UGA Columns July 30, 2018

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Periodicals Postage is PAID in Athens, Georgia

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Franklin College researcher uses cellular biology to target lethal parasites for eradication RESEARCH NEWS

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‘Princely’ collection of art currently on display at Georgia Museum of Art Vol. 46, No. 2

July 30, 2018

www.columns.uga.edu

UGA GUIDE

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University turns its vision of experiential learning into reality By Aaron Hale

aahale@uga.edu

Two years ago, the University of Georgia made a daring commitment: to provide all undergraduate students with a meaningful experiential learning opportunity. Since fall 2016, every incoming student has to fulfill an experiential learning requirement to graduate. The initiative encourages UGA students to connect their academic More than 140,000 donors have contributed to the Commit to Georgia Campaign, which has raised more than $1 billion toward its ultimate goal of $1.2 billion by 2020.

Five records in five years ‘True heroes of the story are faculty, staff, students’

By Elizabeth Elmore eelmore@uga.edu

For the fifth consecutive year, UGA donors have set a record in fundraising, contributing a total of $242 million in new gifts and pledges to the Commit to Georgia Campaign. This is the second consecutive year that the total has surpassed $200 million. “I am overwhelmed with gratitude,” said President Jere W. Morehead, “and I want to thank each and every donor who contributed to this historic achievement. They are

changing lives with their generosity and loyalty to the University of Georgia, and I am deeply grateful. I also want to thank our UGA Foundation trustees. Without their strong leadership and commitment to this institution, this level of success would not be possible. The true heroes of this great story, however, are our outstanding faculty, staff and students, who work tirelessly every day to advance the mission of UGA and expand its positive impact on the world.” UGA students, faculty and staff have inspired the more than

140,000 donors to the Commit to Georgia Campaign, which has raised more than $1 billion toward its ultimate goal of $1.2 billion by 2020. Faculty and staff are also contributing through payroll deductions, annual gifts of all sizes and/or by designating some portion of their retirement assets to UGA. These gifts are supporting the three campaign priorities: increasing scholarship support, enhancing the learning environment and solving grand challenges through research

foundations to the world beyond the classroom. To not just learn, but to learn by doing, whether that’s through an internship, facultyguided research, study abroad, service-learning or a capstone project. With this initiative, UGA became the largest university in the nation to tackle such a challenge and is now setting the standard for experiential learning in public

See LEARNING on page 4

WARNELL SCHOOL OF FORESTRY & NATURAL RESOURCES

White Dam modification project will benefit fish, other wildlife By James Hataway jhataway@uga.edu

Under the direction of University of Georgia faculty experts and partners from multiple agencies, workers have modified portions of White Dam, a stone and masonry structure that spans the Middle Oconee River upstream from its confluence with the North Oconee River. The dam is owned and managed by UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources. Warnell faculty and students spearheaded multiple studies exploring how modification of the dam could improve aquatic connectivity and

wildlife mobility. During the early 20th century, the dam provided hydroelectric power for a nearby textile manufacturing facility, but it has been inoperable for decades. “The dam doesn’t serve any economic or flood control function,” said James Shelton, an associate professor of fisheries in the Warnell School. “But we designed this process with historic ­preservation in mind. We removed a portion of the dam and stabilized other portions that have the greatest historical significance.” Workers even used native stone to construct the dam to stabilize See DAM on page 4

GRADUATE SCHOOL

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES EIA conference for advocates of GS LEAD program brings doctoral students together to make difference in local communities insect agriculture to be held at UGA By Cole Sosebee

cjs62499@uga.edu

By Jim Lichtenwalter

james.lichtenwal25@uga.edu

It can be hard for graduate students to get involved in their local communities, but the University of Georgia’s GS LEAD program is working to change that. Funded by an award from the National Science Foundation through its NSF Research Traineeship, Innovations and Graduate Education track, the project—which is formally known as Graduate Scholars Leadership, Engagement and Development— brings graduate students together to make a difference in their ­community. “GS LEAD is a project that brings new doctoral students in the STEM fields in over the summer and trains them in leadership, team building, communications and community service,” said Julie Coffield, an associate professor of

Dorothy Kozlowski

Richard Hall, a faculty member in the Odum School of Ecology, discusses wildlife habitats around Lake Herrick with GS LEAD participants.

toxicology and neuroscience in the College of Veterinary Medicine and one of the program’s coordinators. “We want students to learn to reach outside of the lab, start thinking outside the box and be able to connect and communicate with the community.” The program has two ­important

components, one in the summer and one in the fall. Students arrive on campus over the summer and participate in an immersive, s ix-week program facilitated ­ by Brandy Walker and Janet ­Rechtman of the university’s J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership See LEAD on page 4

The growing reputation of Athens, Georgia, as a gastronomic capital attracts culinary tourists from all over the Southeast. This summer, the city will welcome a new type of culinary enthusiasm. They won’t be after barbecue or biscuits. They’ll be here for the bugs. Eating Insects Athens, held by the North American Coalition for Insect Agriculture, will draw hundreds of insect agriculture and insect gastronomy advocates to Athens from Aug. 13-15. The biennial conference, held at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel, will feature research presentations, industry information, art exhibitions, networking opportunities and, of course, several chances to eat insects. This conference is a follow-up to

Eating Insects Detroit, which was held in 2016. Marianne Shockley, an entomologist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and founding member of NACIA, is helping to host the event. For years, she and her team of UGA entomology students, called “Bug Dawgs,” have been introducing Athens to edible insects through outreach events at local grade schools and on UGA’s campus. This conference will enable UGA entomology students to meet others who promote insect agriculture. Innovators from culinary, cultural and scientific fields will converge at the Eating Insects Athens conference, showcasing the multifaceted aspects of this burgeoning industry. More information and registration for the conference is at eatinginsectsathens.org.


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