Uga Columns August 10, 2015

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CAES faculty member uses animals to make classroom more engaging INSTRUCTIONAL NEWS

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The University of Georgia ASO to open Performing Arts Center’s 20th season with Sept. 20 performance

Vol. 43, No. 3

August 10, 2015

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the best and brightest students and to provide them with a world-class education that leads to successful careers after graduation.”

The only other SEC school on the list is the University of Florida at No. 14. Georgia Tech also was ranked in the top 25 at No. 15. The U.S. Military Academy was No. 1 on the Forbes list of publics.

Forbes teamed with the Washington, D.C.-based Center for College Affordability and Productivity to rank the schools.

CCAP used five general categories to determine the rankings: student satisfaction (25 percent), post-graduate success (32.5 percent), student debt (25 percent), the graduation rate (7.5 percent) and students who win prestigious scholarships or earn a doctorate (10 percent).

dbill@uga.edu

The UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant are working to revive the state’s oyster industry by launching Georgia’s first oyster hatchery on Skidaway Island.

Hatching a plan

Marine Extension, Georgia Sea Grant to launch state’s first oyster hatchery michelej@uga.edu

This fall, the Shellfish Research Laboratory at the UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, public service and outreach units at UGA, plan to launch the state’s first oyster hatchery on Skidaway Island.

The hatchery will provide growers with a stable supply of oyster spat­—the larvae that attach to a hard substrate and enter the sub-adult and adult stages—as well as technical guidance for a sustainable harvest of single oysters.

In the early 1900s, the sweet Georgia oyster was king. The state led the nation in oyster landings, most of which was canned. By the 1940s, the oyster industry had dramatically declined for a variety of reasons, with the last shucking houses closing in the 1960s.

4&5

UGA ranks No. 18 on ‘Forbes’ list of top public U.S. colleges

By David Bill

By Michele Johnson

UGA GUIDE

­Fishermen who continued to harvest primarily supplied oysters for local backyard roasts.

Today, the industry is poised for a comeback with the launch of Georgia’s first oyster hatchery at the Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. UGA’s efforts will make the Georgia oyster industry more durable, contribute to aquaculture diversification and elevate one of Georgia’s best-kept culinary secrets from the backyard roast to the tables of the finest restaurants from Savannah to Atlanta and beyond.

The hatchery project, funded by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Coastal Management Program, will be a collaborative effort. UGA is sharing spat and guidance with participating growers, and in return growers will share their experiences and data.

Finally, UGA will bring in seafood

distribution companies to educate them about the Georgia product.

Wild Georgia oysters grow in muddy clumps, due to high natural recruitment rates and the resulting competition for food and space.

The shells are brittle with sharp edges, yet none of this takes away from the flavor of the meat, often described as sweet with a hint of lemongrass.

“One of the goals of the oyster hatchery is to produce an attractive, easy-to-open single oyster that can be marketed to upscale restaurants,” said Thomas Bliss, director of the Shellfish Research Laboratory.

The Shellfish Lab has conducted oyster research in singleoyster cultivation going back more than 30 years based on wild harvest of oyster spat. However, wild spat See OYSTER on page 8

UGA is ranked No. 18 on the Forbes “Top 25 Public Colleges 2015” list.

Forbes ranked 650 public and private schools using factors that the publication says favor “output over input. Our sights are set directly on return on investment: What are students getting out of college.”

“I am pleased that the University of Georgia has once again been recognized as one of the best public universities in the nation,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “Although rankings invariably fluctuate year to year, UGA is on an upward trajectory as the institution continues to attract

PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

New university faculty to take tour of 13 cities, 43 counties

By Kelly Simmons

simmonsk@uga.edu

About 40 new UGA faculty members will get a whirlwind tour of the state this week so that they can better understand the geography, demographics, diversity, economy, history and culture of Georgia.

On Aug. 10, following remarks from UGA President Jere W. Morehead at the Georgia Center, the group will travel to Gainesville for its first stop at Jaemor Farms to learn about agribusiness in north Georgia and the growing agritourism industry across the state.

The group will spend five days touring some of the key economic generators in Georgia, including Shaw Industries in Cartersville, the Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, the CSX Rice Yard in

Waycross, Gulfstream Aerospace in Savannah and the Georgia Ports Authority in Garden City.

They also will tour the state Capitol and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Park Service Visitors Center in Atlanta, and the town of Senoia, which is home to Raleigh Studios, where The Walking Dead is filmed.

“Every year we do this we help expand the capacity for our faculty to reach out and engage with the state through their research and service,” said Jennifer Frum, vice president for public service and outreach. “They come back to campus and think of ways to put their expertise to use to help Georgia’s communities grow and prosper.”

The 2015 New Faculty Tour begins Aug. 10 and concludes Aug. 14.

For more information on the tour, see http://t.uga.edu/1GM.

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTRUCTION

$1.1M federal grant will help support first-generation and low-income students

Alumna makes $500,000 gift to law school

By Tracy Coley

The UGA School of Law has received a $500,000 gift to create the Stacey Godfrey Evans Scholarship for first-generation college graduates attending Georgia Law. The gift is the first of its kind, and it was made by Georgia Law alumna and state Rep. Stacey Godfrey Evans. The first Evans Scholar is expected to be named this fall.

“This level of contribution from a single individual has the power to change the lives of future

tcoley@uga.edu

UGA has received a $1.1 million U.S. Department of Education grant to help support college students from low-income families and first-generation students. The university will receive funding beginning in September, distributed over the next five years under the Federal TRIO’s Student Support Services Program.

The Federal TRIO Programs

are outreach and student services programs that provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds at colleges nationwide. TRIO, named for the three programs of Upward Bound, Talent Search and Student Support Services at its original inception in the 1960s, includes eight programs that assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to

post-baccalaureate programs.

TRIO also includes a training program for directors and staff who oversee TRIO projects.

At UGA, TRIO includes Student Support Services, Upward Bound and Talent Search. The Student Support Services grant will provide academic development and assistance with basic college requirements to increase the college retention and graduation rates of its participants.

See GRANT on page 8

By Heidi M. Murphy hmurphy@uga.edu

s t u d e n t s ,” said Georgia Law Dean Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge.

“Leadership giving of this nature can make the Stacey Godfrey difference Evans between a student’s ability to attend law school or having to give up that dream. This investment demonstrates Stacey’s faith in See GIFT on page 8

2 Aug. 10, 2015 columns.uga.edu

Around academe

Study: Economy can influence majors

A new study published by the Institute for the Study of Labor, a German research center, found that economic conditions influence the majors chosen by American college students.

The study explored the relationship between choice of major for bachelor’s students and the unemployment rate from 1962 to 2013.

The study found that college students were more likely to choose majors in the STEM fields during periods with a weaker job market, presumably because those degrees were perceived to make them more hirable or offer better pay.

Fewer in-state students attending Purdue U. after tuition freezes

Now in a fourth year of tuition freezes, Purdue University in Indiana has become majority out-of-state and international students.

According to the Indianapolis Star, there are 1,228 fewer undergraduates from the Hoosier State and 336 more nonresidents—who pay almost three times the tuition rate as Indiana residents—since tuition rates were frozen in 2012. Critics say in-state students are being squeezed out for more profitable out-of-state students.

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RESEARCH VESSEL

SAVANNAH SPENT

DAYS AT SEA

COLLECTING

SAMPLES&DATA IN FY2015

Read more about UGA’s work on natural resources at discover.uga.edu.

PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

US agriculture undersecretary uses UGA visit to promote healthier eating

By Kelly Simmons

simmonsk@uga.edu

About 1.8 million Georgians depend on government assistance to feed their families. The U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services visited Athens last month to see how the university is working within the community to make it easier for those families to eat healthier.

Kevin Concannon, who has been undersecretary since 2009, toured the student-run UGArden, ate lunch prepared by students at Clarke Middle School and got an inside look at Campus Kitchen, a student-run program within the Office of Service-Learning, a UGA public service and outreach unit, that recovers food from local businesses and gardens and prepares meals for needy people in the Athens area.

“It’s wonderful to see the reach of the university in a variety of community-based settings,” Concannon said, following his visit to Talmage Terrace retirement community, where UGA students in Campus Kitchen prepare meals to deliver to grandparents raising grandchildren, a population identified as a high priority need by the Athens Community Council on Aging.

Because many grandparents don’t have legal custody of the grandchildren who live with them, they can’t qualify for federal assistance for them.

Concannon also visited the West Broad Farmers Market and Garden—which, with UGArden, donates produce to Campus Kitchen—and the Athens Farmers Market downtown.

The Athens Farmers Market accepts Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cards (formerly food stamps)

Jane Ellyn Aaron

Kevin Concannon, far right, U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services, talks to UGA Campus Kitchen volunteers.

as payment for produce. The UGArden plans to be able to accept SNAP for its fruits and vegetables soon.

Since 2008, the number of SNAPauthorized farmers, roadside farm stands and farmers markets that accept SNAP has increased from 735 to more than 6,500, making healthy food more accessible to low-income families.

But Concannon said that efforts like those at UGA are critical to meet the needs of people who are food insecure.

“That’s where farmers markets and people working on farm-to-schools come in,” Concannon said.

The UGArden sells its produce to the public on Thursdays. But it donates 60 percent of what it grows to Campus Kitchen, said Aidan Holley, who interns with both the garden and Campus Kitchen. The students also offer cooking demonstrations and

provide recipes with the produce delivered to area families.

“It’s a really cool relationship,” he said. “It’s mutually beneficial.”

Wick Prichard, an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer working for the Office of Service-Learning, oversees the garden and culinary program at Clarke Middle School. Students at CMS plant, maintain and harvest the food and prepare it to serve to people in the Athens community. Local chefs teach them new recipes.

The students, in hairnets and red aprons with the CMS owl mascot on the front, served cups of gazpacho, pulled pork sandwiches, vegetables and peach cobbler to Concannon and others from UGA and area nonprofit organizations.

The programs help grow gardeners and people who appreciate food and its origins, Prichard said.

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

By Caroline Paczkowski

By Kristen Morales

Former U.S. Rep. John Barrow will become a Scholar in Residence at the UGA School of Public and International Affairs this fall. Barrow is an Athens resident with strong ties to UGA and the Athens community.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree in political science and history from UGA in 1976, Barrow earned his Juris Doctor from Harvard University’s Law School. In 2004, he was elected to Georgia’s 12th District in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he represented John Barrow portions of eastern Georgia until 2015.

Before that, Barrow served for 14 years on the Athens-Clarke County Commission as the commissioner for the district that included UGA. Barrow will be teaching one class in the fall and two classes in the spring. The classes will focus primarily on factors that lead to political polarization in government. Students will explore the impact of partisan gerrymandering, party caucuses, party leaders and legislative policy on party and ideological polarization.

“Congressman Barrow has an outstanding educational background, a depth of experience in politics at the local and federal level and a steel-trap mind on matters related to Georgia history, public policy and American politics,” said Stefanie Lindquist, dean of SPIA. “The students and faculty are very excited that he is joining us this fall as our Scholar in Residence.”

In addition to his time in the classroom, Barrow will serve as an adviser on an interdisciplinary effort between SPIA and the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication to create a certificate in applied politics. The program, slated to begin in 2016, is being created to provide students with practical and analytical skills for careers in politics and political communication, including campaign management, lobbying, legislative affairs, issue advocacy, grass-roots organizing and government relations.

Bettina Love, an assistant professor in the UGA College of Education, has been awarded a fellowship to the W.E.B. Du Bois Research Institute at Harvard University, the leading institute of African-American studies in the country.

The one-semester fellowship begins in January.

Love, whose research and teaching experience brings hip-hop culture into lessons for elementary-age children, will use the fellowship to create a multimedia civics curriculum for older Bettina Love students using stories from contemporary activists and their views on how hip-hop influenced their own education in social change.

“Traditionally, civics lessons are about voting and how we get kids thinking about democracy,” Love said. “But a lot of what’s going on right now, the reality of youth—with Michael Brown, Eric Gardner and hashtags like #BlackLivesMatter—I wanted to create a civics education that really looks at how hip-hop responds to this. How hip-hop helps kids respond to everyday traumas, and how it gives them a place to vent and escape.”

Past fellows at the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute, which is directed by Henry Louis Gates, include major figures in the field such as Cornel West and Nell Irvin Painter.

Love has been awarded the Nasir Jones Hiphop Fellowship, named in honor of rap artist Nas, which funds “scholars and artists who demonstrate exceptional productive scholarship and exceptional creative ability in the arts, in connection with hip-hop,” according to the institute. But the connection with Nas also hits Love on a personal level.

“We listened to Nas every day when I was growing up.

Nas gave us a worldview. He gave us inspiration,” she said.

“I’m one of his biggest fans, so to go to Harvard and be named the Nasir Jones Fellow, I’m humbled and overjoyed by it.”

Love’s book, Hip Hop’s Li’l Sistas Speak, was published in 2012. In 2014, she was named an inaugural recipient of UGA’s Michael F. Adams Early Career Scholar Award.

Former US representative COE assistant professor to be Scholar in Residence named Harvard fellow cparis@uga.edu

kmorales@uga.edu

RESEARCH NEWS

columns.uga.edu Aug. 10, 2015

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Digest University to welcome back students during Hunker Down with Housing

Robert Newcomb

The findings of UGA’s Regenerative Bioscience Center researchers Maria Viveiros, left, and Rabindranath De La Fuente could provide answers about the mechanisms that lead to birth defects and chromosome instability in cancer cells.

‘Unique model’

RBC researchers identify unique marker on chromosomes in early embryo

By Charlene Betourney cbetourney@uga.edu

Researchers in UGA’s Regenerative Bioscience Center are visually capturing the first process of chromosome alignment and separation at the beginning of mouse development. The findings could lead to answers to questions concerning the mechanisms leading to birth defects and chromosome instability in cancer cells.

“We’ve generated a model that is unique in the world,” said Rabindranath De La Fuente, an associate professor in the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine. “Because we removed ATRX protein expression only in the oocyte, the female egg cell, we can now study its function at both the cellular and molecular level.”

ATRX is a protein that binds to the centromere of all chromosomes in every single cell of the body, but when it malfunctions, chromosomes cannot segregate properly and lose their structural integrity. Using the ATRX protein, the researchers developed a mouse model to learn how an embryo responds to abnormal chromosome segregation.

In the study, published recently in the journal Development, De La Fuente and assistant professor Maria Viveiros, both in the college’s physiology and

pharmacology department, have established that stability of a specialized chromosomal domain in an early embryo is absolutely vital for subsequent development and health.

The future goal of this study is to learn about the mechanisms of chromosomal defects, helping to someday reduce the risk of chromosome instability and increase prevention through improving early prenatal care.

There is an urgent need to develop additional noninvasive strategies concerning maternal health, Viveiros said, pointing out the classic example of how folic acid significantly reduced the risk of spina bifida “by the simple recommendation of taking a daily dose of the vitamin folic acid before and during pregnancy.”

The first image captured by the team shows a mouse oocyte fertilized by sperm, when the maternal and paternal chromosomes come together for the first time to start a new embryo.

Through the use of fluorescent markers, the process of how the maternal genome is being regulated can now be studied.

“What’s amazing is we can actually visualize that very first division when this cell is going to get half of its chromosomes from mom and the other half from dad,” Viveiros said.

They found that ATRX is inherited only from mom’s chromosomes.

“That was totally unexpected for us—and the main reason for describing the process as ‘epigenetic asymmetry’ in the title of our publication,” she said.

In the second image shown by a computer program that recognizes DNA sequences, in chromosome 16 a piece has gone missing and is now fused with chromosome 17, forming a translocation.

The team has been studying the role of chromatin remodeling proteins in the epigenetic control of chromosome instability for many years, and it’s no small task to capture these images and analyze the data. The entire mouse genome is massive and contains billions of base pairs of DNA. “We’ve been learning how these proteins work and publishing our results,” De La Fuente said, “and at the same time independently in other laboratories around the world oncologists are discovering that ATRX is important to prevent chromosome breaks in tumors. Tumor cells have high rates of genomic instability and are often aneuploid, meaning they inherit the wrong number of chromosomes.

This instability is often considered a ‘hallmark’ for cancer cells. But the mechanisms are not known—we have the model ready to start studying the mechanisms of chromosome instability at the cellular and molecular level.”

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

Study’s findings may help curb painkiller misuse

By Laurie Anderson laurie@uga.edu

In a nationwide study, researchers from the UGA School of Social Work found that individuals of any age who used illicit drugs within the past year had a higher likelihood of misusing prescription pain relievers as well. A study just released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which found that heroin use was highest among those who abused cocaine or opioid pain relievers within the past year, reinforced the UGA research.

The findings, published in the journal Addictive Behaviors, may help health care providers and others curb painkiller misuse.

“Male or female, black or white, rich or poor, the singular thing we found was

that if they were an illicit drug user, they also had many, many times higher odds of misusing prescription pain relievers,” said Orion Mowbray, an assistant professor in the School of Social Work and the UGA study’s lead author.

The UGA researchers also determined that adults age 50 and older were more likely to acquire pain relievers through more than one doctor, whereas younger individuals were more likely to acquire them from friends, relatives or drug dealers.

The investigation was based on more than 13,000 responses to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The annual survey collects data on the use of tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs, prescription drugs and mental health problems among individuals 12 and older.

Prescription pain relievers represent

the majority of all prescription drugs that are misappropriated in the U.S., and misuse has risen dramatically in recent years. The most over-used pain relievers are opioids.

Emergency room treatments for opioid misuse increased 183 percent from 2004 to 2011, according to a 2013 report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a unit of the Department of Health and Human Services.

The reason for the increase is not clear, but the report offers possible solutions to address the problem.

“If we know how people come to possess the pain relievers they misuse, we can design better ways to lower that likelihood,” Mowbray said. “This study gives us the knowledge we need to substantially reduce the opportunities for misuse.”

University Housing will welcome all new and returning students to Athens Aug. 11-12 during Hunker Down with Housing, a volunteer program to streamline the residence hall move-in process for students and their families.

All residents will be permitted to move in to UGA residence halls from 8 a.m. Aug. 11 until 9 a.m. Aug. 17.

Approximately 200 UGA student, faculty and staff volunteers will be located across campus to greet approximately 8,000 new and returning students and parents, give directions to area parking lots, direct traffic and generally serve as a resource for residents and their families.

On-street parking will not be available on Finley Street (from Baxter Street to Cloverhurst Avenue) and Church Street (from Baxter Street to Talmadge Drive) from noon Aug. 10 until 5 p.m.

Aug. 13. The Tate Student Center parking deck and lot will be used as a staging area for Brumby residents on Aug. 11 only. Vehicles must have a Hunker Down pass to access these lots. Unloading zones near the halls will be strictly enforced and vehicles left unattended for longer than one hour will be towed.

On Aug. 11-12, traffic is expected to be very heavy on Baxter, Lumpkin, Finley, Hull and Church streets. Members of the Athens community are advised to avoid these areas and be aware that traffic in the university area will be congested through the weekend.

College of Pharmacy’s doctoral program in Savannah earns accreditation

The UGA College of Pharmacy’s accreditation for its doctoral program now has been affirmed for its extended southeast Georgia campus at the St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System in Savannah.

To celebrate the achievement, UGA and St. Joseph’s/Candler will hold an open house Aug. 18 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Candler Hospital in the Heart and Lung Building, Suite 210. The event is open free to the public.

The campus at St. Joseph’s/Candler becomes the third accredited location for the college’s 2+2 program, where Doctor of Pharmacy students study in Athens for the first two years of pharmacy school and finish their degree requirements with two years of training in one of four geographic areas: Athens or the extended campuses in Savannah, Augusta or Albany.

The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education granted the program accreditation at its recent meeting.

Former women’s tennis player earns NCAA postgraduate scholarship

Lauren Herring, a 2015 UGA graduate and student-athlete in women’s tennis, has earned one of the NCAA’s most prestigious honors, a $7,500 educational grant.

A native of Greenville, N.C., Herring earned a degree in sociology in May. She concluded her athletic career at UGA as a five-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American on the court and a three-time Academic All-American in the classroom.

Herring is the fourth UGA student-athlete this year to receive an NCAA postgraduate scholarship, joining swimmers Maddie Locus, Nic Fink and Jordan Mattern. It marks the first time since 1997 that UGA has had four recipients. Herring is only the second women’s tennis student-athlete to receive this honor; Lianna Bebeau received the postgraduate scholarship in 1988. The university has had 74 student-athletes earn an NCAA postgraduate scholarship including a streak of having at least one winner since 2007.

Herring finished second in school history with a combined 238 wins and second all-time in UGA history with 118 doubles victories.

PERIODICALS POSTAGE STATEMENT Columns (USPS 020-024) is published weekly during the academic year and biweekly during the summer for the faculty and staff of the University of Georgia by the UGA News Service. Periodicals postage is paid in Athens, Georgia. Postmaster: Send off-campus address changes to Columns, UGA News Service, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Athens, GA 30602-1999.

For a complete listing of events 7 8 5 at the University of Georgia, check the Master Calendar on the Web (calendar.uga.edu/­).

I

The following events are open to the public, unless otherwise specified.

Dates, times and locations may change without advance notice.

UGAGUIDE

columns.uga.edu Aug. 10, 2015

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TH

SEASON Here is the 2015-2016 season of the UGA Performing Arts Center events by series

Opening Concert (on Masterworks and Classics series)

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra with Atlanta Symphony Chorus, Sept. 20, 3 p.m.

Masterworks

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Nov. 8, 3 p.m.

Munich Symphony Orchestra with the Romeros Guitar Quartet, Nov. 15, 7 p.m.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Feb. 7, 2 p.m.

Venice Baroque Orchestra, April 12, 8 p.m.

Classics

The King’s Singers, Nov. 9, 8 p.m.

State Ballet Theatre of Russia–Tchaikovsky Spectacular, Jan. 11-12, 8 p.m.

The Knights with violinist Gil Shaham, Feb. 21, 3 p.m.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra with Atlanta Symphony Chorus, April 27, 8 p.m.

Masterworks and Classics Special Concert: Sir James Galway, April 10, 3 p.m.

Franklin College Chamber Music Series

David Finckel, Cello and Wu Han, Piano–Payne Memorial Concert, Oct. 4, 3 p.m.

Baroque Collection, Oct. 22, 8 p.m.

Classical Celebration–Orion String Quartet, Nov. 19, 8 p.m.

Romantic Masterworks, Jan. 28, 8 p.m.

Pianos/Pianists–Alessio Bax, Robert Spano and Wu Han, Feb. 11, 8 p.m.

Glorious Sextets, April 24, 3 p.m.

Recitals in Ramsey

Stefan Ragnar Hoskuldsson, principal flutist, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Oct. 18, 3 p.m.

Gilles Vonsattel, piano, Jan. 19, 8 p.m.

Anthony McGill, principal clarinetist, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, March 21, 8 p.m.

David Chan, concertmaster, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, April 3, 3 p.m.

Celebrity Evenings

Jim Brickman–Comfort and Joy. Special guests: Georgia Children’s Chorus, Dec. 8, 8 p.m.

Patty Griffin, Sara Watkins and Anais Mitchell, Feb. 16, 8 p.m.

Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn, March 22, 8 p.m.

Rosanne Cash, April 16, 8 p.m.

Show Biz

The Julian Bliss Septet–A Tribute to Benny Goodman, Feb. 8, 8 p.m.

The Hollywood Concert Orchestra–A Night at the Oscars, Feb. 14, 3 p.m.

Salzburg Marionette Theatre–The Sound of Music, March 14, 8 p.m.

Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra, March 16, 8 p.m.

Rockapella, April 1, 8 p.m.

Jennifer Taylor

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will open the 20th season of the UGA Performing Arts Center Sept. 20. “The ASO has always been popular with our audiences so I wanted to bring the orchestra to Athens more frequently and increase its presence in the local community,” said George C. Foreman, director of the Performing Arts Center.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra to open Performing Arts Center’s 20th season

By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu

The UGA Performing Arts Center has announced the roster of artists for 2015-2016, the 20th season.

“The UGA Performing Arts Center has established a rich tradition of exceptional performances,” said George C. Foreman, director of the Performing Arts Center. “As we prepare to celebrate 20 years, we are building on that tradition with an exciting vision for the future.”

The 20th season will feature an expanded relationship with the Grammy-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

“The ASO has always been popular with our audiences so I wanted to bring the orchestra to Athens more frequently and increase its presence in the local community,” Foreman said.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will open the Performing Arts Center’s 2015-2016 season Sept. 20 with a performance of Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony featuring the Hodgson Hall debut of the 200-voice Atlanta Symphony Chorus. Music director Robert Spano will conduct.

The Atlanta Symphony will make four appearances on the Masterworks and Classics series throughout the season, including an April concert to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of ASO conductor Robert Shaw. Athens audiences will have the opportunity to hear the concert before the orchestra performs it in New York’s Carnegie Hall. The ASO also will come to Athens for a special New Year’s Eve concert, in addition to serving as orchestra-in-residence with educational programs for UGA students and area schoolchildren.

EXHIBITIONS Cooking the Books. Through Aug. 31. An exhibit from the private press collection of the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Hargrett Gallery, special collections libraries. 706-542-0674, acme@uga.edu.

El Taller de Grafica Popular: Vida y Arte. Through Sept. 13. Covering the period from El Taller de Grafica Popular predecessor—the League of Revolutionary Writers and Artists—through the most active years of the workshop, this exhibition of approximately 270 works presents an extensive collection of large-scale posters (carteles), small fliers (volantes), books and pamphlets, powerful fine art portfolios and calavera newspapers that exemplifies TGP’s lasting contributions to the Mexican printmaking tradition. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817, hazbrown@uga.edu.

Celebrity Evenings and Show Biz Bonus Show Special Events

Ralph Chesse. Through Oct. 4. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817, hazbrown@uga.edu.

The Nutcracker–State Ballet Theatre of Russia, Dec. 19-20, 3 p.m.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra–New Year’s Eve Concert, Dec. 31, 7 p.m.

Disney Fantasia–Live in Concert, March 1, 7:30 p.m.

Calendar items are taken from Columns files and from the university’s Master Calendar, maintained by Public Affairs.

Notices are published here as space permits, with priority given to items of multidisciplinary interest. The Master Calendar is available on the Web at calendar.uga.edu/.

include Stefan Ragnar Hoskuldsson, principal flute with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Anthony McGill, principal clarinet with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra; and David Chan, concertmaster with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

The Performing Arts Center’s Show Biz and Celebrity Evenings series will shine the spotlight on more pops-oriented entertainment, including the Hodgson Hall debut of Rosanne Cash. She will perform with guitarist John Leventhal, her husband and collaborator on the multi-Grammy-winning The River and the Thread.

Banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck will return to the Performing Arts Center for a rare performance with his wife, Abigail Washburn, an equally talented banjo player. American Music Association Artist of the Year Patty Griffin will be joined

by Sara Watkins and Anais Mitchell for an evening that celebrates American songwriting, and pianist Jim Brickman will offer a holiday concert in December with special guests, the Georgia Children’s Chorus.

The Performing Arts Center will continue its partnership with the Classic Center for two events, Disney Fantasia with live symphony orchestra and The Nutcracker with the State Ballet Theatre of Russia.

Subscription packages are on sale for the 2015-2016 season with savings up to 30 percent off single ticket prices.

The 2015-2016 season brochure can be viewed online at http://t.uga.edu/1GY. Single tickets for individual events will go on sale Aug. 24.

EVENTS AT A GLANCE

Art Hazelwood and Ronnie Goodman. Through Sept. 13. The two California Bay Area artists confront and tackle such present-day realities as homelessness, poverty, war, corruption and violence in their art. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817, hazbrown@uga.edu.

The Second City, Jan. 25 at 8 p.m., Jan. 26 at 6 and 8:30 p.m.

The Performing Arts Center will expand its relationship with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center as well.

“This is the world’s premier repertory company for chamber music, and I’m excited about creating a long-term partnership with them,” Foreman said.

Members of the Chamber Music Society will visit Athens six times during the season to perform as part of the university’s Franklin College Chamber Music Series. The concerts will explore musical masterpieces from the 17th through the 20th centuries and will feature a rotating roster of the Lincoln Center’s acclaimed musicians. Spano, an accomplished pianist as well as conductor, will join the Chamber Music Society in a February program showcasing famous piano compositions.

The Performing Arts Center’s classical music series also will feature return visits from favorites from past seasons: the Venice Baroque Orchestra, the King’s Singers, the State Ballet Theatre of Russia, The Knights chamber orchestra with violinist Gil Shaham and the Munich Symphony Orchestra with the Romeros Guitar Quartet.

Sir James Galway will return in the spring as he brings his International Flute Festival back to UGA. “James is truly the living legend of the flute, and we are delighted that he has once again selected Athens and the Performing Arts Center as the American location for his prestigious festival,” Foreman said.

For its 20th season, the Performing Arts Center will use the intimacy of Ramsey Concert Hall to showcase leading instrumentalists from some of America’s foremost classical music institutions. The Recitals in Ramsey series will

MONDAY, AUGUST 10 WORKSHOP “Course Design for First-Year Odyssey,” Chase Hagood, assistant director of faculty recognition

and development at the Center for Teaching and Learning. 9:30 a.m. 372 Miller Learning Center.

706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu.

WORKSHOP “Strategies for Effective Teaching at UGA,” Gary Green, assistant dean for student services and an associate professor of natural resources, recreation and tourism. 12:30 p.m. Instructional Plaza.

706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 11 WORKSHOP “From STEM to Stern: Plotting Experiential Learning Collaboration Adventures Across Disciplines,” Jill Severn, head of access and outreach at the Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, and Carissa DiCindio, curator of education at the Georgia Museum of Art. 10 a.m. 372 Miller Learning Center. 706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu SUMMER TUESDAY TOUR Led by a docent. 2 p.m. Special collections libraries.

706-542-8079, jclevela@uga.edu.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12 WORKSHOP “Introduction to eLC,” Carrie Bishop, coordinator of emerging learning technologies at UGA’s Center for Teaching and Learning. 10:30 a.m. 372 Miller Learning Center. 706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu.

WORKSHOP “Visually Creative Syllabi,” Peggy Brickman, a professor in the plant biology department, and Carrie Bishop, a coordinator in the Center for Teaching and Learning. 1 p.m. 372 Miller Learning Center.

706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu.

TOUR AT TWO: DECORATIVE ARTS Led by Dale Couch, curator of decorative arts.

2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15 FRIENDS GIGANTIC FLEA MARKET Items offered include gardening items, books, household items, tools, toys, jewelry, decorations, purses, accessories, baby items and more. 8 a.m.

Visitor Center and Conservatory, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6138.

FAMILY DAY: BACK TO SCHOOL CELEBRATION Participants can celebrate the back-to-school season with interactive gallery stations in the museum’s permanent collection, then get ready for the new school year by decorating a pencil case and notebook. 10 a.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu.

FALL POSTER SALE 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Aug. 21. Third floor concourse, Tate Student Center. 706-542-7774, ckolesar@uga.edu.

UGA FANS’ PICTURE DAY To feature coach Mark Richt, football players,

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, News Service, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Campus Mail 1999.

cheerleaders, other UGA athletic teams, as well as "Que," grandson of mascot Uga IX and a candidate to become Uga X. 2 p.m. Reed Plaza.

WOMEN’S EXHIBITION SOCCER vs. Furman. 7 p.m. Turner Soccer Complex.

706-542-1621.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 16 CLASS OF 2019 FRESHMAN WELCOME Members of the Class of 2019 will join their classmates in Sanford Stadium to kick off their UGA experience. 5:30 p.m. Sanford Stadium.

706-542-8055, eptighe@uga.edu.

MONDAY, AUGUST 17 FALL SEMESTER CLASSES BEGIN DROP/ADD FOR FALL SEMESTER For undergraduate-level (1000-5999) and graduatelevel courses (6000-9999). Through Aug. 21.

COMING UP BARTRAM CONFERENCE OPENING EVENT Aug. 22. Opening event for “Set Off for Georgia. ...,” which is a series of events celebrating the 250th anniversary of John and William Bartram’s Natural History Expedition in Colonial Georgia.

7 p.m. Special collections libraries. 706-542-8079, jclevela@uga.edu.

NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES Aug. 12 (for Aug. 24 issue) Aug. 19 (for Aug. 31 issue) Aug. 26 (for Sept. 8 issue)

6 Aug. 10, 2015 columns.uga.edu

CAMPUS CLOSEUP

NEWSMAKERS

State rates

Robert Hoyt, department head and the Dudley L. Moore Jr. Professor of Insurance in the Terry College of Business, spoke on the radio show “Marketplace” about how a state’s legal environment has a lot to do with car insurance rates.

Hoyt said when insurance companies set rates, they look at how likely drivers are to sue each other and even how often juries decide to award for damages. He said state laws also have an impact.

“The states that have the highest auto insurance costs do happen to be the no-fault states,” Hoyt said.

Tough nut to crack

Madhur Mangalam, a graduate student in the Franklin College of Arts and Science’s Behavior and Brain Sciences Doctoral Program, was quoted by the Daily Mail in an article about a study that found monkeys adjust the force of stone “hammers” as they strike nuts to open them.

“Until now, this level of dexterity was not suspected of any monkey,” Mangalam said.

For the study, which Mangalam was a part of, researchers filmed 14 capuchin monkeys as they tried to open nuts in Brazil. The researchers then looked at the footage to determine the height and speed of each blow of the stone hammers. The study found that the first blow has a certain amount of force to crack the nut’s husk. After that, the monkeys can hit the inner shell of the nut harder.

“It was a ‘eureka’ moment when we realized that the monkeys modulated the strikes systematically according to the condition of the nut following the preceding strike,” Mangalam told the publication.

Tragic selfies

After a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit in Nepal in April, images of people taking selfies in front of the ruined Dharahara Tower began popping up.

UGA’s W. Keith Campbell, an expert on narcissism, told Yahoo Canada that there are many motivations for such behavior.

“Some are narcissistic, ‘Hey, check me out. I’m so cool,’ and some are ‘Look how bad this is,’ ” he said.

Campbell, a professor and head of the psychology department in Franklin College, said it’s impossible to know the motivation behind the images.

“I try not to judge, lest I be judged,” he said. “Some might be communicating to loved ones: ‘Hey, I’m alive.’

They could just be celebrating being alive.”

Can’t bee!

Keith Delaplane, co-author of a study which found that more than 40 percent of honeybee hives died in 2014, spoke to the Associated Press about the situation. The cause of the massive deaths wasn’t noted, but researchers said colony collapse disorder may not necessarily be the issue.

“What we’re seeing with this bee problem is just a loud signal that there’s some bad things happening with our agro-ecosystems,”said Delaplane, who is a professor in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “We just happen to notice it with the honeybee because they are so easy to count.”

RETIREES June

Forty-three UGA employees retired June 1.

Retirees, their job classification, department and length of employment are: Leonard V. Ball Jr., associate professor, Hugh Hodgson School of Music, 27 years, 8 months; Mary Ann Barrett, program coordinator II, Terry College of Business MBA Programs, 29 years, 5 months; Betty Shockley Bisplinghoff, associate department head, educational theory and practice, 14 years, 9 months; Patricia A. Boatner, business manager I, General Expense-Coastal Plain Station, 18 years; Gloria D. Briscoe, administrative specialist I, Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, 26 years, 11 months; James G. Buonaccorsi, associate professor, art, 21 years, 8 months; Ronald E. Butchart, department head, educational theory and practice, 15 years, 9 months; Patsie T. Cannon, project coordinator, animal science-Cooperative Extension, 15 years, 8 months; Michael J. Collins, facilities manager II, Veterinary Teaching

Robert Newcomb

Tyler Daniels, a multimedia specialist in the Division of Development and Alumni Relations, shares what’s happening at UGA through photography, video and other multimedia.

Multimedia specialist aims to inspire others by telling ‘that big UGA story’

By Matt Chambers mattdc@uga.edu

Shortly after receiving his undergraduate degree and getting married, Tyler Daniels turned to the university that had been his home to find a job. He didn’t know it at the time, but accepting a position at UGA would impact his career path for years to come.

Daniels, now a multimedia specialist in the Division of Development and Alumni Relations, started at the university in 2010 as a general office manager in the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. He later became an annual fund officer in Student Affairs.

That first taste of development and alumni relations shaped his career.

“Little did I know that position would be a fantastic opportunity, not only to join the university and do great work to help enhance the student experience over there, but it also was a chance to further my own educational opportunities and studies,” Daniels said.

“The opportunity was even better than I realized at the time.”

A few years later, he moved into a more centralized development role in donor relations, where he was “making sure our donors felt appreciated.” In June, he began his current position as part of a new communications effort in Development and Alumni Relations. In

Hospital, 12 years, 10 months; Michelle Commeyras, professor, language and literacy education, 23 years, 8 months; Mark M. Compton, associate professor, poultry science, 27 years, 10 months; Cynthia B. Daniel, student affairs professional III, Terry College of Business-Dean’s Office, 32 years, 7 months; Thomas A. Eaton, professor, School of Law, 35 years, 10 months; Glenn S. Ebel, cabinet maker, FMD-O&M-Cabinet Shop, 29 years, 8 months; Bruce Ferguson, professor, College of Environment and Design, 32 years, 9 months; Glenn A. Galau, associate professor, plant biology, 34 years, 1 month; Melvin P. Garber, professor, horticulture-Cooperative Extension, 25 years, 2 months; Dale Louis Goodhue, professor, management information systems, 18 years, 8 months; Linda A. Hagerson, administrative associate I, Southwest Research and Education Center-Coastal Plain Station, 28 years, 4 months; Walter Hellerstein, professor, School of Law, 36 years, 9 months; Johnny H. Hoyle, plumber, FMD-O&M-Plumbing Shop,

this position, Daniels shares what’s happening at UGA through photography, video and other multimedia.

“My main role is to tell the story of what our students and alumni are doing at the University of Georgia or with their degree,” Daniels said.

“I’m telling that big UGA story with the hopes that storytelling will inspire people to give back to the university in some way, whether it be giving their time or giving back financially.”

In between working on his doctoral degree in adult education, Daniels juggles multiple multimedia pieces on any given week. Between initiating, planning, filming, editing and reworking, each product he works on takes an average of two weeks to complete.

“This is interesting work because there’s a very technical aspect of what I do, but there’s also a creative aspect,” Daniels said.

For each project he produces, Daniels makes sure there is an emotional element as well as a story with a beginning, middle and end. The goal for each two-minute video is to encourage people to act and give back to the university.

“I think people react well and enjoy that good storytelling element of what we do at the University of Georgia,” Daniels said. “It’s helpful for them to see the product of their gifts, that impact

14 years, 8 months; Yao-Wen Huang, professor, food science and technology, 31 years, 11 months; Amelia P. Hutchinson, senior lecturer, Romance languages, 17 years, 4 months; Joan L. Jackson, associate professor, psychology, 34 years, 9 months; Robert G. Jackson, professor, art, 27 years, 8 months; George Johnson, utility locator, FMD-Energy Services Department, 37 years, 7 months; Barbara Ann Mathers, CAPS department manager, University Health Center, 10 years, 8 months; William P. McCormick, professor, statistics, 37 years, 9 months; Mildred E. McElroy, human resources specialist I, Office of Human Resources, 10 years; Jerry D. Nation, equipment operator III, animal science research, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, 28 years, 3 months; Michael W. Orr, landscape manager, FMDgrounds maintenance, 34 years, 5 months; Mark E. Price, carpenter, FMD Structural Maintenance Shop, 29 years, 10 months;

FACTS

Tyler Daniels Multimedia Specialist Division of Development and Alumni Relations M.P.A., Public Administration, UGA, 2013 A.B.J., Public Relations, UGA, 2010 At UGA: Five years

they can have.”

During his time at UGA, Daniels has been able to speak and work with many people who have been impacted by the university in different ways. He said seeing how UGA can open doors and create opportunities inspires him to create the best stories he can.

“I have a unique perspective in that I get to hear and share the success stories of the university; I get to hear the story about a student who came from a small town whose only opportunity to come to UGA was through a scholarship,” Daniels said. “To see their gratitude toward someone out there, who hasn’t even met them, who cared enough to give their own financial means, is amazing.

“Being an alum, student and an employee myself, I’m constantly inundated with what it means to be a Bulldog,” he said. “It’s hard not to love this place.”

Gregory J. Reese, project superintendent, FMD-Operations and Maintenance, 32 years, 11 months; Lorilee R. Sandmann, professor, lifelong education, administration and policy, 13 years, 8 months; Sharon L. Self, senior budget analyst, University Budget Office, 25 years; Marionetta Sheats, building services worker II, FMD-SVCSBuilding Services-South Campus, 10 years; Theodore Shifrin, professor, mathematics, 33 years, 9 months; Samuel E. Swanson, professor, geology, 20 years, 9 months; Charles Kenneth Tanner, professor, career and information studies, 33 years, 2 months; Robert C. Wicklein, professor, career and information studies, 23 years, 8 months; James W. Wilson, professor, mathematics and science education, 46 years, 11 months; Patricia S. Wilson, professor, mathematics and science education, 28 years, 8 months; and Richard L. Zimdars, professor, Hugh Hodgson School of Music, 30 years, 8 months.

Source: Human Resources

7

INSTRUCTIONAL NEWS

columns.uga.edu Aug. 10, 2015

Nick Fuhrman, an associate professor in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, teaches the Animals in Education course that he describes as a “public speaking class for students who likely won’t be behind a podium.” In the course, CAES students use animals to teach local special education students.

By Sharon Dowdy sharono@uga.edu

UGA associate professor Nick Fuhrman teaches College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences students some pretty serious stuff—evaluation skills, data analysis, statistics.

The self-proclaimed “motivational speaker” makes the topics interesting by employing wild animals as teaching assistants.

Fuhrman’s love of animals started when he was 7 years old and a wildlife ranger brought animals into his classroom. Fuhrman started shadowing “Ranger Bill” when he was 8 years old.

“I was definitely the youngest person to ‘work’ for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources,” he said. “I loved how he captivated people by using animals to teach.”

That concept stuck with Fuhrman through college and into graduate school. He even returned home for summers and breaks to teach wildlife classes. The light bulb turned on when Fuhrman was in graduate school at the University of Florida, and he began using snakes, owls and other birds of prey to teach college courses.

“My secret is that enthusiasm is contagious,” he said.“I’m a naturally excited person, but when I handle animals I get even more excited.”

Fuhrman, who also hosts a segment on Georgia Farm Bureau’s Farm Monitor TV show under the name Ranger Nick, now uses his excitement, enthusiasm and animals to teach students.

“Data analysis and evaluation may not be exciting topics, but I use the animals as ambassadors to help get students excited and to get their attention. They’re topics they might not normally get that fired up about,” he said.

Fuhrman first used a great horned owl named Carlos from an Athens-area wildlife center.

“We really hit it off. I’d go and get him and bring him into class. I’ve done online classes with him sitting on my glove,” he said.

He compares the owl’s eating habits to data collecting.

“They use multiple data points to find their food. Then I talk about evaluation and how we need more than one source to evaluate our programs. This is what I call ‘ev-owl-uation,’ ” he said.

He uses his personal animal collection in class.

“I’ve got four turtles, a snake and a salamander,” he said.“I’m on the hunt for a western hognose snake. I like them because of their disposition—they are super, super friendly and they rarely bite. They are a wonderful species, very docile.”

In 2014, Fuhrman taught a new

Teacher’s pet College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences faculty member uses animals to make classroom more engaging

undergraduate course, Animals in Education, which he describes as a “public speaking class for students who likely won’t be behind a podium.”

In the course, CAES students used animals to teach local special education students affiliated with Extra Special People, a nonprofit organization that strives to enhance the lives of children with developmental disabilities.

“I thought, wouldn’t it be cool for them to take the animals over and teach the

WEEKLY READER

New book details enslaved couple’s escape

Love, Liberation, and Escaping Slavery: William and Ellen Craft in Cultural Memory

By Barbara McCaskill Paper, E-book: $22.95 Cloth: $54.96

The spectacular 1848 escape of William and Ellen Craft (18241900; 1826-1891) from slavery in Macon is a dramatic story in the annals of American history.

Ellen, who could pass for white, disguised herself as a gentleman slaveholder; William accompanied her as his “master’s” devoted slave valet; both traveled openly by train, steamship and carriage to arrive in free Philadelphia on Christmas Day. In Love, Liberation, and Escaping Slavery, Barbara McCaskill, an associate professor of English in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, revisits the couple’s escape and examines the collaborations and partnerships that characterized the Crafts’ activism for the next 30 years: in Boston, where they were on the run again after the passage of the 1850 Fugitive Slave Law; in England; and in Reconstructionera Georgia.

A book signing and lecture by McCaskill will be held Aug. 27 at 6 p.m. at Cine BarCafe Cinema, which is located at 234 W. Hancock Ave.

participants at Extra Special People in Watkinsville. The students would be receptive even if (the college students) mess up, so it’s a win–win, and my students would get a confidence boost,” Fuhrman said.

The venture worked out just as Fuhrman anticipated.

Fuhrman is still amazed to see students lose their nervousness just because they are holding a turtle while they give a talk or teach a lesson.

“I guess they feel like the attention is on

the animal and not on them. And, you never know what’s going to happen when you’re holding an animal so (the students) have to learn to think on their feet,” he said.

Not all students are receptive to getting up close and personal with snakes or birds with talons. One student was terrified at the thought of touching a snake.

“But by the end of the semester, she was taking it out of the bag and using it to teach,” he said. “She really faced her fear.”

To reward good grades, Fuhrman uses rubber stamps.

“I use an owl stamp for ‘owl-standing’ and a turtle for ‘ex-shell-ent.’ You’d think the students would think I was nuts, but they really like it. Anyone who thinks stuff like this is just for second-graders, I can tell you different,” said Fuhrman, who started using the stamps in 2004 while student teaching in Florida.

He once forgot to put a stamp on a student’s paper.

“After I handed out my papers, a big football player came to my office. He said, ‘Nick, I didn’t get a stamp on mine.’ So I got out my owl stamp and handed it back, and he walked out just as proud as he could be,” he said.

To grow the environmental education program within the college’s agricultural leadership, education and communication department, Fuhrman currently is working on creating a Certificate in Environmental Education in collaboration with UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources.

The department is also developing an area of emphasis in environmental education under its agricultural education bachelor’s degree course of study.

Fuhrman is grateful his colleague Dennis Duncan encouraged him to become a teacher.

“I was planning on a career in wildlife, but he convinced me I could make more of a difference teaching than I could just doing outreach,” he said. “When I would speak to a large group of people (for a wildlife class), I never knew if they learned anything. Now I see students for 15 weeks and I can develop a relationship with them and make a difference in their lives. (In graduate school) when I was getting to know the students all by name and seeing them change and their writing and teaching ability improve, I knew this was what I wanted to do.”

ABOUT COLUMNS

CYBERSIGHTS

Columns is available to the campus community by ­subscription for an annual fee of $20 (second-class delivery) or $40 (first-class delivery). Faculty and staff members with a disability may call 706-542-8017 for assistance in obtaining this publication in an alternate format.

Columns staff can be reached at 706-542-8017 or columns@uga.edu

Editor Juliett Dinkins Art Director Janet Beckley Photo Editor Dorothy Kozlowski Senior Reporter Aaron Hale Reporter Matt Chambers

UGA Press launches blog on new platform https://ugapress.wordpress.com/ The University of Georgia Press has launched a renovated blog on WordPress.

The new site allows for more content on the blog’s home page and is easier to read with its more streamlined layout. The renovated blog will provide regular updates

about UGA Press and its books as well as original content from staff, authors and other contributors.

With the blog, UGA Press hopes to engage people in the world of academic and university press publishing, and, perhaps, unveil some of the mystery behind book publishing.

Copy Editor David Bill The University of Georgia is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action.

a

The University of Georgia is a unit of the University System of Georgia.

8 Aug. 10, 2015 columns.uga.edu

OYSTER from page 1

from page 1

harvest proved to be too labor-intensive to sustain a robust oyster industry. Bliss and Justin Manley, aquaculture extension agent, determined that cultivating single oysters in a hatchery is the most viable solution.

“We are applying grow-out techniques based on research pioneered by UGA scientists to implement this project,” Manley said.

In 2014, the Shellfish Lab distributed wild oyster spat to local fishermen as part of a three-year study of single oyster grow-out methodology. During the project, wild spat was distributed to growers to give them an opportunity to get their hands wet and to learn how to work with spat in preparation for the hatchery launch.

The research was funded by the National Sea Grant Aquaculture Funding Initiative.

The hatchery is one of several ways UGA is working to raise awareness of local seafood through initiatives such as the Georgia Seafood Directory, which re-launched with a new design this spring.

GRANT from page 1

Out and about Above

ROAD DAWGS—University officials, alumni and students pose with Hairy Dawg at the College Football Hall of Fame during the university’s final stop on the 2015 UGA Day Tour on July 27. The annual UGA Day Tour takes university administrators, coaches and students on the road to share academic and athletic highlights from campus with alumni, supporters and fans.

Left

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION—Georgia Public Broadcasting interviewed Nash Boney, emeritus professor of history, July 23 at the Miller Learning Center. Boney spoke about UGA’s initial formation as well as racial integration during the civil rights movement.

The interview will be available on the Web in several months as part of a free digital textbook produced for the state’s eighth grade Georgia history students.

Bulletin Board Signature Lecture submissions

The deadlines to submit campus lectures for consideration as a 20152016 Signature Lecture are Aug. 14 for fall semester and Dec. 11 for spring semester.

Email the following information to Meg Amstutz (mamstutz@uga.edu): the speaker’s name and official title, the title of the speaker’s remarks and the title of the named lecture.

Signature Lectures feature speakers of distinction who are noted for their broad, multidisciplinary appeal and compelling bodies of work. Many of the lectures are supported by endowments while others honor notable figures and milestones in UGA’s history. The Signature Lecture designation is one way to help guide students to a collective set of talks that will enrich their UGA experience.

Approximately 10-12 lectures are selected annually. Signature Lectures for 2015-2016 will be announced at the beginning of each semester by the Office of Academic Programs and listed on the website of the Senior Vice

President for Academic Affairs and Provost (http://t.uga.edu/1AP).

BFSO luncheon tickets

UGA’s Black Faculty and Staff Organization will hold its 13th annual Founders Award Scholarship Luncheon Sept. 29 from noon until 1:30 p.m. in Grand Hall of the Tate Student Center.

The Rev. Francys Johnson, UGA alumnus and state president of Georgia NAACP, will deliver the keynote address.

Tickets are available now. Early-bird tickets are $40 per person or $320 for a table of eight until Aug. 17. After that date, tickets will be $45 for individuals or $360 for a table of eight.

Proceeds from the luncheon will support BFSO programs and the scholarship fund. Scholarships are annually awarded to current UGA undergraduate, graduate and professional students.

Contact Ricky Roberts at rickyrob@uga.edu or 706-372-3161 for more information.

Research participants sought

The kinesiology department in the College of Education is conducting a study to learn more about metformin’s effects on the body. Researchers are seeking men and women ages 18-75 who currently are taking metformin.

The study will be completed in three parts over the course of two to three weeks.

Participants will wear a glucose monitor for two different three-day sessions and will be provided meals during this time. They also will walk on a treadmill for one short session and two longer sessions.

Information gathered from this study may be used to improve future medical treatment. Participants will be given information about their body composition and health and also receive a financial incentive. Contact Melissa Erickson with additional questions at melissa9@uga.edu or 706-829-2560.

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

“The SSS grant will fund three new full-time staff members who will be charged with providing workshops and face-to-face counseling and support for students who need extra assistance or guidance in navigating the transition to college and to put them on the right track for graduation,” said Sherontae Maxwell, the program coordinator who wrote the grant proposal.

Specifically, Student Support Services at UGA will be able to provide academic tutoring and counseling, career guidance, financial aid advising and economic literacy, dedicated computer laboratory and study spaces, social and cultural events as well as life skills workshops. Any first- or secondyear student whose parents did not complete college, who has a documented psychological or learning disability, who is Pell-eligible or has an academic need and wants to succeed at UGA may qualify for the TRIO Student Support Services program.

“Since the grant is renewable every five years, we are hopeful that the University of Georgia will be considered for this support in the future,” said Earl Ginter, director of the Division of Academic Enhancement, which houses UGA’s TRIO program. “We currently have three other TRIO grants that have been active for more than two decades that focus on middle and high school students. The Student Support Services grant is designed to focus on the needs of 140 UGA students who are designated as either first generation, low income or have a disability.”

GIFT from page 1 Georgia Law, in the quality legal education we provide and in the young men and women who are following in her footsteps.

“I am very thankful for her loyalty and support,” Rutledge also said. “She is a true example of the law school’s mission to instill in our graduates a commitment of service to our state and nation.”

Evans said her education at UGA has had a profound impact on her life, and her recent involvement with the representation of whistleblowers in a lawsuit against DaVita Healthcare Partners, a dialysis chain, aided her ability to make a contribution to her alma mater.

“I cannot—and do not want to—imagine my life without my degrees, and I know how close I was to being without them,” Evans said. “The financial resources simply weren’t there. I felt like I was constantly living on the edge of my financial ability to stay in school.

“With this gift, I hope to take some of the financial stress off of the shoulders of bright and accomplished students who are shooting beyond expectations and working to obtain their law degrees,” she also said. “And more than the dollars, I hope the scholarship serves as a signal to students breaking their family molds that they are valued and not only wanted, but sought after, at Georgia Law.” Elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2010, Evans currently serves on the Rules, Appropriations, Judiciary, Juvenile Justice and Interstate Cooperation committees.