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Researcher investigates lower infection-related costs for animals in large groups RESEARCH NEWS
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Thursday Scholarship Series returns with Concerto Competition Concert
January 22, 2019
Vol. 46, No. 21
www.columns.uga.edu
UGA GUIDE
4&5
Anita Qualls named university’s first Churchill Scholar By Stephanie Schupska schupska@uga.edu
Dorothy Kozlowski
WenZhan Song, left, and Marc van Iersel are working together to tackle the issue of energy efficiency in controlledenvironment agriculture.
‘Perfect fit’
Interdisciplinary Seed Grants help researchers come together to solve grand challenges By Krista Richmond krichmond@uga.edu
It might not seem like engineering and horticulture have much in common. But WenZhan Song and Marc van Iersel are finding new ways to intertwine their respective fields thanks to UGA’s Presidential Interdisciplinary Seed Grant Program. Song and van Iersel’s project, “Smart cyber-physical systems for controlled-environment agriculture,” lies at the intersection of food security, energy and environmental sustainability, and includes additional faculty in the College of Engineering, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and Terry College of Business. “When the call for the Interdisciplinary Seed Grants came out, it was a perfect fit for this group,
so we decided to apply. Getting the grant allowed us to formalize our collaboration and really start doing joint research,” said van Iersel, a professor of horticulture in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “The hope of the joint work is that we can tackle the issue of energy efficiency in controlled-environment agriculture by integrating our respective knowledge in horticulture, engineering, energy informatics and computer science.” The grant allowed the researchers to purchase and install sensors within a greenhouse to collect environmental and crop health data. The findings could have implications for improving food safety and for growing plants in space, as part of disaster relief efforts and for military applications. The team subsequently has received a grant
from the USDA for $5 million over four years and has a pending proposal with the NSF to continue this line of research. “Sometimes you have different languages, and sometimes you have different interests, but it’s about everyone stepping forward to find common ground,” said Song, Georgia Power Mickey A. Brown Professor in the College of Engineering. The 11 other faculty teams that received Interdisciplinary Seed Grant awards last year also are working to find that common ground and expand their research. Their projects were selected from more than 150 research proposals. The university’s investment of $1.37 million in the program has generated $12.9 million in awarded grants, with the potential for more See GRANTS on page 8
TERRY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
University of Georgia senior Anita Qualls of Johns Creek became the first student in UGA’s history to receive a Churchill Scholarship, which funds American students as they pursue a oneyear master’s program in science, mathematics and engineering at the University of Cambridge in England. The scholarship, which was first awarded in 1963, is given to 15 students each year after a rigorous application and interview process. This year’s recipients
come from a mix of public and private institutions ranging from Stanford and Princeton to the University of Virginia and the U.S. Military Academy. Churchill Scholars attend Churchill College at Cambridge, and the award covers full tuition, a stipend, travel costs and the chance to apply for a $2,000 special research grant. “The University of Georgia congratulates Anita on being selected for this prestigious scholarship,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “We wish her continued success in her educational and career pursuits as a UGA alumna.” See SCHOLAR on page 3
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
Two professors emeriti to receive President’s Medal at ceremony By Sara Freeland freeland@uga.edu
The University of Georgia will bestow one of its highest honors to Sylvia Hutchinson, professor emerita of higher education, and Brahm P. Verma, professor emeritus of engineering, during Founders Day activities on Jan. 28. The President’s Medal recognizes extraordinary contributions of individuals who are not current employees of UGA and who have supported students and academic programs, advanced research and inspired community leaders to enhance the quality of life of citizens in Georgia. “I am pleased that Sylvia Hutchinson and Brahm P. Verma will be honored for their decades of service to this university and to the state of Georgia,” said President
Jere W. Morehead. “Both helped serve the university community in many ways. Generations of students have benefited from their exemplary leadership and support.”
Sylvia Hutchinson
A retired professor of reading education, Hutchinson first arrived on the UGA campus as an undergraduate student in 1960. Over the next 15 years, she earned her bachelor’s and master’s, both in elementary education, Sylvia Hutchinson and a Ph.D. in reading education (now known as the department of language and literacy See MEDAL on page 8
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Business education website ranks Terry College Renowned experts featured in spring 2019 Signature Lectures among top undergraduate business schools By David Dodson ddodson@uga.edu
The University of Georgia Terry College of Business is ranked one of the “Best Undergraduate Business Schools” in the country by the business education website Poets&Quants. The Terry College rose two spots to No. 29 nationally and is the 12th-ranked public business school in the 2018 ranking. Poets&Quants compiles the most comprehensive assessment of undergraduate business programs by any college guide. In its third annual survey, 88 highly
competitive business schools were ranked based on three equally weighted categories: admission standards, the student experience and career outcomes. The ranking considered data reported by the schools, as well as surveys completed by more than 11,000 recent graduates of the ranked schools, according to Poets&Quants’ methodology. “We are committed to an innovative and market-leading undergraduate program that prepares our graduates to be leaders in their organizations and communities,” said Terry College of Business Dean Benjamin C. Ayers. “I am especially pleased with the college’s
consistently high marks across all three rankings categories. The students who earn admission to Terry are extremely talented, and we remain focused on how we can create as much educational value for our students and expand their opportunities after graduation.” Poets&Quants described Terry’s undergraduate business program as “an elite business degree” that is one of the best deals in the ranking. Terry College graduates provided responses to Poets&Quants’ 43-question alumni survey about the perceived quality and value of their
See RANKING on page 8
By Camie Williams camiew@uga.edu
Notable scholars and national leaders in politics, business, higher education and several other fields will visit the University of Georgia this semester as part of the Signature Lecture series. “We have an outstanding lineup of Signature Lecturers this spring,” said Meg Amstutz, associate provost for academic programs, whose office designates Signature Lectures at the beginning of each semester. “I hope people on campus and in the community will mark their calendars for these talks.”
Signature Lectures denote campus talks by speakers with broad, multidisciplinary appeal and compelling bodies of work. Many of the lectures are supported by endowments, while others honor notable figures and milestones in the university’s history. All Signature Lectures are free and open to the public, and students are encouraged to attend. For more information and updates on Signature Lectures, see https://bit.ly/2RTSNEE. The lecture series opens Jan. 25 with W. Craig Fugate, former administrator, Federal Emergency
See LECTURES on page 2
2 Jan. 22, 2019 columns.uga.edu
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
LECTURES from page 1 Management Agency; chief emergency management officer, One Concern. Part of the College of Engineering Distinguished Lecture Series, Fugate’s talk, titled “Seven Deadly Sins of Emergency Management,” will take place at 12:20 p.m. in Room 175 of the Coverdell Center. The lecture is sponsored by the College of Engineering and the Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems. The Founders Day Lecture will be given by Freda Scott Giles, UGA associate professor emerita of theatre and film studies and African American studies. She will discuss “W.E.B. Du Bois: Dramatist” on Jan. 28 at 1:30 p.m. in the Chapel. The Founders Day Lecture is sponsored by the Office of the President, the UGA Alumni Association and Emeriti Scholars. Monica Kaufman Pearson, former journalist and broadcaster, will deliver the Holmes-Hunter Lecture Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. in the Chapel. The Holmes-Hunter Lecture is sponsored by the Office of the President. On Feb. 22 at 5:30 p.m. in Seney-Stovall Chapel, Stephanie McCurry, the R. Gordon Hoxie Professor of American History in Honor of Dwight D. Eisenhower at Columbia University, will discuss “Reconstructing: A Georgia Woman’s Life Amidst the Ruins.” The talk is the 2019 Ferdinand Phinizy Lecture and part of the Willson Center Global Georgia Initiative. The lecture is sponsored by the history department and the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts. The School of Public and International Affairs’ George S. Parthemos Lecture will be given March 7 by Charles Stewart III, the Kenan Sahin Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Stewart’s lecture, “American Elections since 2000: Getting Better, but Not Feeling Better About It,” will be held at 3:30 p.m. in Room 480 of Baldwin Hall. The Parthemos Lecture is co-sponsored by the political science department and the School of Public and International Affairs. The Charter Lecture will be held March 20 at 2:30 p.m. in the Chapel. Roger Hunter, program manager for the NASA Small Spacecraft Technology Program, will discuss “NASA’s Kepler Mission and Small Spacecraft Technologies: Today and Beyond.” The Charter Lecture is sponsored by the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. The Donald L. Hollowell Lecture will be held March 21 at 3 p.m. in Mahler Hall of the Georgia Center for Continuing Education. The lecture, “The Vocation of Moral Leadership,” will be given by Robert Michael Franklin Jr., the James T. and Berta R. Laney Professor in Moral Leadership at Emory University. The Hollowell Lecture is sponsored by School of Social Work; the Center for Social Justice, Human and Civil Rights; and the Thomas M. Parham Professorship. The Getzen Lecture on Government Accountability will be held March 25 at 2 p.m. in the Chapel. The speaker is Gene L. Dodaro, comptroller general of the U.S. He will discuss “The Many Dimensions of Accountability: GAO’s Mission for Congress and the Nation.” The Getzen Lecture is sponsored by the department of public administration and policy and the School of Public and International Affairs. The Mary Frances Early Lecture will be held March 26 at 3 p.m. in Mahler Hall of the Georgia Center for Continuing Education. Christopher Emdin, associate professor, director of the science education program and associate director of the Institute for Urban and Minority Education at Columbia University, will give a lecture titled “Teaching and Learning from the Students’ Standpoint.” The Mary Frances Early Lecture is sponsored by the Graduate School. As part of the Terry Leadership Speaker Series, John M. Turner, president and CEO of Regions Financial Corp. will give a lecture on March 27 at 10:10 a.m. in the Chapel. The lecture is sponsored by the Institute for Leadership Advancement in the Terry College of Business. Eric Deggans, television critic for National Public Radio will give the 2019 Peabody-Smithgall Lecture. The lecture, titled “Decoding Media’s Coverage of Race, Gender and Differences,” will be held April 3 at 4 p.m. in the Chapel. The Peabody-Smithgall Lecture is sponsored by the Peabody Awards. On April 12, David A. Strauss, Gerald Ratner Distinguished Service Professor of Law and faculty director of the Jenner & Block Supreme Court and Appellate Clinic at the University of Chicago, will give the John A. Sibley Endowed Lecture, titled “Are Supreme Court Titled Decisions the Law of the Land?” The lecture will be given at noon in the Hatton-Lovejoy Courtroom of Hirsch Hall. The Sibley Lecture is sponsored by the School of Law. The 2019 Louise McBee Lecture will be given on April 25 at 11 a.m. in the Chapel. Susan Herbst, president of the University of Connecticut, will discuss “Division, Incivility and Fear in American Political Culture: What Does It Mean for the Future of Higher Education?” The McBee Lecture is sponsored by the Institute of Higher Education.
Jamie Carson
Kelly Dawe
Jung Sun Lee
Pejman Rohani
Four faculty members named UGA Athletic Association Professors By Sam Fahmy sfahmy@uga.edu
Four faculty members have been named University of Georgia Athletic Association Professors in recognition of their extraordinary records of scholarship, instruction and outreach. “I am grateful to the UGA Athletic Association for its outstanding support of our faculty,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “In the past five years, the Athletic Association has more than doubled the number of endowed professorships that it funds, substantially increasing our ability to recruit and retain the highest caliber faculty in a wide range of disciplines.” The four endowments recently approved by the Board of Regents brings the total number of Athletic Association professorships to 37. The latest UGA Athletic Association Professors are Jamie Carson, UGA Athletic Association Professor in Public and International Affairs; Kelly Dawe, UGA Athletic Association Professor in Plant Genetics; Jung Sun Lee, UGA Athletic Association Professor in Family and Consumer Sciences; and Pejman Rohani, UGA Athletic Association Professor in Ecology and Infectious Diseases. “It is a great point of pride for the Athletic Association to have the opportunity of partnering with the
university in this important initiative,” said Greg McGarity, the J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics. “It provides an important way for athletics to make an impact on the academic mission of the university.” Carson, a professor of political science in the School of Public and International Affairs, is a nationally recognized scholar and award-winning instructor. Since being promoted to full professor in 2013, he has coauthored four books and an influential monograph on U.S. elections. He has served on 34 Ph.D. and master’s thesis committees, and the quality of his instruction has been recognized with several honors, including the university’s J. Hatten Howard III Honors Teaching Award. Dawe, a Distinguished Research Professor in the departments of plant biology and genetics in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, is a prolific researcher who has garnered more than $20 million in external funding since joining the UGA faculty in 1995. His impact on students is evidenced by their placement in academic positions at institutions with highly regarded plant sciences programs, including Iowa State University and the University of Missouri. Lee, a professor in the department of foods and nutrition in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, has translated her nationally recognized
expertise on food insecurity into programs that reduce hunger among low-income Georgians. Her work has been supported by $16 million in external funding, and she re-established a USDA-funded University of Georgia Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (UGA SNAP-Ed) program that reaches and helps more than 2 million Georgians each year to make healthier choices related to food and physical activity. Rohani, a professor with a joint appointment in the department of infectious diseases in the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Odum School of Ecology, is at the forefront of research that uses mathematical models to better understand and control the spread of infectious diseases. He has helped secure $31 million in external funding and has published research findings in the world’s top journals. His former students have gone on to positions at universities that include Harvard, Columbia and Oxford. “Endowed professorships foster the kind of instruction, research and service that sets the University of Georgia apart,” said Interim Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Libby V. Morris. “The support of the UGA Athletic Association and other committed donors plays a critical role in advancing the university’s mission.”
COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Institute for Disaster Management receives planning grant to focus on preparing long-term care facilities By Lauren Baggett lbaggett@uga.edu
The Institute for Disaster Management at the University of Georgia College of Public Health has received $1.6 million in civil money penalty funds from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to better prepare certified long-term care facilities’ staffs to respond to natural disasters and other emergencies. In the past two years, Georgia has been hit with an unprecedented number of disasters. This represents a significant risk for the growing number of older adults moving into Georgia, said Curt Harris, associate director of the Institute for Disaster Management, or IDM, and lead investigator on the project. “ G e o r g i a ’s 6 5 a n d o l d e r population is expected to increase by 143 percent by the year 2030,” said Harris. “Older adults, especially those who live in long-term care facilities, are historically vulnerable to disasters. If residents require specialized medical care, caregivers need to have a plan in place to keep residents safe and healthy.” Harris and his team are working with Georgia caregivers and administrators in long-term care facilities,
like nursing homes, to equip them with the critical skills they need to develop emergency preparedness plans to protect their residents and staff in the event of more natural disasters such as Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Michael. New federal regulations went into effect in November 2017 requiring long-term care facilities to develop plans showing how they will keep residents safe during a natural disaster and how their efforts will plug into community-level emergency response plans. “We’re going from a hospital-only approach to the idea that we are, in fact, health care communities and coalitions, and we all need to be prepared in order to handle a disaster,” said Tawny Waltz, a research scientist with IDM and part of the training team. Specifically, facilities need to develop an all-hazards plan, which is a new concept to most organizations, Waltz said. “People used to write plans based on individual disasters, so they would have a fire plan, a tornado plan, a hurricane plan, and whenever they encountered something new, they might write a plan,” she said. “Well, that’s a lot of plans, and it’s not feasible to keep those up to date.”
In contrast, an all-hazards plan identifies what an organization would need to respond to any type of natural disaster, such as access to utilities, communications, food and medical supplies, despite the type of event taking place. Through a two-part training course, the team is guiding facilities through the development of their allhazards plan, but the first step will be to review the basics of hazards response, what Harris described as “emergency preparedness 101.” The project also provides opportunities for trainees to attend professional conferences to build a network of support in the emergency response community. Harris emphasized that collaboration is the key to keeping people safe. The UGA team is using curricula developed in partnership with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Georgia Department of Public Health, the Georgia Department of Community Health, the Georgia Health Care Association, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, the Nursing Home Council Coordinators and local emergency managers.
RESEARCH NEWS
columns.uga.edu Jan. 22, 2019
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Digest Professor Emerita to give university’s 2019 Founders Day Lecture on Jan. 28
The university’s 2019 Founders Day Lecture will be held Jan. 28 at 1:30 p.m. in the Chapel. Freda Scott Giles, associate professor emerita of theatre and film studies and African American studies, will present the lecture “W.E.B. Du Bois: Dramatist.” The Founders Day Lecture is sponsored by the Office of the President, UGA Alumni Association and the Emeriti Scholars, a group of retired faculty members known for their teaching abilities, who continue to be involved in the university’s academic life through part-time teaching, research and service assignments. (See story, page 1.)
Peter Frey
Vanessa Ezenwa, a professor in the Odum School of Ecology and the College of Veterinary Medicine, is studying the effects of parasites on animals living in large groups.
Group dynamic
Social animals have more parasite infections but lower infection-related costs By Beth Gavrilles bethgav@uga.edu
Animals living in large groups tend to have more parasites than less social animals do, but according to a new study in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, they may also be better protected from the negative effects of those parasites. Ecologists at the University of Georgia found that Grant’s gazelles that live in larger groups were more likely to be infected by intestinal worms, but less likely to suffer their ill effects than those in smaller groups. “The phenomenon of getting intestinal worm parasites is common to many, many species,” said Vanessa Ezenwa, a professor in the Odum School of Ecology and College of Veterinary Medicine. “And one of the strongest negative impacts of these types of infections, well described in domesticated animals, is that they cause anorexia. We find that in this wild species, being social somehow counteracts that effect.” Ezenwa conducted the study in Mpala Research Center in Kenya. Using nets deployed from a helicopter, her team captured wild gazelles. After tagging each one, they collected fecal samples and noted each animal’s size, weight and other statistics. They
treated half of the gazelles with a deworming drug that was effective for 120 days; the other half were left untreated as a control. The researchers then followed all of the animals for over a year, collecting fecal samples to monitor parasite levels and recording observations on the animals’ social and feeding behavior. They found that gazelles in larger groups—groups of up to 25 individuals, with an average size of nine—had a 39 percent higher risk of infection than those living in smaller groups. But infected animals in these larger groups ate significantly more than infected animals in smaller groups— almost as much as uninfected animals. Ezenwa said that one reason the infected animals in larger groups may eat more is that the larger group offers more protection from predators. “There’s a hypothesis called ‘many eyes,’ ” she said. “When the group is bigger, the rate of detection of predators goes up, because at any given time there are more individuals paying attention. So that can free up individuals to put more time into other behaviors, and typically that would be feeding.” Ezenwa says that an important next step would be to conduct experiments under controlled conditions to explore the physiological and behavioral mech-
anisms driving the effect she observed. Ezenwa also cautioned that the phenomenon of social living reducing the cost of infection may not be applicable to all parasites. “What I’m describing here might be particularly relevant for very common parasites you can’t avoid over the course of your lifetime, but for rarer ones it might be a different story,” she said. “If you’re going to be infected no matter what, like with these worms where the prevalence is really high and there’s no way to protect yourself from them, then being in a big group might be an important way to minimize the impact of infection.” Ezenwa said that the results of the study show that it’s important to think about both costs and benefits when trying to understand how social interactions shape infectious disease outcomes in individuals and populations. “We are a social species just like these gazelles,” said Ezenwa. “Being social has a lot of implications for our health. We already know that social contact has a huge impact on our exposure to infectious diseases, so I think what we need to understand better is how social contact might simultaneously give us advantages in terms of reducing the impacts of those infectious diseases.”
SCHOLAR from page 1 Qualls is an Honors student majoring in biology with minors in Spanish and nutritional science and a certificate in personal and organizational leadership. She will graduate in May. After a year at Churchill College earning a master’s degree in medical science with a focus on obstetrics and gynecology, she will attend medical school and pursue a career in academic medicine. She intends to combine translational research, patient care and mentoring by working at a university hospital. “It is wonderful to see such a deserving student recognized in this way,” said David S.Williams, associate provost and director of the Honors Program. “Anita has taken advantage of all that UGA has to offer, from study abroad and service to research and internships. She truly
stands out, and I am so happy for her.” Qualls was two weeks into her first year at UGA when she was introduced to research by Jarrod Call, an assistant professor in the department of kinesiology. He became her long-term mentor in regenerative medicine, and last year, she completed an undergraduate thesis based on her work in his lab. Through her studies of human function and disease, Qualls has published four peer-reviewed papers—she is first author on one—and also authored a paper in a student journal. She has traveled to 13 conferences to give three oral and 13 poster presentations. The Churchill Scholarship was established at the request of Sir Winston Churchill to fulfill his vision of U.S.–U.K. scientific exchange with the
Orji wins 2018 Bowerman, track and field’s version of Heisman Trophy
Georgia track and field standout Keturah Orji has been awarded The Bowerman, which is given each year to the top male collegiate studentathlete and top female collegiate student-athlete in the sport of NCAA track and field. This marks the award’s 10th year in existence. The honor is given each year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. While there have been four winners from the Southeastern Conference on the men’s side through 2017, Orji has become just the second winner from the SEC in 2018 for the women and first since 2012 (LSU’s Kimberlyn Duncan). Orji was already the first three-time finalist in the history of The Bowerman for the women. Orji, who also was named the 2018 NCAA Woman of the Year, was 7-0 during her 2018 indoor and outdoor triple jump competitions, including setting American and collegiate indoor records (47 feet, 8 inches), a collegiate outdoor record (47-11.75) and capturing the SEC and NCAA indoor and outdoor titles in the event.
Odum School of Ecology to host 25th Graduate Student Symposium
The 25th annual Odum School of Ecology Graduate Student Symposium, showcasing the latest research from UGA ecology students at all levels, will take place Jan. 25-26 in the Odum School auditorium. Open free to all, this year’s symposium features oral presentations by graduate students in ecology, conservation ecology and sustainable development, integrative conservation and the IDEAS doctoral program, as well as undergraduate research posters. It will conclude with a keynote address by alumna Virginia Schutte. The symposium opens Jan. 25 with an informal breakfast from 9-10 a.m., with oral presentations from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and a poster session from 5-7 p.m. Oral sessions on Jan. 26 run from 2-4:30 p.m. They will be followed by Schutte’s keynote address at 4:45 p.m. An award-winning science communicator, Schutte received her doctorate in ecology in 2014 and has five years of science media experience. She has worked with Springer Nature to deliver training workshops and run their digital scientific networking website; created her own blog for publishing audio, video and written articles; and has been pioneering new institutionbased science communication techniques since founding the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium’s Science Media Program in May 2017. Her talk, “A witty pop culture reference: but actually I’m a respectable person,” will address the science of science communication, a growing area with relevance for all scientists, who are increasingly being urged to get out of the ivory tower and onto social media. For more about GSS, including the complete schedule, see https://bit.ly/2RSY3IL.
Dorothy Kozlowski
Anita Qualls was named one of 15 recipients of the Churchill Scholarship.
goal of advancing science and technology on both sides of the Atlantic. The Winston Churchill Foundation of the United States accepts nominations for the Churchill Scholarship from a limited number of participating institutions.
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.
For a complete listing of events at the University of Georgia, 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.
UGAGUIDE
EXHIBITION
Put a Bird on It. Through March 3. Visitor Center, State Botanical Garden. The Reluctant Autocrat: Tsar Nicholas II. Through March 17. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.
Education of the Negro: A Depression Era Photographic Study by Dr. Horace Mann Bond. Through March 25. Special collections libraries. 706-542-5788. washnock@uga.edu. Fighting Spirit: Wally Butts and UGA Football, 1939-1950. Through May 10. Special collections libraries. 706-542-8079. jclevela@uga.edu. Out of the Darkness: Light in the Depths of the Sea of Cortez. Through Oct. 27. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817. hazbrown@uga.edu.
TUESDAY, JAN. 22 WALK A WEIGH Tuesdays through April 16. These classes offer research-based lessons for weight loss and chronic disease prevention, offered by UGA Extension for all UGA employees. Learn how to change your eating and physical activity habits to lose weight. There are two sessions to choose from: Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on North Campus at the Training & Development Center or Tuesdays from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on South Campus in the Hoke Smith Building. Registration is required for this program at hr.uga.edu/training. 706-613-3640. jdallas@uga.edu. ECOLOGY SEMINAR “Understanding the Origin and Future of Biodiversity Patterns,” John Wiens, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona. Reception follows seminar at 4:30 p.m. in the ecology building lobby. 3:30 p.m. Auditorium, ecology building. 706-542-7247. bethgav@uga.edu.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo has recorded more than 70 albums.
UGA welcomes Ladysmith Black Mambazo on Jan. 29 By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu
South Africa’s Grammy-winning Ladysmith Black Mambazo is coming to Athens Jan. 29 for a 7:30 p.m. performance in Hodgson Concert Hall. Ladysmith Black Mambazo was founded in the early 1960s by Joseph Shabalala, then a teenage farm boy living outside the small town of Ladysmith. To name the group, Shabalala used his hometown to honor his family history. He added the word Black in reference to the black oxen, the strongest of the farm animals with which he worked. Mambazo is the Zulu word for chopping ax, a symbol of the group’s vocal ability to clear the path to success. A radio broadcast in 1970 opened the door to the group’s first record contract, the beginning of an ambitious recording career that currently includes more than 70 albums, earning 19 Grammy Award nominations with five wins: Shaka Zulu (1988), Raise Your Spirit Higher (2004), Ilembe (2009), Singing for Peace Around the World (2013) and Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30 Year Anniversary Celebration (2017). Paul Simon incorporated Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s rich harmonies into his landmark Graceland album. The 1986 recording is considered seminal in introducing world music to mainstream audiences. When Nelson Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993, he asked the group to join him and sing at the ceremony. It was Mandela who called Ladysmith Black Mambazo “South Africa’s cultural ambassadors to the world.” Tickets for the concert start at $30 and can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center box office, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-4400. A limited number of discounted tickets are available to current UGA students for $6 and $10 with a valid UGA ID (limit one ticket per student). A pre-performance talk will be given by Jean Ngoya Kidula, professor in ethnomusicology at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music. The talk begins at 6:45 p.m. in Ramsey Concert Hall. Hodgson Concert Hall and Ramsey Concert Hall are located in the UGA Performing Arts Center at 230 River Road in Athens.
GARDEN TRAVELS Jennifer Ceska and her family spent three weeks in Europe last summer traveling Germany and Austria. Her stories include invitations to lay in long grass in Berlin city parks, visitations to float through the dreamy Insel Manau (Isle of Flowers) botanical garden in Lake Constance and consultations with dairy cows and cuckoos in Alpine wildflowers at their absolute peak. Light reception before the talk provided by Friends of the Garden. $10, general admission; free for members. 6:30 p.m. Visitor Center, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6138. lpbryant@uga.edu. FULL MOON HIKE: WOLF MOON Experience the garden at night. Each hike focuses on a different topic such as the moon, constellations or nocturnal creatures. Be prepared to hike up to 2 miles on wooded trails and in the garden. A backpack carrier is suggested for young children or infants. Pre-registration is required. $5 per person or $15 per family. 7 p.m. Visitor Center fountain, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156. bwboone@uga.edu.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 23 TOUR AT TWO Join Asen Kirin, Parker Curator of Russian Art, for a gallery talk on The Reluctant Autocrat: Tsar Nicholas II. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu. LECTURE College of Environment and Design faculty lecture series by Wayde Brown. 4:30 p.m. 123 Jackson Street Building.
FRIDAY, JAN. 25 ODUM SCHOOL GRADUATE STUDENT SYMPOSIUM Through Jan. 26. The 25th annual Odum School of Ecology Graduate Student Symposium highlights the latest research from ecology students. The symposium features oral presentations by graduate students in ecology, integrative conservation and the IDEAS doctoral program as well as undergraduate research posters. It concludes Jan. 26 with a keynote address by University of Georgia ecology alumna Virginia Schutte, science media officer with the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium. 9 a.m. Auditorium, Ecology Building. 706-542-7247. bethgav@uga.edu. (See Digest, page 3.) MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPY INSTITUTE “Transforming Life Narratives: Genograms, Context, Connection, Legacies and Having a Sense of Home,” Monica McGoldrick, M.S.W., Ph.D. This presentation will focus on the key dimensions for assessing human problems and evolving healing solutions. The workshop will focus on viewing each person in the context of his or her cultural background, social class, gender and sexual orientation, family history, life cycle trajectory and multiple identities and on paying particular attention to issues of belonging, loss, conflict, cutoff and secrecy in families. Sponsored by the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, the School of Social Work and the College of Education. This workshop qualifies for Continuing Education Units. Students, $95; attendees, $150; current MFT certificate student, $50; certificate faculty, $120. 8:30 a.m. Georgia Center. 706-542-5425. marobi01@uga.edu. CLASS In “Winter Tree Identification: Certificate in Native Plants Elective,” students will learn the basics of identifying trees in the winter by learning about twigs, bark, leaf scars, fruits and tree form. Students will learn to use a hand lens and a simple key for woody plants to identify species. Class time will be divided between classroom exercises and a field trip to the deciduous woods at the botanical garden. $50, general admission; $45, Friends of the Garden. 9 a.m. Visitor Center, Classroom 2, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156. cscamero@uga.edu. MORNING MINDFULNESS The Georgia Museum of Art invites participants into the galleries to take part in free, guided mindfulness meditation sessions, held every other Friday during the school year. Sessions include a variety of instructor-led meditation, movement and mindfulness techniques. No experience or special clothing is necessary. Meditation pillows or stools are provided. Reservations are encouraged; contact 706-542-8863 or sagekincaid@uga.edu. 9:30 a.m. Georgia Museum of Art. OLLI@UGA LIFELONG LEARNING FAIR See what OLLI@UGA has to offer those 50 years of age and older with a passion for lifelong learning. 1 p.m. Georgia Square Mall. 706-542-5011. timothy.meehan@uga.edu. WOMEN’S TENNIS vs. University of South Florida. 2 p.m. Dan Magill Tennis Complex. LECTURE “Connecting the Dots: New Perspectives on Mobility and Gathering in Ancient Mediterranean Sanctuaries,” T. M. Kristensen, Aarhus University, Denmark, Archaeological Institute of America lecturer. This lecture presents results from a recently completed five-year research project on “Ancient Mediterranean Pilgrimage” that investigated journeys to sanctuaries in modern Greece, Italy and Turkey from the Archaic to Late Antique periods. It takes up the challenge of “connecting the dots” in the archaeology of ancient Greek and Roman sanctuaries that traditionally has focused on buildings and monuments as singular, isolated units. The lecture instead proposes to reconstruct some of the different spatial and visual strategies employed by sanctuaries to provide evocative experiences through rituals, gatherings and landscape features. 5:30 p.m. S150 Lamar Dodd School of Art. 706-542-1097. egarriso@uga.edu or jordan.dopp25@uga.edu. PERFORMANCE Derring-do takes center stage when the Chinese Acrobats of Hebei combine Chinese traditions and nimbleness. These athletes have trained in the art and science of acrobatics since childhood. Tickets start at $25. 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 25 or 2 p.m. on Jan. 26. Fine Arts Theatre, Fine Arts Building. 706-542-4400. ugaarts@uga.edu. (See story, lower right.)
Calendar items are taken from Columns files and from the university’s Master Calendar, maintained by Marketing & Communications. Notices are published here as space permits, with priority given to items of multidisciplinary interest. The Master Calendar is available at calendar.uga.edu/.
columns.uga.edu Jan. 22, 2019
4&5
Concerto Competition Concert opens 2019 series By Camille Hayes ceh822@uga.edu
Six student soloists will join the Hugh Hodgson School of Music’s UGA Symphony Orchestra for the annual Concerto Competition Concert.The musicians will take the Hodgson Concert Hall stage Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Thursday Scholarship Series. “This concert is probably the most exciting event that takes place annually,” said Mark Cedel, conductor and director of orchestral activities. Students from all degree programs compete to perform with the orchestra, and the soloists performing in the concert were selected after advancing through a rigorous competition process within the School of Music. The winners are ranked, and then the committee goes down the list until the time limit for the concert is met. “Every student performed with wonderful energy, musicality, precision and feeling,” said Amy Pollard, associate professor of bassoon and one of the competition judges. “It was a very difficult decision for the judges, and they were exceptionally impressed with all of the competitors.” Opening the concert will be violinist Fei Tong. A native of China, Tong was the first prize winner at the 2018 America Protege International Competition of Romantic Music. She has performed as a soloist with the Harbin Symphony Orchestra, among others, and has collaborated with many distinguished musicians such as David Holland and Alicia Valoti. Saxophonist Dan Phipps, a second year Master of Music student and aural skills teaching assistant, has participated in many festivals, such as the Vienna Summer Music Festival and the American Saxophone Academy. Phipps has been a first-place winner of the MTNA Young Artist Woodwind Solo Competition twice. Cellist Andrew William Reynish already has been enjoying a career as a soloist and chamber musician. He began his master’s degree at UGA this past summer after attending both the Chetham’s School of Music and the Royal Danish Academy of Music. Texas native Harrison Clarke is currently pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree. Having traveled all over the world as an ensemble member of the
SATURDAY, JAN. 26 STRONG BY ZUMBA™ Learn how to teach a music-led high intensity interval training that pushes students to achieve their most ambitious fitness goals using only their body weight. $275. 9 a.m. Studio D, Ramsey Student Center. 706-542-8023. lisawilliamson@uga.edu.
The Concerto Competition Concert features six student soloists performing with the UGA Symphony Orchestra on Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m. in Hodgson Concert Hall.
Eastman Saxophone Project and the tenor saxophonist with the Fuego Quartet, Clarke said he is excited to be part of the quartet’s debut album this year with PARMA Recordings. Brazilian Deusiel de Souza, who is pursuing a master’s degree, also performs as a clarinetist with the Brazilian Air Force Band after having placed first in auditions for that band and the Brazilian Army Band. He has performed as a soloist in one of Rio de Janeiro’s most important concert halls, Sala Cecilia Meireles, with the Symphonic Band CETEP of Marechel Hermes. Chinese pianist Zhirui Zhou has been studying the piano since age 5. Having studied at several schools and conservatories, Zhou is no stranger to major competitions. She won the Schwob School of Music concerto competition twice and received the third prize at the International Piano Competition in Italy,
among others. Zhou is currently working towards her doctorate under piano faculty David Fung. “It is always a very eclectic mix of instruments,” said Cedel. With the variety of repertoire chosen by the soloists, the UGA Symphony Orchestra has their work cut out for them according to Cedel. “The accompaniments can be very challenging in their technical and musical demands and it’s our job to make the performances successful,” said Cedel, who will be joined by graduate student and assistant conductor Jean Gomez. Tickets for the concert are $20 for adults and $6 for students and children and can be purchased online at pac.uga.edu or by calling the Performing Arts Center box office at 706-542-4400. All proceeds from ticket sales go directly towards funding student scholarships. For those unable to attend the concert, live streaming will be available at music.uga.edu/live-streaming.
Chinese acrobats to perform two shows
MEN’S BASKETBALL vs. Texas. $15. 2 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum. ELEGANT SALUTE XVI: AN IMPERIAL EVENING The Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art host this biennial black-tie gala featuring music, dinner and dancing. Proceeds provide support for exhibitions, outreach and year-round educational programming at the museum. Call 706-542-0830 or visit bit.ly/elegant-salute-2019 for more information, to sponsor or to purchase tickets. $300 per person, members; $350 per person, non-members. 6 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE Enjoy this James Bond–themed dance party featuring dessert, drinks and dancing with DJ Mahogany. Cocktail, black tie and 007-inspired attire encouraged. $50 for members; $65 for non-members. 9 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.
SUNDAY, JAN. 27 CLASS Join nutritionist and herbalist Cara-Lee Langston to learn about the nutritive properties of a variety of different broths and stocks. Using ingredients from the garden, participants will create a vegetarian mineral broth and finish off a batch of grass-fed beef bone broth to take home. $30. 2 p.m. Visitor Center, Classroom 2, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156. cscamero@uga.edu. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL vs. Alabama. $5. 2 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.
COMING UP SWING DANCE NIGHT IN THE GARDEN Jan. 29. Learn new dance steps, dance under the palms or watch talented and enthusiastic dancers from seating beside the dance floor. Choose between an East Coast Swing or Lindy Hop lesson from 7-8 p.m., then everyone is welcome for an open dance from 8-10 p.m. No previous dance experience or partner necessary to attend. $6, general admission; $4 students. 7 p.m. Visitor Center, State Botanical Garden. CONCERT Jan. 29. The voices of Ladysmith Black Mambazo combine the complex rhythms and harmonies of Zulu tradition with the sounds and sentiments of gospel music. Tickets start at $30. 7:30 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4400. ugaarts@uga.edu. (See story, left.) 2019 STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY Jan. 30. President Jere W. Morehead will deliver the 2019 State
Artists from the Province of Hebei have been practicing acrobatics for more than 2,000 years.
By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu
UGA Presents is bringing the Chinese Acrobats of Hebei to Athens for two shows. The acrobats will perform in the Fine Arts Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 25 and 2 p.m. on Jan. 26. Acclaimed the world over, the Chinese Acrobats are from the Province of Hebei, which has been considered the home of acrobatics for more than 2,000 years. Ancient texts document considerable activity during the Han Dynasty (221BC-220AD). During these ancient times, the farmers in the fields would gather during an evening for entertainment, and they would use anything available for props to perform acrobatics. These props would be part of their of the University address to the campus community. 3:30 p.m. Chapel. WORKSHOP Jan. 31. In “Creating a Culture of Engaged Learning in Your Classroom,” participants will learn about recent literature on countering student resistance to active learning and brainstorm how psychological principles can inform creation of norms and procedures in their classroom that create an environment naturally inclined towards engaged learning. 3:30 p.m. M.A.L.L., Instructional Plaza. 706-542-1713. ckuus@uga.edu.
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everyday lives such as chairs for chair stacking, kitchen plates for plate spinning and jars for jar balancing. The Chinese acrobats of today are taught by their parents from childhood, and their shows have become full-fledged stage productions featuring a music soundtrack, colorful props and elaborate costumes. The Chinese Acrobats of Hebei began touring throughout the U.S. and Canada in 2006. Tickets for the family-friendly show start at $25 and can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center box office, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-4400. A limited number of discounted tickets are available to current UGA students for $6-$10 with a valid UGA ID (limit one ticket per student). The Fine Arts Theatre is at 255 Baldwin St. on the UGA main campus in Athens. TEEN STUDIO: RICHARD HUNT: SYNTHESIS Jan. 31. Teens ages 13-18 are invited to this studio-based workshop led by local artist and educator Kristen Bach. Explore the impressive sculptures and linear prints by the legendary Richard Hunt, a contemporary African American artist. After drawing inspiration from gallery activities and the exhibition Richard Hunt: Synthesis, teens will create their own metal sculpture in the Michael and Mary Erlanger Studio Classroom. Includes a pizza dinner. This program is free, but space is limited. Email sagekincaid@uga.edu or call 706-542-8863 to reserve a spot. 5:30 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art.
NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES Jan. 23 (for Feb. 4 issue) Jan. 30 (for Feb. 11 issue) Feb. 6 (for Feb. 18 issue)
6 Jan. 22, 2019 columns.uga.edu
FACULTY PROFILE
Soil searching
Julia W. Gaskin, senior public service associate and sustainable agriculture coordinator with the UGA Cooperative Extension, was quoted by Mother Nature Network about the importance of soil. Solving soil problems is important because soils support 95 percent of all food production, and by 2060 humans will ask the Earth’s soils to produce as much food as has been consumed in the last 500 years, according to the Soil Health Institute. Yet, in the last 150 years, the world’s soils have lost half of the basic building blocks that make soil productive. “There’s a lot of stuff about soil we don’t understand very well,” said Gaskin, who is a soil scientist. “I think there is so much potential for us to be better partners with the soil and help suppress plant disease and get plants healthy, less stressed and more productive.” Gaskin shared 15 facts about soil in the article, such as soils are one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, and there are more than 20,000 types of soil in the U.S.
Flour power
Robert Dixon Phillips, a retired UGA professor of food science, was quoted in The Atlantic about the art and science of making good Southern biscuits. In most of the U.S., available flours are made from hard wheats, which are higher in gluten protein. For this reason, their dough can trap carbon dioxide, which is why it would be used to make bread. To make a good biscuit, “you want a flour made from a soft wheat,” Phillips said. “It has less gluten protein and the gluten is weaker, which allows the chemical leavening—the baking powder—to generate carbon dioxide and make it rise up in the oven.” According to Phillips, biscuits likely developed as a Southern staple food because the flour necessary to make them was and still is made from the kind of wheat that’s farmed there.
Rain check
Jessica Chappell, a Ph.D. student in the Odum School of Ecology, was quoted in Business Insider about Puerto Rico’s reliance on water from El Yunque. During Hurricane Maria, winds blowing 130 miles an hour blasted the mountain slopes of El Yunque. Almost a year after the hurricane, the green has returned to El Yunque, but the landscape looks different since more than one in 10 trees in the forest died after the hurricane. If hurricanes, decreased rainfall and increased temperatures continue to affect Puerto Rico, then El Yunque could transform from a rain forest into a dry forest. Many people rely on the water that runs through El Yunque. “It’s a huge source of water for much of the islands,” said Chappell, who is studying the hydrology of El Yunque and works in the Pringle Lab at UGA. “Twenty percent of the population relies on water that comes from El Yunque. What that actually means is that 20 percent of the water that’s used falls within the forest and then it goes into streams and it’s treated and taken to the people.”
Migrating monarchs
Andy Davis, an assistant research scientist at the Odum School of Ecology, was quoted by EurekAlert! about the migration patterns of monarch butterflies. The monarch butterfly is currently experiencing problems with its migration in eastern North America as fewer and fewer monarchs are successfully reaching their overwintering destinations, and scientists aren’t sure why. Recent research published in Animal Migration looks at this problem. The study, led by Hannah Vander Zanden, suggests that monarchs may be traveling elsewhere to overwinter. “Previous research had suggested that some migrating monarchs may wind up in southern Florida if they become waylaid by strong westerly winds, but this evidence makes it seem like they purposely traveled to this location,” said Davis, whose research interests include the migration biology of birds and insects.
Teena Wilhelm, associate professor of political science, focuses her research on courts as institutions.
Dorothy Kozlowski
SPIA associate professor sparks fun, interest in law, courts classes By Shelby R. Steuart shelby.steuart@uga.edu
Political science associate professor Teena Wilhelm’s favorite part of UGA is the students, hands down. “For Halloween last year, I had an Honors class that on its own decided to dress up in constitutional-law themed costumes,” she said. Another time a tornado warning interrupted a moot court simulation in her class, forcing her students out of the classroom and into the basement and hallways. “They continued the moot court activity, not missing a beat,” Wilhelm said. “Students from other classes were watching and even videoing my students as they stood in the hallways, acting like Supreme Court justices and interacting with attorney oral arguments. They chose to do it; I didn’t make them. They just wanted to keep going. That was such a fulfilling day of teaching.” While Wilhelm got her doctoral degree in Arizona, she grew up in the South and wanted to return here to raise her children. She liked Athens, and she was interested in working at UGA’s
School of Public and International Affairs, which at that time was fairly new. “SPIA is a special school. You don’t encounter schools that have international affairs, political science and public administration separated in a school all their own,” Wilhelm said. “That allows more resources and more faculty, and that was a big attraction.” She also loved the unique culture of the university itself. “UGA has this really nice balance between a school that knows how to have fun but is also very serious about its academics and service,” she said. “That’s not something you (always) find.” Wilhelm’s research focuses on courts as institutions and examines how courts function in their political environments. “We typically think of legal studies as related to court decisions, strictly speaking,” she said. “In my research, I try to understand law and policy as a function of politics, and the interplay of our political institutions.” For this reason, she is interested in the effect of separation of powers on public policy. Her recent research examines whether attempts by state legislators to punish or “curb” state
FACTS
Teena Wilhelm Associate Professor of Political Science School of Public and International Affairs Ph.D., Political Science, University of Arizona, 2005 M.A, Political Science, University of Arizona, 2001 B.A, History, Louisiana College, 1997 At UGA: 14 years
courts (when they disagree with court decisions) affects the ability of state judiciaries to remain independent in their decisions. Wilhelm often does research alongside her colleague, Rich Vining. She believes that having a large political science department, including a sizeable subset of individuals who are interested in the same kinds of research, is another aspect that makes her job special. “When you’re working with great, supportive colleagues, trying to think through tough questions, it doesn’t feel like work,” she said. “It feels like creativity, and it isn’t hard to be inspired.”
RETIREES January
Thirty-six UGA employees retired Dec. 31. Retirees, their job classification, department and years of service are: Karen E. Aiken, development officer II, College of Veterinary MedicineDean’s Office, 19 years, 2 months; Dale L. Alexander, plumber, Facilities Management Division-Operations and Maintenance-Plumbing Shop, 31 years, 6 months; Kay Rader Altschul, accounting assistant, UGA Librariesgeneral operations, 14 years, 10 months; Robin Heath Campbell, county extension program assistant, UGA Cooperative Extension-Northwest District, 13 years, 4 months; Joyann A. Carter, administrative assistant II, Health Sciences Campus-housing, 29 years, 9 months; Mark S. Chastain, facilities manager I, population health, 30 years; B. Carolyn Dial, university senior budget analyst, University Budget Office, 20 years, 5 months; Vickie Lane Edwards, business manager I, horticulture research, 12 years, 10 months; Marilyn C. Erickson, associate professor, Center for Food Safety, 31 years, 2 months; John R. Fischer, director, population health, 26 years, 1 month; Secrise A. Gilham, food service supervisor II, Georgia Center: Auxiliary OperationsDining Services, 11 years; Georgetta
Sharron Grovner, food service worker I, Marine Institute, 29 years, 4 months; Nicholas S. Hill, professor, crop and soil sciences, 32 years, 11 months; Stefani K. Hilley, administrative specialist I, Associate Dean’s Office-Academic Affairs, 16 years, 8 months; Cheryl Ann Hollifield, professor, College of Journalism and Mass Communication, 21 years, 3 months; Della F. Hunt, administrative associate I, Rural Development Center-UGA Cooperative Extension, 28 years, 6 months; Felicia M. Kautz, research technician III, animal science research, 10 years, 3 months; Warren P. Kriesel, associate professor, agricultural and applied economics, 30 years, 1 month; Gloria J. Larson, administrative specialist I, Office of the Vice President for Finance & Administration, 20 years, 6 months; Melanie L. Lee, administrative financial director, J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development, 33 years, 5 months; Denise W. Logan, public service assistant, Georgia Center for Continuing Education, 24 years, 5 months; Donna James Mitchell, senior assistant registrar, Office of the Registrar, 31 years, 5 months; Josie Ofori, building services worker II, Brumby Hall, 33 years, 7 months; Timothy L. Peacock, IT manager, UGA Librariesgeneral operations, 14 years, 5 months;
Norbert J. Pienta, professor, chemistry, 6 years, 4 months; Michele E. Poole, budget analyst, Division of Development & Alumni Relations-Finance and Talent Management, 34 years, 9 months; Sylvia M. Riblet, research professional II, population health, 21 years, 7 months; Clinton Floyd Rivers, food service worker II, Oglethorpe Dining Commons, 16 years, 4 months; Tonda P. Rowe, business manager II, College of Veterinary Medicine-Dean’s Office, 29 years, 5 months; Karen L. Sand, lab/ research technician I, Soil, Plant and Water Lab, 11 years, 3 months; Patricia S. Sheahan, administrative assistant II, Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, 23 years, 9 months; Brenda Kay Smith, degree program assistant, School of Public and International Affairs, 21 years, 3 months; Marcella Smith, administrative assistant II, Brumby Hall, 30 years, 2 months; Thomas L. Whigham, professor, history, 32 years, 3 months; Suzi Wong, constituent-based director, College of Arts and SciencesDean’s Office, 15 years, 4 months; and Reginald Lee Woods, human resources senior manager, Facilities Management Division-administration and human resources department, 12 years, 8 months. Source: Human Resources
PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH
Goodness grows
columns.uga.edu Jan. 22, 2019
7
UGA middle school garden program expands beyond Athens-Clarke County By Leah Moss
leahmoss@uga.edu
An award-winning interactive Clarke County school program that teaches students about science and nutrition is now underway in Barrow County, thanks to the University of Georgia. The Grow It Know It program, established in 2013 by the Office of ServiceLearning, UGA Cooperative Extension, UGArden and the Clarke County School District, is designed to support teachers involved in farm-to-school programming. UGA alumna Alyssa Flanders, now a teacher at Russell Middle School in Barrow County, volunteered at Clarke Middle School when she was at UGA studying agricultural education. There she helped in the school garden, growing fresh fruits and vegetables to offer in the cafeteria and helping students learn about agriculture and healthy eating. When she learned that Grow It Know It was expanding to counties outside of Clarke County, she jumped at the chance to work with the program once again. School gardens are living, breathing outdoor classrooms for students to apply what they learn in science classes to real life. Through Grow It Know It, students better understand animal science, wildlife management, mechanics and the many processes behind not only growing food, but what it takes to get food on shelves at the grocery store. “You don’t only have a school garden one or two teachers utilize, but a school garden that is part of everything you do at the school,” said Alicia Holloway, UGA Cooperative Extension agent in Barrow County. “All the students and teachers utilize it, and the education isn’t just about gardening, but everything associated with it, like sustainability, health and careers in agriculture.” Andie Bisceglia, the USDA grant coordinator for Grow It Know It, said the idea to expand the program beyond Clarke County began taking shape about a year ago. Holloway’s established relationships with the school’s teachers, local farmers and businesses made Barrow County a natural fit for the program. “When we received a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, we started planning and asking questions,” she said. “Would the model work as well somewhere else? Could we spread it through the state?” In Clarke County, the Office of Service-Learning places AmeriCorps
Photos by Shannah Montgomery
Russell Middle School received a grant to implement the Grow It Know It program, which is designed to help teachers with farm-to-school programming.
VISTAs at each of the four middle schools to oversee the Grow It Know It programs. This year, AmeriCorps VISTA Joshua Truitt was placed at Russell Middle School in Barrow County. “After graduating, I was torn between teaching and extension work,” Truitt said. “This is the perfect fit for me because I get to work with kids and agriculture.” He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education and master’s degree in agriculture and environmental education from the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in spring 2018. He recently helped the students in Flanders’ class
WEEKLY READER
use a drill to make raised beds for vegetable gardens. “It was my first time using a drill,” said Iyanna Green, eighth-grader. “It was super satisfying to actually make something with my hands.” The plant beds will house spinach, chard, radishes and collard greens—vegetables that could be served in the school cafeteria. Flanders believes students are more likely to sample healthy options if they were involved in planting them. “Now more than ever, people want to know where their food is coming from,” she said. “It’s important to teach students food
doesn’t just magically appear at Walmart or Publix. It takes so much knowledge and resources to grow food properly and safely.” In October, CCSD was awarded the Golden Radish Innovative Partnership Award from Georgia Organics for its partnership with Grow It Know It in Clarke County middle schools. Diana Cole, a Barrow County school teacher involved in the Grow It Know It program, won the Golden Radish Teacher of the Year award. Georgia Organics is a statewide organization that raises awareness of the benefit of organic farming and connects organic food from Georgia farms to Georgia families.
CYBERSIGHTS
ABOUT COLUMNS
Book examines jazz critically and culturally
Gettin’ Around: Jazz, Script, Transnationalism By Jurgen E. Grandt University of Georgia Press Hardcover: $54.95
Gettin’ Around examines how the global jazz aesthetic strives, in various ways, toward an imaginative reconfiguration of a humanity that transcends entrenched borders of ethnicity and nationhood, while at the same time remaining keenly aware of the exigencies of history. Jurgen E. Grandt deliberately refrains from a narrow, empirical definition of jazz or of transnationalism and, true to the jazz aesthetic itself, opts for a broader, more inclusive scope, even as he listens carefully and closely to jazz’s variegated soundtrack. Such an approach seeks not only to avoid the museal whiff of a “golden age, time past” but also to broaden the appeal and the applicability of the overall critical argument. For Grandt, “international” simply designates currents of people, ideas and goods between distinct geopolitical entities or nation-states, whereas “transnational” refers to liminal dynamics that transcend preordained borderlines occurring above, below, beside or along the outer contours of nation-states.
Columns is available to the community by subscription for an annual fee of $20 (second-class delivery) or $40 (first-class delivery). Faculty and staff members with a disability may call 706-542-8017 for assistance in obtaining this publication in an alternate format. Columns staff can be reached at 706-542-8017 or columns@uga.edu
Editor Juliett Dinkins
USG offers ways to earn well-being credits
ourwellbeing.usg.edu
The University System of Georgia’s well-being program offers participants more choices in 2019 to engage in the program. Plus, employees and spouses covered on a USG health care plan can each earn up to a $100 well-being credit. Among the ways to earn credits this year are completing
a confidential health assessment ($25 credit), activity tracking (up to $50 credit) and syncing an approved fitness device or apps like Fitbit or Apple Health ($10 credit). The deadline to complete the program is Sept. 30. For more information, email usgwellbeing@usg.edu or call 833-724-4874.
Communications Coordinator Krista Richmond Art Director Jackie Baxter Roberts Photo Editor Dorothy Kozlowski Writers Kellyn Amodeo Leigh Beeson The University of Georgia is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action. The University of Georgia is a unit of the University System of Georgia.
8 Jan. 22, 2019 columns.uga.edu GRANTS from page 1 in the future. “A primary goal of the president’s seed grant program was to help teams demonstrate a history of working together to develop preliminary data that would make them competitive for major external grants,” said David Lee, vice president for research. “A return on investment of nearly 10-to-1 is thrilling.” The Interdisciplinary Seed Grant Program represents a strategic investment by the University of Georgia in its faculty and the research enterprise. “I am pleased the Interdisciplinary Seed Grant Program has achieved such impressive results in the short time since it was established,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “The success of this initiative demonstrates the value of supporting trailblazing research that combines the strengths of UGA faculty members across campus.” Interdisciplinary Seed Grant proposals were reviewed by a team of UGA faculty and administrators assembled by Lee and Jennifer Frum, vice president for public service and outreach. The review team selected winning proposals based on demonstrated potential to address grand challenges and to generate new external funding in the future. Inclusion of public service and outreach components also was considered, among other criteria. “All of Georgia benefits from a secure food supply and energy efficiency,” Frum said. “This project exemplifies the positive impact that Georgia’s land-grant and seagrant institution can have on the state.” For all of the recipients, these grants are providing new opportunities. “Faculty appreciate the importance of interdisciplinary collaborations, particularly when it comes to addressing the major challenges embodied in UGA’s Great Commitments,” Lee said. “But realistically, it requires seed funding in order for faculty to devote the necessary time and resources to pursue these new avenues. This is why the president’s seed grant program has been so important.” David Okech, M.S.W. program director and associate professor in the School of Social Work, has teamed with researchers from the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, College of Public Health, College of Family and Consumer Sciences and University of Liverpool in England to develop evidence-based reintegration programming for female victims of human trafficking in West Africa. They aim to develop a theoretical model of the factors that facilitate successful reintegration and create an intervention manual based on that model. To do this, they are
RANKING
collecting data from human trafficking survivors, health and social service providers, and governmental policy leaders. The ultimate goal is to craft intervention and reintegration programs that are responsive to the needs of survivors. “Human trafficking is modern-day slavery and among the grandest challenges of our day,” Okech said. “It stands as one of the greatest violations of human rights and a manifestation of social injustice, and I felt I needed to do something about it. As a researcher, one way I could make an impact is to use research and evidence to inform programs and policies, going beyond the anecdotal portrayal of trafficking in the media.” The formative work from their Interdisciplinary Seed Grant led to a five-year award by the U.S. Department of State’s Office to Combat and Monitor Trafficking in Persons and is part of its Program to End Modern Slavery. The new award to the university was recently mentioned at the 2018 United Nations General Assembly, helping to position UGA as a leader in the field. The State Department award will expand the work by Okech and his research team to Sierra Leone and Guinea in West Africa. Carolyn Lauckner, an assistant professor of health promotion and behavior in the College of Public Health, is working with Bernadette Heckman, associate professor and director of clinical training in the Doctoral Counseling Psychology program and Health Psychology program in the College of Education, on a project using telemedicine to meet the mental health needs of people living with HIV/AIDS in rural Georgia. They are working with the Georgia Department of Public Health’s existing statewide telemedicine network to pilot the expansion of mental health services using innovative videoconferencing technologies, allowing patients with limited access or transportation to receive care at no charge. “This community-based research has been a great learning experience for me,” Lauckner said. “Having a better sense of the challenges facing community health clinics has helped me to better plan for and think through additional community-based projects I can do in the future.” The project also provides a unique experiential learning opportunity for Heckman’s students, who are providing therapy. Heckman meets weekly with the students to discuss suggested therapies for the patients, and the students have presented their work at a conference. “Students want to be involved in this project,” Heckman said. “It’s a great training
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academic experience. Questions rated the quality of teaching, accessibility of faculty and alumni, effectiveness of academic and career advisers, extracurricular opportunities to improve business skills, and whether first jobs aligned with preferred industries and companies. According to the survey results, graduates gave Terry College an A+ on the likelihood of recommending Terry College to a close friend or colleague and an A for the degree’s value given the investment of time and tuition. Terry’s undergraduate program also
gained ground in the latest U.S. News & World Report ranking, released in September. It ranked No. 21 overall and 11th among public business schools, matching Terry’s best ranking in the annual U.S. News survey. Poets&Quants’ profile of the Terry College of Business as the No. 29 ranked business school noted the college’s 98 percent employment rate within three months “of graduation and that 85 percent of undergraduates completed one or more internships.
Bulletin Board New postage rates
The U.S. Postal Service will increase costs for first class, media, library and nonprofit postage on Jan. 27. The price for the first-class mail letter weighing 1 ounce or less will increase from $0.50 to $0.55. The rate for a first-class mail flats/large envelope weighing 1 ounce will remain at the current $1 rate and postcards will remain at $0.35. Price increases for shipping services products will vary by
product, with priority mail increasing 5.9 percent, and priority mail express increasing 3.9 percent. A complete list of new rates is available at https://bit.ly/2CbLpKQ.
Winter golf special
UGA’s Golf Course and Dining Services will offer a winter special eat-and-play combo. It is available Monday-Thursday until Feb. 25. For $35 plus tax, players receive an 18-hole green and cart fee plus a
Dorothy Kozlowski
Marc van Iersel and WenZhan Song’s work has led to a $5 million grant from the USDA.
opportunity, and students know that this is going to be the next wave of mental health services.” Lauckner and Heckman are collaborating on a paper and plan to submit another grant proposal related to their work soon. Mark Tompkins, a professor of infectious diseases in the College of Veterinary Medicine, is studying how microbiomes, or the microorganisms in a particular environment, affect respiratory infection, disease and transmission with researchers from the Odum School of Ecology and College of Public Health. “We’re generating novel data that other people don’t have,” Tompkins said. “We wanted to have multiple pieces of data that would be powerful tools for asking additional questions.” The researchers hope to develop mathematical models that could lead to more effective vaccines and are working to expand this research into new grant opportunities. Additional principal investigators and topics of the winning proposals are: • Clark Alexander, executive director of the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography and professor of marine sciences in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, “Studying the UGA Marine Science Campus on Skidaway Island as a model for achieving coastal resiliency in the face of extreme weather.” • Marin Brewer, assistant professor of
mycology and plant pathology in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, “Investigating microbial resistance to antifungal treatments used for plants and people.” • John Drake, Distinguished Research Professor of Ecology in the Odum School of Ecology, “Mapping the global risk of emerging infectious disease threats.” • Changying “Charlie” Li, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Engineering, “Using robotic systems to accelerate the application of genome information in the improvement of food crops.” • Rebecca Matthew, assistant professor in the School of Social Work, “Building a network of cultural liaisons to improve the health and well-being of Athens-area Latinos.” • Amanda Murdie, Dean Rusk Scholar of International Relations and professor of international affairs in the School of Public and International Affairs, “Forecasting the threat of cyber attacks, nation by nation.” • Li Tan, assistant research scientist in the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, “Developing sustainable materials for biomedical and environmental applications from waste plant biomass.” • David Tanner, associate director and assistant public service faculty in the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, “Enlisting the help of businesses in the expansion of America’s STEM workforce.”
MEDAL from page 1 education) from UGA. After teaching at Southwest Texas State University for two years, Hutchinson returned to UGA as an assistant professor in 1978, where she remained until her retirement in 2002. During her tenure, she served as an associate dean of education and coordinator for a number of UGA faculty support and development programs, including postdoctoral teaching and peer consulting. She was also a professor of higher education and a member of the Institute of Higher Education faculty. After retirement, she continued to serve UGA. She worked with the Emeriti Scholars who mentored students in The Coca-Cola Foundation’s First Generation Scholarship program on campus. The mentors volunteered their time to help the first-generation students navigate the university system. In addition, she served on boards of a variety of organizations, including UGA’s Graduate Development program, the Education and Law Consortium, the Athens Tutorial Program and Georgia Voyager magazine. She served as coordinator of the peer consultation team in the Center for Teaching
gift certificate worth $5 in Champions Cafe. The gift certificate will be good through March 31. No other discounts or promotions may be applied to this special rate. G-Pass and Loyalty Points cannot be used for this promotion. Gift certificate has no cash value. Reserve a tee time at https://golfcourse.uga.edu/ reserve-tee-time. Bulletin Board is limited to information that may pertain to a majority of faculty and staff members.
and Learning and as a faculty liaison to the Student Veterans Resource Center.
Brahm Verma
Verma was instrumental in founding UGA’s Faculty of Engineering and ultimately UGA’s College of Engineering. Two decades ago, he and others began advocating for a fullfledged comprehensive engineering program at UGA. He helped in the formation of 15 academic degree programs. Verma also led in Brahm Verma the formulation of the Institute of Biological Engineering, a professional society for advancing biology-inspired engineering, and served as the founding president. Verma received his bachelor’s in agricultural engineering from the University of Allahabad in India, his master’s in agricultural engineering from the University of Kentucky and his doctorate in agricultural engineering from Auburn University in 1968. When he arrived at UGA in 1970 as an assistant professor, he was the first person of Indian origin appointed to a tenure-track faculty position in an agricultural engineering department at a U.S. university. He was named an associate professor in 1975 and a professor in 1982. Since 2007, he has served as a professor and associate director emeritus. He was a full member of the UGA Graduate Faculty, a Faculty Fellow in the Artificial Intelligence Center, associate director of the Faculty of Engineering and coordinator of engineering research. His research focuses on the theory of models and principles of similitude, engineering design and decision methodology, and the application of computational intelligence for modeling agricultural and biological systems.