UGA Columns Aug. 20, 2018

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Counselor creates public health interventions to combat inequality RESEARCH NEWS

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World War I posters are focus of new exhibition at Georgia Museum of Art Vol. 46, No. 4

August 20, 2018

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UGA GUIDE

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Scientists calculate impact of ban on plastic waste imports

By James Hataway jhataway@uga.edu

Andrew Davis Tucker

An active learning initiative at the University of Georgia is promoting higher levels of student engagement and success by transforming traditional classrooms into environments that foster critical thinking, discussion and teamwork.

Record-setting class New programs, initiatives launched to bring quality of instruction, student support to new heights

By Sam Fahmy

sfahmy@uga.edu

A commitment to academic excellence defines the University of Georgia’s Class of 2022, a group of students with record academic qualifications and high aspirations for the future.

The approximately 5,750 firstyear students in the Class of 2022 have an average weighted high school GPA of 4.04, which is a record at UGA, and an average ACT score of 30, which ties last year’s record. For comparison, the average weighted GPA of incoming UGA students was 3.9 four years ago, and the average ACT score was 29. SAT scores of incoming students have reached a record level, as well, with an average of 1365 for the Class of 2022 compared to 1344 last year.

“As the University of Georgia gains prominence as one of the top public research universities, the caliber of students we are attracting continues to rise,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “Equally important, we are providing an optimal learning environment in which students are challenged academically and supported in ways that promote their success.”

The rigor of students’ high school coursework relative to what is available at their school is a key factor in admissions decisions.

Members of the Class of 2022 completed an average of eight College Board Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or dual-enrollment courses in high school, which ties last year’s record.

Members of the Class of 2022 are beginning their studies at a

time when the university is rolling out several new programs and initiatives to bring the institution’s quality of instruction and student support to new heights.

An active learning initiative is promoting higher levels of student engagement and success by transforming traditional classrooms into environments that foster critical thinking, discussion and teamwork. Two new Living Learning Communities—one focused on entrepreneurship and another focused on research—are connecting students with exclusive learning opportunities, facilities and faculty mentors.

“The Office of Instruction has been working diligently with the Division of Student Affairs and other campus partners on several See FRESHMEN on page 8

OUTREACH NEWS

‘Group effort’: Elbert County alleviates debt, ramps up public safety with UGA assistance

By Kellyn Amodeo

kwamodeo@uga.edu

She was just a year older than his daughter.

When Rick Mewborn arrived on the scene, he knew she was almost gone. Her small car was wrapped around a tree just a few miles from the Elberton square.

She was slumped in her seat, unconscious and not breathing.

He opened her airway and stayed with her until ambulances arrived. Weeks later, she made a full recovery.

These are the types of stories that stick with him.

For almost 40 years, Mewborn has served with the volunteer fire department in Elbert County.

He started as a volunteer, moved to partRick Mewborn time chief and earlier this year was named fulltime chief.

He manages a 42-apparatus fleet of 130 people who dedicate time and resources to Elbert County. Most volunteer firefighters also serve as first responders. Many

have full-time jobs along with other community obligations, but despite those commitments, they still serve.

They keep their radios on at all times. They drop everything when a call is close. And they are always ready to jump into action for the people in their community.

That’s what it all boils down to: helping the community. But more than a decade ago, the firefighters were the ones who needed help.

Staggering debt

In 2006, Elbert County was $2 million in debt. Tommy Lyon, the new chair of the county See ELBERT on page 7

While recycling is often touted as the solution to the large-scale production of plastic waste, upwards of half of the plastic waste intended for recycling is exported from higher income countries to other nations, with China historically taking the largest share.

But in 2017, China passed the “National Sword” policy, which permanently bans the import of nonindustrial plastic waste as of January 2018. Now, scientists from the University of Georgia have calculated the potential global impact of this legislation and how it might

affect efforts to reduce the amount of plastic waste entering the world’s landfills and natural environment.

They published their findings in the journal Science Advances.

“We know from our previous studies that only 9 percent of all plastic ever produced has been recycled, and the majority of it ends up in landfills or the natural environment,” said Jenna Jambeck, associate professor in UGA’s College of Engineering and co-author of the study. “About 111 million metric tons of plastic waste is going to be displaced because of the import ban through 2030, so we’re going to have to develop more

See PLASTIC on page 8

PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH, OFFICE OF RESEARCH

Three finalists named for national economic development award

By Kelly Simmons

simmonsk@uga.edu

For the second year, three University of Georgia programs have been selected as finalists for national awards recognizing innovation in economic development.

Archway Partnership, Carl Vinson Institute of Government and Innovation Gateway are among the 24 finalists for the University Economic Development Association 2018 Awards of Excellence.

UGA’s finalists are in different categories and will not compete with one another.

UEDA represents higher

education, private sector and community economic development stakeholders across North America. Entries were judged by a panel of university and economic development professionals based on the alignment of their institution’s core mission activities with regional economic development goals. Categories include innovation, talent and place, as well as the intersections of these three categories. Criteria for judging included originality, scalability, sustainability, impact and the feasibility of other organizations replicating the initiatives

See AWARD on page 8

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Portrait of Mary Frances Early to be unveiled at Oct. 10 ceremony The University of Georgia will celebrate the life and achievements of Mary Frances Early, the first African American to earn a degree from the University of Georgia, by unveiling her portrait in the Administration Building at a ceremony on Oct. 10, UGA President Jere W. Morehead announced.

The portrait, by artist Richard Wilson, will be installed in The Gordon Jones Gallery of the Administration Building to honor Early, who went on to become the director of music for Atlanta Public Schools and the first African American president of the Georgia Music Educators Association in 1981.

“Mary Frances Early has been a source of inspiration for generations of students across the state of Georgia and beyond,” President Morehead said. “Her portrait will serve as a lasting tribute to her

dignified courage and her commitment to educational excellence.”

“I am so excited about this portrait,” said Early. “I Mary Frances Early a m d e e p l y humbled and honored, and so grateful to be recognized in this way. It’s really quite a tribute.”

The installation of Early’s portrait is part of a series of accolades celebrating her life and career.

In January 2018, Early received one of UGA’s highest honors, the President’s Medal. On Sept. 11, the documentary “Mary Frances Early: The Quiet Trailblazer” will premiere in Atlanta. The See EARLY on page 8

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Commit to Georgia 2018

Why I Give

UGA STUDENTS VISIT ATHENS HIGH SCHOOLS—More than

60 University of Georgia students traveled to Clarke Central and Cedar Shoals high schools Aug. 7 to welcome incoming students as they started their new year. This is the third year for the event, which is organized by the Office of the President, the Office of Service-Learning and student leaders from across campus.

The goal is to connect UGA with local high school students so they can begin to see the University of Georgia as a future destination.

Name: Laura Little Position: Synovus director, Institute for Leadership Advancement and associate professor of management, Terry College of Business At UGA: 10 years

Laura Little

Beneficiary of her gift to the university: Institute for Leadership Advancement Why she contributes: “I believe in our students and our mission. I am continually impressed with our students’ abilities as well as their commitment and dedication to the program, to the university and to making the world a better place. They are truly amazing, and they inspire me to do all I can to support them in reaching their goals.”

Andrew Davis Tucker

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.

Andrew Davis Tucker

OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGE

Students go ‘North College of Engineering of the Arch’ to learn names new associate dean Mike Wooten about downtown Athens Bymwooten@uga.edu

By Emily Pateuk epateuk@uga.edu

On Aug. 11, approximately 250 first-year, transfer and international students explored the shops and sights of downtown Athens during the second annual North of the Arch event.

Sponsored by the University of Georgia Office of Government Relations and the Athens Downtown Development Authority, North of the Arch gave students a chance to explore the many businesses, restaurants and services that make Athens a vibrant and unique college town.

To participate in the event, students joined with hallmates and friends to form teams of two to six participants and visited a diverse group of 26 participating locations, including Washington Square Studio, Graduate Athens, the Athens Welcome Center and K.A. Artist Studio. Other downtown locations participating in North of the Arch included a number of alumni-owned businesses such as Zombie Coffee and Donuts, Onward Reserve, Rook and Pawn, and Frontier.

“It was nice that we could go and look around all of these different businesses in Athens,” said first-year student Jessica Drewke. “Now we know where the shops are, and I know we will go back to them.”

In addition to learning about many of the downtown businesses, students also learned about some of the services and amenities available in Athens-Clarke County. Representatives from the Oconee Rivers Greenway Commission set up an information table on College Avenue to educate students about the river-oriented pathways residents can run and bike on around Athens. An adjacent table hosted by the UGA Office of Sustainability provided information about the upcoming bike-sharing program on campus as well as campus groups students can join that help make Athens and UGA more sustainable. The ACC Board of Elections served as an official North of the Arch site and answered questions students had about registering to vote in Athens.

“North of the Arch provides first-year and transfer students with an opportunity to explore Athens early in their college career and learn about the diversity of activities available to them during their time in this community,” said Alison Bracewell McCullick, director of community relations at UGA. “This event officially welcomes them to Athens, and we hope they will continue to become engaged in their home-away-from-home during their years here.”

North of the Arch not only provided students with an opportunity to learn more about downtown Athens, but it also was an opportunity for businesses to demonstrate their services to Athens’ newest residents.

“North of the Arch is a wonderful, fun event that encourages new UGA students— freshmen and transfer students alike—to come across Broad Street and explore the variety of businesses in downtown Athens,” said Linda Ford, executive director of the Athens Downtown Development Authority.

“The Athens Downtown Development Authority and downtown Athens merchants welcome all UGA students, and we look forward to another great year together.”

Ramaraja Ramasamy has been named associate dean for academic affairs and assessment for the College of Engineering at the University of Georgia.

Ramasamy, a member of the UGA faculty since 2010, will work with the faculty and the chairs of the College of Engineering’s three schools to evolve and enhance the student experience. He will be responsible for critical college-level academic processes including curriculum changes, administering the high-demand major application process, promotion and tenure, and third-year review.

He will lead the implementation and maintenance of assessment processes associated Ramaraja with accreditation efforts in the college.

Ramasamy Ramasamy began his new role Aug. 1.

“Dr. Ramasamy’s experience and his enthusiasm for engineering education makes him the right person for this important position,” said Donald Leo, dean of the College of the Engineering and UGA Foundation Professor in Engineering. “He provided invaluable leadership as we launched the School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, and I look forward to working closely with Ramaraja as our college continues to grow.”

Ramasamy first came to UGA as an assistant professor in biochemical engineering in 2010. He was named an associate professor in 2015. During the 2016-2017 academic year, he served as founding chair of the new School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering. Ramasamy also serves as an adjunct professor in UGA’s chemistry department.

Ramasamy has developed and taught bio-electrochemical engineering courses at the undergraduate and graduate level.

His research in the areas of electrochemical energy conversion, biosensors and bio-nanomaterials overlaps with material science, biochemistry, microbiology, biotechnology and analytical chemistry. His work has resulted in 60 articles in leading scientific journals.

In 2001, Ramasamy earned a bachelor of technology in chemical and electrochemical engineering from Central Electrochemical Research Institute in India. He received a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of South Carolina in 2004.

Ramasamy succeeds Ramana Pidaparti, who has served in this role since 2014. Pidaparti will return to full-time research and teaching in the College of Engineering.

“I am very excited to take up this new role as associate dean for academic affairs and assessment, and I look forward to working with Dean Leo and our college faculty in the coming years,” said Ramasamy. “I also would like to thank Dr. Pidaparti for his service over the past four years.”

“Dr. Pidaparti has provided strong leadership as associate dean and has worked closely with faculty, staff and students on a number of key initiatives,” said Leo. “We are grateful for all that Ramana has accomplished. I know I speak for the entire college when I say it has been a tremendous pleasure to work with Ramana during his time as associate dean. I know that he will continue to provide strong leadership and develop innovative programs from his position as a senior faculty member in our college.”

Andrew Davis Tucker

COLLEGE OF FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES

FACS building being renamed, renovated

By Cal Powell

jcpowell@uga.edu

The College of Family and Consumer Sciences will rename one of its buildings the Charles Schwab Financial Planning Center in recognition of the Charles Schwab Foundation’s generous financial support.

In partnership with Schwab Advisor Services, Charles Schwab Foundation has committed $575,000 on behalf of independent investment advisors toward a major interior renovation project within the college’s Financial Planning Research Center, or “House B,” that will provide world-class facilities for training the next generation of financial planning professionals.

The building, which most recently housed offices for financial planning faculty and graduate students as well as a conference room, was constructed in 1939. The name change was approved by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia at its meeting on May 15.

“We are excited about this new relationship with Schwab Advisor Services,” said Sheri Worthy, head of the financial planning, housing and consumer economics department. “The renovation of the Financial Planning Research Center will enhance experiential learning and help us create real-life interactions for our students.”

In addition to the Charles Schwab Foundation grant, three independent advisory firms in Atlanta— SignatureFD, TrueWealth Management and Homrich Berg Wealth Management—have committed a total of $100,000 to the project.

“We are proud to work with University of Georgia to promote fiscal education and raise awareness of careers in financial planning on campus,” said Bernie Clark, executive vice president and head of Schwab Advisor Services. “We are also thrilled to be joined by three of our independent advisor clients in the effort to help develop the next generation of independent advisor talent.”

The renovation project will create three client meeting rooms with video and audio technology to record students conducting one-on-one and group sessions at off-campus locations; lab space for students to conduct self-observations; and additional office space for graduate students and faculty.

The renovation will triple the space currently available for a program that is growing in enrollment by 25 percent each year.

In addition to the gift from the Charles Schwab Foundation, the University of Georgia and the college have committed funds. Additional private funds will complete the nearly $1 million investment in the program’s facilities.

The project is expected to be completed in early 2019.

The financial planning program within FACS is fully accredited by the CFP® board and has been ranked as one of the top 10 programs in the country by Financial Planning Magazine.

RESEARCH NEWS

columns.uga.edu Aug. 20, 2018

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Digest College of Environment and Design plans reception for new dean, exhibit

Andrew Davis Tucker

Bernadette Heckman’s research looks at disparities in access to care and treatment, specifically those with chronic migraines.

Bridging the health care gap Counselor creates public health interventions to combat inequality

The American health care system has been called many things, but “simple” isn’t usually one of them.

At the University of Georgia, ­Bernadette Heckman is tackling one of the most complicated aspects of the health care industry: inequality in care and treatment. The associate professor of counseling psychology first noticed disparities in access to care during her work in clinical settings.

As her clientele became more diverse, she realized that most academic literature on chronic pain focused on majority populations, with little insight into groups that are often socially and economically marginalized and underserved. And those groups were the ones disproportionately suffering from chronic pain, headaches, HIV/AIDS and other challenging health conditions.

They’re also the least likely to get treatment for their health problems.

“I was already interested in multiculturalism and social justice,” Heckman said. “When I began my research, I started identifying disparities in headache treatment and outcomes and realized this was an overlooked area of research.”

Heckman began working with chronic migraine patients, meaning they experienced severe headaches 15 days or more per month. She d iscovered that not only were­ ­

African Americans having more frequent headaches than their white American counterparts, but they also were more highly disabled by their headaches and less likely to stay in treatment.

“Many communities are having to deal with higher rates of diseases and poorer access to treatment because of these inequalities,” said Heckman. “As policies change and we think about health care differently, we can start to identify more barriers as well as psychosocial and social and ecological factors that might promote health and reduce health disparities.”

One of the first steps to address some of these inequalities is to expand access to care, so Heckman and her team are working with UGA’s College of Public Health and the Georgia Department of Public Health to implement teletherapy in Georgia counties designated as health professional shortage areas.

Currently, Heckman’s efforts are devoted primarily to developing culturally contextualized interventions and training a culturally sensitive behavioral health workforce to deliver evidencebased behavioral health services to reduce health disparities. In 2014, she received a $1.3 million dollar grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to increase the size of Georgia’s behavioral health workforce in K-12 schools throughout 13 counties

in Georgia.

Heckman and her research team were also recently awarded a $1.9 million dollar HRSA grant to grow the behavioral health workforce in schools and community-based health care settings throughout the state. Heckman believes her group’s two-pronged approach—conducting rigorous health disparities research coupled with workforce development—is the most efficient and time-sensitive way to address health disparities in Georgia and the country as a whole.

Ultimately, she hopes her efforts will help eliminate inequities in treatment across all racial and ethnic groups, geographic boundaries and sexual and gender identities.

And for Heckman, it’s critical that University of Georgia be at the forefront of this research.

“We’re in a very racially, economically and geographically diverse state,” she said. “As a university, we value a multicultural sense of justice and diversity in our student population. It’s our duty to serve the needs of the state and to eliminate inequities in health care.”

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.

TERRY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

Economics study: Eliminating large denomination bills might have more costs than benefits over time Preliminary findings from the University of Georgia show that social welfare could decline when people can’t pay with $50 and $100 bills. The research, which appeared this summer in the Cato Journal, takes a preliminary step in estimating whether proposals to eliminate the two largest denominations of dollar bills are worthwhile.

Popular proposals for eliminating large bills say it could reduce tax evasion and undesirable trade in the underground economy, like drug trafficking.

“Getting rid of cash overall might have more costs than benefits, and the purpose of any policy should be to increase our well-being, not reduce it,” said William D. Lastrapes, an economics professor at UGA’s Terry College of Business.

Many people try to evade taxes by using cash because it’s less traceable than cards or checks, Lastrapes said. His research was also motivated by claims that most $100 bills, and even $50 bills, are used in the underground economy for many other illicit purposes.

Lastrapes said a policy to do away with large bills would have subtle costs and unintended consequences for people who follow the law. He used a macroeconomic model to analyze what would happen to the economy if the government eliminated cash for the purposes of reducing tax evasion.

His analysis found that suppressing big bills reduced tax evasion and increased government spending on valuable infrastructure and public goods, but because people paid more taxes,

they worked and invested less, which caused total economic production in the model to fall.

“Simulating the model showed that, overall, this cost in lost output and consumption exceeded the benefits of less tax evasion, making people worse off from getting rid of cash,” he said.

The paper lays the groundwork for further examination, especially with the interest in cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, as alternatives to currency.

But the model’s main strength, he said, is that it showed that the effects such proposals would have on social welfare could reliably be quantified.

“As economists, we try to be as precise as possible. Can we put some numbers to the costs and benefits? If so, then you can make better policy,” he said.

The UGA College of Environment and Design welcomes its new dean, Sonia Hirt, with a public reception Aug. 22 from 4:30-6 p.m. in the Jackson Street Building.

Open free to the public, the event is in conjunction with the first Circle Gallery opening of the new academic year, Iconic American Landscapes: Photographs by Carol Betsch.

Hirt, who took the helm of the CED on July 1, holds the Hughes UGA Professorship in Landscape Architecture and Planning. She earned her doctorate in urban, technological and environmental planning at the University of Michigan and was named a Fellow by the American Institute of Certified Planners in March. Before coming to UGA, Hirt was dean and professor of the University of Maryland’s School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation.

The Circle Gallery features five exhibits per year, with an emphasis on environmental design, historic preservation and planning. Photographs for this exhibit are part of a larger collection created by the Library of American Landscape History and donated to the CED in 2015. Betsch is a nationally recognized photographer of landscapes and uses a large-format wood camera to capture the essence of the places she documents.

Tull School of Accounting ranks No. 1 in first-time CPA exam pass rates

Graduates of the University of Georgia’s J.M. Tull School of Accounting ranked No. 1 among large programs and No. 3 among all programs for first-time pass rates on the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination during 2017, according to the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy.

The Tull School’s top-ranked pass rate was 86.3 percent—almost 2 percentage points above the second-ranked school. It marked the second time in three years that graduates of Tull’s BBA and MAcc programs have earned the No. 1 spot.

Tull graduates were ranked alongside recent graduates from 264 U.S. accounting programs with large enrollments. The rankings were based on aggregated data from all four testing windows of the 2017 Uniform CPA Examination proctored by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy.

The exam is a 16-hour computer-based test comprised of four four-hour sections. To pass the rigorous professional certification, test-takers must score a minimum of 75 percent on each section.

Twenty-two UGA swimmers, divers named 2018 Scholar All-Americans

The College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America has announced the selection of 22 Georgia swimmers and divers to its 2018 Scholar All-America team.

The award recognizes students who have achieved a GPA of 3.50 or higher and competed at their respective NCAA swimming and diving championships. The 1,069 first team selections were drawn from 181 colleges and universities across all divisions.

Individuals named were Blake Atmore, Alex Bemiller, Gunnar Bentz, Powell Brooks, Jackson Ford, Clayton Forde, Ian Forlini, James Guest, Josh Horne, Patrick Humphreys and Billy Rothery for the Bulldogs; and Olivia Anderson, Donna Blaum, Caitlin Casazza, Danielle Della Torre, Jordyn Gulle, Freida Lim, Anna ­McKenzie, Meaghan Raab, Sandra Scott, Kylie Stewart and Jordan Stout for the Lady Bulldogs.

In the spring semester, the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs also earned Scholar All-America status as a team with respective 3.08 and 3.31 GPAs.

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4 Aug. 20, 2018 columns.uga.edu

RESEARCH NEWS

DEVELOPMENT & ALUMNI RELATIONS

UGA Board of Visitors welcomes 27 members

By Leigh Raynor lraynor@uga.edu

Established in 2010 by the UGA Foundation Board of Trustees, the Board of Visitors comprises business, government and community leaders who serve as advocates for UGA. Members help increase awareness about the university’s accomplishments, priorities and its $5.7 billion impact on the state of Georgia.

“The Board of Visitors plays a special role in advancing the mission of the University of Georgia,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “I appreciate the commitment of our new board members to supporting the vital work of our faculty, staff and students.”

The new members joining the Board of Visitors Class of 2018-2020, in alphabetical order, are: • Richard J. “Rich” Arroll II, Atlanta, partner, Major & Arroll LLC; • Matthew P. “Matt” Brigham, Roswell, assistant vice president and assistant treasurer, Genuine Parts Co.; • Remer Y. Brinson III, Augusta, president, State Bank and Trust Co.; • Charlie Broussard, Athens, national account manager, Merck Animal Health; • Tammie Brown, Brookhaven, philanthropist; • LeRoya Chester Jennings, Atlanta, trial attorney and founder, Chester Jennings & Smith LLC; • James G. “Guyton” Cochran Jr., Carrollton, executive vice president and chief financial officer, Southwire Co.; • Elizabeth R. Cook, Columbus, senior associate general counsel, Total System Services Inc.; • Robert L. “Bob” Crutchfield, Atlanta, managing director, American Cancer Society’s BrightEdge Venture Fund; • John F. “Freeman” Elliott, Newnan, president, Orkin Pest Control; • Paul A. “Paton” Faletti Jr., Atlanta, president and CEO, NCM Associates; • Jonathan B. Gibson, Mooresville, North Carolina, vice president of marketing and communications, Penske Racing; • Cort A. Haber, Brookhaven, principal, Haber Investment Counsel; • Rachel R. “Row” Henson, Atlanta, retired fellow, Peoplesoft, and best-selling author; • Dominique I.H. Holloman, chief of staff, Rep. William K. Boddie Jr., Georgia House District 62; • James C. Jackson, Charlotte, North Carolina, former regional president and retail banking executive, Bank of America and Capital One; • James C. “Jamie” McCurry, Savannah, chief administrative officer, Georgia Ports Authority; • Mary Elizabeth Waddell Sadd, Johns Creek, senior client partner, Korn/Ferry International; • Steven L. “Steve” Sanders, Augusta, partner, Fulcher Hagler LLP; • Brian E. Satisky, Atlanta, owner, Steel Mart Inc.; • Jodi Selvey, Atlanta, senior vice president, principal, market leader office occupier services, Colliers International; • Ronal T. “Todd” Shutley, Brookhaven, executive vice president, SunTrust Bank; • Diane Smock, Greenville, South Carolina, retired judge; • Timothy N. “Neil” Stevens, Athens, president and CEO, Oconee State Bank; • Charles B. “Charlie” Thompson, Atlanta, founder, ASW Distillery; • Andres C. Villegas, Forsyth, president and CEO, Georgia Forestry Association; and • Wiley A. Wasden III, Savannah, managing partner, Brennan Wasden & Painter LLC. “We are proud to welcome this impressive group to the Board of Visitors,” said Neal Quirk, chair of the UGA Foundation Board of Trustees’ nominating and trusteeship committee. “As prominent leaders in their fields, they have a unique ability to use their voices to advocate for what they believe in. We are truly lucky that they have chosen the University of Georgia as one of their causes to champion.

“As members, they will have opportunities to interact with university administrators and, most importantly, students,” he also said. “Hearing firsthand how UGA has impacted the lives of young people and shaped their futures is paramount to garnering more support for this university. I know that our new and existing members will help spread the word about the power of a UGA education—not only on an individual’s life but also on communities across our state and globe.”

During Board of Visitors members’ two-year terms, they learn about UGA’s initiatives to extend and enhance its teaching, research and service mission. Recent program topics have centered on UGA’s entrepreneurship program, increased mentorship opportunities and the UGA Small Satellite Research Laboratory.

Nominations for new members are accepted at any time during the year.

Peter Frey

Yajun Yan and other researchers used a genetic toolkit to build a metabolic sensor to regulate a cell’s production of a biochemical.

Turning cells into factories UGA researchers explore new ‘smart’ approach to metabolic engineering

By Mike Wooten

mwooten@uga.edu

Researchers in the University of Georgia College of Engineering have developed a new genetic “smart circuit” that could signal an important advance in the field of metabolic engineering.

They outline their findings in a study published this month in the journal Nature Communications.

Scientists use metabolic engineering to rewire the metabolism of microorganisms and turn them into efficient machines optimized to perform specific tasks. Genetically engineered bacteria can produce valuable chemicals for a variety of applications in research, biomedicine and industry.

While scientists have explored a variety of methods for regulating cellular metabolism for decades, making cells into efficient factories is a challenging

task. Cells have robust metabolic networks with hard-wired, tightly regulated lines of communication that resist efforts to divert resources.

“Cells are not happy when they are regulated,” said Yajun Yan, an associate professor in the College of Engineering and one of the study’s authors. “They will produce only what’s necessary for their growth. Our method tells the cell to switch from growth mode to production mode.”

Inspired by natural processes, the UGA scientists used a genetic toolkit to build a metabolic sensor and control network that works in real time to regulate a cell’s production of a certain biochemical. Specifically, the researchers reprogrammed the regulatory network of E. coli to increase the bacteria’s production of muconic acid.

The acid is a potential precursor in the production of nylon 66, commonly

used in textiles and plastics.

The study’s co-first authors are Yaping Yang, a postdoctoral research assistant in Yan’s laboratory, and Yuheng Lin, the chief technology officer of BiotecEra Inc. Lin and Yan are co-founders of the biotechnology company housed in UGA’s Innovation Gateway Incubator.

“Our dynamic regulatory network is a novel manipulation strategy,” said Yang. “Up to now, many sensorregulators have been identified, characterized and demonstrated but these more basic approaches have not found broad applications in biotechnology research and development. The new design of our dynamic control network can be broadly applied to these sensorregulators to improve various chemical production in microbes.”

The researchers say the next step in their work is to test the function of their metabolic smart network on a large scale.

COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Largest study in US about antibiotic overuse gets $2.4 million in funding to gather data

By Lauren Baggett lbaggett@uga.edu

A patient walks into a doctor’s office with a cough and leaves with prescription for an antibiotic.

Mark Ebell sees something wrong with this picture.

“Of people who come in and complain of a new cough, about three out of four are given an antibiotic, and about half of those are a broadspectrum antibiotic, yet only about 1 in 10 has a bacterial infection that can potentially benefit from an antibiotic,” said Ebell, a physician and researcher at the University of Georgia College of Public Health.

Despite numerous warnings about the long-term dangers of overprescribing antibiotics, many health care providers still recommend antibiotics for patients with a cough who don’t need them, and part of the reason for that, Ebell said, is doctors don’t have good tools to sort out when to prescribe an antibiotic.

Now, Ebell and collaborators at Georgetown University and the University of Wisconsin have received a five-year, $2.4 million grant from the

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to help physicians and patients reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.

The study, which is the largest of its kind in the U.S., will gather clinical data for 1,400 patients who present with an acute cough and track their progress over the length of their illness.

“Family physicians, emergency physicians and other primary care providers see a lot of acute respiratory infections,” said Ebell.

In fact, nearly 40 million people every year see the doctor because they have a lower respiratory tract infection —cough, the flu or even pneumonia— yet there is still a lot we don’t know about these infections.

“What causes these infections, how long do they last, how can we distinguish ones that may benefit from an antibiotic from ones that don’t need an antibiotic, how can we more efficiently figure out who needs a chest X-ray—all these questions have not been well-studied in the U.S. primary care setting,” said Ebell.

The researchers plan to gather baseline data about each patient regarding demographic information, signs and

symptoms, as well as lab tests, including a panel that looks for more than 20 viruses and bacteria.

Based on how participants’ illnesses progress, the team will be able to better understand how patients with different acute lower respiratory tract infections present and how they progress.

“We hope to use all of that information to develop tools that can help doctors do a better job of figuring out who needs an antibiotic and who doesn’t,” he said.

This isn’t the first time Ebell has taken aim at curbing inappropriate antibiotic use. In a recent study that appeared in the Annals of Family Medicine, Ebell presented a series of simple clinical rules to accurately detect bacterial sinus infections.

Though primary practice guidelines only recommend the use of antibiotics for patients who have experienced prolonged or severe symptoms, an estimated 72 percent of patients with respiratory infections receive an antibiotic.

The team began the first phases of the study in June and will begin recruiting patients in the summer of 2019.

UGAGUIDE

columns.uga.edu Aug. 20, 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 C ­ ontrol 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.

TUESDAY, AUG. 21 WORKSHOP In “Fostering Productive and Inclusive Student Discussions,” participants will discuss barriers and solutions to facilitating productive, in-class student discussions that give opportunities 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 discussion-based activities.

9:30 a.m. Model Active Learning Lab, Instructional Plaza. 706-542-1355. zoe.morris@uga.edu.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 22 EID AL-ADHA Islamic religious observance.

TOUR AT TWO Docent-led tour of highlights from the permanent collection. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.

WELCOME RECEPTION Reception for Sonia Hirt, new dean of the College of Environment and Design, and opening of the exhibit Iconic American Landscapes: Photographs by Carol Betsch. 4:30 p.m. Circle Gallery, Jackson Street Building. (See Digest, page 3).

THURSDAY, AUG. 23 NATURE RAMBLERS Also Aug. 30. 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.

WORKSHOP 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 Asen Kirin, the 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.

PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS Designed for beginners, “Lighting and Flash for Digital Photography” will establish the basic terminology, equipment and techniques used in digital photography. Students will need to bring a digital SLR camera and shoe mount flash with the owner’s manual to class and be familiar with the camera and flash settings. The instructor will advise participants of other equipment needed for class. $179.

6 p.m. Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel. 706-542-3537. questions@georgiacenter.uga.edu.

FRIDAY, AUG. 24 SOCCER vs. Indiana. 6 p.m. Turner Soccer Complex.

VOLLEYBALL vs. Coastal Carolina. 7 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.

SATURDAY, AUG. 25 CLASS “Plant Conservation: Protecting Plant Diversity in the Garden and in the Wild” surveys threats to biodiversity in Georgia and worldwide, examples of rare plant research, techniques for restoration and reintroduction, and ways individuals and organizations are making a difference in protecting the rare plants of Georgia. Class will include group discussions and tours of the Mimsie Lanier Center for Native Plant Studies. $105. 9 a.m. Mimsie Lanier Center for Native Plant Studies, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156. cscamero@uga.edu.

At the home of the artist.

706-542-9842. bradberry@uga.edu.

OPENING RECEPTION Opening reception for an art exhibition featuring the work of Judy Bolton Jarrett. 2 p.m. Visitor Center, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014. connicot@uga.edu.

SOCCER vs. Charlotte. 2 p.m. Turner Soccer Complex.

FULL MOON HIKE Each walk will focus on a different topic such as the moon, constellations or nocturnal creatures. Be prepared to hike up to 2 miles on wooded trails and in the garden. A backpack carrier is suggested for infants and young children. Preregistration is required. $5 per person or $15 per family. 8 p.m. Visitor Center fountain, State Botanical Garden.

706-542-6156. cscamero@uga.edu.

For Home and Country: World War I Posters from the Blum Collection presents a selection of propaganda images, including Alonzo Foringer’s Red Cross poster, on view at the Georgia Museum of Art through Nov. 18.

By Hillary Brown

hazbrown@uga.edu

COMING UP MULTICULTURAL FACULTY AND STAFF RECEPTION Aug. 28. Hosted by the Office of the President and the Office of Institutional Diversity. Open to all faculty and staff.

RSVP to the Office of Special Events at rsvpuga@uga.edu or 706-542-7619.

3:30 p.m. M. Smith Griffith Grand Hall, Georgia Museum of Art. SUNFLOWER MUSIC SERIES Aug. 28. Chickasaw Mudd Puppies made its mark in the early 1990s with records produced by REM’s Michael Stipe and blues icon Willie Dixon.

The band regrouped a few years ago, re-emerging with a sound honoring its roots while adding a few new tricks.

Presented by Friends of the Garden, Flagpole, Athens Coca-Cola and Northeast Sales & Distributing. Ticket price includes beverages and light snacks. $15, general admission; $10, Friends of the Garden; $5, children ages 6-12.

7 p.m. Flower Garden Lawn, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6138. lpbryant@uga.edu.

CLASS Aug. 29. “Line and Line Mass Design” is the first of five units to earn the basic design certificate from the Garden Club of Georgia. Participants will be provided a list of materials to bring to class.

Limited to 20 participants. $45; $40.50 for members. 9 a.m. Visitor Center, Gardenside Room, State Botanical Garden.

706-542-6156. cscamero@uga.edu.

VOLLEYBALL vs. Illinois State. 7:30 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.

WUGA ARTIST IN RESIDENCE WUGA’s August artist is Michael Oliveri, an associate professor at the Lamar Dodd School of Art. $10 for Friends of WUGA; $20 for non-members. Friends memberships are $30 or more annually.

ARTIST TALK Aug. 31. Daisy Craddock will give a lecture about her work, which is on view in the M. Smith Griffith Grand Hall. 3 p.m.

Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4462. gmoa@uga.edu.

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/.

WORLD WAR I POSTERS ARE THE FOCUS OF MUSEUM EXHIBITION

SUNDAY, AUG. 26

TOUR AT TWO Aug. 29. Join Shawnya Harris, the Larry D. and Brenda A. Thompson Curator of African American and African Diasporic Art, for a tour of selected works in the museum’s permanent collection. 2 p.m.

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

VOLLEYBALL vs. Furman. 12:30 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.

5

This Nov. 11 marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, a war unlike any that had preceded it. The War to End All Wars featured the use of state propaganda on a new and large scale. Posters were a particularly widespread form of propaganda, making a case for action through pictures as well as words. The exhibition For Home and Country: World War I Posters from the Blum Collection presents a selection of these images and is on view at the Georgia Museum of Art through Nov. 18.

These posters were collected by Murray Blum, a pioneering entomologist and UGA professor who died in 2015, and his wife, Nancy, Ann Blum. Their posters also made up the exhibition Opera in Print, on view at the museum earlier this year. Both were part of a large gift to the museum in 2017, and the Blums donated others to UGA’s special collections libraries. Some of the latter make up the exhibition War of Words: Propaganda of World War I, on view in the Hargrett Library Gallery at special collections through Dec. 14.

William U. Eiland, the museum’s director, and Todd Rivers, chief preparator (and a letterpress printer in his spare time), selected the posters for For Home and Country for aesthetic effect. They include examples from Allied powers France, England and the U.S. as well as posters from Italy and Germany, which fought on the other side in the war.

“Thanks to the generosity of the Blums, with these vivid and persuasive posters, we not only note the centenary of the end of World War I, but we celebrate as well the end of that quasi-global conflagration of death and destruction,” Eiland said. “In so doing, we honor the men and women who served in our armed forces, too many of whom died.”

Artists represented include Jean-Jacques Waltz, known as Hansi, a pro-French activist from Alsace. When Waltz was born, this region between France and Germany was under German control, and his artistic mockery of the German authorities landed him in prison several times.

He worked as a translator during World War I as well as created posters that promoted the purchase of war bonds to fund the French military effort. American Alonzo Earl Foringer used Christian symbolism in his poster that encouraged young women to join the Red Cross. In it, a nurse, her face turned to the light, cradles a soldier on a stretcher like Mary holding the crucified Jesus. Frenchman Adrien Barrere used his skills in caricature to mock Emperor Franz-Josef I of Austria-Hungary and Wilhelm II of Germany.

The exhibition is sponsored by the W. Newton Morris Charitable Foundation and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art. Related programs are a film series including The African Queen, Paths of Glory and Lawrence of Arabia (all set during World War I), on Thursdays at 7 p.m. beginning Aug. 30; a Toddler Tuesday Oct. 16 at 10 a.m. (register with sagekincaid@uga.edu or call 706-542-8863 after Sept.

1); a lecture on American art, propaganda and the First World War by David Lubin, the Charlotte C. Weber Professor of Art at Wake Forest University and Terra Foundation for American Art Visiting Professor at Oxford University, Oct. 18 at 5:30 p.m.; 90 Carlton: Autumn, the museum’s quarterly reception (free for museum members, $5 nonmembers) Oct. 19 at 5:30 p.m.; a family day Oct. 20 from 10 a.m. to noon; and a public tour Nov. 7 at 2 p.m. All programs are open free to the public unless otherwise indicated.

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. 22 (for Sept. 4 issue) Aug. 29 (for Sept. 10 issue) Sept. 5 (for Sept. 17 issue)

6 Aug. 20, 2018 columns.uga.edu

CAMPUS CLOSEUP

Long-lost library

Keith Dix, an associate professor of classics in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, was quoted in The Washington Post about an ancient Roman library found in Germany.

When the Romans expanded across Europe 2,000 years ago, they were defeated in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest near modernday Hanover. The Romans never recovered from it and were pushed back to the Rhine River. On the western side of the Rhine River, the country’s oldest-known public library is only now being uncovered. Built about 150 years after the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, its walls recently re-emerged during the construction of a new community center.

Researchers have since raised doubts over how public the libraries really were. Dix wrote in 1994 in “Public Libraries” in Ancient Rome: Ideology and Reality that anecdotes from that time indicate access remained mostly restricted to “authors close to imperial circles who might naturally be expected to have won access to libraries under imperial control.”

The Roman Empire’s official libraries appear to have been used “for censorship of literature,” according to Dix, a specialist on ancient libraries.

Chat censorship

Rongbin Han, assistant professor of international affairs in the School of Public and International Affairs, was quoted in Inkstone about WeChat, the popular Chinese app.

With about 500 million users in China, WeChat connects users to everyday life. People talk one-onone or in small group chats, and many use the app to make mobile payments. However, the app is now shutting down individual accounts for seemingly mundane political discussions. The WeChat accounts have been permanently revoked with no warning before and no explanation after, except a vague accusation of “spreading malignant rumors.”

“WeChat is like a semi-private place,” said Han, author of Contesting Cyberspace in China: Online Expression and Authoritarian Resilience.“In the past, we knew there had always been censorship, but we felt we could still say things in private. Now, the control is penetrating deeper. That kind of experience also politicizes people by letting them learn about the state. They previously thought that only political activists were punished: now they are also punished. But as individuals, they are also powerless. What they can do is very little.”

Gut feeling

Krzysztof Czaja, associate professor of veterinary biosciences and diagnostic imaging in the College of Veterinary Medicine, was quoted in Time about the gut microbiome—the millions of bacteria that live inside the human digestive tract.

It’s fairly clear that the foods a person eats or doesn’t eat can affect the composition of his or her microbiome. Studies have linked microbiomerelated imbalances to health conditions ranging from depression and Parkinson’s disease to heart disease. Research on mice has shown that switching from a fiber-and-antioxidant rich Mediterranean diet to a Western diet heavy in fat and protein can alter the microbiome’s population within a day. Diets high in sugar are able to decrease microbiome diversity within a week—a shift associated with irritable bowel syndrome and diabetes. Researchers also found that antibiotics or antibacterials are able to knock down or disrupt the human body’s microflora in ways that could promote disease or illness.

According to Czaja, these new discoveries are changing the way doctors think about and treat disease, but these are promising theories, not answers yet.

“Our understanding of mechanisms regulating the gut-microbiome-brain axis is negligible,” said Czaja, who is conducting microbiome research on rodents. “We are not even sure about the number of microbes in the human body.”

If your goal is to encourage healthy gut bacteria communities, “there is no perfect food or perfect bacteria cocktail,” he said.

Dorothy Kozlowski

Daynes Parker, report writer in the advancement services unit of the Division of Development & Alumni Relations, is the current president of the Junior League of Athens, which serves as stewards of the Taylor-Grady House on Prince Avenue.

DAR staffer’s career takes a ‘write’ turn into database analytics, reports

By Krista Richmond krichmond@uga.edu

Daynes Parker may have a bachelor’s degree in English, but the “language” she uses each day in her position isn’t what you’d expect.

“Doing what I do in UGA’s database is like learning a different language,” said Parker, a report writer in the advancement services unit of the Division of Development & Alumni Relations.

“You have to learn the logic of how the database thinks, because it’s not always how we would naturally think.”

When someone at UGA needs information for their events, marketing efforts or even prospect management, Parker pulls those details from GAIL, which stands for Giving and Alumni Information Link, and sends out the report. Demographics is just one of those reporting areas and one that Parker finds fascinating because “it’s interesting to see who’s out there.”

The work that Parker and the advancement services unit does provides an important function for the university by providing an accessible, central location for accurate data from the Division of Development & Alumni Relations. And

this isn’t her first time working in this field. After her graduation from UGA, Parker said she spent some time in different jobs exploring what she might like to do. That eventually led to a position working in data management at a private firm in Madison. She wanted to be back in Athens and thought her current position would be a natural fit.

“Analytics isn’t in everyone’s wheelhouse, and that’s understandable,” she said, “but it’s the only way we know that what we’re doing is working. It’s how we quantify our fundraising and marketing efforts.”

According to Parker, that information is important because it can be used to solve problems and help colleges, schools and units across campus.

Parker is committed to solving problems in the community, too. As the current president of the Junior League of Athens, she leads an organization committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the action and leadership of trained volunteers.

“Data in general show that the most effective way to improve whole communities is to help out the women in those communities,” she said. “If you

FACTS

Daynes Parker Report Writer Advancement Services Division of Development & Alumni Relations A.B., English, University of Georgia, 2006 At UGA: Three years

can teach women, their knowledge and gains will be passed on to the rest of the community.Women have a unique ability to create change.”

The Junior League of Athens is part of the Association of Junior Leagues International, started in 1901. Its focus is training women in effective leadership so that they can lead in their communities, whether that is in the business world or in the nonprofit world. The intention, Parker said, is to “take the skills you learn in the Junior League and apply them to other organizations.

“One of the things that the Junior League has done for me is show me that I’m capable of more than I think I am,” she said. “I hope to do my part to keep it moving forward.”

RETIREES June

Thirty-four UGA employees retired June 30. Retirees, their job classification, department and years of service are: Michael F. Adams, president emeritus and Regents Professor, 20 years, 9 months; Alison F. Alexander, senior associate dean, Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, 26 years, 10 months; Angela M. Anderson, business manager I, Office of the Associate Dean for Extension, 28 years, 9 months; Marvin H. Atkins, research technician III, poultry scienceUGA Cooperative Extension, 31 years, 11 months; Kathleen F. Caveney, library associate I, School of Law library, 17 years; L. Emmett Compton, floor covering installer, Facilities Management Division Structural Support Shop, 18 years, 1 month; Gregg A. Coyle, professor, College of Environment & Design, 32 years, 9 months; Roger Lewis Fortner, instrument shop manager, Research Business Services, 29 years, 11 months; Donald Mark Gardner Jr., public service associate, UGA Cooperative Exension Southeast district, 15 years, 11 months; Sandra Denise Gilbreth, administrative assistant II, USGA Applicant Clearinghouse, 19 years, 3 months;

Glory P. Griffin, grants coordinator III, biochemistry and molecular biology, 25 years, 7 months; David C. Hazinski, associate professor, Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, 30 years, 9 months; Mark S. Heiges, scientific computing professional prinicipal, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, 27 years, 9 months; Bonnie C. Joerschke, director, Office of Student Financial Aid, 10 years, 1 month; Lisa R. Johnson, laboratory technician III, small animal medicine and surgery, 29 years, 8 months; Igor Khripunov, research professional IV, Center for International Trade and Security, 25 years, 7 months; Michael James Mathis, senior farm manager, animal science research, 25 years, 11 months; Carole A. McElhannon, veterinary assistant, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 10 years, 10 months; Charles E. Merritt, cook II, Snelling Dining Commons, 10 years, 9 months; John D. Meyer, operations specialist I, property control, 5 years, 4 months; Lioba Moshi, professor, comparative literature, 29 years, 9 months; James E. Nielson, assistant director, Facilities Management Division Operations and Maintenance, 26 years, 10 months; Julie G. Range,

administrative specialist II, infectious diseases, 21 years, 5 months; Michael F. Roden, professor, geology, 34 years, 5 months; James Sanders, professor, Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, 16 years, 6 months; Daniel E. Sniff, senior assistant for campus planning, Office of the Vice President for Finance & Administration, 30 years, 2 months; Marie C.Trice, public service associate, UGA Cooperative Exension Northwest district, 18 years, 1 month; Sandra L. Turcotte, application analyst principal, EITS administrative information systems, 12 years, 8 months; Cheryl Varnadoe, senior public service associate, UGA Cooperative Extension4-H and Youth, 33 years, 11 months; Margaret Elizabeth Vonk, professor, School of Social Work, 15 years, 10 months; Jacquelyn R. Walsh, senior grants accounting specialist, post-award accounting, 11 years, 4 months; Peggy M. Whitfield, human resources coordinator, Athletic Association, 27 years, 10 months; James E. Williamson, chief of police, UGA police services, 30 years; and Myra N. Womble, associate professor, career and information studies, 25 years, 9 months.

Source: Human Resources

ELBERT from page 1

columns.uga.edu Aug. 20, 2018

7

Peter Frey

The Elbert County Fire Department has been able to update some equipment over the past few years, thanks to its work with UGA’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, a public service and outreach unit.

commissioners, and Bob Thomas, the new county administrator, knew they needed to turn things around.

Fast.

“We were having to borrow money to even operate,” Thomas said.

Entities like the volunteer fire department were skimping by with older equipment and stretched thin to cover the entire county. Things like paving roads had fallen by the wayside.

Desperate for a starting point, Lyon and Thomas looked just 35 miles down the road to the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia.

“I quickly got to know the value of the Institute of Government,” Thomas said.

“Being so close to Athens, I wanted to take full advantage of the educational resources available there.”

A partnership with UGA

Since 1927, the Institute of Government has worked with government leaders around Georgia and the nation to improve governance, directly impacting communities and citizens.

The institute offers classes for appointed and elected officials, fiscal and economic analysis for communities, and multiple other resources for city and county governments.

Classes are held in locations throughout the state with multiple opportunities for officials from every county and city to attend.

“We try to make government more efficient, more effective and more responsive to its citizens,” said Laura Meadows, director of the Institute of Government. “It’s all about making Georgia better—creating jobs, developing leaders and helping communities solve challenges.”

The Institute of Government partners

with local government associations, Association County Commissioners of ­ Georgia and the Georgia Municipal Association to offer training for elected officials.

Lyon and Thomas attended basic management courses required for all newly elected government leaders as well as numerous classes focusing on finances.

These classes were the key for Elbert County leaders to eradicate the massive debt.

First, they took an in-depth look at their budget and learned the most effective ways to cut back on expenses. They found ways to harness the power of grants if they did not have funding for certain county needs.

Leaders also learned to package certain projects and effectively communicate with their citizens, allowing them to raise ample amounts of SPLOST funding, the main source of funding for most of the county’s projects.

“The classes taught us to better utilize the resources we have and how we can call on other resources if we don’t have the staff or people like the bigger communities,” he said. “The Institute of Government has been a top resource for us.”

Meadows points out that the leadership of Elbert County took full advantage of the offerings.

“If you look at Elbert County’s training record, I would venture to say that between the city and county officials, they have one of the strongest training records of any group around the state,” she said.

With time and education, the county was able to get back on its feet and become self-sufficient, no longer relying on lines of credit to function. County staff didn’t get raises for five years, and if an expense wasn’t in the budget, it didn’t happen.

“We slowly but surely got ourselves out

WEEKLY READER

Peter Frey

of the debt,” Thomas said.

New potential

Since 2006, the county has built five new fire stations, purchased and outfitted six new fire trucks and begun more training for its volunteers. The stations no longer have to do fundraising to purchase new equipment; the county is able to self-fund all 12 fire stations.

The Insurance Services Office Inc. provides an emergency services rating based on fire suppression capabilities of individual communities or fire protection areas. ­Because of the new buildings and equipment in Elbert County, all homes in the 370 square-mile county are within 5 road miles of a fire station, improving the county’s ISO rating from class 9 to class 4.

This rating puts them in the top 20 percent of county fire services in Georgia.

For the homeowners of Elbert County, that rating means an estimated $2.5 million savings per year in insurance premiums.

For incoming industries, it means a strong potential building site.

Since the early 1900s, Elbert County has relied heavily on the granite industry, an industry that constantly combats issues such as imports, safety regulations and market changes. While the granite industry still employs more than 2,000 people, Elbert County needs another source of jobs.

“Our population has not grown, so we haven’t seen a lot of influx with new people,” Thomas said. “People often leave Elbert County and don’t come back. We have to start providing more jobs in this community for our young people.”

Improvements in infrastructure, such as emergency services and roadways, are just what industries are looking for in a potential building site.

“These things are important for new employers you’re trying to recruit to the area and also important for existing businesses,” Meadows said. “That’s one thing that we are very concerned about, too: helping create the infrastructure and environment to support those existing businesses. We want to make sure they have the opportunity to grow and prosper.”

The struggle for growth is not isolated to Elbert County. Half of Georgia’s counties have lost population since the 2000 census.

While parts of the state have experienced steady economic recovery, many rural portions of Georgia have not shared in that recovery and continue to lose industry and population.

The University of Georgia is working to get the word out that resources like the Institute of Government are available to all counties, no matter size or situation. The economic future of Georgia is dependent on the health and growth of all areas, and UGA is committed to helping every county.

‘Work in progress’

Taking these classes was the key step in a process to grow Elbert County, but it wasn’t just one class that pulled the county out of the depths of debt. It was a commitment from county leadership, from county staff and from the community.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time, almost 40 years. I’ve run hundreds of calls as both fire and EMS,” Mewborn said. “These changes have been a long time coming, and it’s a work in progress of course, but it’s been really good for us. It’s been a group effort.

We’re all working at this to get better at what we do.

“A lot of counties like us give up,” he said. “We didn’t.”

CYBERSIGHTS

ABOUT COLUMNS

Book chronicles college’s first 100 years

100 Years Enriching Lives

By Sharon Shannon-Paximadis University of Georgia Press Hardcover: $34.95

Despite opposition on several fronts, women were admitted to the University of Georgia for the first time in 1918.

The new division of home economics, established within the College of Agriculture, provided female students with the opportunity for higher education, something many had sought previously out of state.

Their dedication laid the foundation for a century of growth and development in a university program known for its commitment of advancing individual well-being, families and communities.

Published by the University of Georgia Press, 100 Years Enriching Lives: Family and Consumer Sciences at UGA celebrates this rich and unique history through black-and-white and color photographs, personal journeys and timeline facts.

The 140-page pictorial history chronicles the development of the FACS department from the founding of the division of home economics through present day.

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 Communications Coordinator Krista Richmond Art Director Jackie Baxter Roberts

Student Affairs website gets new portal

faculty.studentaffairs.uga.edu

UGA Student Affairs announces a new portal for faculty to discover campus engagement opportunities.

Faculty can learn about curriculum enrichment, professional development, service opportunities

and student support resources.

The website also informs faculty about research grants and other funding opportunities as well as the Student Affairs Faculty Fellows program.

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. 20, 2018 columns.uga.edu FRESHMEN

EARLY

from page 1

executive producer and senior researcher of the documentary is Maurice Daniels, dean emeritus at the UGA School of Social Work.

Georgia Public Broadcasting also will air the documentary.

A native of Atlanta, Early came to UGA in the summer of 1961. Earlier that year, Charlayne Hunter-Gault and Hamilton Holmes became the first African American students to enroll at UGA. Early had started postgraduate work at the University of Michigan when she transferred to UGA to complete her studies. She became the first African American to earn a degree from the University of Georgia when she graduated on Aug. 16, 1962, with a master’s degree in music education. She returned in 1964 to continue her education, earning a Specialist in Education degree in 1967.

Early, who was class valedictorian at Henry McNeal Turner High School

from page 1

and earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Clark Atlanta University in 1957, became a music teacher, a planning and development coordinator, an elementary division curriculum specialist and a music resource teacher at various schools in Atlanta in addition to serving as director of music.

Early retired in 1994 after working for 37 years in public schools. She has since taught at Morehouse College, Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University as head of the music department.

Columns will feature Early in UGA’s Georgia Groundbreakers series in midSeptember. Launched in 2017, the series celebrates innovative and visionary faculty, students, alumni and leaders throughout the history of the University of Georgia—and their profound, enduring impact on Georgia, the nation and the world.

Chad Osburn

The Class of 2022 brings record academic qualifications to the University of Georgia, with an average weighted high school GPA of 4.04 and an average ACT score of 30.

New pharmacy students don white coats

The University of Georgia College of Pharmacy welcomed 140 Doctor of Pharmacy students into its nationally ranked program at the traditional White Coat Ceremony held Aug. 11. This was the inaugural ceremonial event for UGA alumna and new Dean Kelly Smith, who joined the college Aug. 1.

Andrew Davis Tucker

Incoming students in the Class of 2022 formed the “power G” under the Sanford Stadium lights and between the hedges for Freshman Welcome. As part of the event, students heard from UGA President Jere W. Morehead and head football coach Kirby Smart.

initiatives that have stemmed from the President’s Task Force on Student Learning and Success,” said Rahul Shrivastav, vice president for instruction. “We hope to provide our students with a transformational experience that allows exploration and hands-on engagement. We want to prepare them to be critical thinkers who make a global impact.

It’s exciting to see some of this work already implemented for our students.”

The Georgia Commitment Scholarship program has created more than 260 needbased scholarships since the program was launched in 2017, and a new program known as ALL Georgia is providing students from rural parts of the state with a network of tailored resources and programs. Programs such as Road Dawgs reach out to prospective students across the state, and scores of welcome events hosted by the Division of Student Affairs and units across campus are helping ease the transition to college by introducing students to academic life at the birthplace of public higher education in America.

Bulletin Board CTRU open house

The Clinical & Translational Research Unit will host a community open house Aug. 25 from 1-4 p.m. CTRU is located at 109 Bowstrom Road on UGA’s Health Sciences Campus.

The open house is an opportunity to learn how to get involved in upcoming UGA research studies. In addition to swag bags and refreshments, visitors also can have their photo taken with Hairy Dawg from 2-3 p.m.

Visit https://ctru.uga.edu, email ctru@uga.edu or call 706-713-2721 for more information.

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

The number of incoming students who self-identify as a member of a racial or ethnic minority has risen by 20 percent since 2014, and 31 percent of the Class of 2022 self-identify as members of a minority group.

The Class of 2022 includes students from nearly every state and 47 countries around the world, and 84 percent of incoming students are Georgia residents.

Demand for a UGA education has risen to unprecedented heights. Nearly 26,500 students applied for admission to the Class of 2022, and 48 percent were offered admission. Since 2014, the number of applications for undergraduate admission has risen by nearly 30 percent.

“This is an exciting time at the University of Georgia,” said interim Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Libby V. Morris. “Each year for the past several years we’ve had the privilege of enrolling students with increasingly impressive academic credentials, and each year our faculty and staff bring a renewed commitment to student success.”

AWARD

PLASTIC

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robust recycling programs domestically and rethink the use and design of plastic products if we want to deal with this waste responsibly.”

Global annual imports and exports of plastic waste skyrocketed in 1993, growing by about 800 percent through 2016.

Since reporting began in 1992, China has accepted about 106 million metric tons of plastic waste, which accounts for nearly half of the world’s plastic waste imports. China and Hong Kong have imported more than 72 percent of all plastic waste, but most of the waste that enters Hong Kong—about 63 percent—is exported to China.

High income countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas account for more than 85 percent of all global plastic waste exports.

Taken collectively, the European Union is the top exporter.

“Plastic waste was once a fairly profitable business for China, because they could use or resell the recycled plastic waste,” said Amy Brooks, a doctoral student in UGA’s College of Engineering and lead author of the paper. “But a lot of the plastic China received in recent years was poor quality, and it became difficult to turn a profit.

China is also producing more plastic waste domestically, so it doesn’t have to rely on other nations for waste.”

For exporters, cheap processing fees in China meant that shipping waste overseas was less expensive than transporting the materials domestically via truck or rail, said Brooks.

“It’s hard to predict what will happen to the plastic waste that was once destined for Chinese processing facilities,” said Jambeck. “Some of it could be diverted to other countries, but most of them lack the infrastructure to manage their own waste let alone the waste produced by the rest of the world.”

The import of plastic waste to China contributed an additional 10 to 13 percent of plastic waste on top of what they were already having a difficult time managing because of rapid economic growth before the import ban took effect, Jambeck said.

“Without bold new ideas and systemwide changes, even the relatively low current recycling rates will no longer be met, and our previously recycled materials could now end up in landfills,” Jambeck said.

in today’s global economy. The program offers economic developers the opportunity to achieve their certification more costeffectively, as courses are taught in central locations around Georgia, and timely, within a two- to three-year period. The courses offer practical, skills-based training with immediate application. The program design is grounded in a competency cluster framework that reflects internationally recognized skills and abilities. Since the program was launched in 2016, participants from more than half of Georgia’s 159 counties have enrolled in GCED classes. In September 2017, UGA awarded the first GCED designation followed by four additional recipients in May 2018. The GCED program is a finalist in the “Talent + Place” category.

“We are honored to be finalists again in this national competition,” said Jennifer Frum, vice president for public service and outreach. “This recognizes UGA’s commitment to improving the quality of life for all Georgians.”

The third finalist is from the Office of Research: • The Cultivar Development Research Program is an internal grant program, managed

by Innovation Gateway in cooperation with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the Georgia Seed Development Commission, that is funded entirely by the licensing royalty revenue derived from UGA-developed plant cultivars (varieties).

Since 1997, the CDRP has provided almost $20 million in grant funding that has helped generate more than 300 new plant cultivars.

Cultivars generated through CDRP funding have had a tremendous impact on Georgia’s $73 billion agriculture industry, helping Georgia become the No. 1 state for peanut, blueberry and pecan production. The CDRP is a finalist in the “Innovation” category.

“The beauty of UGA’s Cultivar Development Research Program is that we use licensing revenue from existing cultivars to invest in research that yields the next generation of cultivars, and so it propagates the university’s very positive impact on commercial agriculture,” said Vice President for Research David Lee. “It’s a win-win for everyone and has allowed us to maintain a robust, diverse plant breeding portfolio.”

Winners will be announced during the UEDA Annual Summit in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Oct. 21-24, 2018.

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in their communities.

Two of the finalists are from units of the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach: • UGA Archway Partnership Addresses Healthcare Needs in Rural Georgia is a project in which UGA faculty and students worked side-by-side with local stakeholders in Pulaski County to evaluate health data, conduct surveys and host focus groups to prepare the local hospital’s mandated Community Health Needs Assessment.

The CHNA assisted the rural hospital in remaining viable in a challenging environment by bringing to light new services that community members would like to see.

This collaboration led to the establishment of an urgent care clinic at Taylor Regional Hospital. The Archway Partnership project is a finalist in the “Place” category.

• The Georgia Certified Economic Developer Program was developed by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government in an effort to be responsive to Georgia’s economic development needs. The state-specific training provides the essential high-quality curriculum needed by economic development professionals to effectively compete