UGA Columns June 13, 2016

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CAES student Kayla Alward named student employee of year at UGA CAMPUS NEWS

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The University of Georgia Flutissimo workshop will bring flute performers, ­professors, s­ tudents to UGA

Vol. 43, No. 37

June 13, 2016

www.columns.uga.edu

jluton@uga.edu

Chad Osburn

UGA employees had a chance to socialize with each other and enjoy food, live music, games and other fun activities on the intramural fields during the university’s second annual Staff Appreciation Day.

Much appreciated Nearly 4,000 employees take part in Staff Appreciation Day festivities

aahale@uga.edu

Gwendolyn L. Wise has been helping to serve students as a food services worker at Snelling Dining Commons and a UGA staff member for 13 years. So it was a nice change of pace, she said, to be served lunch and have an opportunity to socialize with co-workers May 25 at Staff Appreciation Day at the intramural fields.

The carnival-style event, hosted by the Office of the President, offered food, live music, door prizes and activities as a sign of appreciation to the hard work of staff members.

“This is a way for the University of Georgia and the President’s Office to say ‘thank you’ to all of you for the great work that you do here

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Defense Department renews Portuguese Flagship Program

By Jessica Luton

By Aaron Hale

UGA GUIDE

to continue to move our university forward,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead at the event.

This was second year the event has been held, and many staff members were impressed with the organization of this year’s event, which offered shorter lines for food and activities as well as more seats in the shade than last year.

The event was organized by a campus-wide Staff Appreciation Day Committee.

Michael Lewis, chair of the Staff Council and an IT professional specialist in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences’ geology department, was part of the planning team.

As the event kicked off, Lewis greeted staff at the entry gate with bags to hold free items provided by corporate sponsors. He said he

enjoyed seeing the smiles on staff members’ faces as they came to the event.

“All of us work pretty hard,” Lewis said. “It’s nice to be recognized for that hard work.”

Activities included the return of the mechanical bulldog ride as well as new inflatable jousting games and plenty of lawn games.

For many staff members, the chance to eat and socialize with coworkers as well as meet new people was the highlight of the event.

After finishing lunch provided

by Trumps Catering, Tina Fears and Dana Jordan-Smith, co-­ workers from EITS, relaxed in camping chairs and chatted.

“It does make you feel appreciated,” Fears said, “just to get out of the office to socialize and See STAFF on page 2

UGA’s Portuguese Flagship Program, the first Portuguese program of its kind in the nation, has been renewed for an additional four years. The program, which began in 2011, will receive approximately $3 million in additional funding from the U.S. Department of Defense’s National Security Education Program to continue its mission.

Students in the UGA Portuguese Flagship Program reach the highest levels of proficiency in Portuguese, a language growing in popularity and considered critical for U.S. interests. They then spend a year in Brazil, studying at the Federal University of Sao Joao del Rei and complete an internship related to their area of study.

Administered by the Institute of International Education in

Washington, D.C., and unique in practice, flagship programs aim to help students enhance their current major with international and linguistic credentials. Flagship programs have been launched across the nation in Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Turkish and other languages considered vital to U.S. interests.

“The Flagship Program at UGA is the only one of its kind in Portuguese in the U.S., and it represents, arguably, one of the largest federal investments in Portuguese instruction in the history of higher education in this country,” said Robert Moser, program director.

“Study abroad is one of the truly transformative experiences that a student can have in college, and the Portuguese Flagship Program takes that experience to a new level.”

Brazil, which will host the 2016 Summer Olympics, has­

See PORTUGUESE on page 4

FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

NSF grant will fund study of how plants respond to climate change

By James E. Hataway jhataway@uga.edu

Jill Anderson, an assistant professor of genetics in UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, has received a $1.1 million grant from the National Science Foundation Early Career Development Program to study the effects of climate change on plants.

CAREER awards are among the NSF’s most prestigious, and they support junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholar and the integration of education and research.

Anderson’s project tests whether plants will be able to survive on a warming planet by using a mustard plant species called Jill Anderson Drummond’s rockcress. Native to the Rocky Mountains, the plant can grow at elevations as low as 5,000 feet and higher than 12,000 feet; its range extends from Alaska to Arizona.

See PLANTS on page 4

OFFICE OF THE VP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH UGA team wins international chemistry challenge Ogeechee Technical College president which leaves substantial ecological Germany’s Leuphana University named director of Georgia Center

By Cal Powell COLLEGE OF FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES jcpowell@uga.edu

A team of scientists from UGA’s College of Family and Consumer Sciences has won first prize in the inaugural Green and Sustainable Chemistry Challenge for an innovative and environmentally friendly textile dyeing technology using nanocellulosic fibers.

Conventional dyeing processes require large amounts of water and create toxic effluent, or waste, that can be costly to treat. The wastewater from dye facilities often contains synthetic dyes and toxic chemicals,

footprints, said research associate Yunsang Kim. “The problem is that most of these textile dyeing industries are located in developing countries in which the regulation and societal concerns for environmental issues are really loose compared to developed countries,” Kim said.

The team’s project involves the production of nano-structured cellulose and the use of nanocellulose in a sustainable dyeing process that significantly reduces the amount of wastewater and toxic chemicals.

The competition, sponsored by

and Elsevier, a leading publisher of scientific and academic journals, promotes projects that best offer sustainable processes, products and resources suitable for use in developing countries. Nearly 500 proposals were submitted for the competition, with five selected as finalists.

Kim presented the project on behalf of the UGA team at the Green and Sustainable Chemistry Conference in Berlin last month.

“It was amazing,” Kim said.

“We now have an opportunity to

See CHALLENGE on page 4

By Christopher James chtjames@uga.edu

Dawn Hall Cartee, president of Ogeechee Technical College in Statesboro, has been named director of the Georgia Center for Continuing Education at UGA, effective July 1.

Cartee comes to the Georgia Center, a UGA public service and outreach unit, after leading Ogeechee Tech since December 2007. She led the development of more than 20 online ­programs

­d u r i n g h e r tenure at Ogeechee Tech, which enrolls more than 2,000 students and last year was named GeorDawn Hall Cartee gia’s Technical College of the Year for the second time under her leadership. The campus expanded by 40 acres under her leadership,

See DIRECTOR on page 4

2 June 13, 2016 columns.uga.edu

Digest Sunflower Series will return to State Botanical Garden for three concerts

The State Botanical Garden will host three ­ erformances during the 16th season of its Sunp flower Concert Series. Held from 7-9 p.m. on a Tuesday in June, July, and August, the outdoor concerts on the lawn of the Flower Garden offer an eclectic mix of music.

Located at 2450 S. Milledge Ave, the botanical garden has partnered with the Music Business Program in UGA’s Terry College of Business to also present current and past students as opening acts for each concert.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children ages 6-12. Season passes also are available for purchase. Admission to each concert includes beverages and light snacks. For information or to purchase tickets, visit www.botgarden.uga.edu.

The concert series will open June 14 with a performance by Klezmer Local 42, whose album of Jewish folk music, Fear of a Yiddish Planet, was released last year.

Randall Bramblett will perform July 12, and Five-Eight will headline the Aug. 23 concert.

Housing residents donate more than 73,000 pounds of material to charities

On-campus UGA residents donated an estimated 73,660 pounds of material—a weight comparable to three UGA buses—to eight nonprofit organizations during residence hall move-out.

The Athens-Clarke County Recycling Center weighed trucks and trailers, including seven Goodwill of North Georgia tractor-trailer trucks full of donations, over the course of two weeks to reach the total estimated weight, a 28 percent increase from last year’s total.

The annual move-out event, known as Dawgs Ditch the Dumpster and Donate, is a partnership between University Housing, UGA Hillel and Goodwill of North Georgia. Staff members from each of the organizations collaborated to divert items such as futons, rugs, bedding, books and clothing from landfills to local charities including Goodwill of North Georgia, Project Safe, the Athens Humane Society, Habitat for Humanity, Friends of the Athens-Clarke County Library, the Athens Area Homeless Shelter, St. Mary’s ­Auxiliary Thrift Store and Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful.

Honors student named Pickering Fellow

UGA Honors student Valerie Tucker has been awarded a Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship for students interested in careers in the U.S. Department of State Foreign Service.

As a Pickering Fellow, Tucker will receive a scholarship of up to $37,500 annually for tuition and other expenses for her senior year of undergraduate studies as well as for her first year enrolled in a master’s degree program.

Tucker, who is from Fort Walton Beach, Florida, is a junior majoring in international affairs in the School of Public and International Affairs and Spanish in the Franklin College of Arts and ­Sciences. She is one of 10 undergraduates and 20 graduate students chosen for the 23rd cohort of the program from among hundreds of applicants from 160 colleges and universities.

Tucker has participated in various experiential learning opportunities through UGA. She recently completed a yearlong fellowship with SPIA’s Center for International Trade and Security as a Richard B. Russell Security Leadership Scholar and has interned twice with TradeSecure LLC, a company that helps global businesses with issues such as export control, foreign investment and trade policies.

Tucker also completed an immersive study abroad program with UGA en Espana at the University of Valencia in Spain that was funded by an Honors Program International Scholars grant.

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UGA CAREER CENTER

Animal and dairy science major named university’s student employee of year

By Aaron Brown agb@uga.edu

Many college students become nannies during school to help ends meet, but Kayla Alward, a rising fourth-year student at UGA, prefers to cow-sit.

Alward, a Guyton native majoring in animal and dairy science in UGA’s ­College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, works as the calf caretaker at the CAES Teaching Dairy. The job of making sure the dairy’s dozens of calves are safe and healthy sometimes runs 24 hours a day, and her dedication to her charges earned her this year’s Student Employee of the Year award from the UGA Career Center.

Alward was also the winner of the Southern Association of Student Employment Administrators’ Student Employee Award, part of the SASEA regional competition, which covers student employees from 12 states. This is the first time a UGA student has won the regional award. She was presented with a check for $1,000 from SASEA along with two plaques representing her UGA and regional wins.

As a student worker at the teaching dairy, Alward oversees the daily care of the calves, creates the schedules for other students who work at the dairy and develops treatment protocols for ailing calves.

“In other words, she is in charge of the next generation of the UGA Dairy Farm,” said Mike Mathis, farm manager at the UGA Teaching Dairy. “This next generation currently exists as a group

Aaron Brown

A rising fourth-year student, Kayla Alward plans to attend graduate school and earn an advanced degree in dairy reproductive physiology.

of newborns that require twice-daily bottle feeding, constant monitoring, attention to detail and willingness to make tough decisions.”

Mathis and Jillian Fain Bohlen, an assistant professor of animal and dairy science who uses the dairy for classes and for research, nominated Alward for the award. For Mathis, it was fall 2015 when Alward’s dedication to the dairy’s Holsteins became fully evident.

A disease swept through the dairy’s calf population, and Alward worked day and night treating her calves and nursing the ones she could back to health.

She worked with UGA veterinarians

to develop treatment programs for the calves and new biosecurity protocols to prevent that kind of outbreak from happening again. This included developing new treatment methods and new calf-worker routines as well as implementing a biosecurity program and strategic design methods to reduce the spread of the illness.

“Few other student employment opportunities require this level of dedication and heart,” Mathis said.

“Punching in and out of the clock did not matter to Kayla; these calves were her responsibility and she stayed the course unrelentingly.”

FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Plant Center marks 30th anniversary with symposium

By James E. Hataway jhataway@uga.edu

UGA’s Plant Center marked its 30th anniversary in May with a twoday symposium honoring Joe L. Key, Professor Emeritus of Plant Biology and a former UGA vice president for research.

Key is widely recognized for his pioneering research in plant molecular genetics and for his help in building a dynamic plant sciences community on campus and beyond.

The symposium featured speakers who are working on cutting-edge plant research, including many of Key’s former students, postdocs and colleagues.

They discussed a variety of topics related to plant genetics and molecular breeding, areas of research that will play a pivotal role in securing Earth’s limited supplies of food, feed and fuel.

While some of the talk focused on important issues in the field, speakers also shared fond memories and whimsical anecdotes about their time working with Key, who, at the conclusion of the symposium, was presented with the Adolph E. Gude Jr. Award by the American Society of Plant Biologists for his exceptional service to the science and community of plant biology.

Key helped lay the foundation for the Plant Center when he served as director for UGA’s Center for Plant Cellular and Molecular Biology, which was officially registered at UGA in 1986, the same year that he began his 14-year tenure as vice president for research.

Its name was shortened to The Plant Center in 1997.

The event also featured a University Signature Lecture by Sir David Baulcombe, Royal Society Research Professor and Regius Professor of Botany at

the University of Cambridge. A former postdoc of Key’s, Baulcombe is widely known for his pioneering work on RNA silencing and disease resistance in crops.

Symposium attendees were able to participate in a silent auction organized by current students and postdocs, which raised more than $1,000 for the Joe L. Key endowment fund.

“We hope that we can continue to grow this endowment so that it may one day support a Joe Key graduate fellowship,” said C.J. Tsai, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and current director of the Plant Center.

The symposium was sponsored by the UGA Plant Center; the Office of the Vice President for Research; the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost (Stateof-the-Art Conference Program); the Georgia Research Alliance, Monsanto, Agilent and BioNano.

STAFF from page 1 fellowship, to meet people you talk to on the phone but never see.”

“And the free food is great,” added Jordan-Smith. “That’s something I didn’t have to worry about today.

That’s nice.”

Lewis said he was pleased that this annual event has become so popular with staff. Roughly 4,000 staff members attended the event.

Staff Appreciation Day is supported by private funds and contributions from corporate sponsors such as Kaiser Permanente, Georgia United Credit Union and BB&T. “This is a great tradition,” Lewis said. “I’m grateful that President Morehead and his office have worked so hard to keep this going and to make our staff feel appreciated.”

Chad Osburn

Employees who attended this year’s Staff Appreciation Day got a chance to show off their creativity by making Frisbee art.

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.

UGAGUIDE MONDAY, JUNE 13

MAY SESSION GRADES DUE Due by 5 p.m.

POETRY READING Keetje Kuipers, an award-winning poet and an assistant professor at Auburn University, will read from some of her poetry, which focuses on isolation, ­longing and loneliness. Her latest book, The Keys to the Jail, looks closely at the role of women and identity. Part of the Seat in the Shade Poetry Series and the Big Read Event series. 7 p.m.

Hendershot’s Cafe, 237 Prince Ave. cahnmann@uga.edu .

TUESDAY, JUNE 14 DOCUMENTARY SCREENING The Wonders of Rome, a documentary about the 1960 Olympics and the athletes who competed. 4 p.m. 271 Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries. 706-542-4789, mlmiller@uga.edu .

Carol Wincenc (right), a professor of flute at the Juilliard School, instructs a student during Flutissimo 2014 in Ramsey Concert Hall.

Flutissimo workshop to bring flute performers, professors, students to School of Music

By Clarke Schwabe ccschwabe@uga.edu

Talented young musicians from far and wide will converge on the UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music June 20-24 when the school hosts Flutissimo, an advanced, intensive workshop for flutists.

Now in its third year of operation, Flutissimo is hosted and organized by Angela Jones-Reus, professor of flute at the School of Music, and UGA alumna Katherine Isbill Emeneth, who received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the School of Music in 2007 and 2010, respectively.

“Flutissimo is designed to educate and inspire flutists through an exhilarating and cultivating curriculum that examines aspects of flute performance,” said Jones-Reus.

The workshop does this by allowing students access to some of the world’s most accomplished flutists in a variety of settings: from master classes taught on rotation by four faculty members to public performances and daily private lessons.

This year, the workshop features guest artists Bonita Boyd, a professor of flute at the Eastman School of Music; Julie Hobbs, a professor of flute at the University of Kentucky; and British collaborative pianist Tim Carrey.

Despite its youth, the workshop already has hosted internationally recognized artists from the Juilliard School, the University of Texas, the Berlin Philharmonic and more.

This year, the workshop is hosting members of Flutistry Boston, a comprehensive organization offering sales, repair and artistic services centered around the flute.

“Flutistry Boston is in residence during the entire workshop, giving seminars and showcasing flutes and flute equipment for students to try and become familiar with,” said Jones-Reus.

Faculty and students of Flutissimo get to publicly showcase what they’re teaching and learning. Each of the performances is free and open to the public.

Performances will be held June 21 and 22 in Edge Recital Hall at 7:15 p.m.

On June 23, Flutissimo students will perform in Ramsey Concert Hall at 7:15 p.m.

The final performance of the workshop, a chamber music recital, will take place in Ramsey Concert Hall June 24 at 11:15 a.m.

EXHIBITIONS Frank Hartley Anderson: Forging the Southern Printmakers Society. Through June 19. Georgia Museum of Art. Refining Realities. Through June 19. Georgia Museum of Art. Seeing Georgia: Changing Visions of Tourism in the ­Modern South. Through July 30. Special collections libraries. ­706-542-5788, jhebbard@uga.edu .

Turned and Sculpted: Wood Art from the Collection of Arthur and Jane Mason. Through Aug. 7. Georgia Museum of Art. Paper in Profile: Mixografia and Taller de Grafica Mexicana. Through Aug. 21. Georgia Museum of Art. John Abbot, Early Georgia Naturalist Artist.

Through Aug. 31. Special collections libraries. ­706-542-8079, jclevela@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 on the Web at calendar.uga.edu.

POETRY READING Ann Fisher-Wirth will read from her collections on eco-poetry. Fisher-Wirth teaches at the University of Mississippi and is a Fellow of the Black Earth Institute. Part of the Seat in the Shade Poetry Series and the Big Read Event series 7 p.m. Hendershot’s Cafe 237 Prince Ave. cahnmann@uga.edu.

SUNFLOWER CONCERT Klezmer Local 42 will perform a danceable mix of Jewish folk music. $15; $5 for children 6-12.

7 p.m. Flower Garden Lawn, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014, connicot@uga.edu . (See Digest, page 2).

THURSDAY, JUNE 16 THURSDAY TWILIGHT TOUR Highlights from the permanent collection. Led by docents. 7 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. ­706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu .

POETRY READING Coleman Barks, UGA professor emeritus, will read from his work. Part of the Seat in the Shade Poetry Series and the Big Read Event series. 7 p.m.

Hendershot’s Cafe, 237 Prince Ave. cahnmann@uga.edu .

MUSEUM MIX A late-night art party featuring a live DJ, free refreshments and galleries that will be open until midnight. Attendees should use #museummix on social media. 8 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. ­706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu .

EXTENDED SUMMER SESSION MIDTERM WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE FOR EXTENDED SUMMER SESSION FULL MOON HIKE $5; $15 per family 8 p.m. State Botanical Garden.

706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu .

TUESDAY, JUNE 21 WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE FOR SHORT SESSION I SHORT SESSION I MIDTERM ATHENS OLYMPICS REMEMBERED Marc and Becky Galvin, James and Carol Reap, and Jack and Jacquie Houston were among the hundreds of Athenians who put their lives on hold to contribute to the success of the 1996 Olympics. These three couples will share their stories.

Clips from WSB’s coverage of the games will be shown throughout. Refreshments and tour of the Olympics exhibit to follow. 5:30 p.m. 271 Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries. ­706-542-4789, mlmiller@uga.edu .

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22 TOUR AT TWO Highlights from the permanent collection. Led by docents. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. ­706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu .

THURSDAY, JUNE 23 GUEST LECTURE “Who Was John Abbot?” Beth Tobin will discuss the life and accomplishments of John Abbot, a London-born naturalist artist, who as a young man, moved to Georgia where he drew more than 7,000 watercolor drawings of North American birds and insects. 6 p.m. Auditorium, Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries.

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

SATURDAY, JUNE 25 CLASS “Where do the Hummingbirds ‘Hide’ at the ­Botanical Garden?” $15. 9:30 a.m. Visitor Center’s, Classroom 2 State Botanical Garden.

706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu .

FAMILY DAY Attendees will check out examples of wooden vessels, bowls and other forms in the Turned and Sculpted exhibition, then use wooden pieces to create their own work of art in the Michael and Mary Erlanger Studio Classroom. 10 a.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu .

FRIDAY, JUNE 17 POETRY READING Melisa Cahnmann-Taylor, a professor of language and literacy at UGA, and students will showcase their poetry. Part of the Seat in the Shade Poetry Series and the Big Read Event series. 7 p.m. Hendershot’s Cafe, 237 Prince Ave. c ahnmann@uga.edu .

MONDAY, JUNE 20 FLUTISSIMO A workshop for flutists. Through June 24. Free performances June 21 (7:15 p.m., Edge Recital

COMING UP ARTFUL CONVERSATION: MIXOGRAFIA WORKSHOP June 29. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. ­706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu .

CLASSIC CITY BAND ANNUAL PATRIOTIC CONCERT July 3. 2 p.m. Visitor Center and Conservatory, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014, c onnicot@uga.edu .

INDEPENDENCE DAY HOLIDAY July 4. No classes; offices closed.

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.

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Hall), June 22 (7:15 p.m., Edge Recital Hall), June 23 (7:15 p.m., Ramsey Concert Hall) and June 24 (11:15 a.m., Ramsey Concert Hall). (See story at left).

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15 TOUR AT TWO Highlights from the permanent collection. Led by docents. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. ­706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu .

columns.uga.edu June 13, 2016

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

NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES June 15 (for June 27 issue) June 29 (for July 11 issue) July 13 (for July 25 issue)

4 June 13, 2016 columns.uga.edu

CHALLENGE from page 1

develop our project to the next stage in which we will be able to contribute to helping people in developing countries.”

The team’s process involves using cellulose to dye materials. During a homogenization process, cellulose, a readily available natural polymer found in the primary cell wall of green plants, is converted into a hydrogel material consisting of nanocellulose fibers.

Compared to cotton fibers, nanocellulose fibers have 70 times more surface area with high reactivity, allowing for the efficient uptake and attachment of dye molecules.

Dyed nanocellulose hydrogels are then transferred to a textile by a conventional printing method.

“We were able to reduce the amount of water and dye auxiliaries such as inorganic salt and alkali by a factor of 10,” Kim said.

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH

Jason Thrasher

UGA’s 2016-2017 Willson Center Faculty Research Fellows are (from left) Steven Soper, Yuri Balashov, John Lowe, Betsy Wright, Amy Ross, LeAnne Howe, Christopher Sieving, Cecilia Rodrigues, Amma Ghartey-Tagoe Kootin and Peter Lane. Not pictured are Kevin Jones and Barbara McCaskill.

Twelve faculty named 2016-2017 Willson Center Research Fellows

By Dave Marr

davemarr@uga.edu

The Willson Center for Humanities and Arts has awarded its 2016-2017 Research Fellowships to 12 members of the UGA faculty in the humanities and arts.

Willson Center Research Fellowships support excellence in arts and humanities research by providing course release from two normally assigned courses in one academic year. These fellowships are funded by the Office of the Vice President for Research and awarded in partnership with the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.

The Willson Center Faculty Research Fellows for 2016-2017 are Yuri Balashov, philosophy; LeAnne Howe, English; Kevin Jones, history; Amma Ghartey-Tagoe Kootin, theatre and film studies and African American studies; Peter Lane, music; John Lowe, English; Barbara McCaskill, English; Cecilia Rodrigues, Romance languages; Amy Ross, geography; Christopher Sieving, theatre and film studies; Steven Soper, history; and Betsy Wright, Romance languages.

“Great students deserve great faculty, and our mission is to build a community of learning that shares the intellectual riches of the university with the people it serves,” said Nicholas Allen, Franklin Professor of English and director of the Willson Center. “You can see evidence of this in our new class of Fellows. I congratulate them and wish them all success in their research during the upcoming academic year.”

Bulletin Board University Woman’s Club

The University Woman’s Club is a social/service organization open to anyone who through their own or their family’s affiliation, past or present, is associated with the UGA community.

Members are a diverse group of UGA graduates, professionals, retirees, faculty and their spouses.

Dues for a full year of membership are $25 and should be paid by the June 15 deadline to have name and contact information included in the next yearbook.

Visit the University Woman’s Club website (www.womansclub.uga.edu) to download the membership form. For additional information, contact Trina von Waldner at tvonwald@uga.edu or 706-546-5133.

Parking registration

Register for 2016-2017 parking permits at www.parking.uga.edu.

The deadline to be considered in the first and largest round of permit assignments is July 1 at 5 p.m. Fewer permit assignments will be available after July 11. Email parking@uga.edu or call 706-542-7275 with any questions about registration or parking.

Nomination deadline extension

The deadline to submit nominations for the 2016 Chancellor’s Service Excellence Awards has been extended to June 15.

The awards are part of a program created to honor University System of Georgia employees who have gone “above and beyond” their normal job responsibilities in helping their

internal and external customers and consistently promoting customer ­service excellence.

Nominations should be submitted to http://tinyurl.com/ps7k9l3 .

Email Catherine K. Shircliff at cks@uga.edu for additional information about the program.

New UGA TOPS chapter

UGA now has its own chapter of the weight-loss program TOPS (Take Pounds Off Sensibly). Annual membership is $32, and the first visit is free.

The nonprofit group meets ­Tuesdays from noon to 12:45 p.m. in Room 265 of the Chicopee Complex, 1180 E. Broad St. Pre-meeting, ­confidential weigh-ins are done from 11:30 a.m. to noon or by appointment.

For more information, email ­LaVonne Goldschmidt (lavonneg@uga. edu) or Susan ­McCullough (susancmc@ uga.edu) with ­questions or visit the TOPS website (http://www.tops.org/ TOPS/Default.aspx).

ARCS Foundation applications

The Biomedical and Health Sciences Institute is accepting applications until June 22 for the 2016-2017 ARCS Foundation Awards for doctoral students in the biomedical and health sciences. Guidelines for application submission are at http://www.biomed. uga.edu. Contact Laura Balkcom at 706-542-5922 or lbalkcom@uga.edu for additional information.

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

“We are also working on the incorporation of other functionalities onto textiles using nanocellulose as a vehicle, capitalizing on its extremely large surface area and strong affinity to cotton-based textiles.”

FACS faculty who participated in the project are Suraj Sharma, an associate professor in the textiles, merchandising and interiors department; Sergiy Minko, the Georgia Power Professor of Polymers, Fibers and Textiles; and Ian Hardin, the Georgia Power Professor of Textile Science Emeritus.

The project is part of the recently announced Advanced Functional Fabrics of America Institute, a national public-private consortium to revolutionize the fabric and textiles industry through commercialization of highly functional, advanced fibers and textiles for the defense and commercial markets.

PORTUGUESE from page 1 experienced a rapidly growing economy, causing a surge in the demand for Portuguese speakers.

“The Flagship program, alongside our Latin American and Caribbean Studies Institute, provides UGA students with unprecedented opportunities and support, with approximately $500,000 annually in scholarship to study the language and pursue study abroad in Brazil,” said Moser, who also is an associate professor of Portuguese in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.

Portuguese is the seventh most spoken language in the world, but very few U.S. high schools and only a select number of university programs offer instruction in the language.

“The U.S. trails far behind many other countries in its preparation of K-12 and college students’ foreign language skills,” Moser said. “The language flagship has never been about business as usual and offers students a learner-centered approach that tailors language acquisition to the student’s particular interests.”

Since the program began, nearly 100 UGA undergraduates have participated; more than 60 have studied abroad in Brazil.

Students have interned in business, health, foreign affairs, science, agriculture, technology and the arts—and have held internships at companies including National Botanical Gardens, PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Portuguese Language Museum and Deutsche Bank. The program also has partnered with several public school systems to promote Portuguese instruction.

“The Portuguese Flagship Program is open to all students who are highly motivated language learners and want to engage the world on a global scale,” said Moser. “It’s like an honors program with a global twist and professional focus.

“The renewal of the grant and continuation of the program is made possible by the dedicated work of staff at LACSI, including Director Richard Gordon, and the support of the Portuguese faculty in the Romance languages department,” he also said.

DIRECTOR from page 1 adding about $27 million in capital projects.

“Dawn has extensive experience managing complex educational organizations and has led unparalleled growth at Ogeechee Tech,” said Jennifer Frum, UGA vice president for public service and outreach.

“That, along with her outstanding leadership managing facilities and auxiliary enterprises, makes her the ideal candidate to direct and enhance Georgia Center operations and educational programming.”

At UGA, Cartee will oversee the Georgia Center, a 300,000-square-foot facility that opened in 1957 as part of a grant from the Kellogg Foundation to UGA. Today, the Georgia Center’s continuing education programs focus on conferences and professional development both online and through the use of two auditoriums, nine conference rooms, five executive boardrooms and a computer training lab. The building also houses 200 hotel rooms, banquet areas, a full-service restaurant and a cafe. Bill Crowe,

who led the Georgia Center since 2007 and implemented many facility improvements and new educational programs, will retire from UGA June 30.

“The Georgia Center contributes to the economic and cultural vitality of our state through its broad array of continuing education programs and its first-class hotel and conference center,” Cartee said. “I’m excited to take my skills and apply them at a place that I have admired my entire life—our state’s flagship university.”

Cartee’s career in higher education leadership began in 1991 at Ogeechee Tech as a as a marketing instructor and public relations officer. Three years later, she advanced to vice president for student services. In 1999, she left to become vice president for academic affairs at Southeastern Technical College in Vidalia before returning to Statesboro eight years later. Cartee has four degrees, including a doctorate in educational administration, from Georgia Southern University.

ABOUT COLUMNS

PLANTS from page 1

Anderson, who has a joint appointment in UGA’s Odum School of Ecology and is a member of UGA’s Plant Center, is particularly interested in the adaptations that allow plants like Drummond’s rockcress to “migrate” to new areas in response to changing climates.

Anderson and her colleagues will conduct large-scale field studies and laboratory experiments to see if natural plant populations have enough genetic diversity to adapt to a rapidly changing climate. The lessons they learn from studying Drummond’s rockcress may help identify plants more or less vulnerable to climate change, which could influence conservation efforts for both natural and agriculturally important plants.

For the educational component of her award, Anderson will expand an ecology course for high school students in Colorado, where she does her fieldwork. She and her colleagues will work with the teachers to build lesson plans based on fieldwork, which they will post online.

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

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

Editor Juliett Dinkins Art Director Jackie Baxter Roberts Photo Editor Dorothy Kozlowski Senior Reporter Aaron Hale Reporter Vacant 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.

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