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Family and Consumer Sciences researchers find genetics, aging link RESEARCH NEWS
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The University of Georgia Performing Arts Center to present Abigail Washburn and Bela Fleck in concert
Vol. 43, No. 28
March 14, 2016
www.columns.uga.edu
UGA GUIDE
4&5
Nuss named campus dean of AU/UGA Medical Partnership By Sam Fahmy
sfahmy@uga.edu
Jeffrey Jones, executive director of the Peabody Awards, is committed to bringing the program into an expanded media landscape while maintaining its core credential: to recognize excellence in storytelling.
Peabody turns 75
Dr. Michelle “Shelley” Nuss, an administrator at the Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership who has played a key role in expanding residency options in Georgia, has been named its campus dean. Her appointment was effective March 1. In addition, Dr. Jonathan Murrow, a cardiologist and associate professor of medicine at the Medical Partnership, has been named campus associate dean for research. In this newly created role, Murrow will expand clinical research collaborations involving the state’s medical
community and faculty in Athens and Augusta. Murrow’s appointment is effective March 15. N u s s joined the AU/ UGA Medical Michelle Nuss Partnership in 2010 as an associate professor and campus associate dean for graduate medical education. She previously served as the director of the internal medicine and medicine/ psychiatry residency programs at West Virginia University School of Medicine. See PARTNERSHIP on page 8
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
Grady College program marks three-quarters USC administrator named dean of School of Social Work at UGA of a century honoring stories that matter By Sam Fahmy curriculum By Margaret Blanchard mblanch@uga.edu
A revolutionary chef with a passion for French cuisine. A seasoned journalist trusted by Americans to bring the news of the day into their homes each evening. Families of all shapes, colors and sizes. Comedians, artists and activists. The common thread linking these may not be immediately evident, but dig a little deeper and there’s a connection: All are in the elite club of recipients of a George Foster Peabody Award. Perusing the list of winners reveals a who’s who of media and culture—from Julia Child to Walter Cronkite, All in the Family to The Simpsons, Carol Burnett to Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg and Spike Lee. Since its founding 75 years ago, the Peabodys have been issued under the auspices of UGA’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass
Communication. What originated as a desire to acknowledge the best in radio has become an award that reflects compelling storytelling across all forms of electronic media. The carefully curated awards support the university’s stature as a pre-eminent institution of learning, often serving as catalysts for change across the globe. In his third year as executive director of the Peabodys, Jeffrey Jones is committed to bringing the awards program into an expanded media landscape while maintaining its core credential: to recognize excellence in storytelling. “We feel that if the story matters to us as citizens, then it will receive a Peabody Award,” said Jones, who also holds the Lambdin Kay Chair for the Peabodys. “For us, it’s to recognize that media can be an important voice, and shape who and what we are, if we pay attention to the best that media have to offer.” During his tenure, the awards
program has undergone several changes. The entry process was streamlined to receive digital submissions. Initial screening committees now include media experts from across the country, broadening the university’s outreach and invigorating the awards selection process. Jones also created a formal advisory board of 25 upper-level media and entertainment industry executives, including CEOs, television and radio programming heads, entertainment lawyers, talent agents and others, who serve as consultants offering their assistance in furthering the interests and increasing the prominence of the awards. He also struck a deal with the television network Pivot, part of Participant Media, to carry the awards ceremony, reimagined from a midday lunch to an evening event replete with a red-carpet walk. Last year’s gala at Cipriani Wall Street included guest presenters like
See PEABODY on page 8
sfahmy@uga.edu
Anna Scheyett, a dean at the University of South Carolina who has fostered student success while enhancing research and outreach, has been named dean of the UGA School of Social Work. Scheyett, who has led the USC College of Social Work since 2011, will assume her new role at UGA July 1. “Dr. Scheyett is committed to advancing the social work profession, and she comes to the University of Georgia with an extraordinary record of success,” said Provost Pamela Whitten. “I am confident that our School of Social Work will have an even greater impact on our state and nation under her bold leadership.” At USC, Scheyett oversaw a revision to the Master of Social Work
and developed student testing supports that helped increase licensure pass rates by nearly 40 percent. In addition, she established a Anna Scheyett graduate certificate program focused on social and behavioral health issues in military service members, veterans and military families. She has implemented grant submission and management support services while increasing professional development opportunities for faculty. During her tenure as dean, research expenditures in the USC College of Social Work have grown 87 percent.
See ADMINISTRATOR on page 8
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Vet medicine faculty member University Professor Week of entrepreneurial events to start March 28 named animal and By Camie Williams OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH By Terry Marie Hastings thasting@uga.edu
From a marathon game development competition to how to start a home-based business to running a biotechnology startup, Thinc. Week, held March 28 to April 1, offers the UGA community an opportunity to learn what it takes to move an idea from inspiration to business. This year’s Thinc. Week, sponsored by the Office of the Vice
President for Research, brings together an array of innovators from UGA and beyond to engage, inspire and build the confidence to take the plunge into entrepreneurship through workshops, panel discussions, competitions and events across the UGA campus. “Thinc. Week seeks to showcase all the creativity happening on campus, adding to the momentum of innovation and entrepreneurship that is happening,” said Jared Bybee, Thinc. director (see related
story, page 7). “Students from any major should feel like they are in a great place to tackle a problem or start a business. There are great resources and a fantastic community of students for anyone who wants to be involved.” UGA’s Thinc. Week coincides with entrepreneurship events in the Athens community, including Startup Week, sponsored by startup incubator FourAthens; Athens Slingshot Festival, featuring visual
See THINC. on page 7
camiew@uga.edu
Corrie Brown, Meigs Professor of Pathology in the College of Veterinary Medicine, has been named University Professor, an honor bestowed on faculty members who have made a significant impact on UGA beyond their normal academic responsibilities. Brown, who was named a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor in 2004, has built international partnerships to advance
human health. In her 20 years at UGA, her research, instruction and outreach have shaped global initiatives and transformed Corrie Brown lives. “Working at the interface of animal and human health, Dr. Brown has dedicated her career
See PROFESSOR on page 8
2 March 14, 2016 columns.uga.edu
Around academe
Michigan university axes 8 a.m. classes
Lake Superior State University in Michigan has removed 8 a.m. classes from its schedule to use the time for campus-wide meeting sessions. Inside Higher Ed reported that university officials said the decision was not meant to give students and faculty an extra hour of sleep, but acknowledged the serendipitous connection. “We see this as a beneficial side effect,” said David Finley, the university’s provost. “Many college students aren’t at their best at that hour.” Finley said the goal is to involve more students and employees in the university’s decisionmaking process and hopes students will make the best of the extra hour. The change will go into effect next fall as a trial run for the university.
Survey: Student activism on the rise
An annual survey of incoming freshmen, released by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California at Los Angeles, found that incoming freshmen, especially black students, are more likely than ever to engage in student activism. About 9 percent of respondents said there is a “very good chance” they will participate in campus protests over the next four years, a 2.9 percent increase from the previous year. Other data suggested increases in students’ overall civic engagement, with nearly 40 percent of students citing becoming a community leader to be a “very important” or “essential” life goal. Researchers said the campus protests seen nationwide last year will likely continue.
News to Use
Save energy, save money
Roughly half of the average utility bill goes toward heating and cooling a home, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. But there are ways to decrease that cost without sacrificing comfort. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning units should be inspected regularly by qualified professionals to ensure the safety and efficiency of the machines. You also can install a programmable thermostat that lets you set temperature adjustments by time of day, allowing you to lessen the amount of energy used to heat or cool your house when you aren’t there. You should change your air filter on a quarterly basis. Doing so not only reduces the prevalence of allergens in your home, but it also prevents the HVAC system from having to work harder to compensate for a dirty filter. Another way to reduce energy costs is by switching to more efficient light bulbs, like compact fluorescent bulbs. Although they have a higher purchase price, compact fluorescent bulbs ultimately save money by using less energy to produce light. Remembering to switch off lights when you leave a room is another way to cut energy costs, as is installing power strips that let you turn off appliances at the source. UGA Cooperative Extension offers more tips at fcs.uga.edu/extension/uga-greenway . Source: UGA Cooperative Extension
575+ PRODUCTS DEVELOPED BY UGA RESEARCHERS
IN THE MARKETPLACE
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Recent study finds gender equity in university’s salary-setting process By Jan Gleason
jgleason@uga.edu
A recent study that sought to proactively identify gender-based discrepancies in faculty compensation at UGA found no institution-wide practice or pattern of paying faculty members differently based on gender. UGA’s commitment to gender equity was the impetus for the faculty salary study. Eight faculty members were appointed to serve on a committee to develop a proposal and select an experienced external consultant for the study. Associate Provost for Institutional Diversity Michelle Cook led the committee. Florida-based consultant Economic Research Services Group was selected
situated female and male professors are paid at comparable rates overall. Cook requested additional analysis to determine if salaries that are outliers—either significantly high or low—have a disproportionate impact on any pay differences between male and female faculty members. Results from that analysis indicated that salaries in one unit, the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, warranted closer examination. This examination currently is being conducted by the FACS dean. Overall, the consultant’s study determined that UGA’s salary-setting process is neutral with respect to gender. Plans are to review faculty salaries on a regular basis, at least every five years.
Donald L. Hollowell Lecture to focus on ‘Civil Rights Queen’
INSTITUTE OF HIGHER EDUCATION Mellon Foundation president to deliver McBee Lecture
By Laurie Anderson
By Sharron Hannon
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
laurie@uga.edu
Constance Baker Motley, a civil rights lawyer who won nine cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and was the first black woman appointed to a federal bench, will be the subject of the UGA’s annual Donald L. Hollowell Lecture. Tomiko Brown-Nagin, the Daniel P. S. Paul Professor of Constitutional Law and a professor of history at Harvard University, will deliver the lecture, “ ‘The Civil Rights Queen’: Constance Baker Motley and the Struggle for Racial and Gender Equality in America.” The event is March 17 at 7 p.m. at the UGA Fine Arts Theatre. A reception will precede the lecture at 6 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public. “The choice of Judge Motley is particularly appropriate, since this year’s lecture occurs during both Women’s History Month and Social Work Month,” said Llewellyn J. Cornelius, the Donald L. Hollowell Distinguished Professor of Social Justice and Civil Rights Studies at the UGA School of Social Work, and director of the Center for Social Justice, Human and Civil Rights. The theme of this year’s Social Work Month is “Forging Solutions Out of Challenges.” “As a black female lawyer, Judge Motley faced considerable challenges. I’m thrilled that a scholar of Dr. BrownNagin’s caliber will be sharing her research about this under-appreciated civil rights pioneer,” Cornelius said. Brown-Nagin’s 2011 book, Courage to Dissent: Atlanta and the Long History of the Civil Rights Movement, won the Bancroft Prize in American History, a first for an African-American woman. She currently is working on a biography of Motley, which chronicles her pivotal role in strug-
gle to secure equal rights for black Americans. “Constance Baker Motley participated significantly with Donald L. Hollowell, Horace T. Ward and Vernon E. Jordan Tomiko Jr. in the groundBrown-Nagin breaking lawsuit that resulted in the admission of Hamilton E. Holmes and Charlayne Hunter to UGA in 1961,” said Maurice C. Daniels, dean of the School of Social Work and director of the Foot Soldier Project for Civil Rights Studies. “The university is indeed honored to bring to our community Dr. Tomiko Brown-Nagin, the award-winning legal historian, to lecture on the struggles and achievements of Judge Motley.” Brown-Nagin earned a doctorate in history from Duke University, a law degree from Yale University and a bachelor’s degree in history, summa cum laude, from Furman University. Prior to joining the Harvard faculty, she held joint appointments in law and history at the University of Virginia and practiced law in New York City. This year’s event also will include a tribute to Donald L. Hollowell’s widow, Louise Hollowell, who passed away in 2015. She was active in the civil rights movement and served on the endowment committee for the Hollowell Professorship, the first distinguished professorship at UGA named for an African-American. The Donald L. Hollowell Lecture annually brings to UGA a national or international expert in the areas of civil and human rights or social and economic sustainability.
shannon@uga.edu
Earl Lewis, president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, will deliver the 2016 McBee Lecture March 24 at 11 a.m. in the Chapel. The title of Lewis’ lecture is “America’s Future Depends on the Educated: Why Learning is Crucial.” Lewis became the sixth president of the Mellon Foundation in 2013. Under his guidance, the foundation has reaffirmed its comEarl Lewis mitment to the humanities, the arts and higher education by emphasizing the importance of continuity and change. A noted social historian, Lewis has held faculty appointments at the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Michigan. He has championed the importance of diversifying the academy, enhancing graduate education, revisioning the liberal arts, exploring the role of digital tools for learning and connecting universities to their communities. Prior to joining the Mellon Foundation, Lewis served as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and the Asa Griggs Candler Professor of History and African American Studies at Emory University. The McBee Lecture honors Louise McBee, who held leadership positions for more than 25 years at UGA before serving for more than a decade as a champion of higher education in the Georgia General Assembly.
FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
Opposition leader to give Snyder Lecture March 17 By Alan Flurry
aflurry@uga.edu
Read more about research at UGA at discover.uga.edu.
to conduct the study, which was designed to assess any gender-based differences between the nine-month base salaries paid to 1,663 assistant, associate and full professors. ERS Group has more than 30 years of experience working with universities and applies an industry-standard methodology. It has prepared pay equity studies at research institutions including Stanford University, Virginia Tech, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Auburn University and the University of Kentucky. The study took into account factors that legitimately impact compensation, including academic discipline and rank, tenure status, education level, work experience, administrative assignments, and others. It found that similarly
The UGA African Studies Institute will present the 2016 Darl Snyder Lecture March 17 at 10 a.m. in Masters Hall of the Georgia Center for Continuing Education. Zephirin Diabre, opposition leader in the Parliament and former presidential candidate of Burkina Faso and Visiting Harvard Scholar will speak on “Contesting Constitutional Change and Restoring Democracy in Burkina Faso.”
This event is open free to the public. Diabre’s lecture will focus on recent political developments in Burkina Faso, from the fight against constitutional change to the restoration of democracy, specifically the actions that led to the toppling of the Compaore regime to the parliamentary and presidential elections in 2015, in which he was a candidate. Trained as an economist and financial manager, Diabre has served as a professor of management at the University of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. In 1992, he was elected into the
National Assembly and served in various ministerial positions in the national government including minister of industry, trade and mining from 19921994, minister of economy and finance from 1994-1996 and president of the Economic and Social Council from 1996-1997. In between two stints in the private sector, he was appointed deputy director general of the United Nations Development Program in 1999. Diabre is a founding member and current president of the Union for Progress and Change in Burkina Faso.
RESEARCH NEWS
columns.uga.edu March 14, 2016
3
Digest Cherokee Garden Library director will speak at Friends of Garden meeting
Cal Powell
Rob Pazdro, an assistant professor in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, left, Yang Zhou, a doctoral student, and other UGA researchers are looking at a new pathway by which genetics regulates aging and disease.
Piece of the puzzle
FACS scientists make link between genetics, aging By Cal Powell
cpowell@uga.edu
UGA scientists have shown that a hormone instrumental in the aging process is under genetic control, introducing a new pathway by which genetics regulates aging and disease. Previous studies have found that blood levels of this hormone, growth differentiation factor 11, decrease over time. Restoration of GDF11 reverses cardiovascular aging in old mice and leads to muscle and brain rejuvenation, a discovery that was listed as one of the top 10 breakthroughs in science in 2014. Scientists in the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences now have discovered that levels of this hormone are determined by genetics, representing another potential mechanism by which aging is encoded in the genome.
Future studies will seek to reveal why GDF11 levels decrease later in life and whether they can be sustained to prevent disease. “Finding that GDF11 levels are under genetic control is of significant interest,” said the study’s senior author Rob Pazdro, an assistant professor in the college’s foods and nutrition department. “Since it is under genetic control, we can find the genes responsible for GDF11 levels and its changes with age.” The study confirmed results from previous experiments showing that GDF11 levels decrease over time and also showed that most of the depletion occurs by middle age. In addition, the study examined the relationship between GDF11 levels and markers of aging such as lifespan in 22 genetically diverse inbred mice strains. Of note, the strains with the highest
GDF11 levels tended to live the longest. Using gene mapping, Pazdro’s team then identified seven candidate genes that may determine blood GDF11 concentrations at middle age, demonstrating for the first time that GDF11 levels are highly heritable. “Essentially, we found a missing piece of the aging-genetics puzzle,” Pazdro said. “Very generally, we’ve made an important step toward learning about aging and why we age and what are the pathways that drive it. It’s the first step down a long road, but it’s an important step.” The study was published in the Journals of Gerontology. Study co-authors are Yang Zhou, Zixuan Jiang and Elizabeth Harris in the college’s foods and nutrition department and Jaxk Reeves and Xianyan Chen in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences’ statistics department.
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
UGA researchers working to encourage athletes to get assistance after suffering concussions By Kristen Morales kmorales@uga.edu
UGA researchers received a grant to study ways to reduce the stigma surrounding concussions, an injury so commonly associated with football. Funded by a three-year, $400,000 grant from the NCAA and the U.S. Department of Defense, Julianne Schmidt, an assistant professor in the UGA College of Education’s kinesiology department, and Welch Suggs, an associate professor in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, are creating intervention methods to help athletes seek assistance after they have suffered a concussion. “The goal is to change the culture in sport to one of reporting rather than one of concealing,” said Schmidt, who has led several studies involving concussions and the recovery process associated with them. Suggs, who studies how media images
affect individual attitudes about health and sports issues, will help examine how in-person seminars and multimedia presentations affect athletes’ attitudes toward reporting concussions. “The problem is, athletes are unwilling to report concussions because they’re worried about compromising their status on the team,” he said. “We’re trying to work with the athletes and the people surrounding them to make concussion reporting less of a threat.” A survey will be conducted to determine athletes’ knowledge and attitudes toward concussions, and the results will be used to create an intervention strategy delivered on multiple platforms. Parents and coaches will be involved in the process as well, which will help reinforce among the athletes the importance of reporting a concussion. While there are no military participants in the research, the Department of Defense plans to use the study to address similar concussion-reporting issues among soldiers.
The research team also includes Ron Courson, director of sports medicine for the UGA Athletic Association; Dr. Fred Reifsteck, UGA’s head team physician; coaches and athletes at Division II and III schools in Georgia; and Laura Bierema, associate dean for academic programs in the College of Education. Schmidt said at the end of the study the team plans to present guidelines to be distributed throughout the NCAA to encourage reporting concussions derived from scientific evidence. This dives deeper than current concussion information given to athletes, which focuses on simply knowing the facts about a concussion. This new program would address questions elite student-athletes ask, such as, “What will my parents think?” and “What will my coaches think?” “A concussion can represent a threat to your status, a threat to your identity as part of an elite group,” she said. “We’re showing people it’s OK to have injuries treated and make yourself stronger.”
The annual meeting of the Friends of the State Botanical Garden is March 18 at the garden’s Visitor Center. The highlight of the meeting is a talk on nature or gardening. This year Staci Catron, Cherokee Garden Library director at the Atlanta History Center, will discuss “Historic Gardens of Georgia.” Her talk at 7 p.m. will be preceded by a reception at 6:15 p.m. Both events, to be held in the garden’s Visitor Center and Conservatory Gardenside Room, are open free to the public. Initiated in 2002 under the direction of landscape architect Jim Cothran, the Georgia Historic Landscape Initiative is a collaborative effort among the Garden Club of Georgia, the National Park Service Southeastern Regional Office, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources-Historic Preservation Division and the Cherokee Garden Library at the Atlanta History Center. The initiative is conducting a statewide inventory of Georgia’s historic gardens and landscapes, and public awareness of the value of these historic resources throughout the state. To give a deeper understanding of the value of this effort to the state’s history, Catron will share examples of Georgia’s rich garden heritage.
Disaster preparedness exercise to be held on Health Sciences Campus
The College of Pharmacy in collaboration with the College of Veterinary Medicine, the AU/ UGA Medical Partnership, the College of Public Health and the Office of Emergency Preparedness will conduct a disaster preparedness exercise on the Health Sciences Campus March 19 from noon to 5 p.m. Community partners include the Clarke County Emergency Management Agency and Athens Regional Medical Center. The exercise scenario will include tents, decontamination equipment and emergency response vehicles. Students will take part in five outdoor drills with simulated human victims, including one drill with animals. Additionally five administrative drills will be conducted in Russell Hall. The students will learn about preparation and planning, incident management, safety and security, triage and treatment as well as evacuation.
Moot court teams win national competition, regional tournament
UGA School of Law students recently the won the 39th J. Braxton Craven Jr. Memorial Competition and captured the top position in a regional round of the American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition. The moot court team competing in the Craven competition consisted of second-year students Matthew B. “Matt” Rosenthal, Christopher D. “Chris” Stokes and Tayah Woodard. The trio won first place after beating 24 teams from law schools across the country, including Florida State University in the last round. They also earned the competition’s Best Brief Award. Third-year students D. Tyler “Ty” Adams and Kathleen B. “Kate” Hicks won the regional title in a National Appellate Advocacy Competition, and the pair will now advance to the national tier of the tournament to be held in Chicago during April. Adams also was presented with the contest’s Best Oralist Award. A second Georgia Law team finished as semifinalists in the National Appellate Advocacy regional round of competition. Second-year students Jacob S. “Jake” Edwards, Hannah S. Sells and Andrew Z.R. Smith represented Georgia Law and were presented with the 4th Best Brief Award. Notably, Edwards won the 5th Best Oralist Award. Thirdyear student Mical D. Carter served as the student coach for the Craven team, and third-year student G. Kevin Davis served the coach for the two National Appellate Advocacy teams.
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For a complete listing of events 7 8 5 at the University of Georgia, check the Master Calendar on the Web (calendar.uga.edu/). I
The following events are open to the public, unless otherwise specified. Dates, times and locations may change without advance notice.
UGAGUIDE The UGA Performing Arts Center will present Anthony McGill, principal clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic, March 21 at 8 p.m. in Ramsey Concert Hall. His program will include works by Debussy, Scriabin, Messiaen, Poulenc and Schumann. Tickets are $30 and are free for UGA students with valid ID. Tickets can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center box office, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-4400. McGill became principal clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic in 2014. He previously served as principal clarinetist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and associate principal clarinetist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. In 2009, he performed with Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma at the inauguration of President Barack Obama. McGill is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music and serves on the faculty of the Juilliard School, the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, Bard College Conservatory of Music and Manhattan School of Music. For his Athens recital, he will be accompanied by Gloria Chien, who was named “one of the superior pianists of the year” by the Boston Globe. The recital will be recorded for broadcast on American Public Media’s Performance Today, heard by 1.4 million listeners across the country.
LECTURE “From 1001 to 9030: Teaching, Learning and Adapting Across the Curriculum,” Carolina AcostaAlzuru of UGA’s Grady College. Part of the Center for Teaching and Learning’s Award Winning Faculty Series. 1 p.m. Reading Room, Miller Learning Center. 706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu GUEST LECTURE Kimberly Marlowe Harnett, author of Carolina Israelite: How Harry Golden Made Us Care about Jews, the South and Civil Rights will discuss Golden. 1 p.m. Special collections libraries. 706-542-1971, margie@uga.edu
The UGA Performing Arts Center will present the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra March 16 at 8 p.m. in Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall. Combining charming Kiwi humor with expert musicality, the WIUO presents the ukulele as it’s never been played before, featuring songs made famous by artists such as Justin Timberlake, Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Cyndi Lauper and Prince. Tickets for the concert are $25-$35 and are discounted for UGA students. Tickets can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling the box office at 706-542-4400.
WORKSHOP “eLC Best Practices.” This workshop will show participants how to use selected response (e.g. multiple choice) and constructed response (e.g., essays and rubrics) in eLC. 2 p.m. Center for Teaching and Learning. 706-542-6603, ehoran@uga.edu
The orchestra’s signature sound features many types of ukuleles, a double bass and a host of voices performing harmonious and hilarious renditions of modern and traditional tunes. Outrageous costumes are also part of the WIUO appeal. The WIUO has become one of New Zealand’s most popular live acts, touring throughout Australia and the United Kingdom. The band has performed sold-out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Melbourne Comedy Festival and the New Zealand International Comedy Festival where it won the award for best local act.
FILM SCREENING Award-winning Cuban director Gloria Rolando will screen her 2014 documentary Reembarque/Reshipment chronicling the presence and contributions of Haitian immigrants in Oriente and their forced repatriation in the early 20th century. 3 p.m. 248 Miller Learning Center. 706-542-9079, lferacho@uga.edu
—Bobby Tyler / btyler@uga.edu
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL MEETING 3:30 p.m. Tate Student Center Theatre. 706-542-6020, hathcote@uga.edu
EXHIBITIONS Tools of the Trade. Through March 16. Georgia Museum of Art. hazbrown@uga.edu Lucy Hargrett Draper Center and Archives Exhibit. Through March 31. Gallery hallway, special collections libraries. 706-542-8079, jclevela@uga.edu Pictures of Us: Photographs from the Do Good Fund Collection. Through March 31. Hargrett Gallery, special collections libraries. 706-542-8079, jclevela@uga.edu The Feminism Photo Project. Through March 31. Memorial Hall ballroom. Cherokee Basketry: Woven Culture. Through April 17. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817, hazbrown@uga.edu Portraits of the Working Class: Trees. Through May 1. Visitor Center’s Greatroom, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014, connicot@uga.edu David Ligare: California Classicist. Through May 8. Georgia Museum of Art. hazbrown@uga.edu Seeing Georgia: Changing Visions of Tourism in the Modern South. Through July 30. Special collections libraries. 706-542-5788, jhebbard@uga.edu
MONDAY, MARCH 14 GUEST LECTURE “Truth, Justice and Eyewitness,” Steven E. Clark, a professor of psychology, director of the Presley Center for Crime and Justice Studies at the University of California, Riverside and the founding director of the University of California Consortium on Social Science and Law. 11 a.m. Walker Room, Dean Rusk Hall. 706-542-7079, mariana@uga.edu FILM SCREENING* Chisholm ’72: Unbought and Unbossed. 6:30 p.m. 271 special collections libraries. 706-542-2846, tlhat@uga.edu PERFORMANCE Recently celebrating its 100 birthday, the Salzburg Marionette Theatre is one of the last remaining full-time professional marionette theaters in Europe. $30-$40. 8 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4400.
LUNCHTIME TIME MACHINE “How Did Hitler’s Atomic Bomb Ignite the Cold War?,” Derrick Angermeier, a doctoral candidate. Part of the history department’s undergraduate lecture series. 12:30 p.m. 221 LeConte Hall. history@uga.edu
FACULTY AND STAFF GOLF CLINIC To include long and short game instruction. To reserve a space, contact Clint Udell via email at cudell96@uga.edu and indicate any need to borrow golf clubs. 5:30 p.m. UGA Golf Course. Also to be held March 22. cudell96@uga.edu . CLASS “Beginning Cold Process Soap-Making.” This class is designed to teach students to make soap by hand at home. $45. 6 p.m. Visitor Center’s Classroom 2, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu POETRY READING Poet Lisa Robertson is known for working in booklength projects. Her subject matter includes political themes, such as gender and nation, as well as the problems of form and genre; she has written works that explore literary forms such as the pastoral, epic and weather forecast. 7 p.m. Cine, 234 W. Hancock Ave. 706-542-2659. FACULTY RECITAL The UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music’s assistant professor of viola, Maggie Snyder, will perform. 8 p.m. Ramsey Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4752, ccschwabe@uga.edu
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16 GUEST LECTURE The award-winning Cuban director Gloria Rolando will speak about her more than 35 years in Cuban cinema with ICAIC and her independent company
THURSDAY, MARCH 17 LECTURE “The Student-Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies (SCALE-UP) Project,” Robert Beichner of North Carolina State University. Part of the Center for Teaching and Learning’s National Speaker Series. 8:30 a.m. 303 physics building. 706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu WORKSHOP “Working Effectively with Community Partners.” The workshop will explore principles and best practices for creating, maintaining and assessing healthy partnerships, provide tips for preparing students to work in the community, model tools such as Give Pulse for event management and outline important risk management issues. 10 a.m. PSO Annex Conference Room, Office of Service-Learning building. 706-542-0892, pmatthew@uga.edu 2016 DARL SNYDER LECTURE Zephirin Diabre, opposition leader in the Parliament, former presidential candidate of Burkina Faso, former deputy administrator of the U.N. Development Program and Visiting Harvard Scholar will give a lecture titled “Contesting Constitutional Change and Restoring Democracy in Burkina Faso.” Hosted by the African Studies Institute. 10 a.m. Masters Hall, Georgia Center. (See story, page 2). WORKSHOP Robert Beichner of North Carolina State University will present “The Nuts and Bolts of Teaching SCALEUP: A Workshop.” 10:30 a.m. 303 physics building. 706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu OPENING RECEPTION Opening reception for the exhibit A Genius for Place, . 4:30 p.m. Circle Gallery, Jackson Street building. 706-542-8292, mtufts@uga.edu (See story, above right).
UGA HUGH HODGSON SCHOOL OF MUSIC
TUESDAY, MARCH 15 CLASS “Framing Trans Experiences in Academia.” Attendees will uncover experiences that have helped shape the notions of gender identity and expression while acquiring more knowledge around the complexities of trans identities. They will discuss ways to easily reframe or reshape classroom practices to honor the validity of transness. 11 a.m. Reading Room, Miller Learning Center. 706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu GUEST LECTURE Alexis Esquivel is a Cuban visual and performance artist whose work has often explored themes of history, race and identity, particularly in a Cuban cultural context. This lecture offers a reflection on the issue of race in Cuba and its historical development, drawing from an analysis of some of the most important artists to address these themes since the turn of the century. Esquivel will guide a virtual trip through a series of exhibitions mounted in Cuba and abroad in the last 18 years, examining the complexities of the debate over race in Cuba. Noon. Lamar Dodd School of Art. nandrew@uga.edu
The Second Thursday Scholarship Series at the UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music usually features one or two of the school’s talented ensembles or performers, but March’s edition offers quite a bit more: five times more, in fact. The March 17 UGA Choral Showcase in Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall brings five of the School of Music’s accomplished vocal ensembles to the stage for a night of choral music new and old. The 7:30 p.m. performance is on the third Thursday this month due to this year’s spring break. “The Choral Showcase will be a celebration of the many styles and sounds of choral music at UGA,” said Dan Bara, the John D. Boyd UGA Foundation Professor of Choral Music and director of choral activities at the music school. Tickets for the performance are $18, $5 with a UGA student ID. Tickets are available at pac.uga.edu, by calling 706-542-4400 or by visiting the Performing Arts Center box office. The showcase will feature the UGA Glee Clubs, both men’s and women’s, and Collegium Musicum, specializing in early choral music, led by J.D. Burnett, associate director of choral activities; the African American Choral Ensemble led by Gregory Broughton, chair of the voice area at the School of Music; and the Hodgson Singers, led by Bara. “We’re hoping this will be an engaging and entertaining program for the audience, featuring a collage-like succession of choral performances,” Bara said.
—Clarke Schwabe / ccschwabe@uga.edu
Calendar items are taken from Columns files and from the 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/.
—Bobby Tyler / btyler@uga.edu
THE CIRCLE GALLERY
conference will provide a unique opportunity for instruction, networking and new format demonstrations. $65; $55 for students. Noon. Ramsey Student Center. 706-542-5060, christina.reynolds@uga.edu MORNING MINDFULNESS Participants will enhance mindful practice in an environment of creative energy. Held select Fridays during the spring semester. Sessions include instructor-led meditation followed by a period of reflection and discussion. Stools without backs are provided; participants should bring a cushion if desired. Register by calling 706-542-0448 or emailing branew@uga.edu. 9:30 a.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu
CONCERT The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra, critically acclaimed as “New Zealand’s hottest music/ comedy ensemble,” will perform. $25-$35. 8 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4400. (See story, above left).
ECOLOGY SEMINAR “In Sickness and in Health: Committing to a (Better) Future with Streams,” Amy Rosemond, an asociate professor in the UGA Odum School of Ecology. 4 p.m. Ecology building auditorium. 706-542-7247, bethgav@uga.edu .
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UGA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Imagenes del Caribe, along with her most recent projects on Haitian repatriation and on the histories and contributions of the black Cuban women in her family. Noon. 250 Miller Learning Center. 706-542-9079, lferacho@uga.edu .
UGA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
columns.uga.edu March 14, 2016
The Circle Gallery at the College of Environment and Design will present A Genius for Place: American Landscapes of the Country Place Era, an exhibit featuring the photographs of Carol Betsch. A reception, which is free and open to the public, will take place March 17 from 4:306 p.m. in the gallery at 285 S. Jackson St. The exhibit will run through April 28. In A Genius for Place, Betsch interprets some of the most iconic designed landscapes of the Country Place Era in early 20th century America, including Dumbarton Oaks (designed by Beatrix Farrand) in Washington, D.C., and Naumkeag (designed by Fletcher Steele) in Stockbridge, Massachussetts. These photographs were taken for the book of the same name by Robin Karson published by the Library of American Landscape History. The touring exhibit has come home to UGA, where it will remain in the permanent collection of the College of Environment and Design, thanks to the generous donation by LALH. In addition to her work as a photographer, Betsch has served as managing editor of the University of Massachusetts Press. Her photographs have appeared in numerous books and gallery exhibits. —Melissa Tufts / mtufts@uga.edu
TERRY LEADERSHIP SPEAKER SERIES Speaker: Debbie Storey, executive vice president for mobility customer service at AT&T. The Terry Leadership Speaker Series, presented by the Institute for Leadership Advancement, brings well-known leaders from a variety of organizations to the Terry College of Business and UGA. 10:10 a.m. Chapel. 706-542-9770, valeriej@uga.edu INTERNATIONAL COFFEE HOUR This event is for those who enjoy good food, coffee, conversations with people and exploring and learning about new cultures. 11:30 a.m. Memorial Hall Ballroom. 706-542-5867, cheeia@uga.edu WOMEN’S STUDIES FRIDAY SPEAKER SERIES LECTURE “Writing Oneself Into Existence: Arts-Based Research and the Power of Voice & Storytelling,” Angela Hall, women’s studies and theatre and film studies. 12:20 p.m. 248 Miller Learning Center. 706-542-2846 tlhat@uga.edu BASEBALL vs. Kentucky. $5-$8. 6 p.m. Foley Field. 706-542-1231.
SATURDAY, MARCH 19 SIGMA SIGMA RHO’S HEEL THE SOUL WALK Sigma Sigma Rho Sorority Inc. will host its fourth annual Heel the Soul Walk to help raise money for domestic violence centers such as Project Safe and Peace Place. $13-$17. 10 a.m. Tate Student Center. BASEBALL vs. Kentucky. $5-$8. 2 p.m. Foley Field. 706-542-1231.
THIRD THURSDAY GALLERY TALKS Three post-MFA Fellows in photography and sculpture will discuss their exhibitions. 6 p.m. Dodd Galleries, Lamar Dodd School of Art. kgeha@uga. edu. DONALD L. HOLLOWELL LECTURE “‘The Civil Rights Queen’: Constance Baker Motley and the Struggle for Racial and Gender Equality in America,” Tomiko Brown-Nagin, Daniel P.S. Paul Professor of Constitutional Law and professor of history at Harvard University. Sponsored by the Center for Social Justice, Human and Civil Rights; the School of Social Work; and the Foot Soldier Project for Civil Rights Studies. Part of the Signature Lecture Series. 7 p.m. Fine Arts Theatre, Fine Arts building. (See story, page 2). THURSDAY TWILIGHT TOUR Led by docents. 7 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662 hazbrown@uga.edu SECOND THURSDAY CONCERT SERIES Conductors Daniel Bara and J.D. Burnett will lead the UGA Glee Clubs, Collegium Musicum and the Hodgson Singers in a night of choral music. $18; $5 with a UGA student ID. 7:30 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4752, musicpr@uga.edu. (See story, bottom left).
FRIDAY, MARCH 18 EVOLVE FITNESS SYMPOSIUM The Evolve Fitness Symposium is a conference for collegiate fitness professionals and students from universities around the southeastern U.S. The
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.
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.
SUNDAY, MARCH 20 BASEBALL vs. Kentucky. $5-$8. 1 p.m. Foley Field. 706-542-1231.
MONDAY, MARCH 21 WORKSHOP “Low- and Mid-Stakes Writing Assignments.” Integrating informal writing into a course has many benefits. Low-stakes writing helps students develop understanding of content and become more comfortable with writing, and it helps instructors identify problems in student learning and provide formative assessment. This workshop will help participants develop productive strategies for using low- and mid-stakes writing assignments in their courses. 1 p.m. Center for Teaching and Learning. 706-542-6603, ehoran@uga.edu FILM SCREENING* Patsy Mink: Ahead of the Majority. 6:30 p.m. 271 special collections libraries. 706-542-2846, tlhat@uga.edu PERFORMANCE Recognized as one of the world’s finest solo, chamber and orchestral musicians, Anthony McGill was named principal clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic in 2014. $30. 8 p.m. Ramsey Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4400. (See story, above).
COMING UP WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE FOR SPRING SEMESTER March 22. FACULTY AND STAFF GOLF CLINIC March 22. To include long and short game instruction. To reserve a space, contact Clint Udell via email at cudell96@uga.edu and indicate any need to borrow golf clubs. 5:30 p.m. UGA Golf Course. cudell96@uga.edu PERFORMANCE March 22. The banjo duo of Abigail Washburn and Bela Fleck will perform. $25-$50. 8 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4400. (See story, below). *PART OF WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
UGA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER The UGA Performing Arts Center will present Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn March 22 at 8 p.m. in Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall. The husband-and-wife duo recently won the Grammy for best folk album, and their concert will feature music from the award-winning album. Ticket are $25-$50 and are discounted for UGA students. Tickets can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center box office, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-4400. Fleck is widely regarded as the premier banjo player in the world. He’s the winner of 16 Grammy awards with 31 nominations. Fleck has been nominated in more different musical categories than anyone in Grammy history. He married Washburn, an equally talented banjo player and folk singer, in 2009. Shortly after the birth of their son, Juno, the couple decided to record an album together. Between them, they used seven different banjos in all, including a cello banjo, a ukulele banjo that technically belongs to Juno and a baritone banjo that Fleck commissioned specifically for the album. “We had this vision of playing different banjos in different registers,” Fleck said, “finding a way to make every song have its own unique stamp, yet the whole project having a big, cohesive sound— with only two people.”
—Bobby Tyler / btyler@uga.edu
NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES March 16 (for March 28 issue) March 23 (for April 4 issue) March 30 (for April 11 issue)
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Meghan Boenig, head coach of UGA’s equestrian team, received the Golden Saddle Award from the Georgia Commodity Commission for Equine. Each year this award is given to an individual who promotes the horse industry in Georgia. The Georgia Commodity Commission for Equine held a Meghan Boenig reception Feb. 2, where Boenig was given her award. The event honors Georgians ages 6-19 who have placed first in a state show or in the top 10 in a world or national show. Attendees were honored by the governor and legislators. Laura Dean, an associate professor in the College of Education’s counseling and human development services department, is the recipient of the Robert H. Shaffer Award for Academic Excellence as a Graduate Faculty Member. Given by the NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, the award is presented to individuals who are a personal inspiration to graduate students, have served on doctoral committees and have distinguished records of scholarly achievements themselves. Dean and other national award winners will be honored at the 2016 NASPA annual conference March 12-16 in Indianapolis. NASPA is the leading association for the advancement, health and sustainability of the student affairs profession. Its work provides high-quality professional development, advocacy and research for 15,000 members in all 50 states, 25 countries and eight U.S. territories. Dean also received the Ted K. Miller Award for Excellence from the Southern Association for College Student Affairs for her accomplishments in advancing standards of practice and quality assurance in educational programs and services in higher education. David Riley’s work on the effects of cowpea curculio and other insects on vegetables earned him the 2016 Recognition Award in Entomology from the Southeastern branch of the Entomological Society of America. Riley, an entomologist based at UGA’s Tifton campus, will be recognized at the society’s annual meeting March 15-16 in Raleigh, North Carolina. To be eligible for the award, the nominee must be a current SEB-ESA member and must have made significant contributions to agricultural advancement through work in the entomology field. The award is given each year to one applicant from across nine Southeastern states along with one territory, Puerto Rico. The winner must demonstrate an exceptional contribution to both the science of entomology and the advancement of agricultural production in the Southeast. Anneliese Singh, an a ssociate professor in the College of Education’s counseling and human development services department, received the 2016 Award for Distinguished Contributions to P sychology in the Public Interest (Early Career) from Anneliese Singh the American Psychological Association. Singh also is one of 25 faculty and researchers named to the Center for LGBTQ Studies’ Scholars of Color list. Founded as CLAGS in 1991 at the City University of New York, the Center for LGBTQ Studies is dedicated to the study of historical, cultural and political issues of concern to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals and communities. 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.
FACULTY PROFILE
Dorothy Kozlowski
Lilia Gomez-Lanier, an assistant professor of furnishings and interiors in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, credits her interest in both cultural anthropology and architecture, as well as her unique upbringing, with shaping her teaching style.
Bicultural background informs, influences faculty member’s work By Abigail Harrison aeh1995@uga.edu
Growing up in two countries and with an American mother and Venezuelan father, Lilia Gomez-Lanier recalls from childhood the difference between the two cultures, specifically how cultural values and beliefs affected the aesthetics of buildings and their interior spaces and how people used them. These cultural differences set the tone for Gomez-Lanier’s interest in the relationship between built environments and an individual’s meaning of space, aesthetics and use of space. “I found it fascinating that homes and buildings in the U.S. and Venezuela were so different from one another,” said Gomez-Lanier, an assistant professor of furnishings and interiors in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. “For instance, our home and those of our friends in the U.S. had painted walls with wood trim, carpet, hardwood floors and air conditioning, while in Venezuela our family home had terrazzo floors, the house was very open to the backyard and exterior walls were a combination of poured concrete and open concrete blocks with insect screens for natural ventilation.” The differences didn’t end there, she said. “In our house in the U.S. the family room with its TV was the primary room in the house, while in Venezuela the outdoor patio served as the primary room for our family and friends who would come to play dominoes nightly,” Gomez-Lanier said. Before her career at UGA in 2013, Gomez-Lanier taught interior design at
the Art Institute of Atlanta and worked as both an architect and interior designer for several firms in Atlanta. Gomez-Lanier credits her interest in both cultural anthropology and architecture, as well as her unique upbringing, with shaping her teaching style. In the classroom, she said she strives to give her students a voice, believing that learning is based on the combination of life experiences and classroom knowledge. She also expresses an appreciation for service and experiential learning while encouraging collaboration. “Everybody has life experiences,” she said. “I might have the knowledge and professional experience, but you as the student have life knowledge that can add to class discussions, which enriches the learning process for all. Learning is a collaborative effort whether in the classroom or in an office.” Gomez-Lanier teaches eight classes ranging from history of design, kitchen and bath studio to hand drafting and presentation in the college’s textiles, merchandising and interiors department. She also serves as faculty adviser to the Student Interior Design Association and co-faculty adviser to UGA’s American Society Interior Design student chapter, and is a member of UGA’s Faculty Sustainability Community. “I enjoy teaching because it is constantly evolving and dependent upon industry trends and educational pedagogies,” she said. “There is so much to learn in life that I try to learn at least one thing a day. Whatever knowledge I have I want to share with others.” Gomez-Lanier’s research interests include online learning, the use and spatial quality of built environments, cultural
FACTS
Lilia Gomez-Lanier
Assistant Professor Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors College of Family and Consumer Sciences Ed.D., Education, Argosy University, 2013 M.S., Architecture, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1984 M.S, Anthropology, Georgia State University, 1998 B.S., Architecture, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1982 At UGA: Two years, seven months
expressions in the built environment and experiential learning. She’s currently working on a research paper focused on the use of empathy in the classroom setting, which will be presented at a conference later this year. The research grew out of a collaboration with the FACS Institute on Human Development and Disabilities, whose leaders asked Gomez-Lanier’s senior design studio students to propose renovation ideas for the homes of three disabled Georgia farmers. “Not only did the students gain experience in interviewing a real client, but they also witnessed firsthand the difficulties a physically disabled older adult has with completing everyday activities in their own home, one that was not designed for a disabled person,” GomezLanier said. “The students were able to step into the shoes of an actual person and empathize with them, gaining a greater understanding of how design integrates user program needs and enhances quality of life.”
HUGH HODGSON SCHOOL OF MUSIC
Faculty member named Despy Karlas Professor in Piano By Jessica Luton jluton@uga.edu
Martha Thomas, a Hugh Hodgson School of Music professor at UGA, has been named the second recipient of the Despy Karlas Professorship in Piano, which was established by friends and admirers of the late UGA music professor. Karlas joined the UGA faculty in 1946 after Hugh Hodgson, the director of the newly established school of music, overheard her practicing on a visit to Juilliard and hired her on the spot. Her career spanned decades at UGA, but her legacy has lived on through the
countless students, colleagues and musicians who were inspired by her tenacity for teaching and passion for performing. “Despy Karlas helped to lay the foundation at UGA Martha Thomas for one of the finest piano programs in the country,” said Dale Monson, director of the Hodgson School. “Dr. Thomas is among the leading national figures in her field, a brilliant performer and teacher.” As a performer, teacher and
recording artist, Thomas has traveled the world to play at universities, conferences and festivals. She has been included on eight commercially available albums and mentored hundreds of students along the way. Her busy recording career has included recordings on ACA Digital, Centaur and Albany labels, with her CD of solo piano music from George Rochberg garnering positive reviews and a citation in The New York Times. Her newest recording, Max Reger: The Forgotten Romantic, features music from five of the composer’s solo piano collections.
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OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH
columns.uga.edu March 14, 2016
THINC. from page 1 artists, musicians and leading innovators on a range of technologies; and Athens Success Summit, picking up where Slingshot leaves off, with major keynotes, breakout sessions, sponsored events, live music and more.
Thinc. Week highlights:
MARCH 28 • From Idea to Marketplace: More than 575 products and 130 startup companies have originated from UGA research. Hear these success stories and meet the inventors at Innovation Gateway’s open house. Refreshments available. 4-5:30 p.m., Center for Applied Genetic Technologies, 111 Riverbend Road.
Dorothy Kozlowski
Jared Bybee, director of the Thinc. program, left is developing a design-thinking workshop that can be taken to traditional UGA classrooms. Thinc. has hosted classes and workshops on design thinking.
Thinc-ing beyond
Building a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship By Aaron Hale
aahale@uga.edu
The Thinc. initiative began in 2013 as a weeklong event to showcase student innovation and entrepreneurship at UGA (see story, page 1). As the initiative encouraged faculty, staff and students to collaborate on groundbreaking ideas, a new idea for the university emerged: What if there was year-round, campuswide programming aimed to be a catalyst for innovation at UGA? That idea helped to expand Thinc., which is housed in the Office of the Vice President for Research, into a new phase with a modified mission. “My focus is on continuing to organize the people of the university around creating a culture of innovation and making resources available to students who want to pursue novel ideas and solve big problems,” said Jared Bybee, who was named director of the Thinc. program last year. Bybee, who has served UGA in a number of faculty roles since 2013, has steered the program toward offering extracurricular, noncredit activities such as pop-up classes that teach skills like 3-D printing and coding for noncomputer science students. These are the
kinds of skills that allow students to create the kinds of big ideas they discover in the classroom. During his time at UGA, Bybee—a lawyer by training—has taught classes at the School of Law, Terry College and the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. He also worked at the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development as a public service assistant. The opportunity to work on both North and South Campus allowed Bybee to experience the breadth of resources at UGA, which guides his effort to make Thinc. an interdisciplinary initiative. “One of the measures of success,” Bybee said, “is that we have students from all over the place from the business school and engineering, computer science, art, environmental design. Innovative entrepreneurship happens when you get that real mix of students who have different skill sets and viewpoints on the world.” One student who has found inspiration with Thinc. is Shep Ogden, a second-year finance major and computer science minor. Ogden credits Thinc. for helping him develop new modes of thinking. “Thinc. is an umbrella for different students in the arts, business and
WEEKLY READER
Books offers a how-to on green gardening
Sustainable Gardening for the Southeast By Susan Varlamoff University of Florida Press $29.95
Sustainable Gardening for the Southeast condenses the best research-tested sustainable landscaping practices so they can be used by urban homesteaders and suburban gardeners alike. Susan Varlamoff, director of the Office of Environmental Sciences in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, provides vivid illustrations demonstrating simple techniques to help conserve water, reduce pollutants and mitigate climate change while increasing biodiversity and attracting pollinators and wildlife. By creating a guide book that provides the science behind sustainability and basic how-to instructions, Varlamoff’s goal was to inspire and empower gardeners to build resilient landscapes featuring native plants, colorful flowers and trees, and even organically grown fruits and vegetables.
science,” he said. “I’m getting to work with a group of people who think in different ways, which broadens my way of seeing things.” One problem-solving tool Bybee has focused on teaching is the designthinking process, which considers empathy when creating solutions. The goal is to design “something that’s not just functional but functions in a way people need and want to use it,” he said. Thinc. has hosted classes and workshops on design thinking, including a recent 24-hour contest that used design thinking to address challenges of sustainability at UGA’s campus. Bybee also is developing a designthinking workshop that can be taken to traditional UGA classrooms. He encourages faculty members to contact him (bybeej@uga.edu) if they think such a workshop would be beneficial in their courses. Ultimately, Bybee hopes that Thinc. will be one way UGA can make an impact on Georgia and beyond. “We have super-sharp students and dedicated professors,” he said. “We can steer students to think about those grand challenges of the world right from UGA.”
MARCH 29 • Bulldog 100 Winners: Alumni entrepreneurs from the College of Family and Consumer Sciences will discuss topics in entrepreneurship. 12:30-1:45 p.m. and 2-3:30 p.m., 102 Miller Learning Center. • FACS Alumni Entrepreneurs & Innovators: A panel discussion with successful alumni entrepreneurs. 3:30-5 p.m., 120 Robert C. Wilson Pharmacy Building. • Thinc. Open House/Club Fair: Come meet likeminded students, get involved with entrepreneurship at UGA. Refreshments available. 7 p.m., Studio 1, 225 W. Broad St. MARCH 30 • Student Marketplace: An opportunity for student entrepreneurs to sell, demonstrate and recruit for their businesses on campus. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tate Plaza. • From Homeless to Hypergrowth: A punk art student’s path to building one of America’s fastest growing companies. Hear Kit Hughes, UGA alumnus and founder of the digital agency Look-Listen, describe his journey to success. 3-4 p.m., 101 Miller Learning Center. • Terry College Next Top Entrepreneur Competition: Eight teams from UGA and other colleges compete for prizes as they pitch their companies. Networking, 5-6 p.m.; competition, 6-9 p.m. Hotel Indigo, 500 College Ave. • Starting Your Home-Based Business Workshop: Learn the basics of starting a business, marketing strategies to set you apart, pricing, customer satisfaction. Free lunch provided. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 142 Tate Center. Registration: pjmoon@uga.edu . Sponsored by the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. APRIL 1 • GameJam: Create a game in 48 hours. The theme will be announced at the start of the Jam. Food provided. Prizes to be awarded. Sponsored by Thinc., UGA Hacks and Georgia Game Developers Association. Register: http://athensgamejam.com . 6 p.m. 225 W. Broad St. APRIL 4 • Cloning Technologies to Regenerative Medicine: Science Fiction to Reality. Georgia Bio and UGA Innovation Gateway will hold a panel discussion with UGA entrepreneurs and commercialization advisers. 4-7 p.m., Hotel Indigo, 500 College Ave.
ON THE WEB
http://thinc.uga.edu/thincweek
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Editor Juliett Dinkins Art Director Janet Beckley Photo Editor Dorothy Kozlowski
Signature Research Themes site launches http://research.uga.edu/about/signature/ The Office of the Vice President for Research has launched a microsite highlighting UGA’s three Signature Research Themes—Inquiring and Innovating to Improve Human Health; Safeguarding and Sustaining Our World; and Changing Lives Through the Land-Grant Mission.
The university’s Signature Research Themes are broad areas where UGA’s faculty members have established a reputation for excellence. They were identified after a yearlong process that included input from faculty and administrators and multiple data analysis tools.
Senior Reporter Aaron Hale Reporter Matt Chambers 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. I
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PARTNERSHIP from page 1
Two sections of the North Campus quad will be closed for a turf restoration project until June 15 as UGA begins an initiative to preserve and restore the integrity of the historic area.
North Campus quad to be restored By Aaron Hale
aahale@uga.edu
UGA is beginning an initiative to preserve and restore the integrity of the historic North Campus quad. The first phase of the project will require closing two sections of the lawn for a turf restoration project until June 15. The UGA Athletic Association will be partnering with UGA by providing support for this project. Access to the historic Arch will remain open for Commencement festivities in May and throughout the three-month project. The North Campus lawn was included as an open green space in the 1801 plan for the building of UGA’s first permanent building known first as Franklin College and today as Old College and has been preserved since then to be enjoyed by the UGA community. Currently, it suffers from compacted soil and poor drainage, which harms the appearance and viability of the lawn. In addition, limbs from existing trees create too much shade and impede airflow, which also harm the lawn. Improvements will aim to enhance the lawn while minimizing the effects on existing mature trees, which are essential to the character of North Campus. The project will include selective thin-
ning of the tree canopy, soil aeration and tilling methods to improve drainage, and sodding the lawn with the tall fescue species of grass, which grows well in semi-shady conditions. While planning for the project, the university’s Facilities Management Division consulted with UGA turf expert Gerald Henry, the Georgia Athletic Association Professor of Crop and Soil Sciences, for input on turf type and recommendations to alleviate other problems. During the restoration, two sections of the North Campus lawn including some sidewalks will be fenced in and closed: the northernmost section of the lawn that runs from the iron fence adjacent to Broad Street down to the Chapel, and the section of the lawn just north of Old College. The sidewalk that runs from the Arch down the length of the quad will remain open. Although access to the Arch will remain, construction fencing will be visible to the east of the campus monument during renovation. Work to remove existing turf, implement soil improvements and lay sod will take place until approximately April 15. Fencing will remain in place so the lawn can become established, which is expected to be approximately June 15.
Bulletin Board Service-learning workshop
The Office of Service-Learning workshop “Working Effectively with Community Partners” will be held March 17 from 10 a.m. to noon in the PSO Annex conference room (behind the Office of Service-Learning). Workshop participants will explore principles and best practices for creating, maintaining and assessing healthy partnerships; provide tips for preparing students to work in the community; model tools such as Give Pulse for event management; and outline important risk management issues. The workshop is free but preregistration is required. Sign up at http://tinyurl.com/jqhx67a . For more information, contact Susan Parish by email (sparish@uga.edu) or phone (706-542-8924).
Golf tournament registration
The 2016 Ed Hoard Memorial First Tee Scholarship Golf Tournament will be hosted May 6 by the UGA Golf Course in partnership with the UGA Foundation. Participation in the tournament is open to the public. The entry fee for each player is $125 before March 31 and $150 after March 31. The fee includes golf, lunch, beverages, after-round snacks, tee gifts and valuable networking opportunities. The format for the tournament will be a four-person team scramble. All proceeds from the tournament will benefit the Ed Hoard Memorial First Tee Scholarship Fund.
For more information, call 706-369-5739 or visit http://t.uga.edu/27E .
CTEGD symposium
Registration is open until April 27 for the 26th annual Molecular Parasitology/ Vector Biology Symposium which will be held May 3 at the Georgia Center. This daylong regional conference, hosted by UGA’s Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, on parasites and host/parasite interaction routinely draws more than 120 attendees from many departments in at least four different colleges or schools at UGA as well as colleagues from other institutions in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida and Tennessee. John Boothroyd from the Stanford University School of Medicine will be the keynote speaker. His research focuses on the pathogenesis of parasitic infections, most notably Toxoplasma gondii. Graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and other researchers are invited to present their research in either an oral or poster presentation. Abstracts for these presentations are due by April 11. There is no cost to attend the symposium or the full catered lunch, but registration is required. For more information and to register, visit http://t.uga.edu/27N .
Senior Signature deadline
Students who graduate in May or December have until March 31 to make their Senior Signature donations to secure their names on the Class of 2016
“Dr. Nuss has been a steadfast leader at our partnership campus since it opened its doors to students,” said Dr. Peter Buckley, dean of the Medical College of Georgia at AU and interim executive vice president for health affairs. “Her knowledge, commitment and continued leadership will help ensure ongoing success in educating the next generation of physicians for our state and beyond.” “The appointment of Dr. Nuss to this critical leadership role is the beginning of a promising new era for the AU/UGA Medical Partnership,” said Provost Pamela Whitten. “She is deeply committed to educating world-class physicians and strengthening the ties between the academic and medical communities to create a healthier future for our state.” Murrow came to the Medical Partnership
in 2009 and was previously an assistant professor of medicine at Emory University. “Dr. Murrow has a strong record of cultivating collaborations between the AU/ UGA Medical Partnership and practitioners in the community,” Whitten said, “and he will play a pivotal role in catalyzing advances in research that tackle some our nation’s most pressing health issues and contribute to our state’s growing reputation as a hub for the life sciences industry.” “One of our many goals for the partnership has been enhancing clinical and basic research collaborations between our medical school and UGA as well as with our many community colleagues,” Buckley said. “In this new position, Dr. Murrow will help strengthen the focus on this essential aspect of academic medicine excellence.”
PROFESSOR from page 1
ADMINISTRATOR from page 1
to creating a healthier and more prosperous future,” said Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Pamela Whitten. “She is an inspiring instructor and mentor, a pioneering researcher and a global ambassador for the University of Georgia.” Brown has worked with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the U.S. Agency for International Development,Veterinarians Without Borders and the federal departments of state, defense and agriculture to create programs to help veterinarians understand how to build sustainable animal health systems that improve heath, food security and economic stability. She has presented workshops or conducted training in more than 50 countries and authored several manuals that are in use across the globe. “In (Veterinarians Without Borders)’s work throughout the developing world, it’s not possible to operate anywhere without coming across Dr. Brown’s name and her contributions,” CEO Thomas W. Graham wrote in nominating Brown, who serves on the nongovernmental organization’s board of directors. “She has spent 30 years building partnerships and collaborations and investing in others.”
“I am pleased that Dr. Scheyett will be joining the university as dean of the School of Social Work,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “I look forward to her continued advancement of the academic stature of the School of Social Work in the coming years.” Scheyett has made collaboration across disciplines as well as with partners at the community, state and international levels a key priority. Under her leadership, the USC College of Social Work exceeded its $4 million fundraising goal. “The School of Social Work has a core focus on the most pressing issues of our time— social justice, health and health disparities and poverty—with brilliant, dedicated faculty and students invested in moving the needle on these challenges,” Scheyett said. “I’m honored to have been chosen by UGA to lead the school into the future and am eagerly looking forward to beginning my work.” Scheyett will succeed Dean Maurice Daniels, who announced last year that he would be returning to the faculty to devote more time to his research. “Dean Daniels has been a transformative leader, and he leaves a very strong foundation for Dean Scheyett and the faculty, staff and students in the School of Social Work to build on,” Whitten said.
PEABODY from page 1 Senior Signature plaque in Tate Plaza. UGA faculty and staff are encouraged to remind students about this important deadline as it will be the last time graduating students have the opportunity to be included on the plaque. Senior Signature is the university’s class gift program through which students make a $50 gift to UGA, $20 of which is an unrestricted gift to the Georgia Fund, UGA’s annual giving fund. The other $30 may be designated to a school, college or other unit on campus about which the student is passionate. To make a gift or learn more about this important fundraising opportunity, visit alumni.uga.edu/seniorsignature . Send questions to alumni@uga.edu .
‘Listening’ sessions
UGA is exploring an update of its visual brand identity and logo system and invites members of the UGA community to participate in a series of open, public input meetings in March. The meetings will be structured “listening” sessions led by the Division of Marketing & Communications that will explore the preferences and needs of faculty, staff, students and alumni and discuss opportunities to establish a universitywide system for logos and to make it more relevant for digital media use. To sign up to attend, go to http:// goo.gl/forms/ko7ph97ySb . Bulletin Board is limited to information that may pertain to a majority of faculty and staff members.
Tina Fey and Charlie Rose, with Fred Armisen as emcee. The changes are a necessary reflection of the times as well as a way to call attention to the worth of the Peabodys, according to Jones.
‘A diamond in the rough’
The status of the awards is only part of the story.As the clearinghouse for entries since the awards began, UGA has amassed the thirdlargest media archive in the country, behind the Library of Congress and the University of Southern California-Los Angeles. For years, much of the archives languished in storage due to a lack of exhibit space on campus. When the university’s Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries opened in 2012, it included a permanent gallery for the Peabody Collection. Ruta Abolins, director of the Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection, credits the building with raising the profile of the archives and its importance as a cultural touchstone. “I don’t know any place where you can get a slice of media history like this,” she said. “The real benefit is looking at an entire year of programming—it shows the real flavor of the year in the U.S. and abroad and what was important.” The archives are also a record of technology and how media have changed over the years, with the Peabodys highlighting innovative programming or delivery methods long before they reach the public consciousness. To raise awareness about the “tremendous reservoir” housed in the Peabody Collection, Jones and his team have hosted the first of two academic conferences that focus on the scholarly potential of the archives. The results will be preserved in the inaugural volume of a book series dedicated to the Peabody Archives and produced by the University of Georgia Press. “It’s a way to recognize that this is a treasure trove we’ve not fully mined,” he said.