design components requested by students—such as increased privacy in community bathrooms and inroom temperature control. Additionally, freestanding furniture will replace built-in furniture to allow residents more flexibility in personalizing their spaces. Throughout the renovation process, housing staff and project coordinators are consulting student representatives to gain insight on how students envision renovating common use spaces to enhance the academic environment and create opportunities for students to interact. Designers hope the building’s interior will look and feel brand new while still preserving some of the midcentury aesthetic that makes it unique, such as Brumby’s iconic rotunda. That space will get a makeover to impart a sense of arrival for the residents who will call Brumby home. With additional study space and increased accessibility, Brumby will be more inclusive and geared toward supporting the academic success of residents. The renovation will also include a complete update of mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, as well as building exterior maintenance and repair. The Brumby renovation is funded entirely by University Housing, an auxiliary enterprise operating through revenue generated rather than through dollars received by the state. The transformation of this midcentury high-rise into a modern facility helps tell a larger story about how University Housing aims to foster a supportive and comfortable environment for students while being responsible stewards of the university’s resources.
LEARNING from page 1 “Students in active learning classes regularly practice working with new ideas and reflect on or receive feedback on their work, a cycle that fosters deeper understanding,” she said. “We know that knowledge that is acquired with context and relevance is more durable. So, students who practice applying knowledge not only perform better in that semester, but they also are more likely to retain that information for longer.” One of the techniques that stood out to Anderson was the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) strategy, where the instructor clearly explains to students why they are doing a particular assignment or project. By giving students context and helping them understand the value of the assignments and projects, they become more invested in the learning process, leading to better learning outcomes. Anderson, who redesigned his leadership and service course (ALDR 3900S), plans to incorporate TILT into his course so that expectations are set and students understand the purpose of the assignments. He said he hopes it encourages students to find meaning in what they are doing. Michelle Lofton, who teaches in the School of Public and International Affairs’ public administration and policy department, wants the students in her public financial administration course (PADP6930) to come away with critical thinking skills and the ability to ask the right questions. “Active learning techniques are a great vehicle to learn those higher-order skills,” she said. Lofton, assistant professor of public administration and policy, will be teaching in an active learning classroom, but she also
from the Office of the President. “Gaining a scholarly understanding of the role of slavery in the early years of the University of Georgia will be invaluable to the entire community,” said Michelle Cook, vice provost for diversity and inclusion and strategic university initiatives. “This history, like all of our known history, will allow us to recognize those who came before us. It is a critically important aspect of our institutional history.”
GRANTS from page 1
from page 1
Georgia Peach Green Building Certification, which recognizes building systems efficiency gains as well as the inclusion of at least 10% Georgia-based materials; the Construction Management Association of America Project Achievement Award in the category of Public Building Renovation; and the Athens-Clarke County Heritage Foundation 2019 Award for Outstanding Rehabilitation. Juneau Construction served as the construction manager for the Russell Hall renovation. Menefee Architecture, with CannonDesign, designed the project, and Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Inc. served as the Historic Preservation Master Plan consultant. Following the successful renovation of Russell Hall for the 2018-2019 academic year, Brumby Hall is now undergoing renovation and will reopen for fall semester 2020. Originally constructed as an all-female building in 1966, Brumby Hall will house approximately 940 first-year students when it reopens. While the Brumby renovation is ongoing, University Housing is offering first-year students the opportunity to live in its East Campus Village and University Village apartment communities. UGA is the school of choice for many of the state’s and nation’s top students, and the university’s commitment to housing first-year students through the live-on requirement means approximately 98% of first-year students live on campus. Plans for Brumby Hall incorporate many of the same design details of Russell Hall, such as fixtures and public space furnishings. Similar to the Russell Hall renovation, this project also includes reconfiguring all living, bathroom and programmatic spaces, as well
president for research. “This effort will complement and build upon the institutional histories provided by previous scholars and will continue to enhance our collective understanding of this institution.” The call for proposals states that the funded work should be completed by June 30, 2021. Engagement of student researchers at both the graduate and undergraduate level is encouraged. This research initiative is supported by up to $100,000 in private discretionary funds
wants her students to co-generate some of the content. For example, she plans to have her students develop a budget, including expenditures and revenues, for a public agency. Not only does this create discussion points, but it also allows students to build on prior knowledge and skills to successfully achieve core competencies. Hillary Tanner’s engineering graphics and design course (ENG1120) already includes active learning techniques by virtue of the content, but her goal is to “add the why.” To do that, she plans to include a quiz wrapper—a set of questions that allows students to reflect on what did and didn’t go well on the quiz. This gives students the opportunity to make adjustments to better their grades on future assignments and Tanner the opportunity to see if there is content that needs to be revisited. “The format of my class is already very active, but this has helped make it more intentional,” said Tanner, a senior lecturer in the College of Engineering. Hua Chen, an assistant professor in Terry College of Business’ department of marketing, plans to include more check-ins with students in his marketing research class (MRK4000). That might include a few questions before class or reflective writing at the end of class to check understanding of the material. In addition, Chen plans to include additional checkpoints with his students while they work on their research project to help them understand the importance and value of marketing research. “We should make students the center of the learning objectives and learn more about where they really are,” he said.
A total of 72 proposals were submitted for the new round of grants, which Morehead has included as part of the Great Commitments Initiative he launched this year. They were reviewed by a team of faculty and administrators led by Vice President for Research David Lee and Vice President for Public Service and Outreach Jennifer Frum. “We received another excellent pool of research proposals, and I’d like to thank the faculty who collaborated to submit ideas,” Lee said. “The wide interest in this program tells me that our researchers have a real desire to reach across disciplinary boundaries and work together to find solutions to important problems.” UGA’s Great Commitments—Healthier People, A More Secure Future and Stronger Communities—are intended to reflect some of society’s grand challenges, and faculty were asked to frame their proposals around one or more of these commitments. Their projects could include original research or strong public service and outreach components, or both. “Projects selected will address some of the state’s most pressing needs, as is the intention of these interdisciplinary seed grants,” said Frum. “This is our mission, as the state’s landgrant and sea-grant institution, to use the vast resources of the university to empower communities to address their grand challenges.” The winning proposals and faculty teams are: • Overcoming Physical Distances with the Virtual Family Room: Virtual and Augmented Reality Communication Platforms for Deployed Military Families. Sun Joo “Grace” Ahn (primary investigator; Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication), Kyle Johnson (College of Engineering), Catherine O’Neal (College of Family and Consumer Sciences) and Dawn Robinson (Franklin College of Arts and Sciences). • Creating a Healthier Georgia through Diabetes Prevention. Alison Berg (primary investigator) and Joan Koonce (College of Family and Consumer Sciences) and Ellen Evans (College of Education). • Building a National Center of Excellence for Nature-Based Infrastructure Solutions. Brian Bledsoe (primary investigator; College of Engineering), Jon Calabria and Brian Orland (College of Environment and Design), Susana Ferreira and Craig Landry (College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences), Rhett Jackson and Nathan Nibbelink (Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources),
Shana Jones (Carl Vinson Institute of Government), Don Nelson and Marshall Shepherd (Franklin College of Arts and Sciences), Scott Pippin and Mark Risse (Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant), Amy Rosemond (Odum School of Ecology) and Meredith Welch-Divine (Graduate School). • Mitigating Emerging Disease Impacts in Fisheries: Adaptive Strategies to Ensure a Safe, Healthy Seafood Supply. James Byers (primary investigator; Odum School of Ecology), Thomas Bliss (Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant), Al Camus (College of Veterinary Medicine), Marc Frischer (Franklin College of Arts and Sciences), Richard Hall and Pej Rohani (College of Veterinary Medicine and Odum School of Ecology), Brian Irwin (Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources), Erin Lipp (College of Public Health), Craig Osenberg (Odum School of Ecology) and John Wares (Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and Odum School of Ecology). • Establishing a New Animal Model to Assess Influenza-Tuberculosis Co-Infection and Vaccination. Fred Quinn (primary investigator), Steve Divers, Ankita Garg, Tuhina Gupta, Russ Karls, Balazs Rada, Ted Ross and Kaori Sakamoto (College of Veterinary Medicine); Steve Harvey (Office of Research); Shannon Quinn (Franklin College of Arts and Sciences); Christopher Whalen (College of Public Health) and external collaborators. • Anticipating the Regional and Global Impacts of Next-Generation Vehicle Engine Technologies. Rawad Saleh (primary investigator) and Brandon Rotavera (College of Engineering); Amanda Frossard, Gabriel Kooperman and Geoffrey Smith (Franklin College of Arts and Sciences). • Impact of the School and Surrounding Environment on Implementation of Georgia’s Statewide Childhood Obesity Policy. Janani Thapa (primary investigator), Marsha Davis, Jennifer Gay, Justin Ingles and Donglan “Stacy” Zhang (College of Public Health); Lan Mu (Franklin College of Arts and Sciences); Michael Schmidt (College of Education); Chen Zhen (College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences) and external collaborators. Growing research, innovation and entrepreneurship is a strategic priority for the university. Research expenditures are up nearly 30% over the past five years, and UGA now ranks No. 53 in the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research & Development rankings, a 13-point jump from No. 66 over a five-year period.
Bulletin Board
Minors programs requirements
The University of Georgia is committed to providing a safe environment for all minors participating in programs and activities on campus or otherwise affiliated with the university. A Policy for Programs and Activities Serving Minors is in effect and extends to all university-sponsored programs/ activities, as well as any third-party organizations that utilize university facilities for programs and activities serving minors (defined as persons younger than age 18) who are not UGA students. The policy may be found at programsforminors.uga.edu/policy. Each program/activity must meet
the following minimum requirements: approval, annual registration, background investigations, training and records retention. All programs/activities serving minors must be approved and developed at the departmental/ unit level, with program administrators determining content and training appropriate to the program/activity. Contact Brian Stone, the policy owner, at programsforminors@uga.edu or 706-542-7255 if you have any questions or need additional information. Bulletin Board is limited to information that may pertain to a majority of faculty and staff members.