UGA Columns Aug. 13, 2018

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Crop and soil sciences ­professor combats water crisis with smart technology RESEARCH NEWS

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UGA Presents season to open with Tony winner Renee Elise Goldsberry Vol. 46, No. 3

August 13, 2018

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UGA GUIDE

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Presidential hiring initiative expands to recruit research faculty

By Krista Richmond krichmond@uga.edu

Following a 15-month renovation, Russell Hall was rededicated during an Aug. 1 ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Dorothy Kozlowski

Residential refresh Russell Hall reopens following renovation

By Carrie Campbell

carrie.campbell@uga.edu

While the 1,000 new residents in University Housing’s Russell Hall may not have noticed the modernized climate control, plumbing and electrical systems when moving in for fall semester, they surely noted the flexible room furnishings and increased bathroom privacy as well as the numerous lounge spaces intentionally designed to encourage gathering and group interaction.

Following a 15-month renovation, the building opened to residents Aug. 5 with updated student rooms, bathrooms, lobby, lounge, programming, laundry and kitchen spaces. The building’s interior looks and feels brand new while still preserving some of the mid-century aesthetic that makes it unique, such as the original ­terrazzo floors in the lobby.

Interior designers used a color

palette as well as iconic furniture styles and patterns inspired by the 1960s to carry a mid-century motif throughout the common area spaces.

“We’ve taken a building with good bones and transformed it to a modern-use residence hall that will stand the test of time for another 50 years,” said University Housing Director of Facilities Gary Thompson.

Throughout the renovation process, housing staff and project coordinators from Menefee Architecture and Cannon Design consulted student representatives to gain helpful insights on how students envisioned an improved Russell Hall that would fuel opportunities for planned and spontaneous interactions and create a supportive and inclusive environment for first-year students.

One example of student-­ centered design incorporated into the building is expanded group

study space. The third-floor study area adjacent to the laundry room is 3,660 square feet of comfortable lounge space, including soft seating, areas for small groups to gather and a large study room with space to seat a group of up to 12 students.

“The study spaces in Russell are the tangible result of Housing putting its mission into action to support residents academically,” said Residence Hall Director Ricky Kirby. “Students and their parents alike are already ecstatic about being able to utilize such sophisticated study spaces in the place they will call home for the next academic year.”

Partnerships with Dining ­Services and the Division of Academic Enhancement also provide Russell Hall residents with the most multifunctional building in Housing’s inventory. The Market at Russell, a convenience store open daily 7 a.m.-2 a.m., will offer See RUSSELL on page 8

AU/UGA MEDICAL PARTNERSHIP

An ounce of prevention: Mobile health clinic serves communities in Athens

By Kellyn Amodeo

kwamodeo@uga.edu

For one young man, the visit was preventive. He knew high blood pressure ran in his family, so he went to have his checked. For another family, it was a primary care visit for their children, one that may have otherwise been impossible due to work schedules and transportation challenges.

These patients were able to get quality health care through the Augusta University/University of Georgia mobile health clinic.

Since March, faculty, residents and medical students at the

AU/UGA Medical Partnership have run a mobile health clinic, bringing free health care to underserved communities in Athens to help people get the health care they need, despite obstacles they may face. The clinic volunteers travel to neighborhoods around town, setting up tables and tents in the heart of the communities.

The mobile health clinic has humble roots. An interdisciplinary group of faculty across the University of Georgia, along with community partners, recognized the need for a mobile health clinic more than five years ago.

This was validated by findings in

a 2015 Community Health Needs Assessment.

The clinic’s goal is to reach both uninsured and underinsured patients who have trouble accessing health care through the traditional outlets because of transportation issues, untraditional work schedules or other barriers. As part of a one-year pilot program, primary care is delivered to all ages and genders with acute and chronic conditions, as well as health screening and prevention.

Nearly 38 percent of Athens’ residents live at or below the poverty line according to 2016 See CLINIC on page 8

Yohannes Abate and Sudeep Bag both hope their “small” discoveries lead to big changes.

“From plant biologists to animal biologists to physics to chemistry, UGA offers so much,” Abate said. “For my kind of research, this collaborative setup is key.”

Abate, an associate professor of physics in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and Bag, an assistant professor of crop virology in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, were recruited as part of a $2 million hiring initiative to bring more

outstanding faculty researchers to UGA. Launched by President Jere W. Morehead in 2017, the initiative provides startup funding to outfit new labs, support graduate assistantships and activate their research programs at UGA. In January 2018, another $2 million in funding was added to expand the impact of the initiative. Funds provided through this hiring initiative will be matched by unit-level support to help fill 26 critical faculty positions across nine schools and colleges.

“As I have said before, the lifeblood of this great institution is its

See RESEARCH on page 8

DIVISION OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

New park and ride lot opens on College Station Road

By Krista Richmond krichmond@uga.edu

UGA faculty and staff wishing to park on campus now have a new option.

E23, the new park and ride lot at the corner of College Station and North Oconee Access roads, will be open this semester at a cost of $10 per month.

Campus Transit will provide bus shuttle service between the lot and campus approximately every 15 minutes during the regular hours of bus operation and approximately every 30 minutes when buses are on summer and intersession schedules with the first bus leaving at 6:55 a.m. E23 will be a staff priority lot, and permits will be provided according to the priority system. In the near future, the

Athens-Clarke County Greenway project will add a non-vehicular bridge connecting this area to East Campus, near the Performing Arts Center.

“We believe this is going to work out well,” said Don Walter, director of Transportation and Parking Services and interim associate director of Auxiliary Services. “We’re trying to reduce traffic while at the same time providing access for people to come to campus.”

E23 will open with 150 spaces and will expand to 850 spaces in three years. Consultants were brought in to evaluate transportation around campus, and the location was chosen, in part, because 37 percent of those who drive to See PARKING on page 8

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK Child well-being expert joins UGA as Georgia Athletic Association Professor

By Laurie Anderson sswpr@uga.edu

An expert on the mental health and well-being of children, mothers and youth in the child welfare system will be the first person to hold the Georgia Athletic Association Professorship in Health and Well-Being.

Rachel Fusco, most recently an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh known for her research on early childhood welfare, was selected for the position in the UGA School of Social Work, effective Aug. 6.

“Rachel Fusco is an ­exceptional

teacher and scholar whose work has the potential to make a significant difference in reducing critical health disparities Rachel Fusco among Georgia citizens,” said Anna Scheyett, dean of the School of Social Work. “We are excited to welcome her and deeply grateful to the Georgia Athletic Association for endowing this professorship.”

The professorship, which

See PROFESSOR on page 8

2 Aug. 13, 2018 columns.uga.edu ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Search committee for provost named University of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead has appointed a search committee to recruit and review candidates to be the next senior vice president for academic affairs and provost of the institution.

The committee—composed of faculty, staff, administration, student and alumni representatives—will be co-chaired by Dean Ben Ayers of the Terry College of Business and Dean Denise Spangler of the College of Education.

“The provost serves as the chief academic officer of the institution and plays a vital role in advancing the academic goals of the University,” said Morehead. “I am grateful to Dean Ayers and Dean Spangler for their commitment to lead this important search and for the dedication of all of the committee members.”

The search committee members are: • Ben Ayers, Davis Chair of Taxation and dean of the Terry College of Business (co-chair); • Toby Carr, associate vice president for government relations and director of state relations; • Mi Geum Chorzepa, associate professor of civil engineering; • Michelle Cook, vice provost for diversity and inclusion and strategic university initiatives; • Phaedra Corso, UGA Foundation Professor of Human Health; • Alan Darvill, Regents Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and director of the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center; • Bill Douglas, chair of the UGA Foundation; • Lillian Eby, professor of psychology and director of the Owens Institute for Behavioral Research; • Ammishaddai Grand-Jean, president of the Student Government Association; • Karen King, Kennedy Professor of Advertising and Public Relations and Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor; • Milton Masciadri, University Professor of Music; • Laura Meadows, director of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government; • Marie Mize, circulation manager of the Law Library and president of the Staff Council; • Karen Norris, GRA Eminent Scholar of Immunology and Translational Biomedicine; • Andy Owsiak, associate professor of international affairs and chair of the Executive Committee of University Council; • Lance Palmer, professor of financial planning, housing and consumer economics; • Kathy Pharr, associate vice President for institutional affairs and chief of staff to the president; • Greg Robinson, UGA Foundation Distinguished Professor of Chemistry; • Usha Rodrigues, Kilpatrick Chair of Corporate Finance and Securities Law • Denise Spangler, Aderhold Professor of Early Childhood Education and dean of the College of Education (co-chair); • Steve Stice, GRA Eminent Scholar of Animal Reproductive Physiology, Brooks Distinguished Professor of Animal and Dairy Science and director of the UGA Regenerative Bioscience Center; • Ron Walcott, professor of plant pathology and associate dean of the Graduate School; • David Williams, Morehead Distinguished Professor and Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor of Religion, associate provost and director of the Honors Program; and • Victor Wilson, vice president for student affairs.

Morehead said the search committee will soon begin a national search with the goal of completing the process next spring. The search committee will be assisted by the Parker Executive Search firm.

Libby Morris, director of UGA’s Institute of Higher Education and the Zell Miller Distinguished Professor of Higher Education, is currently serving as interim provost.

As the chief academic officer of the University of Georgia, the senior vice president for academic affairs and provost currently oversees instruction, research, public service and outreach, student affairs and information technology.

The vice presidents of these five areas presently report to the provost, as do the deans of UGA’s 17 schools and colleges as well as the campus dean of the Augusta University/UGA Medical Partnership.

In addition, two vice provosts, six associate provosts and several other academic units report to the provost, encompassing such areas of responsibility as academic fiscal affairs, academic planning, academic programs, faculty affairs, the Honors program, institutional diversity, international education and the libraries.

For more information, see http://provost.uga.edu/.

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Program encourages undergrads to think about careers in plant science

By Allyson Mann tiny@uga.edu

Asparagus, corn and tomatoes— these plants were on students’ plates this summer but not in the way you might think. They helped them consider a career in plant science.

“A lot of students think of biology, and they think about medicine or veterinary school,” said Marin Brewer, associate professor of plant pathology in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “They don’t realize plant science is a viable option.”

The university’s new plant sciencebased undergraduate research training project may change that. This summer, 10 students—several from minorityserving institutions and as far away as New Mexico—got a crash course in what it’s like to be a plant scientist.

Funded by the U.S. Department Dorothy Kozlowski of Agriculture’s National Institute of Hadley Figueroa, right, a UGA junior in plant biology, discusses her preliminary Food and Agriculture, the three-year Research and Extension Experiences research poster content with Marin Brewer, associate professor of plant pathology. for Undergraduates program joins five other National Science Foundation- to a variety of plant research, from conducted field work, participated in funded Research Experiences for laboratory to field, and exposes them a service-learning project and attended Undergraduates programs on campus. to different career options, including seminars on research ethics, science Brewer, who served as coordinator, extension and industry, said Tsai, who communication and career counseland Chung-Jui Tsai, lead principal holds a joint appointment in the Frank- ing. They attended a breeding field investigator and Georgia Research lin College and the Warnell School of course in Tifton and visited a local organic farm.

Alliance Eminent Scholar, drew on Forestry & Natural Resources.

But Chanais Martinez may have Makayla Mitchell, a junior from the expertise of UGA’s Plant Center to pair the participants with scientists. Fort Valley State University, explored gotten the most mileage out of the Raven Harvey studied the sex maize with Shavannor Smith, associ- program—literally.

The senior from Bowie State chromosomes of asparagus with Jim ate professor of plant pathology in Leebens-Mack, professor of plant CAES. It was her first time in a lab, University in Maryland worked with biology in the Franklin College and Mitchell enjoyed learning how the Esther van der Knaap, professor of of Arts and Sciences. It’s the first Smith team is crossing maize and its horticulture in CAES, on tomato ­research e­ xperience for the senior from wild ancestor to create resistance to a structure. Martinez planted tomatoes in north Georgia one week, and then fungal pathogen. ­Savannah State University.

“I didn’t know we could do that,” she traveled to Florida the next week to har“Originally I wanted to do ­veterinary medicine,” she said, “but said. “This gave me an insight into the vest tomatoes—with a side trip to the now I’m actually thinking about molecular aspects of plants. It gave me University of Florida to extract seeds.

“It was a lot of hands-on experiences going into the research portion of a better idea of what I want to conduct that I’ve never had before,” she said. veterinary ­ medicine—maybe in sex my research on during grad school.”

During the nine-week experience, “It definitely has me thinking about ­chromosomes.”

The program introduces students the students worked in laboratories, grad school.”

DIVISION OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

Transportation and Parking Services rolls out changes to four bus routes, tests new parking space counter In collaboration with the Student Government Association, Transportation and Parking Services recently optimized UGA bus routes to improve transportation service to the campus community.

Riders will see changes to four UGA bus routes: Health Sciences, Milledge, Riverbend-South Milledge and Vet Med. Changes also have been made to ­ Athens ­ Transit bus routes. Visit the ACC ­ w ebsite (https://bit.ly/2Oz50u3) for bus route ­information.

Bus routes

• Health Sciences route. To increase frequency of bus service, the number of stops serviced on Prince Avenue has changed to three.

In place of on-demand stopping, the buses always now stop at the UGA President’s House on Grady Avenue, Delta Tau Delta on Nacoochee Street and the Piedmont/ARMC stops on Prince Avenue. Athens Transit will service any stops that were removed from the UGA route.

The Health Sciences route will service southbound Milledge Avenue with stops at Lucy Cobb, Clarke Central High School, Springdale Street and Oakland Avenue.

• Milledge route. This route was redesigned to allow buses to make more right-hand turns, therefore reducing traffic congestion and increasing the

frequency at which buses can provide service.

The Milledge route will service the northbound side of Milledge. The Health Sciences route will service the southbound side of Milledge. In response to campus feedback, the Milledge route now includes service to the Tate Center.

• Riverbend-South Milledge r o u t e . Tw o 1 5 p a s s e n g e r vans will be placed into service by the spring semester. This change creates ­efficiency by redirecting larger buses to routes with higher demand.

• Vet Med route. This route now serves the new park and ride lot (see story, page 1).

To improve traffic flow and safety on College Station Road, UGA buses will no longer stop at the Visitors Center.

Service for this area will be provided at the University Health Center stop on northbound East Campus Road.

More information on the fall 2018 UGA bus route changes can be found online at https://tps.uga.edu/fall-2018route-changes.

Parking permits, pay stations

Transportation and Parking Services expanded its License Plate Recognition program to include the Hull Street and Performing Arts Center ­parking decks as well as surface lots E02, E03, E09, E10, E20, E23, HSC, S03, W01, W02, W05, W06, W07,

W12, W14, W15 and W16.

LPR technology allows permit holders to use their license plate as their permit. It also led to the removal of gates at the Hull Street and PAC decks. Two new pay stations are now installed in the Hull Street and PAC decks (one in each ­facility).

Visitors to these areas may use the pay s­tations to prepay for parking, however, parking deck attendants are still available to assist drivers.

Transportation and Parking ­vehicles with permit readers check for valid permits and prepaid customers as they drive through the decks.

Parking space counter

Transportation and Parking Services also is ­testing new technology to communicate parking space availability to the public. The Tate Student Center deck is serving as the test location for this new technology.

If the project is accepted, the department will move forward with implementing the parking space counting system in other campus parking decks.

The parking space counting system will allow individuals to check the number of available p ­ arking spaces on the UGA app as well as the Transportation and Parking Services website.

UGA TPS is partnering with the Student Government Association on this initiative to provide improved customer service to campus.

RESEARCH NEWS

columns.uga.edu Aug. 13, 2018

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Digest Four former student-athletes, coach will be inducted into Circle of Honor

Andrew Davis Tucker

George Vellidis and doctoral student Anna Orfanou check the circuit board of a UGA Smart Sensor Array node, a tool that monitors soil moisture levels. That information is stored in the cloud, where researchers can easily access it to determine irrigation schedules.

Smart water

Crop and soil sciences professor combats looming water crisis with smart technology As the global population grows and water becomes more scarce, researchers around the world are looking for viable ways to reduce water use.

Agriculture is a good place to start.

Around 80 percent of freshwater resources in the U.S. go toward irrigating crops. At the University of Georgia, professor George Vellidis is taking a critical look at agricultural production systems, seeking to identify irrigation methods that are more sustainable and more efficient.

In the state of Georgia, the agricultural landscape varies widely in both the crops that are grown and the soil conditions in which they grow. A crop’s yield potential has a direct correlation to certain field inputs, like the amount of fertilizers and water required, and soil quality influences how much of these inputs are needed, depending on weather, precipitation and climate.

Over the last 10 years, Vellidis has focused his work on creating tools that allow farmers to vary water use in different parts of their fields. For the state’s main field crops—corn, cotton and peanuts—most farmers use an irrigating machine called a center pivot.

Developed more than 70 years ago, the device was engineered to apply the

same amount of water everywhere.

But since different soils have different irrigation needs, Vellidis and his team designed variable-rate irrigation, an add-on system for the center pivot that can modify the amount of water applied to particular parts of the field.

Once they developed the technology to vary irrigation, the team wanted to figure out how to divide agricultural fields into management zones. What initially felt like a straightforward task, however, proved more complicated.

“The picture is more dynamic than we anticipated,” said Vellidis. “In terms of topography, fields are uneven. So, in rainy years, the lower parts of the landscape are very wet while others are drier. In dry years, the lower parts are often the driest.”

To gain a better understanding of the land, he and his team developed online tools to analyze big data sets and identify patterns for irrigating at different rates.

They’re also developing soil moisture sensing systems that are installed in the soil at different depths to help determine how much water to apply in each zone.

Local farmers have been testing an early prototype: The ­sensors

collect information and send it to a cloud-based server, which converts the data points into irrigation recommendations.

Farmers can view how much water each zone needs on their smartphone and download the data to the center pivot controller. With this system, the team already has demonstrated on-farm irrigation water use efficiency improvements of 30 to 40 percent.

“We want to develop tools for improving water use efficiency so farmers are prepared for whatever the future may bring,” Vellidis said. “Agriculture is the No. 1 industry in Georgia and has a huge economic impact on the rural areas of the state.

“If water resources become more limited in the future and our farmers don’t have the tools to adapt to the drier conditions, it’ll dry up the rural economy,” he also said. “And while the global impact is great, we’re motivated to do this work so we can better help our state’s farmers.”

Editor’s note: This story is part of the Great Commitments series, which focuses on cutting-edge research happening on UGA campuses. Read more about UGA’s commitment to research that changes lives at greatcommitments.uga.edu.

DIVISION OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION Human Resources enhances service to campus community

By Taylor West

tawest@uga.edu

The Human Resources Division has made several changes to HR hiring, on-boarding and salary administration business processes to enhance service to the university community while also providing greater flexibility to campus users.

Human Resources strives to be a trusted advisor for all human resources business processes, starting with the goal to provide exceptional customer service and communication and finishing with a positive end result.

“The Human Resources Division strives to serve our university partners the best way that we can in meeting their staffing and employment services needs,” said Juan Jarrett, associate vice president for human resources. “The improvements that we have made, behind-the-scenes with processes and on the front-end with our customer

service initiatives, will result in a more positive user experience for all who come in contact with Human Resources.”

The most notable changes within HR business practices have been the salary administration guidelines and the introduction of TeamDynamix. The compensation and classification teams within HR reviewed the level of approvals required for salary action requests, and as a result the salary administration policies were adjusted. UGA units are now allowed to extend salary offers up to the mid-point of the salary grade of the job classification for new hires, including current staff who are hired through a competitive search process.

TeamDynamix will assist both campus users and Human Resources in tracking requests and transactions, while also streamlining the communication process to help make interactions with HR more efficient. Jarrett said that he is pleased that TeamDynamix

will allow campus users to monitor their requests, providing transparency throughout the HR process.

The recent changes in HR-related business processes have already provided greater flexibility at the end-user level. These business process improvements will help the university community accomplish its goals and objectives and also lay the groundwork for tasks and goals that are ahead.

“HR has brought on additional staffing to meet the needs of the university and the increased volume of HR-related requests,” said Jarrett. “At the same time, HR has a renewed commitment to excellence in our customer service and accountability. Human Resources is dedicated to serving the university with nothing less than our best. Our recent improvements allow us to both better equip and serve our university partners as we all strive to elevate the stature of our great ­university.”

Fourteen-time NCAA champion swimmer Mary DeScenza, track standout Hyleas Fountain—who won four NCAA individual titles in just two years—football greats George Poschner and Hines Ward, and national championshipwinning baseball coach Steve Webber comprise the Class of 2018 for induction into the University of Georgia’s Circle of Honor.

DeScenza, Fountain, Poschner, Ward and Webber will be inducted formally during the Circle of Honor Gala Feb. 8 in the new West End Zone area of Sanford Stadium. The Class of 2018 also will be introduced on the field at Georgia’s football game against Vanderbilt Oct. 6 in Sanford Stadium.

The Circle of Honor is designed to pay tribute to extraordinary student-athletes and coaches who by their performance and conduct have brought honor to the university and themselves, and who by their actions have contributed to the tradition of the Georgia Bulldogs.

The criteria for selection also stipulate that each recipient has earned his or her academic degree.

Staff Council has two new officers

The UGA Staff Council has one new officer and an elected officer in a new position for the 2018-2019 year.

Andrew Hanneman, an application analyst assistant in the College of Veterinary Medicine, was elected as Staff Council coordinator at its Aug. 1 meeting. Hanneman serves as a client services liaison for VetView.

Kyla Sterling, assistant director of student engagement in the Terry College of Business, is now recording secretary.

In addition to Hanneman and Sterling, Staff Council officers for 2018-2019 are President Marie Mize, circulation manager at the School of Law Library; Vice President Mary Moore, an institutional research analyst III with the Office of Institutional Research; and Treasurer Jacob Schindler, an information analyst at the School of Public and International Affairs.

Grant will be used to preserve, provide access to local public broadcasts

Some 4,000 hours of programming produced by public radio and television stations between 1941 and 1999 will be digitized and made available to the public, thanks to a federal grant for the Brown Media Archives at the University of Georgia Libraries.

UGA’s archives and the WGBH Educational Foundation will partner with the American Archive of Public Broadcasting to administer the grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission to preserve and provide access to the programs, all of which were submitted to the George Foster Peabody Awards. By adding the programs to the archive, this project will ensure that preservation copies are maintained at the Library of Congress for posterity. This also will expand access from only on-site at the Brown Media Archives to the American Archive of Public Broadcasting’s public website and on-site research locations.

In addition to the special collections libraries, American Archive of Public Broadcasting staff will work with the Peabody Media Center to curate two online exhibits focused on topics or events of historical significance that showcase the Peabody Awards Collection alongside local and national news, public affairs and cultural programming contributed by other AAPB participating organizations. When the project is complete, the Peabody Media Center also will present a series of public screenings of Peabody Awards Collection programs digitized through this project.

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4 Aug. 13, 2018 columns.uga.edu

FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

INSTRUCTIONAL NEWS

Dorothy Kozlowski

Sharonda Richards, a recent graduate of Paine College, discusses her research project with Summer History Fellows.

Program brings history students to campus

By Alan Flurry

aflurry@uga.edu

Dorothy Kozlowski

James Shelton (left), associate professor of fisheries in the Warnell School, and students splash through a creek in North Georgia during the fisheries Maymester field class.

‘Richer experience’

Students learn by doing in summer fisheries class

By James Hataway jhataway@uga.edu

There’s no substitute for real-world experience, and that’s just what students in the Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources got during a Maymester course that teaches some of the essential skills required for aspiring fishery experts.

Armed with nets, waders, snorkels and diving masks, the students visited several sites stretching from Georgia’s coast to its cool mountain streams. At each site, they learned fish collection and identification skills for the state’s freshwater and coastal fishes as well as conservation issues affecting environments across the state.

Alex Pelletier, an undergraduate student in Warnell and course participant, became interested in fisheries when he was a high school student, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to focus on math, science, engineering or some combination of those disciplines.

“I realized while I was on the water

fishing one day that if I were to study ecology or fisheries, I wouldn’t have to choose just science or just math or just engineering,” he said. “This career would allow me to do all of those things.”

Students camp out during their field work, often cooking over an open fire and discussing the day’s work with their professors.

“That makes for a much deeper, richer experience by the end of the class,” said James Shelton, associate professor of fisheries in the Warnell school and co-instructor for the course.

“It gives them a really good idea of what they’ll be doing when they go out there to make a living.”

In a class setting, students often learn about different fish species by looking at illustrations in books, but those don’t always reflect what’s seen in the real world.

“The diversity of the fish when you go to different basins is incredible,” said Savannah Schell, an undergraduate in Warnell who also participated in the

course. “When you go to a different river, that fish may be the same species, but it may not have the same characteristics. Getting to see those fish in the field really helps you see how that fish varies from the illustration in the book.”

This course is one of more than 3,500 experiential opportunities for undergraduate students at UGA, which is the nation’s largest institution where experiential learning is mandatory for all undergraduates who have enrolled since fall 2016.

“Obviously this is a very applied class, but we think it’s really important that in addition to traditional lectures that students get their hands wet, get their hands dirty and see what it means to actually manage natural resources like fish and other aquatic forms of life,” Shelton said.

The course, “Georgia Fishes Field Study,” is offered every year during a summer semester. Watch a video about the course at https://news.uga. edu/students-learn-by-doing-in-warnellfisheries-class/.

ODUM SCHOOL OF ECOLOGY

Scientists a step closer to predicting epidemics

By Beth Gavrilles bethgav@uga.edu

Ecologists at UGA have taken an important step in their efforts to develop an early warning system for infectious disease outbreaks.

A team led by Eamon B. O’Dea created a mathematical model that analyzes statistical patterns in public health reports to identify when a population is approaching an epidemic threshold—the point at which a disease outbreak is possible. Their findings, recently published in the Royal Society journal Interface, help pave the way for a disease forecasting system that could one day be used by public health officials.

“Currently the state of the art is to just have very rapid detection once disease emergence occurs,” said O’Dea, a postdoctoral researcher in the Odum School of Ecology and Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases at UGA. “So it would be advantageous to have some way of predicting the point when emergence is possible, because then you could possibly introduce some

interventions.”

These could include the timely distribution of vaccines, if available, or adding hospital capacity in areas likely to need it.

The crux of the approach is to quantify the “critical slowing down” that occurs as a system approaches a tipping point—a threshold beyond which it will undergo drastic and potentially irreversible change. As the tipping point nears, characteristic patterns in the system’s dynamics can be observed.

Much of the earlier work on critical slowing down has been based on models with a single variable.

O’Dea and his co-authors built a “susceptible-infected-removed” model, commonly used to understand epidemic dynamics. It takes into account the number of individuals in a population who are susceptible to a disease, having neither contracted nor been vaccinated against it; the number who are currently infected; and the number who’ve been removed from the susceptible group, either because they were vaccinated or because they caught the disease and recovered.

But in the real world, disease surveillance information is often incomplete, and data about infections may be broken down by age group or city within a larger population.

O’Dea said such complexities made it important to determine which variables are most useful in estimating the distance to an epidemic threshold.

To find out, they analyzed and simulated a model of acute infectious diseases such as pertussis, also known as whooping cough. They found that of all the variables they considered, patterns in the number of infected individuals over time provided the best estimate of an approaching tipping point. Furthermore, gleaning that number from public health case reports worked just as well as directly counting infected individuals.

O’Dea cautioned that the team’s results aren’t yet translatable to a realworld disease forecasting system.

“That’s kind of fortunate,” O’Dea said, because while it’s rare for such a count to happen, public health departments routinely report new cases as part of regular surveillance.

Five students from other colleges in the region spent July at UGA, living on campus and experiencing the work of professional historians firsthand.

The new program, launched by the history department in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and funded entirely by donors, provided an opportunity to share UGA with these students and to build better relationships with their institutions.

The focus of the History Fellows Summer Workshop was to create broad new inroads for students from Georgia and beyond who are underrepresented on campus, which may include groups such as women in STEM, older returning students, military veterans, first-generation college students and others.

The new program was supported by Kay and John Parker, with a commitment of three years. A UGA alumnus, John Parker graduated in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in history.

The first year’s cohort, all from HBCUs, represented a discipline-specific opportunity for recent graduates and undergraduates to immerse themselves with UGA faculty members, engage in primary research activities and learn about the profession while experiencing campus life at a major research university.

“They looked at primary source materials—letters, old organizational records—as well as newer tools like digital history resources,” said Chana Kai Lee, program coordinator and associate professor of history. “We designed the experience as a scholar training program focusing on how to analyze sources, how to conceptualize large-scale projects and eventually how historians express themselves, orally and in writing.”

Five faculty spent two to three days with each student in hands-on workshops. With associate professor Diane Morrow, students examined and learned how to read slave narratives. Assistant professor Steve Soper led a workshop on contemporary issues surrounding mass incarceration, its history in Georgia and a comparative study of the practice in Italy. Professor John Morrow led a section on World War I and the history of African-American service members.

Associate professor Akela Reason shared her expertise in material history, the “study of things,” and public history, the work of historians outside of academia in museums, parks, archives, documentary films and community-based projects.

“As a history major, I had familiarity in studying some of the topics, but some faculty members provided a new insight into past historical events that I had never learned,” said Andrea Stokes, a rising junior at Tuskegee University.

Lee, author of a biography of civil rights leader Fanny Lou Hamer, worked with the students on life writing.

“They learned about how to create an oral history, how to interview and integrate digital resources,” Lee said.

“Overall, we shared a lot with the students, and I wanted them to get exposure to various sub-fields of history, not just African-American history but to have a full sense of what they could become should they choose this career path.”

The students lived on campus July 2-27 and enjoyed the full experience of UGA students.

“My experience here (was) nothing short of amazing,” said summer fellow Sharonda Richards. “Living on campus, I have become accustomed to the wide open space and life on a huge campus, being that I graduated from (Paine College) a small school in Augusta.”

“The workshop has been a truly eye-opening experience,” said Layla Tatum, a Tuskegee student interested in public history. “After learning about UGA’s Master of Arts in social studies and the numerous assistantships available, I have been heavily considering pursuing a graduate education with the university.”

Lee said that because she was focused on the academic aspects of designing the program, she had perhaps underestimated the impact full access to the UGA campus experience would have on the students.

“It’s been quite an instructional experience for me— instructive to learn about how we can bring students to campus from elsewhere, and to see the effects that we could have beyond what we thought about as we wrote the proposal,” Lee said.

UGAGUIDE

columns.uga.edu Aug. 13, 2018

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

Wrestling Temptation: The Quest to ­Control Alcohol in Georgia. Through Sept. 21. Special collections libraries. 706-542-7123. a­lexis.morgan@uga.edu.

Central to Their Lives: Southern Women Artists in the Johnson Collection.

Through Sept. 23. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.

Vernacular Modernism: The Photography of Doris Ulmann. Through Nov. 18.

Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.

Poppies: Women, War, Peace. Through Dec. 14. Special collections libraries.

706-542-7123. jclevela@uga.edu.

War of Words: Propaganda of World War I. Through Dec. 14. Special collections libraries. 706-542-7123. jclevela@uga.edu.

One Heart, One Way: The Journey of a Princely Art Collection. Through Jan. 6.

Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.

MONDAY, AUG. 13 CLASSES BEGIN For fall semester.

DROP/ADD DATES Through Aug. 17. For fall semester undergraduate- and graduate-level courses.

EATING INSECTS ATHENS Through Aug. 15. Eating Insects Athens will bring together global experts and leaders in the edible insect movement for presentations, culture, food, science, yoga, music, documentaries and more.

This includes leaders and experts in entomophagy, along with artists, chefs and thought leaders to advocate and raise awareness for edible insects in America. $250. 8 a.m. Georgia Center. ­entomolo@uga.edu.

TUESDAY, AUG. 14 TODDLER TUESDAY Enjoy a tour, story time in the galleries and an art activity just for the little ones.

Inspired by the exhibition One Heart, One Way: The Journey of a Princely Art Collection, toddlers will decorate their own animal-themed helmet. This free, 40-minute program is designed for families with children ages 18 months to 3 years. Space is limited; email sagekincaid@uga.edu or call ­706-542-0448 to reserve a spot. Sponsored by Heyward Allen Motor Co., Inc., Heyward Allen Toyota and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art. 10 a.m.

Georgia Museum of Art. ALLINGER LECTURE “Light Chemistry: A Journey from the Mechanistic Studies to the Development of Light-Controlled Biomedical Tools,” Vladimir Popik, UGA chemistry department. 11 a.m. 400 chemistry building.

706-542-1953. vpopik@uga.edu.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 15

ARTFUL CONVERSATION Callan Steinmann, curator of education, will lead a special s­ ession on Radcliffe Bailey’s “7 Steps.” 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. ­706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.

THURSDAY, AUG. 16 NATURE RAMBLERS Also Aug. 23. Join Nature Ramblers and learn more about the natural areas, flora and fauna of the State Botanical Garden. Sessions will start with an inspirational reading by a nature writer.

This is a ramble not a hike; participants will stop to view interesting plants, insects, butterflies, mushrooms, etc., along the way. 8:30 a.m. Visitor Center & Conservatory front fountain, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156. ckeber@uga.edu.

ANNUAL MEETING AND RECEPTION The annual meeting of the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art will include highlights from the group’s activities and the presentation of the M. Smith Griffith Volunteer of the Year Award. ­Reception to follow. RSVP to gmoarsvp@uga.edu or ­706-542-4199.

To receive an a­ dvance copy of agenda items or bylaw revisions, email ­jointhemuseum@uga.edu or call ­706-542-0830. 5:30 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art.

FRIDAY, AUG. 17 INTERNATIONAL COFFEE HOUR This weekly program brings UGA students, faculty, staff and community members together over coffee and international cuisine. Hosted by international student organizations and campus departments. 11:30 a.m.

Memorial Hall ballroom. 706-542-5867. bgcecil@uga.edu.

SATURDAY, AUG. 18 GIGANTIC FLEA MARKET Shop among gardening items, books, household items, tools, toys, jewelry, decorations, purses, accessories, baby items and more at the Gigantic Flea Market, held by the Friends of the Garden. 8 a.m. Visitor Center, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6138.

RAMBLE Enjoy a ramble through the ­Hummingbird Trail. Bring a camera or binoculars. The last hour of the ramble is intended for participants to have time to photograph or observe the hummingbirds. Instructor Judy Royal Glenn will be available to answer questions. 9 a.m.

Visitor Center fountain, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156. cscamero@uga.edu.

FAMILY DAY Enjoy gallery activities and make a full dress helmet inspired by those worn by Her Majesty’s Horse Guards in 19th-century Russia. This free, drop-in program will focus on the exhibition One Heart, One Way: The Journey of a Princely Art Collection and includes works of art from Russian Prince

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/.

Alexander’s art collection. Create a masterpiece in the Michael and Mary Erlanger Studio Classroom. Sponsored

by Heyward Allen Motor Co., Inc., Heyward Allen Toyota and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art. 10 a.m.

Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.

5

UGA PRESENTS SEASON TO FEATURE TONY-WINNING STAR OF ‘HAMILTON’

VOLLEYBALL Volleyball vs. alumni match. 11 a.m.

Stegeman Coliseum.

SUNDAY, AUG. 19 MEETING Northeast Georgia Orchid Society member Nat Scheckler will discuss companion plants that can be readily grown with orchids. 2 p.m. Visitor ­Center, Gardenside Room, State ­Botanical Garden. northeastgaorchidsociety@gmail.com.

COMING UP WORKSHOP Aug. 21. In “Fostering Productive and Inclusive Student Discussions,” participants will discuss barriers and solutions to facilitating productive, inclass student discussions that give opportunity for all students to participate equitably. Participants will be asked to examine their own goals for the use of discussion in their classroom and how they scaffold and debrief discussionbased activities. 9:30 a.m. Model Active ­Learning Lab, Instructional Plaza. ­706-542-1355. zoe.morris@uga.edu.

EID AL-ADHA Aug. 22. Islamic religious observance.

TOUR AT TWO Aug. 22. Docent-led tour of highlights from the permanent collection. 2 p.m.

Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.

WELCOME RECEPTION Aug. 22. Reception for Sonia Hirt, new dean of the College of Environment and Design, and opening of the exhibition Iconic American Landscapes: Photographs by Carol Betsch. 4:30 p.m. Circle Gallery, Jackson Street Building.

WORKSHOP Aug. 23. In “Situational Factors for Active Learning,” participants will identify and discuss situational factors that affect learning goals, teaching and learning activities, and feedback and assessment in an active setting. Those attending will be asked to participate in group activities and discussions designed to provide insight into which of these factors are most important to their courses and how these factors might be important in a successful course design. 3:30 p.m. Model Active Learning Lab, Instructional Plaza. ­706-542-1355. edschwarz@uga.edu.

LECTURE Aug. 23. Asen Kirin, Parker Curator of Russian Art, will give a lecture in conjunction with the exhibition One Heart, One Way: The Journey of a Princely Art Collection. 5:30 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.

Tony Award winner Renee Elise Goldsberry will open the UGA Presents 20182019 season with a Sept. 7 concert.

By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu

UGA Performing Arts Center Director Jeffrey Martin has announced the roster of artists for the 2018-19 season.

“The Performing Arts Center is a true gem in the community, and I am impressed by all who have supported this performance venue since it first opened in 1996,” Martin said. “The 2018-19 season marks my first as curator of the center’s world-class performing arts series, now called UGA Presents, and it is an honor for me to serve as its steward.

My great desire is for all people to enjoy something wonderful at the Performing Arts Center.”

UGA Presents will offer six different series showcasing some of the finest performers from around the globe. The 2018-19 season opens Sept. 7 with a concert by Renee Elise Goldsberry, the Tony Awardwinning star of the Broadway hit musical Hamilton.

World music and dance will be well represented with appearances

by Britain’s VOCES8, South Africa’s Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the Grammy-winning Roomful of Teeth, the Vienna Boys Choir, Spanish flamenco dancer Farruquito and the Prague Philharmonic Children’s Choir on a U.S. tour celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Czech state.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center will return to UGA, and internationally acclaimed classical ensembles such as the Netherlands’ Camerata RCO and the New York Philharmonic String Quartet will make their Hodgson Hall debuts.

In programming his first Athens season, Martin selected events that blend styles and cross borders. Black Violin combines classically trained violinists and hip-hop music to forge a dynamic multi-genre sound, while the Silkroad Ensemble draws artists from many countries to create a new musical language.

“I hope UGA Presents will reflect the diversity of our community,” Martin said.

The season will feature a variety of international theater and circus performances as well with the Reduced Shakespeare Company, One-Man Stars Wars Trilogy, The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer, the Chinese Acrobats of Hebei and Australia’s Gravity and Other Myths.

UGA Presents will celebrate the holiday season with two big concerts, Dec. 15 with American Idol’s David Archuleta and Dec. 21 with Emmy and Golden Globe winner Jane Lynch performing A Swingin’ Little Christmas.

Subscription packages and single tickets are now on sale for the 2018-19 season. They can be purchased online at ugapresents.org 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 weekdays from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

The 2018-2019 season brochure can be viewed online at https://­ugapresents.org/brochure.

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. 15 (for Aug. 27 issue) Aug. 22 (for Sept. 4 issue) Aug. 29 (for Sept. 10 issue)

6 Aug. 13, 2018 columns.uga.edu

Jake Stroot, director of football technology, was named the 2018 Bob Matey National Video Coordinator of the Year at the Collegiate Sports Video Association’s annual conference.

Stroot was selected by a majority vote of his peers in the CSVA. The award is presented to the video coordinator who displays innovation, determination, perseverance and technical skill as portrayed by the late Bob Matey, legendary video coordinator from Texas A&M. This marks the fourth time in the 21-year history of the award that a member from the Southeastern Conference has received the honor.

Stroot is beginning his second year with UGA and his 20th overall season as a collegiate sports video professional.

Darrice Griffin, the Athletic Association’s deputy director of administration, is one of 10 recipients of the minority scholarship award from the John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation.

As part of the honor, Griffin participated in the LEAD1 Association’s three-day educational forum, which is known as the Institute. Each year, senior-level associate athletics directors nominated by their universities’ athletics directors attend the program with the focus of preparing participants for careers as athletics administrators. This year’s forum was held July 16-18 at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas.

Eric Formo, laboratory manager of the Core Electron Microscopy Facility, is the grant prize winner of the Thermo Fisher Scientific 2017 Electron Microscopy Image Contest for his image of Micrometeorites taken via Scanning Electron Microscopy.

In addition, he won a 2018 Microscopy and Microanalysis Society Professional Technical Staff Award for his research Eric Formo “Utilizing Conventional and In-Situ Electron Microscopy to Gain Insights Into the Release of Silver Nanomaterials in Aquatic Ecosystems.”

Nancy Evelyn, digital imaging coordinator for the Graduate School, has received several honors from the University Photographers’ Association.

Her work for the Graduate School Magazine earned a second place in the magazines category and also second place in the portrait category.

Evelyn won first place in the feature category in the association’s monthly imaging contest for June.

In addition, the UGA Graduate School magazine has received an APEX Award for excellence in publications for its design and layout.

Casimir Akoh, Distinguished Research Professor of Food Science and Technology, recently accepted the Institute of Food Technologists’ research award recognizing food science’s ability to improve public health.

The IFT awards committee presented Akoh, who researches lipid chemistry in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences food science and technology department, with the Casimir Akoh Babcock-Hart Award on July 15 at the IFT’s annual conference in Chicago.

The award honors scientists who have developed technologies that have substantially improved public nutrition and public health.

Akoh has received seven research achievement awards and recognitions from IFT, including the top research award, the Nicolas Appert Award.

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.

FACULTY PROFILE

Dorothy Kozlowski

Son Lam became interested in studying sales after working in sales. Before he entered graduate studies at the University of Houston, he spent seven years working for an international footwear company in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Faculty member’s career path takes him from sales to marketing scholar

By Matt Weeks

mweeks@uga.edu

Son Lam knows sales.

A former salesman turned academic, the associate professor of marketing in the Terry College of Business has become a prolific researcher whose work is known in sales management circles for its creativity and impact.

“In most of my research I want to identify questions that have real-world applications, because if it’s not managerially relevant I think it misses the mark,” he said. “In marketing, we need to do research (that) managers can use or at least change the way managers think about certain things. That’s my philosophy.”

It’s a philosophy that’s served him well.

Lam’s research productivity places him among the top marketing scholars ranked by the American Marketing Association. He was named a Young Scholar by the Marketing Science Institute in 2013 and won Terry’s Outstanding Research Award two years later.

Lam became interested in studying sales after working in sales. Before he entered graduate studies at the University of Houston, he spent seven years working for an international footwear company in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

His industry experience sparked an interest in sales problems—and finding ways to solve them. His early

scholarship integrated a well-known psychological concept into marketing literature.

“Early in my career, my focus was on internal marketing. I used a theory from the 1950s called social identity theory, which explains that people are social actors who use social entities to define who they are,” he said. “For example, you might wear red and black and go to Georgia games because you identify with the football team.

“I took that theory and applied it to the sales domain and internal marketing,” he said. “The key insight in my research is that internal marketing is essentially a process to build salespeople’s identification with the firm.”

Since establishing a national reputation for his theoretical and empirical work in internal marketing, sales management and consumer-company relationships, Lam has broadened his research scope to include sales force structures.

“There are basically two types of salespeople: Inside salespeople who sell to customers remotely, and field salespeople who have more interpersonal interactions with customers. My current research looks at inside salespeople,” Lam said. “A lot of firms in technology, manufacturing and health care are shifting their investments from field sales to inside sales because inside salespeople don’t have to travel and that saves the company a lot of money.”

A significant portion of Lam’s

FACTS Son Lam

Associate Professor Department of Marketing Terry College of Business Ph.D., Marketing, University of Houston, 2009 MBA, University of Houston, 2004 M.A., Economics, Foreign Trade University, Vietnam, 2001 B.A., Economics, Foreign Trade University, Vietnam, 1996 At UGA: Nine years

research comes directly from the p roblem-solving he does for the ­ companies with whom he partners.

In exchange for proprietary data and publishing rights, Lam and his coauthors give senior managers an outside perspective and expert advice.

“Last year, I worked with a tech company that had a lot of inside sales, but turnover was too high,” Lam said.

“We interviewed and surveyed managers and salespeople in the field. We used LinkedIn to connect with people who left to find out why they quit.

“Then we delivered our findings to top management, and they made several changes to the company’s sales force organization,” he said. “We came back with data and a story we could translate to research and make a contribution to marketing theory.”

DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS Russo named executive director of University Health Center

By Stan Jackson ugastan@uga.edu

Garth Russo, who has served as interim executive director of the University of Georgia Health Center since February, has been appointed to the post on a permanent basis.

Russo has been leading the University Health Center as interim executive director since Jean Chin retired this past January. Russo comes to the position after decades of service to the university, having joined the health center in 1991 and serving as senior director of medical services prior to this appointment.

Russo will provide strategic leadership for all aspects of the operation of the University Health Center,

i­ ncluding the provision of medical, mental health and counseling services, health promotion and educational outreach programs, and clinical support services. He also Garth Russo will be responsible for the direction of administrative support services, fiscal and facility management, and collaboration with campus and community stakeholders on health and wellness matters, including public health and emergency management and planning.

Russo reports directly to the vice president for student affairs and serves

as a member of the leadership team for the Division of Student Affairs.

“Dr. Russo’s expertise and understanding of the health center’s medical operations is extensive,” said Victor K. Wilson, vice president for student affairs. “His long tenure of service gives him invaluable historical perspective and personal investment to continue the health center’s growth into one of the top college health operations in the world.”

Russo received his M.D. from the Bowman Gray School of Medicine and completed a family medicine residency with the East Carolina University School of Medicine. He is board certified in family medicine and clinical informatics and is a licensed physician for the state of Georgia.

columns.uga.edu Aug. 13, 2018

Andrew Davis Tucker

Construction crews are putting final touches on the bleachers at Sanford Stadium as the West End Zone project nears completion.

Changes:

Here is a roundup of changes that took place on campus during the summer.

Sanford Stadium

Visitors to Sanford Stadium will notice substantial changes to the west end zone area. Major improvements include a new home locker room, a recruiting lounge and improvements to restroom and concession areas below Gillis Bridge. A new plaza now connects directly to the bridge and provides another gateway into the stadium framed by a new, larger and enhanced scoreboard.

Gillis Bridge

Gillis Bridge reopened Aug. 6 for pedestrian and vehicular use after a complete deck replacement over the summer.

Current plans, which are subject to change, call for the connection into Sanford Stadium to be open for the first home football game on Sept. 1.

Lake Herrick

The Lake Herrick watershed restoration project is underway. A renovated pond and walking trails are completed in Oconee Forest Park. Pets are welcome and must remain on leash at all times. Renovation has begun on the Lake Herrick Pavilion. Landscape improvements at Lake Herrick will include expanded walking trails, an open lawn for passive recreation, native vegetation for ecological restoration, an overlook dock and a kayak and canoe launch for carry-in, nonmotorized boats. A dedication ceremony has been scheduled for Oct. 17.

University Health Center

The University Health Center has undergone extensive renovations this summer. Central to this has been the complete renovation of Medical Clinic Blue and Medical

Campus updates usher in new academic year Clinic Green with the goal of improving the efficiency of exam rooms and clinical space. In addition to a new environment, the existing exam tables and medical equipment have been replaced.

D.W. Brooks Drive

A major project on D.W. Brooks Drive is nearing completion, according to the Facilities Management Division. The project scope was to provide for more reliable cooling on Science Hill, replace an 1890s waterline and upgrade a vast storm water management network.

In addition to significant underground infrastructure renewal, the portion of D.W. Brooks from Barrow Hall to Soule Street is being converted to a pedestrian friendly greenspace. Additionally, Soule Street has been permanently converted to provide for two-way vehicular traffic between Sanford Drive and Hardman Hall.

One Stop Shop

UGA Auxiliary Services opened a centralized office to provide students, faculty, staff and visitors a one-stop-shop experience for campus services. The new office is located in the former Bulldog Bucks building on Tate Plaza, next to the UGA Bookstore. Customers of the One Stop Shop can purchase a meal plan, obtain visitor information, manage Paw Points and Bulldog Bucks, purchase a license plate recognition permit, pay citations and receive information about bus routes and parking.

Dining services

Joe Frank Harris Commons underwent a series of upgrades this summer in its dining commons and retail locations.

The Village Summit Dining Commons underwent interior upgrades that included all new flooring, LED lighting

WEEKLY READER

and paint to enhance the space.

Sushi With Gusto opened in Red Clay Cafe at Joe Frank Harris offering a host of sushi meals, including vegetarian options and poké that are made fresh daily. Sushi With Gusto’s grab-and-go meals are available at other locations on campus, including the UGA Creamery, the Station at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and all Market locations (Tate, Russell, East Campus).

East Side Deli opened in Red Clay Cafe in place of Between the Bread and Tossing Greens. The new deli menu includes favorites of the former locations and offers a host of signature sandwiches, custom salad and wrap combinations, drinks, sides and homemade cookies.

A new c-store concept offering expanded grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, sushi, snacks and bottled beverages is now located in the Market at East Campus. The Market accepts Paw Points, Bulldog Bucks, cash, credit and debit cards.

In an effort to eliminate Styrofoam from the unit, Panda Express switched to 8-by-8 inch compostable fiber containers. This is one of many sustainability initiatives in place, in addition to composting and recycling.

An additional Jittery Joe’s location opened in the law library and accepts Paw Points. Other Jittery Joe’s locations can be found in the science library, Baldwin Hall and the Miller Learning Center.

Coffee and Bagels opened in the main library in place of Tween the Pages. This is the second Coffee and Bagels location on campus; the first is in the Science Learning Center. Coffee and Bagels is open Monday-Sunday but stays open late Monday-Thursday to accommodate those who are studying. Hours are at https://dining.uga.edu/locations-hours.

A new c-store concept offering expanded grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, sushi, snacks and bottled beverages is now located in the Market at Russell Hall, the first retail location to open in a residence hall (see story, page 1).

UGA Golf Course

The UGA Golf Course has conducted a series of renovation projects to better serve golf course patrons.

The renovation efforts include both facility and customer service updates such as a new entranceway that provides a clearly defined entrance to the course for golfers as well as an ADA-approved ramp. Improvements to the UGA driving range field and the cart path near hole 14 also were made.

Alice H. Richards Children’s Garden

The new Alice H. Richards Children’s Garden at the State Botanical Garden, a public service and outreach unit, is scheduled for completion and opening for public use in early 2019.

Business Learning Community

Construction of the third and final phase of the Terry Business Learning Community continues this fall with completion scheduled for the start of classes in August 2019.

This phase of construction will provide two new buildings, adding 10 classrooms, staff offices and conference rooms.

Georgia Center

Renovations at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel, a public service and outreach unit, continue with major improvements to the Classic Wing. Among these renovations are improvements to the exterior envelope of the building; hotel room, corridor and mechanical system upgrades; and a food concepts renovation to update finishes and enhance functionality of the Courtyard Cafe. These renovations are expected to continue until fall 2019.

CYBERSIGHTS

ABOUT COLUMNS

Book offers new analysis of justice theory

Rawls’s Egalitarianism

By Alexander Kaufman Cambridge University Press Hardcover: $99.99

Rawls’s Egalitarianism is a new interpretation and analysis of John Rawls’s leading theory of distributive justice.

It was written by Andrew Kaufman, an associate professor of political science in UGA’s School of Public and International Affairs.

Rawls’s theory, Kaufman argues, sets out a normative ideal of justice that incorporates an account of the structure and character of relations that are appropriate for members of society viewed as free and equal moral beings. Forging an approach distinct among contemporary theories of equality, Rawls offers an alternative to egalitarian justice methodologies that aim primarily to compensate victims for undeserved bad luck.

For Rawls, the values that ground the most plausible account of egalitarianism are real equality of economic opportunity combined with the guarantee of a fair distribution of social goods. Kaufman’s analysis will be of interest to scholars and advanced students of political theory and political philosophy.

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

Digital Library of Georgia redesigns website https://dlg.usg.edu The redesigned website of the Digital Library of Georgia connects users to half a million digital objects in more than 700 collections from more than 130 institutions and 100 government agencies.

The site is designed to provide quick and direct access to these resources for all audiences and was

7

developed by incorporating input from end users, librarians and other stakeholders. Online visitors to the site will now be able to conduct full-text searching of DLG-hosted collections along with item-level meta data searches, perform textual and visual browsing of DLG databases and other web-based collections, sites and more.

Communications Coordinator Krista Richmond Art Director Jackie Baxter Roberts Photo Editor Dorothy Kozlowski Writers Kellyn Amodeo 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. 13, 2018 columns.uga.edu

PARKING from page 1

CLINIC from page 1

campus enter via College Station Road.

“We hope that this lot is convenient,” Walter said. “It should be an easy in and easy out—you don’t have to drive through traffic on campus.”

Plans also are underway to include a 350-space parking deck under the future STEM building in central campus south of the corner at East Campus Road and Cedar Street.

Permits and fees

Chad Osburn

The Athens Free Clinic sets up shop every other Saturday in a variety of local communities.

census data, and an estimated 13 percent of Georgians are currently uninsured.

Dr. Suzanne Lester, assistant professor at the AU/UGA Medical Partnership and practicing physician at Piedmont Athens Regional, partnered with UGA pre-medical students Zac Adams and Hamzah Ali to bring the vision to life. As undergraduates, Adams and Ali volunteered at the Mercy Health Center and the Shifa Clinic, both in Athens. These free-standing clinics meet a large need, but both students realized there were populations not being reached.

“Patients have to come to those clinics by themselves,” Ali said. “Now we are going into these people’s homes.”

When patients arrive at the clinic, they register with medical students who take vitals and initial notes about the reason for the visit. The patients then work with residents and physicians for a diagnosis and treatment.

In less than five months, the mobile health clinic has seen 100 patients, an estimated value of more than $17,000 of free medical care.

The mobile clinic service route is

determined by data from the 2015 Community Health Needs Assessment for Athens-Clarke County, as well as census track data, the Athens Wellbeing Project atlas and input from community partners.

Patrick Reilly, program coordinator for the Northeast Health District with the Georgia Department of Public Health is one of the community leaders who helps identify and notify neighborhoods.

“It makes me happy to see the confluence of community and interagency partnerships take shape,” Reilly said. “Agencies are working alongside each other with the common goal of extending care to the community, meeting the community where they are outside of the confines of traditional brick and mortar. If we want to see changes in the community’s health, it’s where we all need to be.”

Not only is this clinic an asset for the people of Athens, but it’s also allowing UGA undergraduates, Medical Partnership students and medical residents to have a hands-on experience in patient care with an inside look into their community.

RESEARCH from page 1 outstanding faculty,” said Morehead, “and this initiative ultimately is an investment in making our world-class faculty even stronger. It also is an investment in the university’s thriving research enterprise, which is helping to expand knowledge, improve our quality of life and foster economic development across this state and the nation.”

Abate’s research focuses on nano-optics, studying properties of very, very small things that measure only a few nanometers, roughly 100,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair.

He knows that the laws of nature are different from everyday large-scale experiences at that microscopic level in what he says is “a world without gravity,” and he wants to learn more about the technological applications of nano-optics, such as creating and probing materials with new functions.

“Nanomaterials are at the heart of modern technologies, and what we do is try to investigate the fundamental laws and properties of matter at that scale,” he said. “If it weren’t for this initial package of startup funding, I wouldn’t be able to do this research. Having that initial resource is very valuable.”

Abate is developing tools to investigate new phenomena at the nano-level and working with eight students on various projects in his lab thanks to support that was made possible through the hiring initiative. The funding not only provides valuable experiential learning opportunities for those students, but also demonstrates the university’s commitment to innovative research.

For Bag, the move to UGA was all about location and the prospects of virus research on diverse cropping systems in south Georgia. His research centers on viruses in vegetables, peanuts and cotton, and he found the Tifton campus to be a “hub of research on viruses in vegetable and peanut crops.”

Specifically, Bag has worked on the spotted wilt virus since the early 2000s.

“This is ground zero of that particular disease, and a lot of work has been done at

UGA since the 1980s,” Bag said. “There are many renowned scientists I can collaborate with and learn from, in addition to adding my expertise. That was one of the reasons I wanted to work here. The diverse and intense cropping system in south Georgia made it the hub for virus research and developing sustainable management strategies.”

Bag started his position in March 2018 and is getting his lab ready to work with students and postdoctoral scholars this semester. His ultimate goal is to better understand plant viruses and help develop healthier and economical disease management strategies.

In addition to Abate and Bag, other faculty hired to date as part of this initiative are: • Sheng Li, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences; • Le Guan, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences; • Charlotte Garing, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences; • Oluyinka Olukosi, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; • Govindaraj Kumar, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; • Takao Sasaki, Odum School of Ecology; • Kalsea Koss, College of Family and Consumer Sciences; • Dee Warmath, College of Family and Consumer Sciences; • Jewon Lyu, College of Family and Consumer Sciences; • Eva‐Maria Strauch, College of Pharmacy; • Neil Grimsey, College of Pharmacy; • Geoffrey Sheagley, School of Public and International Affairs; and • Jeremy Gibbs, School of Social Work.

The startup research hiring initiative continues a series of strategic investments since July 2013 to strengthen even further the university’s world-class faculty. Past efforts have helped to reduce class sizes, expand research in key areas of strengths, such as infectious disease and informatics, and foster interdisciplinary scholarship and education on campus.

UGA has been diligent in keeping parking fees the same for the last 10 years, which Walter said is “pretty incredible. While a number of other universities have increased parking fees over this same period and with another peer recently announcing a significant increase to its fees, we are pleased that we have been able to keep our fees flat for the last 10 years.”

According to TPS, 70 percent of ­faculty and staff have parking permits, and 35 percent of students have them. The fees collected from those permits help offset the cost of maintenance and improvements for parking lots and decks. A priority system was created in 2002 that allowed for designated parking in a permitted area. This helped reduce traffic around campus and provided faculty and staff with the flexibility to choose their parking area based on a balance of proximity to their destination and cost. The algorithm used to determine priority was created by a UGA mathematics professor.

Parking fees are $10, $20, $30 or $40 per month and are based on the lot’s proximity to the core of campus. Faculty and staff who prefer not to purchase a permit may ride the Athens Transit bus for free with their ID card.

Reinvesting funds

In addition to income from permit fees, TPS also looks to the non-campus community, such as selling parking spaces for home football games, including the East Campus deck and lots E11 and E03. Those funds, along with other parking revenues are reinvested in a variety of ways.

Maintenance and safety of parking lots and decks are a top priority, with annual investments toward maintenance of lots, such as sealcoating, paving and striping.

The 11 decks at UGA also are inspected by a structural engineer every year, and TPS funds the costs of the recommended maintenance from reserves.

To maintain lower rates, while still providing campus added value, TPS is testing low-cost options for enhancements, such as the upcoming addition of space counting systems in all decks (see story, page 2).

Drivers will be able to see that information on a display outside the decks or in an app being developed with EITS. Not only does this save drivers time and stress, but it also cuts down on emissions because it helps eliminate the need to drive around to find a parking spot.

Parking fees go toward other environmental- and cost-friendly efforts, as well.

TPS has installed energy-efficient LED lighting in all decks and is converting lots to gateless and “virtual permit” systems that are based on license plates. In addition, TPS recently received a multimillion dollar grant to procure a significant number of fully electric, zero-emission buses that will be less expensive to maintain than UGA’s fleet of diesel buses.

TPS also offers an Alternative Transportation Program for those who choose bus, car pool, bike, walk or motorcycle, scooter/ moped as their primary means of transportation. These faculty, staff and students may qualify for an ATP permit that allows deck parking on one or two days per month (except August) to use on rainy days or as otherwise needed. Parking fees also support the Motorist Assistance Program, available from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays.

The services, which are available at no additional cost to users, include jump-starts of batteries, search (if you forget where you parked), lights-on notices and assistance or directions for campus events. For assistance, call 706-542-7275.

“We’re constantly looking to improve the services we provide and to become more efficient,” Walter said.

PROFESSOR from page 1 s­ upports health equity research and education, is the UGA School of Social Work’s newest endowed professorship.

Fusco earned her doctorate in social welfare at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on finding interventions that prevent or reduce childhood trauma and improve the delivery of services that strengthen families and keep children safe.

She has conducted studies exploring, among other things, the effect on children of exposure to intimate partner violence, the impact on children of parental substance abuse and mental health problems, predictors of mental health for youth aging out of foster care, and mothers’ experiences parenting biracial children.

As the GAA Professor in Health and Well-Being, Fusco will address persistent and emerging disparities in the health and welfare of underserved populations and help

RUSSELL

from page 1

pantry and food items to campus residents while the Russell Academic Center features public classrooms and study space that represent Housing’s focus on supporting residents’ academic success.

Originally opened in 1967 as an all-male residence hall, Russell Hall was rededicated Aug. 1. At the ceremony, Russell Hall resident assistant and former Russell Hall community council president Katherine Do, a third-year biology major, reflected on her time in the building before the renovation and remarked on her excitement about welcoming a new generation of Bulldogs in fall 2018.

“Our mission statement in the Residence Hall Association is ‘Where Housing Meets Home,’ ” she said. “The renovated spaces and new amenities will instill this ideal even further—showing residents that this is the place to grow and succeed.”

to strengthen the university’s dual degree graduate program in social work and public health.

Prior to receiving her doctorate, Fusco worked in the Texas child welfare system, in a domestic violence shelter and in adult and adolescent mental health treatment programs.

Bulletin Board Division consolidation

On July 1, University Business and Accounting Services and Budget Division became a consolidated “Finance Division” under the continued leadership of Holley Schramski and James Shore. This restructuring is due to the business transformation of the OneSource project and the implementation of the new PeopleSoft systems.

Drop/add dates correction

The drop/add dates for fall semester were incorrect in the UGA Guide section of the July 31 Columns. Drop/add will run Aug. 13-17 for fall semester undergraduate- and graduate-level courses.

Bulletin Board is limited to information that may pertain to a majority of faculty and staff members.