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UGA professor committed to building a better peanut through gene sequencing RESEARCH NEWS
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Terry ‘Legacy of Giving’ exhibition now on display at Georgia Museum of Art Vol. 45, No. 36
May 29, 2018
www.columns.uga.edu
UGA GUIDE
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Alumna Kelly Smith named next dean of College of Pharmacy By Sam Fahmy
sfahmy@uga.edu
Peter Frey
The fourth annual Staff Appreciation Day was a time for many UGA staff members to join colleagues across campus for fun and fellowship.
Afternoon of thanks Staff Appreciation celebration brings more than 3,500 together
By Kellyn Amodeo
kwamodeo@uga.edu
UGA staff members gathered at the intramural fields May 10 for the annual Staff Appreciation Day celebration, organized by the Office of the President. In its fourth year, the event boasted an impressive attendance of more than 3,500 who stopped by for games, food and relaxation. Coming the week after spring Commencement, the event was a way for the administration to recognize the hard work and contributions of staff. “I appreciate the hard work our staff contributes each year to support this great university,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “On behalf of the university, thank you for all you do.” For many UGA staff members,
this event is a time to interact with others across campus. “It’s a great day to get out and talk to others about where they’re coming from, the work they’re doing and why they’re happy to be here,” said Rebecca Mayo from the Office of Animal Care and Use. Staff members showed their athleticism at field-goal kicking and pitching stations. Some even displayed their rodeo skills with the ever-popular mechanical bulldog. Live music by Back in Time and Tropical Breeze added to the ambiance, and Trump’s Catering served lunch. Attendees also had their chance at a multitude of raffle prizes donated from event sponsors, local vendors and on-campus departments. At the event, staff members like Kelvin Howard seemed relaxed, happy and grateful to feel
appreciated by administration. “Hopefully, the administration keeps doing this,” said Howard, a member of Finance & Administration’s Facilities Management Division at the Chicopee Complex. “It’s a great event and gives us a break from everyday duties.” Charles Clark, coordinator for event services at the Tate Student Center, agreed. “I love being able to come out and celebrate the hard work that we all do as staff,” he said. “To the administration, I would say thank you for taking the time to plan and coordinate this.” For those coordinators, the event is a labor of love that takes months of planning to see it come to fruition. “The UGA Staff Appreciation Day event is an exciting way for See STAFF on page 8
FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
Kelly M. Smith, an academic leader with a record of advancing research and pharmacy education, has been named dean of the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy. Smith is currently associate dean for academic and student affairs at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, and her appointment at UGA is effective Aug. 1. “Dr. Smith is a proven leader who is committed to elevating the University of Georgia College of
Pharmacy,” said Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost P amela Whitten. “She is a tireless advocate for students and ambitious about raising research productivity to new heights.” Kelly Smith Smith has served as associate dean for academic and student affairs at the University of Kentucky since 2009. In that role,
See DEAN on page 8
GRADY COLLEGE
Peabody honors TV legends, best in electronic media storytelling By Margaret Blanchard mblanch@uga.edu
With her trademark Tarzan yell and ear tug, Carol Burnett closed out the 77th annual Peabody Awards ceremony May 19 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. The beloved TV star was honored with the first-ever Peabody Career Achievement Award presented by Mercedes-Benz. An effusive Rachel Brosnahan, star of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, presented the award to the veteran comedian, who blazed a trail for women in television with her hit variety program, The Carol Burnett Show, in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Burnett was honored with a Personal Peabody Award early in her career (1962), with judges citing her as a talent to watch for
years to come. The awards, honoring the best in storytelling in electronic media, are based at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. Carol Burnett Winners were selected from approximately 1,200 entries from television, radio/podcasts and the web. In addition to lots of laughter provided by host Hasan Minhaj, the evening was punctuated with more somber moments. Three students from Parkland High School
See PEABODY on page 8
OFFICE OF RESEARCH
Six undergraduates selected as first cohort Baldwin Hall story map of Cora Nunnally Miller Fine Arts Scholars ready for public view By Alan Flurry aflurry@uga.edu
Six University of Georgia students have been selected as the inaugural cohort of Cora Nunnally Miller Fine Arts Scholars in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. The purpose of the scholarship, made possible as part of a $17 million gift to the university upon Miller’s passing in 2015, is to recognize exceptional artistic talent, to foster interdisciplinary collaborations in the arts, to promote the arts on the UGA campus and beyond and to give special opportunities to the
students in the cohort. Each of the first-year undergraduate students will receive an annual scholarship of $6,500 per year for four years. The first cohort includes: • Alys Barrow, a photography major in the Lamar Dodd School of Art, who grew up in Columbus. Her artistic inclinations were nurtured through productions at the Springer Opera House. After studying acting at a festival in England, Barrow found her passion to use photography to express an artistic viewpoint. • Madison Calderwood, from Kingsland, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in dance and a Bachelor
of Science in athletic training. She intends to be a professional dancer, followed by a career as an athletic trainer for a professional dance company. Calderwood’s talent, drive and creativity led to the unusual distinction of becoming one of the CORE Contemporary and Aerial Dance members in her first year at UGA. • Ava Cosman, of Boulder, Colorado, who is pursuing a triple major: viola performance and music composition at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music and mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering. Her viola professor wrote See SCHOLARS on page 8
A Baldwin Hall study commissioned by the university’s Office of Research has reached a significant goal: completion of a comprehensive mapping project conducted by a team of faculty and students led by Marguerite Madden and Sergio Bernardes, director and associate director, respectively, of the Center for Geospatial Research. The project was commissioned after human remains were unearthed on the Baldwin Hall construction site. Initial DNA analysis of the remains revealed the vast majority of those tested were of maternal African descent;
therefore, considering the age of the remains, the individuals were most likely slaves or former slaves. The Office of Research pledged last spring to support the further research of the Madden-Bernardes team in the UGA department of geography. The team’s immediate goal was to construct an interactive database of maps, photos and other images that collectively reveal the changing physical landscape in and around the Old Athens Cemetery, Oconee Hill Cemetery, the UGA campus and the greater Athens
See MAP on page 8
2 May 29, 2018 columns.uga.edu
Around academe
UGA alumnus named president of New Mexico State University
John Floros has been named president of New Mexico State University, according to a news release from the university. Floros became dean of the College of Agriculture and director of K-State Research and Extension in July 2012. Since then, he has led the development of a College of Agriculture strategic plan for Vision 2025, guided the college to record student enrollments, retention and graduation, and nearly 100 percent placement. Floros’ research work spans the application of chemical engineering science, applied mathematics and industrial statistics to the field of food science, food process engineering and food packaging. He earned his Ph.D. in food science and technology from the University of Georgia. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in food science and technology from the Agricultural University of Athens, Greece. He is a native of Greece.
Keep your dog safe during summer
News to Use
The intense heat and humidity in the southeastern U.S. is hard not only for people but for dogs as well. Benjamin Brainard, the Edward H. Gunst Professor of Critical Care and director of clinical research at UGA’s College of Veterinary Medicine, provides practical tips for keeping your pup happy and healthy during the blistering summer months. 1. Do not leave your dog in the car. Ever. Every summer, we hear tragic stories about children and animals dying in hot vehicles. The rule for leaving an animal in a car is simple: Don’t do it. 2. Always provide water and shelter. Leaving a dog outside without access to shelter from the heat or fresh water can lead to heat stroke, a potentially fatal condition caused by overheating. If possible, on days with severe heat, bring your dog inside. And remember that humidity is just as dangerous to a dog as the heat. Keep in mind that if you’re hot and thirsty, your dog probably is too, so when traveling or exercising, make sure to bring enough water for both of you. 3. Restrict excessive activity in the heat of the day. Even if you run with your dog every day during the winter, the animal may not be prepared to do the same amount of activity in hotter, more humid weather. This is especially true for dogs who are not used to the climate. 4. The heat is harder on certain dogs. Older dogs and obese dogs can’t tolerate heat as well as other dogs can, meaning that they may need more frequent breaks to cool off and rehydrate. Additionally, certain breeds are more susceptible to overheating because of their build. Pugs, bulldogs and other “flat-faced” dogs are particularly vulnerable due to their short muzzles. 5. Don’t assume your dog knows how to swim. For any dogs exposed to or going into deep water, invest in a doggy lifejacket. 6. Protect against the summer critters. Summer is flea season. Treat your pets using the correct flea prevention medication based on animal type and weight. Flea treatments aren’t interchangeable. Those made for dogs can be toxic to cats, so owners should keep cats and dogs apart until the topical medication dries. Snakes also are more active in the summer months. If you take your dog hiking or into densely wooded areas, be aware of your surroundings. 7. Some dogs need sunscreen. While it’s best to limit your dog’s exposure to the sun during the summer months, sometimes it’s not possible to keep your dog inside. Some dog breeds are prone to skin conditions or have sensitive or fair skin that can be irritated by solar rays. If your dog needs sunscreen, be sure it’s one that is safe for animals, as ingredients commonly used in human sunscreen, like zinc, can be toxic to dogs. 8. When in doubt, ask a vet. If you have questions about sun exposure, flea prevention or heat exposure, call your vet. Another helpful resource is the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which has a 24-hour poison control hotline and emergency medical guides on its website.
Photo courtesy of UGA School of Public and International Affairs
‘Building Bridges’ mural dedicated
In conjunction with Peace Officers Memorial Day on May 15, representatives from UGA’s Police Department, the School of Public and International Affairs and First-Year Odyssey Seminar program, along with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, Chess and Community, and Flanigan’s Portrait Studio, dedicated the “Building Bridges” mural on the west side of the Food for the Soul restaurant. The mural, which represents police-community relations past, present and future, was painted by students in Brian Williams’ spring 2017 FYOS course on building police-community relations, alongside peace officers and community members, under the direction of local artist Broderick Flanigan. Watch a video about the making of the mural at https://vimeo.com/214018682.
FANNING INSTITUTE
VINSON INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENT
Sixteen graduate from Leadership Academy
UGA promotes renaissance in two-state collaboration
Sixteen faculty and staff from UGA Public Service and Outreach, Cooperative Extension and the university’s schools and colleges graduated May 11 from the Vivian H. Fisher Leadership Academy facilitated by the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development. Sponsored by UGA Public Service and Outreach, the leadership program emphasizes personal leadership development and communication skills. It also helps participants recognize the role of outreach at UGA, see the scope of the work the PSO units perform across Georgia and learn how that work ties into the university’s mission. During the graduation, Vice President for Public Service and Outreach Jennifer Frum encouraged the class to continue the great work they do across Georgia. “You are the guardians of what we do across the state,” Frum said. “It’s so important that Public Service and Outreach continues to maintain a pipeline of people who love what they do and are enthusiastic about serving the university and the state. This academy is one of the best investments Public Service and Outreach makes.” Over the course of nine months, the class also visited each PSO unit, Cooperative Extension and the state Capitol, where they learned about UGA’s relationships with state government officials. “Taking part in this program gives participants the ability to better understand and develop their own leadership skills that, combined with a greater understanding of the university’s public service and outreach mission, helps prepare graduates to assume leadership roles within PSO and UGA,” Fanning Institute Director Matt Bishop said. The academy is named for Vivian H. Fisher, who started the academy in 2007 while serving as an associate vice president for PSO. Fisher died in 2008, and the academy was named in her honor in 2012. The 2017-2018 Vivian H. Fisher PSO Leadership Academy graduates are Tracy Arner, Carl Vinson Institute of Government; Stephan Durham, UGA College of Engineering; Bryan Fluech, Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant; Brian Freese, Carl Vinson Institute of Government; Chris James, Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach; Shana Jones, Carl Vinson Institute of Government; Dan Lasseter, Carl Vinson Institute of Government; Jennifer Lewis, UGA College of Environment and Design; Sharon Liggett, Archway Partnership; Mandy Marable, UGA Cooperative Extension; Jeff Miller, UGA Cooperative Extension; Bart Njoku-Obi, Small Business Development Center; Kiel Norris, UGA Center for Continuing Education & Hotel; Josh Podvin, Office of ServiceLearning; Shelly Prescott, State Botanical Garden of Georgia; and Sarah Sorvas, UGA Center for Continuing Education & Hotel.
By Roger Nielsen nielsen@uga.edu
A Georgia mountain community is forging a unique economic development partnership with two Tennessee cities through a downtown revitalization process pioneered by UGA’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government. The Copper Basin Renaissance Strategic Visioning and Planning, or RSVP, collaboration unites key leaders from McCaysville, Georgia, its twin city of Copperhill, Tennessee, and nearby Ducktown, Tennessee, in a community-driven alliance to help the region’s economy flourish. The first-ever two-state RSVP will enable the citizens, business leaders and public officials in the rural communities, which have interconnected economies, to implement a longterm regional development plan. The nine-month project is supported by a $55,000 grant from the Lyndhurst Foundation, which funds community revitalization strategies, arts and cultural activities, and conservation and outdoor recreation projects in Chattanooga and the surrounding region. The RSVP is a component of the Georgia Downtown Renaissance Partnership, a community revitalization initiative with the Georgia Municipal Association, the Georgia Cities Foundation, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and other partners. A steering committee assembled by Jan Hackett, president of the Fannin County Chamber of Commerce, officially launched the Copper Basin RSVP project on May 10 at McCaysville City Hall. “All we have to do, really, is embrace what we have and work together to figure out how we can best tell our story,” Hackett said. The 14-member committee will spearhead this summer’s public engagement process and help prioritize regional economic issues that the communities identify. Then the committee will establish action plans to achieve short- and long-term development goals. Georgia House Speaker David Ralston and his staff have worked with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government since the initial discussions about this project. A longtime proponent of economic development initiatives like the RSVP, Ralston’s district includes McCaysville and Fannin County. “Initiatives like this combine private-sector resources with public-sector expertise to revitalize downtowns to generate economic activity and create jobs,” Ralston said. “I am excited about the potential of this project, particularly when we are investing in McCaysville and the surrounding area with more than half a million dollars in state funding for streetscapes and (McCaysville) City Park as well as the ongoing work on widening Highway 5.” In the past five years, the Institute of Government has helped 16 other Georgia cities implement downtown revitalization strategies through the RSVP program. “Strengthening communities and promoting economic development throughout our home state are central to the University of Georgia’s mission as a land-grant institution,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “We are excited about this partnership and the positive impact it will make.”
RESEARCH NEWS
columns.uga.edu May 29, 2018
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Digest UGA co-hosting seminar in Berlin
GREAT COMMITMENTS Andrew Davis Tucker
Peggy Ozias-Akins, left, who directs UGA’s Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, is looking for new ways to address mycotoxins, the fungi that can cause chronic or occasionally acute health problems in those who consume peanuts.
More dependable peanut Peggy Ozias-Akins is building a better breed of peanut through gene sequencing
As the world’s population increases, so do concerns about food supply and sufficient land for growing essential crops. The world’s population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2040, and the United Nations is warning that food production will need to double in developing countries to keep pace. At UGA, Peggy Ozias-Akins’ research on the unassuming but highly nutritious peanut plant could provide valuable insights on how to feed a growing global population. An important crop in Georgia’s economy, peanuts also provide valuable and novel insights into the molecular building blocks of plants. “The peanut is a recently evolved crop,” said Ozias-Akins, who directs Georgia’s Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics. “The more we learn about the peanut genome and variations that do or do not exist, the more we have an idea of how to target specific DNA for selection or editing.” This has critical implications for Georgia and larger global communities as Ozias-Akins and her team work to improve this nutrient-rich food. A major crop in Africa, India and China,
peanuts are vital for treating malnutrition in developing countries because of their high levels of vitamins and minerals and healthy fats. A growing concern, however, is mycotoxins: fungi that invade peanut seeds, producing carcinogenic substances in mature peanuts that can cause chronic or occasionally acute health problems in those who consume them. While the U.S. is equipped to screen for mycotoxins, it’s nearly impossible to do so in many parts of the world due to lack of resources and necessary technology. Researchers at Georgia have determined that plants with lower stress levels are less susceptible to mycotoxins. Irrigation is one way to reduce stress, but in developing countries, a dependable water source isn’t always a given. That is why Ozias-Akins is working with Georgia’s federally funded Peanut and Mycotoxin Innovation Lab to determine new ways to address mycotoxin contamination on a genetic level. Her findings could have tremendous implications for the agriculture industry in growing
consistently viable food, free from the toxic fungi. “We need to produce food in a more sustainable manner, which means we have to increase the amount of food we produce per amount of land,” she said. “It has to be sustainable, environmentally and economically.” With this work, Ozias-Akins is tackling the challenges that come with feeding a growing population, and true to Georgia’s mission, she’s sharing her findings with local and global agricultural communities. “We’re a strong land-grant institution with one of the best agriculture schools in the country,” she said. “The research we’re doing to improve plant variety increases environmental and economic sustainability of the peanut in Georgia and the world, ensuring continued availability of this affordable and nutritious food.” Editor’s note: This story is part of the Great Commitments series, which focuses on cutting-edge research happening on UGA campuses. Read more about UGA’s commitment to research that changes lives at greatcommitments.uga.edu.
Three faculty members complete PSO Fellowship leahmoss@uga.edu
Abigail Borron, Jon Calabria and Elizabeth Weeks served as 2017-2018 Public Service Faculty Fellows. They worked to ensure shoreline stability on the coast, address health concerns in rural Georgia and create a way to measure the impact of leadership training. The Faculty Fellowships offer tenure-track and tenured professors an opportunity to pursue their research through a unit of UGA Public Service and Outreach. These faculty spend the fall semester of their fellowship with the Archway Partnership, the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development, Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, the Office of Service-Learning, the Small Business Development Center, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia or the UGA Center for Continuing
Tony winner Goldsberry will open Performing Arts Center season Sept. 7
The UGA Performing Arts Center has a nnounced the roster of artists for its 2018-2019 season. The lineup will offer six series showcasing some of the finest performers from around the globe. The 2018-2019 season opens Sept. 7 with a concert by Renee Elise Goldsberry, the Tony Award-winning star of the Broadway hit musical, Hamilton. Subscription packages are now on sale for the 2018-2019 season with savings up to 25 percent off single ticket prices. Subscriptions can be purchased online at ugapresents.org or by calling 706-542-4400. Tickets also can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center box office at 230 River Road. The box office is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 2018-2019 season brochure can be viewed online at https://ugapresents.org/brochure.
School of Law voted best in state
PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH By Leah Moss
Scholars, policy experts and journalists from around the world are meeting in Berlin this week to consider issues related to contemporary transnational Europe, thanks to a new joint initiative by the University of Georgia and the University of Notre Dame. The inaugural Berlin Seminar in Transnational European Studies, which is being held from May 27- June 2, is made possible in part through support from the Max Kade Foundation as well as by a State-of-the-Art Conference grant from the Office of the Provost at UGA. The seminar is directed by Martin Kagel, the A.G. Steer Professor of German and associate dean of the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences; William C. Donahue, the Rev. John C. Cavanaugh, C.S.C., Professor of the Humanities and chair of the German and Russian languages and literatures department at Notre Dame; and Nicholas Allen, Franklin Professor of English and director of the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts at UGA. In addition to six days of programs for registered participants, the seminar will include two public events: a conversation on “Transatlantic Relations in a Trumpian World” led by Cas Mudde, associate professor in UGA’s School of Public and International Affairs and a columnist for The Guardian, with Sudha David-Wilp, deputy director of the German Marshall Fund, and CNN European correspondent Atika Shubert; and a lecture on “Brexit and the Crisis of Belonging” by writer Fintan O’Toole, winner of the 2017 European Press Prize for commentary. The complete seminar schedule is online at transnationaleuropeanstudies.org.
Education & Hotel. As Fellows, they conduct applied, community-based, policy or program evaluation research to fulfill an outreach initiative. Most continue working with PSO once the fellowship ends. The vice president for PSO provides $15,000 to a Fellow’s home department to be spent as the department head deems appropriate. Borron, an assistant professor of agricultural communications in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, developed quantitative measures to assess the social and economic impact of leadership programming at the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development. Borron’s goal was to create a research framework that addresses all these challenges and creates a unique profile for communities that include the various opportunities, challenges and barriers that make up a community. Borron used the Community Capitals
Framework, a research framework that defines community vitality and sustainability by assessing seven capitals: natural, cultural, human, social, political, financial and built capital. She modified the CFF to measure perceptions of each capital. These capitals were transformed into a numerical scale. She surveyed communities across Georgia engaged in various leadership programming. Participants were asked to identify how much they agreed or disagreed with statements such as, “Today, I believe my community is well-diversified in terms of multiple employers and stable employment.” She then asked participants if the statement was true five years ago, before participants engaged in leadership programming. By comparing differences in capitals across time, Borron is able to evaluate programming effectiveness. The data also forms a comprehensive, See FELLOWSHIP on page 7
The University of Georgia School of Law has been voted the best in the state by readers of the Daily Report, Georgia’s legal newspaper. “We are grateful to our graduates and friends for recognizing our longstanding commitment to preparing the next generation of legal leaders and ensuring a strong return on investment for our three degrees,” said Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge, dean of the law school. The law school offers the Juris Doctor, the Master of Laws and the Master in the Study of Law. Its faculty includes nationally and internationally renowned scholars, and its more than 10,000 living graduates are leading figures in law, business and public service throughout the world. The School of Law has the highest state bar passage rate among Georgia law schools for first-time test takers for the past four years and was ranked the No. 2 Best Value Law School by National Jurist in fall 2017.
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4 May 29, 2018 columns.uga.edu
OUTREACH NEWS
RESEARCH NEWS
Grant will fund study of egg consumption and bone strength in children By Kathryn Kao kath1@uga.edu
Researchers at the University of Georgia want to know if eating eggs can improve bone strength and cognitive function in obese and normal weight children between the ages of 9 and 13. Additionally, because eggs contain a high concentration of choline—a precursor of acetylcholine that crosses the blood-brain barrier—the scientists want to determine if egg consumption improves attention and memory in children. A $564,302 grant from the American Egg Board will fund a two-year research study to research these effects. In collaboration with the University of Georgia’s Food Product Innovation and Commercialization Center, UGA researchers in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the College of Education and the College of Family and Consumer Sciences will conduct the first long-term feeding trial of its kind. “The protein and bioactive compounds in eggs, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, are thought to be advantageous to bone mineralization in children during growth,” said Richard Lewis, UGA Foundation Professor in the foods and nutrition department and principal investigator of the study. “This project will be interesting because it is a nine-month feeding study in children, and so we felt the need to explore the possibility of creating food products that children may like over the long term to prevent burnout.” For the first and recently-completed phase of the study, UGA’s FoodPIC developed several food products with whole eggs, including eggy pancakes, macaroni and cheese and ice cream, for children to consume during the nine-month feeding trial. With a total of 180 participants, the second phase of the study will split the children into three distinct groups. One group will consume 10 egg products per week for nine months, while the other two control groups will consume either whole milk-based products or gelatin. “This will be an important study because there are only a few nutrition bone trials that have been conducted with the time needed to detect changes in bones, which is about nine months,” Lewis said.
WARNELL SCHOOL
Doctoral student named recipient of P.E.O. Scholar Award By Camie Williams camiew@uga.edu
Kristen Lear, a student in the Integrative Conservation doctoral program at the University of Georgia, has been named a recipient of a P.E.O. Scholar Award. The award includes a $15,000 scholarship from P.E.O., which stands for Philanthropic Educational Organization, a nonprofit that was founded in 1869 by seven students at Iowa Wesleyan College. The organization promotes educational opportunities for women throughout the U.S. and Canada. The scholarship will help fund Lear’s work involving the endangered Mexican long-nosed bat, which is under threat of extinction in part because of human harvesting of their main food source of agave plants. Through her doctoral research, Lear is working to raise awareness of the issue among rural Mexican communities while creating and implementing bat-friendly agave management programs. “Through my undergraduate degree and previous research in the U.S. and Australia, I learned firsthand that conservation is not just about the animals or plants we are trying to protect, but also about people,” said Lear, a student in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. “There are tremendous opportunities to connect people to the natural world through conservation research that considers the needs of both nature and society. It is at this nature-society interface that I am working to develop conservation actions that are beneficial to both wildlife and people.” Lear, who received her Bachelor of Arts in zoology from Ohio Wesleyan University, plans to pursue a career as an applied bat conservationist after earning her doctorate. She is a recipient of the 2016 Ecological Society of America Graduate Student Policy Award and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, as well as a U.S. Fulbright Postgraduate Scholarship, which funded her research in Australia in 2011. This spring, she won the people’s choice category in the UGA Graduate School’s Three Minute Thesis competition.
Andrew Davis Tucker
Georgia vineyards brought $81.6 million to the state’s economy in 2012-13, and tourists and side businesses are a significant part of that impact.
Fine wine
UGA uncorks North Georgia’s ripening wine industry By Leah Moss
leahmoss@uga.edu
Georgia’s wine industry is growing, bolstering the North Georgia economy by increasing the number of tourists to the area and attracting side businesses attracted by the wineries, University of Georgia faculty told members of the Georgia House Rural Development Council. “There’s an influx of growth in this area,” said Bruce Cutler, director of the UGA Small Business Development Center office in Gainesville. “New vineyards are being established every year. They are also creating a ripple effect because they impact other businesses as well, such as food, lodging, tours—anything related to hospitality.” The most recent economic impact study of the wine industry, conducted by the UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, showed that Georgia wineries and vineyards contributed $81.6 million to the state’s economy, created more than 600 jobs and generated more than $4.1 million in state and local tax revenue. But that study, based on data collected in 2012-13, doesn’t include wineries that have begun operating since then or the side businesses that have emerged. The center is collecting new data and hopes to have a report out this year. Christina Ernst, who owns VIP Southern Tours, launched a North Georgia Wine Tour in 2013, with assistance from the SBDC. Her Classic VIP Wine Tour takes participants by bus to tastings at four wineries and provides an artisan picnic lunch. She also offers private tours for birthday celebrations, corporate outings and bachelor/ bachelorette parties. “The advice the SBDC provided me was very helpful,” Ernst said. “They advised me on funding for vehicles, and with that knowledge I was able to structure the rest of my business.” Since the wine tours began on Labor Day 2013, the company has added three buses, three tour employees and an office manager. The company was profitable after a single year. Today, sales are in the six figures. The White County Chamber of Commerce named Ernst as Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014 and VIP Southern Tours earned a Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence in 2016 and 2017. “Travelers are booking their vacations around vineyards. There’s been a real influx in that in the last year,” Ernst said. “More and more people are calling us to assist with their entire vacation stay and learning about the vineyards and what the region has to offer. They are making the trip to the vineyard their priority and planning the rest of the stay around that.” Lawrence “Larry” Lykins Jr., who owns Cartecay Vineyards in Ellijay, echoed Ernst’s enthusiasm. “The (2013) economic development study done at UGA has done a lot to help us. It was one of the first steps to forming Georgia Wine Producers,” Lykins said. “We needed help from UGA, with plant variety and how to grow certain species. “We’re growing by leaps and bounds, adding five to 10 new wineries a year. UGA understands the
industry,” he said. In concert with the other vineyards in North Georgia, in 2015 Lykins launched the Georgia Wine Producers, an organization dedicated to representing the statewide industry in legislative affairs. The Georgia House of Representatives rural study committee heard about the positive impact that UGA is having on the growing wine industry. Two years ago, the General Assembly created and funded a viticulturist in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences to work with the wine makers. Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes. Viticulturist Cain Hickey, an assistant professor and UGA Cooperative Extension specialist, grew up in Pennsylvania in a town “with more wineries than stoplights.” He has made a career of studying viticulture and the agrarian processes of growing wine. It is not easy to grow grapes for wine in Georgia, he said. The hot, humid climate makes the grapes prone to fungal diseases. “On top of that, we have highly variable growing seasons,” he said. But those committed to the effort can make a go of it, as he’s seen with the proliferation of vineyards and wineries in North Georgia. “People fall in love with growing grapes,” Hickey said. “You plant something, you take it off the vine, you go through this century upon century old process of winemaking. You get to sell a product of your own soil. People take pride in that.” Lykins, a former swimmer at UGA who holds three degrees from the university, planted his first vines in 2008. “I wanted to live in North Georgia,” he said. “What could I do in North Georgia that involved farming, plants and wine?” Hickey recently was in Cortona, Italy, visiting vineyards. The vines there look just like a vine growing in North Georgia, he said. “The issues they face there, with centuries of practice, are some of the same issues we face in Georgia,” Hickey said. “If they can do it, we can do it. “I am very confident that this industry can succeed,” he said. In addition to his work directly with North Georgia wine growers, Hickey heads a team of UGA Cooperative Extension agents and specialists who are dedicated to providing this burgeoning industry the best support possible. In June, the SBDC will hold a Wine Business Conference to convene leaders in the wine industry for the purposes of networking, education and information sharing. The conference takes place on June 6 in Dahlonega, in the heart of Georgia’s wine country. The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and UGA Cooperative Extension also assist vineyard and winery owners through the Journeyman Farmer Certificate Program for new and aspirational farmers. The SBDC is a partner in the program and Cutler, Hickey and other UGA Cooperative Extension specialists and agents cover the many facets of farming, from cultivation to marketing and business planning.
UGAGUIDE
columns.uga.edu May 29, 2018
For a complete listing of events, check the Master Calendar on the Web (calendar.uga.edu/). The following events are open to the public, unless otherwise specified. Dates, times and locations may change without advance notice.
EXHIBITIONS
Images of Awakening: Buddhist Sculpture from Afghanistan and Pakistan. Through June 17. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.
Kenneth Storey. Through July 1. Visitor Center, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-8717. wtonks@uga.edu. Bloom Where You’re Planted: The Collection of Deen Day Sanders. Through July 29. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu. A Legacy of Giving: C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry. Through Aug. 5. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu. (See story, right.) Wrestling Temptation: The Quest to Control Alcohol in Georgia. Through Sept. 21. Special collections libraries. 706-542-7123. alexis.morgan@uga.edu.
TUESDAY, MAY 29 RAMADAN Through June 14. Islamic religious observance. TUESDAY TOUR AT TWO Also June 5 and 12. Guided tour of the exhibit galleries of the Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection, the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library and the Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies. 2 p.m. Rotunda, second floor, special collections libraries. 706-542-8079. jclevela@uga.edu. CLASS Also June 5 and 12. “Advanced Studio Photography” combines digital lighting and portrait photography. Advanced techniques in digital lighting, light exposure, strobe lights, continuous lighting, working with models, camera settings and equipment setups will be covered. Students will learn some essential techniques including lighting, working with models, camera settings and equipment needed in studio photography. Students will be required to manage a studio photo session using advanced techniques and present a digital portfolio of their work. Bring a digital SLR camera and Speedlight flash with the owner’s manual to class. $199. 6 p.m. Georgia Center. 706-542-3537. questions@georgiacenter.uga.edu.
TOUR AT TWO Docent-led tour of highlights from the permanent collection. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu.
THURSDAY, MAY 31
TUESDAY, JUNE 5
DROP/ADD DEADLINE Through June 6. For short session I.
NATURE RAMBLERS Also June 7 and 14. Join Nature Ramblers and learn more about the natural areas, flora and fauna of the Garden. 9:30 a.m. Fountain in front of Visitor’s Center, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156. ckeber@uga.edu.
DROP/ADD DEADLINE Through June 11. For thru term.
RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM Through June 1. Join Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant for the 2018 Research Symposium. Georgia Sea Grant-funded scientists from across the state will share their latest research on coastal topics, including sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, resilient communities and healthy coastal ecosystems. $30. Graduate students and advisory board members can attend free of charge. For more information, email Angela Llewllayn at angelal@uga.edu. 1 p.m. Georgia Center. MUSEUMS ON FILM In Night at the Museum, a newlyrecruited night security guard at the Museum of Natural History discovers that an ancient curse causes the animals and exhibits on display to come to life and wreak havoc. Starring Ben Stiller and Ricky Gervais. (2006, PG, 108 minutes). 7 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu.
FRIDAY, JUNE 1 ORIENTATION For thru term, short session I. FRIENDS FIRST FRIDAY To commemorate the garden’s 50th anniversary, the Sunflower Music series season starts with a celebration of 1968. William Tonks will review each concert and tell a few tales of the more than 60 Sunflower concerts since he first proposed the outdoor concert series. Includes a full breakfast. $12. 9 a.m. Visitor Center, Gardenside Room, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6138. lpbryant@uga.edu.
SATURDAY, JUNE 2 WORKSHOP Kevin “the Plant Man” Tarner, professional horticulturist, will present a crash course on carnivorous plants. Participants will examine live specimens and learn about their feeding strategies, habitats, cultivation and conservation efforts. They’ll pot plants to take home. $50. 9 a.m. Visitor Center, classroom 2, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014. connicot@uga.edu.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 30
MONDAY, JUNE 4 ADVISEMENT AND REGISTRATION For thru term and short session I.
Calendar items are taken from Columns files and from the university’s Master Calendar, maintained by Marketing & Communications. Notices are published as space permits, with priority given to items of multidisciplinary interest. The Master Calendar is available at calendar.uga.edu/.
TERRY EXTENDS LEGACY OF GIVING WITH MUSEUM ARTWORK DONATION
CLASSES BEGIN For thru term and short session I.
FINAL EXAMS For May session.
FULL MOON HIKE: FLOWER MOON Each walk will focus on a different topic such as the moon, constellations or nocturnal creatures. Be prepared to hike up to 2 miles on the wooded trails and in the garden. A backpack carrier is suggested for those bringing young children or infants. Pre-registration is required. $5 per person or $15 per family. 8 p.m. Fountain in front of Visitor’s Center, State Botanical Garden. 706-583-0894. bwboone@uga.edu.
CLASSES END For May session.
GRADES DUE For May session. Noon.
5
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6 TOUR AT TWO Join Sarah Kate Gillespie, curator of American art, for a special look at Bloom Where You’re Planted: The Collection of Deen Day Sanders. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu.
THURSDAY, JUNE 7 MUSEUMS ON FILM In Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, teenaged Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) has an uncanny skill for cutting classes and getting away with it. Intending to make one last grand duck-out before graduation, Ferris calls in sick and embarks on a one-day bacchanal through the streets of Chicago, including a classic scene at the Art Institute of Chicago. Directed by John Hughes. (1986, PG-13, 103 minutes). 7 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu.
SATURDAY, JUNE 9 CLASS In “Summer Tree Identification,” students will learn to identify some of the most common tree species in Georgia’s Piedmont forests and woodlands by their leaves, bark, branching patterns and tree form. Students will learn to use a hand lens and a simple dichotomous key for woody plants to identify species. Class time will be divided between classroom exercises and a field trip to the woods at the State Botanical Garden. $50. 9 a.m. Visitor Center, Gardenside Room, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014. connicot@uga.edu.
SUNDAY, JUNE 10 SUNDAY SPOTLIGHT TOUR Docent-led tour of highlights from the permanent collection. 3 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu.
COMING UP SUNFLOWER MUSIC SERIES June 12. Abbey Road LIVE! brings to life some of the more mature and complex Beatles material while remaining true to the original recordings. Chairs allowed on concession level only; picnic blankets encouraged on other levels. Presented by Friends of the Garden, Flagpole, Athens Coca-Cola and Northeast Sales & Distributing. $15; $5 for children ages 6-12. 7 p.m. Flower Garden Lawn (Conservatory in
John Singer Sargent’s “The Portal of S. Giorgio Maggiore, Venice” will be on display at the Georgia Museum of Art through Aug. 5 as part of the exhibition A Legacy of Giving: C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry.
By Hillary Brown
hazbrown@uga.edu
At the University of Georgia, the Terry name is synonymous with the business school. But the influence of C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry extends far beyond that and includes other places on campus like the Georgia Museum of Art The art museum is the recipient of 14 paintings and works on paper from the Terrys’ collection that are on view through Aug. 5 in the exhibition A Legacy of Giving: C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry. Throughout her life, Mary Virginia Terry focused her philanthropy on three areas: education, children’s charities and the arts. She has been a trustee of Jacksonville University and served on the boards of the Wolfson Children’s Hospital, the Children’s Home Society, the Salvation Army, the Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless and the Jacksonville Symphony. C. Herman Terry graduated from what was then UGA’s School of Commerce in 1939, then became president of Dependable Insurance Co., which he built into a major corporation in Jacksonville where the couple made their home. He passed away in 1998, but Mary Virginia Terry has continued the legacy of giving that they began together. The recipient of an honorary doctoral degree from UGA in 2009, she served recently as honorary chair of the Building Terry campaign at UGA’s Terry College of Business. A native of Quitman and a graduate of Valdosta State University, Mary Virginia Terry understands the impact that art can make on children’s lives and the way that it can provide UGA students with a well-rounded experience. She and her husband built their collection of art together, and these 14 works greatly increase the art museum’s holdings by the major artists who created them. “It would be rare and marvelous to receive a gift of a single work by Childe Hassam, John Henry Twachtman, Maurice Prendergast, Andrew Wyeth, Ernest Lawson, Winslow Homer, Gifford Beal or John Singer Sargent. To receive works by all of these artists at once, in a single gift, is extraordinary,” said William U. Eiland, director of the art museum. “Until Mrs. Terry made her gift, the museum did not own a painting by Sargent, only a drawing. These works also fill some gaps in the museum’s collection, allowing UGA students and the wider Athens-area community to benefit from seeing them in person.” The exhibition is sponsored by the W. Newton Morris Charitable Foundation and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art. inclement weather), State Botanical Garden. 706-542-9353. TOUR AT TWO June 13. Docent-led tour of highlights from the permanent collection. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu. CLASS June 14. “Summer Perennials” focuses on the plants that thrive during the longest and hottest days of the year. Topics of discussion will include both woody and herbaceous plants, such as clematis, daylilies, iris and rose, that are at their most ornamental near the summer solstice. Other topics include perennials, including tall phlox, coneflowers and
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, Marketing & Communications, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Campus Mail 1999.
rudbeckias that bloom in late summer. $20. 4:30 p.m. Visitor Center, Chapel, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156. cscamero@uga.edu. MUSEUMS ON FILM June 14. The Thomas Crown Affair follows debonair, adventuresome billionaire Thomas Crown (Pierce Brosnan), who is bored of being able to buy everything he desires and cultivates a secret hobby: stealing priceless works of art. He believes he has pulled off the perfect multimillion-dollar heist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art but matches wits with an insurance investigator (Rene Russo). (1999, R, 113 minutes). 7 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu.
NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES May 30 (for June 11 issue) June 13 (for June 25 issue) July 3 (for July 16 issue)
6 May 29, 2018 columns.uga.edu
Calypso Magnolia: The Crosscurrents of Caribbean and Southern Literature, written by John Wharton Lowe, the Barbara Lester Methvin Professor of English in UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, is the recipient of the 2017 C. Hugh Holman Award from the National Humanities Center. The award is named for the faculty member who taught Southern literature at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for three decades and helped to establish the NHC. The annual award is for the best book of literary scholarship or literary criticism in the field of Southern literature during a given calendar year. The 2017 award recognizes a book produced in 2016; it comes with a plaque and a $1,000 check. It will be presented to Lowe at the Modern Language Association Conference in Chicago. Lowe came to UGA from Louisiana State University in 2012. Timothy Heckman, an associate dean for research and professor of health promotion and behavior at UGA’s College of Public Health, was recently named incoming editor of the Journal of Rural Mental Health. Heckman will begin a fiveyear term as editor in 2020, during which time he plans to elevate the visibility and impact of rural mental health research to support the work of public health researchers and practitioners, policymakers and rural community-based organizations. Timothy Heckman Through his role as editor, Heckman aims to disseminate research that can contribute to contemporary discussions about how rural mental health relates to gun violence, alcohol and substance use, suicide and migrant health, among others, as well as exploring ways to expand the behavioral health workforce in rural communities. Silvia Moreno, Distinguished Research Professor of Cellular Biology and a member of UGA’s Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, was elected as corresponding member of the Latin American Academy of Sciences. Created in 1982 under the sponsorship of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the Academia de Ciencias de America Latina promotes and contributes to the advancement of mathematical, physical, chemical, earth and life sciences, and to their application in the development and integration of Latin America and Silvia Moreno the Caribbean. The organization promotes cooperation among scientific institutions and the exchange of people and scientific knowledge for the integration of Latin America and the Caribbean, studies of sciences policy that contribute to the stable and continuous development of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean and science at different educational levels and among the entire population. A new award created by a national organization will be given this fall to Anneliese Singh. She will receive the award during ALGBTIC’s conference this September in Portland, Oregon, in recognition of her work to strengthen the voices of queer and trans people of color. The inaugural ALGBTIC Anneliese Singh Queer and Trans People of Color Award will be presented to Singh this fall at the annual conference of the Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Counseling. Singh is an associate dean and professor in UGA’s College of Education. Kudos recognizes special contributions of staff, faculty and administrators in teaching, research and service. News items are limited to election into office of state, regional, national and international societies; major awards and prizes; and similarly notable accomplishments.
CAMPUS CLOSEUP
Dorothy Kozlowski
Parker Thomas, who is working toward a master’s degree in industrial organizational psychology, also works in the Division of Finance & Administration as a team lead in position management in Human Resources.
Work study leads staffer to career as human resources consultant By Saleen Martin
saleen.martin25@uga.edu
There are two things Parker Thomas loves most: helping others and being a Georgia Bulldog. Luckily for him, his job at the University of Georgia allows him to do both. Thomas doubles as a graduate student at UGA and as a team lead in position management for Human Resources. He joined the Division of Finance & Administration in 2015 after attending UGA and earning his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. HR plays a critical role in the staff of the university, according to Thomas. “Any time you’re looking to hire someone, it has to come through position management to get approved so we can help you achieve your goal,” he said. The position management team works with departments across campus to determine what their hiring goals are and the types of positions they need to reach those goals. One reason Thomas likes his job is because he gets to learn more about research being conducted at UGA. “My job gives me the ability to see into the little windows of UGA,” he said. “We’re working with professors who are leaders in their fields. Being able to see this groundbreaking research on the front end and what type of person they need to do the research is awesome.” Thomas also analyzes jobs across campus to classify them so that employees have the proper titles based on the work they do. He enjoys playing such a critical role in the university’s success. “My favorite part is helping the
university function effectively,” Thomas said. “If position management stopped, no one would get hired. We’d just halt. We’re kind of unsung heroes, like an extremely critical cog in the machine.” Thomas had always wanted to attend UGA and loves that he is able to work for the university while continuing his studies. “Georgia was just always the school that I wanted to go to,” said Thomas, who grew up in Gwinnett County. “I always liked Athens and just wanted to be a part of UGA’s culture and be a Bulldog.” As an undergraduate, he worked for F&A’s Facilities Management Division, where he collaborated with Reginald Woods, the senior HR manager.Woods, he said, led him to work in human resources. “He singlehandedly inspired my career,” Thomas said. “He introduced me to training and being able to see in people the ‘before’ and ‘after’ of the impact you make on them. That’s when I realized I needed to go into a field where I could use my skills to help people.” While working for Facilities Management, Thomas helped to host resume and job interview seminars for its employees and develop computer courses. Today, he is working toward his master’s degree in industrial organizational psychology and graduates in August. Industrial organizational psychology, Thomas said, has two components: statistics, or using data to make informed hiring decisions, and psychology, or how people are trained,
FACTS Parker Thomas
Senior HR Consultant Division of Finance & Administration B.S., Psychology, University of Georgia, 2015 M.A., Industrial Organizational Psychology, University of Georgia, August 2018 (anticipated) At UGA: Three years
motivated and engaged at work. Thomas likes his job because it allows him to apply what he’s learning about IO to the real world. “Everything I’m learning is directly applicable to what I do,” Thomas said. “The most applicable concept I’ve learned is being able to conduct job analysis. Everything you do has to be based on a valid job analysis, so I like being able to apply that.” Thomas also likes working with his team. “One of my favorite parts of working for UGA HR is being able to work with such a great team,” he said. “We try to always be positive and have fun at work, which makes coming to work exciting because I know that we get to work on some new innovative things each day.” Wherever life takes him, Thomas plans to continue helping those around him. “If I couldn’t help people, I don’t know if I would do this job,” he said. “That’s what keeps me coming to work. I innately want to help people and improve whatever aspect of their life I can touch.”
RETIREES May
Fifteen UGA employees retired May 1. Retirees, their job classification, department and years of service are: Beverly A.Aaron, senior accountant, Graduate School, 33 years, 11 months; Dorene Agnew, HVAC/refrigeration mechanic, Facilities Management Division-Operations and MaintenanceZoneMaintenanceShop-HealthSciences Campus, 23 years, 7 months; Norman R. Edwards, public service associate, UGA Cooperative Extension-Northwest District, 28 years, 9 months; Willie L. Faust, equipment operator III, Facilities Management Division-grounds-
maintenance, 25 years, 9 months; Robin L. Jennings, administrative associate II, School of Law, 18 years; Lettie L. Lockhart, professor, School of Social Work, 33 years, 7 months; Robert M. McGinnis, materials handler supervisor, Central Foods Storage, 40 years, 6 months; Sheila Paul Morgan, senior director of finance and administration, Franklin College of Arts and Sciencesdean’s office, 34 years, 6 months; Wayne David Peacock, IT senior manager, Office of the President, 18 years, 9 months; Robert Spencer Perry, agricultural specialist, field research services-Griffin campus, 18 years; Eunita Pope, building
services worker II, Facilities Management Division-Building Services-North Campus, 24 years, 2 months; Alice Mary Sanderson, clinical associate professor, communication science and special education, 23 years, 8 months; Kimberlyn W. Saxton, business manager II, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences-dean’s office, 25 years, 3 months; Robert N. Shulstad, professor, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Office of the Associate Dean for Research, 30 years, 10 months; and Gracie W. Waldrup, assistant editor, School of Law, 24 years, 3 months. Source: Human Resources
QUESTIONS&ANSWERS
columns.uga.edu May 29, 2018
Built to last
FELLOWSHIP
Campus architect to retire after 31 years at UGA By Leigh Beeson lbeeson@uga.edu
When Danny Sniff first arrived on UGA’s campus more than 30 years ago, he drove up D.W. Brooks Drive shaking his head. “That shouldn’t be a road,” he thought. “It should be a green space.” Over the next several decades, he set to work as the campus architect, overseeing around 250 major capital projects and renovations that added about 8 million square feet in facilities and more than 50 acres of green space to the UGA campus. Although his last day as campus architect will be June 30, Sniff is not done yet. He sat down with Columns to discuss his proudest accomplishments at UGA and what he has planned for his second act. Columns: What were your favorite projects at UGA? Sniff: The projects I’m most tied to are returning Herty Field and D.W. Brooks Drive into green spaces. A campus is basically a set of buildings and a park. The space between becomes extremely important. When I first came here, campus was dominated by parking and parking lots, so I developed a master plan where we pushed the parking to the perimeter and tried to create a park-like center. One of the very first projects I worked on was the Ramsey Student Center and the Performing and Visual Arts Complex, and I also worked on the Miller Learning Center. I think they’re exemplary buildings to this day.
A major initiative under Danny Sniff’s leadership was the development and completion of UGA’s comprehensive physical master plan, which helped to guide the transformative development of East Campus.
Columns: Why are you so passionate about green spaces? Sniff: One thing American architects have given the world of architecture is the American college campus, where buildings are parallel and perpendicular to open spaces. The archetype of a college campus is like no other place. Students get out of class, meet their friends and study. They have these little gardens that are places of repose. It’s very special in the world of architecture, and I have been very fortunate to be a restorer of one of the best campuses in the country. Over the past few years, we’ve had dozens and dozens of visitors from around the world who come here and are blown away by this campus. I think we’re arguably one of the top universities for architecture and grounds in the country. We developed a master plan back in the 1990s to restore what was the quintessential American college campus, which was that green, or open, place between the buildings. Returning 50 acres of the original 600-acre campus to green space was really important for us to do.
Columns: How about sustainability? Sniff: To me, architects need to be smart with the buildings they design. These buildings, as we just said, have been here for more than 200 years, so to continue to use your buildings for years to come is very important. It’s not smart or economical to tear things down and rebuild. When you approach the design of a building on campus that you know is going to be there for over 100 years, making it as flexible, as usable and as energy efficient as possible and making it something that will be survive for the next 200 years makes a lot of sense.
Columns: Why is historic preservation important in planning a campus layout? Sniff: First of all, preservation is important because of the legacy that we inherit: a 200-plus year history of the buildings and the grounds. We’re still using buildings that were built in 1806. So that’s an important task, to make sure that we’re
Dorothy Kozlowski
respectful and honorable of what’s there. There are a lot of memories of this place that you have to respect as well. We started the preservation program on North Campus. I’m very proud of the fact that we’ve renovated almost every single building, and almost every single building we worked on, we’ve received awards or accolades from preservation societies. You have to respect what came before you; that’s what makes preservation very important.
Columns: What’s next for you? Sniff: I’ve started a little consulting company. I’ve very much planned this retirement, and I’m not afraid of the challenges of changing what I’ve been doing for so long. The university’s been fantastic to me. I went back and got the qualifications and degrees to teach, which I’ve been doing for a couple of years. And it’s just been wonderful, fantastic. I’m going to continue teaching as an adjunct for as long as they’ll have me around. I look forward to stretching my brain in different directions.
WEEKLY READER
from page 3
unique profile for each community. It helps Borron identify which capitals are strengths and weaknesses in a community. Borron plans to increase the flexibility of the framework to make it adaptable across Public Service and Outreach units. Her efforts have helped to better link the positive impact leadership development programming has on economic vitality, critical challenges and perceived strength of communities across Abigail Borron Georgia. Calabria, an associate professor in the College of Environment and Design, is helping coastal Georgia communities tackle ecological problems, like shoreline erosion, that threaten their survival. Shoreline erosion is a growing concern on the Georgia coast, where much of the economy depends on tourism and recreation. It can cause irreversible damage to cultural treasures like the Wormsloe Historic Site near Savannah, where Calabria installed living shorelines in strategic, highly targeted parts of the coastline. In a living shoreline, plants and oyster bags are used as buffers between the land and sea. This type of solution helps keep habitat for native plants and animals, which are often displaced when bulkheads, or reinforced walls, are constructed. Calabria’s research is on the effectiveness Jon Calabria and placement of living shorelines. In addition to Wormsloe, Calabria is helping Fort Pulaski and UGA facilities on Skidaway Island develop long-term plans to ensure the safety, prosperity and longevity of their facilities. Weeks, J. Alton Hosch Professor in the School of Law, worked with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government to identify rural health challenges relating to regulations and provider shortages in rural Georgia. Weeks began looking into the effectiveness and feasibility of alternative health strategies, such as telemedicine, proposed by Georgia legislators. Telemedicine is the ability to call a physician or specialist to receive services. Since telemedicine depends on broadband access, Weeks studied existing broadband access data collected by experts at the Vinson Institute. She discovered that nuances in the way broadband access is reported have a tendency to Elizabeth Weeks overestimate the number of people with broadband access. Moving forward, Weeks plans to identify public health issues that local governments face, such as evolving federal regulations and shifts in Medicaid and Medicare. She will share what she learns with faculty at the Vinson Institute, who can use the information to help communities in Georgia. Applications for the PSO fellowships are accepted in March. For more information, go to http://outreach.uga. edu/programs/pso-fellowship-program.
CYBERSIGHTS
ABOUT COLUMNS
Staffer’s first novel wins best book award
Cansville By Alan Flurry barnesandnoble.com Paperback: $15 E-book: $5.99
Originally published in 2012 as an e-book, Cansville is now available in paperback from Barnes & Noble. The novel, written by Alan Flurry, communications director for UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, was named one of the best books of 2013 by Paste magazine. In Cansville, playwright Toby Alameda begins a stint as creative director of the Cansville Theatre in Louisville, Kentucky. He sets about to reconstruct the story of his boyhood home and the extended family who had lived there. The house itself had been expanded from a modest farmhouse where his family took in relatives during the Great Depression. By the time the young Toby was practicing archery in his upstairs bedroom two generations later, the great emptied house had so grown into his being that he hardly gave it any thought. The plot of the novel is Toby’s attempt to make up a story he already knows; it builds with the writing of the play and culminates in the day before the premiere of The Big House.
Columns is available to the community by subscription for an annual fee of $20 (second-class delivery) or $40 (first-class delivery). Faculty and staff members with a disability may call 706-542-8017 for assistance in obtaining this publication in an alternate format. Columns staff can be reached at 706-542-8017 or columns@uga.edu
Editor Juliett Dinkins
Submit service requests electronically
http://sustainability.uga.edu/WorkRequest/ The Work Request Center is the new primary point for the Facilities Management Division to receive service calls, dispatch staff to respond to campus facility emergencies and request facility renovation and/or alteration projects. The department coordinates preliminary cost assessments, communicates facility engineering and project management support
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for project scheduling and assists customer needs during the process. The WRC team can receive customer maintenance or emergency repair work orders via the emergency telephone number listed on the WRC website or by completing the online electronic work order form. The WRC staff then will assign the work to an FMD shop for execution.
Communications Coordinator Krista Richmond Art Director Jackie Baxter Roberts Photo Editor Dorothy Kozlowski Writers Kellyn Amodeo Leigh Beeson The University of Georgia is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action. The University of Georgia is a unit of the University System of Georgia.
8 May 29, 2018 columns.uga.edu SCHOLARS
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in her nomination letter that “her playing connects on a deep emotional level.” She also notes Cosman’s uncanny ability to make even the most difficult music sound fun. • Nathan “Hank” Morris, who is from Watkinsville. He is a double major in bassoon performance and mathematics. “Both subjects require practice and patience, and progress comes only in small steps … but while I can spend hours honing a concerto, evening out the notes and sculpting the phrases, there’s always something to improve,” he said. “Music is inherently imperfect. Mathematics, however, is perfect. After hours of struggling with a problem, I’ll piece together the solution and then I own it.” • Zachary Pareizs, who is from Augusta. He is focusing on acting, directing and writing in his major in theatre and film studies, following his strong interest in site-specific theater. One of his professors wrote, “He takes risks and is clearly dedicated to his growth as an artist.” • Michaela Wilkins, who is from Chickamauga. She is focused on dramatic writing in theater and film studies. “Theater is a place where all voices can be heard, and where anything can happen,” she said. “No matter how unrealistic something is in the real world, it can be brought to life onstage.
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PEABODY from page 1 The two things that I advocate most for are representation and accessibility.” Cora Nunnally Miller was an accomplished horsewoman, a breeder of champion whippets, a voracious reader and an advocate for the arts. She was also one of UGA’s most generous benefactors, anonymously giving more than $33 million to the UGA Foundation throughout her lifetime. Miller died in July 2015 at her home, Hound Hill, in Otis, Massachusetts. Miller was the stepdaughter of Hugh Hodgson for whom the UGA School of Music is named. “Cora Miller was a wonderful supporter of study in the fine arts, and her transformative gifts continue to have a direct impact on our campus and our students,” said Jean Martin-Williams, Josiah Meigs Professor of Music and an associate dean in the Franklin College. “We are so pleased that her generosity will support these students and enable them to take advantage of global opportunities for their professional development,” said Martin-Williams, who will serve as the faculty mentor for the Cora Nunnally Miller Fine Arts Scholars. “Each year, as we add a new group of scholars to the cohort, the opportunities for collaboration and creative research will continue to expand.”
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the University of Georgia to say thank you to our outstanding staff members,” said Arthur Tripp Jr., assistant to the president and chair of the planning committee. “This event is one that our planning committee looks forward to every year.” Michael Lewis, president of the Staff Council and IT support coordinator in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences’ geology department, was excited to see the
event come to fruition. “These events really are great for morale and for staff to enjoy getting away from the office for a little bit. I am sure it takes many, many hours of planning and hard work, so please know it is very appreciated,” he said. The event was sponsored by Georgia United Credit Union, Kaiser Permanente, Valic, WastePro, Athens First Bank and Trust, AT&T, Fidelity and TIAA-CREF.
Bulletin Board Parking permit
Registration for the first and largest round of parking permits for the 20182019 school year will end June 29. After this date, fewer permit assignments will be available, and employees will be placed on the waiting list for a parking permit. Visit parking.uga.edu to register for a parking permit. Assistance with registration is available in the Parking Services Office weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Legion Pool
Legion Pool is open 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through July 31 and 3-7 p.m. Aug. 1-9. Use of Legion Pool is limited to students with valid UGACards who pay activity fees on the Athens campus; faculty and staff with valid UGACards; guests of students, faculty and staff; and Friends of Campus Life members. All guests must be accompanied by the UGACard holder. Admission is $3 for students, $4 for faculty and staff, $3 for children ages 3-15 (who must be accompanied by an adult) and $5 for guests and members of Friends of Campus Life. Friends of Campus Life memberships are available for a minimum $40 donation at the Tate Student Center business office, open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit http://tate. uga.edu/legionpool or call 706-542-7774.
Diabetes study participants
Do you have Type 1 diabetes? The kinesiology department at UGA’s College of Education is conducting
a research study to learn more about how Type 1 diabetes affects muscle metabolism and endurance. To be in this study, participants would need to either have a medical diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes or be a nondiabetic subject who generally matches the characteristics of someone with diabetes in the study. Researchers are seeking men and women ages 35-50 who are willing to answer some general medical questions, take a finger prick test to measure blood glucose and/or HbA1c, and have their forearm muscles tested. The testing, which is noninvasive, will last approximately one hour. A subset of individuals also will be asked to complete testing of their muscles in a magnetic resonance spectroscopy, or MRS, machine. This test, which also is noninvasive, will last approximately 90 minutes. Other requirements for participation in the study include: no drinking alcohol 48 hours prior to testing, no smoking, no kidney disease, no heart or blood vessel disease, no muscle disease, no hormone disorder (excluding Type 1 diabetes), no sickle cell anemia, no neurological injury or disease and no other major medical condition. People who participate in the study can be compensated $20 for each test session in which they participate (one, two or three sessions). For more information, contact Lauren Brown by email at lab04719@ uga.edu or phone at 706-542-1129. Bulletin Board is limited to information that may pertain to a majority of faculty and staff members.
joined Kim Snyder, director and producer of Newtown, onstage along with Mark and Jackie Barden, whose son Daniel was killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting in Connecticut. The Fred Rogers Company received an Institutional Award for carrying on the legacy of its eponymous founder, whose iconic children’s program debuted 50 years ago. In the history of American TV personalities, few have been as universally loved as Fred McFeely Rogers. He died in 2003, but his spirit lives on through The Fred Rogers Company. With its partners, the company continues to produce high-quality, thoughtful educational television, including Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Peg + Cat and The Odd Squad,
that cares not only about the children who watch it, but also the adults they will become. Another Institutional Award went to 60 Minutes, one of the nation’s most enduring media institutions now celebrating 50 years on the air. Since its debut, the CBS News “magazine for television” has become nothing less than a touchstone in American life, regularly pursuing investigations that lead to legal action, catalyze social change and illuminate dark government secrets. A previous recipient of more than 20 Peabody Awards, 60 Minutes consistently delivers hard-hitting, exclusive, thoroughly reported stories. The complete list of the 2017 Peabody winners is available online at peabodyawards. com/awards.
MAP from page 1 area from the 1800s to present. The team has created a chronological series of maps showing the evolution of the cemeteries, campus and town, serving as a tool to connect additional research to the changing physical landscape. “This interactive database will be a wonderful tool for anyone wishing to research and report the history of Athens, including the history of the Athens African-American community,” said Vice President for Research David Lee. To create the database, Madden and Bernardes assembled a team of UGA graduate and undergraduate students, as well as two local high school students. Over the past year, members collected maps (some dating back 200 years), aerial photographs and satellite imagery focused on the north UGA campus and extending to the historical 19th-century circular boundary of Athens. “This project provided an excellent vehicle for training students in the use of geographic information systems and an opportunity to engage Athens-area high school students in a relevant and timely STEM application,” Madden said. “We hope it is a platform for education and continued discussion about Athens history.” The unique database of maps and images
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will be made available to researchers and the general public alike for use in building their own Athens-area “story maps”—multimedia presentations that can combine research findings, historical accounts and oral histories with the detailed geographical resources developed by the MaddenBernardes team. To illustrate use of the database, as well as to summarize its work, the team has constructed a story map depicting the evolution of the project, which can be accessed online at www.athenslayersoftime.uga.edu. The story map demonstrates how interactive maps, images and other information from the database can both enhance the known record and highlight new discoveries. For example, an old, hand-drawn map of burial sites in the Old Athens Cemetery can be accurately projected onto current aerial views, even allowing users to scroll over specific burial sites to reveal what is known about the individual buried there. The team is presently working to construct a publicly accessible map portal, through which anyone interested in Athens history may view, download and use maps and other imagery contained in the database. The portal is expected to be complete later this fall.
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she spearheaded the expansion of dual degree and graduate certificate programs while enhancing support and career preparedness services to students. She served as interim dean in 2015 and 2016 and in that role oversaw the college’s self-study and successful reaccreditation by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education while also helping elevate the college’s level of external research funding. “The University of Georgia is excited to welcome an accomplished alumna to serve as the next dean of the College of Pharmacy,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “With a stellar record of scholarship and academic leadership, Dr. Smith is perfectly positioned to lead the college and its outstanding faculty, staff and students into the future.” Smith’s research and instruction primarily focus on pharmacy practice models and workforce development, particularly through student career development and residency training.
National leader
She is a national leader in her field and the author or co-author of nearly 200 peer-reviewed journal articles, books, book chapters and other publications. She is president-elect and vice chair of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and has served on the editorial advisory boards of several journals, including the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association and Orthopedics. She began her academic career as an assistant professor at the University of Kentucky and served in a series of positions of increasing responsibility. As director of residency program advancement, she launched the Kentucky Pharmacy Residency Network, the nation’s
first statewide collaboration to support pharmacy residency training. She directed the University of Kentucky’s Drug Information Center and served for 10 years as UK HealthCare’s Postgraduate Year One Pharmacy Residency Program director, which was named as the nation’s best by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists under her leadership. She has served as the college’s diversity and inclusivity co-officer since 2016 and has helped double the diversity of its student body through enhanced recruitment efforts.
Career honors
Smith has received several honors over the course of her career, including being named Pharmacist of the Year by the Kentucky Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the Kentucky Pharmacists Association. In addition, she is a Fellow of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the American College of Clinical Pharmacy. Her teaching awards include the Michael J. Lach Faculty Award for Innovative Teaching Practice from the UK College of Pharmacy and being named one of the nation’s 25 Top Pharmacy Professors by Sechel Ventures, an independent forecaster of health care workforce trends. A native of Statesboro, Smith earned her Bachelor of Science in pharmacy and her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from UGA and completed her drug information residency training at UFHealth Jacksonville in Florida. “To return home to work with such accomplished and passionate students, staff, faculty and alumni is a dream come true,” Smith said. “There is no better time than now for the UGA College of Pharmacy to advance science and create pharmacy leaders who will elevate health care across Georgia, the nation and the world.”