UGA Columns Oct. 2, 2017 by UGA Columns

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New method of isolating tumor cells could improve cancer research, treatment RESEARCH NEWS

Magician Chris Dugdale will perform two shows at Ramsey Concert Hall Vol. 45, No. 10

October 2, 2017

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UGA GUIDE

4&5

UGA cuts ribbon for three new turfgrass facilities across state

By Sharon Dowdy sharono@uga.edu

Dorothy Kozlowski

UGA’s Center for Molecular Medicine was dedicated Sept. 20. The facility will house up to 10 research groups. All research conducted through the center will have a connection to one or more human diseases, furthering the university’s efforts to combat threats to human health.

Dedicated to discovery University officially opens new home for Center for Molecular Medicine

By Leigh Beeson beeson@uga.edu

The University of Georgia’s Center for Molecular Medicine officially has a new home on Riverbend Road, adjacent to the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, where researchers will continue their work to uncover the molecular and cellular basis of human disease. Dedicated Sept. 20, the 43,000-square-foot facility will house up to 10 research groups. The $25 million project was funded by $17 million in state funds and $8 million in nonstate funds. All research conducted through the center will have a connection to one or more human diseases, furthering the university’s efforts to combat threats to human health. “This world-class facility represents an investment in health care solutions that will improve the lives of millions of individuals

around the globe,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “It also symbolizes the great partnership between the state of Georgia and its flagship university—a partnership that is helping to solve the grand challenges of our time and to fuel economic development in this state.” Since its founding in 2012, the center has focused on biomedical research that enhances the quality of life in communities around the globe with Stephen Dalton, GRA Eminent Scholar of Molecular Cell Biology, as its founding director. Researchers in the CMM will focus on developing therapies and diagnostics for diseases that currently have no cures, including neurological diseases, cardiovascular disease and metabolic diseases such as diabetes. The center’s researchers also will concentrate on developing new vaccines. The new facility will promote interdisciplinary collaborations

between CMM researchers and investigators from other research centers across campus, including the Center for Drug Discovery, the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center. “We’re recruiting the very best people in the world who fit with the mission of the center: to try and develop new therapies and cures,” Dalton said. “We’ve had incredible support from the president, the provost and the chancellor in realizing this vision. What we have now is a new building that’s going to be filled with state-of-the-art equipment and international-class researchers.” The center will mark the opening of the new facility by hosting a two-day symposium featuring world leaders in molecular medicine Oct. 10-11. Topics will include stem cell research, drug discovery, regenerative medicine and more.

DIVISION OF ACADEMIC ENHANCEMENT

University of Georgia, state and industry leaders cut the ribbon on Sept. 21 signifying the official openings of three new turfgrass research and education facilities on the Griffin, Tifton and Athens campuses. The largest of the facilities is on the UGA Griffin campus, where the ceremony took place. During the 2014 legislative session, Gov. Nathan Deal and the Georgia General Assembly appropriated funds for the statewide turfgrass facilities enhancement project.

“The University of Georgia remains very grateful to Gov. Deal, the General Assembly, the chancellor and the board of regents for their support of this important project,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “The construction of new turfgrass research and education facilities will produce tremendous benefits not only for the university community but also for the agriculture industry, which is central to the state’s economy.” UGA has 22 scientists whose primary responsibilities are related to turfgrass and another eight faculty members who have some

See TURFGRASS on page 8

GEORGIA CLINICAL & TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE ALLIANCE

UGA joins academic alliance to improve clinical outcomes The National Institutes of Health has awarded a new fiveyear, $51 million grant to a team of Georgia research universities to further advance bench-to-bedside clinical and translational science. The grant is a renewal of previous funding from the NIH that established the Atlanta Clinical & Translational Science Institute, a 10-year partnership between Emory University, Morehouse School of Medicine and the Georgia Institute of Technology. With the new funding, the University of Georgia joins the existing team, which now plans to expand its focus statewide under the new partnership name, the Georgia Clinical & Translational Science Alliance. “Continuing such an alliance and involving these leading state institutions is extremely important

and in line with Georgia’s goals for the promotion of clinical and translational research, innovation and development,” said Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal. “Having an active Clinical & Translational Science Alliance awardee in Georgia has brought our citizens cutting-edge cures and the latest in clinical and translational research.” The Emory-led Georgia CTSA will use the combined strengths of its academic partners to transform the quality and value of clinical research, and to translate research results into better outcomes for patients. Georgia CTSA is one of only 64 Clinical and Translational Science Alliance awards at major academic medical centers across the country funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for

See ALLIANCE on page 8

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

$1.16M US Department of Education grant funds Molecular biologist will deliver pathway to grad school for first-generation students this year’s D.W. Brooks Lecture By Tracy Coley tcoley@uga.edu

First-generation college students at the University of Georgia will receive expanded academic support to help them enter and excel in doctoral programs thanks to a $1.16 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant to UGA’s Division of Academic Enhancement will be distributed over the next five years under the TRIO Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement or McNair Scholars program. The UGA McNair Scholars program will call on research-based

practices for the retention and persistence of 25 Pell-eligible participants. These students will receive a full range of support, including first- and second-year “prep” academics, a class taught by DAE faculty for each incoming cohort, third- and fourth-year workshops, research stipends and site visits to graduate schools. Campus partners—UGA’s Graduate School, Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities, Division of Biological Sciences, College of Engineering, Office of Institutional Diversity and many others—will provide a robust mentoring network for these scholars’

future success in graduate school and beyond. McNair Scholars, along with DAE’s four other TRIO programs, contribute to UGA’s mission in several ways: facilitating student success through academic support and intervention, preparing undergraduate students for the rigors of graduate education, supporting access to higher education among historically underrepresented student populations, and utilizing the institution’s expertise and resources to positively impact the community. Since 1964, TRIO programs have provided students from See GRANT on page 8

By J. Merritt Melancon jmerritt@uga.edu

Molecular biologist and agricultural technology advocate Nina Fedoroff will visit the University of Georgia Nov. 7 to deliver the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ D.W. Brooks Lecture at 3:30 p.m. in Mahler Hall at the UGA Center for Continuing Education & Hotel. Fedoroff has spent her career advocating for the role of technology in helping to end malnutrition. Her talk, “The GMO Wars: What do we do when scientists and citizens deeply disagree?”, will

explore the space between the need to produce more resilient, sustainable crops and public attitudes toward genetically modified Nina Fedoroff foods. “We have a moral obligation, as agricultural scientists, to do all we can to feed the world’s growing population,” said CAES Dean Sam Pardue.“It will take a cadre of scientists across many disciplines working

See LECTURE on page 8

2 Oct. 2, 2017 columns.uga.edu

GRADY COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION

Around academe

Charlotte School of Law closes

Charlotte School of Law, a troubled for-profit law school in North Carolina, has closed its doors for good, according to several reports and a story in The Chronicle of Higher Education. The institution was denied access to federal financial aid last December and lost its license to operate in North Carolina after it failed to regain access to those federal funds by the state-imposed deadline of Aug. 10. It was dealt another blow when the American Bar Association rejected its teach-out plan, which would have allowed students to complete their program of study. Until recently, it seemed that the law school would be given new life in the Trump administration as speculation swirled about the possible return of federal funds. An Education Department spokesman told The Charlotte Observer in July that talks with the institution were “ongoing” but that the school would not receive access to funds until a deal was struck.

HealthTrails Challenge starts Oct. 2

News to Use

The HealthTrails program, sponsored by the University System of Georgia Well-Being program, is back again this fall. Almost 1,000 UGA employees took part in the spring challenge, completing more than 338,00 total virtual miles. This time, the six-week program also includes a new Financial IQ Challenge. UGA benefit-eligible faculty and staff are invited to join and compete with co-workers against other USG institutions. HealthTrails is an online tracking program that lets participants log virtual miles by recording their steps, their participation in a new Financial IQ Challenge and daily expressions of gratitude. The Financial IQ Challenge is a new well-being program that lets participants test their financial knowledge by answering daily financial health questions. Every time participants complete the daily quiz, they are entered into a random drawing for prizes being offered by TIAA. HealthTrails is compatible with more than 50 different tracking devices including Fitbit, Jawbone and Garmin devices. Subsidies toward the purchase of a Fitbit are available for employees who do not currently own a wearable tracking device or did not receive one during the spring 2016 HealthTrails Challenge. The number of subsidies is limited. Registration is open now through Oct. 23 for the HealthTrails Challenge and the Financial IQ Challenge, with the challenges beginning Oct. 2 and ending Nov. 15. For more information on both challenges and to register, visit the UGA HR website at http://hr.uga.edu/ or email hrweb@uga.edu. Source: UGA Human Resources Office

UGA STUDENT-ATHLETES

As of fall 2016, more than 500 students also are intercollegiate athletes at UGA. A breakdown of male and female student-athletes by sport:

SPORT

MEN

WOMEN

Baseball

—

Basketball

15 11

Equestrian — 72 Football

129

—

Golf

10 8

Gymnastics — 16 Soccer

—

Softball

—

Swimming 31 33 Tennis

Track

39 60

Volleyball

—

TOTAL

271 275

— = No UGA intercollegiate team Source: 2016 UGA Fact Book

Researchers will use virtual fitness system to help children exercise more By Sarah Freeman freemans@uga.edu

University of Georgia researchers have been awarded a $3.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to use virtual reality to help children develop a more active lifestyle. The Virtual Fitness Buddy Ecosystem: Using Digital Technology to Promote and Sustain Moderate to Vigorous Intensive Physical Activity in Children will fund a five-year program through the after-school program sponsored by the Metro Atlanta YMCA. Children ages 6 to 10 will participate with their parents in the program. “With this grant, we will try to encourage kids to exercise more, learn how to communicate with their parents regarding the exercise, and maintain and sustain a level of physical activity that they experience after school,” said Sun Joo “Grace” Ahn, an associate professor of advertising in UGA’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and principal investigator for the study. Each child participating in the study will wear a personal fitness tracker, like a Fitbit, and set personal physical fitness goals. Ahn predicts that by harnessing

ODUM SCHOOL OF ECOLOGY

Andrew Davis Tucker

Sun Joo “Grace” Ahn, associate professor of advertising, helps 9-year-old Maddie Lacey of Watkinsville interact with the virtual buddy fitness kiosk in the GAVEL Lab at the UGA Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

the power of technology to connect people and devices, physical activity among children will increase and will be maintained over extended periods When the study is complete, a three-month, six-month and 12-month follow-up will be conducted to see if the physical activity levels were sustained. Self-reports of data evaluating

the continued interaction between the parents and children will be recorded, along with physical activity levels as read by the personal fitness trackers. Results will be compared with a control group that will have the physical fitness trackers, but not the virtual buddy kiosk nor the parental interaction.

UGA LIBRARIES

‘Chasing Coral’ Digital Library of Georgia awards documentary to nine grants through new program Mandy Mastrovita baseball player and Demorest native be shown Oct. 4 Bymastrovi@uga.edu Johnny Mize). Beth Gavrilles

bethgav@uga.edu

The award-winning documentary Chasing Coral will be shown Oct. 4 at 6 p.m. at the Tate Student Center Theatre. As part of outreach efforts, environmental science students from Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central high schools will visit campus Oct. 4 and 5 to view the film and participate in a discussion with its producer and key cast member. Chasing Coral, a Netflix original documentary, won the Audience Choice Award in the U.S. documentary competition at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. The film follows scientists and divers as they chart the dramatic loss of coral reefs in oceans around the world. A panel discussion with the filmmaker and cast members will follow the screening, with Jeffrey P. Jones, executive director of the Peabody Awards and Peabody Media Center, moderating. When coral reefs disappear, the effects are widespread, according to researchers. While they make up only 1 percent of the world’s oceans, they are home to 25 percent of marine species, supporting more biodiversity than tropical rainforests. The project is presented by EcoFocus Film Festival in partnership with the Clarke County School District. Financial and logistical support was provided by Kirbo Charitable Foundation, Reef Ball Foundation, ECOGIG research consortium at the marine sciences department, Peabody Media Center, Katherine and Bertis Downs, Eugene P. Odum School of Ecology, and Willson Center for Humanities and Arts. Additional promotional support was provided by UGA’s Speak Out for Species club, Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. To learn more about “Chasing Coral” and to view the trailer, visit www.chasingcoral.com/. The film is also available for streaming on Netflix.

The UGA Libraries has awarded nine competitive digitization grants through a new program with the Digital Library of Georgia. These are the first grants awarded in the program intended to broaden partner participation in the Digital Library of Georgia. The DLG solicited proposals for historic digitization projects in a statewide call, and applicants submitted proposals for projects with a cost of up to $5,000. The projects will be administered by DLG staff who will perform digitization and descriptive services on textual (not including newspapers), graphic and audio-visual materials. Preference in the selection process was given to proposals from institutions that had not yet collaborated with the DLG. The Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace and Piedmont College Library are new partners for the DLG. The nine recipients and their projects include: • Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace (Savannah)—Digitization and description of Juliette Gordon Low Correspondence, Series India Letters. • Atlanta History Center—Digitization of recordings of the radio program Southwind: The New Sounds of the Old Confederacy, which aired on WABE in Atlanta between Nov. 14, 1980, and Jan. 29, 1987. • Valdosta State University Archives and Special Collections—Digitization of the Pinebranch, the first student publication of South Georgia State Normal College and Georgia State Woman’s College (both earlier names for Valdosta State University). • Piedmont College Library (Demorest)—Description of the May Ivie Valise Collection (a case full of historical materials belonging to Piedmont College alumna May Ivie), Johnny Mize Collection (fan letters and photographs belonging to professional

• Columbus State University Archives—Digitization and description of the Civil War era material of Gen. Henry Benning, a Confederate general and Georgia Supreme Court justice for whom Fort Benning was named. • Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection (Athens)— Enhanced description of Georgia town films and home movies digitized by the Brown Media Archives. • Berry College (Mount Berry)— Digitization of January 1907 to winter 1942-1943 issues of the Southern Highlander, the official magazine of the Berry Schools. • Athens-Clarke County Library— Digitization and description of Image magazine, a publication that documented the everyday lives of the African-American citizens of Athens from 1977-1980. • City of Savannah, Research Library & Municipal Archives—Digitization and description of Record Series 3121019, Savannah Cadastral Survey–Ward Survey Maps, 1939-1940 (Ward Survey Maps were prepared by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) as part of a survey project); Record Series 3121-020, Engineering Department – Major Subdivision Maps, 1871-1972, no date (Major Subdivision Maps include maps of Savannah neighborhoods and subdivisions prepared by surveyors and engineers submitted to the City of Savannah Engineering Department); Record Series 3121-007, Engineering Department–General Maps, 17981961, no date (maps illustrating property holdings, land subdivision, and private development in Savannah from the 18th-20th centuries). Based at the University of Georgia Libraries, the Digital Library of Georgia is a GALILEO initiative that collaborates with Georgia’s libraries, archives, museums and other institutions of education and culture to provide access to key information resources on Georgia history, culture and life.

RESEARCH NEWS

columns.uga.edu Oct. 2, 2017

Digest Landscape architects will take part in CED panel discussion on Oct. 11

Cassie Wright

Leidong Mao, left, an associate professor in the UGA College of Engineering, worked with doctoral candidate Wujun Zhao to develop a new device capable of isolating tumor cells.

Divide, then conquer New method of isolating tumor cells could improve cancer research and treatment

By Mike Wooten

mwooten@uga.edu

Cells that break away from a cancerous tumor and wander through the body can tell a lot about the tumor itself, potentially leading to new avenues of research, quicker diagnoses and targeted treatments. The challenge is finding these tumor cells and separating them from the billions of other cells circulating in a person’s bloodstream. Now researchers from the University of Georgia and the Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University have created a microfluidic device to isolate tumor cells quickly and efficiently, a promising advance that could provide researchers a tool to better understand cancer and lead to simple tests for detecting and tracking the disease. In a study published recently in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Lab on a Chip, the UGA and GCC

researchers said their technology recovered nearly 93 percent of circulating tumor cells for analysis. Existing, similar devices typically recover only 82 percent of CTCs. In addition, those current microfluidic devices depend on tumor-specific biomarkers placed on the surface of CTCs to pull them out of a blood sample. This process is generally inefficient and time consuming because there may be only one tumor cell for every billion cells. The device developed by UGA and AU researchers uses a different approach. “Instead of searching for and enriching the few CTCs that exist in a sample of blood, we’re taking the opposite approach and eliminating everything we are not interested in—the red blood cells, the white blood cells and other components,” said Leidong Mao, the senior author of the paper. Mao is an associate professor in the

UGA College of Engineering and a faculty member in UGA’s Regenerative Bioscience Center. The device works by funneling blood through channels smaller than a human hair. By magnetizing the medium surrounding the cells, the researchers are able to drive cancer cells and blood cells into separate streams based on differences in their size. Wujun Zhao, a doctoral candidate in the chemistry department of UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, served as the paper’s lead author. The research team also includes scientists and students in the genetics department at UGA, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Syracuse University. This paper is included in the 2017 Emerging Investigator Series in the journal Lab on a Chip. The series showcases the best work in miniaturization at the micro- and nano-scale level by early-career researchers like Mao.

FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Team of researchers aims to prevent deaths of children in hot cars through better messaging By Jessica Luton jluton@uga.edu

Each year, dozens of young children die after being locked in a hot car, but new research from the geography department in UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences shows that most parents don’t believe it could happen to them. Their findings, published recently in the journal Injury Prevention, could help improve public health messaging and prevent more deaths. Geography department doctoral candidate Castle Williams and professor Andrew Grundstein interviewed parents and caregivers as well as experts in meteorology, epidemiology, psychology and child injury about the topic. The results show significant differences in the ways in which parents and experts understood and received information about the dangers of hot cars. Overall the study shows that a parent’s own ability to acknowledge their likelihood of accidentally forgetting a

child in a hot car is an important factor in improving public health messaging and preventing deaths in the future. “This work is extremely important to everyday moms and dads because it can hopefully convince other parents or caregivers that they too are vulnerable to this tragedy,” said Williams. “Until we can convince parents that this can happen to anyone, we are going to continue to see case after case of children being forgotten in hot cars.” The research also showed that, unlike the experts, parents often thought that these incidents happened as a result of intentional behavior by a parent or caretaker or that lifestyle factors, such as low income, increased an individual’s likelihood of forgetting a child in a car. In July 2017 alone, 11 children in the U.S. died in cars as a result of vehicular heatstroke. Understanding how different populations, including pediatricians, parents and public health experts, receive information increases the likelihood of preventing deaths through more effective public

health messaging. “While experts have insisted that parents don’t believe they can forget their children in hot cars, until this study there has not been any data to prove it,” Williams said. “Further, with the majority of these hot car deaths being accidental and not intentional, this study helps us better understand why parents do not feel vulnerable, and ways in which public health messaging can engage, reach and increase caregivers’ vulnerability to reduce the number of incidents that occur each year.” Future health messaging, said Williams, must strive to engage and reach all parents or caregivers using a multifaceted messaging strategy. Tactics such as personalized messaging, providing additional resources to news media, strengthening the relationships between public health officials and journalists and ramping up messaging just before or during heat and temperature increases all can be effective strategies for improving messaging.

The College of Environment and Design welcomes Warren Byrd and Thomas Woltz to a panel discussion on current landscape architecture projects being created by their firm located in Charlottesville, Virginia, and New York City. The presentation, “Values + Process: The Evolving Work of Nelson Byrd Woltz,” will take place Oct. 11 at 5 p.m. in lecture hall 123 of the Jackson Street Building. Open free to the public, the panel discussion is sponsored by HGOR of Atlanta. Byrd is one of the founding members of the landscape architecture firm Nelson, Byrd and Woltz in Charlottesville, and Woltz is the firm’s current president. The firm is recognized nationally and internationally for its cutting-edge designs that relate to complex biological systems and restoration ecology. Both men are Fellows of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the highest honor given by the profession.

Law school explores women’s roles in public service, honors women judges

The University of Georgia School of Law will host discussions exploring women’s roles in public service and a reception that will honor the women judges of Georgia’s Western Judicial Circuit Oct. 12 at 1 p.m. in its Hatton Lovejoy Courtroom. The event is open free to the public, but registration is requested. Part of the law school’s Georgia Women in Law Lead initiative, “The Front Lines of Public Service,” will focus on how public service lawyers and judges in nonjury courts shape society. The first panel, “Walking the Talk: Lawyers Leading Through Public Service,” will feature experienced practitioners who have worked in diverse contexts including government service, nonprofit advocacy and university-based community support. The panelists will explore several significant questions associated with advocacy in the public interest. The second panel, “Courtroom as Classroom: Lessons from Front Line Judges,” will focus on the experience of judges in nonjury courts that handle a high volume of cases, many with parties who are not represented by lawyers. The judges will assess how these courts affect their communities and the delivery of justice. The event will also feature a reception beginning at 4 p.m. honoring the women judges of the Western Judicial Circuit.

Institute for Women’s Studies to host Women and Girls in Georgia conference The Institute for Women’s Studies at the University of Georgia will host the seventh conference on Women and Girls in Georgia Nov. 11 at the Zell B. Miller Learning Center. The theme of this year’s conference is “Justice & Resistance.” Presentation topics will explore educational inequalities, feminist activism and organizing, women and the justice system, youth activism, and art, theater and self-care as forms of resistance. This year’s conference will include a keynote lecture by Angy Rivera, co-director at the New York State Youth Leadership Council. Rivera also will moderate the plenary roundtable discussion “Intersectional Activism in Georgia.” Panelists include April Greene, Kelly Happe, Christina Hylton, Mokah Jasmine Johnson, Nayeli Quezada-Kuser and Tiffany Smith. The cost to attend the conference is $45 for academics and professionals, $25 for community members and $10 for students. Registration ends Oct. 26. The full program and registration information are at http://wagg.uga.edu; more information is available calling 706-542-2846.

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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

Warren H. Manning: Landscape Architect and Environmental Planner. Through Oct. 6. Circle Gallery, Jackson Street Building. 706-542-8292. mtufts@uga.edu

Spirited: Prohibition in America. Through Oct. 20. Special collections libraries. 706-542-5788. jhebbard@uga.edu Modern Masters from the Giuliano Ceseri Collection. Through Nov. 12. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu Gold-digging in Georgia: America’s First Gold Rush? Through Dec. 5. Special collections libraries. 706-542-8079. jclevela@uga.edu Louise Blair Daura: A Virginian in Paris. Through Dec. 10. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu Covered With Glory: Football at UGA, 1892-1917. Through Dec. 22. Special collections libraries. 706-542-7123. hasty@uga.edu

MONDAY, OCT. 2 CTL FACULTY SERIES The focus of Tiffany Washington’s Award Winning Faculty Series talk will be the ways in which faculty can connect their in-class teaching to their larger research agenda. Focusing on her own pedagogical practice, Washington, an assistant professor in the University of Georgia School of Social Work, will highlight experiential learning techniques and share from her own pedagogical practice, including students’ feedback. Launched in fall 2013, CTL’s Award Winning Faculty Series has hosted several of UGA’s award-winning faculty representing numerous academic disciplines and specialties. This interactive series highlights UGA’s best and brightest in instruction. 11 a.m. 250 Miller Learning Center. 706-542-1355.

investors interested in advancing technologies in Georgia’s life sciences industry. The event is open free to the public. Lunch will be provided. RSVP to Tina Christie at tina@uga.edu or 706-542-0796. Noon. Room 128/130 CAGTECH.

TUESDAY TOUR AT TWO 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. Participants should meet in the rotunda on the second floor of the special collections libraries. 2 p.m. 706-542-8079. jclevela@uga.edu ECOLOGY SEMINAR “Emerging Tick-Borne Diseases in the U.S.: Climate Influences on Tick-Host-Pathogen Interactions,” Maria Diuk-Wasser, Columbia University. A reception hosted by Andrew Park follows the seminar at 4:30 p.m. in the lobby. 3:30 p.m. Auditorium, ecology building. 706-542-7247. bethgav@uga.edu

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 4 RESEARCH SEMINAR SERIES “Sphingolipid Signaling in Cancer Metabolism and Therapeutics: Mechanisms of Sphingolipid-Mediated Type-II Necroptosis Signaling,” Besim Ogretmen. 11 a.m. 201 Pharmacy South. 706-542-7385. meganjs@uga.edu LECTURE “Developing Multicomponent Systemic Interventions for Families Affected by Traumatic Stress: From War in Northern Uganda to Displacement with Karen Refugees in the U.S.,” Elizabeth Wieling, University of Minnesota. 1 p.m. Sidney Samuel Thomas Reading Room, Miller Learning Center. 706-542-4831. lswade@uga.edu

WORKSHOP “Introduction to Effective Service-Learning Course Design.” 9:30 a.m. Conference room, rear annex, Office of ServiceLearning Building. 706-542-0892. pmatthew@uga.edu

EDUCATION ABROAD RISK MANAGEMENT TRAINING Also Oct. 10 at 1 p.m. Training includes a review of the Education Abroad Risk Management Emergency Response Protocol and expectations for program directors and staff abroad. Campus-wide representatives also will make presentations about legal issues, travel safety, student conduct/ judicial programs, creating safe spaces for diverse program participants as well as mental health and medical issues while abroad. 1 p.m. Conference room E, University Health Center. 706-542-2900. moore17@uga.edu

LUNCH & LEARN The Innovation Gateway Lunch & Learn in October will feature Stephen MacDonald, managing director of the Bio/Med Investor Network, which was created by Georgia Bio to connect early stage biomedical and health care-related companies with angel

CONSERVATION SEMINAR “Pharmaceuticals in the Environment: Presence, Effects and Removal,” Marsha Black, associate professor of environmental health science, UGA College of Public Health. 1:35 p.m. Auditorium, ecology building. 706-542-7247. bethgav@uga.edu

TUESDAY, OCT. 3

By Kerri McNair

kjm43617@uga.edu

Martha Odum carried a sketch pad, a box of watercolors and a vial of water everywhere she traveled with her husband, Eugene P. Odum, for whom UGA’s School of Ecology is named. Eugene Odum is often called the father of modern ecology, but it’s possible Martha was its mother, dotingly painting gorgeous portraits of her child. The Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia will show some of those landscape paintings in the exhibition Martha Odum: Art Intersects Ecology, on view Oct. 7 to Dec. 31. This exhibition celebrates the 50th anniversary of the ecology program at the University of Georgia, established as the Institute of Ecology in 1967 (it became a school in 2007). As Martha and Eugene Odum traveled the country to further Eugene’s scientific knowledge, Martha painted watercolors of the natural landscapes she observed. Her work highlights depleted resources in the South as well as the love of ecology and the environment that she and her husband shared. This exhibition includes both her paintings and silver hollowware that she created, which draws on natural forms. Together, they show just how much Odum revered the natural world. Victoria Ramsey, UGA undergraduate student and Beard Scholar, curated the exhibition, under the guidance of Dale Couch, the museum’s curator of decorative arts. Ramsey is the beneficiary of a scholarship established by Linda and Larry Works by Martha Odum will be on display at the Georgia Museum of Art Oct. 7 through Beard, strong supporters of the museum’s commitment to the decorative arts. Dec. 31. The scholarship provides a paid internship to undergraduates focusing on the made from river cane tells another story of loss, due to agricultural exploitation. decorative arts at the museum. Ramsey is one of the first two students to receive Savannah River Valley pottery demonstrates adaptation to the resources available the scholarship. in the area. Each object shows the overlap of art and ecology. Martha Odum: Art In addition to Martha Odum’s paintings and silver, the exhibition includes Intersects Ecology is an not only an expression of wonder in the face of natural other works from the museum’s collection to illustrate how human history has structures and elements, but also an argument that these structures are worthy interacted with ecology over the years. One 19th-century painting shows the of being preserved. American shad, a fish native to Georgia that was overfished. A chair with a hide A program related to the exhibition is 90 Carlton: Autumn, the museum’s seat speaks to patterns of migration and cultural influence, as well as to the way quarterly reception (free for members of the Friends of the Georgia Museum of in which the ecology of the region was changed by the trade in hides. Basketry Art, $5 nonmembers) Oct. 13 at 5:30 p.m.

TOUR AT TWO Tour of highlights from the permanent collection. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu UGA STAFF COUNCIL MEETING 2:30 p.m. 207 Miller Learning Center. 706-425-3183. mmoore10@uga.edu WORKSHOP In “Course-Embedded Assessment,” participants will discuss

By Daniel Stock

daniel.stock@uga.edu

Magician Chris Dugdale will perform in the first Pops at Ramsey series Oct. 5 and 6 at 8 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center.

Magician Chris Dugdale to perform two shows at Ramsey Concert Hall By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu

The UGA Performing Arts Center will inaugurate its new Pops in Ramsey series with world-renowned magician Chris Dugdale. He will give two shows in the Performing Arts Center’s intimate Ramsey Concert Hall Oct. 5 and 6 at 8 p.m. At age 18, Dugdale became the youngest member of London’s famed Magic Circle and successfully levitated a presenter on BBC Television’s Blue Peter live in front of 6 million people. In 2003, he became the first magician in history to entertain Her Majesty the Queen of England and the United Nations in the same year. He is the co-author of Close-Up Success, the definitive guide to close-up magic, and his shows have taken him around the world from Dubai to Las Vegas. After a New York performance, the critic for Broadway World wrote, “Chris Dugdale delivers extraordinary magic in extreme closeup with verve and a technical mastery that is the product of a God-given gift…over and over again you are left astonished.” Tickets for Chris Dugdale are $39. They can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center box office, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-4400. UGA students can purchase tickets for $6 with a valid UGA ID, limit one ticket per student. Prior to the Oct. 5 show, patrons are invited to make it an evening with a tour and free dessert at the Georgia Museum of Art at 6 p.m.

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/.

4&5

Art and ecology merge in undergraduate-organized exhibition

UGA Theatre tackles political allegory with Ian Wooldridge’s adaptation of ‘Animal Farm’ UGA Theatre will present Animal Farm by Ian Wooldridge, adapted from the book by George Orwell, Oct. 4-7 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 7 and 8 at 2:30 p.m. at SeneyStovall Chapel. The show is directed by T. Anthony Marotta. Tickets are $12, $7 for students, and can be purchased at ugatheatre.com/animalfarm, by phone at 706-542-4400 or in person at the Performing Arts Center or Tate Center box office. Orwell’s Animal Farm has served as a clarion call against fascism for more than 70 years. Based on the events leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917, Animal Farm tells the story of the overthrow of Manor Farm and its transformation into the presumably more utopian Animal Farm. The animals’ revolution quickly devolves into a power struggle, with benefits being afforded to some and backbreaking labor doled out to others. The beasts of Animal Farm are initially taught that “all animals are equal,” but they soon learn that “some animals are more equal than others.” Marotta, an associate professor in the theatre and film studies department, does not shy away from drawing parallels with modern times and sees the story as timeless. “What becomes eerily powerful is how recognizable many of these characters and their actions are when considering events both historical and current,” Marotta said. While real-life figures in Russia directly inspired the original text, “the audience will find easy counterparts with today’s public figures when spokes-animals for the farm’s administration use language and tactics that may feel familiar to anyone with a TV or Twitter feed today,” he added. Recent productions of Julius

columns.uga.edu Oct. 2, 2017

how to create a signature assignment aligned with program learning outcomes, how to collect student work from multiple course sections and/or instructors and how to use the results to help students improve their skills and content knowledge. 3:30 p.m. 372 Miller Learning Center. 706-542-8802. madeline.smith@uga.edu FILM SCREENING WITH FILMMAKER DISCUSSION Free public screening of the award-winning film Chasing Coral followed by a panel discussion with the filmmakers. Chasing Coral follows a team of divers, photographers and scientists as they set out to discover why coral reefs around the world are vanishing at an unprecedented rate. 6 p.m. Tate Student Center Theatre. 706-542-5863. sarab@uga.edu (See story, page 2). UGA THEATER’S ‘ANIMAL FARM’ Performances run Oct. 4-7 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 7 and 8 at 2:30 p.m. $12, $7 for students. Seney-Stovall Chapel. 706-542-2836. wclay87@uga.edu (See story, left.) CONCERT ARCO Chamber Orchestra, the internationally recognized string chamber ensemble led by Regents Professor and Franklin Professor of Violin Levon Ambartsumian, performs its fall concert. ARCO returns to Hodgson Hall following a successful summer tour of Brazil. $22. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall. 706-542-4752. ccschwabe@uga.edu

THURSDAY, OCT. 5 MIDTERM For fall semester.

UGA Theatre will present Ian Wooldridge’s adaptation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm Oct. 4-7 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 7 and 8 at 2:30 p.m. at Seney-Stovall Chapel.

Caesar across the U.S. have cast Barack Obama or Donald Trump lookalikes in the central role, but Marotta believes that political allegory is more effective without such literal parallels. “Using animals on a farm allows us distance to consider everything without the judgment or bias we might bring if this were a story about humans,” he said. “This openness to empathizing feels sadly missing from many of our conversations today. The allegory gives us enough distance to reserve judgment, open up our perspective, ask better questions and to identify more easily with all of the animals we recognize.” Marotta said that events like those in the play can happen here and now. “What stood out most to me then, and still does today, is how the farm animals willfully comply with what their leaders say and do. Why on earth do they agree and go

along with everything?” Marotta said. “How could the animal workers in this story (and, by extension, Americans today) buy into the narrative and choices they are given from their leaders? Little by little, the animals transform from living with hope for a brighter future to a world where their lives are ruled in oppressive ways.” “UGA Theatre’s Animal Farm is a timeless cautionary tale, offering a chilling take on political intrigue and exploitation,” said David Zucker Saltz, head of the theatre and film studies department, which is part of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. “While it features many of the same barnyard friends you remember from Mother Goose, the world they inhabit is far more cruel and familiar than those nursery rhymes. “Animal Farm has captivated readers for more than 70 years and is sure to enthrall modern audiences as well,” he also said.

WOMEN’S BUSINESS EXPO The Small Business Development Center’s sixth annual Women’s Business Expo includes a full day of networking, learning and fun for the area’s professional women and business owners. Expert speakers will discuss topics of interest, and successful business women will teach and inspire with their personal and professional stories. Keynote address by Karri Hobson-Pape, UGA vice president for marketing and communications. Vendor opportunities available. $59, includes lunch. 9 a.m. Special collections libraries. 706-542-7436. sjohnson@georgiasbdc.org NATURE RAMBLE This is a ramble not a hike; the group will stop to view interesting plants, insects, butterflies, mushrooms, etc., along the way. 9:30 a.m. Meet at Shade Garden Arbor, State Botanical Garden. SOTL DROP-IN HOURS Stop by for one-on-one consultations with Colleen Kuusinen, assistant director for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Registration in advance is recommended but not required. Remote consultations also are available. 2 p.m. Jackson Street Building. 706-542-1355. ckuus@uga.edu CLASS The American Sign Language for Medical Settings introductory course prepares medical personnel and others who know basic sign language to assist deaf or hearing-impaired patients in preliminary interactions related to emergencies, admissions and procedure preparations. Classes will meet Thursday evenings Oct. 5-26. $199. 5 p.m. Georgia Center. 706-542-3537. questions@georgiacenter.uga.edu MAKE IT AN EVENING Enjoy coffee, dessert and a gallery tour of Louise Blair Daura: A Virginian in Paris at the museum prior to the performance in Ramsey Concert Hall by magician Chris Dugdale. Jittery Joe’s Coffee and Cecilia Villaveces’ cakes. Purchase tickets for the performance at pac.uga.edu. 6 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu PHI KAPPA LITERARY SOCIETY DEBATE Join the Phi Kappa Literary Society as members debate the

TO SUBMIT A LISTING FOR THE MASTER CALENDAR AND COLUMNS Post event information first to the Master Calendar website (calendar.uga.edu/). Listings for Columns are taken from the Master Calendar 12 days before the publication date. Events not posted by then may not be printed in Columns.

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

following resolution: Be It Hereby Resolved: The state of Georgia should require Chicano studies courses in schools. The First Affirmation and First Negation speakers are to be announced. In addition, there will be poetry and orations and at least one off-the-cuff, extemporaneous debate. After the main debate, the group will recess to Taco Stand downtown for dinner. 7 p.m. Upper Chamber, Phi Kappa Hall. PERFORMANCE Chris Dugdale, the first magician to entertain the Queen of England and the United Nations in the same year, will perform Oct. 5 and 6 at 8 p.m. $39. Ramsey Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4400. (See story, far left).

FRIDAY, OCT. 6 WORKSHOP This workshop will introduce the general approach of Reacting to the Past pedagogy as well as explore research findings that support the methodology, provide an overview of current game offerings and preview faculty and student support systems for RTTP at UGA. Breakfast will be served. 9:30 a.m. Instructional Plaza. 706-542-1355. LCUGA4 LCUGA4 is an annual linguistics conference with a strong interdisciplinary focus. The theme is “Crossing Boundaries.” Presentations from students and faculty from UGA, as well as around the U.S. and abroad, that bridge the gap between linguistics and other fields will be presented. Admission to conference talks and plenary events is free for all UGA affiliates. Rooms 250 and 350 (Oct. 6-7) and Room 250 (Oct. 8), Miller Learning Center. rmm75992@uga.edu, doteum.kim25@uga.edu LECTURE “Women of the Garden: Cultivating Land and Community Using a Feminist Framework,” Christina Hylton, educational theory and practice. Part of the Women’s Studies Friday Speaker Series. 12:20 p.m. 213 Miller Learning Center. 706-542-2846. tlhat@uga.edu PHILOSOPHY COLLOQUIUM Emanuela Bianchi, New York University, will speak. Part of the Kleiner Colloquium Series. Reception will follow lecture. 3:30 p.m. 115 Peabody Hall. 706-542-2823.

SUNDAY, OCT. 8 WOMEN’S SOCCER vs. Texas A&M. 5 p.m. Turner Soccer Complex. 706-542-1621.

MONDAY, OCT. 9 COLUMBUS DAY Classes in session; offices open. WORKSHOP Release conditions and intelligent agents are tools in eLC that can be implemented to customize the student experience. Configuring these features allows instructors to guide student movement through the content and manage access for students. In “Intermediate eLC: Make the Tools Work for You,” participants will learn how to create release conditions and intelligent agents. 12:15 p.m. Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. 706-542-1355. sac@uga.edu

COMING UP LECTURE Oct. 11. Landscape architects Warren Byrd and Thomas Woltz will discuss projects by their design firm, Nelson Byrd Woltz. The firm is known for its innovative, ecologically based designs. 5 p.m. Lecture Hall 123, Jackson Street Building. 706-542-4727. jlmesser@uga.edu (See Digest, page 3).

NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES Oct. 4 (for Oct. 16 issue) Oct. 11 (for Oct. 23 issue) Oct. 18 (for Oct. 30 issue)

OFFICE OF THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AND PROVOST

Oct. 2, 2017 columns.uga.edu

UGA welcomes new faculty

Below is a list of new tenured and tenure-track faculty who have joined the university since September 2016. This information was provided by the Office of Faculty Affairs, which acts as a liaison between the university and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia on matters related to faculty appointments, promotion and tenure. College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

James Anderson, assistant professor, agricultural leadership, education and communication; Todd Riley Callaway, assistant professor, animal science; Dan Croom, associate professor, agricultural leadership, education and communication; Hendrik den Bakker, assistant professor, Center for Food Safety; Laura Ellestad, assistant professor, poultry science; Abolfazi Hajihassani, assistant professor, plant pathology; Cain Hickey, assistant professor, horticulture; Shimat V. Joseph, assistant professor, entomology; Matthew Levi, assistant professor, crop and soil sciences; Abhinav Mishra, assistant professor, food science and technology; Reagan Noland, assistant professor, crop and soil sciences; Jonathan Oliver, assistant professor, plant pathology; Cristiane Pilon, assistant professor, crop and soil sciences; Ramesh Selvaraj, associate professor, poultry science; Manpreet Singh, professor, poultry science; Kevin J. Vogel, assistant professor, entomology; Li Yang, assistant professor, plant pathology; and Ashley M. Yopp, assistant professor, agricultural leadership, education and communication.

College of Arts and Sciences

Yohannes Abate, associate professor, physics and astronomy; Jorge Depric, assistant professor, sociology and Latin American and Caribbean studies; James Enos, assistant professor, art; Maryann Erigha, assistant professor, sociology; Amanda Frossard, assistant professor, chemistry; Rachel Roberts-Galbraith, assistant professor, cell biology; Mary Goll, assistant professor, genetics; Berna Gueneli, assistant professor, Germanic and Slavic studies; Christina Hanawalt, assistant professor, art; Gabriel Kooperman, assistant professor, geography; Emily Koh, assistant professor, music; Dennis E. Kyle, professor, cell biology; Xiaorong Lin, professor, microbiology; Jiaying Liu, assistant professor, communication studies; Isha W. Metzger, assistant professor, psychology; Alison Farley Raffle, assistant professor, music; Rohan Sikri, assistant professor, philosophy; Liza Stepanova, assistant professor, music; Steven Edge Wheeler, associate professor, chemistry; and Qian Xiao, assistant professor, statistics.

College of Business

Paul Demere, assistant professor, accounting; Weifeng Li, assistant professor, management information systems, Erin Long, assistant professor, management; Steven Malliaris, assistant professor, finance; Daniel Rettl, assistant

professor, finance; Aaron Schecter, assistant professor, management information systems, Eli SellingerLiebman, assistant professor, economics; Ruchi Singh, assistant professor, insurance, legal studies and real estate; Rosanna Smith, assistant professor, marketing; and Nathan Yoder, assistant professor, economics.

College of Ecology

Richard John Hall, assistant professor, ecology.

College of Education

Robert Chalmers, assistant professor,educational psychology; Collette Chapman-Hilliard, assistant professor, counseling and human development; Sherell McArthur, assistant professor, educational theory and practice; Christopher M. Modlesky, professor, kinesiology; Steven Salaga, assistant professor, kinesiology; Tarkeshwar Singh, assistant professor, kinesiology; and Walker Swain, assistant professor, lifelong education, administration and policy.

College of Engineering

Fred R. Beyette, professor, electrical and computer engineering; Nathaniel J. Hunsu, assistant professor, electrical and computer engineering; Brandon Rotavera, assistant professor, environmental, civil, agricultural and mechanical engineering; and James N. Warnock, professor, chemical, material and biomedical engineering.

School of Forestry and Natural Resources

Gino Jude D’Angelo, assistant professor, forestry and natural resources.

College of Journalism and Mass Communication

Anne Gilbert, assistant professor, journalism and mass communication; Booker Mattison, assistant professor, journalism and mass communication; Taylor Miller, assistant professor, journalism and mass communication; and Jonathan W. Peters, assistant professor, journalism and mass communication.

School of Law

Christopher M. Bruner, professor, law; and Sandra G. Mayson, assistant professor, law.

School of Pharmacy

Yao Yao, assistant professor, pharmaceutical and biomedical science.

School of Public and International Affairs

Matthew R. Auer, dean and professor, public administration and policy; Sun Y. Kim, assistant professor, public administration

and policy; George Krause, professor, public administration and policy; Gregory Thaler, assistant professor, international affairs; and Katherine Anna Willoughby, professor, public administration and policy.

School of Public Health

Jenay Beer, assistant professor, health promotion and behavior; Carmen J. Buxo Martinez, assistant professor, epidemiology and biostatistics; Lesley Clack, assistant professor, health policy and management; Zhuo Chen, associate professor, health policy and management; Glenn V. Ostir, professor, health promotion and behavior; and Lisa Renzi-Hammond, assistant professor, gerontology; and Lili Tang, associate professor, environmental health science.

College of Veterinary Medicine

Brandy Burgess, assistant professor, population health; Daniela De Souza Rajao, assistant professor, population health; Karine Gendron, assistant professor, veterinary biosciences and diagnostic imaging; Catherine M. Logue, professor, population health; Kristina Meichner, assistant professor, pathology; Jarrod J. Mousa, assistant professor, infectious diseases; Hemant Naikare, associate professor, Tifton Diagnostic Lab; and Lisa Nolan, dean and professor, veterinary medicine-Dean’s Office. Source: Faculty Information Database, Sept. 7, 2017-OIR for faculty hires Sept. 14, 2016, through Dec. 31, 2017

22 join university as clinical faculty In addition to the new tenured and tenure-track faculty, UGA welcomes 22 new clinical faculty, who are educators as well as practitioners in health and other professions. Clinical faculty are involved in the supervision and training of students, interns or residents in professional settings. Like their tenure-track colleagues, they typically hold terminal degrees. Their scholarship varies but often is focused on advancing professional practice or enhancing education in clinical settings. Clinical faculty members hired from from Sept. 14, 2016, through Dec. 31, 2017, are Daniel B. Chastain, College of Pharmacy, clinical assistant professor, clinical and administrative pharmacy; Alan Cook, School of Law, clinical professor, law; Sarah L. Czerwinski, College of Veterinary Medicine, clinical assistant professor, Veterinary Teaching Hospital; Kerstin Gerst Emerson, College of Public Health, clinical assistant professor, Institute of Gerontology; Russell Gabriel, School of Law, clinical professor, law; Jennifer M. Good, College of Veterinary Medicine, clinical assistant professor, Veterinary Teaching Hospital; Karen Grogan, College of Veterinary Medicine, clinical associate professor, population health; Brittani L. Harmon, College of Public Health, clinical assistant professor, health policy and management; Emily Hetherington, School of Law, clinical assistant professor, law; Marian Higgins, College of Education, clinical assistant professor, counseling and human development; Diann Olszowy Jones, College of Education, clinical assistant professor, lifelong education, administration and policy; Emma Laing, College of Family and Consumer Sciences, clinical associate professor, foods and nutrition; Selena L. Lane, College of Veterinary Medicine, clinical assistant professor, small animal medicine and surgery; Eleanor Lanier, School of Law, clinical professor, law; Carol Morgan, School of Law, clinical professor, law; Emily R. Mouilso, College of Arts and Sciences, clinical assistant professor, psychology; Andrea Newsome, clinical assistant professor,clinical and administrative pharmacy; Tony Alan Puglisi, College of Veterinary Medicine, clinical assistant professor, small animal medicine and surgery; Christine Scartz, School of Law, clinical assistant professor, law; Susan E. Smith, College of Pharmacy, clinical assistant professor, clinical and administrative pharmacy; Katherine Morrissey Stahl, School of Social Work, clinical assistant professor, social work; and Joseph Watson, College of Journalism and Mass Communication, clinical professor, journalism and mass communication. Source: Faculty Information Database, Sept. 7, 2017-OIR

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

New CAES pathologist will focus on disease management of state’s perennial fruit crops By Clint Thompson cbthomps@uga.edu

Jonathan Oliver’s study of blueberries and his homegrown knowledge of citrus makes the Palatka, Florida, native a valuable addition to the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Stationed on the UGA Tifton campus, Oliver recently joined the college as a fruit pathologist specializing in blueberries, blackberries, citrus, pomegranates, olives and mayhaws. “Georgia has a tremendous array of commodities just in fruits. That’s one of the reasons I am excited about working here,” Oliver said. “We have established fruits, like blueberries, and up-and-coming fruits, like citrus, that should only continue to grow in popularity. Hopefully, I can help our farmers continue to be as successful as they have been.”

Oliver previously worked at Auburn University, where he studied Xylella fastidiosa, the cause of bacterial leaf scorch in blueberries. He coordinated some of his research with UGA Cooperative Extension county agents in Georgia and hopes to continue those studies in his new role at UGA. Blueberry expansion in Georgia over the last couple of decades led to the discovery of new pathogens, Oliver said. He hopes to uncover better management methods for these pathogens. In his new role at UGA, Oliver also will help the citrus industry continue to expand in Georgia. More than 150 acres of satsuma oranges—potentially more than 21,750 new citrus trees—have been planted in south Georgia in the last four years, according to Jacob Price, UGA Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources

agent in Lowndes County. Oliver is researching citrus greening, a bacterial disease that has Jonathan Oliver wiped out a substantial number of trees in Florida. The disease, spread by an insect that has been found in south Georgia, is the largest threat to citrus production worldwide, according to Oliver. While citrus greening only has been found in Georgia’s coastal counties, Oliver wants to be proactive in keeping Extension county agents updated on its progression. Oliver is conducting research at the UGA Tifton campus and at neighboring research stations in Alapaha and Alma.

PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

Trawl space

columns.uga.edu Oct. 2, 2017

UGA’s R/V Georgia Bulldogs logs nearly two decades of sea turtle research By Emily Woodward ewoodward@uga.edu

The revving of the engine serves as a wake-up call for those aboard the R/V Georgia Bulldog. It’s 5:30 a.m., and the deck is soon abuzz with commotion as the crew prepares to depart for a research cruise aimed at sampling sea turtles off the coast of Brunswick. For the 18th year, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has enlisted the help of the University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s R/V Georgia Bulldog crew to provide logistical support and assist with the collection of biological data for their In-Water Sea Turtle Research program. Funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service, the program is designed to monitor abundance, distribution and health of sea turtles along the southeast coast. “Sea turtles are long-lived, slow-growing and latematuring species that only go on land to nest unless they strand,” said Mike Arendt, assistant marine scientist at SC DNR and lead researcher on the project. “If you don’t monitor them in the water like we do—and for a long period of time since they take decades to reach maturity—you’re missing the most important information.” Arendt has worked on the project since it began in 2000 and took over the survey in 2007. Because of where the survey is conducted, most of the data collected have been for loggerhead sea turtles, but in recent years, greater emphasis has been placed on understanding the distribution of the next most common species, the smaller, endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles. “Between 2000 and 2015, over 2,300 loggerheads were captured compared to around 260 Kemp’s ridleys,” said Arendt. “We were starting to wonder if we were sampling in the right places for them.” The shallow coastal waters off Brunswick have been some of the best documented locations for Kemp’s ridleys, and Lindsey Parker, captain of the R/V Georgia Bulldog, knows exactly where to find them. “After so many years of random sampling all up and down the coast, I’ve found a few hot spots for ridleys,” said Parker. “We tend to see more around inlets and because of my familiarity with the Brunswick area, we can sample those areas more fully than in other areas that I’m less familiar with.” The Bulldog, a 72-foot shrimp trawler that was converted to a multipurpose research vessel in the 1980s, is an ideal vessel for this type of sampling because it can easily navigate shallow waters and estuaries. Sampling involves pulling two 60-foot trawl nets behind the boat for 30 minutes. Each time the nets are pulled up after a drag, excitement on board starts to build, especially if there’s a sea turtle in tow. On this cruise, a Kemp’s ridley is caught on the first trawl. Once it’s safely on board, researchers work quickly to process it to reduce as much stress on the animal as possible. The team, made up of research biologists, technicians

A Kemp’s ridley sea turtle receives a pit tag from UGA research team members.

and graduate students, move around the boat with ease, grabbing gloves, measuring tools and vials while calling out information that’s recorded on a data sheet. They first scan the turtle to make sure it hasn’t been tagged before assigning it a unique ID. They then collect blood samples, measure the carapace, administer the pit tag and place the animal in a harness so it can be weighed. The last step is the release, which involves gently lowering the turtle over the side of the R/V Georgia Bulldog using the harness. “Kemp’s ridleys, by and large, are really easy to process,” said Arendt. “They’re healthy looking, they’re clean. Plus, they’re small, so it’s really easy to work them up.” He adds, with a hint of pride, that their record processing time is 14 minutes. By the end of the day, the team processed eight sea turtles, seven Kemp’s ridleys and one loggerhead. “We’re about three-quarters of the way through our sampling period, and we have 34 Kemp’s ridleys so far,” said Arendt. “Two thirds of our Kemp’s for 2017 were caught this week, which amounted to almost half of the 2016 total.” This long-term project has generated a wealth of data that’s been shared with more than 25 collaborators, studying everything from sea turtle DNA to testosterone to blood chemistry. The cruises also train graduate students in veterinary or marine science programs in practical field experience that will help prepare them for their careers. Arendt said that bringing in more partners and providing workforce development opportunities is important for getting the most bang out of the taxpayer dollar. “We have the skill sets, funding and federal and state permits to safely capture and handle the sea turtles, so that enables the collaborators easy access to animals that they

WEEKLY READER

Former UGA ag dean pens second book

Feeding the World: Agricultural Research in the Twenty-First Century By Gale Buchanan Texas A&M University Press $35

Gale A. Buchanan, retired dean and director of the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and a former U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary for research, education and economics, has penned his second book, Feeding the World: Agricultural Research in the Twenty-First Century. The book details Buchanan’s ideas on how increased agricultural research can lead to a more efficient food production system. The book covers the grand challenges that, if successfully addressed, would bring about a “new paradigm” in agricultural productivity. These challenges include improving soil quality and energy efficiency, eliminating animal diseases and breeding crop plants that are productive in unpredictable climates and have “greater water, nitrogen and other nutrient efficiencies.” Buchanan sees agricultural research in the future that is adequately funded, internationally cooperative and based on research that involves scientists, administrators, educators, farmers, politicians and consumers.

Photo courtesy of UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant

UGA researchers collect a blood sample from a loggerhead sea turtle.

wouldn’t otherwise be able to study,” Arendt said. “In r eturn, we get important information on sea turtle health and foraging behavior that the collaborators have the funding and skills sets for, so it’s win-win.” Additionally, Arendt has the R/V Georgia Bulldog and her crew, who have decades of trawling experience and strong connections to the research community and the commercial fishing industry. “The Bulldog crew is a great interface between science and industry to help disseminate our results and generate support for our endeavors,” said Arendt.

CYBERSIGHTS

ABOUT COLUMNS Columns is available to the community by subscription for an annual fee of $20 (secondclass 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

OIR launches revamped website

https://oir.uga.edu/

The website for the Office of Institutional Research has been revamped to streamline OIR resources on a modern platform that is more efficient and meets the university’s needs for providing institutional data. Visitors can more easily navigate the website to find institutional data by topics (admissions, enrollment, degrees conferred,

academic information, studentrelated information and faculty and staff information). Data in the UGA Factbook is also publicly available on the website both as an interactive report and a PDF. For more detailed information, UGA faculty and staff can log in to the Facts & Figures section with their MyID.

Art Director Jackie Baxter Roberts Photo Editor Dorothy Kozlowski Writer Leigh Beeson Communications Coordinator Krista Richmond 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 Oct. 2, 2017 columns.uga.edu TURFGRASS

GRANT from page 1

from page 1

Andrew Davis Tucker

Local and UGA officials, regents and UGA President Jere W. Morehead take part in the ribbon cutting of the new Turfgrass Research and Education Building after the dedication ceremony on the Griffin campus.

involvement in turf-related projects. They support the turfgrass industry by conducting research, educating industry professionals and training students who will become future industry leaders. The new Turfgrass Research Building in Griffin sits close to the campus’ turfgrass research plots. The building houses seven turfgrass scientists, their staff, postdoctoral research associates, visiting scientists and graduate students. The facility includes modern laboratories, offices, conference and classroom space and attached greenhouses. “Even though we have an excellent team, our buildings and greenhouses were old. Now we have state-of-the-art facilities, and the team can all be located in the same building,” said Paul Raymer, a Griffin-based UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences professor and turfgrass breeder. “Entomologists, plant pathologists, agronomists and support staff were scattered across campus in six or seven buildings. Now we can work together in a facility designed to support our turfgrass research program.” On the UGA campus in Tifton, old

f acilities have been replaced with new greenhouses and a headhouse facility to support UGA’s expanding warm-season turf breeding program. On the main UGA campus in Athens, scientists now have new greenhouses and a combination classroom and office complex to use for undergraduate teaching and research programs. “These world-class facilities will enhance UGA undergraduate and graduate education programs, enable our turfgrass scientists to conduct cutting-edge research and enable the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences to retain and recruit the top turfgrass scientists necessary to ensure a prosperous future for the vital Georgia turfgrass industry,” said CAES Dean and Director Sam Pardue. UGA-bred turfgrasses cover lawns, championship golf courses, urban green spaces, and major and little league playing fields in Georgia, across the nation and the world. Since 1990, the UGA Turf Team has generated close to $12 million in royalty income. Turfgrass is a $7.8 billion industry in Georgia, accounting for 87,000 jobs.

Bulletin Board University Woman’s Club

The University Woman’s Club will meet Oct. 11 at 11 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall of Central Presbyterian Church, 380 Alps Road. Guest speaker Samantha Joye, Athletic Association Professor in the Arts and Sciences in the marine sciences department of UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, will give a talk titled “Ocean Ecology” Tickets for the Dec. 12 holiday luncheon also will be available for purchase. The fall coffee, scheduled for Sept. 12 and canceled because of Tropical Storm Irma, has been rescheduled for Nov. 7 from 10-11:30 a.m. at the President’s House. For additional information, contact Shirley Jaeger, publicity chair, at s hirley.jaeger1961@gmail.com or 706-566-4477 or 706-548-9291.

Dream Award nominations

The Office of Institutional Diversity is calling for nominations for the President’s Fulfilling the Dream Award 2018. The award honors those in the university and Athens-Clarke County communities who are keeping Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s belief in equality and justice alive. Nominations are open until Oct. 29. The Fulfilling the Dream Award showcases members of the community, faculty, staff and students who advance issues of race relations or human rights. Award winners are dedicated to volunteerism and civic engagement and use King’s teachings to reduce tensions between communities and unite people across different cultures and backgrounds. Award recipients are honored at the annual MLK Freedom Breakfast, which will be held Jan. 12 at UGA.

The breakfast is held in honor of King’s life and legacy and is sponsored by UGA, the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government and the Clarke County School District. To nominate someone for the award, visit https://ugeorgia.qualtrics. com/jfe/form/SV_899RN74wSEHuuQR or contact the Office of Institutional Diversity at 706-583-8195.

disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to become aware of the benefits of postsecondary education, gain admission to college and successfully complete a degree in higher education. The DAE has been the steward of TRIO programs since 1978 and recently added the TRIO Student Support Services program to its collegiate offerings in 2014. Sherontae Maxwell, DAE’s assistant director for access and author of the grant proposal, will direct the McNair program, along with Educational Talent Search, two Upward Bound programs and Student

Support Services. “Sherontae’s dedication to TRIO, talent for grant writing and desire to see students succeed has resulted in sustainable programs that facilitate student learning and success,” said T. Chase Hagood, DAE director. “And now with five TRIO programs, the DAE proudly serves first-generation and lowincome students who have the capacity and desire to earn a degree in higher education beyond the undergraduate level. The transformational effects of this work are immeasurable.”

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LECTURE

Advancing Translational Science. It is currently the only CTSA in Georgia. “This exciting partnership is a great example of how research universities in Georgia can work together to improve lives and communities across the state,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “As a land-grant institution with a dynamic research enterprise, the University of Georgia is well positioned to help this critical alliance expand its positive impact.” UGA has a proven track record of outstanding basic and translational research and, as the state’s land-grant institution, offers a robust statewide network that enhances community outreach, service and research. Emory is a national leader in health care and biomedical research as well as an outstanding leader in clinical and translational research training and education. Morehouse School of Medicine is a nationally recognized historically black institution that brings ethnic diversity to biomedical research, addresses health disparities through successful community engagement research and serves as a pipeline for training minority researchers. Georgia Tech is a national leader in biomedical engineering and the application of innovative systems engineering to health care solutions. “The addition of UGA provides the Georgia CTSA a state-wide footprint to connect with every county in the state to address health and wellness needs, particularly in rural and underserved populations,” said Bradley G. Phillips, UGA’s CTSA principal investigator and the Millikan-Reeve Professor of Pharmacy at UGA. “As a new member of the Georgia CTSA, faculty and students across our campus will have unique support and infrastructure that builds upon current capabilities and increases our trajectory in fostering clinical and translational science in the state and beyond.”

together to solve this complex problem. But, at the same time, we must be diligent about making sure consumers understand the need, the science and the solutions. We must listen to citizen concerns and ensure we are addressing them in the process.” The D.W. Brooks Lecture is held each year in honor of college alumnus and Gold Kist Inc. founder D.W. Brooks and is accompanied by the D.W. Brooks Awards for Excellence. The awards recognize college faculty and staff who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the college’s missions of research, instruction and extension. “The D.W. Brooks Lecture is our opportunity to bring in change-makers who have an impact on hunger and malnutrition in the real world and to inspire and challenge ourselves to meet the goal of feeding the world’s growing population by the year 2030,” said Amrit Bart, director of global programs for CAES. Fedoroff works to ensure that people around the world have enough to eat, and she is a strong proponent of using technology as a means to achieve that goal. She speaks and writes often on topics at the intersection of agriculture and technology and advocates for the use of enhanced crop breeding techniques to help supply food-insecure areas of the world with proper nutrition. She was a science and technology advisor to the U.S. secretary of state and the U.S. Agency for International Development and served as the founding director of the Center for Desert Agriculture at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia. Today she is a professor emerita of biology and former Evan Pugh Professor at Pennsylvania State University. She was formerly the director of the Penn State Biotechnology Institute and the founding director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences.

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FRANKLIN COLLEGE

‘Project ENERGY’ participants

The kinesiology department at the College of Education seeks postmenopausal women employees of UGA between ages 50-65 who are sedentary and nonsmokers to participate in “Project ENERGY,” a physical activity and nutrition study to examine its effects on work productivity. Study participants will be enrolled for 12 weeks spread over 41/2 months, and all testing will be performed by the kinesiology department. Participants will be asked to take part in a supervised exercise program with a small educational section about physical activity and nutrition. Upon completion of the project, participants can be provided with a free twomonth membership, valued at $70, to the Center for Physical Activity and Health. For more information, contact the Body Composition and Metabolism Laboratory by phone at 404-645-2266 or by email at health4womenuga@gmail. com. Alternatively, those interested in finding out if they meet the criteria for the study can complete the screening questionnaire at https://tinyurl.com/ PA-Post-menopausal-women-UGA.

Dorothy Kozlowski

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

STORYTELLER HONORED AT WOMEN FACULTY RECEPTION—Wanda Wilcox (facing camera in top photo), an instructor in the Institute for Women’s Studies and an academic advisor in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, received the Women’s Studies Faculty Award Sept. 22 during the 2017 Women Faculty Reception. The Institute for Women’s Studies hosts the reception each year to give new and returning faculty members an opportunity to network. Cecilia Herles, assistant director of IWS, introduced Wilcox and noted her “wisdom, her altruism and her nurturing, diligent and amiable spirit,” as well as her gift for teaching through storytelling. “I can’t imagine a more vital educator, advisor and friend to women’s studies students and faculty and staff,” Herles said. Wilcox said she was humbled, touched and honored to receive the award. “I believe education changes the world,” she said.