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College of Education clinic improves lives of children with disabilities OUTREACH NEWS
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David Fung to celebrate Chinese New Year with Faculty Artist Series show
January 28, 2019
Vol. 46, No. 22
www.columns.uga.edu
UGA GUIDE
4&5
2019 STATE of the UNIVERSITY President Jere W. Morehead will deliver the 2019 State of the University address to the campus community Jan. 30 at 3:30 p.m. in the Chapel. The speech will be streamed live at president.uga.edu/sotu.
Initiatives underway to bring up to 25 new faculty to university By Sam Fahmy sfahmy@uga.edu
Nearly 300 students volunteered at 22 sites across Athens for the 2019 MLK Day of Service.
Chad Osburn
More active citizens Nearly 300 UGA students span across community for Martin Luther King Day of Service
By Emily Webb
sew30274@uga.edu
To honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day—the only federal holiday designated a national day of service—nearly 300 University of Georgia students volunteered on Jan. 21 across 22 sites in AthensClarke County. Part of the Division of Student Affairs Center for Leadership and Service, ServeUGA students, called service ambassadors, participated in a weekend retreat that concluded with the MLK Day of Service. At Winterville Elementary School, 28 students helped plant
47 oak trees on school property. “We talked at our retreat this weekend about becoming more of a conscientious and active citizen rather than just being a volunteer,” said Delaney Burke, a first-year international affairs and criminal justice student from Alpharetta. “Rather than us just standing here scooping mulch into a wheelbarrow, why does it matter? Think about the impact that it’s having and the overall issues that are surrounding the school.” The retreat was an orientation for the new class of service ambassadors. “One of the big goals of
ServeUGA is to get students to think outside the UGA bubble and to get more involved in the community, which is a host to the university,” said Margaret Schrayer, a second-year computer science major from Princeton, New Jersey, who also is on the executive board for ServeUGA. The Winterville Elementary School site was part of the Making the Shade program created by the Georgia Forestry Commission. The goal of the program is to plant trees to shade playground equipment for kids and to help clean up air pollution. See SERVICE on page 8
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
Students gaining career skills through this year’s Super Bowl Experience By Kristen Morales kmorales@uga.edu
When Super Bowl LIII comes to Atlanta next month, it brings with it a week of opportunities for University of Georgia students to learn management skills and gain behind-the-scenes experience. That’s because they will be supervising staff at the Super Bowl Experience, an annual event that takes place in the Super Bowl host city the week before the NFL’s big game. This year’s Super Bowl Experience is taking place Jan. 26-
Feb. 3 in the Georgia World Congress Center, and UGA students, along with students from other metro Atlanta colleges, will help run the show as guests kick their own field goals, throw touchdown passes, try on football equipment or take photos with the Vince Lombardi Trophy. “It’s absolutely massive in terms of attendance,” said Sarah Palmer, a senior sport management major from Newnan who will be supervising the children’s area at this year’s Super Bowl Experience. Palmer is one of about 25 UGA
students hired to manage hourly workers at dozens of activity stations throughout the event. “You definitely gain management experience and you learn to deal with all kinds of people and make them feel welcome,” she said. “Not everyone gets to go to the Super Bowl, but you can get a ticket to experience what it’s like—that’s what we’re trying to do, is make sure everyone has a great experience.” Which is exactly why the Super Bowl Experience began, said UGA graduate Lance Dennis, who See EXPERIENCE on page 8
Presidential recruitment initiatives that will bring up to 25 new faculty members to campus are underway at the University of Georgia to increase research activity and give students more opportunities to enhance their writing and data literacy skills. Up to 12 tenure-track faculty members will be recruited through a new $3 million initiative that provides schools and colleges with startup funds that enable faculty members to launch their research programs at UGA. In addition, up to 13 lecturers and tenure-track
faculty members will be hired through a $1 million presidential hiring initiative to teach courses in discipline-specific writing and data literacy. The two new presidential initiatives complement existing faculty searches that are underway in schools and colleges across campus. “These initiatives are fueled by two of this institution’s top priorities: enhancing our learning environment and solving grand challenges for our state and the world,” said President Jere W. Morehead.“Continuing to build the strength of our faculty is essential to helping UGA reach new heights of excellence in these key areas.” See RECRUITMENT on page 8
FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
Scientists will use NIH grant to boost metabolite research By Alan Flurry aflurry@uga.edu
University of Georgia scientists will utilize genetics and quantum chemistry as tools for identifying unknown metabolites in the human body as one of five Compound Identification Development Cores in the U.S. The initiative, funded by National Institutes of Health Metabolomics Common Fund, is designed to address emerging scientific opportunities and pressing challenges in biomedical research.
Metabolites are small molecules that are vital to many functions in the body. They are building blocks of DNA, proteins and lipids, sources of energy, and are responsible for chemical signaling and interactions with other organisms. Metabolomics is the large-scale study of small molecules within cells, biofluids, tissues or organisms.At the leading edge of scientific research into the causes for disease, the study of the unique chemical fingerprints left behind by specific cellular processes is the focus of efforts to
See GRANT on page 8
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Georgia Ag Forecast offers assistance to communities By J. Merritt Melancon and Clint Thompson jmerritt@uga.edu, cbthomps@uga.edu
South Georgia farmers, community leaders and business owners recovering from Hurricane Michael can learn about additional recovery assistance available at a free resource fair immediately following the upcoming 2019 Georgia Ag Forecast meetings in Bainbridge on Jan. 31 and in Tifton on Feb. 1.
UGA Cooperative Extension will host the resource fair along with agricultural agencies, other UGA divisions and private entities that can assist with hurricane recovery. According to UGA Extension Associate Dean Laura Perry Johnson, Georgia Ag Forecast organizers have invited participants from state and federal agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service, Rural Development, and Natural See FORECAST on page 8
2 Jan. 28, 2019 columns.uga.edu
OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL DIVERSITY
DIVISION OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Administration of staff salaries to be revised By Taylor A. West tawest@uga.edu
A yearlong study of the university’s staff salary administration process has been completed, and a plan is being developed based upon its recommendations. “This review was initiated to provide the university with better tools to more effectively manage staff salaries, but it was not meant to be a comprehensive salary classification review,” said Ryan Nesbit, vice president for finance and administration. “One of the primary benefits of implementing these recommendations will be increased flexibility for the university’s departments and units when determining compensation. Instead of a position title being the driving factor for salaries, focus will be placed on the duties and responsibilities to be performed by the position, as well as the individual’s acquired skills.” These acquired skills are referred to as competencies by HR practitioners and represent a person’s knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics that enable job performance. To date, the university has gathered information surrounding competencies and will now begin forming focus groups and conducting surveys to identify and validate the competencies for various positions. “The most important factor is that this competency framework will be a system built by UGA employees for UGA employees,” said Juan Jarrett, associate vice president for human resources. “This framework will allow UGA to increase its salary competitiveness for retention and recruitment, as there is a greater reliance on peer market salary data to maintain salary ranges for UGA job classifications.” How does this benefit UGA staff members? As staff members demonstrate advanced competencies, they will be better positioned to expand their job duties and increase their salaries. This new approach will seek to reward staff who seize the initiative to assume more responsibility and enhance their professional development. The university was aided in the review by the Korn Ferry Hay Group, a consultant with more than 75 years of experience providing strategic human resources guidance. A Salary Administration work group, comprised of staff members across the university, reviewed the consultant’s recommendations and presented them to the senior staff. The recommendations provided by Korn Ferry Hay Group were categorized as short-term (up to one year), mid-term (one-two years) and long-term (three-five years). Human Resources already has completed many of those recommendations and anticipates completing the remainder by the end of fiscal year 2020. A full list of the recommendations may be found on the compensation page of the HR website under the supervisors menu. Human Resources will communicate additional information to the university community as the staff salary recommendations are implemented. Any questions about the Staff Salary Administration Review should be directed to Human Resources at hrweb@uga.edu or by calling 706-542-2222.
Freedom Breakfast speaker calls for unity and love at annual event By Leigh Beeson lbeeson@uga.edu
Tiffany Cochran Edwards had three simple pieces of advice to those attending the 16th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Breakfast: cultivate optimism in all that you do, be of service to your community and those around you, and fulfill your own unique destiny. “We are here today because the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. laid a solid foundation for what is right and just for this country, a social consciousness that really permeates in every area of our life, and it should still drive us today,” she said. Edwards served as a news anchor for 17 years, 10 of them in Atlanta. She currently is the national brand manager and public relations director for The Cochran Firm, the national law firm founded by her father, the late attorney Johnnie Cochran Jr. Since her father’s death from a brain tumor 13 years ago, she also has focused on raising money for the Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. Brain Tumor Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The theme for this year’s breakfast was “The Power of the Dream: Building the Beloved Community,” something King regularly called for in his speeches. This community could only be formed, he said, by love and understanding. Today, our country is very divided, Edwards said, and many of the voices heard are loud and cruel. But there’s hope of building King’s community yet. “We are truly at a crossroads today,” she said. “But I’m here this morning to speak about the other side, the world Dr. King envisioned for his four children and the world I envision for my daughter and all of your children, grandchildren and the young people you come into contact with right here on this campus. My favorite quote from Dr. King is ‘without love, there is no reason to know anyone, for love will, in the end, connect us to our neighbors, our children and our hearts.’ It’s such a simple quote, but it shows us a world filled with love is a world worth working for no matter how difficult it is.” Creating this world means loving one another despite and because of our differences, Edwards said. It’s a tough
Andrew Davis Tucker
Tiffany Cochran Edwards, national brand manager and public relations director for The Cochran Firm, delivered the keynote address at the 2019 Freedom Breakfast.
Andrew Davis Tucker
Tiffany Cochran Edwards, second from left, congratulates the three Fulfilling the Dream Award recipients: Charlene Marsh, Paige Carmichael and Michele Pearson.
task but one worth achieving. Three individuals were also awarded the President’s Fulfilling the Dream Award during the breakfast. The award is given to people in the university and Athens-Clarke County communities who are actively striving to make King’s dreams of racial justice and equality a reality. Paige Carmichael, a professor of veterinary pathology in the College of Veterinary Medicine, received the faculty/staff award for her commitment to advocating for
FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
UGA LIBRARIES, OFFICE OF RESEARCH
By Alan Flurry
Last fall, UGA Libraries and the Office of Research sponsored the Capturing Science Contest. The contest, now in its second year, challenged UGA students to communicate STEM concepts using any media or genre. Thirty-six submissions covered STEM concepts in a variety of disciplines. Students submitted games, videos, poetry, art, illustrations, photography, interactive activities and displays, educational guides, a podcast and other media. Entries were evaluated by judges Ariel Ackerly, Kelsey Forester, Lindsey Reynolds and Mazie Bowen for clarity of expression, creativity and appeal to a broad audience. The winners of the 2018 Capturing Science Contest have been chosen. In the graduate student category, the first-place prize of $500 was awarded to Tong Li for the video submission titled “Quantum Teleportation and Magic.” Cassidy Lord won second place and $250 for the educational guide titled “Where’s My Creek?” Kathryn Koopman was awarded the third-place prize of $100 for the video art piece titled “gamma rhythm.” In the undergraduate student category, Ben Burgh received the first-place prize of
students from all backgrounds. Charlene Marsh, a fourth-year international affairs and political science major, was presented the student award for her involvement in numerous organizations dedicated to combating racial prejudice. She also serves as the vice president of the Student Government Association. Native Athenian Michele Pearson received the outstanding member of the Athens community award for her work in furthering King’s dream of an inclusive community for all.
Researchers receive $2M grant from NIH Capturing Science winners announced aflurry@uga.edu
The National Institutes of Health has awarded University of Georgia researchers $1.956 million for a high-resolution mass spectrometer that will enhance capabilities for scientists in many fields across campus. The award by the NIH High End Instrumentation program, which provides grants in the range of $600,000 to $2 million for a variety of expensive instrumentation, including MRI imagers, electron microscopes, DNA sequencers and mass spectrometers, was one of 30 awards made in the program, and one of only six mass spectrometer requests funded in the 2018 cycle. The grant funded a 12 Tesla Bruker Solarix FTMS, a high-resolution mass spectrometer capable of measuring molecular weights with precision accuracy that can be applied to molecules ranging in size from small metabolic products to intact proteins and protein complexes. It also can provide molecular structure through a multidimensional analysis method known as tandem mass spectrometry. The instrument will be used to support research in metabolomics and glycomics, the analysis of genetic, physiologic and pathologic aspects
of sugar molecules involved in all biological process from modulating cell function to determining cancer development. “This instrument will enhance the research capabilities for a number of scientists in chemistry, the biological sciences and biomedical research and will help foster interdisciplinary research projects between groups in a number of departments and colleges,” said Jon Amster, professor and head of the chemistry department and principal investigator on the grant. More than a dozen researchers will be major users of this instrument, which will be housed in the Amster laboratory in the chemistry department. “The 12T FT-ICR instrument will greatly improve our ability to perform metabolomics analysis, especially regarding the identification of unknown metabolites, since this instrument has higher accuracy and resolving power than the current instruments at UGA,” said Belen Cassera, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, member of the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and co-principal investigator on the grant. “This type of grant can be particularly difficult to obtain, and it is a privilege for me to be part of an amazing team of investigators that put together this application.”
$500 for his submission “N3TW0RK: An Analog Game of Digital Communication.” Kayla McElreath’s video “The Urban Heat Effect & Climate Change” was awarded the second-place prize of $250. There was a tie for third place: Kelly Mayes for her podcast “All That Crawl: An Arthropodcast” and Jenna Scott for her submission “Reabsorption: A Board Game for Life.” They each received $100. Daniela Murcia received an honorable mention in the undergraduate category for her game “March to Andersonville Prison: STEM Edition.” Visit https://guides.libs.uga.edu/ capturingscience/winners2018 to view the winning entries along with commentaries from the judges explaining why they believe the winners captured the spirit of the contest. The winning entries and all other submissions can be browsed by subject and media/genre on the website. “I want to extend my thanks to the UGA Libraries administration and the Office of Research for their financial support,” said Chandler Christoffel, instruction and research librarian for the Science Library. “And special thanks to our contest judges, who also wrote the commentaries about our winning entries.”
OUTREACH NEWS
columns.uga.edu Jan. 28, 2019
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Digest UGAAlert test will be held on Feb. 6
Andrew Davis Tucker
Undergraduate Sydney Hollingsworth, left, laughs with Madison Brown as they get into the water while working together at the College of Education’s Pediatric Exercise and Motor Development Clinic.
‘Sky’s the limit’
College of Education clinic improves lives of children with disabilities By James Hataway jhataway@uga.edu
When Madison took her first tentative steps as a 1-year-old, her parents noticed she seemed to favor her right side and tended to swing her left leg around as she ambled across the floor. It’s not uncommon for children to struggle a bit when they’re first learning to walk, so Madison’s pediatrician suggested they wait to see if she improved. But the problem persisted for months, and she was eventually sent to a specialist. That’s when her parents learned that Madison had cerebral palsy. “When we got the diagnosis, it honestly hit me like a ton of bricks,” said Courtney Brown, Madison’s mother. “You have all the hopes and dreams for your child, and now you wonder what the future holds.” But Madison’s parents were not going to let this diagnosis define their child. “We want her to set her limits,” Brown said. “If she wants to achieve something, she’s going to do it, and we’re not going to let this condition
stop her or dictate what she can and can’t do. For her, the sky’s the limit.” Madison’s teacher suggested that the family contact the University of Georgia’s Pediatric Exercise and Motor Development Clinic, which helps children with disabilities lead a more active life. That’s where Madison met Sydney Hollingsworth, a health and physical education major from Columbus, who developed a personalized plan to help boost Madison’s strength, balance and confidence. Madison and Sydney met every week at UGA’s Ramsey Student Center, where they would swim, ride bicycles, play hopscotch or floor hockey, all activities designed specifically to address Madison’s unique needs. “Madison is one of the best parts of my week,” Hollingsworth said. “Working with her one-on-one was so much fun, and I hope she remembers what she learned from the clinic.” And Madison’s parents have already noticed big changes. Since she started working with Hollingsworth, Madison has learned to swim, her mobility has improved and she can walk on a balance beam
with very little assistance. But perhaps the most noticeable change has been in Madison’s confidence. “When she first started, she was really, really shy; if a stranger talked to her she would hide behind me or her dad,” Brown said. “It’s a big confidence booster to see her come out of her shell. They’re pushing her to do things that she didn’t think she could do, and they support her and say, ‘Yes, you can do this, let us help you figure out how you best do it.’ ” The clinic, which is part of UGA’s College of Education, has been in operation for more than 40 years and was developed by Ernie Bundschuh, professor emeritus of physical education. It is a nine-week program held each fall and spring semester that is open to individuals with disabilities age 2 to 14. Each child is paired with a UGA student enrolled in an adapted physical education class who develops an exercise program that is supervised by faculty and graduate students. The program is $30 per child, per semester, and enrollment is limited depending on the number of UGA students enrolled in the class.
COLLEGE OF FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES
Want to help your teens? Make their lives predictable By Cal Powell
jcpowell@uga.edu
Establishing consistent routines at home for your teen may generate pushback, but it could also set him or her up for future success. Researchers at the University of Georgia found teens with more family routines during adolescence had higher rates of college enrollment and were less likely to use alcohol in young adulthood, among other positive outcomes. The findings were published recently in the Journal of Adolescent Health. “If we’re going to make a difference in our lives and in our family members’ lives, we have to make a difference in the everyday,” said lead author Allen Barton, an assistant research scientist at the Center for Family Research and the
UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences. “Routines play an important role in making that happen.” Researchers analyzed data collected from more than 500 rural African American teens beginning when they were 16 and continuing until they were 21. The teens whose primary caregivers reported more family routines—such as regular meal times, consistent bedtimes and after-school schedules—reported less alcohol use, greater self-control and emotional well-being and higher rates of college enrollment in young adulthood. Researchers also analyzed biological samples from the teens and found that those with more family routines during adolescence showed lower levels of epinephrine, a stress hormone. The benefits of family routines generally persisted even after the researchers
took other factors into account such as levels of supportive parenting, household chaos and socioeconomic status. Routine, consistency and predictability, the research suggested, are powerful influences on a teen’s life. The research has important implications for family-centered interventions, Barton said, including focusing more attention on increasing predictability and positive routines at home. “The big takeaway is to help your child navigate the teen years, make their lives predictable,” Barton said. “There has been a lot of research about the importance of routines for healthy development with young kids. “These results are some of the first to show that even with teens, it appears routines are similarly powerful,” he also said.
In conjunction with the statewide severe weather drill, a full test of UGAAlert, the university’s emergency notification system, has been scheduled for Feb. 6 at 9 a.m. Campus outdoor warning sirens will sound, and the UGA community should either pause to reflect upon where they would shelter in the event of an actual tornado warning or proceed to their building severe weather shelter locations to ensure that these locations are known by building occupants. For a list of severe weather shelter areas, visit www.prepare.uga.edu. Prior to the test, students, faculty and staff should review their contact information (phone numbers and email addresses) in the UGAAlert system to ensure that their personal contact information and their specific preferences for being notified are accurate. Contact information may be checked at www.ugaalert.uga.edu.
Mary Frances Early documentary will be screened Feb. 6 on campus
The Office of Institutional Diversity will mark Black History Month with a documentary screening event featuring the first African American graduate of the University of Georgia. Mary Frances Early: The Quiet Trailblazer will be screened at 6 p.m. on Feb. 6 in Tate Theatre. The event is free and open to students and the public, but attendees must reserve a ticket at https://bit.ly/2CkXz48. A reception will precede the screening at 5 p.m. The documentary chronicles the life of Early, who earned a master’s degree in music education from UGA in 1962 and returned to campus to earn a specialist in education degree in 1967. She went on to serve as music director for the Atlanta Public Schools system and was the first African American president of the Georgia Music Educators Association in 1981. In addition, she taught at Morehouse College and Spelman College and served as chair of the music department at Clark Atlanta University. The film debuted on Georgia Public Broadcasting last year. It is the fifth installment in the university’s Foot Soldier Project for Civil Rights Studies and was co-executive produced by Maurice Daniels, professor emeritus and dean emeritus of UGA’s School of Social Work, and Michelle Cook, vice provost for diversity and inclusion and strategic university initiatives. In addition to the Office of Institutional Diversity, event sponsors include the College of Education, the Graduate School, Graduate and Professional Scholars, the Office of the Dean of Students, the Tate Student Center and the Institute of Higher Education.
Campus community invited to take online UGA Libraries survey Feb. 4-18
The UGA Libraries invite the campus community to help shape the future of library collections, services and spaces through participation in an online survey. Available to all faculty, staff and students Feb. 4-18, the LibQUAL+® survey should take just 10-15 minutes to complete. LibQUAL+® is a national survey designed to gather users’ opinions about library services. Using gap analysis, the web-based tool asks users questions about their expectations and how they perceive the quality of services received. Survey respondents also have the option to leave feedback in open-ended comments, highlighting what matters most in their own words. The LibQUAL+® survey is at libs.uga.edu/ libqual. For more information about the survey, visit guides.libs.uga.edu/libqual or contact christof@uga.edu.
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. (See story, below.)
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.
MONDAY, JAN. 28 FOUNDERS DAY LECTURE “W.E.B. Du Bois: Dramatist,” Freda Scott Giles, associate professor emeritus of theatre and film studies and African American studies, University of Georgia. The Founders Day Lecture recognizes the university’s anniversary as the nation’s first state-chartered institution of higher education. The lecture
has become a Founders Day tradition, drawing alumni, students, faculty, esteemed guests and members of the community. The 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. 1:30 p.m. Chapel. 706-542-0383. kcfite@uga.edu.
TUESDAY, JAN. 29 SWING DANCE NIGHT IN THE GARDEN 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 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.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 30 TOUR AT TWO Tour of highlights from the permanent collection led by docents. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu. 2019 STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY President Jere W. Morehead will deliver the 2019 State of the University address to the campus community. 3:30 p.m. Chapel. BOOK RELEASE PARTY Members of the Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases and the greater disease research community are invited to attend a reception in honor of Pejman Rohani for the release of his book, Pertussis: Epidemiology, Immunology, and Evolution. This volume, co-edited with Northeastern University’s Samuel Scarpino, is the first in the series Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases, published by Oxford University Press in partnership with the CEID. Hors d’oeuvres will be served. Free, but RSVP required. 6 p.m. The Globe. 706-542-1930. tross312@uga.edu.
THURSDAY, JAN. 31
Items from Nicholas II’s life, including his uniform, will be on display through March 17 as part of the exhibition The Reluctant Autocrat: Tsar Nicholas II.
Life of Nicholas II of Russia on view in new exhibition By Hillary Brown
hazbrown@uga.edu
What happens when an emperor doesn’t want to be an emperor? That was true for Nicholas II of Russia, the last ruler of the 300-year-long Romanov dynasty and the subject of the exhibition The Reluctant Autocrat: Tsar Nicholas II, organized by the Georgia Museum of Art and on view through March 17. The museum has been building a collection of Russian art for several years and has developed several exhibitions from the gifts that make up that collection. The majority of objects in The Reluctant Autocrat come from the Parker Collection, assembled over more than four decades and including more than 2,200 separate objects. Asen Kirin, Parker Curator of Russian Art at the museum and professor of art history at UGA’s Lamar Dodd School of Art, focused this exhibition on objects related to Nicholas II and his father, Alexander III.The year 2018 marked the centennial of the end of World War I and the fall of the Romanov dynasty during the Russian Revolution, which also meant the murder of Nicholas, his wife Alexandra and their five children. As such, it presents a unique opportunity to consider the relationship between the villains and heroes of history and the reality of their individual human lives. Kirin tells the story of Nicholas’ life, from his childhood as tsarevich (crown prince) to his ill-fated military command during World War I, through objects including military and court costumes, medals and orders of chivalry, lithographs, porcelain, devotional icons and the then-young technology of photography. As visitors move through the galleries, they can draw connections among these items and begin to assemble a picture of the world at the time, caught between the ancient idea of the ruler as God’s representative on Earth and the new, modern age. Objects from the Bob Jones University Museum & Gallery and from the gift of Princess Marina Belosselsky-Belozersky Kasarda help round out that picture. The latter also make up the exhibition One Heart, One Way: The Journey of a Princely Art Collection, on view at the museum through Feb. 10. Related to the exhibition will be the museum’s quarterly reception, 90 Carlton: Winter, on Feb. 8 at 5:30 p.m. It is free for museum members and $5 for non-members.
WORKSHOP The best way to counter student resistance to active learning is to create a culture of engaged learning in classrooms during the first few weeks. Participants in “Creating a Culture of Engaged Learning in Your Classroom” 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. TEEN STUDIO: RICHARD HUNT: SYNTHESIS 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. FILM SCREENING The 1971 documentary film African American Artists and Inventors highlights the life and work of African American artists including painter Charles White, collage artist Romare Bearden, sculptor Barbara Chase-Riboud, sculptor Richard Hunt and Betty Blayton, co-founder of the Studio Museum in Harlem. The film explores each artist’s creative process, sources of inspiration and perspective on life and the African American experience. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Richard Hunt: Synthesis. Directed by Vicki Kodama. 1971, NR, 30 min. 7 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu.
FRIDAY, FEB. 1 FRIENDS FIRST FRIDAY Join Shelly Prescott, director of horticulture, for a peek into the mystery and allure of orchids. During February, the Visitor Center/Conservatory will be filled with festivities celebrating Orchid Madness. Prescott will speak about the opening reception, a potting class and Vanilla Sunday. $12. 9 a.m. Visitor Center, Gardenside Room, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6138. lpbryant@uga.edu. WOMEN’S STUDIES FRIDAY SPEAKER SERIES “Hidden Histories: Educating Women in Athens, GA, before 1919,” Kristen Gragg and Fran Teague, English and theatre. 12:20 p.m. 250 Miller Learning Center. 706-542-2846. tlhat@uga.edu. UGA FINANCIAL PLANNING BANQUET For more information about the 12th annual UGA financial planning banquet, contact Mary Bell Carlson, marketing and brand representative for the program, at 571-969-7768 or mary.carlson@uga.edu. 5 p.m. The Classic Center. GYMNASTICS vs. Arkansas. $10. 7 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.
SATURDAY, FEB. 2 EXHIBITION OPENING Stony the Road We Trod. On exhibit through April 28. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.
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. 28, 2019
4&5
Fung to celebrate Chinese New Year with concert By Camille Hayes ceh822@uga.edu
David Fung, world-renowned performer and associate professor of piano, will take the Ramsey Hall stage Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music’s Faculty Artist Series. “The program combines my passion and commitment to one of the greatest composers of all time, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, together with Lunar New Year celebrations,” said Fung. “As an Australian of Chinese roots living in the United States, I couldn’t think of playing a more eclectic program [to bring] in the Lunar New Year here in Athens.” The eclectic nature of the program comes through in a piece by Chinese composer Tan Dun, who describes his “Eight Memories in Watercolor” as a “diary of longing.” Inspired by Hunan folk songs from his childhood, these pieces are highly evocative of images and moods that are nostalgic and celebratory, which makes this music perfect to ring in the Chinese New Year. Last year, Fung recorded a cycle of Mozart Sonatas for the Steinway and Sons Label as well as a concerto with the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie. Being that the Hodgson School is an all-Steinway school and Fung is Steinway artist, the decision to perform the sonatas seems appropriate. Fung has performed almost all of Mozart’s concertos with ensembles such as the Cleveland Orchestra and the Israel Philharmonic. “The music forever remains close to my heart. I continue to return to his music time after time, and every time I do, I find something new, although sometimes ephemeral,” said Fung, who added that the evening’s program will pull together the brilliant,
CLASS “Defense Systems of Native Plants: Certificate in Native Plants,” by Kevin “the Plant Man” Tarner, professional horticulturist, will help participants examine the physical, cellular and chemical strategies native plants use to resist the stresses of their environment. This class will feature a hands-on activity where participants will extract essential oils—an important type of plant defense—from leaves. $50. 9 a.m. Visitor Center, Classroom 2, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156. cscamero@uga.edu. SPRING TEACHING SYMPOSIUM This annual symposium provides information related to UGA teaching policies and helpful techniques to improve teaching, including keynotes from award-winning faculty, peer-led sessions and panels on practical skills and resources. This event also counts as an orientation event for any TA still needing to attend an orientation to be in compliance with TA policy. For more information, visit www.ctl.uga.edu/sts. 9:30 a.m. 248 Miller Learning Center. 706-542-5106. mhhoque@uga.edu. FITNESS WORKSHOP Learn how to effectively sprint using proper mechanics to move quicker and more efficiently during this one-day workshop led by a USA Track & Field certified coach who is also a NCAA AllAmerican Track & Field athlete. $6. 10 a.m. Studio A, Ramsey Student Center. 706-542-8023. lisawilliamson@uga.edu. SWIMMING & DIVING vs. Emory. 11 a.m. Gabrielsen Natatorium, Ramsey Student Center. MEN’S BASKETBALL vs. South Carolina. $15. 1 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum. ORCHID MADNESS: OPENING RECEPTION Celebrate Orchid Madness, an annual fundraiser for the horticulture program, throughout February, starting with a reception that includes hors d’oeuvres, live music and special orchids on display for this fundraiser for the garden’s plant collection. $60 per person or $100 per couple. 6 p.m. Visitor Center, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-1244. garden@uga.edu.
SUNDAY, FEB. 3 MEN’S TENNIS vs. Georgia Tech. 1 p.m. Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
MONDAY, FEB. 4 AFFORDABLE LEARNING INSTITUTE 2019 The Center for Teaching and Learning and UGA Libraries announce the second annual Affordable Learning Institute, which is designed to provide faculty with an overview of available open and affordable educational resources and support them in adopting and incorporating these resources into their courses. Attendees also will have the chance to ask questions about the current Affordable Learning grants, such as the Affordable Learning Georgia Textbook Transformation Grants and the Provost’s Affordable Course Materials Grant. Coffee, tea and lunch provided. 8 a.m. 137 Tate Student Center. 706-542-1940. ahunt@uga.edu.
COMING UP WORKSHOP Feb. 5. The Georgia Botanical Garden Workshop is an opportunity for botanical gardens across the state to share experiences and ideas on current topics in public garden operations. This event is meant to promote awareness and fellowship within the Georgia public garden community through a collaborative forum that encourages communication across the state. Proceeds from the event will sponsor the admittance of small gardens to Botanic Gardens Conservation International, an independent organization well-known for its commitment to the
David Fung will be featured in the next Faculty Artist Series concert.
reflective, virtuosic and romantic sides of Mozart. In the final piece of the program, Mozart’s Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, Fung will be joined by colleagues Michael Heald, violin; Maggie Snyder, viola; and David Starkweather, cello. “This ebullient and playful work recalls the texture and virtuosity of his piano concertos while highlighting the soloist capabilities of the instruments in the
‘Under the Big Top’ explores circus, tent shows By Jan Hebbard jlevinso@uga.edu
The new exhibition Under the Big Top: The American Circus and Traveling Tent Shows is on display through July 5 at the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library in the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries. The exhibit explores circuses, vaudeville troupes and other traveling tent shows in the U.S. in their heyday, from the 1820s to the 1930s. It considers the technology that made modern traveling shows possible as well as the cultural and economic factors that made them popular. Original posters, flyers and advertisements highlight the circus as a pioneer of mass marketing techniques and demonstrate the ways in which this live entertainment shaped understandings of race, gender, popular science and concepts about animal rights. Original artifacts, photographs and other ephemera invite visitors to inhabit this lost world of entertainment. The exhibit spends time on well-known circuses like Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey, but also looks at the smaller shows that reached rural
conservation of the world’s threatened plants. This event takes place the day before the State Botanical Garden’s annual Native Plant Symposium, which will also highlight on-going work with plant communities across Georgia. Discounts will be available to individuals interested in attending both of these events. $65. 10 a.m. Visitor Center, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156. cscamero@uga.edu. ECOLOGY SEMINAR Feb. 5. “What Lurks in the Shallows: Drivers of Disease Risk in Amphibians,” Jason Hoverman, associate professor of vertebrate ecology, Purdue University. 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. READING Feb. 5. The Creative Writing Program will present a reading by author Chika Unigwe. A Nigerian writer who now lives in the U.S., Unigwe is the author of four novels as well as numerous short stories and essays. Her books include The Phoenix, On Black Sisters’ Street, Night Dancer and The Black Messiah. In 2014, she was selected for the Hay Festival’s Africa39 list of 39 Sub-Saharan African writers younger than age 40 with potential and talent to define future trends in African literature. 7 p.m. Cine. 706-542-2659. cwp@uga.edu. NATIVE PLANT SYMPOSIUM Feb. 6. Growing and protecting native plants are important for many reasons: they celebrate this state and region, they are well suited to this region’s growing conditions and they are the foundation of the complex ecosystem that supports insects, birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals. Learn about the plants that thrive in woodlands (and woodland gardens) and the efforts to protect and restore these disappearing habitats. $65. 8:45 a.m. The Garden Club of Georgia, Terrace Room, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156. cscamero@uga.edu. UGAALERT TEST AND STATEWIDE SEVERE WEATHER DRILL Feb. 6. In conjunction with the Statewide Severe Weather Drill, a full test of UGAAlert, the university’s emergency notification system, has been scheduled. Campus outdoor warning sirens will sound, and the UGA community should either pause to reflect upon where they would shelter in the event of an actual tornado
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.
quartet,” said Fung. Tickets for the concert are $12 for adults and $6 for children and students and are available online at pac.uga.edu/event/david-fung-piano/ or by calling 706-542-4400. Ticket sales for the Faculty Artist Series directly fund student scholarships. For those unable to attend, streaming will be available on the Hodgson School’s website at music.uga.edu/live-streaming.
Any additional information about the event may be sent directly to Columns. Email is preferred (columns@uga.edu), but materials can be mailed to Columns, Marketing & Communications, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Campus Mail 1999.
audiences. The Ramblin Doc’ Tommy Scott Collection fuels a section of the display, highlighting one showman’s career over seven decades. “Scott joined a traveling medicine show that passed through Toccoa in 1936,” said exhibit curator Hunter Hellwig. “He literally ran away and joined the circus.” Scott’s collection includes packaging for the “Snake Oil” and “Herb-O-Lac” concoctions he sold, maps that meticulously marked each year’s tour stops, and photographs and letters documenting his long and varied career. Featuring everything from acrobats and strongmen to comedy sketches and animal tricks, the live variety shows of vaudeville also figure into the exhibit. A loan of materials from magic ephemera collector Bill Kress includes original posters from noted magicians of the day and a substitution trunk used in the “Metamorphosis” illusion made famous by Harry Houdini. A magician never reveals his secrets, but visitors will have the chance to examine this famous prop in person. Located at 300 S. Hull Street, the special collections libraries is open free to the public weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 1-5 p.m.
warning or proceed to their building severe weather shelter locations to ensure that these locations are known by building occupants. For a list of severe weather shelter areas, visit www.prepare.uga.edu. Prior to the test, students, faculty, and staff should review their contact information (phone numbers and email addresses) in the UGAAlert system to ensure that their personal contact information and their specific preferences for being notified are accurate. Contact information may be checked at www.ugaalert.uga.edu. 9 a.m. 706-542-5845. prepare@uga.edu. (See Digest, page 3.) FACULTY PANEL DISCUSSION Feb. 6. “To Participation Grade or Not.” Instructors want students to participate in the class and their own learning but often struggle with the best means to recognize and grade student participation: Is it attendance? Is it simply about speaking up in a discussion? Is it about quality vs. quantity? Can students truly contribute to the class and their own learning if they are not talking during discussions? These are some of the questions a panel of faculty experts will address along with discussions of their own methods for encouraging, recognizing and grading undergraduate student participation. 9 a.m. 372 Miller Learning Center. 706-542-0534. zoe.morris@uga.edu. TOUR AT TWO Feb. 6. Tour of highlights from the permanent collection led by docents. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu. FILM SCREENING Feb. 6. Mary Frances Early: The Quiet Trailblazer, narrated by esteemed journalist Monica Pearson, chronicles Early’s integral role in the campaign for racial equality that helped open the door of educational opportunity for generations of African Americans at the University of Georgia. The film traces Early’s struggle as a central figure in the desegregation of the University of Georgia and her triumph as the first African American to earn a degree on Aug. 16, 1962. Utilizing an array of archival materials, collections of personal papers, news coverage, along with personal interviews, the documentary also covers Early’s formative years and illuminates her superior academic and professional achievements. 5 p.m. Tate Theater, Tate Student Center. 706-583-8195. diverse@uga.edu. (See Digest, page 3.).
NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES Jan. 30 (for Feb. 11 issue) Feb. 6 (for Feb. 18 issue) Feb. 13 (for Feb. 25 issue)
6 Jan. 28, 2019 columns.uga.edu
CAMPUS CLOSEUP
Waste not
Amy Brooks, a doctoral student at the College of Engineering’s New Materials Institute, was quoted in China Daily about the United Kingdom’s plastic waste problem. Currently, U.K. taxpayers pay to recycle plastic packaging, but the 1 billion pound ($1.27 billion) annual price tag skyrocketed when the option to ship waste to China was taken off the table. The government’s proposed new program is set to come into force in 2023, and enterprises creating waste will be legally bound to pay for its disposal or reprocessing. “There is lots of uncertainty about what is going to be happening to this displaced waste,” said Brooks, the lead author of “Chinese Import Ban and its Impact on the Global Plastic Waste Trade,” a study that appeared in the journal Science Advances. “It could be sent to landfills, burned, buried or sent to other countries that do not necessarily have the infrastructure to manage it.”
Bee vaccinated
Keith Delaplane, a professor in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, was quoted in The New York Times about a possible vaccination for honeybees. The vaccine is designed to protect honeybees from microbial diseases that can decimate bee populations. Bees pollinate about one-third of food in the U.S. and are estimated to produce about $15 billion worth of crops in the U.S. each year. The bee crisis is caused by parasites, poor nutrition, pathogens and pesticides. Still in the developmental stage, the vaccine might be able to protect honeybees from the viruses associated with mites, including deformed-wing virus. “If an oral vaccine for deformed-wing could be combined with effective mite controls, that would be, in my opinion, a huge leap forward for honeybee health,” said Delaplane, who is the director of the Honey Bee Program.
Money smarts
Kristy Archuleta, associate professor of financial planning in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, was quoted by CNBC about smart money goals for the year. “Most people don’t know that much about personal finance,” Archuleta said, which makes financial projects overwhelming. Financial infidelity, or financial secrets, include making a purchase and lying about it, paying full price for an item but saying you bought it on sale, or hiding income, large credit card debt, or a bank account. Seek help by sharing these secrets with someone else. Break down financial tasks into smaller pieces. Archuleta recommends paying off one credit card at a time by paying more than the minimum balance.
Smoke screen
Mark Ebell, a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics in the College of Public Health, was quoted in Reuters about lung screening complications. Many doctors advise older adults who are current or former smokers to get an annual lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography. But with LDCT, more than one in four patients get false-positive results. In a recent study, researchers examined nationwide data on patients ages 55 to 77 who had invasive diagnostic procedures to look for lung cancer between 2008 and 2013. Complication rates in the study ranged from about 19 percent after needle biopsies to as high as 52 percent after surgery. Costs of these complications ranged from an average of $6,320 to $56,845 and varied by severity, patient age and type of follow-up procedure. “The patients most likely to experience a net benefit are those 60 to 69 years who are current smokers,” said Ebell, who was not involved in the study. “Older patients often have more health problems that limit their ability to benefit from screening, and those who have quit smoking 5 to 10 years ago are at significantly lower risk.”
Susan van Gigch manages a team of 24 staff members who oversee operations across Dining Services.
Dorothy Kozlowski
Associate director cooks up special projects with Dining Services By Emily Webb
sew30274@uga.edu
Susan van Gigch takes pride in making sure the more than 12,500 students who have dining plans through the University of Georgia Dining Services enjoy a good meal. As the associate director of operation support, she makes sure that everything runs smoothly for both students and staff members in the 27 retail locations and five dining commons across UGA’s campus. “I think of myself as the behindthe-scenes person who helps the units provide exceptional service to our students,” van Gigch said. Her job includes a range of diverse responsibilities. She oversees each individual unit to ensure the pipeline is running smoothly for units to purchase and receive goods, which includes the purchasing of food, equipment and supplies. She also has oversight on special construction or renovation projects. “It’s exciting and challenging every day,” she said. “No two days are the same. It makes it fun.” Van Gigch is originally from Michigan, but she knew after graduating from college that she wanted to move South for better weather. Her husband,
Nick, an alumnus of UGA, didn’t want to leave Athens. The couple built their own home, where they live with their two dogs, Ellie, a 4-year-old pointer mix, and Izzy, a 7-year-old German shorthair pointer. The homebuilding project started van Gigch’s education about construction, and the experience helped her understand the special projects she works on at UGA. One of the special projects van Gigch is most proud of is the Tate Student Center renovations. Three years ago, the Chick-fil-A was renovated, and The Niche Pizza Co. and Panda Express locations were added. The area where The Niche Pizza Co. is located used to be van Gigch’s office, but the space is better used as a pizza concept for students than an office, she said. As an undergraduate, van Gigch wanted to go into travel and tourism, but Ferris State University didn’t offer that degree. She started out in hospitality management with the intention to transfer to a new school. But after she got an internship in restaurant management, which she loved, she decided to stay. After graduation, she worked in Gwinnett County at a corporate restaurant and commuted every day from Athens. She wanted to find a job
FACTS
Susan van Gigch Associate Director of Operation Support Dining Services B.S., Hospitality Management, Ferris State University, 1991 At UGA: 22 years
closer to home. On the day she visited UGA, the staff was preparing for a special event. “I fell in love with what they were doing,” she said. “It was exciting to see the amount of detail and care that went into the special event.” One of the challenges of her job is meeting the needs of students and staff. But she loves working with students and staff members. Van Gigch manages a team of 24 staff members, who oversee everything from safety and compliance to cash register management to warehouse personnel. Early in December, van Gigch celebrated her 22nd work anniversary at UGA. “Dining Services is just a wonderful place to work,” she said. “Twenty-two years have flown by.”
OFFICE OF INSTRUCTION
Potter joins UGA as director of experiential learning By Tracy Coley tcoley@uga.edu Following a national search, Andrew Potter has been selected as the new director of experiential learning. His appointment is effective Jan. 28 in the Office of Instruction. Potter comes to UGA from Envision, where he has served as the chief academic officer since 2014 and prior to that, as vice president of education for academic affairs and program/ curriculum development. Envision is an experiential education organization that helps students from elementary school through college connect their interests and passions to curriculum and career choices in a range of disciplines including those in the arts, business, leadership and STEM areas. His work at post-secondary institutions includes the development of immersive, experiential learning programs across the country, including the Stanford Law School, the Stanford School of Medicine, the Glasscock School at Rice University, St. John’s University,
George Mason University and others. “Andrew brings a broad disciplinary understanding and a deep, fundamental knowledge of experiential learning, which is representative of the experience we want UGA students to have before they graduate,” said Rahul Shrivastav, vice president for instruction. “We are eager to have his expertise as an educator and corporate facilitator to bridge the gap in university partnerships with communities and businesses and better position our students for opportunities after graduation.” As director, Potter will serve as a visionary leader to champion experiential learning, articulating a vision to various stakeholders within the university as well as community and industry partners outside the University of Georgia. He will be responsible for identifying and developing innovative ways to advance experiential learning, which includes further integrating experiential learning within the academic curriculum, fostering collaboration between academic units in various schools and colleges as well as local/regional
community and industry partners and scaling up and developing new experiential learning opportunities for students. Potter holds an M.A. in Near Eastern and JuAndrew Potter daic studies from Brandeis University, an M.A. in history from Cal State-Northridge and a B.A. in history from Pillsbury College. “I am thrilled to join the ranks of one of the nation’s thought leaders in experiential education and am humbled to collaborate with a team of individuals committed to preparing students with the knowledge, skills and behaviors that enable them to compete and collaborate in the 21st century global society,” said Potter. “Building on the incredible legacy of experiential learning at UGA, I am excited to continue to expand students’ potential, while preparing them to make an impact on the world around them.”
PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH
Panel discussions
columns.uga.edu Jan. 28, 2019
7
Art students design immersive, interactive exhibit for Children’s Garden By Leah Moss
leahmoss@uga.edu
The seasonal gardens in the Alice H. Richards Children’s Garden will feature sunflowers, zucchini and other eye-catching plants. But look closer to learn more. Below the garden beds is an underground cavern filled with colorful, interactive panels created in partnership with students from the Lamar Dodd School of Art. The interchangeable, see-through panels introduce visitors to Georgia’s agricultural industry, soil science, the nitrogen cycle and composting. Through windows, the root systems of the plants above are visible. “This just makes the future more realistic by getting to see what it’s like working with a client,” said Brandon Dudley, a fourth-year undergraduate studying graphic design in the School of Art. “Seeing things in the actual site makes everything more tangible.” The students are part of an environmental graphic design course taught by Cameron Berglund, a landscape designer at Koons Environmental Design Inc., the design firm currently developing the children’s garden, part of the State Botanical Garden, a public service and outreach unit. The team at Koons is responsible for making the children’s garden, slated to open March 23, a whimsical journey through misting mushrooms, ancient fossils, water features and a towering treehouse. “In creating the concepts, we really wanted to make this a statewide experience and tell people all the stories we could about Georgia, from the granite in Elbert County, to chestnut trees that have been lost from our forests, to the fossils of creatures that roamed prehistoric Georgia eons ago,” said Berglund, who as part of the design team helped to develop many of the initial concepts for the children’s garden. The UGA students’ designs include interactive elements, fun illustrations and colorful palettes. Visitors can seek and find different stages of plant life and discover which composting materials make cartoon worms happy or mad. “The Alice H. Richards Children’s Garden is a great place to play, but also a place to learn and come back to again and again,” said Jenny Cruse-Sanders, director of the State Botanical Garden. “Specifically, these panels will be incorporated into interpretive signage and used to help future visitors, field trips and summer camps realize the importance of healthy soil.”
WEEKLY READER
Stories capture necessity of perseverance
What We Do with the Wreckage By Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum University of Georgia Press Hardcover: $24.95
Photos by Shannah Montgomery
Lamar Dodd School of Art students taking a graphic design service-learning class were tasked with creating educational graphics for the new Alice H. Richards Children’s Garden that will be used in the underground windows that show roots and soil.
The stories in What We Do with the Wreckage are about finding resilience in the face of adversity. Following losses big and small, environmental and familial, universal and personal, the best of us try to recover and rebuild. Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum, the book’s author, asks how do we keep going in the face of grief or disappointment when love fails or disaster strikes? How do we maintain the stamina to carry on in an uncertain world? The characters in her stories are living these questions and learning to reconstruct themselves, their families and their futures from the wreckage of their broken pasts. Lunstrum is the author of two other collections of short fiction: This Life She’s Chosen and Swimming with Strangers. Her short fiction and essays have appeared in journals, including One Story, the American Scholar, Willow Springs and Southern Humanities Review. She is also a recipient of a PEN/ O. Henry Prize and teaches high school English near Seattle, Washington.
CYBERSIGHTS
ABOUT COLUMNS 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
Career Center launches new website
http://career.uga.edu/home/faculty_staff_guide While the Career Center serves as a key source of career information for students at UGA, there also are many faculty and staff who support students’ career development. The Career Center’s new website, Faculty/Staff Guide to Career Services, is designed to both educate and inform faculty and staff about the types of career services and resources available to students. The site features partnership
opportunities, career fairs and programs, a guide to working with employers and an opportunity to sign up for a weekly e-newsletter. This new website is part of an overall Career Center initiative to create a culture of student career success across the university and further engage UGA faculty and staff to create a community of career advocates supporting students’ career development.
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. 28, 2019 columns.uga.edu GRANT from page 1 understand what happens in a biological cell. New technologies and calculation techniques permit researchers to access vast quantities of biological material. However, the capacity of technology and the sheer volume of samples that can be measured has led to a bottleneck at the point of identifying the molecules. “That’s the world we live in now and unlike genomics, where a gene sequence can often give a pretty good idea of what that gene is, in metabolomics, it’s still very much the ‘Wild West,’ ” said Arthur Edison, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and genetics and a principal investigator on the $950,000 grant. “Depending on the system, between 50 to 90 percent of the signals that we can measure now are unknown.” Knowing the identity of metabolites can
help researchers understand mechanisms of human disease or provide the basis of drug discovery. For example, microbes in the environment can be a useful source of metabolites with antibiotic or antifungal properties, but these need to be identified before they can be developed into drugs. Separating, identifying and naming the smallest molecules involved in biological processes is arduous, painstaking and time-intensive.The task of the new project over the next four years will be to develop better, more intelligent methods to identify these unknown compounds. The UGA initiative led by Edison’s lab includes chemistry professor Jon Amster and assistant professor of environmental health science Franklin Leach; Facundo Fernandez, Vasser Woolley Foundation Chair in Bioanalytical Chemistry at the Georgia Institute of
Technology; Lauren McIntyre, professor of molecular genetics and microbiology at the University of Florida; Erik Andersen, assistant professor in the molecular biosciences department at Northwestern University; Kenneth Merz, professor of chemistry at Michigan State University; and Frank Schroeder, professor in the Boyce Thompson Institute and chemistry and chemical biology department at Cornell University. Using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, a small nematode that in nature lives in composting material, the consortium will use high-resolution mass spectrometry to determine a metabolite’s molecular formula and begin to whittle down the number of possible chemical structures consistent with the selected genetic pathway. With a smaller list of candidates for possible chemical
ServeUGA, which has more than 40 member organizations, participates. “It’s a great way for college students to get involved with the local community, especially now that we are members of the local community,” said Tommy Bui, a third-year psychology and biology major from Johns Creek. “It’s good to get out there and learn about what’s going on in the community and the problems that are facing it.” Katy Miles, ServeUGA’s director of outreach, also believes in the importance of serving. “There are a lot of social issues in Athens, and it’s our responsibility to serve and work with the community, so we can learn more about the community that we are making our home for four years,” said Miles, who is a third-year marketing major from Loganville. The city of Winterville has a population of fewer than 2,000. Mayor Dodd Ferrelle said UGA’s service is greatly appreciated. “It’s incredible. It’s awesome to be a little city connected to Athens and the university to get all this help on this great day of service,” Ferrelle said. “We could not do this without the MLK Day of Service folks, so it’s fantastic.”
produces the event for the NFL. Dennis was in the students’ shoes 26 years ago when, as a recent graduate from UGA, he landed the same kind of management job at the secondever Super Bowl Experience. While the activities and size of the event have changed over time, the premise remains the same today. It’s a way to give back to the city that hosts the Super Bowl, Dennis said. Along with hiring around 4,000 temporary workers to fill the shifts at the various activities, the event also requires managers who can oversee staffing in the particular areas. This is where the students come in. “It takes 450 to 500 workers per shift, so I go each year and try to hire 75 to 80 college students who are getting their degrees in sport management or sport marketing. I pay them to come and work as managers, and they manage that force of temp workers,” said Dennis, who visits local colleges and gives guest lectures as part of the recruitment effort. “It gives them event and management experience. These crowds are massive; it’s like a game all day.” Kacey Caudill, a junior sport management major from Sparta, North Carolina, said the massiveness of the event is one of the aspects that drew her to apply for a position. It combines experience in personnel, customer service and event promotion—just a few of the many directions sport management majors can go after graduation. “When I got into sport management, I didn’t realize there were so many careers I could go into,” said Caudill. “And it will definitely help us make some more
connections in the industry.” And when it comes time to apply for jobs, Dennis said having an NFL event on your resume often will jump out at potential employers. “They’re going to ask you about that experience, and I tell the students it gives you a chance to talk about something you’re passionate about. That could be the building block that gets you in,” he said. “I tell students to get involved in every opportunity they can. You never know what that will become down the road,” added Dennis. “I started out doing exactly what they’re doing. This has allowed me to travel and see places I’ve never been.” That’s already true for Palmer, whose job as a camp counselor in Coweta County initially connected her with Dennis; he directs the county’s recreation programs during the rest of the year, when he’s not planning the next Super Bowl Experience. Since then, Palmer has managed children’s areas at two Super Bowl Experiences—in Houston and Minneapolis—and has also worked in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine. Her fellow student, senior sport management major Rusty Gay from Waynesboro, said he is looking forward to what doors the experience can open for him. “It’s like the highest point in sports. Most sporting events are about customer service and this is the top-of-the-line for customer services,” he said. “I’ve learned by being behind the scenes at UGA baseball games, but nothing is as big as the Super Bowl.”
FORECAST from page 1
RECRUITMENT from page 1
Resource Conservation Service; agricultural lending agencies; UGA Public Service and Outreach; and the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. The registration fee has been waived for this year’s Georgia Ag Forecast seminars in Bainbridge and Tifton thanks to generous support from Georgia Farm Bureau along with AGCO. Georgia Ag Forecast is an annual seminar series presented by the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in partnership with the Georgia Department of Agriculture. At the events, UGA agricultural economists address Georgia farmers, lenders and agribusiness leaders about the latest trends and economic conditions in Georgia agriculture. Saralyn Stafford, rural development manager at the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government, believes the resources available will be extremely helpful to the southwest Georgia communities that were devastated by Hurricane Michael. “Knowing how many farmers, ag businesses and ag lenders attend the annual Ag Forecast events, UGA Extension and UGA Public Service and Outreach felt it would provide a great opportunity to bring in other resources that are available to help the agricultural communities in their Hurricane Michael recovery efforts,” Stafford said.“Our goal is to make it easier for them to make contacts with possible assistance providers.”
The Presidential Support for Startup Initiative builds on the momentum of the university’s dramatic growth in research activity, which has increased by 29 percent over the past five years. In addition, it will give students more opportunities to conduct faculty-mentored research in a range of fields. The Presidential Investment in Data Literacy and Intensive Writing Hiring Initiative stems from two recommendations of the UGA Task Force on Student Learning and Success. Based on a review of the literature in higher education and workforce trends, the 20 members of the task force concluded that data literacy and writing are critical competencies for undergraduate students. To enable a greater emphasis on discipline-specific needs in these areas, searches for tenure-track faculty and lecturers are underway in 10 schools and colleges. The initiatives are part of a series of strategic investments in faculty since 2013 that have helped reduce class sizes and recruit faculty who conduct research that advances the university’s Great Commitments of healthier people, a more secure future and stronger communities. “The university’s consistent record of investing in faculty members underscores our commitment to providing students and the state we serve with life-changing instruction, research and service,” said Interim Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Libby V. Morris. “Investments in faculty members are investments in the future of this institution.”
SERVICE from page 1 Seth Hawkins, community forester and certified arborist with the Georgia Forestry Commission, has led 15 of these events. This was his first working with UGA on the MLK Day of Service. “This is the biggest one I’ve ever done as far as community engagement,” he said. “We really appreciate it, and I’m really excited to see the students out here. I’ve gotten more support for this one than I ever have before.” Besides creating shade for the playground, the trees planted will also become a part of the elementary students’ education.The students will help take care of the trees and will be able to learn more about them. UGA students worked with others across the community, including Caterpillar employees and PTO participants, to help plant the trees. “It’s nice for them to get to interact with actual community members as opposed to just hang out with each other all day,” said Josh Podvin, the senior coordinator for community partnerships at UGA’s Office of Service-Learning and part of the planning committee for the MLK Day of Service. The MLK Day of Service is just one of the volunteering opportunities in which
EXPERIENCE from page 1
Bulletin Board Lilly Teaching Fellows
Tenure-track assistant professors who are recent recipients of a Ph.D. or terminal degree in their discipline or profession and are in their first, second or third year at the university are invited to apply for the Lilly Teaching Fellows Program. Up to 10 faculty members are selected each spring semester to begin participation in the two-year program the following fall. Demonstrated passion for and commitment to excellence in teaching is a key factor in selection. Apply by the March 5 deadline at https://bit.ly/2Cmr7RH.
WIP proposal deadline
The Franklin College Writing Intensive Program invites proposals from arts and sciences faculty in all disciplines for innovative courses that encourage writing. The WIP aims to enhance undergraduate education by emphasizing the importance of writing in the disciplines by offering “writing-intensive” courses throughout the college—from classics to chemistry. Faculty who teach WIP courses are supported by a Writing Intensive Program teaching assistant, who is specially trained in writing-in-thedisciplines pedagogy. Visit www.wip.uga.edu to find proposal forms and guidelines, as well as information about the program.
The deadline for proposal submissions is March 10. Direct questions to Lindsey Harding, WIP director, at lharding@uga.edu.
Nut/cholesterol study participants needed
Participants are being sought for a research study that will help investigate the impact of nut consumption on cholesterol profiles. Subjects who complete the study will earn $70$145, depending on treatment groups. The foods and nutrition department seeks men and women ages 30-75 years with high cholesterol levels or a “bigger build.” Subjects must not take cholesterol-lowering medications, thyroid medications or exercise more than three hours per week. Subjects also must not have diabetes or food allergies/intolerances to pecans, gluten, dairy or meat. Subjects must not habitually eat tree nuts more than twice per week. This study requires an eight-week commitment and four testing visits. Four visits require blood draws. Those interested in finding out if they qualify for the study or who want to request more information should contact Liana Rodrigues by phone at 423-596-7708 or via email at liana.rodrigues@uga.edu. Bulletin Board is limited to information that may pertain to a majority of faculty and staff members.
compounds, they will use quantum mechanical calculations to determine Nuclear Magnetic Resonance signatures and predict properties of the measured spectrum. With more than 50 percent of its genes homologous to those of human diseases, C. elegans is one of the most extensively characterized animals on Earth that has long been a pathway to discoveries in human biology and medicine. “It’s a very large-scale project, with many pieces to a complex puzzle requiring experts who are specialists in each step in the process, from the measurements techniques to genetics to quantum calculations,” Edison said. “We’ll create an entire library of NMR spectra for every fraction that we collect on this huge scale, which will be a foundation for the entire C. elegans metabolome.” The data will be available to researchers.