UGA Columns Oct. 7, 2019

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CAES faculty member s­tudies science behind ­ turf maintenance RESEARCH NEWS

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‘Mary Lee Bendolph: ­Quilted Memories’ on view at Georgia Museum of Art Vol. 47, No. 11

October 7, 2019

www.columns.uga.edu

UGA GUIDE

4&5

Lab, supplementary course material fees are being eliminated

By Krista Richmond krichmond@uga.edu

Peter Frey

Ted M. Ross, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar of Infectious Diseases in UGA’s College of Veterinary Medicine, is leading an NIH project to create and test new influenza vaccines that may one day replace seasonal vaccines.

Historic research funding NIH awards up to $130M for flu vaccine development

By James Hataway jhataway@uga.edu

The University of Georgia has signed a contract with the National Institutes of Health for an initial award of $8 million to develop a new, more advanced influenza vaccine designed to protect against multiple strains of influenza virus in a single dose. The total funding could be up to $130 million over seven years if all contract options are exercised.

UGA faculty will lead one of NIH’s new prestigious Collaborative Influenza Vaccine Innovation Centers and collaborate with teams from 14 other universities and research institutes to create and test new vaccines that may one day replace seasonal vaccines administered every year during flu season.

The university expects that over the seven-year contract span, the project will be the largest award ever received by the University

of Georgia.

“As we continue to build the research enterprise at the University of Georgia, we are increasing the ability of our faculty to make a profound impact on the world,” said President Jere W. Morehead.

“UGA’s investments in biomedical sciences, particularly in the area of infectious diseases, make us eminently qualified to be part of this national initiative.”

High-risk populations

The project, led by Ted M. Ross, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar of Infectious Diseases in UGA’s College of Veterinary Medicine and director of UGA’s Center for Vaccines and Immunology, will include specific attention to vaccine research for high-risk populations.

“The main goal of our project is to identify vaccines that are broadly protective, meaning that they will protect people against most of the versions of the influenza virus that

infect humans,” said Ross. “But we are particularly interested in developing a vaccine that protects the most vulnerable people in our population, including children, the elderly or people with weakened immune systems.”

Most people infected with influenza will recover, but it can be deadly.

During the 2017-2018 flu season, for example, influenza killed more than twice the number of people who died in motor vehicle accidents in the U.S. An estimated 48.8 million people were infected, 959,000 were hospitalized and about 79,400 died from influenza, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“People with weakened immune systems, such as those who are undergoing chemotherapy treatments, are particularly vulnerable to influenza, but so are people who are obese, diabetic or have heart disease,” Ross said. “Influenza

See FLU on page 8

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Art students need paint, brushes and paper to create their works.

Chemistry students need chemicals and test tubes to complete experiments in labs.

Starting in spring 2020, students will not have to pay additional laboratory and supplementary course material fees for those supplies.

“All students at UGA should have the same access to the classes required for their degrees,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead.

“By eliminating course material fees, the university is removing a potential financial barrier to

Farm Tour highlights value of UGA to Georgia’s agricultural industry

By Clint Thompson cbthomps@uga.edu

University of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead and Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black were part of an annual farm tour group that visited Southeast Georgia on Oct. 2 and learned about the diverse makeup of the state’s agricultural industry.

UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Dean Sam Pardue, Vice President for Government Relations Toby Carr and members of the Georgia General Assembly also participated. The group visited farms and ­agricultural

Starting and ending about a month sooner this year, the annual Campaign for Charities is now open for University of Georgia faculty and staff to donate to their favorite nonprofits in Athens-Clarke County, across the state and around the nation and world.

The campaign runs until Nov. 26 this year, ending about three weeks earlier than usual. Faculty and staff should keep this in mind and consider donating before the Thanksgiving holidays as a way to “give back” to more than 1,100 organizations before the end of 2019.

“When I moved to Athens several years ago, I found it extraordinary how many residents in the Athens community were involved

Provost S. Jack Hu has launched a task force that will help develop recommendations to enhance academic excellence at the University of Georgia, with an initial focus this fall on the areas of research and graduate education. This effort will build on a recent multi-year focus to enhance the undergraduate experience that led to a number of critical improvements that benefited students.

The 23-member task force, which includes faculty and administrators from a range of disciplines, held its first meeting last month and will meet biweekly throughout the

See EXCELLENCE on page 8

See FARM on page 8

Gifts to Campaign for Charities to help improve lives of others

By Sam Fahmy

incentives that promote research and collaboration across disciplines, as well as potential partnerships with industry and other institutions based on core areas of strength.

In the area of graduate education, the task force will develop plans to enhance the visibility of graduate education and to increase enrollment at the master’s and Ph.D. levels. The task force also will examine support mechanisms for Ph.D. students.

For all of the above areas, the task force will define metrics that assess academic excellence and establish measurable, campus-wide goals. In addition, the members will

businesses to learn about various crops such as citrus, cotton, peanuts and poultry—all of which contribute to agriculture being the No. 1 industry in the state.

The state legislators included Sen. Jack Hill, Sen. John Wilkinson, Rep. Terry England and Rep. Tom McCall.

“It is inspiring to see the many ways UGA faculty and staff help Georgia’s farmers, whether through groundbreaking research or expertise shared by our county Extension agents,” Morehead said. “To see the great impact up close is very impressive.”

CAMPAIGN FOR CHARITIES

By Carolyn Crist

remainder of the semester. After an initial set of strategic areas of focus that complement the 2025 strategic plan have been identified, the group will develop detailed action plans and metrics for tracking progress.

“Research and graduation education are engines of discovery and economic opportunity, and the goal of this task force is to accelerate the university’s positive momentum in these critical areas,” said Hu, the chair of the task force.

The task force will consider a wide range of opportunities, including identifying strategic areas for future investment that leverage existing strengths and emerging opportunities. The group will identify structures, programs and

See FEES on page 8

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Provost launches Task Force on Academic Excellence sfahmy@uga.edu

ensure that our students can focus first and foremost on learning. My administration remains committed to supporting our students through this initiative as well as continuing to raise new scholarship funds during the final year of our capital campaign.”

Roughly 450 courses at UGA, mostly in the arts and sciences, have laboratory and supplemental course material fees that range from $5 to $200. The fees cover items like lab or supply kits, consumables such as paper and chemicals, and even instructional computing site license fees not eligible for Student Technology Fee funds. Some

columns@uga.edu

and dedicated to the greater success of this community,” said Karri Hobson-Pape, vice president for marketing and communications and this year’s honorary campaign chair.

“It may sound obvious, but it’s not. When meeting people for the first time in other cities, they typically ask you about your family, your children and your work,” HobsonPape said during the annual kickoff breakfast at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel on Sept. 26. “But here in Athens, when I first moved here, a remarkable number of people asked me about which nonprofits I planned to be in and what organizations I planned to dedicate my free time to.”

This year’s goal is to raise $400,000 and increase employee participation.

See CHARITIES on page 8

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BLACK FACULTY AND STAFF ORGANIZATION

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA LIBRARIES Recent library renovations allow for more study options

By Camie Williams camiew@uga.edu

For years, Anna Lee Robbins has enjoyed going to the Main Library at the University of Georgia to find a quiet place to study. But this year is different.

Thanks to new study rooms, Robbins and her classmate Alyssa Knowles set up their laptops nearly every day after class to go through their notes and work together toward their master’s in international policy.

“I’ve always been a big library person, but it’s a lot better now because we can collaborate,” said Robbins, who said she frequented the facility during her undergraduate studies as well. “It’s such an improvement over what it was, and I’m really appreciative.”

Finishing up her bagel from the Benson Collaboration Café, Knowles said the changes have made the Main Library a new favorite study venue for her. “We can discuss things, and it doesn’t bother anyone else,” she said. “It’s really open, and you can always find a place to focus.”

The summer renovation of the Main Library brings the total number of library group study rooms across campus to 125, and the rooms have proven to be popular since the first weeks of the fall semester.

“The study rooms at the Miller Learning Center are in constant use and the most coveted study spaces we have. Our most recent renovation brings this highly successful model into use at the Main Library in response to the popular demand of students,” University Librarian and Associate Provost Toby Graham said.

The summer transformation of the Main Library’s first floor includes an additional 28 glass-walled rooms for small groups to discuss course materials. The rooms feature workspaces with white boards and power outlets, and the project also includes a larger room designed for groups of 12 to 15 people.

As part of the project, the Main Library is piloting a program to notify students of open group study spaces through a digital sign and web portal. The rooms may be utilized on a first-come, first-served basis, although the Barr Seminar Room can be reserved in advanced.

The renovation, which also includes new study carrels and soft seating in the open space of the first floor, was funded in part by donors. The work complements last year’s opening of the Benson Collaboration Café coffee and bagel shop.

Across campus, the Science Library recently opened a new room dedicated to graduate studies. Known as Gradswrite, the space is a partnership with the Graduate School where students can go to receive help with writing.

UGA’s Libraries feature a variety of study options for students, including communal study areas, quiet reading rooms and individual carrels located in the Main Library, the Carnegie Library, the Miller Learning Center, and the Science Library.

For more information about study spaces in the UGA Libraries, go to libs.uga.edu/study-spaces.

Mar y Frances Early urges students to remember their ‘roots and wings’

By Carolyn Crist

columns@uga.edu

Mary Frances Early watched the unwelcoming crowds on TV with her mother as the University of Georgia’s first African American students, Charlayne Hunter-Gault and Hamilton Holmes, attended their first classes on Jan. 11, 1961.

She believed the two new undergraduates should be protected and was concerned when they weren’t. Just a few years older than they were at age 24, she knew then that she was “ready to do something.”

“I knew somebody needed to go and integrate the Graduate School,” she said on Sept. 25 during the Black Faculty and Staff Organization’s 17th annual Founders’ Award Scholarship Luncheon. “I felt a passion to do something, not to stand on the sidelines and wait for things to happen.”

Known as a “quiet trailblazer” during the civil rights movement, Early became the first African American graduate of UGA when she received her master’s degree in music education in 1962. She also earned an educational specialist degree from the university in 1967.

“Remember your roots. They remind you of where you came from,” she advised the students in attendance. “And remember your wings because they will take you to unbelievable heights if you believe in yourself.”

Six students and two staff members were recognized during the annual luncheon. UGA President Jere W. Morehead highlighted the importance of BFSO in advocating for the success of students at the institution.

“Many of you in this room have contributed to programs and experiences that help cultivate an atmosphere that is welcoming and nurturing for individuals of diverse backgrounds,” Morehead said.

He went on to announce that, earlier in the day, the university Cabinet had endorsed the proposal to name the College of Education in Early’s honor. The proposal now moves to the University System of Georgia Board of Regents for approval.

“We appreciate all that you have done for UGA and the impact that you have made on the lives of so many across our state and nation,” Morehead said, referring to Early.

Among the award recipients, Jalen

ENTERPRISE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

Become a more conscious online user during National Cyber Security Awareness Month

By Kathryn White skathryn@uga.edu

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and now is the time to evaluate and learn how to be more cyber-secure. Being a conscious online user includes habits that are easily incorporated into your daily routine.

• Phishing email signs: Emails are the avenue of choice for cyber-criminals, so it’s important to learn how to recognize the signs of a phishing scam. Typically, a phishing email will try to make you panic, will have grammatical errors and typos, will want you to take action, will have a close deadline and will threaten to remove access to a service.

When you receive an email, ask: Who sent the email? Do you know the sender? Does the email address look odd? Does the email appear to be from a uga.edu email address, but have the [External Sender] label? Did you expect to receive an attachment or link?

If you suspect the email may be a phishing scam, do not open any attachments or links contained in the message. Remember, UGA will never ask for your MyID or password via email.

You can report phishing scams by forwarding suspicious messages to abuse@uga.edu.

• Passwords and security questions: Never reuse the same passwords for work and personal activities. Strong passwords include at least 10 characters and a mix of upper and lower-case letters, numbers and special characters. Answers to your security questions shouldn’t be easily guessed. If a hacker can find the answers to your security questions on your personal website or social accounts, don’t use them.

• Multi-factor authentication: The university requires you to use ArchPass, powered by Duo, to protect your UGA accounts. The two-step login process makes it harder for cyber-criminals to steal your identity. The extra step helps protect your information and the university’s data.

EITS encourages all students, faculty and staff to enroll multiple devices in ArchPass, so you always have a back-up device if your primary device is inaccessible. You should also choose to use multi-factor authentication for your personal accounts, such as banking or social media accounts whenever possible.

• Install software updates: Many cyber-attacks rely on outdated, vulnerable software to be successful. Keep your devices secure by installing software updates as soon as they are available.

For more tips on how to remain secure online, visit infosec.uga.edu.

Dorothy Kozlowski

Pictured from left are Phaidra Buchanan, Jason Wallace, Jalen Polk, Hannah Huff, Mary Frances Early, Sha’mira Covington and Kristen Peagler. The students are 2019 recipients of BFSO awards and scholarships.

Polk, a junior management information systems major in the Terry College of Business, was given the Mark Dawkins Leadership Award; Phaidra Buchanan, a junior social studies education major in the College of Education, received the Melanie A. Burden Award; and Sha’mira Covington, a second-year Ph.D. student in the textiles, merchandising and interiors department in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, was presented with the Myron G. Burney Service Award. In addition, Founders’ scholarships were given to Hannah Huff, a senior animal science major in the College of Agricultural and Environmental

Sciences; Kristen Peagler, a third-year D.V.M. student in the College of Veterinary Medicine; and Jason Wallace, a fourth-year doctoral candidate in the college student affairs administration program in the College of Education.

The Ed Wilker Memorial Egalitarian Awards recognized two staff members. Mildred Anderson, human resources manager for University Housing, was applauded for her “unparalleled expertise.” Ashley Stevenson, a benefits specialist with Human Resources, was recognized for her “calming and personable demeanor” and value as a team member.

Andrew Davis Tucker

President Morehead attends Staff Council meeting

UGA President Jere W. Morehead spoke to the Staff Council during its Sept. 4 meeting.

“I would like to thank each of you for all that you do to make this institution a great place to work, not only for yourselves, but for all of those that you represent in the units across campus,” he said.

Morehead took questions from council members on a variety of topics including traffic safety and parking, the Comprehensive Administrative Review, and health services and benefits. He also discussed initiatives geared toward staff such as the Women’s Staff Leadership Institute and the Staff Professional Development Task Force, announced during the 2019 State of the University address.

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Lack of commonality in 13 colonies led to creation of US Constitution

By Rachael Andrews

rachael.andrews25@uga.edu

This year’s Constitution Day Lecture featured Alan Taylor, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and Thomas Jefferson Professor in American History at the University of Virginia.

His keynote lecture, “Competing Constitutions: North America, 1783-1795,” was accompanied by a historical document exhibit hosted by the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library. He contends that during the 1780s and 1790s, there were multiple constitutional experiments happening at the same time in North America.

“It’s not the only constitutional experiment going on, and there are alternative constitutions that are competing with that of the U.S.,” Taylor said, “And the U.S. Constitution emerges out of that competition on a larger

geographic scale.”

Divisions in North America at this time were considerable. Taylor said that the “so-called 13 colonies only occupied a narrow strip of land near the coast.” The rest of mid- to western North America was inhabited by Native Americans, the Spanish and the British Empire.

Taylor concluded that it was not commonality that united the U.S. during this time, but rather the lack of commonality that led to a need for a constitutional arrangement that would unite Western settlers and others through collective interests.

This is what led the Constitutional Congress to replace the Articles of Confederation with the U.S. Constitution.

This new constitution created a more powerful executive branch and gave the federal government the right to levy taxes, among other things.

RESEARCH NEWS

columns.uga.edu Oct. 7, 2019

GREAT COMMITMENTS

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Digest Former principal chief for Cherokee Nation will give Oct. 10 lecture

Andrew Davis Tucker

Gerald Henry joined the UGA faculty in 2012. His expertise in turfgrass performance testing is something only two other universities in the U.S. claim to do.

Turf tech

CAES faculty member studies science behind football field maintenance

By Leigh Beeson lbeeson@uga.edu

As more sports stadiums turn to artificial turf, questions over the safety of the plastic-leaved fields linger.

But one thing’s for sure: The University of Georgia’s Sanford Stadium isn’t going fake any time soon.

Vince Dooley Field is surfaced with Tifway 419 hybrid bermudagrass, a UGA-developed turfgrass known for its durability, aggressive growth habit and wear and traffic tolerance. Turfgrass—a term that encompasses all the varieties of grass people see and deal with on a daily basis, from bermudagrass to centipedegrass—is an area where UGA has excelled in both research and development of new cultivars for more than 50 years.

Gerald Henry, UGA Athletics Association Endowed Professor of Environmental Turfgrass Science in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, can easily rattle off a list of what makes real grass better than the fake stuff. “Synthetic fields may stay green year round, but injury incidence is often higher, temperatures may reach dangerous levels and costs far exceed those of natural grass.” Henry joined UGA’s faculty in 2012, bringing his expertise in turfgrass performance testing, something only two other universities in the U.S. claim to do.

“Environmental benefits of turfgrass systems are typically associated with the presence of fibrous roots. Extensive root architecture helps hold soil in place under heavy rainfall and doubles as a filtration device for water as it moves through the soil. By the time water eventually reaches underground reservoirs, it’s a lot cleaner.”

In addition to its environmental benefits, turf has a natural buoyance to it, something that’s especially beneficial when soccer or football players slam into the ground during a play.

Of course, turfgrass is alive. So, maintaining a consistent, immaculate field does come with its challenges.

Just like a person’s home lawn, turfgrass used for recreational purposes and the soil beneath it is far from uniform. Different areas have diverse water requirements, aerification demands and pesticide needs.

Henry’s research has shown that 85% of ground-derived player injuries occur in transitional spots, where wetter soil meets drier or compact soil intersects with looser. Using sensor technology, he creates maps that can be used to adjust management practices that help increase field performance and protect athletes from potential career-ending injuries. This technology came in handy when Sanford Stadium’s field manager needed help assessing the accuracy of the irrigation system. Henry found the

system was incredibly inaccurate, and the installation of a new system has led to a million gallons of water being saved each year.

But it’s not just collegiate football fields that are benefitting from Henry’s work. He also partners with local community sports field managers and industry groups to show them how they can better use the resources they have and how they can determine which areas of their fields or lawns need the most help. While collegiate and professional sports fields and putting greens have the money to invest in technology and hire help to make water and pesticide use more efficient, private homeowners often don’t have the money or knowhow to properly apply pesticides or irrigate their landscapes. That’s where outreach through UGA Extension comes into play, putting research into practice. You can find recommended mowing heights, fertilizer amounts and more at turf.caes.uga.edu.

“I hate doing research for the sake of research,” Henry said. “We want to conduct research that solves real world problems and get those solutions into the hands of the public.”

Editor’s note: This story is part of the Great Commitments series, which focuses on cutting-edge research happening on UGA campuses. Read more about UGA’s commitment to research that changes lives at greatcommitments.uga.edu.

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, GRADY COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION

Virtual reality eases muscle pain during cycling High-intensity interval training is a popular workout that often results in faster fitness and health gains than other types of exercise. However, the intense workout is fatiguing and painful.

Past studies have shown that exposure to virtual reality—in which people experience a simulated world—can help medical patients, ranging from hospitalized patients to those suffering from chronic back pain, better manage their pain.

Encouraged by these results, Carly Wender, a doctoral student in the College of Education’s kinesiology department, wanted to investigate whether using virtual reality during high-intensity cycling could similarly reduce pain from exercise.

“This experiment is an important

first step in the future of ­combining e xercise and virtual reality,” said ­ Wender, who completed the study as part of her doctoral work. “With continued exploration, this combination may increase adherence to and effectiveness of physical activity for healthy individuals, as well as for those with various hinderances to physical activity.”

The study tested 94 healthy adults without a high likelihood of motion sickness. All participants donned a virtual reality headset and then completed three 30-second cycling sprints, each followed by four minutes of recovery. Half of the participants cycled while viewing a dynamically changing cityscape, in which participants felt as if they were interactively cycling through

a virtual city. The other participants, those in the control condition, viewed a non-interactive, static picture of the same cityscape and were asked to mentally imagine cycling through the city while they completed the same cycling workout.

“This is one of the first studies to demonstrate the ability of VR to reduce pain when engaging in highly intensive exercising that is known to induce significant pain,” said study co-author Sun Joo “Grace” Ahn, associate professor of advertising and founding director of the Games and Virtual Environments Lab in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. “Given the rising interest in VR technology for sports training, these findings lend empirical support to its potentials.”

Chad Smith, former principal chief for the Cherokee Nation will give a lecture on Oct. 10 at 4 p.m. in Room 248 of the Miller Learning Center.

Smith’s talk, “Cherokee Removal and the Trail of Tears: The Unlearned Lessons of Populism Today, ” is open free to the public.

A major figure in Native American affairs, Smith has advocated on Native American issues nationally and internationally, including at the United Nations. Smith served as a professor at Dartmouth College teaching Cherokee history and ­Native American law. He is an author of books on leadership, art and Native American worldviews, including Leadership Lessons from the Cherokee Nation: Learn From All I Observe.

Smith’s lecture is sponsored by the Institute of Native American Studies in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. The talk is part of the university’s Signature Lecture Series.

Cook’s Holiday tickets go on sale Nov. 1

Tickets for Dining Services’ 33rd Cook’s Holiday will go on sale Nov. 1.

An annual tradition, Cook’s Holiday features an array of campus culinary favorites. Diners also can enjoy festive decorations and musical accompaniments with family, friends and/or colleagues.

In addition to lunch and dinner on Friday, Dec. 13, brunch on Saturday, Dec. 14, is a new addition for this year. It will feature a special made-to-order omelet station, breakfast potatoes, grits and homemade biscuits.

Cook’s Holiday will be held at Bolton Dining Commons. General seating will be available for every meal, and reserved seating will be available for the lunch and brunch service times. Standard parking rates apply. Attendees are encouraged to carpool or use campus transit.

Tickets, which are nonrefundable, can be purchased online or in person at the box office of the Tate Student Center weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lunch and Saturday brunch tickets are $17.95 for adults and $9.50 for children ages 6-12. Dinner tickets are $20.95 for adults and $11 for children ages 6-12. Tickets are free for children younger than age 5. All e-tickets will need to be printed and presented early for entry into the event.

Questions about departmental charges should be directed to 706-583-0892 prior to ticket purchases. Visit dining.uga.edu/about/­ cooks-holiday for menus, updates and other details.

UGA quarterback Jake Fromm named to Allstate AFCA Good Works Team

Georgia junior quarterback Jake Fromm has been named to the 2019 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. He is one of 11 players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision selected based on their commitment to community service.

Fromm was the emcee for this year’s Big Hearts Pageant, which is an event that benefits Extra Special People. He has also participated in ESP’s “Bulldogs and Buddies,” and he has been a repeat visitor to Camp Sunshine, a facility which provides recreational, educational and support programs for children with cancer and their families.

The 2019 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team will be invited to New Orleans to participate in a special community service project ahead of the 2020 Allstate Sugar Bowl. Fans are encouraged to visit ESPN.com/Allstate to vote through Nov. 22 for the 2019 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team captain. The team captain will be honored at this season’s The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.

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

Color, Form and Light. Through Oct. 13. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.

Betsey Barth Withington, Painting. Through Oct. 18. Visitor Center, Great Room, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014. connicot@uga.edu.

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.

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.

Moon Rocks! Through Dec. 24. Russell Gallery, Special Collections Libraries. 706-542-5788. washnock@uga.edu.

Now and Then: 1979. Through Dec. 24. Russell Gallery, Special Collections Libraries. 706-542-5788. washnock@uga.edu.

Storytelling in Renaissance Maiolica. Through Jan. 5. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. gmoa@uga.edu.

Beautiful and Brutal: Georgia Bulldogs Football, 2017.

Through Feb. 28. Rotunda Gallery, Special Collections Libraries.

706-542-6170. hasty@uga.edu.

MONDAY, OCT. 7 MIDTERM For fall semester.

PANEL DISCUSSION “Connecting Business and Language: Experiences of Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Atlanta.” The Willson Center Research Seminars series presents a panel discussion with representatives from the Dutch, British and Belgian Chambers of Commerce in Atlanta. 2:30 p.m. 348 Miller Learning Center. bousquet@uga.edu.

BOOK DISCUSSION Education writer Paul Tough will give a talk associated with his newest book, The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us. The event is presented by the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts and the Institute of Higher Education at UGA in partnership with Avid Bookshop. Books will be available at the event and may also be pre-ordered through Avid. 6 p.m.

Ciné. davemarr@uga.edu.

TUESDAY, OCT. 8 YOM KIPPUR Jewish religious observance.

CELLULAR BIOLOGY SEMINAR “Extracellular Vesicles, exRNA, Cancer and Regeneration,” James Patton, Vanderbilt University. 11 a.m. 404A Biological Sciences Building.

WORKSHOP The Center for Teaching and Learning welcomes Beate Brunow and Kara Fresk as hosts for “Teaching Students Where They’re At: A Student Development Approach to Course Design.” 11 a.m. 372 Miller Learning Center. 706-542-1355. jamie.adair@uga.edu.

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 “Competition Across Space: From Protist Microcosms to BodySnatching Parasites,” Emlyn Resetarits, a postdoctoral associate in the University of Georgia Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases. A reception follows the seminar at 4:30 p.m. in the lobby. Host: Richard Hall. 3:30 p.m. Auditorium, Ecology Building. 706-542-7247. bethgav@uga.edu.

WORKSHOP Also Oct. 9. Learn the basics of open access publishing and how to distinguish between reputable and predatory publishers. Registration encouraged. Part of the Graduate Research Workshop Series sponsored by the UGA Libraries. 4 p.m. Classroom, Science Library. 706-542-6643. mariann@uga.edu.

PERFORMANCE Qui Nguyen’s bittersweet comedy She Kills Monsters follows Agnes Evans as she deals with the untimely death of her teenage sister, Tilly. Upon finding Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons campaign book, Agnes gets to know her sister more intimately than ever before with the help of her unrepentantly nerdy friends.

Performances run Oct. 8, 9, 10 and 11 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 13 at 2:30 p.m. $12-$16. Cellar Theatre, Fine Arts Building.

770-542-4247. wclay87@uga.edu.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 9 DISEASE ECOLOGY SEMINAR “UBI MEL, IBI APES: Where There’s Honey, There’s Bees—Scientific Cross-Pollination Between EEID and Apidology,” Lewis Bartlett, postdoctoral scholar at UGA’s Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases. RSVP for lunch. 12:10 p.m. 117 Ecology Building. 706-542-1930. tross312@uga.edu.

CONSERVATION SEMINAR “The Science and Art of Reintroduction Biology,” Anna George, vice president of conservation, science and education, Tennessee Aquarium. 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.

DIGI COLLOQUIUM In “Black Mirrors and Melting Wizards, Digital Storytelling Tools and Techniques,” Jim McGrath, Brown University, will present an overview of his approaches to digital storytelling in the classroom, emphasizing ideas of audience and engagement in digital public humanities work, how to manage and develop digital projects at various scales and what academics can learn from podcasts, video games, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and other pop cultural narratives. 4 p.m. DigiLab (Room 300), Main Library. digi@uga.edu.

MIDDLE EAST FILM SERIES The Dupes. 7 p.m. 101 LeConte Hall. 706-372-1682. kevjones@uga.edu.

THURSDAY, OCT. 10 PROJECT STATUS REPORT TRAINING Need help finding the balance on a sponsored project? This inperson training on the new Project Status Report is targeted at faculty and staff, particularly those who need help determining the balance on a sponsored project. This is interactive training held in a computer lab with time for questions, as well as demonstrations using projects familiar to the class attendees.

Sign up through https://pep.uga.edu/. 10:30 a.m. Training and Development Center.

‘Drama and Devotion in Baroque Rome’ exhibition celebrates Caravaggio’s influence

By Andrea Giordano

andrea.giordano@uga.edu

In early 17th-century Rome, painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610) sparked an artistic revolution in the Eternal City.

Painters from all corners of Europe traveled to Rome to see his work and emulate his handling of light and dark, use of live models, dramatic staging and striking realism. Caravaggio’s shocking style drew a huge following and completely altered the Italian baroque period.

The Georgia Museum of Art is showcasing a collection of six paintings that celebrate Caravaggio’s influence, all on loan from the Bob Jones University Museum and Gallery in Greenville, South Carolina.

The exhibition Drama and Devotion in Baroque Rome offers a unique opportunity for the public to better understand a pivotal moment in the history of art.

The highlight of the exhibition is “Christ on the Cross” by Peter Paul Rubens, a Flemish artist who spent eight years in Italy. These works will be on view in the Samuel H. Kress Gallery through May 31.

Nelda Damiano, the Pierre Daura Curator of European Art at the Georgia Museum of Art, hopes that visitors will “grasp the tremendous impact Caravaggio had on the many artists who were able to freely study his works in several Roman churches. In their own way, each artist tried to measure himself up to Caravaggio. Although no painting by Caravaggio is included in this exhibition—very few are in North American collections—his trademark style comes through in all of the examples on display.”

In addition to Rubens, the exhibition includes

WORKSHOP Noon on Oct. 10 and 4 p.m. Oct. 11. Pivot connects funding opportunities and research expertise. This workshop will help participants search for grants, scholarships, fellowships and potential collaborators in and outside UGA. Registration encouraged but not required. Part of the Graduate Research Workshop Series sponsored by the UGA Libraries. 369 Miller Learning Center. 706-542-0696. christof@uga.edu.

PANEL DISCUSSION Panel discussion of Before the War: Photographs of Syria by Peter Aaron moderated by James Reap, professor and graduate coordinator of the Master of Historic Preservation Program at UGA. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu.

ECONOMICS SEMINAR SERIES Featuring Matt Wiswall, University of Wisconsin 3:30 p.m.

C006 Benson Hall. roozbeh@uga.edu.

CONNECT TO PROTECT NATIVE PLANT SALE Enjoy six days of plant shopping from among more than 150 plant species native to Georgia. Proceeds support the center’s conservation efforts. Visit botgarden.uga.edu for details and a plant list. Sale runs Oct. 10, 11 from 4-6 p.m. and Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to noon. Mimsie Lanier Center, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014. connicot@uga.edu.

LECTURE “The Two Irelands, Britain and Brexit,” Gary Murphy, professor of law and government, Dublin City University. 4 p.m.

214 Miller Learning Center. davemarr@uga.edu.

FRIDAY, OCT. 11 LECTURE “Knowledge Making in the Anthropocene: Reimagining Possibilities through Conocimiento,” Christina Crespo, anthropology and women’s studies. Part of the Women’s Studies Friday Speaker Series. 12:20 p.m. 213 Miller Learning Center. 706-542-2846. tlhat@uga.edu.

TOUR Join curator Jason Hasty for a closer look at Beautiful and Brutal: Georgia Bulldog Football, 2017 on the Friday before each home football game this season. Visitors will have a chance to share their own memories from 2017 and get hands-on with a selection of historic materials from the UGA Athletic Association archives. 3 p.m. Rotunda Gallery, Special Collections Libraries.

706-542-7123. hasty@uga.edu.

BASKETBALL Stegmania. 7 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.

SATURDAY, OCT. 12 FOOTBALL vs South Carolina. TV: ESPN. Noon. Sanford Stadium.

WORKSHOP “Plants We Love to Hate: Identifying and Controlling Exotic Pest Plants” is an introduction to invasive, non-native pest plants in the Georgia Piedmont. Students will learn to identify the major offenders, their current ranges and habitats, and how these plants impact natural plant communities. Basic management and control strategies will be discussed and demonstrated. A portion of the class will be indoors, followed by field identification exercises and control demonstrations in a nearby park where control efforts are underway. Please bring snacks and water for the field portion of the class. $50. 9 a.m. Visitor Center, Classroom 2, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014. connicot@uga.edu.

SUNDAY, OCT. 13 ‘I LOVE UKULELE’ UKULELE FESTIVAL Play and sing along with the Athens Ukulele Philharmonic and other ukulele groups and soloists. 1 p.m. Theater-in-the-Woods, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014. connicot@uga.edu.

SOCCER vs. Mississippi. 2 p.m. Turner Soccer Complex.

VOLLEYBALL vs. LSU. Dad & Daughter Day and Pink Match. 2 p.m. Stegeman Coliseum.

FULL MOON HIKE: HUNTER’S MOON See the garden come alive at night. Each walk will focus on a different topic such as the moon, constellations or nocturnal creatures. Be prepared to hike up to 2 miles on wooded trails and in the garden. Backpack carriers are suggested for young children or infants. Pre-registration is required. $5 per person or $15 per family. 7 p.m. Visitor Center Fountain, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014. connicot@uga.edu.

Trophime Bigot’s “St. Sebastian Aided by St. Irene” and a painting by Peter Paul Reubens are on display at the Georgia Museum of Art through May 31 as part of the exhibition Drama and Devotion in Baroque Rome.

paintings by French artists Simon Vouet and Trophime Bigot, Italian artists Orazio Gentiles­ chi and Giovanni Lanfranco and Flemish painter Abraham Janssens.

Future collaborations are planned between the Museum and Gallery at Bob Jones University and the Georgia Museum of Art, including a celebration of Venetian art.

Related events at the museum include Art Cart (After Class) on Nov. 6 from 3-4:30 p.m.; a musical performance by UGA students (“Color and Contrast: Music of the Roman School of Composers”) on Nov. 8 at 4 p.m.; and a public tour with Damiano on Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. All events are open free to the public unless otherwise noted.

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/.

MONDAY, OCT. 14 COLUMBUS DAY Classes in session; offices open.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY WEEK Through Oct. 18. There will be various outreach events each day to educate students and faculty about the importance of academic honesty at UGA. 706-542-4336. honesty@uga.edu.

CTEGD RESEARCH IN PROGRESS: KISSINGER LAB Moderators: Alejandra Villegas and Andrew Boland. 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.

LECTURE Juana Suárez, director of NYU’s Moving Image Archiving and Preservation program will deliver a lecture titled “The Visible

4&5

and the Invisible: Documenting Latin American Moving Image Archives” on the place of audiovisual archives in shaping cultural histories in the region, comparing similarities and differences in their constituencies to analyze the administrative forces that currently shape archival practices. 12:20 p.m.

250 Miller Learning Center. 510-725-8733. rnavitsk@uga.edu.

RUSSELL HALL OPEN HOUSE Join an open house and reception to celebrate the recent renovation of Russell Hall on the Health Sciences Campus.

5 p.m. Russell Hall HSC. 706-713-2183. shall@uga.edu.

INFORMATION SESSION Juana Suárez, NYU’s Moving Image Archiving and Preservation Graduate Program director, will offer an overview of the Moving Image Archiving and Preservation Program at NYU. This presentation will highlight the different components of the program, rapid change within the profession and professional opportunities for media archivists. 4 p.m. 53 Fine Arts Building.

510-725-8733. rnavitsk@uga.edu.

GRADTEACH WORKSHOP Oct. 15. In this workshop, participants will discuss the purpose of teaching statements, typical components to include and how teaching statements are situated within and align with the larger teaching portfolio. Participants also will engage in activities to help them start writing teaching statements. 12:30 p.m.

North Conference Room, Instructional Plaza. 706-542-1355. gradteach@uga.edu.

COMING UP

UGA Opera Theatre to perform ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’

By Camille Hayes ceh822@uga.edu

For its fall performance, the Hugh Hodgson School of Music UGA Opera Theatre will present to the Athens community for the first time Gaetano Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. One of the most famous dramatic operas in the Opera Theatre’s repertoire, Lucia di Lammermoor will be performed in collaboration with the UGA Symphony Orchestra and Hodgson Singers. Conducted by Mark Cedel, a semi-staged and costumed concert version of this masterpiece will be presented on Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 20 at 3 p.m. in Hodgson Hall at the Performing Arts Center.

Seven soloists of the Opera Theatre will be featured singing the leading roles with the Hodgson Singers directed by Daniel Bara, the Boyd UGA Foundation Professor of Choral Music. The title role of Lucia will be performed by Jaime Marie Webb, a Masters of Music student on Oct. 18 and on Oct. 20 by Diana Thompson, a doctoral student in the Hodgson School.

For centuries, operas have often focused on the leading lady, the prima donna, as the center of attention and focal point of story, so much so that the names of these divas of theater and opera became synonymous with the operas such as Tosca, Carmen, Norma, La Traviata, Elektra, La Cenerentola (Cinderella), Madama Butterfly and Turandot, among others.

Hardly a one-woman show, with all characters and singers equally important to the impact of the story, Lucia di Lammermoor revolves around two rival and warring families, much like the Hatfields and the McCoys.

A love connection between Lucia and Edgardo, the head of the rival Ravenswood family, is complicated by her family’s plan to marry her off to a more

Diana Thompson, left, and Jaime Marie Webb will take on the role of Lucia in the UGA Opera Theatre’s production of Gaetano Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor.

“profitable” husband. As Lucia becomes a victim of her family’s greed and thirst for power, her destiny is sealed by her brother Enrico.

When Edgardo comes to the wedding in protest, he provokes Lucia to a state of mind that ends the opera with the wedding night murder of her new husband, Arturo. Her subsequent “mad scene” is the highlight of the opera.

“Lucia di Lammermoor has been at the top of the list as one of the most challenging operatic soprano roles that demands the singer present an instrument well developed and refined enough to express a range of deep emotions, long florid coloratura cadenzas, extreme high notes and realistic dramatic acting with a touch of madness to finish,” said F ­ rederick Burchinal, the Wyatt and Margaret Anderson Professor in the Arts and director of UGA Opera Theatre, along with opera coach Kathryn Wright.

Tickets for the fall opera are $20 for adults and $3 for students and are available through the P ­ erforming Arts Center box office, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-4400. Streaming will be available for the Oct. 18 performance at music.uga.edu/live-streaming.

Mary Lee Bendolph stitches together quilts, civil rights

By Claire Barrera and Keyonna Brannam

claire.barrera25@uga.edu, keyonna.brannam@uga.edu

Born in rural Alabama and an active participant in the civil rights movement, quilt maker Mary Lee Bendolph has said she can make a quilt out of anything that inspires her. An exhibition of her work, Mary Lee Bendolph: Quilted Memories, is on view at the Georgia Museum of Art through Dec. 29. The exhibition includes 17 large quilts by the renowned Alabama artist.

Bendolph was born as Mary Lee Mosely in 1935 in Gee’s Bend, Alabama, a small, rural community recognized for its dedication to the tradition of quilt making.

The town got its name from Joseph Gee, who established a cotton plantation along the Alabama River in the early 19th century. Half a century later, the plantation’s enslaved people were liberated as a result of the Civil War, but many of the freedmen ended up staying on the plantation as sharecroppers.

In the 1960s, the mostly white community of ­Camden had Gee’s Bend’s ferry service terminated, cutting off the community’s access to Camden, where residents traveled for food, medicine and supplies—and where they would have had to travel to register to vote.

The ferry service remained inoperative for more than 40 years, and what would have been a 15-minute ferry ride was now an hour-long drive.

This choice isolated the mostly black community of Gee’s Bend, but through quilting, the area exhibited economic resilience over several generations of poverty and hardship. In 1966, Father Xavier Walter, an Episcopal priest from Mobile, and more than 150 women formed the Freedom Quilting Bee. Established in nearby Alberta, this craft cooperative created economic opportunities for African American women in Gee’s Bend and the surrounding area through quilt sales.

The women of Gee’s Bend, including Bendolph and her mother, Aolar Carson Mosely, continued the tradition of quilt making that had begun before emancipation. Their quilts mostly consist of recycled materials: cotton, denim, polyester and a multitude of other fabrics taken from clothing and furniture.

This reuse of materials from Gee’s Bend engrains the local past into the quilts. In 2003, the Gee’s Bend Collective, an organization of more than 50 quilters, including Bendolph, was established. The group’s work has been exhibited nationwide and has become a source of income for Gee’s Bend.

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.

columns.uga.edu Oct. 7, 2019

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.

An exhibition that includes 17 large quilts by Mary Lee Bendolph is on display at the Georgia Museum of Art through Dec. 29.

Related events at the museum include a musical performance, “Appalachian Spring: Music Exploring Regional Identity and Race,” designed and conducted

by David Stanley, master’s student in conducting at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, on Oct. 13 at 3 p.m.; Art Cart (After Class), a drop-in program for children, on Oct. 16 from 3 to 4:30 p.m.; a screening of the documentary The Quiltmakers of Gee’s Bend on Oct. 24 at 7 p.m.; a Toddler Tuesday on Nov. 5 at 10 a.m. (space is limited; register with madison.hogan@uga.edu or 706-542-4883); a public tour with Shawnya Harris, the Larry D. and Brenda A. Thompson Curator of African American and African Diasporic Art and the curator of the exhibition, on Nov. 5 at 2 p.m.; the museum’s annual Holbrook Lecture, by Alvia Wardlaw, on Nov. 7 at 5:30 p.m. (a UGA Signature Lecture); a Teen Studio on Nov. 14 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. (space is limited; register with madison.hogan@uga.edu or 706-542-4883); a Family Day on Nov. 16 from 10 a.m. to noon as part of the campus-wide Spotlight on the Arts Family Day; and a Faculty Perspectives talk with Jennifer Crenshaw, assistant professor of art and area chair for fabric design at UGA, on Nov. 19 at 2 p.m. All events are open free to the public unless otherwise noted.

NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES Oct. 9 (for Oct. 21 issue) Oct. 16 (for Oct. 28 issue) Oct. 23 (for Nov. 4 issue)

6 Oct. 7, 2019 columns.uga.edu

FACULTY PROFILE

ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Plant physiologist Leo Lombardini joined the University of Georgia on Sept. 1 as head of the department of horticulture.

Lombardini, who leads the department in the College of Agricultural and EnvironmentalSciences,comestoUGA from Texas A&M University, where he served on the faculty for the past 17 years. Most recently he was a professor of horticulture and founding director of the Center for Coffee Research and Education at the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture.

Leo Lombardini He plans to spend the upcoming months traveling the state to learn more about Georgia’s horticulture industry and discuss ways to develop new relationships and strengthen existing partnerships with industry leaders.

A native of Italy, he received a laurea degree (equivalent to a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree) in forestry from the University of Florence in Firenze, Italy, and a doctorate in horticulture from Michigan State University.

Lombardini joined Texas A&M University in June 2002 as an assistant professor of horticulture and pecan physiology.

His research focused on plant physiology, especially in relation to plant responses to environmental stress and gas exchange. He also taught undergraduate and graduate courses in plant physiology and global issues in horticulture.

Savannah River Ecology Laboratory

Travis L. DeVault has joined the leadership team of UGA’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. He will serve as associate director for research under Olin “Gene” Rhodes Jr., director of SREL. As associate director for research, DeVault will be responsible for overseeing research support functions at SREL, including environmental health and safety, analytical services, research permitting and compliance and animal care.

DeVault has more than 13 years of experience working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Travis DeVault Wildlife Research Center in Sandusky, Ohio, and in Syracuse, New York. In his most recent position, he served as supervisory research wildlife biologist and project leader.

His professional experience includes teaching at Purdue University and serving as an adjunct faculty member at Cornell University and Mississippi State University. He was a visiting graduate researcher at SREL from 2000 to 2003.

DeVault earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Arts degree in life sciences from Indiana State University and a doctoral degree in wildlife ecology from Purdue University.

He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific publications. His research covers wildlife ecology, conservation and behavior with a focus on the causes and consequences of animal-vehicle collisions and the development of tools and strategies to reduce these collisions.

His research also investigates human-wildlife interactions, managing damage caused by wildlife and ornithology.

College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Dan Suiter, a professor in the entomology department, has been named chair of the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture Faculty Advisory Committee.

Suiter’s appointment will enhance the programming aspect of the center, according to Laura Perry Johnson, associate dean for UGA Cooperative Extension in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Suiter will work closely with center director Sheldon Hammond, who will continue to oversee the business and personnel administration functions Dan Suiter of the center.

Based on the UGA Griffin campus, the Center for Urban Agriculture supports UGA Extension’s urban programs by providing county agent training programs, tools and resources; communicating the latest research-based urban agriculture advice through newsletters, articles, alerts, publications, videos and social media; organizing new initiatives; collaborating on interdisciplinary projects and research; advancing and updating current program training materials; and administering multiyear programs and projects.

As director of the Georgia Structural Pest Control Training Facility at UGA-Griffin, Suiter coordinates activities at the 3,000 square-foot, partially built home facility, which is designed to showcase many common construction practices and how they may be attacked by structural pests.

Dorothy Kozlowski

Since Tarkesh Singh joined UGA’s College of Education in 2017, his research has primarily focused on how hand-eye coordination and movement are impacted by Parkinson’s disease.

Faculty member aims to create alliance for Parkinson’s research

By Kathryn Kao kath1@uga.edu

During a game of tennis with a friend, Tarkesh Singh experienced firsthand the very incident he hopes to make a difference in with his research—an accidental fall by an individual with Parkinson’s disease.

After bouncing the ball to his friend several times, a serve that landed further away caused him to lose his balance and fall over. To this day, Singh often plays the incident over in his head, evaluating and assessing it from the perspective of a sensorimotor neuroscientist.

“He was following the ball with his eyes, but could not make a decision in time to move one way or the other, and then he fell,” said Singh, an assistant professor in the College of Education’s kinesiology department. “I feel like this is a big reason why we need to better understand deficits in eye movements in people with Parkinson’s disease and how it relates to deficits in their limb movements.”

Singh, who serves as the director of UGA’s Sensorimotor Neuroscience Lab, is fascinated with movement and has studied movement control in a range of populations, from young children carrying heavy backpack loads to older individuals affected by stroke and Parkinson’s disease. After receiving his master’s degree in Singapore, Singh shifted his focus from athletic performance and gait stability to stroke rehabilitation. Since joining UGA’s faculty in 2017, his research has primarily focused on how ­hand-eye ­coordination

and movement are impacted by Parkinson’s disease.

“I think of movement as the only way we can interact with the real world,” he said. “And I was always very fascinated with how people from different cultures interact with the world around them. And so, movement came as a very fundamental way of looking at the world, and I think that has shaped my perspective on research and science.”

For the past two years, Singh—who currently teaches an undergraduate course on biomechanics and a graduate course on motor control—has been creating a trifecta partnership between businesses, clinics and the Athens community to serve as a clinical model for researchers at the university. He formed a partnership with Athens Neurological Association with exercise science professor Kevin McCully, and is also working with Keppner Boxing, a local fitness center in Clarke County.

With the help of these partners and a team of 10 students at both the undergraduate and graduate level, Singh is investigating whether non-contact boxing can alleviate the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, which include slowed movement, impaired posture, rigid muscles and tremors. He plans to train half of his participants with noncontact boxing and half with an aerobic exercise intervention and compare the effects using a combination of methods, such as robotics, eye-tracking, surface electromyography, magnetic resonance imaging and more to measure minute changes in eye movement and muscle activity.

FACTS

Tarkesh Singh

Assistant Professor, Motor Behavior College of Education Ph.D., Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University, 2012 M.S., Exercise Science, Nanyang Technological University, 2007 B.Tech., Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, 2003 At UGA: Two years

While previous researchers have looked at the effects of boxing on Parkinson’s disease, results from these studies were measured by physical therapists. Singh and his students are approaching their work as neurobehavioral scientists and are using equipment to measure movement and eye changes up to an accuracy of 5 millimeters and 5 milliseconds—improvements that may reveal how subtle changes in behavior occur in the early stages of the disease.

“The science now is far more interdisciplinary than it was 15 or 20 years ago,” said Singh. “The challenges we take on involve a lot of programming and complex machine learning techniques. For students, it’s good because they get to learn from each other, they get to see different aspects of research.

This is the future—we have to bring together people from very diverse training backgrounds to solve complex problems.”

Police detective receives Kassinger Scholarship The Edward T. and Sarah Laurent Kassinger Scholarship board has awarded the 2019 Kassinger Scholarship to Detective Britney Green with the University of Georgia Police Department in recognition of her academic achievements and work pursuits.

Steve Harris, director of the UGA Office of Emergency Preparedness, presented the award to Green on behalf of the Kassinger Scholarship board.

The scholarship is provided to graduate and undergraduate students who complete academic degrees while employed full time as a UGA police officer or as a working student in the criminal justice studies program at UGA. The award is named for Edward Kassinger, director of the UGA Public Safety Division from 1969-1983, and his late wife, Sarah. The award was established in 1984 by former employees and friends of the Kassingers who believe that students who work to help pay educational expenses should be recognized.

Green has been employed by the university’s Police Department since August 2014. In September 2018, she received a Master of Public Administration degree from Strayer University.

The Kassinger Scholarship is awarded on an annual basis to candidates and is administered by the UGA Office of Emergency Preparedness.

FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, TERRY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

By design: Student combines business and art majors

columns.uga.edu Oct. 7, 2019

7

RETIREES

September

Twenty-four UGA employees retired Sept. 1. Retirees, their job classification, department and years of service are: Hamid Arabnia, professor, comJackson Mitchell is passionate about deputer science, 31 years, 11 months; sign—specifically, interior design and historic Elgene Box, professor, geography, preservation.

40 years; Joy J. Carrell, senior opDouble majoring in real estate and interior erations specialist, Accounts Payable, design, he hopes to work in high-end residen10 years; Amy B. Carter, research tial design and historic renovations after he professional II, College of Agriculgraduates in 2021. tural and Environmental SciencesHe’s using his Terry College of Business Tifton campus, 20 years, 5 months; skills to learn about the real estate market and Janna Dresden, clinical professor, investment properties. He’s using his Lamar educational theory and practice, Dodd School of Art skills to learn skills from 11 years, 10 months; Richard hand drafting to watercolor, AutoCAD to site Dunham, professor, theatre and film and space planning. studies, 19 years; Valerie Gentry, “My work combines my passion for historic business manager II, Carl Vinson Southern architecture with curated details,” Institute of Government, 30 years, Mitchell said.

3 months; Charles R. Hill, research He just finished Studio 2 in interior station superintendent, Cooperative design—a project-based class, where he spent Extension-Southeast District, 20 the semester designing a historic renovation years; Leigh S. Jagor, disability/acof a cabin from foundations to landscaping. cess coordinator, Disability Resource His final project was a 60-page set of plans Center, 16 years, 11 months; Jolain outlining everything from floorboard spacing H. Luke, administrative associate II, to electrical and lighting systems.

Cooperative Extension-Southwest He’s combining all that with a certificate District, 13 years, 2 months; Eddie in historic preservation from the College of Lumpkin, building services worker Environment and Design.

II, Facilities Management-Building And if that’s not enough, he’s also minoring Services, 13 years, 2 months; in piano performance. In previous semesters, Andrew Davis Tucker Robert Marchant, carpenter, Colhe’s worked as the accompanying pianist for Jackson Mitchell is learning hand drafting, watercolor, AutoCAD, design process, universal design and lege of Agricultural and EnvironUGA vocal students for recitals and juried site and space planning in his interior design classes in the Lamar Dodd School of Art. mental Sciences-Tifton campus, 26 performances.

But Jackson came to UGA intending to historic preservation focused, to going across to helping with student recruitment and giving years, 1 month; Deborah Miller, semajor in political science—with a spring intern- the globe to Germany where they had the prospective students tours of the art buildings. nior academic professional, English, ship in politics lined up. And then four weeks same sense of preservation—it really went full “My responsibility is to be a voice for the stu- 22 years; Teri M. Moody, adminisinto his major classes, he realized it wasn’t the circle,” he said. “We need to see how things are dent body,” he said. One initiative this year is trative specialist I, Georgia Centerright fit for him. He tried majoring in music done, and why things were done in the past.” Cookies and Coffee, where the group provides business administration, 29 years, It inspired him to see historic preservation free snacks to students on Monday mornings. 11 months; P. LaVonda Morgan, and finance before finding his place. and design as a career.

Students can meet the Dodd Ambassadors and assistant manager, Mail and Receivgive feedback about school successes and areas ing Services, 28 years, 8 months; Joy Study abroad impact Peterson, professor, Biomedical and of improvement.

After his freshman year, Mitchell studied Hometown influence Health Sciences Institute, 17 years, He tries to encourage all prospective It really all comes back to his hometown abroad in Freiburg, Germany, a town founded of Madison, Georgia, which is about 30 miles students—whether or not they’ll end up at 8 months; Laurence Potter, data in 1120.

He’d taken four levels of German classes south of Athens and has the second largest UGA—to look out for opportunities, like management specialist II, Facilities Management-Automotive Center, 31 study abroad. in high school and college and wanted to take historic district in Georgia.

“Going on a study abroad trip, I learned years, 1 month; Claudia W. Shamp, Historic preservation is part of the coman immersive German language class. The experience fundamentally changed his college munity culture, something he grew up around. more about myself than I have the rest of my director of student affairs, Greek Exteriors of houses can’t be changed, and life,” he said. “It’s all about scale and perspec- Life Office, 30 years, 4 months; trajectory. tive. The entire world is moving in ways you’re Kathleen B. Smith, program operaIn addition to taking a German class at the interior structure is to be kept intact. tions coordinator, Fanning Institute never going to experience otherwise.”

“Everyone really appreciates architecture University of Freiburg with students from all Up next, he’s applied for a scholarship to for Leadership Development, 20 over the globe, he also took a sustainable design and the arts as a community,” he said. “I was years, 10 months; V. Gayle Spears, class that looked at the town’s architecture—in- really inspired by how well preserved the en- study architectural rendering in Paris.

“I am so excited to explore additional study clinical associate professor, counselcluding a medieval cathedral and town square. tire city is and how through that preservation, abroad opportunities to learn historic render- ing and development, 18 years, 2 The town was bombed in World War II but Madison has its own atmosphere.” ing techniques,” he said. “The ability to create months; Paul A. Thomas, profesrebuilt to keep the narrow streets, which make designs with cross-cultural influences that adapt sor, horticulture, 29 years, 1 month; the town pedestrian friendly. The class looked Dodd Ambassadors Mitchell is president of Dodd Ambassa- to our globalizing society has transformed the Marion Ricky Willis, maintenance at the town’s historic opera houses as well as dors, a group that serves as the face of the art way I understand the world around me and its worker, Georgia Center-operating 21st century use of wind power. services, 12 years, 9 months; Joe “Going from my hometown, which is so school—from attending events and receptions impact on my life.”

Wyms, building services worker II, Facilities Management-Building Services, 47 years, 5 months; and Ted Wynne, county Extension director, Cooperative Extension-Northwest District, 30 years.

Source: Human Resources Exploring the predicates of education from theoretical, practical and historical perspectives, Epistemology and the Predicates of Education revalorizes the central role of the humanities in the ethical and aesthetic Columns is available to the community by ­subscription for an annual fee of $20 formation of the individual. (second-class delivery) or $40 (first-class This book considers timely questions delivery). Faculty and staff members with of process and epistemology in today’s a disability may call 706-542-8017 for academy. It examines the subject of learnassistance in obtaining this publication ing as it arises in the individual, is defined in an alternate format. by educators and is conceived by society Columns staff can be reached at large. at 706-542-8017 or columns@uga.edu In attempting to formulate a lingua franca for contemporary pedagogy, Editor the book highlights the concrete acJuliett Dinkins https://www.linkedin.com/learning tivities of educators and students and the Associate Editor Lynda.com is now Linkedin tutorials taught by top industry qualities that emerge in the educational Krista Richmond Learning, an online company that leaders. Popular courses include process.

Epistemology and the helps users learn software, creative those in InDesign, Excel, HTML, By synthesizing the writings of Predicates of Education: Art Director and business skills to achieve per- Final Cut Pro and WordPress.

Building Upon a Process Jackie Baxter Roberts educational theorists working in difTheory of Learning sonal and professional goals.

Linkedin Learning offers videos ferent fields—philosophy, psychology, Photo Editor Faculty and staff who have for all skill levels that can be viewed anthropology and more—Epistemology Thomas Peterson Dorothy Kozlowski integrated Lynda.com content into a few minutes at a time or longer. and the Predicates of Education highlights Routledge: Taylor & Francis Writer their curriculum need to change Linkedin Learning is part of the transformational nature of knowledge Group Leigh Beeson links to reflect the new URLs asUGA’s online training program. and its capacity to invigorate the student Hardcover: $112 The University of Georgia is committed to sociated with Linkedin Learning. The goal of UGA online training through the practice of self-inquiry. eBook: $44.96 principles of equal opportunity and All UGA students, faculty programs is to help provide faculty, Peterson is professor of Italian in affirmative action. and staff have unlimited access to staff and students with access to the Romance languages department The University of Georgia is a unit of Linkedin Learning’s vast library essential training material in a of the Franklin Colleges of Arts and the University System of Georgia. of high-quality and current video timely and convenient manner.

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8 Oct. 7, 2019 columns.uga.edu FLU

from page 1 can also be dangerous for pregnant women or women who have recently given birth.

“We need better vaccines to protect these populations because our seasonal vaccines are not always as effective as we would like them to be,” he said.

Hard to pivot vaccine production

Every year, epidemiologists around the world monitor the influenza viruses circulating in the human population. About eight to nine months in advance of the next influenza season, public health scientists use this data to select influenza virus strains to make the annual seasonal influenza vaccine.

It then takes many months and considerable amounts of money to make the annual seasonal influenza vaccine. Unfortunately, the manufacturing process cannot quickly pivot to a different vaccine if a new strain

FARM

emerges during that time period.

Ross and his collaborators will use a computational algorithm to analyze all of the genetic versions of a particular flu type and bundle the results into a single molecule—like taking every novel in a library and combining them into one giant book.

The researchers can then use these large molecules to create vaccines that recognize most or all the different iterations of the influenza virus, meaning that one dose could protect against many strains over several years.

Building the research enterprise

Ross will direct the program in conjunction with Dr. Stacey Schultz-Cherry, an infectious disease expert at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. They will lead a team of clinicians, immunologists, virologists,

When we start thinking about the Farm Tour and what part of the state we want to visit, we make an effort to travel to the different regions of Georgia. In doing so, we see something different each time,” Pardue said. “Last year it was pecans in Southwest Georgia, this year it was citrus and poultry.”

The tour started at Franklin Citrus in Statesboro. It is the largest citrus producer in

Georgia and specializes in growing satsuma oranges. Satsumas are the most popular citrus grown in the state. Under the guidance of Jake Price, UGA Extension coordinator in Lowndes County, the expansion of Georgia’s citrus production started in 2013. As many as 70,000 trees were added this year.

The tour also traveled to Cromley Farms and Bulloch Gin in Brooklet to learn about cotton and peanut production. Georgia is one of the nation’s largest cotton producers, with 1.4 million acres planted this year, marking the third highest planted acreage of the past decade.

Georgia is the No. 1 producer of peanuts in the United States. Georgia’s growers produce more than 45% of the nation’s crop, and 95% of Georgia peanuts are varieties developed

by UGA. The group visited Claxton Poultry in Sylvania to conclude the tour. The family-owned business sells 300 million pounds of chicken to restaurants across the country, according to its website, and is a big reason that poultry is the state’s largest commodity group.

“We are proud that we can continue these farm tours because they showcase the impact agriculture has on this state, while strengthening the relationship our farming community has with those who support it,” Black said.

To learn more about UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, see https://www.caes.uga.edu.

choose not to take the class because of cost concerns. The positive result is that students have the ability to explore their passions without worrying about their bank accounts.”

The elimination of course material fees is the latest step in a number of university initiatives to control costs for students. Last spring the university awarded “mini-grants” totaling $50,000 to 14 faculty members in 10 academic units to help them transition their courses from costly textbooks to open digital texts or other affordable alternatives.

This first cycle is expected to save 7,400 students a total of $770,000 in textbook costs each year. A second wave of the program is being offered this year, with proposals due from faculty members on Nov. 15. The program is administered by the UGA Libraries and the Center for Teaching and Learning.

“We are committed to relieving a source

of financial pressure for students to help them take the classes they need without having to worry about additional costs,” said Rahul Shrivastav, vice president for instruction. “At the same time, we are taking steps to ensure that faculty have the necessary resources to secure the class supplies they need to teach their classes effectively.”

The course material fees total approximately $1.2-$1.3 million annually. The university will still provide funding to buy these materials at wholesale or in bulk through state purchasing contracts. The Office of the Vice President for Instruction will establish a process by spring 2020 for faculty and academic departments to apply for the annual funding.

For the spring and summer 2020 semesters, funding will be provided based on student registration and previously approved fee levels for the respective courses.

This year’s kickoff breakfast highlighted the Athens Community Council on Aging, a nonprofit organization that focuses on enriching the lives of older residents in the 27 counties of northeast and eastern Georgia.

Last year, the group provided services to 16,000 adults, served 82,000 meals through the Meals on Wheels program and gave 20,000 rides to grocery stores and medical appointments.

“Over 50 years ago, the Athens Community Council on Aging was founded by a group of concerned citizens who recognized that there wasn’t an organization serving the needs of older adults, and many of our

founding members were faculty from UGA,” said ACCA’s CEO Eve Anthony. “Our partnership with the university has grown since then, and we are so appreciative.”

All UGA employees will receive information about this year’s campaign from their department representatives. Faculty and staff are encouraged to return pledge cards via campus mail or the campaign website (https://busfin.uga.edu/budget/campaign_ charities/). The forms are confidential. Beginning in October, weekly drawings will give away prizes such as parking passes, athletic event tickets and bookstore gifts to early pledges.

Andrew Davis Tucker

The 2019 Farm Tour marked the seventh year that Morehead has visited farms and connected with the state’s agricultural leaders.

In an effort to fully understand the different challenges that Georgia’s producers face, the Farm Tour visits a different area of the state every year.

“To understand Georgia agriculture is to grasp the importance of its diversity in this state. from page 1

13,000-14,000 students pay approximately $50 per semester, on average, in these additional fees.

Putting an end to the fees not only will open the opportunity for all interested students to take these classes but also will ensure that they are aware of their expenses upfront. Student Government Association President Rachel Byers commends the administration’s action.

“As higher education costs rise nationwide, the SGA is always excited for any measures that aid student affordability,” said Byers, a fourth-year student in political science and communications studies. “The elimination of lab and supplementary course material fees is a noble measure by university administration that will have a twofold effect. First, it reduces the cost of college for cash-strapped students.

Second, it helps those students who might be passionate about a specific subject matter but

CHARITIES

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“This is a very important initiative for the University of Georgia each and every year,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead, who highlighted the university’s top marks during the 19 years of the campaign as one of the five entities in the state with the highest dollar amounts raised.

“Obviously, though, we can do better, and we must do better for our community and the communities we serve all around the world,” he said. “Your gifts make a difference in the lives of so many individuals, and it’s important for each and every one of us to be a part of this campaign—at some level and in some way.”

which NIH may exercise for up to a total of $130 million over the seven years of the project.

Team members from UGA and St. Jude will be joined by researchers form New York University; New York University–Langone Health; the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, Santa Cruz; the University of North Carolina; the Ragon Institute; the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai; the University of Texas; Emory University; the Georgia Institute of Technology; the University of Rochester; the University of Melbourne; and the Mayo Clinic.

This project has been funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a component of the NIH, Department of Health and Human Services, under contract 75N93019C00060.

EXCELLENCE from page 1

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President Jere W. Morehead and Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black talk with Lee Cromley at Cromley Farms in Brooklet.

FEES

data managers and statisticians to identify the most promising vaccine candidates for human trials.

“Opportunities such as this one are exactly why we are committed to building UGA’s research enterprise,” said David Lee, vice president for research. “I’m confident that, under Dr. Ross’ leadership, this project will make significant strides toward developing a reliable vaccine that will protect millions of Americans against potentially deadly flu infections.”

The contract includes a base budget of $8 million for the first year of work, which began in September. With NIH approval, the project is expected to continue at the same base amount of approximately $8 million per year for a total of seven years, through 2026.

In addition, UGA and NIH have also­­ negotiated 33 expanded budget options,

explore approaches to enhance the global academic reputation of the university.

“I am grateful for the willingness of the task force members to serve the University of Georgia through their participation in what will be a rigorous examination of what the university does well and what we can do even better,” Hu said.

Members of the Task Force on Academic Excellence are: • Casimir Akoh, Distinguished Research Professor, department of food science and technology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; • Nicholas Allen, Franklin Professor of English and director, Willson Center for Humanities and Arts; • Michael Bartlett, Georgia Athletic Association Professor in Pharmacy and associate dean for science education, research and technology; • Janet Buckworth, professor and head, department of kinesiology, College of Education; • Noel Card, professor and head of the department of human development and family science, College of Family and Consumer Sciences; • Marsha Davis, dean, College of Public Health; • Alan Dorsey, dean, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences; • Lillian Eby, professor, IndustrialOrganizational Psychology Program and director, Owens Institute Behavioral for Research; • John Gittleman, dean, Odum School of Ecology; • S. Jack Hu, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, chair; • Rhett Jackson, Stevens Distinguished Professor of Water Resources, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources; • David Lee, vice president for research; • Donald Leo, dean, College of Engineering; • Tianming Liu, Distinguished Research Professor, department of computer science, Franklin College; • Anna Scheyett, dean, School of Social Work; • Richard Slatcher, Williamson Distinguished Professor, Behavioral and Brain Sciences Program, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences; • John Maltese, Saye Professor of American Government and Constitutional Law, Meigs Professor and associate dean in the School of Public and International Affairs; • Karen Norris, GRA Eminent Scholar in Immunology and Translational Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine; • Rosanna Rivero, associate professor, College of Environment and Design; • Glen Nowak, professor of advertising and director, Center for Health Risk Communication, Grady College of Mass Communication; • Marisa Pagnattaro, vice provost for academic affairs; • Lori Ringhand, J. Alton Hosch Professor in the School of Law; and • Steve Stice, D.W. Brooks Professor, GRA Eminent Scholar and director, Regenerative Bioscience Center, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.