Periodicals Postage is PAID in Athens, Georgia
Marketing & Communications University of Georgia 286 Oconee Street Suite 200 North Athens, GA 30602-1999
Researchers harness power of metabolism to reverse aggressiveness in leukemia RESEARCH NEWS
3
Hodgson Wind Ensemble opens School of Music season in Sept. 1 concert Vol. 45, No. 5
August 28, 2017
www.columns.uga.edu
UGA GUIDE
5
University launches 113 ‘Double Dawgs’ degree programs By Sam Fahmy
sfahmy@uga.edu
Andrew Davis Tucker
Associate research scientist and co-instructor Artur Muszynski talks through some questions with nutrition science major Liana Mosley, chemistry major Caria Evans and genetics major Jason Kobylanski during their Introductory Biochemistry class in one of the two new SCALE-UP classrooms.
Optimal learning environment One year later, Science Learning Center lives up to its promise
By Aaron Hale
aahale@uga.edu
UGA’s Science Learning Center was engineered to foster collaboration and problem-solving skills to prepare students for thriving careers in the STEM, or science, technology, engineering and math, fields. The facility, which opened last August, is enhancing the learning environment and addressing the demand for STEM classes at the university. Part of America’s economic success comes from leading the world in translating discoveries into products, saidTimothy Burg,director of UGA’s Office of STEM Education. As the U.S. works to maintain this edge and the state of Georgia looks to secure its economic future, they will rely on a new generation of talented engineers, mathematicians, biologists, chemists and computer scientists who have exceptional skills, imagination
and vision. “Companies must complete projects that have hard constraints, unclear solutions, require multiple disciplines’ perspectives, span multiple countries and governments, extend ethical reasoning and require new technology,” Burg said. “Students who graduate with proven skills in these areas are needed.” UGA students seem to be answering the call. Nearly one in five UGA students now graduates with a degree in a STEM discipline, and selection of a STEM major is up by nearly 75 percent in the last five years, thanks in large part to the growth of UGA’s College of Engineering. Given this rising interest in STEM fields, the timing of the 250,000-square-foot SLC was just right. During the fall 2016 and spring 2017 semesters, students filled an average of nearly 13,000 seats in the SLC for instruction per semester.
An average of 60 courses across approximately 375 course sections were taught each of those semesters. But it’s not just the size of the facility that’s been an asset for students. The SLC delivers an optimal learning environment through the building’s design and by professors’ attention to effective teaching strategies. “The Science Learning Center was designed to incorporate the evolution of teaching with active learning methods,where students are challenged to provide more sophisticated demonstrations of what they have learned, beyond the traditional mastery of facts and techniques, and develop collaboration skills that will help them beyond the classroom,” said Rahul Shrivastav, the university’s vice president for instruction. Devanshi Nayak, a senior biochemistry and molecular biology See SCIENCE on page 8
Students at the University of Georgia now have more than 100 opportunities to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in five years or less through a new linked-degree program known as Double Dawgs. The Double Dawgs program enables students to save time and money by earning a master’s degree in one year instead of two. Upon graduation, they enter the workforce with a more advanced complement of knowledge and skills. Faculty members in 14 of the university’s schools and colleges
have created 113 Double Dawgs programs to date, giving UGA one of the nation’s largest selections of accelerated master’s programs.The complete list of Double Dawgs programs is online at doubledawgs. uga.edu, and additional programs will be added as they are approved. “The Double Dawgs program was created to give our ambitious students a competitive advantage after graduation while helping lower the overall cost of obtaining a graduate degree,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “It also helps to meet the demand across the state—and beyond—for highly qualified workers with advanced,
See DEGREE on page 8
WILLSON CENTER
Willson Center to kick off 30th anniversary celebration Sept. 6 By Dave Marr
davemarr@uga.edu
The Willson Center for Humanities and Arts celebrates its 30th anniversary at the University of Georgia this academic year, beginning with a public reception and a panel discussion on “The Humanities and Arts Today.” The panel will include leaders of several prominent national and regional humanities and arts organizations. The reception, which is free and open to the public, will be held Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. in the Willson Center, 1260 S. Lumpkin St. Light hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be provided. Parking will be available at the Office of International Education, 1324 S. Lumpkin St., and in other nearby UGA lots. If you
plan to attend, RSVP to Winnie Smith at wsmith78@uga.edu or at 706-542-4304. The discussion, moderated by Nicholas Allen, Franklin Professor of English and director of the Willson Center, will be held Sept. 7 at 10 a.m. in the auditorium of the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries. The panelists are Laurie Baefsky, executive director of the Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities (a2ru); Stephen Kidd, executive director of the National Humanities Alliance; Sara Guyer, president of the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes; John McGowan, past director of the Institute for the Arts and Humanities at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; See WILLSON on page 8
PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH
Whirlwind tour introduces new UGA faculty to sites across state of Georgia By Kelly Simmons
simmonsk@uga.edu
Thirty-nine new faculty members spent five days on the road the week before the fall semester began, traveling from the mountains to the coast to see firsthand the economic engines that drive the state of Georgia. Agriculture and agritourism highlighted the first day, as the tour stopped at Jaemor Farms near Gainesville, Wolf Mountain Winery in Dahlonega and Amicalola Falls State Park in Dawsonville, where the group spent the first night. “I wouldn’t come to these places on my own, at least initially, because
I’m new to Georgia,” said Ruchi Singh, an assistant professor in the department of legal studies and real estate at the Terry College of Business. “This is really interesting and an awesome experience.You get to learn so much that you wouldn’t have experienced otherwise.” In Atlanta, the tour stopped at the state Capitol to learn about the Georgia General Assembly and then walked to the University System of Georgia offices to sit in on part of a board of regents meeting. Over the week, the faculty passed through 43 of Georgia’s 159 counties and 14 cities, stopping at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta; in downtown Senoia, where The Walking
Dead is filmed; the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth; Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins; the Okefenokee Swamp in Waycross; and Gulfstream Aerospace and the Georgia Ports Authority in Savannah. The tour also included stops at the UGA Griffin and Tifton campuses and at UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant and the Wormsloe Institute for Environmental History, both in Savannah. At Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, the faculty members went on trawls aboard the R/V Georgia Bulldog and R/V Sea Dawg, toured the UGA Aquarium See TOUR on page 8
Jessica McGowan
During a stop in Atlanta, participants on the New Faculty Tour had their photo taken on the Georgia Capitol steps with UGA President Jere W. Morehead, interim UGA Vice President for Public Service and Outreach Laura Meadows and several state government officials.
2 Aug. 28, 2017 columns.uga.edu
Around academe
Federal student loan application tool taken down amid security concerns
The U.S. Department of Education is urging parents to find other ways to fill out the financial disclosure portions of federal student aid forms while the IRS Data Retrieval Tool is down. The department’s press office reported that security concerns prompted the government to take the popular tool, which imports information from individual tax returns into the financial aid applications, offline in March. It is scheduled to return Oct. 1 on the online 2018-2019 Free Application for Federal Student Aid form.
Universities partner with coding camps to grow marketable skills
Universities like North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Central Florida, Northwestern and Rutgers are partnering with companies that offer boot camps in coding in an effort to grow marketable skills under the name-brand recognition of reputable institutions, according to a recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Although many boot camp enrollees aren’t actually students at the universities, the institutions are generally highly involved in admissions and curricula vetting of the programs.
Start planning for fall garden
News to Use
It’s not too soon to start planning for your fall garden. Experts at the Georgia Center for Urban Agriculture suggest the following cool-season vegetables, along with recommended varieties, for planting in a fall garden: • Broccoli: “Marathon,” “Packman,” “Patriot,” “Premium Crop,” “Bravo,” “Decathlon” • Cabbage: “Blue Dynasty,” “Bravo,” “Early Round Dutch,” “Rio Verde,” “Green Jewel” • Carrot: “Chantenay,” “Scarlet Nantes,” “Sweetbites,” “Sweet Delight” • Cauliflower: “Absolute,” “Early Snowball,” “Graffiti” (purple), “White Magic,” “Symphony” • Collard greens: “Blue Max,” “Georgia Southern,” “Heavi-Crop” • Kale: “Vates,” “Dwarf Siberian,” “Blue Armor,” “Blue Knight” • Lettuce: “Butterhead,” “Romaine,” “Buttercrunch” • Mustard greens: “Florida Broadleaf,” “Southern Giant Curled,” “Red Giant,” “Savanna” • Spinach: “Melody,” “Winter Bloomsdale” Plants in this list of cool-season vegetables will tolerate limited exposure to freezing temperatures. Planting dates for fall gardens should be based on anticipated dates for freezing temperatures in your area. For historical information on fall temperatures in your area, go to the University of Georgia Weather Network website at weather. uga.edu.
DIVISION OF ACADEMIC ENHANCEMENT
Newly renovated Academic Resource Center dedicated during ceremony By Tracy Coley tcoley@uga.edu
The newly renovated Academic Resource Center and TRiO Student Support Services spaces in Milledge Hall were rededicated Aug. 15 by members of the UGA administration, staff and students. The Academic Resource Center operates under the auspices of the Division of Academic Enhancement and provides academic support services to UGA students, including tutoring, peer mentoring, study groups and test reviews across disciplines. Built in 1925 as a residence hall, the first floor has gone through a major, summer-long renovation to transform the building into a modern, innovative space to facilitate collaborative learning. The improvements also allow for a renovated study space for the TRiO Student Support Services program that assists first generation, Pell-eligible and disabled students achieve academic success. “This newly redesigned space reflects our commitment to student success as they transition into higher education and navigate the university’s unique, rigorous academic environment,” said T. Chase Hagood, director of the Division of Academic Enhancement. “These are now 21st century spaces where students not only receive academic assistance across disciplines, but where hard work, persistence and success thrive.” Joy Zhang, a second-year intended business major, first visited the Academic Resource Center during her first semester when she used appointment tutoring for her biology course. As a first-generation student, she also takes advantage of the TRiO Student Support Services. “I really like how clean and nice the new space is,” she said. “It’s much more student friendly, much brighter and more spacious. And I love that the TRiO space has more room now.”
David Andriate
A UGA student writes formulas on a mobile glass board during a chemistry tutoring session in the Academic Resource Center in Milledge Hall, which was renovated this summer to accommodate new technology and active learning methods.
From the front entrance, fresh paint and carpet, open concept room design and digital signage are the apparent intimations that Milledge Hall has been renovated. The less obvious changes, however, are the most significant. Students are now able to take advantage of flexible, collaborative space for a diverse selection of tutoring opportunities and trainings. Multiple mobile glass boards can be arranged for one-on-one tutoring or study group settings, adapting to fit the needs of each setting. USB and electrical charging stations for laptops and mobile devices are built into tabletops, allowing students to incorporate technology into the interactive learning process. In the TRiO Student Support Services resource lab, these students have access to a private study space, the ability to print for free, access to resource materials and staff dedicated to their success. “The new space encourages students
DIVISION OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Video studio links UGA experts to broadcasters at networks around world
The people of Georgia will be able to learn more about the expertise of University of Georgia faculty members and the groundbreaking research they perform with the installation of a VideoLink ReadyCam studio, which can provide a live feed to broadcast outlets around the world 24 hours a day. UGA finished 15th in the 2016-2017 Learfield NACDA UGA is the first university in Georgia to offer the Directors’ Cup, the all-sports competition ranking ReadyCam system. collegiate athletic programs. Selected universities The studio, which is operated by the Division of Marketfrom the top 25 are: ing & Communications, makes it easy for faculty, staff and administrators to immediately access worldwide television RANK UNIVERSITY POINTS TOTAL and cable news stations and participate in live interviews without leaving campus. Experts will be able to quickly 1. Stanford 1563.00 and easily respond to breaking news topics. UGA is a leading public research institution with 2. Ohio State 1243.75 renowned faculty in diverse fields, including infectious 3. Florida 1252.50 diseases, political science, the environment, veterinary medicine, legal issues and business matters. 4. U. of Southern Calif. 1251.25 Faculty experts have appeared on CNN, MSNBC, PBS and Telemundo, among others. 5. UNC 1154.00 The ReadyCam video studio is fully equipped with an HD camera, professional quality audio and lighting, 10. Kentucky 1025.00 electronic backdrop, recording options and IP-based transmission that can transmit live feeds over the internet 12. Texas A&M 986.50 to anywhere in the world. The studio can be remotely controlled by VideoLink 15. UGA 913.75 professionals, which simplifies the live TV appearance process, so experts can be ready for a live interview in less 18. LSU 862.50 than an hour. 20. Arkansas 839.00 For more information about the ReadyCam system, contact Melissa Jackson at 706-202-9033 or meljack@uga. Source: UGA Athletic Association edu. Source: College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
DIRECTORS’ CUP STANDINGS
to sit in groups now,” said Reggie Mosley, a fifth-year mechanical engineering major and math tutor. “Before we had tables with [stationary] desktop computers. Now we have hookups and students can bring their own laptops and work in groups, and we use the glass boards to work through problems with the students so that they can figure out new ways to solve problems.” The Academic Resource Center sees more than 22,000 visits per year with more than 60 undergraduate peer and graduate lead tutors and 20 staff assisting students, in addition to 10 academic coaches. Located on the first floor of Milledge Hall, which is adjacent to Reed Hall and Sanford Stadium, the Academic Resource Center and TRiO Student Support Services offer services from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Friday. For more information, visit dae.uga.edu.
COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
114 new vet medicine students take part in White Coat Ceremony By Lisa Herrmann
lisa.herrmann@uga.edu
The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine welcomed the Class of 2021 Aug. 13 during its annual White Coat Ceremony. Sponsored by the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association and the South Carolina Association of Veterinarians, this event officially recognized 114 members of the incoming class by donning them in lab coats to be worn during their veterinary education. The ceremony was held in the Hodgson Concert Hall at the UGA Performing Arts Center. It was followed by a reception for the students and their families that was hosted by the college’s new dean, Lisa K. Nolan, as well as members of the college’s faculty and staff. This class represents a variety of interests, with 44 percent interested in mixed animal medicine, 26 percent interested in small animal medicine, 18 percent interested in zoo animal/public/corporate medicine and 11 percent interested in equine/food and fiber medicine. “I couldn’t be more thrilled to participate in this year’s White Coat Ceremony,” said Nolan, who returned to her alma mater in July to take over the position of dean of the college. “The White Coat Ceremony marks the beginning of an incredible journey for these students, one that I’m proud to start with them. This is an exciting time to be a part of the College of Veterinary Medicine, and I look forward to watching these students—and all who follow them—grow professionally, be challenged academically and make an impact on the world.”
RESEARCH NEWS
columns.uga.edu Aug. 28, 2017
3
Digest UGA Performing Arts Center wins Award of Excellence in annual competition
Protein blocker
File photo
Takahiro Ito and additional researchers worked to identify a new drug target for the two most common types of myeloid leukemia.
Researchers harness metabolism to reverse aggressiveness in leukemia By Alan Flurry
aflurry@uga.edu
University of Georgia researchers, with colleagues from the University of Tokyo, have identified a new drug target for the two most common types of myeloid leukemia, including a way to turn back the most aggressive form of the disease. They published their findings in the journal Nature. By blocking a protein called BCAT1, the researchers were able to stop cancer cell growth in mice and human blood samples from leukemia patients. The BCAT1 protein activates the metabolism of a group of amino acids known as branched-chain amino acids, or BCAAs, that are essential building blocks of proteins in all cells and thus necessary for aggressive leukemia cells to grow. Earlier research indicated that BCAT functions to break down the BCAAs in most healthy tissues. The new paper shows for the first time that, rather than to break them down, leukemia cells use the BCAT1 pathway to produce BCAAs. By blocking the protein, researchers can reverse the disease’s aggressiveness. “We wanted to understand what is driving aggressiveness in acute leukemia and then examine whether targeting
such a pathway would reverse the disease back to the treatable phase,” said Takahiro Ito, senior author on the paper and assistant professor in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences biochemistry and molecular biology department. Chronic myeloid leukemia is a kind of blood cancer with three major clinical phases: a chronic phase, an accelerated phase, and an acute or blast crisis phase. Chronic leukemia usually responds well to treatments with TKI drugs. But if the cancer is left untreated or resistance develops, mutations will eventually push the disease into the more aggressive blast crisis phase, which is often fatal. “The idea was that these indolent and aggressive leukemia cells have different ways of using nutrients such as amino acids, which regulate the balance between differentiation and cell growth,” Ito said. “If we can understand what regulates that balance, we may be able to harness the pathway, to stop the disease progression or revert it back to a less aggressive disease.” By analyzing blood and leukemia cells from both the indolent chronic phase and more aggressive blast crisis phase, the research team observed higher concentrations of the BCAAs in the aggressive phase. What was unclear was whether the presence of BCAAs was
a consequence or a cause leading to the more aggressive phase. They identified one gene, BCAT1, encoding for an enzyme that can produce BCAAs in the leukemia cells. The team used a knock-down approach to inhibit the function of the gene, to determine BCAT’s importance in the aggressive phase, testing the approach in mice and human blood samples from patients with leukemia. By blocking the BCAT1 gene, the research team was able to promote differentiation in the blast crisis cells, making the disease less aggressive and slow growing, similar to the treatable chronic phase. Importantly, although BCAT1 is high in leukemia cells, normal blood cells show low BCAT1 levels and showed little impact by the BCAT1 inhibition. These findings suggest that BCAT1 may be an ideal therapeutic target that does little harm on normal blood production. Furthermore, results indicated that BCAT1 is also a key player in acute myeloid leukemia, which is more prevalent than the blast crisis chronic myeloid leukemia. Patients with AML with high BCAT1 tend to survive less than those with low BCAT1. Blocking the BCAT1 activity also proved effective on human acute myeloid leukemia cells.
FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
UGA to develop African sleeping sickness drugs By Alan Flurry
aflurry@uga.edu
The National Institutes of Health has awarded $2.6 million to University of Georgia researchers to develop new drugs to treat human African Trypanosomiasis, also known as African sleeping sickness. African Trypanosomiasis, known as HAT, is caused by a single-celled parasite called Trypanosoma brucei, which is transmitted to humans through the bite of a blood-sucking insect called a tsetse fly. Following a bite, the parasite multiplies in subcutaneous tissues and eventually crosses the blood-brain barrier to infect the central nervous system, causing changes in behavior, confusion, poor coordination and sleep disturbances. Without adequate treatment, the infection is almost invariably fatal.
Rural populations in sub-Saharan Africa that depend on agriculture, fishing, hunting and animal husbandry are most likely to be exposed to the tsetse fly bites, according to the World Health Organization, which has led sustained control efforts to reduce the number of new cases. “There are immense challenges in understanding trypanosome biology because a significant number of their genes are not found in humans or yeasts, which are more intensely studied,” said Kojo Mensa-Wilmot, professor in the cellular biology department in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences whose team was awarded the NIH grant. “Using chemical biology tools to identify disease-relevant genes in the parasite, we discovered a smallmolecule that prevents duplication of the nucleus in a trypanosome and arrests
proliferation of the parasite.” “Our goal is to translate this basic science finding into the design of drugs to treat HAT,” he said. Using an animal model for the disease, the UGA-led team administered a drug that cured HAT in mice. “HAT is a disease of poverty, so there is little incentive, understandably, for large pharmaceutical industries to be heavily invested. Two compounds are currently in clinical trial, but the pipeline for new anti-trypanosome drugs needs to be bolstered,” said Mensa-Wilmot, who leads a UGA Chemical Biology Group and is a member of the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases. Collaborators in the UGA-led consortium are Andrei Purmal of Cleveland BioLabs Inc. and Michael Pollastri, department of chemistry and chemical biology at Northeastern University.
The University of Georgia Performing Arts enter recently won an Award of Excellence in the C 47th annual UCDA Design Competition. The competition is administered by the University & College Designers Association to recognize the best of the design work done by communication professionals to promote educational institutions. The UGA Performing Arts Center’s winning entry was submitted by Tim Wells, publications manager, in the category of poster design. UCDA was founded in 1970 as the nation’s first and only association for professionals involved in the creation of visual communications for educational institutions. Over the years, it has grown to an organization composed of more than 1,000 members throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Former UGA swimmer nominated for 27th annual NCAA Woman of Year Award
Former UGA swimmer Chantal Van Landeghem has been nominated for the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year Award, which honors graduating female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in academic achievement, athletic excellence, service and leadership. This marks the 27th year of the Woman of the Year Award program, which was established in 1991. Van Landeghem graduated in May with First Honor Graduate status with an overall GPA of 4.0. She was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and became the first UGA student-athlete to win the Dean William Tate Award in recognition of a perfect GPA. She was chosen as the SEC Co-Female ScholarAthlete of the Year for swimming and diving and she was named to the 2017 Academic All-America Division I Women’s At-Large Team. The top 30 honorees will be recognized and the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced Oct. 22 at the annual awards ceremony in Indianapolis.
Four former student-athletes will be inducted into UGA’s Circle of Honor
Softball All-American Nicole Barber, three-time national diving champion Chris Colwill, football All-American Thomas Davis and All-American shot putter Reese Hoffa will comprise the Class of 2017 for induction into the University of Georgia’s Circle of Honor. Barber, Colwill, Davis and Hoffa will be inducted formally Feb. 12 during the Circle of Honor Gala at the UGA Fine Arts Theatre. 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 also stipulate that each recipient has earned his or her academic degree. Barber received her degree in consumer economics from UGA in 2005. A four-year letter winner from 2001-2004, she earned All-America honors in each of her final three seasons, starting in 2002, when she batted .420 and led the Bulldogs to a 59-17 record. Colwill earned four letters from UGA (20042006, 2008) and is the greatest, most accomplished diver in school history, winning three NCAA individual diving titles during his time with the Bulldogs and earning the maximum of 12 All-America honors. Davis was a three-year letterman at free safety for the Bulldogs from 2002-2004. In 39 career games, Davis recorded 272 tackles, 17 for a loss, 10.5 sacks, three interceptions, six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. Hoffa will become the second shot putter to join the Circle of Honor, following Brent Noon’s induction in 2009. Hoffa enjoyed a successful career as a collegiate thrower from 1998-2001 and shined in his later competitive years on the international stage.
PERIODICALS POSTAGE STATEMENT Columns (USPS 020-024) is published weekly during the academic year and
biweekly during the summer for the faculty and staff of the University of Georgia by the Division of Marketing & Communications. Periodicals postage is paid in Athens, Georgia. Postmaster: Send off-campus address changes to Columns, UGA Marketing & Communications, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Athens, GA 30602-1999.
4 Aug. 28, 2017 columns.uga.edu
RESEARCH NEWS
TERRY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
Say-on-pay laws are doing their job, analysis of data by UGA researchers finds By Matt Weeks
mweeks@uga.edu
When shareholders have a say on executive pay, CEO salaries decline and company valuations rise, according to a University of Georgia study. By analyzing financial data from more than 17,000 publicly traded companies in countries that have passed say-on-pay laws and countries that haven’t, researchers found such laws tie CEO pay more closely to their company’s performance and increase compensation equality among top managers. “Eleven developed countries passed these laws between 2003 and 2013, so that gave us a natural laboratory where we could see what effect these laws actually had,” said Ugur Lel, a finance professor at UGA’s Terry College of Business and research coauthor. “We found that, on average, CEO pay declines by about 7 percent and its sensitivity to firm performance Ugur Lel increases by 5 percent.” Say-on-pay laws, such as the U.S.’s 2010 Dodd-Frank law on financial reforms, mandate company shareholders have a chance to vote on executive compensation packages. Such laws, first passed in the United Kingdom, gained wider acceptance elsewhere following the Great Recession, partially in response to public unhappiness with excessive salaries for chief executives. “We were surprised to find that after the laws were passed, there was still an increase in CEO pay. Critics argue that the pay increase means the laws are ineffective. That observation is correct, but the interpretation is wrong,” Lel said. “What we see is that while CEO pay still goes up, it actually increases at a lower rate after say-on-pay laws are enacted.” The decline in CEO pay is more severe at companies with poor performance, Lel said. Those in the bottom quartile saw CEO salaries fall by 9.1 percent following say-on-pay practices. Changes in CEO pay were also more pronounced in firms with problematic pay. For example, CEO compensation fell by 18.5 percent, on average, for companies with “excess pay”—salaries above the level predicted by its economic determinants. “There are times when you want to pay a CEO excessively, such as when he or she is doing a really great job and you don’t want them to leave,” Lel said. “But there are other times when you don’t, such as when the firm is losing a lot of money and CEOs haven’t made a difference. After say-on-pay laws happened, we found that excess pay decreases, especially in firms where chief executives have more power.” Following say-on-pay laws, company valuations tend to go up, Lel said. “The argument against this was that you shouldn’t give more power to shareholders because many may not know a lot about the firm and how it operates,” he said. “But it turns out that almost all of the rejection votes come from sophisticated investors. So, these say-on-pay laws work and they empower investors.” Although many CEOs fought laws such as these from going into effect, some welcomed the extra accountability. In 2008, before the Dodd-Frank Act, insurance company Aflac adopted say-on-pay practices voluntarily, leading CEO Dan Amos to decline a $2.8 million bonus. Not all say-on-pay laws are equal. Some are “binding” meaning the shareholder vote must influence the pay practices, while others stipulate only that the vote must be held. In both cases, CEO pay is affected, according to the study. “It turned out that there was not much difference between binding and nonbinding laws. In the U.S., for instance, Dodd-Frank is nonbinding, but it still shows all of these effects,” Lel said. “Even if there is a 5 percent vote against raising CEO pay, it will still have an impact because firms want to be proactive in the area so as not be labeled negatively.” CEOs aren’t the only ones affected by say-on-pay laws. The study found the inequality of pay between top managers and CEOs was diminished as well. “We looked at pay dispersion between the CEO and the other senior executives like the CFO and COO. There is sometimes a big pay discrepancy there because companies want to set up tournament incentives so that everyone keeps working hard to get the top spot,” Lel said. “Other people say that CEOs have more sway over their own pay than other senior executives, and that’s why they get paid at a higher rate. But we find that once say-on-pay laws go into effect, the pay difference between the CEO and top managers gets closer together, and the value of the firm actually goes up.”
Dorothy Kozlowski
Justine Tinkler’s research shows that workplace sexual harassment policies and trainings can reinforce stereotypes and attitudes.
Unintended consequences Reducing sexual harassment at work is complicated, researcher advises
By Elizabeth Fite ecfite@uga.edu
Workplace sexual harassment policies and training can reduce harassment, increase reporting and alter perceptions of acceptable behavior, according to Justine Tinkler. But, her research shows they can have unintended consequences, including reinforcing traditional gender stereotypes and negative attitudes about women. “The whole idea of trying to force a change in the way men and women interact with each other challenges the way that we think about what it means to be a man and what it means to be a woman, so we can get resistance to that message in complicated ways,” said Tinkler, an associate professor of sociology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. This spring, Tinkler served as an expert adviser during the National Academy of Sciences Workshop on Sexual Harassment, a public workshop that will supplement a study conducted by the National Academies on how sexual harassment influences the career advancement of women. The study aims to identify strategies that address sexual harassment, with a particular focus on reducing harassment of women in academia and science. Tinkler shared
more than a decade’s worth of research analyzing the effects of anti-harassment policy training. “I think what distinguishes my work from others is that I’ve looked at how sexual harassment policy training affects people’s beliefs about men and women,” she said. Her presentation began with a summary of her first study on the topic that was published in 2008. The study analyzed survey data from federal employees and found that, in general, policy training increased the tendency to define sexual harassment more broadly but not for those who were most threatened by the policies. This finding prompted Tinkler to conduct observational research, interviews and several experiments in which participants were exposed to policy training information. A key finding from the experiments was that policy training activates gender stereotypes and backlash against women, and this effect is strongest among men committed to traditional gender norms. The experiments also revealed that policy training could disempower women by emphasizing their vulnerability, and some women viewed taking sexual harassment training seriously as a sign of weakness. Study participants’ attitudes toward the training also changed based on the
gender of the trainer. Unconscious gender bias increased when male subjects watched a training narrated by a female but not a male. In addition, male subjects rated women as more likable when the trainer was a man. According to Tinkler, policy trainings are not the most effective way that organizations can reduce inequality but are used because they are relatively inexpensive and tend to meet the legal bar. “I don’t think we shouldn’t have trainings just because they exacerbate gender stereotypes—in large part, it’s the issue of sexual harassment that exacerbates gender stereotypes—but the trainings need to be better than they are, and they need to address these unintended consequences,” she said. While policy training alone won’t solve the problem of sexual harassment, Tinkler emphasized that these policies are designed to protect both men and women from becoming victims of harassment, misunderstandings and accusations that lead to dysfunctional work environments. “If we really want to reduce sexual harassment and make the workplace more gender equitable, we need to do things to challenge the gender stereotypes and beliefs that get reinforced in all of our workplace interactions,” she said.
COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Evidence needed to make primary care decisions By Lauren Baggett lbaggett@uga.edu
As medicine continues to shift toward evidence-based practice, some primary care providers may have a difficult time finding quality evidence to support their clinical decisions, according to a new study from the University of Georgia. An analysis of 721 topics from an online medical reference for generalists showed that only 18 percent of the clinical recommendations were based on high-quality, patient-oriented evidence. This finding highlights the need for more research in primary care and family medicine, said Mark Ebell, epidemiology professor at UGA’s College of Public Health and lead author of the study. “The research done in the primary care setting, which is where most outpatients are seen, is woefully underfunded,” he said, “and that’s part of the reason why there’s such a large number of
recommendations that are not based on the highest level of evidence.” The lack of funding stands in contrast to the use of primary care across the health care system. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, primary care visits account for over half of physician’s office visits in the U.S. While primary care physicians treat coughs or fevers, they also bear the brunt of chronic disease management. High blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol often fall on a primary care provider’s plate, and there are many different approaches to treatment.Therefore, it’s essential, Ebell said, to understand which approach “has the greatest chance of providing benefit and minimizing harm, and the only way to truly know that is from well-designed studies.” Ebell and his co-authors identified areas of care supported by high-quality studies and others that are not. Topics
related to pregnancy and childbirth, cardiovascular health and psychiatry had the highest percentage of recommendations backed by research-based evidence. Hematological, musculoskeletal and rheumatological, and poisoning and toxicity topics had the lowest percentage. About half of the recommendations overall were based on studies measuring patient-oriented health outcomes, such as quality of life, improved symptoms and lower death rates, rather than laboratory markers like blood sugar or cholesterol levels. Because the latter may or may not translate into how long or how well people live, Ebell said, “practice should wherever possible be guided by studies reporting patient-oriented health outcomes.” Filling in the gaps for evidence-based, patient-oriented primary care research should matter to patients as well as their health care providers, said Ebell.
UGAGUIDE
columns.uga.edu Aug. 28, 2017
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.
HODGSON SCHOOL OF MUSIC TO HOST UGA INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL
5
HODGSON WIND ENSEMBLE OPENS SCHOOL OF MUSIC SEASON
By Clarke Schwabe ccschwabe@uga.edu
From left: Violinist Claudio Cruz, pianist Ana Flavia Frazao, pianist Sergio Gallo, violinist Markus Placci and violist Arthur Ross join UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music string faculty for the three-day UGA International Chamber Music Festival at the UGA Performing Arts Center on Aug. 29-31.
By Clarke Schwabe ccschwabe@uga.edu
The Hugh Hodgson School of Music hosts guest artists from the Southeast, South America and Europe for a three-day chamber music event Aug. 29-31 in the UGA Performing Arts Center. The UGA International Chamber Music Festival will include three performances in Ramsey Concert Hall at 8 p.m. each day of the festival, featuring international guest artists playing alongside Hodgson School faculty members. Directed by Milton Masciadri, professor of double bass at the Hodgson School and a UNESCO Artist for Peace, the festival’s concert programs include a variety of works from traditional masters such as Schubert,
EXHIBITIONS Works by Mary Ruth Moore. Through Sept. 1. Bridge Gallery. Lamar Dodd School of Art. The Genius of Martin Johnson Heade. Through Sept. 10. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu Avocation to Vocation: Prints by F. Townsend Morgan. Through Sept. 10. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu Modern Living: Gio Ponti and the 20thCentury Aesthetics of Design. Through Sept. 17. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu Gold-digging in Georgia: America’s First Gold Rush? Through Dec. 5. Special collections libraries. 706-542-8079. jclevela@uga.edu
MONDAY, AUG. 28 UGA STRING PROJECT OPEN HOUSE The UGA String Project will hold an informational open house and instrument “petting zoo.” This is a chance to meet the String Project staff, hear and try out the various instruments offered for instruction and get information about instrument rental. 6 p.m. Room 200, Hugh Hodgson School of Music. 706-542-3737, 706-542-2776. ugasp@uga.edu, cftaylor@uga.edu
TUESDAY, AUG. 29 EXHIBIT OPENING Covered With Glory: Football at UGA, 1892-1917 includes rarely seen
Brahms and Beethoven as well as composers from Latin America. The programs change each night, with UGA faculty members rotating in and out to play with the guest artists. In addition to Masciadri, faculty performers include Michael Heald, violin; D. Ray McClellan, clarinet; Maggie Snyder, viola; David Starkweather, cello; and Liza Stepanova, piano. Guest artists Claudio Cruz, Ana Flavia Frazao, Sergio Gallo, Markus Placci and Arthur Ross form the core of the festival, performing each night. Tickets to the festival’s concerts are $20 each (free for UGA students) or $45 for all three concerts. Tickets are available at pac.uga.edu or the Performing Arts Center box office.
artifacts and photographs from UGA’s earliest gridiron heroes and the formative years of UGA’s football program. Rotunda, special collections libraries. 706-542-7123. hasty@uga.edu ECOLOGY SEMINAR “Why Do Immune Systems Harm Their Bearers: Evolutionary Ecology of Selfreactive Immunity,” Andrea Graham, Princeton University. Reception follows at 4:30 p.m. in the ecology lobby. The seminar is hosted by Sonia Altizer and Pejman Rohani. 3:30 p.m. Auditorium, ecology building. 706-542-7247. bethgav@uga.edu RESEARCH ORIENTATION UGA faculty are invited to learn about the resources offered by the Office of Research and the UGA research enterprise. 3:30 p.m. H203 College of Veterinary Medicine. 706-542-5922. lraiford@uga.edu SWING DANCE NIGHT This casual evening of social swing dancing starts with beginner and intermediate dance lessons from 8-9 p.m., then everyone gathers for a social dance from 9-11 p.m. It’s not necessary to have any previous experience or a partner. Presented by the UGA Swing Dance Club. Visitor Center, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014. UGA INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL Through Aug. 31. The Hugh Hodgson School of Music hosts three days of chamber music performances featuring its own talented faculty alongside a group of acclaimed artists from across the globe. $20 per concert, $45 all three concerts, free for UGA students. 8 p.m. Ramsey Concert Hall, Performing Arts
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/.
Center. 706-542-4752. ccschwabe@ uga.edu. (See story, above left.)
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 30 ONESOURCE DEMO DAYS Through Aug. 31. As part of the OneSource Project, get a preview of portions of the PeopleSoft Finance and Human Resource and Hyperion (budget planning) systems, ask questions and provide feedback. Pre-registration required. 8:30 a.m. Room K/L Georgia Center. onesource@uga.edu CLASS The five-part flower arranging series starts with Unit 1, which focuses on line/line mass design. Participants will be provided a list of materials to bring to class. Limited to 20 participants. Bring a sack lunch. $45. 9 a.m. Visitor Center, Gardenside Room, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014. CONSERVATION SEMINAR “Is Wood Energy Carbon Neutral? As Always, It Depends Upon Assumptions and Baselines,” Puneet Dwivedi, assistant professor of sustainability sciences, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. 1:25 p.m. Auditorium, ecology building. 706-542-7247. bethgav@uga.edu TOUR AT TWO Join docents for a tour of the permanent collection. Tours meet in the lobby. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu
THURSDAY, AUG. 31 ITALIANS AND DESIGN FILM SERIES In conjunction with the exhibition
The Hugh Hodgson School of Music’s first major concert of the 2017-2018 season evokes fire and ice in a Hodgson Wind Ensemble performance Sept. 1 at 8 p.m. Led by director of bands Cynthia Johnston Turner, the Hodgson School’s premier wind ensemble is no stranger to adventurous, evocative works, but this concert’s program is particularly ambitious. “The concert is a narrative from heat to ice,” said Johnston Turner. To pursue this concept, the concert opens with Figures Sonores by Dutch composer Henk Badings. Johnston Turner said this “sets up the ‘everyman/woman’ ” and establishes the main character of the concert. The concert concludes with John Mackey’s Frozen Cathedral, described by Johnston Turner as “immense … a piece that needs to be experienced to be believed.” Expressing the all-encompassing nature of the calamity that awaits the concert’s protagonist, the piece places musicians on all sides of the audience. The concert also continues the Hodgson Wind Ensemble’s trend of mid-concert social media engagement. Concert attendees in designated balcony “Tweet Seats” and online viewers—the concert will be streamed live at music.uga.edu/streaming—are encouraged to join an online discussion of the concert curated by conducting-area graduate teaching assistants by using the #HWELive hashtag on Twitter. Admission to the concert is free, but attendees are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item to donate to the UGA Student Food Pantry. Information about the pantry’s mission and the specific items it needs can be found at ugapantry.weebly.com. To view the performance calendar, subscribe to the weekly email concert listing and learn more about the School of Music, go to music.uga.edu. Modern Living: Gio Ponti and the 20th-Century Aesthetics of Design. Join the Georgia Museum of Art for films discussed by scholars, filmmakers and students. Each film will include a 15-minute introduction by a guest speaker and short conversations about the film following the screening. Federico Fellini drew on his own circus background for the 1954 classic La Strada. (1954, NR. 108 min.) Sponsored by the UGA Parents Leadership Council. 7 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu
FRIDAY, SEPT. 1 EID AL-ADHA Islamic religious observance. TOUR Free guided tours of Covered With Glory: Football at UGA, 1892-1917 are offered each Friday before home football games. View rarely seen artifacts and photographs from UGA’s earliest gridiron heroes that tell the story of the formative years of UGA’s football program in this new exhibit. 3 p.m. Rotunda, special collections libraries. 706-542-7123. hasty@uga.edu
SATURDAY, SEPT. 2 FOOTBALL vs. Appalachian State. Televised by ESPN. 6:15 p.m. Sanford Stadium. 706-542-1231.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 3 WOMEN’S SOCCER vs. Clemson. 7 p.m. Turner Soccer Complex. 706-542-1621.
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.
MONDAY, SEPT. 4 LABOR DAY HOLIDAY No classes; offices closed.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 5 LECTURE Devoney Looser, Arizona State University, will discuss Jane Austen’s transformation into a literary icon over the course of the last 200 years. 4:30 p.m. 265 Park Hall. 706-542-2161. eberle@uga.edu
COMING UP CLASS Sept. 6. In the “All in The Family— Important Plant Families of Georgia” class, participants will learn about some important plant families and how to recognize their characteristics in the classroom or garden and gain the skills to quickly identify the unknown plants. $50. 9 a.m. Visitors Center, Classroom 2, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014. connicot@uga.edu TOUR AT TWO Sept. 6. Dale Couch, curator of decorative arts, will lead a gallery talk on Modern Living: Gio Ponti and the 20th-Century Aesthetics of Design. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu THURSDAY SCHOLARSHIP SERIES Sept. 7. Enjoy the kickoff of the 2017-2018 Thursday Scholarship Series with the UGA Symphony Orchestra. $20; $6, student/child. 7:30 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall. 706-542-4752. ccschwabe@uga.edu
NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES Aug. 30 (for Sept. 11 issue) Sept. 6 (for Sept. 18 issue) Sept. 13 (for Sept. 25 issue)
6 Aug. 28, 2017 columns.uga.edu
FACULTY PROFILE
REVEnews
Daniel Capps, an assistant professor in the College of Education’s mathematics and science education department, received a $449,849 grant from the National Science Foundation to enhance how students and teachers can learn about the nature of scientific models. In addition to researching the potential value of abstraction as a guiding principle for learning about the nature of scientific models during the three-year study, Capps will explore how abstraction in modeling is impacted by contextual factors. Melissa Davis, assistant professor of genetics in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, received $385,688 from the National Institutes of Health to investigate the disparities of breast cancer mortality in African-Americans compared to European Americans. The study will determine if DARC or Duffy antigen/chemokine receptor tumor expression is associated with ancestry and immune response. The results will have implications for developing prognostic and therapeutic targets for personalized medicine. Marshall Shepherd, Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor and director of the Atmospheric Sciences Program, received $50,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service to examine the role of weather and climate in the 2016 Appalachian fire outbreak. The project will involve a climatological study using historical data to examine changes in the probability of extreme droughts in conjunction with strong weather fronts. This historical perspective will be combined with climate modeling data to provide insight into potential future conditions. Susan Haire, professor of political science in the School of Public and International Affairs, received $33,107 from the National Science Foundation for exploring judicial diversity and appellate court decisionmaking. By collecting data on cases, courts and judges from the U.S. Courts of Appeals from 2009 to 2016, this study will examine how recent demographic shifts in the judiciary affected deliberations, opinion writing and organizational practices. These findings will offer new and important insights on the intermediate appellate courts that serve a vital role in the administration of justice in the federal court system. Gajanan Bhat, Georgia Athletic Association Professor of Fibers and Textiles in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, received $100,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Services for a project that will incorporate cotton fibers in the production of elastic nonwoven materials. Nonwoven products can be engineered for a variety of functions including filtration, hygiene and medical uses. This research will expand markets and opportunities for cotton as well as improving performance properties and exploring new applications for nonwovens. Esther van der Knaap, professor of horticulture in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, received $455,000 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture to study how proteins interact and regulate tomato fruit shape. Although the genes that regulate the shape and weight of the tomato have been identified, there is little understanding of how they alter the dimensions of the fruit. This work will fill that gap, shedding light on fundamental plant processes that can be harnessed to improve factors that affect crop value. Stephen Berry, who holds the Amanda and Greg Gregory Chair in the Civil War Era in Franklin College, received $114,562 from the American Council of Learned Societies for expanding CSI: Dixie, his project that made 19th-century coroners’ inquests for six South Carolina counties publicly available. The expansion will add more inquests, the U.S. mortality censuses of 1850 to 1880 and early 20thcentury death certificates, plus create data search and visualization tools. The resulting information will illuminate the development of the U.S. public health system and offer a look at historical big data. ReveNews is a roundup of recently funded research projects at UGA. To have information about your research project included, email Allyson Mann at tiny@uga.edu.
Chad Osburn
Jillian Fain Bohlen works with dairy cows and educates students across Georgia about animal physiology and dairy production.
CAES faculty member traces her love of animals to early intro to farm life By J. Merritt Melancon jmerritt@uga.edu
Jillian Fain Bohlen’s love of animals drove her to become a fan of dairy farming at an early age. Bohlen grew up in southern Oconee County.After a family friend introduced her to the family’s dairy farm, it became the place where she spent her free time. “Eventually, I would just ride the bus to their farm instead of home so I could play with the cows,” Bohlen said. “I would roam the barns, help when needed and just enjoy talking to the cows and people. That’s how it started.” It’s now 20 years later, and Bohlen has turned her love of dairy cattle into a career in outreach, teaching and applied research in the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ department of animal science. As an assistant professor of animal and dairy science, she works with dairy cows on a daily basis and, more importantly to her, educates young people all over the state and at the University of Georgia about animal physiology and dairy production. A graduate of UGA and Clemson University, Bohlen taught at Clemson from 2006 until 2013, when she returned to UGA. Bohlen has a 60 percent UGA Cooperative Extension and 40 percent instruction appointment but still maintains an applied research program that focuses on dairy cattle reproduction. She investigates problems related to fertility in dairy cattle.
Bohlen is studying a specific hormone that could be a marker of fertility in dairy cows. She’s looking at the levels of this fertility hormone in cows over the course of their lifetime as well as the events that impact this hormone. The research program may not be part of her core responsibilities, but it enables her to contribute to the body of knowledge surrounding dairy cows and fertility in general. It also helps her connect students with future research opportunities in dairy science. “It (research) helps me engage my students at the next level, and it gives something back to the producers who support our research and outreach programs,” Bohlen said. Each year, Bohlen teaches Dairy Cattle Production and Management, Physiology of Reproduction in Domestic Animals, Applied Reproductive Management in Cattle and Swine and Issues in Animal Agriculture to students interested in livestock production and preveterinary medicine students. She also advises the university’s Dairy Science Club, Dairy Challenge Team and the Jersey Active Management by Students Team, a group of students in charge of making husbandry decisions for UGA’s herd of Jersey dairy cows. Most of her classes have a large hands-on component and involve students regularly working at UGA’s Teaching Dairy near Double Bridges Road off U.S. Highway 78. “We have student workers out here doing everything from milking the herd to feeding baby calves,” she said in a re-
FACTS
Jillian Fain Bohlen
Assistant Professor and State Dairy Extension Specialist College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Ph.D., Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Clemson University, 2012 M.S., Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia, 2005 B.S., Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia, 2003 At UGA: Four years
cent interview about a newly renovated classroom at the UGA Teaching Dairy. “We teach a variety of different classes, from a basic animal practicum class to dairy production and advanced dairy management classes.” Bohlen’s position has enabled her to go back to her roots and to introduce more young people to the world of dairy cows. After her introduction to the dairy farm as a middle school student, Bohlen started competitively raising and showing dairy heifers through Georgia 4-H. “My mom mainly got me involved in it, I think because it kept me busy, but it did teach me about responsibility,” Bohlen said. Today, a large part of Bohlen’s Extension appointment involves organizing and promoting the 4-H Livestock Program’s Commercial Heifer Project statewide. “I wouldn’t take anything for my showing years,” she said.
RETIREES May
Nineteen UGA employees retired May 1. Retirees, their job classification, department and years of service are: Sandra J. Baird, cashier clerk, Oglethorpe Dining Hall, 16 years, 8 months; Dianne Key Campbell, business manager II, UGA Cooperative Extension-Southeast district, 40 years, 6 months; Debra G. Cole, registered veterinary technician II, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 26 years, 8 months; Larry G. Dyer, floor covering installer, Facilities Management Divisionoperations and maintenance-Floor Covering Shop, 17 years, 8 months; Jane J. Hillsman, human resources coordinator, Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, 30 years; Cherry C. Hovatter, public service assistant, UGA
Cooperative Extension-Northwest district, 17 years; Barbara Hartman Howell, alumni development specialist II, athletics, 16 years, 10 months; Jennifer W. Jordan, senior public service associate, J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development, 27 years, 10 months; Francis J. Kelley, IT professional specialist, EITS systems and client support, 33 years, 5 months; Doris Marie Lord, administrative manager I, food science and technology, 23 years, 3 months; Jenifer K. Marquardt, librarian II, Libraries-general operations, 25 years, 2 months; David M. Mathis, research professional I, crop and soil sciences, 38 years, Brenda W. Mattox, administrative financial director, Odum School of Ecology, 28 years, 2 months; Clare Johnson McFadden,
administrative specialist II, Office of the Vice President for Finance and Administration, 18 years, 6 months; Willie J. Moore, building services worker II, Facilities Management Division-services department, building services (second shift), 14 years; Gene M. Pesti, professor, poultry science, 37 years, 1 month; Richard L. Sloan, boiler operator II, Facilities Management Division-energy departmentstem production, 30 years, 5 months; Dennis W. Stewart, parts specialist, Facilities Management Division-grounds department-maintenance, 16 years, 6 months; and Robbin G. Wilkes, administrative associate II, Research Business Services, 39 years, 10 months. Source: Human Resources
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
7
columns.uga.edu Aug. 28, 2017
Marking their words
Doctoral candidate’s tool helps middle schoolers improve writing By Kristen Morales kmorales@uga.edu
Sometimes, it’s so easy to get caught up in the details that you miss the bigger picture. That’s what was happening to Kalianne Neumann’s middle schoolers, who were eagerly using Google’s tools to share and critique their class writings. But rather than offer comments on sentence structure or paragraph organization, the students were getting bogged down in the little things, like capitalization and punctuation. “At the time, Google Documents only had the commenting feature, so some of the kids had 60 to 70 comments from their peers that said, ‘You need to capitalize this,’ ” said Neumann, a doctoral candidate in the learning, design and technology program in the University of Georgia College of Education. “There was some good advice and feedback about the content, organization and purpose, but for some of the kids, it got lost.”
Differentiating feedback
Neumann thought there had to be a way to differentiate types of feedback. Recalling the difference between old-school proofreading marks and comments written in the margins, Neumann said, “There had to be a way to put visual proofreading marks on the screen so comments are more apparent on the side.” So she invented a way to fix that. Meet Revision Assistant, an add-on for Google Documents. While it recalls some features similar to Microsoft Word’s “track changes” feature, which highlights changes in a document, Revision Assistant goes one step further, incorporating a Google document-friendly version of proofreading marks and space for separate comments to note more complex issues with the text. Added to Google in the fall of 2015, it now has more than 33,000 users and is set for a second update that incorporates feedback from teachers and students across the country. “I’m really excited about it,” said Neumann, who is using the data she collects from Revision Assistant for her doctoral dissertation. Her hope is that students who see the proofreading marks for small errors will learn to make these quick fixes in subsequent essays. This, in turn, will give them more space to consider the overall piece. “I’m looking to see if the students internalize the common errors they make so they can focus on making revisions instead of fixing errors,” she said. Her professor and advisor, T.J. Kopcha, said the origins of Revision Assistant directly relate to the goals of the learning, design and technology program: To find a solution within design. For example, Revision Assistant features two dropdown panels that hold pre-set editing marks. (An updated version, planned for a release this fall, includes three.) “The two levels are conventions, such as spelling and punctuation and structure,” he said. “Then we got teachers using it with students, and we realized they don’t think in just those two levels. The new version still has that surface level, and then
Kristen Morales
Kalianne Neumann is using the data she collects from Revision Assistant for her doctoral dissertation.
there’s the way something is used and the way a sentence is formed. Those are two deeper-level categories.”
From idea to Google tool
Kopcha added that Google Classroom is a new trend in school districts, offering teachers options such as the ability to distribute a document to 30 students at once. If the exercise is to provide written feedback through comments, the teacher can then export the students’ comments into a table at the end of the document and see what they were thinking as they went through the text. The other plus to Google’s tools is that they are userfriendly. While many teachers are tech-savvy, not all know computer code. Neumann admits she falls into that category. Even so, when she started the College of Education program, she had a clear idea of what she wanted Revision Assistant to look like, even without experience in coding and little idea how to turn something into an add-on for a Google document. As it happens, Neumann is also a graduate assistant with the College of Education’s Professional Development School District, a partnership with the Clarke County School District. Clarke County is a Google School District, and through the school district’s contacts Neumann was able to connect with a Google developer, Promevo. “I had a Google hangout with Promevo in the summer
WEEKLY READER
Book helps readers with academic writing Using an array of examples and tools, Successful Academic Writing helps equip students to master the challenge of academic writing in graduate school and beyond. Authors Anneliese A. Singh, associate dean of diversity, equity and inclusion in the University of Georgia College of Education, and Lauren Lukkarila of the Georgia Tech Language Institute get into the nitty-gritty of structure, style and language, offering a window into the thought processes and strategies used by strong writers. Topics cover more general how-to themes, such as selecting an audience or writing in a voice appropriate for a specific Successful Academic Writing: academic community but also wade deeply A Complete Guide for Social into academic themes of selecting the and Behavioral Scientists right peer-reviewed journal, navigating By Anneliese Singh and the publication process and composing Lauren Lukkarila sections of a qualitative, quantitative or The Guilford Press mixed-methods article. Hardcover: $75 The book also features exercises to help the reader analyze a variety of texts, Paperback: $30 annotated excerpts from journals and end-of-chapter reminders with clear steps to take.
of 2016, and I said, ‘How much is this going to cost?’ ” she said, doing the math in her head to calculate her assistantships and what she might be able to afford. “They said, ‘Oh no, we’re going to do this pro bono.’ ” Three weeks later she reviewed a demo of Revision Assistant, and by September it was available through Google. Granted, despite the technology learning curve, this wasn’t the first time Neumann created a technology-based tool to make lives easier. Before she got into the doctoral program, Neumann designed an insulin calculator app inspired by the charts her mother made for her brother, who is diabetic. “So I had that motivation and inspiration to get me through this, and it really pushed me to do it,” she said. “I think in some regards T.J. thought it would happen, but it’s surreal to have 33,000 users.” Since Revision Assistant came to life, Neumann also has learned some code on her own, and she has used the framework Promevo built to add the third level of proofreading marks suggested by users. She hopes the new version will be available later this year. In the meantime, she’s always open to feedback. “Teachers will tell me different ways they are using it,” she added. “I want it to be useful to teachers and students, and I want to keep getting that positive reinforcement so I can make it even better.”
CYBERSIGHTS
ABOUT COLUMNS Columns is available to the community by subscription for an annual fee of $20 (secondclass delivery) or $40 (first-class delivery). Faculty and staff members with a disability may call 706-542-8017 for assistance in obtaining this publication in an alternate format. Columns staff can be reached at 706-542-8017 or columns@uga.edu
Editor Juliett Dinkins Art Director Jackie Baxter Roberts
WUGA-FM site begins using NPR platform
wuga.org
WUGA-FM updated its website to a platform that National Public Radio makes available to its affiliate stations. This allows audio segments to be directly embedded into online stories and provides a stream of both state and national news from
Georgia Public Broadcasting and NPR, respectively. The new format also provides more information about WUGA’s programming and show schedule. Overall, it allows users to locate the station’s audio and digital content more easily.
Photo Editor Dorothy Kozlowski Writer Leigh Beeson Communications Coordinator Krista Richmond 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. 28, 2017 columns.uga.edu DEGREE
WILLSON
from page 1
Andrew Davis Tucker
Students can earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in five years or less through the new Double Dawgs linked-degree program.
specialized knowledge.” Vice President for Instruction Rahul Shrivastav explained that students who hold two degrees from UGA have long referred to themselves as “Double Dawgs.” By streamlining the process for creating new linkeddegree programs, the university has built on that legacy and dramatically expanded the number of accelerated master’s programs it offers.Through the Double Dawgs program, students accelerate their progress toward a master’s degree by taking rigorous, graduatelevel coursework during the final year of their undergraduate studies. “Our faculty are enthusiastic about this opportunity for students, evidenced by the more than 100 programs that have been approved so far,” Shrivastav said. “We have incredibly talented undergraduate students, and our faculty are looking forward to having them as graduate students in programs
that will further advance their opportunities after graduation.” Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Pamela Whitten noted that the demand for the specialized knowledge that graduate education provides continues to grow, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting 18 percent growth in careers requiring a master’s degree compared to 12 percent for degrees requiring a bachelor’s degree alone. “The demand for graduate education is expected to grow in the coming years in response to the needs of the labor market,” Whitten said. “With more than 100 accelerated master’s programs offered through the Double Dawgs program, the University of Georgia is taking a leadership role in expanding access to graduate education.” For more information on the Double Dawgs program, see doubledawgs.uga.edu.
from page 1
Jamil Zainaldin, president of Georgia Humanities; and Robert Newman, president and director of the National Humanities Center. “These thinkers are at the leading edge of research and innovation worldwide, and their enthusiasm to join us for the launch of the Willson Center’s 30th anniversary shows how highly our humanities and arts programs are regarded globally,” Allen said. “History, music, literature, dance, philosophy, art—all are critical to our university, our society and our economy. “This conversation will highlight the many contemporary possibilities for thinking with innovation and acting with compassion,” he also said. “There is no future without the imagination, and no better opportunity to engage collectively than through the humanities and arts.” The Willson Center for Humanities and Arts was founded as the Humanities Center in 1987 and subsequently named the Center for Humanities and Arts in 1997. In 2005, it was renamed the Jane and Harry Willson Center for Humanities and Arts after the gift of an endowment by the Willsons of Albany, longtime benefactors of the humanities and arts at the university. The center’s mission is to promote research and creativity in the humanities and arts. It supports faculty through research grants, lectures, symposia, publications, visiting scholars, visiting artists, collaborative instruction, public conferences, exhibitions and performances. It is committed to academic excellence and public impact. To learn more about upcoming Willson Center events and programs, visit willson. uga.edu.
SCIENCE from page 1 student, was a peer learning assistant in Norris Armstrong’s Introduction to Biology course, which was held in one of the 280-seat teaching classrooms. Nayak and other undergraduate students in the Peer LearningAssistant program help foster collaboration, good study habits and productive learning techniques at the SLC. She was impressed with how the large classroom,with extra spacing between desks and flexible chairs, improved student interaction. “It facilitates group work when there is a lot of emphasis on collaboration,” she said. “If you want to be a researcher or engineer or any other profession in a STEM field, you have to work well on a team.” For several years, Brad Barnes had taught his Introduction to Computer Science course in a lecture-style format. In essence, Barnes stood in front of the classroom to explain concepts and answer students’ questions. With the opening of the SLC, Barnes adapted his teaching style for a SCALE-UP classroom. SCALE-UP, which stands for Student-Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs, combines the philosophy of active-learning instruction with a space designed to create intimate group assignments in a larger-enrollment classroom. Compared to previous courses taught elsewhere, Barnes noticed a small bump in students’ grades with this new format last year. But more than that, he noticed a new dynamic in the class. “The thing that is most exciting to me is what you can’t measure,” he said. “Class would end, and students wouldn’t notice. They would be engaged in their work.” What better evidence that the SLC is living up to its promise?
TOUR from page 1 and had their pictures taken with Uga X, the Georgia Bulldogs football mascot. At each stop, faculty members on the tour—most of whom are not from Georgia—saw or heard something that helped them better understand Georgia’s geography, history, culture or economic drivers. “We’ve seen just how important the University of Georgia is as far as supporting the state through the land-grant mission,” said Joseph Watson Jr., the inaugural Carolyn Caudell Tieger Professor of Public Affairs in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. “We’re doing our part to make sure the state does its part to make sure this is a wonderful and prosperous place for Georgians to live.” In addition, the tour provided an opportunity for faculty from different disciplines to meet and explore possible connections between their areas of expertise. “I had a chance to learn a little bit more
about the people I’ll be working with across campus,” said Barry Croom, an associate professor of agricultural leadership, education and communication in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.“It also helped me develop a few partnerships. This morning I was talking to a couple of my colleagues and perhaps we can discover some research together. That’s what UGA wants us to do, and that’s what we’re going to do.” The New Faculty Tour is coordinated by the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach and is made possible by major support from the Office of the President, the Office of the Provost, and the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach. Additional sponsors include the UGA Alumni Association, UGA Foundation and a multitude of other units and supporters of the University of Georgia. Photos from the tour are at https://www. instagram.com/uga_serves/.
Bulletin Board UGAAlert test
A full test of UGAAlert, the university’s emergency notification system, will be conducted Sept. 14 at 10:45 a.m. Prior to the test, students, faculty and staff should review their contact information (phone numbers and email addresses) in the UGAAlert system to ensure that their personal contact information and their specific preferences for being notified are accurate. Contact information may be checked at www.ugaalert.uga.edu. In the event of severe weather on Sept. 14, the test will be rescheduled to a day when more favorable weather conditions exist.
University Woman’s Club
The UGA University Woman’s Club will host its annual fall coffee Sept. 12 from 10-11:30 a.m. at the
President’s House, 570 Prince Ave. A social/service organization, the UGA University Woman’s Club is open to anyone who, through their own or their family’s affiliation, past or present, is associated with the University of Georgia community. Members are a diverse group of UGA graduates, professionals, faculty, retirees and their spouses. The fall coffee marks the start of yearly activities for the University Woman’s Club. Anyone interested in joining should visit www.womansclub.uga.edu and download the membership form. For additional information, contact Shirley Jaeger, publicity chair, at shirley.jaeger1961@gmail.com or 706-566-4477 or 706-548-9291.
Andrew Davis Tucker
SUN BLOCK—Thousands viewed the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse at Sanford Stadium during the university’s “Eclipse Blackout” event, which included faculty experts, door prizes and a livestream on the Jumbotron. It was sponsored by the Georgia Athletic Association, the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, the Atmospheric Sciences Program and the Department of Geography. The State Botanical Garden, a public service and outreach unit, also held an eclipse viewing event sponsored by Friends of the Garden and Athens Coca-Cola that included music by Tommy Jordan and several games.
Dorothy Kozlowski
Bulletin Board is limited to information that may pertain to a majority of faculty and staff members. Andrew Davis Tucker