UGA Columns Jan. 8, 2018

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Faculty member developing coatings to keep patients from developing infections RESEARCH NEWS

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State Ballet Theatre of Russia set to perform ‘Sleeping Beauty’ Jan. 9, 10 Vol. 45, No. 19

January 8, 2018

www.columns.uga.edu

UGA GUIDE

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UGA program helps build stronger, more united south Georgia

By Charlie Bauder

charlie.bauder@fanning.uga.edu

The SEC Champion Georgia Bulldogs defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 54-48 Jan. 1 in the 104th Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The win earned the Bulldogs a trip to the College Football Playoff National Championship Jan. 8 in Atlanta.

A Championship Watch Party will be held at Stegeman Coliseum for UGA faculty, staff and students.

Best.Comeback.Ever.

Editor’s note: This is part of a series of stories about UGA and economic development in rural Georgia.

Melissa Dark and Elena Carne own small businesses more than 75 miles apart in rural south Georgia.

The two have shared information through a regional program, led by UGA’s J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development, a public service and outreach unit.

In Fitzgerald, a town of about 9,000 people, Dark was struggling to find enough skilled workers to expand Greener Grass Handmade,

an online company that sells children’s products that Dark designs and are made by hand.

In Americus, Carne wanted to expand her market and grow her company, Tepuy Activewear.

The women met through Jason Dunn, executive director of the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill County Development Authority.

They have since shared resources, best practices and ideas for their businesses.

“We support each other in our businesses and discuss challenges,” she said. “But the only way that has been possible is because we were brought together through Locate

See GEORGIA on page 8

OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL DIVERSITY

UGA wins Rose Bowl, will play for national championship Recipients of 2018 diversity and

By John Frierson frierson@uga.edu

Lorenzo Carter delivered the block, then Sony Michel punched the Georgia Bulldogs’ ticket to Atlanta.

Carter and Michel, two of the Bulldogs’ talented seniors who came back to Georgia for their final seasons, are now two Rose Bowl champions headed home—or close enough, anyway—to play for a national championship Jan. 8 against Alabama.

“They never stopped chopping wood. They kept fighting. They believed,” said head coach Kirby Smart.

The Bulldog Nation also ­believed. Thousands of them made the trip to support the football team, the cheerleaders and the Redcoat Marching Band, which also took part in the Rose Parade earlier

on Jan. 1.

Finally, when it was over, the Bulldogs and their fans could exhale: Georgia over Oklahoma, 54-48, in double overtime, in a thrilling New Year’s Day College Football Playoff semifinal.

Down by 17 in the second quarter as the defense struggled against the Sooners’ speedy and explosive attack, Georgia kept going.

Dominant for all of the third quarter and then up seven, 38-31, early in the fourth, No. 3 Georgia kept going.

Suddenly down again, with 6:52 remaining in the game, after the No. 2 Sooners got their o ­ ffense going again and also returned a Michel fumble 46 yards for a touchdown, Georgia kept going.

Trailing 45-38 late in the fourth quarter, Georgia drove 55 yards to draw even, scoring on a 2-yard Nick Chubb run with 55 seconds left.

The Bulldogs converted a critical third-and-10 from the Sooners’ 23-yard line to keep the drive going, with quarterback Jake Fromm hitting wideout Terry Godwin for 16 yards.

In the first overtime—the first overtime in the history of the oldest of all the bowls, this the 104th edition—Georgia had the ball first and got a Rodrigo Blankenship 38-yard field goal for a 48-45 lead.

The Sooners got the ball first to start the second overtime and on third down it looked like Georgia cornerback Deandre Baker had snagged a critical interception in the end zone, but the Bulldogs were flagged for being offside on the play. They kept going.

Georgia’s defense forced a fourth-and-5 at the 10-yard line and the Sooners sent Seibert back out there for a 27-yard try.

See CHAMPIONSHIP on page 8

ODUM SCHOOL OF ECOLOGY

UGA’s Eugene Odum, father of modern ecology, taught new ways to understand, protect Earth

By James Hataway jhataway@uga.edu

Eugene Odum was not given to fits of anger, but this time he was furious.

It was the fall of 1946. Odum, then a young associate professor in the University of Georgia’s biology department, had taught a course on ecology for several semesters and was passionate about the subject.

In a meeting with his colleagues, Odum suggested that his ecology class be required of all new biology majors. His fellow scientists looked at him and laughed. Odum stormed out of the room but was

not deterred.

That night, he began writing a guiding set of principles that would ultimately serve as the foundation for the d i s c i p l i n e ’s Eugene Odum first textbook.

Today, no one laughs about Odum’s work.

He is lionized throughout s­cience as the father of modern ecology and recognized by the University of Georgia as the founder of what became the ­ Eugene P.

Odum School of Ecology—the world’s first stand-alone college of ecology, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

Before lead was banned from gasoline, before Rachel Carson published Silent Spring about the dangers of pesticides and before the U.S. created Earth Day, Odum’s research and advocacy inspired the modern e­ nvironmental movement.

See ECOLOGY on page 3

inclusion grant funding announced

By Krista Richmond krichmond@uga.edu

Twenty-one proposals have been funded through the New Approaches to Promote Diversity and Inclusion grants program, which was announced in August 2017 by UGA President Jere W. Morehead.

A total of $300,000 was awarded.

The $10,000 to $25,000 grants will be used for the development or adoption of new projects that support the recruitment, retention and success of underrepresented, underserved and first-generation students at UGA. “The range of activities reflected in the New Approaches

proposals is truly exciting. These projects will enable us to address a range of challenges confronting our underserved, underrepresented and first-generation students. They allow us to support students and communities across the state of Georgia in new ways,” said Michelle Garfield Cook, vice provost for diversity and inclusion and strategic university initiatives.

“The investment of our faculty and staff in this grant opportunity reflects our institutional commitment to diversity and inclusion. It also sends a clear message that the University of Georgia values our students and that we seek to ensure See GRANTS on page 8

OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL DIVERSITY

Former UGA associate provost to speak at Freedom Breakfast

By Leigh Beeson lbeeson@uga.edu

Cheryl Davenport Dozier, president of Savannah State University and former associate provost and chief diversity officer at the University of Georgia, will give the keynote address for UGA’s 15th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Breakfast Jan. 12 at 7:30 a.m. in the Grand Hall of Tate Student Center.

The Freedom Breakfast honors the legacy of the late civil rights leader, recognizing individuals in the community whose work has made significant contributions regarding race relations, justice and human rights with the President’s Fulfilling the Dream Award. Jointly sponsored by UGA, the AthensClarke County Unified Government and the Clarke County

School District, this year’s theme is “The Power of the Dream: Pressing Toward the Promise.”

Dozier worked for 17 Cheryl Davenport years at UGA, serving on the Dozier president’s Cabinet and as a professor in the School of Social Work prior to taking the role of president at Savannah State in 2011. During her presidency, Savannah State has seen an increase in enrollment and fundraising, as well as the establishment of new alumni chapters.

Dozier also launched the Closing the Gap Fund, which aims to remove financial barriers to higher education. Tickets for the MLK Freedom Breakfast are sold out.

2 Jan. 8, 2018 columns.uga.edu Office of Legal Affairs reminds employees about inclement weather, emergency procedures The University of Georgia (“UGA” or “university”) will operate in accordance with the university academic and master calendars except when overriding public safety concerns otherwise require closure.

In the event of inclement weather or an emergency, UGA follows a set procedure for announcing operational changes by making one of three announcements: (1) UGA is open and operating on a regular schedule; (2) UGA will close early or will delay opening until a specific time; or (3) UGA is closed, only designated employees report.

• Communication. Any changes to university ­operations will be announced in the following ways: (1) ArchNews. An all-campus email through ArchNews is the primary means to distribute such announcements. The announcement also is posted to the UGA home page (www.uga.edu).

(2) Social Media. Announcements will also be posted to Twitter (@universityofga).

(3) Radio. Up-to-date information is provided to Athens radio stations. Atlanta TV and radio stations that have requested to receive UGA weather announcements also are notified.

• Decision not to open or to close campus. In Athens, inclement winter weather often develops overnight.

In such cases and depending on conditions, attempts are made to post announcements and notify media by 6:30 a.m. for the start of the class day. If inclement weather or an emergency develops during morning rush hour or during daytime on a school/work day, the same notification procedures listed above are followed.

When inclement weather or emergency conditions are such that closings occur two or more days in succession, the procedure is followed each day, with an announcement being made each day by 6:30 a.m., including weekends.

Unless there is an announced closing for a particular day, the university is open and operating on a regular schedule. Because conditions can change unexpectedly overnight, an evening announcement usually will not be made for the next day except in the most extreme weather circumstances.

Even when the university is open, there could be unsafe travel conditions in your area. Please exercise caution and gather as much information as possible about weather and road conditions before you decide whether to travel during periods of inclement weather.

• Designated employees. Designated employees are employees assigned to positions identified by their department or unit as necessary to the maintenance and operations of the university. In the event of closure or delay, designated employees are still expected to report on time unless conditions prevent safe travel. Departments and units will coordinate with Human Resources to identify designated employees in advance.

• Effect of closure. When UGA is closed, the university is closed for faculty, staff and students. Designated employees should report unless conditions prevent safe travel. Delayed openings or early closure announcements will include additional information specific to the closure or delay.

A) Special events. Departments and units hosting special events should make their own prior arrangements with employees and participants, notifying them how to proceed in case of inclement weather or an emergency. In unique circumstances, where the safety of the participants and employees is not jeopardized, special events, such as ticketed concerts or athletic events open to the public, may be held upon prior approval by the applicable dean, director or vice president. All departments and units must ensure adequate university and facility services by coordination with Facilities Management Division, the UGA Police and other units expected to support such operations. In cases of extreme weather, the university may require and announce a shutdown of all activities, including special events, unless special approval is granted by the president.

B) Transportation. When the decision is made to close UGA for inclement weather conditions, Campus Transit will operate vans and buses for one hour after the official closing. Campus Transit may continue to provide on-campus transit services beyond that time as road and weather conditions allow. The ability to operate in a safe manner will be the primary consideration when determining whether service can be provided.

Notifications regarding the service level being provided will be made available on the transit website, http://transit.uga.edu/. In cases of closure, daily updates will be posted to this website.

C) Dining Services. The five university dining commons will provide meal plan service even when the university closes for inclement weather. However, the

See WEATHER on page 7

HUMAN RESOURCES

Women’s Staff Leadership Institute graduates first class of participants

By Krista Richmond krichmond@uga.edu

The first cohort of the Women’s Staff Leadership Institute celebrated its graduation with a reception Oct. 26, and nominations are being accepted for the 2018 cohort.

“Opportunities to grow professionally are good for individuals, but also good for the university as a whole,” noted Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Pamela Whitten, who led the concluding session prior to the reception. “Your dedication to advancing the University of Georgia—now and well into the future—is deeply appreciated.”

This annual program provides participants the chance to explore leadership opportunities, reflect upon key leadership traits and skills, and support one another in issues that female leaders face in higher education administration.

“Now we have not only a better understanding of ourselves but also this university, our potential within this university, our leadership styles and the other women who support us,” said Megan Ward, participant in the 2017 cohort and administrative director of the New Media Institute in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

“The collective journey we have been on is unforgettable.”

WSLI is aligned with the Women’s

Dorothy Kozlowski

Participants in the 2017 cohort of the Women’s Staff Leadership Institute spent several months learning leadership skills. Nominations for the 2018 cohort are being accepted.

Leadership Initiative launched in 2015 by President Jere W. Morehead and Provost Whitten and is administered through the Training and Development Department with the support of executive sponsors Laura Meadows, interim vice president for public service and outreach, and Dawn Hall Cartee, director of the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel. Allie Cox, director for Training and Development, coordinates the WSLI. Nominations for the 2018 cohort close Jan. 31. Nominations may be made by deans and senior administrators.

HONORS PROGRAM

Two UGA students will study in China as Schwarzman Scholars

Self-nominations also are welcome.

Nomination packages should include a nomination letter, a recommendation letter and a current resume/CV and should be submitted via email to alliecox@uga. edu. Detailed instructions are posted at http://hr.uga.edu/employees/training/WSLI. The program will run from March through November. Participants will meet monthly for leadership development sessions and discussions with senior administrators at UGA. For an expanded version of this story with a list of participants in the first cohort, visit columns.uga.edu.

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

National search begins for next dean of UGA College of Pharmacy

By Stephanie Schupska

By Sam Fahmy

The University of Georgia’s Elizabeth Hardister and Gaby Pierre will continue their studies in China next fall as two of 142 students selected internationally as Schwarzman Scholars, a program designed Elizabeth Hardister Gaby Pierre to prepare the next generation of leaders with an understanding of China’s role in global trends.

The addition of Hardister and Pierre brings the total number of UGA Schwarzman Scholars to three. The incoming class was narrowed down from a pool of 4,042 international candidates and is comprised of students from 39 countries and 97 universities. This marks the third group of Schwarzman Scholars since the highly competitive program opened to applicants in 2015.

“On behalf of the University of Georgia, I want to congratulate Elizabeth and Gaby on this significant accomplishment,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “They are great examples of all that can be achieved with hard work, dedication and a drive to make a difference in the world. The UGA family is proud of them.”

The fully funded, yearlong master’s program in global affairs is offered at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Students live and learn on the Schwarzman College campus and focus their studies on public policy, economics and business, or international studies.

Both Hardister and Pierre are Honors students, and both are working to finish their master’s degrees at UGA before heading to China. Hardister, from Dunwoody, is completing a bachelor’s degree in international affairs and a master’s in public health with a focus on disaster management. Pierre, from Kingston, Jamaica, is finishing her master’s in environmental planning and design.

“I am delighted for Elizabeth and Gaby, who richly deserve this recognition,” said David S. Williams, associate provost and director of the Honors Program. “Each is truly a leader for our times and will benefit from joining a prestigious program that prepares the next generation of global leaders. There is no question that they will make a very positive impact on society, and I am immensely proud of both of them.”

University of Georgia Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Pamela Whitten has appointed a committee to begin a national search to fill the position of dean of the College of Pharmacy.

Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge, Herman E. Talmadge Chair and dean of the School of Law, will chair the search committee, which includes faculty, staff, alumni and a student.

Additional search committee members are Kathy Bangle, senior director of development for constituent programs in the Division of Development and Alumni Relations; Michael Bartlett, Georgia Athletic Association Professor in Pharmacy in the department of pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences and interim assistant dean for nontraditional education and outreach; Ewan Cobran, assistant professor in the department of clinical and administrative pharmacy; Brian Cummings, professor in the department of pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences and director of the interdisciplinary toxicology program; Lori Duke, senior public service associate and assistant dean for experience programs; Deborah Elder, clinical associate professor in the department of pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences; Susan Fagan, Albert W. Jowdy Professor, Distinguished Research Professor, interim director of interprofessional education and assistant dean of the Augusta University program; George Francisco, professor in the department of clinical and administrative pharmacy and associate dean; Miki Hayashi, Pharm.D. student at the Southeast Georgia campus; Patricia Holly, program specialist for experience programs; Shelley Hooks, associate professor in the department of pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences; Melissa Hunter, senior director of finance and administration in the College of Pharmacy; Eileen Kennedy, associate professor in the department of pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences; and Henry Young, associate professor in the department of clinical and administrative pharmacy and director of the pharmaceutical health services, outcomes and policy graduate program.

The committee will be assisted by the UGA Search Group in Human Resources.

College of Pharmacy Dean Svein Øie, who assumed that role in 2000 and is UGA’s longest-serving dean, recently announced that he will be stepping down from his position and returning to the faculty effective July 1, 2018.

schupska@uga.edu

sfahmy@uga.edu

RESEARCH NEWS

columns.uga.edu Jan. 8, 2018

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Digest UGA climbs seven spots to No. 54 in NSF’s national research rankings

Andrew Davis Tucker

Hitesh Handa’s research centers on using nitric oxide to keep hospital patients from contracting potentially deadly infections.

Protective barrier

Engineering faculty member developing coatings to keep hospital patients from contracting infections

By Leigh Beeson lbeeson@uga.edu

Hitesh Handa doesn’t think a hospital stay for one problem should turn into another.

But that’s exactly what happens to tens of thousands of people every year when their central lines or catheters become infected during hospital stays.

Lucky for future hospital patients, Handa, an assistant professor of engineering at the University of Georgia, is developing coatings for medical devices to keep patients from contracting potentially deadly infections.

These coatings release nitric oxide, a powerful gas found naturally in the body that keeps blood flowing and staves off infection. It also can prevent bacteria from multiplying on the devices and causing disease.

“I feel engineers have a lot of solutions, but we don’t know what the problems are sometimes,” Handa said. “And

ECOLOGY

from page 1

“He was a true visionary; he saw things that others didn’t,” said Betty Jean Craige, University of Georgia Professor Emerita of comparative literature and the author of Eugene Odum: Ecosystem Ecologist and Environmentalist.

“He spoke intensely and passionately about saving the environment, but he used his model as a way of thinking about the world.”

Fundamentals of Ecology, which Odum published in 1953 with his younger brother and fellow ecologist Howard, was the discipline’s only textbook for more than a decade. This book was the first to suggest that scientists approach nature “top-down.”

Eugene Odum pioneered the concept of the ecosystem—the holistic understanding of the environment as a system of interlocking biotic communities. These ideas were inspired in part by Odum’s father, Howard W. Odum, a renowned sociologist at the University of North Carolina, who taught his sons to never lose sight of the big picture, and who urged Eugene to write his textbook.

“What if I don’t know enough yet?”

Odum recalled asking his father, in an interview with Craige. “You’ll learn as you write,” his father responded.

clinicians have a lot of problems they want solutions for, but they don’t know who to go to. So, I thought, why not?

I can be the bridge between engineers and clinicians.”

Handa’s background in polymer science, materials engineering and the medical device industry inform his commitment to practical research with tangible results.The nitric oxide coating technology has the potential to impact millions of patients, from those who are catheterized during hospital stays to those who undergo hemodialysis for kidney failure to those who need endotracheal tubes to breathe.

Perhaps most exciting about Handa’s technology is that it employs a tool the body already uses for a similar purpose.

“Researchers around the world are trying to find solutions to blood clotting and infection, but I think what nature does is probably the best solution,” Handa said. “Why not mimic nature rather than designing our own ideas or

materials or solutions to the problems?”

So that’s what Handa is doing, with supporting grants from both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health.

Preliminary data shows that the coated medical devices can prevent infection at a very high level, above 99 percent, in animal subjects.

Now Handa is focusing on how to translate his technology “from benchtop to bedside,” saying that, while publications are great, he wants to have a real impact on bettering people’s lives.

“We all have temporary time on Earth, right?” Handa said. “Why not do something that, when I’m dying, I think, ‘I did pretty well. I did something that can help people even when I’m gone.’ ” Editor’s note: This story is part of the Great Commitments series, which focuses on cutting-edge research happening on UGA campuses. Read more about UGA’s commitment to research that changes lives at greatcommitments.uga.edu.

“What if I make mistakes?” he asked.

“You’ll correct them in the second edition.”

But there were not many corrections to make. In his landmark book, Odum argued that we cannot hope to understand the environment without first appreciating the complex biological economy of shared resources, competition and cooperation. The ecosystem, he was fond of saying, is greater than the sum of its parts.

“We would not first bring the student the liver of the frog, have him study that, then the next day bring him the isolated stomach or each individual muscle one by one—and finally during the last week of the course attempt to assemble all the parts into a frog,” he wrote. “Our poor frog would be most incomplete and probably bear little resemblance to the real frog when we tried to assemble the parts we did study! Yet amazing as it may seem, many attempt to teach ecology using this backwards ‘parts-before-the-whole procedure.’”

But Odum’s ideas were not simply theoretical concepts; he leaped at every opportunity to put his ideas into practice.

With a small team of graduate students and a modest grant of $10,000 from the Atomic Energy Commission, Odum began work at what would later

become UGA’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. Now spanning more than 300 square miles, this facility still serves as a unique outdoor lab where researchers study energy technologies and the effects of human activities on the natural environment.

He was also instrumental in developing the University of Georgia Marine Institute, where he began a long-term analysis of salt marsh ecology and coastal food webs that inspired generations of wetland scientists.

Today, the Marine Institute provides researchers with ready access to coastal habitats and long-term data on the state’s estuaries and barrier islands.

While Odum was a careful and thoughtful researcher, his work often blurred the lines between science and advocacy. Ecology, he would tell people, simply comes from the Greek word “oikos,” meaning house. The various ecosystems, or houses, could be as small as a lonely woodland pond or as large as an entire planet, and humans had a responsibility to treat our “big house” with utmost care.

“We must begin to devote more of our human wealth, energy and engineering skills to servicing and repairing our ‘big house,’ the biosphere, which provides not only a place to live and See ECOLOGY on page 8

The University of Georgia climbed seven spots to No. 54 among all U.S. universities, colleges and research institutions in the latest National Science Foundation Higher Education Research and Development rankings.

“This is dramatic progress,” said Vice President for Research David Lee. “Institutions normally rise or fall in these rankings a spot or two at a time.”

In the new rankings, which reflect fiscal year 2016, UGA’s total research expenditures reached $410 million, up from $374 million and a ranking of 61st the year before. UGA also advanced on the basis of federally supported research expenditures, ranking 79th with $144 million, up eight spots from the prior year. Data for fiscal year 2017 show continued growth in research activity, with $458 million in total research and development expenditures, an increase of 12 percent over fiscal year 2016.

“Our significant growth in grant-funded expenditures signals the University of Georgia’s role as one of America’s great research universities,” said Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Pamela Whitten. “More importantly, it enables our faculty members to play an even greater role in advancing health, security and sustainability, and economic vitality.”

Whitten attributed the university’s jump in research expenditures to the dedication of existing faculty and strategic investments that include Presidential Faculty Hiring Initiatives. The university also has enhanced grant support services for faculty, including integrating and improving operations for Sponsored Projects Administration and establishing the Office for Proposal Enhancement.

“The credit for this tremendous success goes to our outstanding faculty,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “Because of their hard work and dedication, this institution is expanding its capacity to help solve the grand challenges of our time.

This ranking is yet another signal of UGA’s rise in national prominence.”

College names FACS 100 Centennial honorees to be celebrated Feb. 24

The College of Family and Consumer Sciences has announced the FACS 100 Centennial honorees.

These individuals embody conviction and commitment to the ideals of the college and, through vision and hard work, have been instrumental in advancing the college’s ability to serve students and enrich lives through its mission at the University of Georgia. Honorees were chosen by a committee of faculty, staff, alumni, students and college leadership after an open nominations process in advance of the college’s centennial celebration this year.

The College of Family and Consumer Sciences can trace its origins to 1918 and the establishment of a bachelor’s degree program for women in the Division of Home Economics within the UGA College of Agriculture.

At the FACS 100 Gala: A Centennial Celebration on Feb. 24, the FACS 100 Centennial honorees will be recognized, along with the members of the college’s Honor Hall of Recognition, as influential contributors in the first 100 years of home economics and family and consumer sciences at UGA. A special centennial website will launch this month that will include biographies and photos of the honorees.

To view the alphabetical list and learn more about the FACS 100 Centennial honorees, see http://www.fcs.uga.edu/news/story/college-unveilsfacs-100-centennial-honorees-list.

PERIODICALS POSTAGE STATEMENT Columns (USPS 020-024) is published weekly during the academic year and

biweekly during the summer for the faculty and staff of the University of Georgia by the Division of Marketing & Communications. Periodicals postage is paid in Athens, Georgia. Postmaster: Send off-campus address changes to Columns, UGA Marketing & Communications, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Athens, GA 30602-1999.

4 Jan. 8, 2018 columns.uga.edu

2017 FALL COMMENCEMENT

PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

Georgia Sea Grant seeks applications for three fellowships Georgia Sea Grant is taking applications from graduate students for the Coastal Management Fellowship, the National Marine Fisheries-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship and the Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship.

The fellowships offer professional development opportunities for students who are interested in working on coastal resource management and conservation, marine ecosystems and population dynamics, or national marine policy issues. The fellowship opportunities are: • Coastal Management Fellowship. The 2018-2020 Coastal Management Fellowship provides on-thejob education and training opportunities in coastal resource management and policy for postgraduate students.

The program matches postgraduate students with state coastal zone programs to work on projects proposed by the state and selected by the fellowship sponsor, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management. The fellowship period begins Aug. 1.

Applications must be submitted to Georgia Sea Grant by 5 p.m. on Jan. 19. A full list of application materials and additional information on eligibility can be found online at http://gacoast.uga.edu/education/ college-students/coastal-management-fellowship/.

• National Marine Fisheries-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship. The National Marine Fisheries–Sea Grant Joint Fellowship is for doctoral candidates interested in careers related to (1) marine ecosystem and population dynamics, with a focus on modeling and managing systems of living marine resources or (2) economics of the conservation and management of living marine resources. Fellows will work on thesis problems of public interest and relevance to National Marine Fisheries Service under the guidance of NMFS mentors at participating NMFS Science Centers or Offices.

Applications must be submitted to Georgia Sea Grant by 5 p.m. on Jan. 26. A full list of application materials and additional information on eligibility can be found online at http://gacoast.uga.edu/education/ college-students/noaa-fisheriessea-grant-joint-graduatefellowship-program/.

• Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship. The Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship places graduate students for a year in various executive and legislative branch offices throughout Washington, D.C. The fellowship provides a unique educational experience in the policies and processes of the federal government to students who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting these resources.

The fellowship period begins Feb. 1, 2019, and ends on Jan. 31, 2020.

Applications must be submitted to Georgia Sea Grant by 5 p.m. on Feb. 23.

A full list of application materials and additional information on eligibility can be found online at http://gacoast.uga.edu/education/college-students/knaussfellowship/.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact Mona Behl, associate director of Georgia Sea Grant, at 706-542-6621 or mbehl@uga.edu to discuss application content and submission.

Dorothy Kozlowski

More than 2,800 students became UGA alumni Dec. 15 during graduation ceremonies in Stegeman Coliseum. Above: A row of graduating students stand waiting to turn their tassels.

Just the beginning Commencement speakers encourage graduates to take advantage of every opportunity

By Leigh Beeson and Jim Lichtenwalter lbeeson@uga.edu, james.lichtenwal25@uga.edu

President Jere W. Morehead offered his congratulations to the fall 2017 graduating classes with a caveat: Although the students should be proud of all they’ve accomplished at UGA, their work is really only just beginning.

More than 1,700 undergraduates and 1,100 graduate students were eligible to walk the stage Dec. 15 during the fall Commencement ceremonies at Stegeman Coliseum.

“You go forth today as an ambassador of the birthplace of public higher education in America, our country’s first state-chartered university and now one of the nation’s most prominent landgrant institutions,” Morehead told the newest UGA alumni.

“You are a steward of a 230-year tradition of teaching, research and ­ service,” he also said. “You are leaving here with a capacity to shape the future of your community, this state, this nation and indeed the whole world.”

At the undergraduate ceremony, Steve Wrigley, chancellor of the ­University System of Georgia, encouraged students to act selflessly and spend more time seeking to understand others.

“That is how you will find s­ atisfaction in life,” he said. “You’ll find meaning by making the deeds of family, friends and society a higher priority than your own.

If you find yourself unhappy, look outward, not inward, for the fix.”

Students also heard from fellow graduate Samuel Alberto Peraza, who received a bachelor’s degree in public relations at the undergraduate ceremony.

The first in his family to graduate from college, Peraza attributed his success to his mother, Elvira Libier Godoy Sanchez.

“My hope is that one day I’ll be able to give you the life you deserve,” he said, “because you have devoted your entire life to your children, our family and ultimately my education.”

Eleven undergraduates were recognized as First Honor Graduates, meaning they maintained a 4.0 cumulative GPA in all their courses at UGA as well as in any transfer work prior to or during enrollment at the university.

The university also honored two students who died prior to graduation with posthumous degrees. Virginia Katelyn Chandler received a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology and genetics, and Bridget Ariel Thompson received a bachelor’s degree in Spanish.

At the graduate ceremony, students heard from Lisa Nolan, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and a fellow UGA alumna.

A degree from UGA opened countless doors for Nolan, and she encouraged the graduates to be open to all possibilities, even those for which they think they aren’t suited.

“Destiny has plans for you other than the ones you’re making,” Nolan said. “Certainly, that was true for me.”

After earning three advanced degrees from UGA, including her doctorate of veterinary medicine, Nolan received a job offer at a university.

But she wasn’t even sure what state that city was in and had to look it up: Fargo, North Dakota.That job launched her career in academia and taught her an invaluable lesson she shared with the graduates.

“When you make an important decision, go all in ... Lives and careers are filled with ups and downs,” she said.

“You’ll be tempted to see those downs as failures, but I encourage you to view them as learning opportunities.”

And with that, Nolan turned to the president and said, “President Morehead, I believe these folks are ready to graduate.”

DIVISION OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

Student environmental projects receive grants during Semester in Review

By Jim Lichtenwalter

james.lichtenwal25@uga.edu

The UGA Office of Sustainability strives to create a culture of environmental awareness on campus and to create projects and initiatives that ultimately will decrease the university’s environmental footprint. In keeping with those goals, the office awarded $40,000 in grants Dec. 6 to 10 student environmental projects at its Fall 2017 Semester in Review program. The reception recognized all the programs and individuals at the university dedicated to sustainability.

“Our commitment is to create inspired leaders, stronger communities and thriving natural systems,” said Kevin Kirsche, the office’s director. “At the Semester in Review, we celebrate the small but significant actions of our students, who are grappling with grand challenges and practicing ‘doing unto to others.’ ” Through the efforts of the Office of Sustainability, the university is making great gains in its environmental efforts.

According to Kirsche, the UGA Athens campus is using

24 percent less energy per square foot than it was in 2007.

There also has been a 25 percent reduction in the university’s total greenhouse gas admissions since 2010.

John R. Seydel, the director of sustainability for the city of Atlanta’s Office of Resilience spoke at the event, detailing some of the gains Atlanta is making in the environmental effort, including the Better Buildings Challenge, in which the city saved more than $25 million by designating 115 million square feet of land to 20 percent deductions in energy and water use.

Students William Fox,Vasser Seydel and Melissa Gurevitch also spoke about their work as the office’s Bike UGA, Grants and Engagement and Zero Waste interns, respectively.

The event also honored five students who received the Sustainability Certificate: Tommy Lehner, Madison Loudermilk, Courtney McCorstin, Bailey Shea and David Thomas.

“I can say, without exception, that I have never been more impressed and inspired by the students I’m working with now,” said Ron Balthazor, the director of the Sustainability Certificate program.

The recipients of the office’s grants are Kristen Lear for “Build It and They Will Come: Building Bat Houses and Creating Habitat for Bat Conservation and Environmental Awareness,” Suzie Henderson for “Connect to Protect the Monarchs,” Teri Rakusin for “Generating Educational and Research Opportunities Through Medicinal Herb Production at UGArden,” Jaiko Celka for “Market on the Move (creating mobile farmers markets with Athens Land Trust),” William Fox for “UGAfforestation: Measuring Carbon Sequestered in Trees of UGA and Planting Native Trees to Revitalize Lilly Branch Watershed,” Sam Cherof for “4 Precious Plastic Recycling Machines,” Emma Courson for “Season Extension in the UGA Geography Department Roof Garden,” Ashwini Kannan for “Tracking and Managing Non-Point Source Pollution at Lake Herrick Watershed,” Kelsey Brooks for “Trailing Granitic Outcrop Plant Species on Extensive Vegetated Roof Systems” and Haley White for “Estimating Material and Energy Needs of Green Spaces on UGA’s Campus.”

To learn more, visit sustainability.uga.edu.

UGAGUIDE

columns.uga.edu Jan. 8, 2018

For a complete listing of events, check the Master Calendar on the Web (calendar.uga.edu­).

The following events are open to the public, unless otherwise specified. Dates, times and locations may change without advance notice.

EXHIBITIONS

Artful Instruments: Georgia Gunsmiths and Their Craft. Through Feb. 25.

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

Clinton Hill. Through March 18. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.

Wrestling Temptation: The Quest to Control Alcohol in Georgia. Through Sept. 21. Special collections libraries.

706-542-7123. jhebbard@uga.edu.

MONDAY, JAN. 8 DROP/ADD DATES Through Jan. 10. For spring semester.

HOMESCHOOL GROUP Send children on a naturalist adventure at the Garden during this course. Each session will be filled with instruction and activities that connect youth to natural wonders. Topics vary each month. There will be a field trip or two and curriculum-based lessons.

Minimum age is 4. $25 per class. 9 a.m.

Visitor Center, Children’s Classroom, State Botanical Garden. 706-583-0894. bwboone@uga.edu.

TUESDAY, JAN. 9 TODDLER TUESDAY Join us for a special tour, story time in the galleries and art activities just for little ones. This free, 40-minute program is designed for families with

Thursday Scholarship Series rings in 2018 with Evgeny Rivkin piano performance scheduled for Jan. 11

By Jessica Luton jluton@uga.edu

STATE BALLET THEATRE OF RUSSIA TO PERFORM ‘SLEEPING BEAUTY’

PERFORMANCE: ‘SLEEPING BEAUTY’ The State Ballet Theatre of Russia returns with its delightful, fully staged production of Sleeping Beauty. The treasured story comes to life in this enchanting performance filled with stunning dancers, lavish sets, beautiful costumes and Tchaikovsky’s immortal music. Performances are Jan. 9 and 10 at 8 p.m. $66-$76. Fine Arts Building.

706-542-4400. (See story, right.)

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 10 TOUR AT TWO Join William U. Eiland, museum director and curator of Clinton Hill, for a special tour. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu.

THURSDAY, JAN. 11

The Hugh Hodgson School of Music will ring in 2018 with a solo recital of piano works by professor of piano Evgeny Rivkin on Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in the Hodgson Concert Hall. The performance is part of the 2017-2018 Thursday Scholarship Series.

Rivkin often begins the performance schedule for the series each year. He will lend his deft touch to a variety of musical selections by composers such as Schumann, Beethoven and Scriabin.

“Each year for this performance, I try to present a versatile program of classic favorites and combine different styles and genres,” he said. “This time, I’ll be playing Beethoven’s Sonata No. 27, a very warm and poetic work; a selection of pieces by Schumann with fast changing characters in them that try to communicate and co-exist within the same environment; and Scriabin’s Evgeny Rivkin, professor of piano 24 Preludes, another kaleidoscope in the Hodgson School of Music, of moods, feelings and sensations will perform in the first Thursday in a very compact form.”

Scholarship Series concert of Rivkin, a native of Russia, has 2018. enjoyed a robust solo career and has continued to perform and teach worldwide since his appointment at UGA in 1995. He has mentored countless musicians in his 21 years at UGA. He has performed across the globe in some of the world’s premier concert halls, including Carnegie Hall and Leipzig’s Gevandhaus, and won third place in his home country’s prestigious International Tchaikovsky Competition.

Tickets for the performance are $20 or $6 with a UGA student ID. Tickets are available at the Performance Arts Center box office, online at pac.uga.edu or by phone at 706-542-4400. Those unable to attend can watch the concert live on the Hodgson School’s website at music.uga.edu/streaming.

The Thursday Scholarship Series began in 1980 and, as the flagship concert series at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, continues the tradition of “Music Appreciation Programs” started by Hugh Hodgson himself in the 1930s. Proceeds from contributions and ticket sales to these concerts are among the primary means through which School of Music scholarship funds are raised each year.

The UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music sponsors more than 350 performances each year. To view the performance calendar, subscribe to the weekly email concert listing, and to learn more about the School of Music, go to music.uga.edu.

Calendar items are taken from Columns files and from the university’s Master Calendar, maintained by Marketing & Communications. Notices are published as space permits, with priority given to items of multidisciplinary interest. The Master Calendar is available at calendar.uga.edu.

children ages 18 months to 3 years and will focus on the Clinton Hill exhibition.

Space is limited; email sagekincaid@ uga.edu or call 706-542-0448 to reserve a spot. Sponsored by Heyward Allen Motor Co., Inc.; Heyward Allen Toyota and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art. 10 a.m. Georgia Museum of Art.

5

STUDIO WORKSHOP: ABSTRACTION Join Athens-based artist and educator Brian Hitselberger for a three-part studio-based course examining abstraction and nonrepresentational art through various techniques and materials. This workshop is open to artists of all levels and experience, from enthusiastic beginners to more seasoned practitioners. The sessions will draw inspiration from the museum’s collection, including works from the archives and many not currently on display. The cost of the course is a $15 materials fee, which will cover all necessary supplies for the three sessions. Call 706-542-8863 or email callan@uga. edu to register. Limited to 15 participants. Meets Jan. 11 and 25. 6:30 p.m.

Georgia Museum of Art. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL vs. Arkansas. $5. 7 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.

THURSDAY SCHOLARSHIP SERIES The Thursday Scholarship Series enters 2018 with a solo performance from Evgeny Rivkin, professor of piano at the Hodgson School of Music. $20; $6 for students and children. 7:30 p.m.

Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4752. (See story, left.)

FRIDAY, JAN. 12 FRIENDS FIRST FRIDAY: ORCHIDS Learn about orchids from an expert in the field and get a small sneak peek into this year’s Orchid Madness events. Includes a full breakfast. Make reservations at botgarden.uga.edu or 706-542-6138. $12. 9 a.m. Visitor Center, Gardenside Room, State Botanical Garden.

MORNING MINDFULNESS Enjoy free guided mindfulness meditation sessions in the Georgia Museum of Art’s galleries every other Friday

See the State Ballet Theatre of Russia in two performances of Sleeping Beauty on Jan. 9 and 10.

By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu

The UGA Performing Arts Center will present the State Ballet Theatre of Russia in Sleeping Beauty Jan. 9 and 10 at 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Theatre. The State Ballet Theatre’s production features lavish sets and costumes and traditional Russian choreography in the style of the famed Bolshoi Ballet.

Composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky completed work on the score for Sleeping Beauty in 1889. It was the second of his three ballets, the first being Swan Lake, composed in 1876. He based his ballet on the Brothers Grimm’s version of Charles Perrault’s La Belle au bois dormant. Sleeping Beauty received its premiere on Jan. 15, 1890, at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. Today it stands as one of the world’s most beloved ballets.

A pre-concert lecture will be offered 45 minutes prior to each performance of Sleeping Beauty. The lecture takes place in the Balcony Theatre, Room 400 in the Fine Arts building.

Tickets for Sleeping Beauty are $66 to $76 and can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling the box office at 706-542-4400. UGA students can purchase tickets for $6 with a valid UGA ID, limit one ticket per student. Tickets purchased for the Jan. 8 performance that was rescheduled for the College Football Playoff National Championship are valid on Jan. 10. 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 yoga mats are provided. Reservations are encouraged; contact 706-542-0448 or sagekincaid@uga.edu. Funded in part by the Hemera Foundation. 9:30 a.m.

Georgia Museum of Art.

SATURDAY, JAN. 13 MEN’S BASKETBALL vs. South Carolina. $15. 1 p.m.

Stegeman Coliseum.

MONDAY, JAN. 15 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. HOLIDAY No classes; offices closed.

GYMNASTICS vs. Oklahoma. $10. 2 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.

TUESDAY, JAN. 16 GARDEN TRAVELS Conservationist Linda Chafin knows the

TO SUBMIT A LISTING FOR THE MASTER CALENDAR AND COLUMNS Post event information first to the Master Calendar website (calendar.uga.edus). Listings for Columns are taken from the Master Calendar 12 days before the publication date. Events not posted by then may not be printed in Columns.

Any additional information about the event may be sent directly to Columns. Email is preferred (columns@uga. edu), but materials can be mailed to Columns, Marketing & Communications, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Campus Mail 1999.

bogs and granite outcrops of Georgia intimately well, having spent many hours researching native plants in these environments. Last summer, she traveled to Ireland to visit similar habitats in a completely different part of the world. She will share travel stories as she compares the bogs and outcrops of Georgia and Ireland. Join participants for the talk at 7 p.m. or come early to enjoy a light reception provided by Friends of the Garden and Athens Area Master Gardeners. 6:30 p.m. Visitor Center, Gardenside Room, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014. connicot@uga.edu.

COMING UP NATIVE PLANT SYMPOSIUM Jan. 17. Native plants can be tough, beautiful garden plants for a home landscape. This day-long series of presentations focuses on gardening with native flowers and trees and related conservation issues. See the complete agenda online at botgarden.uga.edu.

Lunch included. $65. 8:45 a.m. The Garden Club of Georgia, Terrace Room, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6158. ckeber@uga.edu.

NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES Jan. 10 (for Jan. 22 issue) Jan. 17 (for Jan. 29 issue) Jan. 24 (for Feb. 5 issue)

6 Jan. 8, 2018 columns.uga.edu

Simona Hunyadi Murph, an adjunct professor in the physics and astronomy department of UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, received the 2017 Director’s Award for Exceptional Scientific and Engineering Achievements from the Savannah River National Laboratory. The award recognizes Hunyadi Murph’s achievements in advancing the state of knowledge of nanotechnologies and putting nanoscience to work.

Hunyadi Murph also was named a 2017 finalist in the Research Leadership category for the U.S. Clean Energy Education & Empowerment, or C3E, awards, which recognize the leadership and achievements of mid-career women working to advance clean energy.

The US C3E initiative was Simona Hunyadi Murph launched by the 25-government Clean Energy Ministerial in 2010 and is led by the Department of Energy in collaboration with the MIT Energy Initiative and the Stanford Precourt Institute for Energy.

Three members of the University of Georgia College of Engineering’s faculty have been elected Fellows of the American Society of Civil Engineers. The honorees are Brian Bledsoe, the UGA Athletic Association Professor in Resilient Infrastructure; Sung-Hee “Sonny” Kim, an associate professor; and Sidney Thompson, the U.H. Davenport Professor of Biological and Agricultural Engineering.

The distinction of ASCE Brian Bledsoe Fellow acknowledges significant contributions to the civil engineering profession and to a career of service to the public. The honor is held by less than 3 percent of ASCE’s 150,000 members worldwide.

Bledsoe’s research focuses on the interface of hydrology, ecology and urban water sustainSonny Kim ability with an emphasis on the sustainability and resiliency of green infrastructure, including streams, floodplains and stormwater systems. He leads the Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems.

As the leader of the Geotechnical and Pavement Materials Lab at UGA, Kim conducts Sidney Thompson research in the fields of pavement materials and transportation geotechnics. Kim has been an integral contributor to several major highway and airport pavement improvement projects. Kim has excelled in the practice of pavement engineering, led and contributed to the creation of two of the newest civil engineering programs in the U.S. and pursued research to directly advance the art of sustainable pavement design and maintenance.

Thompson is the inaugural chair of the School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering in the engineering college.

A member of the UGA faculty since 1980, he has received numerous awards during his career at UGA, including the D.W. Brooks Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching. The Georgia Engineering Alliance recognized Thompson as its Engineer of the Year in Education in 2004 and the Georgia Student Branch of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers named him Teacher of the Year on five separate occasions.

Kudos recognizes special contributions of staff, faculty and administrators in teaching, research and service. News items are limited to election into office of state, regional, national and international societies; major awards and prizes; and similarly notable accomplishments.

CAMPUS CLOSEUP

Al Sand still uses a checklist instead of a digital version and says that’s why UGA Receiving doesn’t lose freight items.

Dorothy Kozlowski

Mail & Receiving assistant manager takes pride in protecting UGA’s goods

By Leigh Beeson lbeeson@uga.edu

Al Sand has been a billing clerk, a forklift operator and a hostler; he logged 15-hour days driving for Schwan Foods; and he served his country in the U.S. Army. But for the past 24 years, he’s been described as a “vital asset to Receiving Services” and a “vital resource for the entire University of Georgia.”

As the assistant manager of Mail & Receiving Services, Sand receives, inspects and ships goods all over campus and across the world everyday. He walks around the east dock of the Administrative Services warehouse with a phone in his pocket, going back and forth with vendors about the quality of the deliveries they’ve made and keeping UGA faculty and staff apprised of what’s happening with the items they’ve ordered.

“It’s a basic job, but I feel it’s a very important and vital job because there are millions of dollars that come through this building,” he said. “You have to multitask a bit. I’ll be checking in freight, inspecting freight and talking to people on the phone at the same time. But you have to be careful not to multitask too much.”

Sand started out as a driver on North Campus, stocking up at the warehouse

and then making deliveries. The stability of being home every night at the same time was appealing to Sand, who made 150 stops a day at people’s homes and businesses driving for his previous company. But more importantly, it was appealing to his wife, Karen.

“She wanted me off the road,” he said.

Back then, the workers used typewriters to do their paperwork and relied on pagers to alert them when they were needed. As the years went by and everything went digital, Sand reluctantly started using email but steadfastly refused to convert his checklist for his employees to an electronic version.

“I’m sort of old fashioned in what I do, but it works very effectively in this business,” he said. His checklists consist of steps like counting the cartons placed on a truck and making sure the serial numbers on the cartons match the orders.

“It’s simple, little things that people think are stupid, but you won’t lose anything if you follow the list,” he said.

And his approach seems to be working, he said, because, unlike FedEx, UPS or other companies that deal with freight, UGA Receiving doesn’t lose items.

“Since I’ve been in charge of the floor, I think we’ve only had to buy one

FACTS Al Sands

Assistant Manager Mail & Receiving Services Division of Finance & Administration At UGA: 24 years

thing,” Sand said.“When you tell people in the freight business that you haven’t lost anything, they say you’re full of it.

But the checks and balances work.”

Sand was recognized last spring for his devotion to the university and awarded the Unsung Hero Award during the Divison of Finance & Administration’s annual awards celebration.

Sand is “reliable and instrumental” in his role at UGA, according to one of his nominators. And his dedication to detail and willingness to fight for his customers doesn’t go unnoticed. He was shocked but deeply honored, though if asked he probably would say it’s all just part of his job.

“What you find out working here is there are a lot of great people working on this campus,” Sand said. “You watch the news and hear all the bad, but when you get to work here, you get to see all the good.”

UGA ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

Griffin named deputy director of administration Darrice Griffin, deputy director of athletics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst since July and a senior athletic administrator at UMass since 2015, has been named deputy director of administration at the University of Georgia Athletic Association.

Griffin was promoted to deputy director of athletics at UMass in July after two years as senior associate director of athletics for internal operations/senior woman administrator in June 2015.

She oversaw day-to-day operations relating to student-athletes, facilities and competitions, while also serving on numerous campus committees and as the liaison with many campus constituents. Griffin was also the department’s senior female administrator during her entire tenure in Amherst.

“We are very excited to welcome Darrice to the Bulldog Family,” said Greg McGarity, UGA’s J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics. “She is the perfect fit for our program. This is an important first step as we reorganize our

administrative staff.”

Also during her time at UMass, Griffin had administrative oversight responsibilities for a number of Minutemen sports, Darrice Griffin including football, women’s basketball, men’s and women’s lacrosse, field hockey and softball.

With those programs, she assisted with budgeting, competitive scheduling and the well-being of coaches, staff and student-athletes.

Prior to her arrival in Amherst, Griffin spent the previous six years (20102015) at Columbia University, including the last four as associate athletics director for intercollegiate sports programs.

In that role, she oversaw a number of Columbia’s sports programs, was the university’s liaison to Barnard College—Columbia’s partner institution in New York City—and was responsible for

gender and diversity initiatives within the athletics department With the Lions, Griffin had oversight for men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, softball and baseball. She worked alongside the offices of admissions and financial aid while also assisting in fundraising and development initiatives for both the athletic department at-large and her assigned sport programs. Griffin played a role in several student-athlete initiatives.

A native of Seagraves, Texas, Griffin was a standout basketball studentathlete at Texas Tech, graduating in 2007 with cum laude honors in psychology. She was a four-time recipient of the Texas Tech Student-Athlete Merit Award, a two-time Academic All-Big 12 Conference honoree and was named an Arthur Ashe Sports Scholar in 2007.

Griffin was the 2004 Gatorade Player of the Year in Texas. She was also an All-Texas First-Team selection and a McDonald’s All-American.

OFFICE OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

columns.uga.edu Jan. 8, 2018

7

RETIREES

Dorothy Kozlowski

Since the Office of Emergency Preparedness started Stop the Bleed training, more than 400 UGA faculty, staff and students have taken the interactive class.

Stop the Bleed

Program provides kits, training for emergencies

By Emily Webb

sew30274@uga.edu

When Keith Thalhamer saw a co-worker miss a step and fall down the grand staircase at the Georgia Museum of Art, his Stop the Bleed training kicked in.

Thalhamer, the director of security and facilities for the museum, had taken the training class offered by the Office of Emergency Preparedness with 18 of his colleagues.

After the fall, Thalhamer’s co-worker—who did not lose consciousness—was asking for a first-aid kit when Thalhamer instead used pressure bandages in the museum’s Stop the Bleed kit to treat the severe gash on his head.

In October 2015, the Stop the Bleed national program was launched to encourage bystanders to assist in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives. The university’s Office of Emergency Preparedness started the program at UGA in summer 2016.

“We’ve been one of the leaders in higher education in implementing this program in a real comprehensive manner,” said Steve Harris, director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness. “OEP receives frequent requests for information on UGA’s Stop the Bleed program from other institutions of higher education, including recent requests from Virginia Tech, the University of Texas and the University of Connecticut.”

The leading cause of death for Americans younger than age 46 is trauma, according to a 2016 study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. The study also found that trauma cost approximately $670 billion in medical care expenses and lost

productivity in 2013. As many as 20 percent of the 147,790 U.S. trauma deaths in 2014 could have been prevented.

Other studies have been conducted to determine why bystanders do not intervene in an emergency. Researchers found that a small percentage of citizens will not intervene because they are scared of liability issues or of not having adequate training or the right equipment.

“We’re training to change that mindset,” Harris said. “By providing these kits in all the Automated External Defibrillator cabinets on campus and doing the training, people have the equipment and training, and they know they’re protected under Georgia’s Good Samaritan laws. They can help potentially save someone’s life.”

The Stop the Bleed training and equipment is based on military, law enforcement and first responder’s usage in helping in trauma-related incidents. Most buildings on campus have an AED, and now, these AED cabinets also contain a Stop the Bleed kit.

Each kit contains a CAT tourniquet, an emergency trauma dressing, compressed gauze, two pairs of gloves, trauma shears, a marker and an instruction card.There are more than 300 kits on campus, with extra kits in higher population buildings, such as Tate Student Center, Miller Learning Center and parking services vehicles. The university’s Griffin, Tifton, Gwinnett and Buckhead campuses also are part of the program.

OEP holds Stop the Bleed classes at Training and Development throughout the year, or departments can schedule them by request.The next bleeding control class is set for Jan. 18 from 9-11 a.m. More information is at http://www.prepare.uga.edu/ stop-the-bleed and http://hr.uga.edu/employees/training/.

WEEKLY READER

Eighteen UGA employees retired Oct. 1. Retirees, their job classification, department and years of service are Teri L. Berryman, administrative specialist II, Office of the Associate Dean for Extension, 12 years, 9 months; Gary Keith Brown, public service assistant, Southeast DistrictCooperative Extension, 29 years, 1 month; Mary Ann Carey, library associate II, libraries-general operations, 10 years; Sally V. Coker, human resources senior managing consultant, Office of Human Resources, 17 years, 6 months; Robert J. Doran, trades manager, Facilities Management Division-Operations and Management-Key Shop, 30 years, 8 months; Ellen Susan Driver, design and production manager, Center for Continuing Education and Hotel: sales and marketing, 29 years, 5 months; Paula C. Freeman, county secretary, Northeast District-Cooperative Extension, 13 years, 1 month; Johnne T. Graves, administrative associate II, Tifton diagnostic lab, 20 years, 5 months; Jennifer B. Grogan, public service associate, Southwest District-Cooperative Extension, 34 years, 6 months; Renae H. Hall, business manager I, Tifton diagnostic lab, 31 years, 6 months; Karen S. Kalivoda, director of student affairs, Disability Resource Center, 32 years; Patricia Roth Marshall, associate director administrative, Disability Resource Center, 19 years, 11 months; Elizabeth Cohen McKinney, research professional III, genetics, 31 years; Christine A. Packwood, library associate I, librariesgeneral operations, 27 years, 11 months; Tina L. Roach, development associate, development and alumni relations finance and talent management, 29 years, 4 months; Douglas S. Ross, direct auxiliary services, Auxiliary Services Division, 18 years, 7 months; Samuel Wesley Smith III, public service assistant, Northwest DistrictCooperative Extension, 28 years, 5 months; and Wanda J. Williams, budget analyst, housing administration, 28 years, 5 months.

Editor’s note: Mary Lee Sweeney-Reeves, a public service assistant with Georgia Marine Extension and Sea Grant, should have been included on an earlier list.

She retired from UGA April 1, 2017, with 24 years and 5 months of service.

WEATHER from page 2 department will delay opening on these days by one hour and may opt to close early if weather conditions are extreme. Meal plan participants will be notified by email of any changes in daily operations. Up-to-date information will also be provided on Twitter and www.uga.edu. All Food Services retail operations are closed on days when the university is officially closed.

D) Other Campuses. Announcements for weather closings at UGA campuses in Buckhead, Gwinnett, Griffin and Tifton are handled by those campus administrators separately from the main campus announcements.

E) Employee leave. Information regarding Employee Leave during closure may be found at http://policies.uga. edu/FA/nodes/view/1172/Inclement-Weather • Additional Resources for Emergencies: (1) University of Georgia Police Department a. Emergency: Dial 911 b. Non-emergencies: 706-542-2200 or TTY 706-542-1188 (2) University Office of Emergency Preparedness oversees the security and emergency management program for UGA. For additional information, visit www.prepare.uga.edu.

CYBERSIGHTS

ABOUT COLUMNS

Retired staff member publishes first book

Sir and Miss Annie

By Alice Tipton LaFleur CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform Paperback: $14.95

Alice Tipton LaFleur, who retired from institutional research for facilities at UGA, has recently published her first book, Sir and Miss Annie, a must-read for World War II buffs and anyone who enjoys a good, old-fashioned love story.

“Sir” and “Miss Annie” were the author’s parents, Jim (Gen. James Baird) Tipton, raised in the small Missouri town of Senath, and Ann Livingston Little of Rochester, New York.

The book opens with a fascinating account of their family backgrounds and provides charming glimpses into their childhoods, youth and schooling.

But the heart of LaFleur’s narrative is the story of how her mom’s and dad’s paths crossed in Europe during World War II, where Tipton served as a fighter pilot and group commander and Little as a Red Cross volunteer, and of how their unlikely romance blossomed midst the chaos of war.

LaFleur and her husband, retired UGA classics professor Rick LaFleur, live on Lake Oglethorpe in Arnoldsville.

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

New site shares work of UGA researchers

greatcommitments.uga.edu

A new university-wide, research-focused website from the Division of Marketing & Communications is now live.

Stories on the Great Commitments website focus on researchers whose work is having an impact in communities across Georgia, the nation and beyond.

The highlighted research connects to three themes: creating

healthier populations around the world, securing our future and building stronger communities.

Topics on the site range from researchers finding solutions to deadly diseases and breeding drought- and pest-resistant crop lines to those working to secure a dependable food supply and create plastic alternatives to reduce waste.

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. 8, 2018 columns.uga.edu

GEORGIA

CHAMPIONSHIP from page 1 The ball rolled harmlessly into the end zone after Carter’s block—the first fieldgoal block of his life, he said—and now all the Bulldogs needed were some points to win a thrilling, back-and-forth game. They kept going.

A first-down run lost two yards. They kept going. On second down, Michel lined up in the shotgun, with Fromm wide to the left. Michel took the direct snap and ran Fromm’s way.

Everybody did their job blocking, including the freshman quarterback, and just like that Michel had gone 27 yards into the end zone for the game-winner.

It was pandemonium on the field and it was pandemonium in the stands, where

ECOLOGY

about 60 percent of the 92,844 in attendance were suddenly out of their minds with joy.

For the Jan. 8 game, a Championship Watch Party, sponsored by the President’s Office, UGA Athletics the Tate Student Center-Center for Student Activities & Involvement and UGA Student Affairs, will be held at Stegeman Coliseum.

Because of space limitations and the unavailability of Sanford Stadium due to construction, attendance is open only to students, faculty and staff with a valid UGACard. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the game begins at 8 p.m.

The SEC clear bag policy for athletic events will be enforced. More information is at http://bit.ly/2lEm6w1.

from page 3

enjoy but also all of our life-support needs,” Odum wrote in his book Ecological Vignettes: Ecological Approaches to Dealing with Human Predicaments.

Odum would spend decades refining and spreading his holistic model of ecosystem ecology, which found a captive audience in the burgeoning environmentalist movement.

In many ways, Odum had become the face of the movement, and his excitement was infectious.

“He would wave his hands around while he talked like a maestro in front of an orchestra,” said David Coleman, UGA Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus of Ecology, who worked closely with Odum at the SREL. “He was a master at getting people to think about things in different ways.”

Odum’s name began to appear in popular media like Time and Newsweek, where reporters asked him questions about the fate of humanity and the importance of environmental stewardship. In all his public commentary, Odum never strayed far from his concept of holism.

People in the university system were taking note of his accomplishments as well.

Twenty years after his colleagues laughed him out of a departmental meeting for suggesting that his class become part of the required biology curriculum, the board of regents granted approval for UGA’s Institute of Ecology in 1967, with Odum serving as its first director.

In 1970, he became the first UGA faculty member to be elected to membership in the National Academy of Sciences. And he was awarded the Tyler Ecology Award by former President Jimmy Carter in ceremonies held at the White House.

“Eugene Odum has had an important influence on the world by his insistence on the value of a quality environment,” said Carter. “His pioneering work in ecology has changed the way we look at the natural world and our place in it.”

Odum produced a seemingly endless stream of books, international conference talks and journal articles, but he always held

a special place in his heart for his textbook.

Now in its fifth edition, Fundamentals of Ecology has been translated into more than a dozen languages.

Odum passed away at his Athens, Georgia, home in 2002 at the age of 88. In 2007, the Institute of Ecology was renamed in his honor as the Eugene P. Odum School of Ecology.

And it is here, in the world’s first school devoted solely to the study of ecology, where scientists continue Odum’s mission to safeguard both the Earth and its inhabitants.

Scientists like John Drake, who uses advanced computer models to help public health officials predict—and possibly prevent—the outbreak of devastating infectious diseases like Ebola and Zika.

Or like Nina Wurzburger, who conducts research in ecosystems ranging from tropical rainforests to the arctic tundra, where she studies how plants, with the help of their symbiotic microbial partners, allow the ecosystem to rebound from destruction wrought by human activities and natural disasters.

Or James Byers, who studies the impact of invasive species on native animal and plant life in our oceans. These non-native species are a leading cause of endangerment and extinction of native life, and Byers is developing new tools to predict how and when invasive species will invade and what impacts they will have on the ecosystem.

These projects are but a sample of the work conducted by Odum School faculty.

While each scientist brings his or her own unique passion and expertise to bear on important ecological problems, you do not have to go far to find Eugene Odum’s influence.

In a tribute to her late friend, Craige noted that he gave much of his accumulated wealth, derived largely from book royalties and awards, to UGA’s ecology program.

“But he gave something even more valuable to the people who knew him,” she wrote. “He taught us a way to understand the world as a giant ecosystem whose parts are all interconnected, and he instilled in us an environmentalist conscience.”

Bulletin Board Free fitness classes

Recreational Sports is offering two free fitness classes this spring for UGA faculty, staff and retirees who are Ramsey Student Center members. Walk Georgia Cycle will be held ­Monday and Wednesday from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Walk Georgia Yoga will be held Tuesday and Thursday from 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Class participants also must sign up for Walk Georgia’s free online activity tracker at walkgeorgia.org.

The classes are being sponsored by Recreational Sports, Human Resources and UGA Cooperative Extension, which also are partnering with the University System of Georgia Wellbeing Program to provide a variety of resources and new events, including a

March kickoff event, monthly lunchand-learn sessions and a 5K. For more information, email Kiz Adams at worklifebalance@uga.edu or Lisa Williamson at lisawilliamson@uga. edu.

Recreational Sports offers other fitness passes for purchase by Ramsey Center members. Classes include Deep Water, BODYPUMP, Zumba, and Kickbox Jam. View pass prices and classes at recsports.uga.edu.

To become a Ramsey Center member, visit the Recreational Sports main office (201 Ramsey Center) or go online to recsports.uga.edu.

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

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South GeorgiaLEADS.” Locate South GeorgiaLEADS is a regional leadership program Fanning created that includes the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and economic development representatives from 21 counties in south Georgia.

Economic development in rural areas, where cities tend to be small and spread out, can be challenging because those communities often have smaller workforces and fewer resources.

When communities pool their resources, they can be more successful at expanding existing businesses and adding new ones, said Pat Wilson, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

“One of the things we have learned very well…is that the communities that work better together get things done, and you see that all over rural Georgia,” Wilson said. “Companies don’t look at the political boundaries, so having leaders willing to look past those barriers is the difference in bringing economic development to rural areas.”

Locate South GeorgiaLEADS was created to remove those barriers. Locate South GeorgiaLEADS combines the Fanning Institute’s research-based leadership development curriculum with site visits and issue awareness, focusing on topics such as agriculture, education, infrastructure, workforce development and entrepreneurship in south Georgia.

“Through Locate South GeorgiaLEADS, we are building a network of leaders who are increasingly engaged in their communities and in south Georgia as a whole,” said Mary Beth Bass, executive director of the One Sumter Economic Development Foundation and Locate South GeorgiaLEADS program

GRANTS

coordinator. “By completing this program, these business and civic leaders are better able to help us articulate the assets of the region and speak to the challenges we face.”

Since Locate South GeorgiaLEADS began, the program has inspired companies to make moves toward greater success.

“This program is enhancing the skills and knowledge of community members to think beyond traditional boundaries and collaborate on approaching problems and opportunities facing all of these counties,” Fanning Institute Director Matt Bishop said. “Developing leaders with a regional perspective is vital to rural development, and the Fanning Institute is committed to supporting this effort.”

In its first year, 2016-2017, Locate South GeorgiaLEADS graduated 32 participants, and 35 are enrolled in this year’s class.

“Having 21 counties identify highpotential leaders, create a cooperative process and build those relationships is one of the most important things in promoting regional prosperity,” said Sean McMillan, director of the UGA Office of Economic Development in Atlanta. “It all boils down to relationships and leadership in economic development.”

Partnerships and relationships created through Locate South GeorgiaLEADS are key to helping the whole region move forward, Dunn said.

“The obstacles we’re facing don’t stop at county lines,” Dunn said. “Our challenges are the same, yet by working together as a regional force, we can address those challenges and further enhance south Georgia as a competitive part of the state to do business.”

For an expanded version of this story, visit news.uga.edu on Jan. 16.

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that they are successful in their academic endeavors.”

The program received 39 proposals from units across campus that were reviewed by a six-member committee charged by Cook and Arthur Tripp Jr., assistant to the president.

The recipients and topics of the winning proposals are: • Thomas Chase Hagood; Division of Academic Enhancement, Office of Instruction; $24,000; “Early Start | Early Success.”

• Danelle Vitale and Veronica Pennington; College of Pharmacy, College of Veterinary Medicine; $22,500; “DawgTrails: Follow the Trail to Become a Future Pharmacy or Veterinary Medicine Professional.”

• Jenna Jackson and Gregory Roseboro; Office of Admission, School of Law; $22,200; “The Benham Scholars Program.”

• Brittani L. Harmon and Mark Wilson; Department of Health Policy and Management, dean’s office, College of Public Health; $21,500; “CPH Pre-Collegiate Summer Institute (PCSI).”

• Hemant K. Naikare, Moges Woldemeskel, Rebecca Wilkes, Ian Hawkins, Lee Jones, Eman Anis; Tifton Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine; $20,500; “Opportunities to explore Veterinary Career Options with special emphasis on Veterinary Laboratory Diagnostics.”

• Vivia E. Hill-Silcott and Deborah Elder; Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy; $17,500; “Promoting Diversity and Inclusion through Academic Coaching: A Strategy to Increase PharmD. Student Retention.”

• Matthew Auer; School of Public and International Affairs; $16,000; “Emerging Leaders Internship Program.”

• Juan A. Jarrett and Adrianna Creech; Human Resources; Office of Vice President for Finance and Administration; $15,000; “Creating a Foundation for Success: Career Centric Mentorship.”

• Krista Capps; Odum School of Ecology; $14,800; “Enhancing Human Diversity in the Pursuit of Research in Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Science at UGA.” • Marisa Anne Pagnattaro; dean’s office, Terry College of Business; $13,000; “Developing Diverse Talent for the Global Workplace.”

• Suzanne Barbour and Shirelle Hallum; Graduate School, University Health Center;

$13,000; “Health Coaching for Graduate Student Success.”

• Gabriel J. Jimenez-Fuentes; Office of Institutional Diversity; $10,000; “RISE Scholars Program.”

• Velma Zahirovic-Herbert and Sopha Anang; Department of Financial Planning, Housing and Consumer Economics, College of Family and Consumer Sciences; $10,000; “Advising and Mentoring Minority Students for Success (AMMSS) Program.”

• Vicki Michaelis and Welch Suggs; Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication; $10,000; “UGA-Grady High School Sports Broadcast Program.”

• Naomi Norman and Judy Iakovou; Office of Instruction; $10,000; “The Pioneer Project: Outreach to Underrepresented and First-Generation Students.”

• Ben Thomas and Joachim Walther; College of Engineering; $10,000; “Recruitment of local underrepresented group through local STEM clubs with undergraduate mentors from the UGA chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE).”

• Robert Baffour and Joachim Walther; School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering; $10,000; “Expanding Diversity in STEM through a Recruitment, Preparation, and Outreach Program for African-American Community in the Atlanta Metro Area.”

• Rosa Arroyo Driggers and Jonathan Brunson; Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Office of Instruction; $10,000; “GearUp4HighSchool.”

• Kecia Thomas and Anneliese A. Singh; Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education; $10,000; “Creating Inclusive Environments in STEM and STEM Education.”

• Kay Kelsey; Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; $10,000; “Bridging Two Nations: Connecting Navajo Nation with University of Georgia through Sa’a naghi bik’e hozho Recruitment Workshop.”

• Swarn Chatterjee and Sheri Worthy; Department of Financial Planning, Housing and Consumer Economics, College of Family and Consumer Sciences; $10,000; “Building Capacity for a Diverse and Inclusive Graduate Program in the Department of Financial Planning, Housing and Consumer Economics.”