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UGA’s innovation mentor offers pointers for startups in advance of Oct. 24 lecture CAMPUS NEWS
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Hodgson Wind Ensemble to play something for everyone at next concert Vol. 47, No. 13
October 21, 2019
www.columns.uga.edu
UGA GUIDE
4&5
College of Education to be named in honor of Mary Frances Early
Wingate Downs
UGA President Jere W. Morehead welcomed Student Ambassadors and members of the Arch Society to the Presidents Club Reception on Oct. 11.
Inspiring commitment Leadership-level donors thanked at annual Presidents Club Reception
By Clarke Schwabe ccschwabe@uga.edu
The annual Presidents Club Reception was held on Oct. 11 in the Tate Student Center Grand Hall, recognizing the FY19 members of this UGA giving society. Donors in the Presidents Club collectively contributed over $113 million to the Commit to Georgia campaign in FY19. The event brought together more than 900 Presidents Club members. “As we near the end of this record-breaking campaign, I credit so much of our success to our loyal Presidents Club members,” said President Jere W. Morehead.
“Their commitment to the University of Georgia is inspiring, and their generous contributions will benefit this great institution and our outstanding students for generations.” Established in 1973, the Presidents Club, whose members give $1,500 or more in a fiscal year, comprises alumni and friends whose support makes an immediate impact at UGA. Members’ annual gifts play a significant role in advancing the campaign’s priorities: increasing scholarship support, enhancing the learning environment and solving grand challenges. Presidents Club members can
be found across the nation, but a significant number come from within UGA itself: 472 Presidents Club members were current or former UGA employees in FY19, and they contributed a total of $4.5 million last year. “We’ve achieved so much during this campaign, and it’s because donors like these kept asking us, ‘What more can I do? How can I help one more student?’ ” said Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Kelly Kerner. “Their dedication to advancing UGA is beyond commendable. With supporters like these, our success will extend far beyond this campaign.”
COMMIT TO GEORGIA CAMPAIGN
$1.5 million gift to Odum School of Ecology honors legacy of ecology student John Spencer By Beth Gavrilles bethgav@uga.edu
John Spencer, a master’s student in ecology at the University of Georgia, was passionate about freshwater ecology, conservation and ecological restoration. A graduate fellowship established through a $1.5 million commitment from Spencer’s mother and stepfather, Kathelen and Dan Amos, is ensuring that his legacy will reach far into the future. “Kathelen and Dan Amos are two of the most generous and devoted alumni of the university,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “Their establishment of the John K. Spencer Fellowship is a meaningful tribute to John that will help advance the important work he intended to carry out.” Spencer arrived at UGA in the fall of 2014 and immediately
distinguished himself at the Odum School of Ecology for his hard work, ready laugh, enthusiasm and, most of all, his thoughtfulness. He cared deeply John Spencer about people and the natural world. His untimely death in 2016 left his family, friends and colleagues devastated. “John’s memory is with us every day—his smile, his optimism and passion for life,” said John L. Gittleman, dean of the Odum School and UGA Foundation Professor in Ecology. “John wanted us all to enjoy and conserve the natural world around us. This gracious and kind gift will ensure that future generations will have the chance to fulfill John’s passion.”
Spencer’s research focused on the health of urban streams. “John wanted to study—and positively affect—how stream ecosystems respond to stressors associated with watershed land-use change, particularly urbanization,” said professor Amy Rosemond, who co-advised Spencer with assistant professor Seth Wenger. Spencer studied the effects of elevated conductivity—the amount of dissolved ions, or pollutants, in water—on invertebrate communities in urban streams as a way to measure stream health. In December 2016, the University of Georgia awarded him a posthumous master’s degree in recognition of the work he had completed toward the requirements of his degree. The John K. Spencer Fellowship was established that See GIFT on page 8
The University of Georgia’s College of Education will be named, effective February 2020, to honor one of the state’s pioneering educators—Mary Frances Early, UGA’s first African American graduate and longtime leader of music education in Atlanta’s public school system. The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia gave final approval Oct. 16 for UGA to name the College of Education in honor of Early, who was a central figure in the desegregation of UGA. “Through her courage and determination, Ms. Early has made an indelible mark on UGA, and we are pleased to honor her legacy and
lifetime of accomplishments as a music educator and civil rights icon,” said University of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead. “I would like Mary Frances to thank the Early chancellor and board of regents and applaud them for their support of this fitting tribute to Ms. Early’s life and legacy.” The university plans to hold the naming ceremony in February 2020 as part of UGA’s celebration
See EARLY on page 8
AU/UGA MEDICAL PARTNERSHIP Medical Partnership campuses set to expand class size by 50 percent in 2021 By Mary Kathryn Rogers mk.rogers@uga.edu
The Augusta University/ University of Georgia Medical Partnership located in Athens is advancing plans to expand its class size from 40 students currently to 60 students in 2021 as part of a broader strategy to address Georgia’s critical shortage of physicians. “As the state’s only public medical school, it is our duty to lead the way in addressing the state’s health care needs,” says Dr. David Hess, MCG dean. “Expanding the class size at the partnership campus in Athens and soon at the main campus in Augusta is one way we
are working to ensure Georgia has not only enough doctors to face its growing shortage of physicians, but a healthy economy as well.” To accommodate the larger class size in Athens, Russell Hall on UGA’s Health Sciences Campus underwent a $3 million renovation this past summer. The primary focus for the project was to enhance the student learning experience. The enhancements include a new state-of-the-art simulation suite and clinical skills lab, classroom improvements to allow for active learning, additional small group learning spaces and various types of spaces for studying
See PARTNERSHIP on page 8
SCHOOL OF LAW
National Jurist again names law school best return on investment By Heidi Murphy
hmurphy@uga.edu
For the second year in a row, the University of Georgia School of Law has been named the best value in legal education in the country by National Jurist. These rankings are based on outcomedriven metrics such as bar passage and employment rates in addition to average indebtedness, tuition and cost of living. This recognition speaks volumes to the School of Law’s relentless pursuit to be the nation’s very best return on investment in legal education, according to School of Law Dean Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge. “Over the past five years, buoyed by private donations and holding the line on tuition, the
aggregate annual indebtedness of our students has been reduced by more than $5 million, and for the 2018-19 academic year almost 40% of our J.D. student body did not borrow funds to support their legal education,” he said. “The first-rate training our students receive helps them secure jobs, posting one of the nation’s top employment rates and best in the state earlier this year,” Rutledge said. “For the second straight year, roughly 95% of our students passed the bar within 12 months of graduation. This sort of success, coupled with a laser-like focus on student debt, allows our grads to make professional career choices based on their passions, not their finances.” Over the last several years, the See LAW on page 8
2 Oct. 21, 2019 columns.uga.edu UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA LIBRARIES Library partners on Latino, Hispanic history project
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, FRANKLIN COLLEGE
Engineering student receives NIH fellowship to create new microscope
By Camie Williams
By Mike Wooten
camiew@uga.edu
mwooten@uga.edu
A statewide initiative is underway to document the contributions the Latino and Hispanic communities have made to the landscape of modern Georgia politics. The project is being spearheaded by the Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies at the University of Georgia Libraries and the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials and GALEO Latino Community Development Fund. To ensure the most comprehensive documentation and accessibility of the political history of all of Georgia’s citizens, the Russell Library and GALEO will work to identify and document people and organizations representing the interests of the Latino and Hispanic communities. This effort will preserve traditional records and manuscripts and capture oral histories with elected officials, activists and business leaders. “This partnership marks a milestone in meeting the library’s commitment to collect materials that comprehensively document the full spectrum of political life and public policy in Georgia,” said Sheryl Vogt, director of the Russell Library. Jerry Gonzalez, executive director of GALEO and the LCDF, said, “Inclusion of the Latinx community and our work at GALEO into the archive demonstrates the growing influence and power of the Latinx electorate and our community in the future of our state. GALEO is proud to partner to ensure we archive our history for future generations of Georgians to learn about our community’s growth and influence for generations to come.” Nine collections will begin the new collaboration with the Russell Library: the papers of former state Sen. Sam Zamarripa, longtime state Rep. Pedro Marin, the first two Latina state Reps. Brenda Lopez and Deborah Gonzalez, four community leaders—Leonard Gomez, Jason Esteves, Evelyn “Mimi” Woodson and Adela Yelton—and the organizational records of GALEO. • Zamarripa is the first Hispanic to serve in the Georgia state Senate, representing the 36th District in eastern Fulton County. He served two terms (2003-2006), representing the city of Atlanta. • Marin, community organizer and leader, has served House District 96 in the Georgia General Assembly for the past 17 years. He has more than 35 years of executive experience in both the private and nonprofit sectors plus 17 years as the first Hispanic in the Georgia House. Along with DeKalb County Judge Tony del Campo, Zamarripa and Marin developed and founded GALEO in November 2003. A nonpartisan nonprofit, GALEO’s mission is to increase civic engagement and leadership development of the Latino and Hispanic communities across Georgia. GALEO LCDF was established subsequently as a charitable nonprofit and nonpartisan organization to promote engagement of the Latino and immigrant communities on issues that matter to them. • Lopez made history in 2016 when she became the first Latina elected to the Georgia General Assembly, representing House District 99 in Gwinnett County. She served as vice chair of DPG Latinx Caucus. An attorney, Lopez has over 15 years of law and policy experience related to immigration and nationality law. • Gonzalez became the second Latina in the Georgia General Assembly through a special election for House District 117 in November 2017. She is currently a candidate for district attorney in the Western Judicial Circuit, consisting of Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties. • In 2015, Gomez was elected by the Grantville City Council to serve as mayor pro tem, making him the first Latino to serve in that capacity in Georgia. Previously, Leonard served two years on Grantville’s City Council representing Post 4 in Coweta County. • Esteves, an attorney and former educator, serves as assistant general counsel at Equifax Inc., where he manages litigation matters for the company. Esteves currently serves as board chair and an at-large representative on the Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education. • Woodson, a Columbus City Councilor and retired U.S. Army veteran, recently won her sixth term to represent District 7. Elected in 1994, Woodson was the city’s first Hispanic councilor and is now the longest serving Hispanic elected representative in the state. Woodson is a customer service supervisor at Total System Services in Columbus. • Yelton, elected in 2015 to the Avondale Estates Board of Mayor and Commissioners, served for four years. Yelton has a corporate career of 15 years in tax and human resources and was one of the original eight founding members of The Museum School of Avondale Estates.
Yang Liu, a doctoral student in the University of Georgia College of Engineering, has been awarded a prestigious Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Fellowship by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Liu is the first UGA College of Engineering student to receive the highly competitive award. The fellowship provides $117,000 over three years to support Liu’s development of a microscope capable of revealing the most fundamental biological processes occurring inside living organisms. The project has the potential to improve human health by advancing biological science and improving the study of organisms that are important models for human disease. “We want to create an instrument that can bridge the gap between light sheet microscopes and super-resolution imaging,” Liu said. Liu, who began his doctoral work at UGA in 2016, explained that light sheet microscopes use a laser to illuminate a thin slice of a larger sample such as an embryo or small organism. This method reduces the potential photodamage and stress on the living sample. However, light sheet microscopes provide less than optimal resolution of nanoscale features. On the other hand, super-resolution microscopy uses a variety of optical techniques to allow scientists to examine structures such as neural synapses and nuclear membranes beyond the resolution of conventional light microscopes. At UGA, Liu works in the laboratory of Peter Kner, an associate professor in
Yang Liu is the first UGA College of Engineering student to receive a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Fellowship. Liu wants to create a microscope that bridges the gap between light sheet microscopes and super-resolution imaging.
the College of Engineering, and collaborates closely with the lab of James Lauderdale, an associate professor in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences’ department of cellular biology. Kner and his team are working to develop novel techniques of super-resolution microscopy with a goal of imaging cells inside sections of tissue in living organisms. Liu’s work focuses on imaging the central nervous system of zebrafish larvae. Zebrafish are a model for research on stroke, seizures and other neurological disorders because the anatomical and chemical pathways in the fish’s brain closely resemble those in the human brain. “I think it’s fascinating that we can create instruments that help biologists
WILLSON CENTER FOR HUMANITIES AND ARTS
‘English Patient’ author to visit UGA as Delta Chair By Dave Marr
davemarr@uga.edu
The Willson Center for Humanities and Arts will welcome author Michael Ondaatje to the University of Georgia as the 2019-2020 Delta Visiting Chair for Global Understanding. Ondaatje, whose 1992 novel The English Patient was awarded the “Golden Booker” prize in 2018 as the best English-language novel of the past 50 years, will visit UGA and Athens Oct. 24-25 for a slate of public events and informal conversations with college and high school students. Ondaatje’s main public event will be a reading and conversation on Oct. 24 at 4 p.m. in the Chapel, followed by a meet-and-greet Michael Ondaatje reception on the lawn outside the Chapel. On Oct. 25, he will attend an 8 p.m. public reception and book signing at Ciné, 234 W. Hancock Ave. in downtown Athens. Books will be offered for sale at the event by Avid Bookshop. Both events are open free to the public. During his two-day visit, Ondaatje also will meet with students in classes at both UGA and Clarke Central High School. The English Patient won the Man Booker, awarded each year for the best novel written in English and published in the United Kingdom. A 1996 film adaptation, directed by Anthony Minghella and starring Juliette Binoche, Ralph Fiennes, Willem Dafoe, Naveen Andrews and Kristen Scott Thomas, won nine Academy Awards. The Delta Visiting Chair for Global Understanding, established by the Willson Center through the support of The Delta Air Lines Foundation, hosts outstanding global scholars, leading creative thinkers, artists and intellectuals who engage with audiences on and off the UGA campus through lectures, seminars, discussions and other community events. The Delta Chair program aims to foster conversations that engage with global perspectives through the humanities and arts. The chair is founded upon the legacy of the Delta Prize for Global Understanding, which from 1997-2011 was presented to individuals whose initiatives promoted world peace by advancing understanding and cooperation among cultures and nations.
answer questions regarding neurological disorders,” said Liu. “Understanding is the first step toward developing treatments. To be able to understand or study the fundamental processes in organisms you need the right tools to capture these processes.” Liu earned his bachelor’s degree in biological engineering from UGA. He worked with OLIS Inc., a local optics company, before deciding to return and pursue his doctoral degree. Under the fellowship, Liu will be sponsored by Kner and Lauderdale. “This is definitely a team effort,” said Liu. “I’ve received a lot of support from Dr. Kner and Dr. Lauderdale and our other collaborators. It’s definitely an honor.”
Takács Quartet to perform Payne Memorial Concert By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu
UGA Presents opens the 2019-2020 Franklin College Chamber Music Series on Oct. 22 with the Payne Memorial Concert, featuring the award-winning Takács Quartet. Named for William Jackson Payne, the former dean of Franklin College who founded the chamber music series, the Payne Memorial Concert is free and no tickets are required. The program will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Hodgson Concert Hall and will include works by Mozart, Bartók and Beethoven. The Takács Quartet was formed in 1975 at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest by Gabor Takács-Nagy, Károly Schranz, Gabor Ormai and András Fejér, while all four were students. The quartet received international attention in 1977, winning first prize and the Critics’ Prize at the International String Quartet Competition in Evian, France. In 2001, the Takács Quartet was awarded the Order of Merit of the Knight’s Cross of the Republic of Hungary, and in 2011, each member of the quartet was awarded the Order of Merit Commander’s Cross by the President of the Republic of Hungary. The quartet is now based in Boulder at the University of Colorado. Its current members, Edward Dusinberre, Harumi Rhodes (violins), Geraldine Walther (viola) and András Fejér (cello), perform 80 concerts a year worldwide, including annual concerts as associate artists at London’s Wigmore Hall. The Athens concert will be recorded for broadcast on American Public Media’s Performance Today, the most popular classical music program in the United States. A pre-performance talk will be given by Patrick Castillo from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. The talk will begin at 6:45 p.m. in Ramsey Concert Hall. For more information, contact the Performing Arts Center at 706-542-4400 or online at pac.uga.edu. Hodgson Concert Hall and Ramsey Concert Hall are located in the UGA Performing Arts Center at 230 River Road in Athens.
OUTREACH NEWS
columns.uga.edu Oct. 21, 2019
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Digest Benefits open enrollment for the 2020 calendar year to be held Oct. 28-Nov. 8
Harvest season
UGA scientists Henry Sintim and Glen Harris bag peanuts at the Plant Science Farm on the UGA Tifton campus.
Clint Thompson
Fall is a time of celebration in Georgia’s rural communities
By Clint Thompson cbthomps@uga.edu
Peanut harvest season in Sylvester is more than just farmers digging up the fruits of their labor. It’s a time of celebration for agriculture, the sector that drives the economic footprint in this rural community. Sylvester is just one small town in Georgia that exudes peanut pride. Plains and Brooklet also host peanut festivals in the fall, and Blakely hosts the Peanut Proud Festival in the spring. “It’s kind of what these towns are made of, so they want to show that off and get a chance to show appreciation for the agricultural community as a whole. I think all smaller communities have some type of celebration, no matter what kind of festival you’re talking about,” said University of Georgia Cooperative Extension peanut agronomist Scott Monfort. Sylvester claims the title of “Peanut Capital of the World,” and—every October for the past 56 years—Sylvester plays host to the Georgia Peanut Festival. Sylvester is also home to the factory that produces Peter Pan brand peanut butter. “The festival is a celebration of our farmers, especially our peanut farmers,” said Karen Rackley, director of the Worth County Chamber of Commerce. In an annual parade, local peanut farmers are recognized for their
contributions to the community, including the awarding of Farmer of the Year and Junior Farmer of the Year honors. On average, between 12,000 and 15,000 people attend the festivities every year. According to the Georgia Peanut Commission, 1.79 million tons of peanuts were harvested from 825,000 acres in Georgia in 2017, accounting for more than 50% of peanut production in the U.S. While harvest season is a source of pride for Georgia’s rural communities, it also drives local economies. Farmers hire additional workers to help get the crops out of the field in a timely manner, and peanut buying points—where peanuts are weighed, cleaned, dried, inspected and graded—hire additional workers in the fall so peanuts can be graded and farmers can return to the field to get the next load. “Most every community and every county has one to two buying points. You recognize that peanut harvesting provides seasonal employment in these counties,” said Armond Morris, a peanut farmer in Irwin and Berrien counties and chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission. “Peanuts help to pay the farm note, which is very important to everybody—from the car and tractor dealerships to banks and other businesses. It helps generate business and employment. Everybody gets excited.”
Because every ton of peanuts throughout Georgia is graded at these buying points, the Georgia Federal-State Inspection Service also needs additional employees to keep the harvesting system running smoothly. “You don’t realize the number of hours that farmers put in during harvest. It is extremely important for them to harvest their crop as soon as possible. With this in mind, a grower needs to be able to harvest his field, put it in the trailer and take it to the buying point, and be able to pick up empty trailers for the next day,” Monfort said. He estimates that two-thirds of the employees working at the buying points are seasonal workers. Since peanut producers have a finite window during which to harvest their crops before the value begins to diminish, many will help out fellow farmers to ensure the peanuts are dug and picked when they’re ready. This shared effort speaks to the camaraderie felt among Georgia farmers this time of year. “You have to dig them when they need to be dug or they’ll start falling off. And you’ve got to pick them when the moisture’s right, so there’s a narrow window there,” said Russ Griffin of Chula who farms 140 acres of peanuts. “That’s where we will team up and jump in there when some get ready and help each other out.”
COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Study: Health coaching helps employees lose weight By Lauren Baggett lbaggett@uga.edu
Health and wellness programs are becoming more common in the workplace, as employers look to boost productivity and keep their workforce healthy and happy. But with so many types of programs with varying success rates, how can employers be sure they’re investing in a program that works? Researchers with the University of Georgia’s Workplace Health Group have some tips—encourage lifestyle changes and invest in health coaching. The team, based in UGA’s College of Public Health, recently completed the second of two studies evaluating a worksite program called FUELYour Life, which emphasizes making sustainable changes to eating and exercise habits to support overall health.
FUEL Your Life was adapted from a clinically proven lifestyle change program aimed at preventing diabetes. Beginning in 2011, the team worked to implement and evaluate FUEL Your Life for three city-county governments in Georgia. The program was purposely implemented in city-county governments because they represent a diversity of occupations, so findings could be generalized to other workplaces. The FUEL Your Life plan included a self-study guide, which covered information on healthy eating and exercise, but specifically emphasized the use of health coaches. “Health coaching is used to help people manage their health conditions,set goals and stay accountable,” said Heather Padilla, assistant professor and researcher in the Workplace Health Group who worked on the FUEL Your Life studies.
FUEL Your Life offered two methods of health coaching: in a group setting and one-on-one over the phone. A third control group completed a self-study of the program’s study guide. All participants lost weight, which was the main goal for the program, but those who received one-on-one coaching over the phone lost more. In their latest evaluation, Padilla and her colleagues wanted to understand why participants who received phone coaching lost more weight than those who received group coaching.They found that employees who received phone coaching read more of the program study guide and adopted more of the positive, healthy behaviors encouraged in the program,like recording daily food intake. “In all groups, a significant number of participants lost weight,” said Padilla, “and that’s what we’re wanting to see.”
Benefits open enrollment for the 2020 calendar year for current University of Georgia employees and retirees is Oct. 28-Nov. 8. In conjunction with open enrollment, three information meetings will be held. On Oct. 28, an information meeting for current employees will be held from 3-4 p.m. in the Chapel. An information meeting for retirees will be held on Oct. 31 from 1-2 p.m. in Masters Hall of the Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel. The third information meeting, which is intended for current employees, will be held on Oct. 31 from 3-4 p.m. in Masters Hall of the Georgia Center. Employees who are unable to attend this information meeting may view it via Collaborate at https://bit.ly/33rujF8. Prior to the session, employees can test their browser compatibility with Blackboard Collaborate at https://bit.ly/2IESho3.
College of Pharmacy’s Pharmtoberfest Health Fair will be held on Oct. 24
The College of Pharmacy and the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists will hold the 17th annual Pharmtoberfest Health Fair on Oct. 24 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the D.W. Brooks Mall, in front of the College of Pharmacy and adjacent to the Science Learning Center. Sponsored by Kroger, the free event will include flu shots, health screenings, health education, food, games and a special visit from Hairy Dawg. Open to all UGA faculty, staff and students, as well as the local community, Pharmtoberfest celebrates American Pharmacists Month. It will include screenings for high blood pressure, high blood sugar, bone marrow donors, HIV and body mass index. In addition, booths from student health groups across campus will provide information on breast cancer awareness, diabetes, high blood pressure, immunizations, sexually transmitted diseases, alcohol education, over-the-counter medication safety, safe drug disposal and more. Flu shots will be available through the University Health Center. Interested participants are asked to bring their insurance card or $50 to offset the cost of the vaccine.
UGA School of Law to host conference on the future of space governance
The University of Georgia School of Law’s Dean Rusk International Law Center and the Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law will host a daylong conference titled “The Future of Space Governance” on Oct. 28. The conference will be held at the School of Law on UGA’s North Campus. The event is open to the public, but attendees are requested to register. Fifty years after the first moonwalk, the prospect for a new set of multilateral agreements governing outer space is remote, yet the legal questions raised by new space activity are mounting, according to School of Law Hosch Associate Professor Melissa J. Durkee, who serves as the faculty adviser to the Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law. The keynote address will be delivered by Professor Emerita Joanne Irene Gabrynowicz of the University of Mississippi School of Law. Gabrynowicz has taught space law since 1987, and she currently serves as a director of the International Institute of Space Law. Register for the conference at http://law.uga.edu/ gjiclfall2019. Attendance for UGA faculty, staff and students is free. Conference co-sponsors are the American Society of International Law and School of Law student organizations the International Law Society and the Military Law Society.
PERIODICALS POSTAGE STATEMENT Columns (USPS 020-024) is published weekly during the academic year and
biweekly during the summer for the faculty and staff of the University of Georgia by the Division of Marketing & Communications. Periodicals postage is paid in Athens, Georgia. Postmaster: Send off-campus address changes to Columns, UGA Marketing & Communications, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Athens, GA 30602-1999.
For a complete listing of events at the University of Georgia, check the Master Calendar on the web (calendar.uga.edu/). The following events are open to the public, unless otherwise specified. Dates, times and locations may change without advance notice.
UGAGUIDE
EXHIBITIONS
Out of the Darkness: Light in the Depths of the Sea of Cortez. Through Oct. 27. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1817. hazbrown@uga.edu.
State Botanical Garden of Georgia. 706-542-6014. connicot@uga.edu.
Health. Registration required. 8:30 a.m. Georgia Center. lmoak@uga.edu.
Moon Rocks! Through Dec. 24. Russell Gallery, Special Collections Libraries. 706-542-5788. washnock@uga.edu.
WORKSHOP Cooperative Learning focuses on the process of group learning as much as the product, differentiating it from traditional group work. When well designed, cooperative learning engages students intrinsically in developing positive interdependence, promotive interaction, accountability, and inter- and intrapersonal communication skills. The “4 Principles of Cooperative Learning” interactive workshop is dedicated to the four principles of effective cooperative learning: agency, expectations, structure and community. 9:30 a.m. 372 Miller Learning Center. 706-542-1355. jamie.adair@uga.edu.
Immortal Beloved. Through Nov. 8. Bridge Gallery, Lamar Dodd School of Art. 706-542-0069. kgeha@uga.edu.
Now and Then: 1979. Through Dec. 24. Russell Gallery, Special Collections Libraries. 706-542-5788. washnock@uga.edu.
Baci from Cortona. Through Nov. 16. Margie E. West Gallery, Lamar Dodd School of Art. 706-542-0069. kgeha@uga.edu.
Mary Lee Bendolph: Quilted Memories. Through Dec. 29. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.
Codified Color. Through Nov. 16. Suite Gallery, Lamar Dodd School of Art. 706-542-0069. kgeha@uga.edu.
Storytelling in Renaissance Maiolica. Through Jan. 5. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.
Kiki Kogelnik, Julia Scher, Erika Vogt, Lisa Williamson. Through Nov. 16. Lupin Foundation Gallery, Lamar Dodd School of Art. 706-542-0069. kgeha@uga.edu.
Beautiful and Brutal: Georgia Bulldogs Football, 2017. Through Feb. 28. Rotunda Gallery, Special Collections Libraries. 706-542-6170. hasty@uga.edu.
Before the War: Photographs of Syria by Peter Aaron. Through Dec. 1. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu. The New South and The New Slavery: Convict Labor in Georgia. Through Dec. 13. Hargrett Library Gallery, Special Collections Libraries. 706-542-6367. kdotson@uga.edu. Growing Through Art: Athens Art Association Artists Celebrate Their Centennial Year. Through Dec. 22. Gardenside Room,
MONDAY, OCT. 21 WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE For fall semester. CTEGD RESEARCH IN PROGRESS: WOLSTENHOLME LAB Moderators: Stephen Vella and Nicole Solano. Advanced students, postdocs, technicians and PIs from CTEGD labs present “in progress” work and discuss preliminary data and ideas for collaboration. Questions and discussion are highly encouraged. Refreshments are provided by CTEGD and the host lab. 8:30 a.m. 175 Coverdell Center. UGA I-CORPS FALL 2019 SHOWCASE UGA I-Corps is a NSF-funded program to give UGA teams (faculty, students and community) the training and funds needed to begin understanding the value they might provide to customers. These presentations represent the newest additions to the pipeline of more than 100 projects progressing toward commercialization. Registration is requested. 6 p.m. Jackson Street Building. tim.martin@uga.edu.
Catch a performance of Niagara Falls on Oct. 22–26 at 8 p.m. and on Oct. 26 and 27 at 2:30 p.m. in the Cellar Theatre of the Fine Arts Building.
UGA Theatre to present comedy ‘Niagara Falls’ By Caroline Caden
caroline.caden@uga.edu
UGA Theatre will present Niagara Falls by UGA alumnus Steve Yockey on Oct. 22–26 at 8 p.m. and on Oct. 26 and 27 at 2:30 p.m. in the Cellar Theatre of the Fine Arts Building at 255 Baldwin St. Niagara Falls opens with newlyweds Jack and Avery getting settled into a hotel overlooking the titular locale. As the surreal comedy unfolds, Avery is forced to contend with the expediency of her nuptials, leading her to consider the other paths her life could have taken. Other couples staying at the falls are faced with similarly pressing marital—and extramarital—issues. Niagara Falls diverges from its romantic comedy leanings in the second act and embraces chaos as the setting shifts to a boardwalk carnival complete with fortune tellers, would-be arsonists and nomadic carnies, all with their own impending decisions to make that eerily mirror those of act one’s protagonists. For director George Contini, the joys and fears that come with making life-altering choices are central to the play’s themes. “In today’s unsteady and fractured world, sometimes we want to feel that the choices we make will have resonance, but in order to find that out, we have to take the initial plunge. Making those ripples is a scary process, to be sure, but ultimately there’s a great deal of excitement that comes from it as well,” he said. “That moment when you make any sort of commitment—whether it be to a job, a person, a value system—brings with it joy and passion but also naturally brings up doubts and fears,” Contini said. “The playwright’s characters allow us to recognize our own relationships and neuroses while they frantically search for a meaningful way to approach making life’s choices, suggesting there is often a fine line between reality and our earnestly romanticized version of it.” Niagara Falls marks a return to the University of Georgia for Yockey. David Saltz, head of the UGA department of theatre and film studies, said that “Steve earned his B.A. from our department back in 2001, when I was a young assistant professor. It’s been exhilarating to follow his steady rise to the top of his profession.” After graduating from UGA, Yockey received an MFA from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. His plays have been produced nationally and regionally, most recently at Actor’s Express in Atlanta with Reykjavík. The playwright has also had an illustrious career in television, serving as a writer and producer on the hit show Supernatural as well as adapting and executive producing the best-selling novel The Flight Attendant alongside Kelly Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory) for WarnerMedia’s upcoming streaming service. Tickets for Niagara Falls are $12 and $7 for UGA students. They can be purchased at ugatheatre. com/niagarafalls, via phone at 706-542-4400 or in person at the Performing Arts Center.
TUESDAY, OCT. 22 STATE OF THE PUBLIC’S HEALTH CONFERENCE Now in its eight year, the State of the Public’s Health Conference is a daylong annual gathering focused on meaningful, constructive dialogue and practical solutions for Georgia’s public health challenges. The SOPH brings together the public health workforce, elected officials, policymakers, academia, community-based health organizations, the business community and others passionate about improving the health of all Georgians. This event is organized and hosted by the UGA College of Public
Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder take the Hodgson Concert Hall stage on Oct. 26 for a 7:30 p.m. performance.
Ricky Skaggs, Kentucky Thunder to perform in Hodgson Concert Hall By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu
UGA Presents is bringing Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder to Athens on Oct. 26 for a 7:30 p.m. performance in Hodgson Concert Hall. Skaggs is a 15-time Grammy Award winner who began his career as a bluegrass musician in 1971 and has since become one of the most honored artists in country music history. A native of Cordell, Kentucky, Skaggs started playing mandolin on stage with bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe at age 6 and appeared on TV the following year with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. He became a recording artist in his own right in 1981 when his Epic label debut album, Waitin’ for the Sun to Shine, topped the country charts and yielded a pair of No. 1 hits. His partnership with Epic Records resulted in a total of 12 No. 1 hits. Additionally, he garnered eight Country Music Association Awards, including the coveted Entertainer of the Year trophy in 1985. Skaggs has also been honored with inductions into the Gospel Music Association’s Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the Musicians Hall of Fame, the National Fiddler Hall of Fame, the IBMA Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and country music’s greatest honor, the Country Music Hall of Fame. Tickets for the Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder concert start at $50; availability is limited. Tickets can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center box office, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-4400. A limited number of discounted tickets are available to current UGA students for $10 with a valid UGA ID (limit one ticket per student). Hodgson Concert Hall is located in the UGA Performing Arts Center at 230 River Road in Athens.
Calendar items are taken from Columns files and from the university’s Master Calendar, maintained by Marketing & Communications. Notices are published here as space permits, with priority given to items of multidisciplinary interest. The Master Calendar is available at calendar.uga.edu/.
columns.uga.edu Oct. 21, 2019
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TOUR AT TWO Tour, led by docents, of highlights from the permanent collection. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu. ECOLOGY SEMINAR “Journey of the Juncos: Migration and Adaptation in Our Changing World,” Ellen Ketterson, Indiana University. A reception follows the seminar at 4:30 p.m. in the Ecology Building lobby. Host: Richard Hall. 3:30 p.m. Auditorium, Ecology Building. 706-542-7247. bethgav@uga.edu. ISSUES IN INFORMATION SEMINAR “Geolocation: Tributes to the Data Stream” will be presented by Marni Shindelman, associate professor of photography at UGA. Shindelman’s collaborative research with Nate Larson investigates the data tracks they amass through networked communication. Geolocation traces Twitter posts to the point of origin and makes a photograph to mark the location in the real world, probing the expectations of privacy surrounding social networks. This event is sponsored by UGA Libraries and is part of the Issues in Information Seminar series. 5:30 p.m. 153 Miller Learning Center. kelsey.forester@uga.edu.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 23 CONSERVATION SEMINAR Roundtable discussion on sustainability at UGA led by Ron Balthazor, director, UGA Sustainability Certificate Program, and Tyra Byers, program coordinator, UGA Office of Sustainability. This seminar series exposes undergraduate and graduate students to multiple aspects of the field of conservation ecology and sustainable development through speakers from different scientific disciplines and careers. It is designed to provide students with an integrative perspective that transcends interdisciplinary boundaries. 1:25 p.m. Auditorium, Ecology Building. 706-542-7247. bethgav@uga.edu. RESEARCH ORIENTATION FOR FACULTY The Office of Research invites faculty to the annual research orientation, an opportunity to learn about research resources, programs and facilities, and to meet with Office of Research staff. Although the event was developed to welcome new faculty to UGA, all faculty and researchers are welcome to attend. The orientation will feature key information and updates about starting a research program at UGA; sponsored projects, pre- and post-award; internal grants and awards; compliance, including biosafety, research safety, environmental safety, human subjects and animals; core facilities; support services and research resources; technology commercialization and startups; and more. This information session will be immediately followed by refreshments and the annual “Core Crawl” in the adjacent Coverdell Lobby. Faculty may attend in person at S175 Coverdell Center (check-in desk open at 1:45 p.m.) or via remote connection at GoTo Meeting (connection details to be sent directly to participants registered for this option). Refreshments will be served. 2 p.m. 706-542-4582. alexaspley1@uga.edu. CORE CRAWL Faculty, postdocs and graduate students are invited to learn about state-of-the-art equipment and services, from NMR spectrometers to genome assembly, available to university and industry researchers. Learn about equipment, facilities and expertise available to UGA researchers. Meet core facility directors and lab managers to discuss current research and technology available on campus. Network and socialize with other UGA researchers. 3 p.m. Lobby, Coverdell Center. 706-542-4750. kathy.quick@uga.edu. WORKSHOP Also at 4 p.m. Oct. 24. Overview of the copyright with a special emphasis on theses and dissertations. Registration encouraged but not required. Part of the Graduate Research Workshop Series sponsored by the UGA Libraries. 4 p.m. Classroom, Science Library. 706-542-6643. mariann@uga.edu. VOLLEYBALL vs. Ole Miss. 9 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.
The next Hodgson Wind Ensemble performance will include suites from around the world.
Hodgson Wind Ensemble to play something for everyone in Thursday Scholarship Series By Camille Hayes ceh822@uga.edu
UGA Director of Bands Cynthia Johnston Turner will conduct the Hodgson Wind Ensemble in the program “Toot Suites!” on Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music Thursday Scholarship Series. The ensemble will play a range of music including suites from the Renaissance, the Romantic and the Modern eras and suites from around the world by Sussato, Massenet and Waespi, plus Eric Whitacre’s “October.” “Even though you may not know about Oliver Waespi, you might just leave saying, that was my favorite,” said Johnston Turner. A concerto for wind ensemble, she describes the piece as a “swashbuckling adventure.” “The Danserye” by Sussato is a suite of dances based on pop tunes of the 15th century, or rather Renaissance hits. The suite of ballet music from “Le Cid” by Jules Mas404D Biological Sciences Building. khbrown@uga.edu. ECONOMICS SEMINAR SERIES Featuring Lorenzo Caliendo, Yale University. 3:30 p.m. C006 Benson Hall. roozbeh@uga.edu.
GEORGIA LAW REVIEW SYMPOSIUM The theme for this year’s Georgia Law Review Symposium is “Criminal Justice Reform in Georgia.” The symposium is an academic discussion of the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform, probation and mass supervision, bail reform and juvenile justice. This year’s symposium will include a keynote address by former Gov. Nathan Deal. 9 a.m. Walker Room, Dean Rusk Hall. SEMINAR “Policy Research at the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago,” Angela Fontes, University of Chicago. Fontes’ personal research centers on retirement preparedness and methodologies for the collection of household finance data. This is a FACS Week Seminar. 9:30 a.m. 206 Dawson Hall. 706-542-4877. sworthy@uga.edu. MICROBIOLOGY SEMINAR “Biochemical and Biological Impact of Environmental Contamination in Soils from a former Rail Yard Adjacent to the Statue of Liberty,” Nina Goodey, Montclair State University. 11 a.m.
FILM SCREENING A screening of Peter Bogdonavich’s 2007 concert documentary Tom Petty: Running Down a Dream followed by a Q&A with Petty biographer Warren Zanes. Presented by the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Terry College Music Business Program and the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts. 1:15 p.m. Cine. 706-542-2640. davemarr@uga.edu.
TORRANCE LECTURE In his talk, “Creative Thinking: Processes, Strategies, Skills and Errors,” Michael Mumford will review the evidence accrued for one model of creative thinking processes. This year, the annual Torrance Lecture will act as a kickoff event for the 2019 Innovation in Teaching Conference: https://coe.uga.edu/events/ innovation-in-teaching-conference. Following the talk, the Center for Teaching and Learning will host the SoTL reception, with light snacks and a cash bar provided from 6-7 p.m. 5 p.m. Rooms L&K, Georgia Center. 706-542-3237. dsharpe@uga.edu.
DIWALI Through Oct. 31. Hindu religious observance.
FILM SCREENING The Emmy-winning documentary Quiltmakers of Gee’s Bend tells the story of a group of internationally-acclaimed African American quiltmakers from Gee’s Bend, Alabama. Presented in conjunction with Mary Lee Bendolph: Quilted Memories. 2004, NR, 60 min. Films are sponsored by University of Georgia Parents Leadership Council. 7 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu.
CTEGD RESEARCH IN PROGRESS: TARLETON LAB Moderators: Bowen Deng and Jessica Ramadhin. Advanced students, postdocs, technicians and PIs from CTEGD labs present “in progress” work and discuss preliminary data and ideas for collaboration. Questions and discussion are encouraged. Refreshments are provided by CTEGD and the host lab. 8:30 a.m. 175 Coverdell Center.
SOCCER vs. Kentucky. 7 p.m. Turner Soccer Complex.
MRI SAFETY TRAINING Bio-Imaging Research Center provides MRI safety training for individual researchers and their teams who are directly using BIRC resources. Sign up for this course at least 48 hours prior to the preferred time/date. 2:30 p.m. 339 Coverdell Center. kmason@uga.edu. PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT COLLOQUIUM “Reshaping the Arts of Space,” John Kulvicki, Dartmouth College. Funded by Kleiner Lecture Series and supported by the Willson Center for Humantities and Arts. 3:30 p.m. 115 Peabody Hall. 706-542-2823. nhines@uga.edu. LECTURE “From Linguistic Signal to Mental State: Computational Models of Framing,” Philip Resnik, University of Maryland. Co-sponsored by the Institute for Artificial Intelligence. 4 p.m. 248 Miller Learning Center. 706-542-2846. gordy@uga.edu.
SATURDAY, OCT. 26 WOMEN AND GIRLS IN GEORGIA CONFERENCE The conference brings together academics, activists 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.
community members to share expertise, strengthen networks and strategize for positive social change in Georgia and beyond. The 2019 conference theme is “Community.” Prices vary; registration is required. 7:30 a.m. 706-542-2846. tlhat@uga.edu or waggconf@gmail.com.
GREGORY DISTINGUISHED LECTURE Tiya Miles will give a lecture titled “‘This Sack’: Reconstructing Enslaved Women’s Lives Through Objects.” Miles is professor of history and Radcliffe Alumnae Professor at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. She is a public historian, academic historian and creative writer whose work explores the intersections of African American, Native American and women’s histories. 4 p.m. The Spalding Theater, Seney-Stovall Chapel. 706-542-2053. history@uga.edu.
FRIDAY, OCT. 25
THURSDAY, OCT. 24
senet is music that most people will recognize and think, “Oh, that’s where that’s from,” Johnston Turner said. For its encore, the ensemble will perform “Mother of a Revolution” by Omar Thomas written for one of the leaders of the LGBTQ liberation movement. Thomas will be the guest composer for the ensemble’s April 16 concert. On Oct. 28, the Hodgson Wind Ensemble will be performing the same program in two Georgia prisons. “We have chosen music that we hope will bring everyone a little beauty and a little joy,” Johnston Turner said. Tickets for the Thursday Scholarship Series are $20 for adults and $3 for students and children. They can be purchased through the Performing Arts Center box office at 706-542-4400, pac.uga.edu or in person. The concert will take place in Hodgson Hall. All proceeds directly fund student scholarships, and the series continues the tradition started by the music school’s namesake in 1980.
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.
SUNDAY, OCT. 27
OPENING RECEPTION An opening reception, including an artist talk, with photographer Beth Thompson for an exhibition of her recent work. 2 p.m. State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014. connicot@uga.edu.
MONDAY, OCT. 28
COMING UP BAKE SALE FOR BATS Oct. 29. Ecology Cares hosts a bake sale to benefit Bulldogs for Bats, an interdisciplinary bat conservation project. Funds raised will support building bat houses on and near campus, enhancing student learning and research opportunities related to bats and educating the general public about the importance of protecting bats in Athens and around the world. Bulldogs for Bats partners include the Odum School of Ecology, the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, the Center for Integrative Conservation Research, the UGA Office of Sustainability, the State Botanical Garden, the UGA Division of Facilities Management Grounds Department, the Georgia Museum of Natural History and Habitat for Bats. 10 a.m. Lobby, Ecology Building. 706-542-2968. wpaulsen@uga.edu. I.T. FAIR Oct. 29. EITS is offering free tech help for personal laptop computers. They can help download Office 365, enroll a backup device in ArchPass, complete a MyID profile for password resets, sync mail accounts and more. Open to all UGA students, faculty and staff. 10 a.m. Second floor rotunda, Miller Learning Center. 706-542-7071. skathryn@uga.edu. CELLULAR BIOLOGY SEMINAR Oct. 29. “Beyond Critical Thinking: How to Promote Science Reasoning Among Diverse Learners,” Julie Reynolds, Duke University. 11 a.m. 404A Biological Sciences Building.
NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES Oct. 23 (for Nov. 4 issue) Oct. 30 (for Nov. 11 issue) Nov. 6 (for Nov. .18 issue)
6 Oct. 21, 2019 columns.uga.edu
FACULTY PROFILE
Living large
College of Environment and Design Dean Sonia Hirt was recently quoted in a story in The Atlantic about the size of American homes. U.S. houses are among the biggest in the world. According to the real estate firms Zillow and Redfin, the median size of an American single-family home is in the neighborhood of 1,600 or 1,650 square feet. Hirt’s research found that American living spaces had a good 600 to 800 square feet on most of the competition. “American culture, to begin with, is unusually spacious, in the sense that people think of space as part of American culture … it isn’t part of the French or British cultural experience,” Hirt said. “This is partially part of the American promise—that you can have more room.” It’s not that the U.S. has large houses because it has more land than other countries do. “People intuitively often think that this is the explanation … because America is such a big country,” Hirt said. “Well, this is true, but Russia is a big country. Kazakhstan is a big country. Space itself doesn’t really make people do one thing or another.” Rather, it’s government policies that effectively steered Americans toward living in detached singlefamily homes—the formal term for a prototypical stand-alone house with a yard. “In most European countries, it’s much harder legally to build on unbuilt area than it is here,” Hirt said.
Accurate counts
José Cordero, head of the epidemiology and biostatistics department in the College of Public Health, was recently quoted in a story by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine about the complications of counting casualties after natural disasters. Sometimes, it can take months or even years for a disaster death toll to become fully known. Death counts can include drowning or factors like disruptions to medical care, infections from contaminated water or an injury from hurricaneproofing the roof in the days before the storm. “There’s a difference in how you’ll respond to and prepare for disasters if more deaths were attributed to electrocution versus people not having power to refrigerate their insulin,” Cordero said. “Accurate data collection can not only lead to policy change, but change in how we design our interventions.” Cordero, UGA’s Patel Distinguished Professor of Public Health, added that every disaster is an opportunity to improve data reporting, but responders must not lose sight of the human aspect of the work. “When we’re talking about morbidity and mortality—the dots on a map—remember, those are people,” he said.
Eye on the prize
Billy Hammond, a professor in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences’ Behavioral and Brain Sciences Program in the psychology department, was recently quoted in a Washington Post story on what people need to know about lutein supplements. Xanthophylls are antioxidants in the carotenoid family, and lutein and zeaxanthin are the main xanthophylls found in food. People can’t synthesize xanthophylls, or any carotenoids for that matter, and get them by eating plants that make them or animals—such as chicken and fish—that also eat these plants. Despite their availability in nature, lutein and zeaxanthin supplements are widely available. Other carotenoids are found in kidneys, livers, skin, the immune system, fat cells and so on, but lutein and zeaxanthin are the main carotenoids in macula (the vision center of the eye) and brain. “Lutein is a major workhorse molecule,” Hammond said. “We have found that most people are in a deficiency state and would get a big benefit from just getting to normal.” His research shows that even young, healthy athletes can improve their eye and brain performance when they boost their levels of L/Z, and he estimates that this benefit increases as people age.
Clint Thompson
Sha Tao joined the UGA faculty on the Tifton campus in 2014 to study heat stress nutrition, management and physiology in dairy cattle.
Faculty member’s research at UGA-Tifton helps dairy cattle deal with heat stress By Clint Thompson cbthomps@uga.edu
When Sha Tao joined the University of Georgia’s animal and dairy science department in 2014 to study heat stress nutrition, management and physiology in dairy cattle, Georgia’s dairy producers welcomed the new expert in heat stress physiology. Five years after joining the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Tao is seeing the impact of the research he’s conducting on the university’s Tifton campus. Research that comes out of Tao’s lab not only helps elucidate the potential impact of heat stress on the development and function of the bovine mammary gland, but also facilitates the understanding of differences in metabolic and physiological responses and growth performance of dairy calves raised during hot, humid summers and the temperate environment of South Georgia winters. Heat stress is inevitable in the Southeast, and Tifton’s location in South Georgia provides prime real estate to conduct heat stress research. June, July and August are routinely hot months in Georgia, and temperatures reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit in May. What makes Tao’s job so essential for dairy producers is the information they have gained about the negative effects of heat stress on dairy cows’ ability to get pregnant and produce
milk, as well as increasing susceptibility to disease. “Heat stress is a major issue in the dairy industry. Because it is caused by high temperatures and high humidity, it will lead to several physiological adjustments of the cows. You’ll have increased body temperature, increased respiration rate,” Tao said. “If we can understand how heat stress influences a cow and calf metabolically and physiologically, we can develop some additional management strategies or nutritional pharmaceutical interventions to reduce the impact. We can’t 100% mitigate the impact of heat stress, but we can develop information that will better aid dairy cattle producers.” Milk production is of utmost concern, according to Tao. Reduced milk production caused by heat stress in the U.S. leads to a $2 billion annual loss, he said. Dairy producers already use management strategies to help dairy cattle stay cool during the summer. Fans, misters and soakers are used to cool off cattle at dairy operations across the Southeast, including the research farm Tao uses at UGA-Tifton. “In our dairies here in the Southeast, for example Florida and Georgia, we face the most severe heat stress issues, and that’s because we have longer summers and more humidity. That causes problems,” Tao said. When cows are exposed to a
FACTS
Sha Tao
Assistant Professor Animal and Dairy Science College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Ph.D., Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Florida, 2012 M.S., Animal Sciences, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, China, 2007 B.S., Agriculture, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, China, 2004 At UGA: Five years
temperature-humidity index above 68, their milk production level begins to decrease, Tao said. Tao spends 75% of his time conducting research and 25% focused on Extension, sharing his findings with cattlemen. “We still feel there’s plenty of information to gather about heat stress,” Tao said. “Without this knowledge, we have difficulty developing further information to distribute to producers about heat stress.” Georgia’s dairy industry has been successful despite the state’s warm climate. According to the UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, dairy generated $323.8 million in farm gate value in 2017, accounting for 22.6% of the livestock/aquaculture sector in Georgia.
TERRY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
Three Terry faculty named to endowed professorships By Matt Weeks
mweeks@uga.edu
Three University of Georgia rofessors were appointed in September p to endowed professorships in the Terry College of Business. Dean Benjamin C. Ayers announced the new faculty appointments in marketing, management and economics, following their approval by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents. “These three members of our faculty have had great influence on their respective fields with their research and scholarship and have been equally impactful on our students and programs through their teaching and service,” Ayers said. “We are very proud to recognize their hard work and dedication with these new faculty appointments.”
Son Lam, associate professor of marketing, and Jessica Rodell, professor of management, were each named to Terry Dean’s Advisory Council Distinguished Professorships. The TDAC Distinguished Professorships were established in 2018 by members of the advisory council to strengthen the college’s programs as well as further its research, teaching and service missions. Lam, an expert in sales management, personal selling and internal marketing, joined the Terry College faculty in 2009. Since then, he has been lauded for his research, earning Terry’s Outstanding Research Award and a Young Scholar award from the Marketing Science Institute, among other honors. Rodell joined the Terry College in 2010. Her research focuses on employee volunteering, organizational justice and
meaningful work experiences. She is the recipient of many awards, including a Scholarly Achievement Award from the Academy of Management and the Michael F. Adams Early Career Scholar Award from the University of Georgia. John Turner was named the Nicholas A. Beadles Professor of Economics. Beadles was an emeritus professor of economics at UGA, and the professorship was established to advance and enrich the study of economics and bolster its teaching. Endowed by alumni and friends of the Terry College, the professorship was most recently held by emeritus professor Art Snow. Turner’s research centers on industrial organization, patent litigation and antitrust. He is an associate editor of the Journal of Industrial Economics and the International Journal of Industrial Organization. He joined the Terry College as an assistant professor in 2002.
INNOVATION GATEWAY
Passion to persevere
UGA’s new innovation mentor offers pointers for startups By Aaron Hale
aahale@uga.edu
Success in the realm of startups and innovation is not easy. No one knows that better than David Salyers, a co-founder and board member of several startup companies and a former marketing executive at Chick-fil-A. Salyers will deliver a Signature Lecture about entrepreneurship and innovation as UGA’s first Startup Mentor in Residence. Open to the public, the lecture will be held on Oct. 24 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in Room 125 of the Jackson Street Building. Salyers, as the startup mentor, is a champion for innovation and entrepreneurship at UGA. He will speak and meet with faculty and students on campus to provide expertise, new insights and encouragement for those looking to start new businesses and nonprofit ventures, or to otherwise commercialize their inventions and ideas. This role builds on the growing support system for faculty and student entrepreneurs through the Innovation Gateway and the Entrepreneurship Program. “David has a huge range of experience in innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Ian Biggs, director of UGA Startups at Innovation Gateway. “To sit in a room and talk with him about starting successful businesses is fascinating and—I don’t use this word lightly—inspiring.” As Salyers tells it, he went to work for Chick-fil-A just four hours after graduating from UGA’s Terry College of Business in 1981. That was back when the fast food chain was just getting off the ground. Over the following 30-plus years, he was part of the front-office team that helped the chain grow to what it is today. As an entrepreneur, Salyers has helped launch businesses and nonprofits including ROAM Innovative Workplace and Champion Tribes. Before his visit to campus, Salyers answered several questions about his experience with innovation and entrepreneurship. What strengths do you think faculty bring when it comes to entrepreneurship? There are many strengths. One is that they bring disciplined thinking. A lot of entrepreneurs tend to be creative and think outside of the box. But all of that has to be backed up by good research and a thoughtful approach. So, on a university campus, the faculty bring experience, disciplined thinking and research. And then students bring that creative thinking that breaks the rules. The combination of those
7
RETIREES October
Sixteen UGA employees retired Oct. 1. Retirees, their job classification, department and years of service are: Gregory G. Barnett, utility worker II, Facilities Mangement Division-Services-Building Services-Health Sciences Campus, 24 years, 8 months; Linda H. Bartlett, administrative associate I, psychology department, 12 years, 1 months; Vivian E. Bridges, graduate program administrator, Graduate School Admissions, 30 years, 6 months; Debra H. Chupp, accountant, Development & Alumni Relations-UGA Foundation financial accounting, 11 years, 5 months; Christy Coddington, associate director, payroll, 39 years; Clayton Cooper, digital print technician III, Bulldog Print & Design, 29 years, 2 months; Leslie Cromer, business manager I, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Tifton campus, 29 years, 5 months; Susan E. Herda, admissions counselor I, College of Pharmacy-Associate Aaron Coury Dean’s Office, 11 years, 1 month; Hear from David Salyers about entrepreneurship and innovation during a Signature Lecture on Oct. 24 Mary Louise Hill, senior public from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in Room 125 of the Jackson Street Building. service associate, Fanning Institute two can be really powerful. have a mission beyond just a need to exist. for Leadership Development, 23 They are doing something valuable that the years, 8 months; Tammy Marie In your experience, what is the key ingredient to world needs. Howard, retail dining sales asbecoming a successful innovator or entrepreneur? Passion is the first one that comes to mind. You’ve spent the last couple of months learning sociate, Auxiliary Services-campus You’re going to have to go through a series more about the university’s Innovation District eateries, 10 years, 5 months; Cheryl of defeats, so you have to have that passion to Initiative. What are you most excited about as Holland Little, county secretary, Cooperative Extension-Southeast persevere. Entrepreneurship is a fourth quarter you dig into this part of the university? game. You have to make it all the way through I remember when we decided to District, 19 years, 5 months; Barbara the fourth quarter; you can’t quit at half time. make innovation be part of the DNA W. Marable, director of sales and That is something that entrepreneurs need to at Chick-fil-A. We created a space, the event coordination, Public Service understand. It is not an easy life, and there are so Chick-fil-A Innovation Center, to cultivate the and Outreach-conference and many defeats along the way to get to the prize. skills and attract the talent to become more in- event planning, 20 years, 7 months; novative. What I’m seeing at the university is Daphney Smith, academic advisor The percentage of startup failures is high (90% that they’re basically creating the same thing for II, School of Social Work-student by some estimates). What do entrepreneurs get not only the people on campus, but also for other affairs, 26 years, 9 months; Jackie wrong when starting a business? businesses and community members. UGA is Taylor, administrative specialist II, Your business is going to fail if you don’t already strong in this area, but by creating that biochemisty department, 28 years, focus on the needs of your customers. I think space it almost becomes the factory to be able 10 months; Tammie T. Vann, chief a lot of people start a business as a “get rich” to produce this element of your DNA. medical technologist, College of scheme, and they don’t consider what value they The theme that runs through everything Veterinary Medicine-Tifton Diagcan bring to the people they serve. But if you that I’m doing now is helping other people nostic Lab, 36 years, 2 months; and take the mentality that you’re here to enrich experience work differently. How do I help other Evelyn Wilhite, building services the lives of others, there’s an unlimited amount people create jobs so that they love what they worker II, Facilities Mangement of what you can do, and people are attracted to do, who they do it with, the mission that they’re Division-Services-Building Serthat. People want to join with you. on and who they’re becoming in the process? Of course, 100% of businesses exist to make That message is why I’m excited about vices, 25 years, 8 months. money, no exceptions. Everyone needs to make working with UGA. To be able to do that at Source: Human Resources money. But the point is that great businesses my alma mater is heaven on earth.
WEEKLY READER
Book tackles questions on managing conflict
International Conflict Management J. Michael Greig, Andrew P. Owsiak and Paul F. Diehl Polity Books Hardcover: $69.95 Paperback: $26.95 eBook: $21.99
columns.uga.edu Oct. 21, 2019
International conflict has long plagued the world, and it continues to do so. With many interstate and civil disputes experiencing no third-party attempts at conflict management, how can the international community mitigate the effects of and ultimately end such violence? Why, in so many cases, are early, “golden opportunities” for conflict management missed? International Conflict Management introduces the varied approaches and factors that promote the de-escalation and the peaceful management of conflict across the globe—from negotiation, mediation, arbitration and adjudication to peace operations, sanctions and military or humanitarian intervention. The history, characteristics and agents of each approach are examined in depth, using a range of case studies to illustrate successes and failures on the ground. International Conflict Management is co-authored by J. Michael Greig, a professor of political science at the University of North Texas; Andrew P. Owsiak, an associate professor in the international affairs department of UGA’s School of Public and International Affairs; and Paul F. Diehl, the Ashbel Smith Professor of Political Science at the University of Texas.
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Info about shared sick leave pool online https://www.usg.edu/hr/manual/shared_sick_leave_program University of Georgia faculty and staff who meet certain eligibility requirements may voluntarily donate unused sick leave to a shared leave pool for fellow faculty and staff. The upcoming benefits open enrollment, from Oct. 28-Nov. 8, is the only opportunity employees have to enroll in or make donations to the shared sick leave pool for
the 2020 calendar year. Faculty and staff who are eligible to enroll in the shared sick leave pool will receive an email prior to benefits open enrollment with the link to the shared sick leave pool enrollment site. Questions about the shared sick leave pool may be directed to Human Resources at 706-542-2222 or hrweb@uga.edu.
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GIFT from page 1 year with an initial gift from Spencer’s family and contributions from more than 370 friends, classmates and colleagues. The two-year fellowship provides a research assistantship to students in the master’s in ecology or conservation ecology and sustainable development degree programs who are interested in pursuing careers in management and conservation of aquatic ecosystems. To date, three students have received Spencer Fellowships, and their work is already having an impact. Inaugural Spencer Fellow Emily Johnson built upon the foundation of Spencer’s research to identify particular disturbances impacting water quality in Athens-area streams and create a real-time monitoring system that makes it easy for municipal water managers to respond to issues quickly. Zach Butler is studying the impacts of an invasive species, the nine-banded armadillo, on the ecosystems and native wildlife of the Georgia barrier islands. Butler’s research has upturned the conventional wisdom about this species, finding that they are helping to fill part of the ecological role of the gopher
tortoise, a native species in decline across the Southeast. His findings are now informing coastal ecological management plans. Talia Levine is studying contaminant levels in fish found in the Turtle Brunswick River Estuary near a Superfund site on the Georgia coast. She is measuring PCB and mercury concentrations in whole fish because, while fish consumption guidelines for the area exist, they are based on filleted samples only, and there is evidence suggesting community residents use more of the fish than just the fillets. Levine is sharing what she learns with government agencies and nonprofit organizations in the Brunswick area to support them as they work to ensure safe consumption of seafood resources by community residents. “The John K. Spencer Graduate Fellowship honors John by providing our outstanding graduate students the opportunity to pursue careers in aquatic conservation and management and make a positive difference, as John intended to do,” said Gittleman. “This gift ensures the continuation of John’s legacy, for which we are immensely grateful.”
UGA LIBRARIES, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
of Black History Month, Morehead said. “Ms. Early has spent her life as a tireless advocate for racial equality and for the importance of music education in the lives of children,” said College of Education Dean Denise A. Spangler. “We are proud to create this permanent tribute to Ms. Early and the countless lives she has touched.” In April, the college launched a fundraising initiative to honor Early, which has raised $2.6 million to date, and that effort continues. Morehead made a lead gift: a designation of $200,000 from the President’s Venture Fund which, when matched by the UGA Foundation, has created four new $100,000 Georgia Commitment Scholarships for students with financial need. These Georgia Commitment Scholarships have been awarded with a preference for students who intend to pursue majors in the College of Education or music education majors in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music. A native of Atlanta, Early came to UGA in the summer of 1961. Earlier that year, Charlayne Hunter-Gault and Hamilton Holmes became the first African American students to enroll at UGA. Early had started postgraduate work at the University of Michigan when she transferred to UGA to complete her studies. She became the first African American to earn a degree from the University of Georgia when she graduated on Aug. 16, 1962, with a master’s degree in music education. She
later returned to UGA to earn a Specialist in Education degree. Early, who was class valedictorian at Henry McNeal Turner High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Clark College (now Clark Atlanta University) in 1957, became a music teacher in the Atlanta Public Schools and was eventually promoted to music director of the entire school system. She worked with teachers in the system’s 100-plus schools and was in charge of the music curriculum, budget, textbooks and more. Early retired in 1994 after working for 37 years in public schools. She later taught at Morehouse College, Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University as head of the music department. Morehead led the dedication of her portrait in the university’s Administration Building last fall, and in January 2018, she was named the recipient of one of UGA’s highest honors, the President’s Medal. She was presented with an honorary doctorate from UGA in 2013, and a documentary, Mary Frances Early: The Quiet Trailblazer, is dedicated to her life. Her life and accomplishments were featured in a Georgia Groundbreakers profile. She has delivered inspirational speeches on campus on many occasions, most recently at the Black Faculty and Staff Organization’s 17th annual Founders’ Award Scholarship Luncheon.
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Virtual reality kits available for checkout at Science Library
University of Georgia students can now develop—and play—virtual reality from the comfort of their dorm rooms. Two Oculus Rift VR headsets and accompanying Alienware 15 R3 gaming laptops are now available for checkout from the Science Library Makerspace. Any UGA student may borrow the equipment for a 72-hour loan period. The gaming laptops are enabled for VR prototyping and exploration and loaded with Oculus Rift, Steam and Unity Game Engine software. This equipment is on loan from Kyle Johnsen, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Engineering. “The systems will help students work on virtual reality projects anywhere, without requiring access to a specialized laboratory,” Johnsen said. “[They] are specifically designed to be selfcontained, with all required software and hardware to get started.” The new VR checkout service is part of an ongoing partnership between Johnsen and the University Libraries’ Andrew Johnson, who serves as emerging technologies librarian and coordinates the Science Library Makerspace, a fabrication lab where students, faculty and staff from all disciplines can explore and learn to create with technology such as 3D printers, a laser cutter, soldering equipment and virtual reality. To check out the VR equipment, visit the Makerspace on the third floor of the Science Library during its regular hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, visit www.libs.uga.edu/science/makerspace.
Bulletin Board
Service-Learning Research Excellence Awards are due Dec. 6. The awards recognize faculty for impactful and innovative service-learning course instruction and scholarship and research stemming from academic servicelearning work. Recipients receive a $2,500 faculty development award and are recognized at the faculty awards banquet. Application packets are available at https://servicelearning.uga.edu/facultyresources/awards. For questions, contact Paul Matthews, associate director, Office of Service-Learning, at 706-542-0892 or pmatthew@uga.edu.
Award nomination deadline
Study participants needed
Nominations for the 2020 ServiceLearning Teaching Excellence and
growth of students, the partnership campus plans to add 12 additional faculty members and six additional staff members over the next two years. In Augusta at MCG’s main campus, there are plans to grow the class size from 190 to 240 by 2028, bringing MCG’s total class size to 300 and total enrollment to 1,200. The planned expansion to 60 students per class in Athens and 240 per class in Augusta was part of the initial recommendation of the 2008 report by the nationally recognized consulting firm Tripp Umbach, which called for an expansion of medical education in Georgia and the establishment of the AU/ UGA Medical Partnership campus. In 2009, MCG and the University of Georgia partnered to create a four-year medical school campus in Athens to grow the number of physicians produced by the state’s only public medical school and help address physician shortages across the state and region. Georgia is already seeing results. Of the 70 Medical Partnership students who have completed their residency training, 25 are currently practicing in Georgia, and many of those are practicing in rural parts of the state. “I am grateful for the support and leadership from the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University and the University of Georgia, along with our state leaders, to bring the student class expansion and construction project forward,” said Nuss. “I’m also extraordinarily grateful for our community partners in the northeast Georgia region.”
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Grant program deadline
Applications for the Provost’s Affordable Course Materials Grant program are due Nov. 15. The program provides one-time funding to support the adoption of open and/or affordable course materials. Awards up to $5,000 each are available to any full-time faculty member or team of instructors, with a total of $50,000 in funding available from the Provost’s Office in the program’s second round. To submit, fill out the application at https://bit.ly/33k6tec. More information is available at https://t.uga.edu/5ky.
and collaboration. “The growing Medical Partnership on the University of Georgia campus demonstrates the commitment of the state’s flagship public university to serving the people of Georgia,” said S. Jack Hu, UGA’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “From agriculture and engineering to public health and physician education, the University of Georgia is committed to improving the lives of Georgians.” Of the state’s 159 counties, 63 currently have no pediatrician, 75 have no obstetrician/ gynecologist and eight counties have no doctor at all, according to recent data from the Georgia Board for Health Care Workforce. Georgia also faces a number of health challenges, including high infant mortality rates and high rates of obesity, heart disease and diabetes, and it is consistently ranked among the worst states for health outcomes. “According to the latest data by the Association of American Medical Colleges, the projections of physician shortages in the United States are anywhere between 47,000 and 122,000 by the year 2032,” said Dr. Michelle Nuss, campus dean at the AU/UGA Medical Partnership. “Our nation’s population is continuing to grow, and we are living longer lives. With this comes an increased need for physicians of all specialties.” There are currently 40 students per class in the Medical Partnership, and that number will grow to 50 students per class in 2020, then 60 in 2021 and every year thereafter, bringing the total enrollment in Athens to 240 medical students by 2024. In order to provide for the
Participants are being sought for a research study that will help investigate the impact of nut consumption on
cholesterol profiles. Subjects who complete the study will earn $70-$145. The foods and nutrition department seeks men and women ages 30-75 with high cholesterol levels or a “bigger build.” Subjects must not take cholesterol-lowering medications, thyroid medications or exercise more than three hours per week. Subjects also must not have diabetes or food allergies/intolerances to pecans, gluten, dairy or meat. Subjects must not habitually eat tree nuts more than twice per week. To learn more, contact Liana Rodrigues at liana.rodrigues@uga.edu or 423-596-7708. Bulletin Board is limited to information that may pertain to a majority of faculty and staff members.
School of Law has implemented a threepart strategy to achieve its best return-oninvestment vision: holding the line on tuition increases, critically examining expenditures and increasing student scholarship support. More than 70% of the Juris Doctor Class of 2022 is receiving some kind of scholarship aid, with 100% of first-generation college graduates in the first-year class and all enrolled military veterans receiving financial assistance. “The School of Law provides students a strong foundation so they can become future leaders serving state, nation and society,” Rutledge said. “We remain committed to advancing our vision to be the nation’s best return on investment in legal education. I’d like to thank President Jere Morehead, Provost Jack Hu as well as our alumni and alumnae, donors, faculty, staff and students who all support this vision.”