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UGA Symphony Orchestra, choirs bring together more than 150 for concert Vol. 43, No. 33
April 18, 2016
www.columns.uga.edu
UGA GUIDE
4&5
Charter Lecturers will discuss nuclear security, terrorism By Sam Fahmy
sfahmy@uga.edu
Photos by Dorothy Kozlowski
UGA ecology students, including members of the UGA Ecology Club, worked to improve Athens Regional Medical Center’s Healing Garden. Students expanded the garden by introducing approximately 30 native species of flora designed to help sustain wildlife.
Healthy growth UGA students rehabilitate, expand Athens-area hospital’s Healing Garden
By R.E. Denty
robert.denty25@uga.edu
Urban ecology students at UGA had the opportunity to cultivate garden therapy this spring as part of a service-learning course. Led by doctoral student James Wood, they spent a recent Saturday morning preparing soil and installing plants in a new Bird and Pollinator Garden, located in the Healing Garden at the Loran Smith Center for Cancer Support at Athens Regional Medical Center. Additional help came from members of the UGA Ecology Club and volunteers from the Odum School of Ecology. The Healing Garden was officially dedicated in May 2002 to serve
the hospital’s patients, employees and the community. A collaborative effort from the beginning, the garden encompasses approximately 3 acres of open and partly wooded space on the campus of Athens Regional Medical Center and is still growing after more than a decade of use. Wood lives near the Healing Garden and noticed that it lacked native wildflowers for pollinators. He approached ARMC last fall with a proposal he hoped would bring joy to garden users and offer a vital habitat for resident birds and monarch butterflies, which are in decline. The Bird and Pollinator Garden he designed aims to do just that. “The people who are often in the Healing Garden are experiencing a stressful point in their lives,”
Wood said. “It just seemed to fit well that we could bring together some wildlife habitat, some educational opportunities for students and make the area a little more beautiful for those who use it.” The expansion introduces approximately 30 native species of flora designed to help sustain wildlife in the Healing Garden. At the same time, the mix of perennial plants offers erosion control, visual softening of close-by sidewalks and bridge structures, and varied color and shape that will give balance to more manicured areas of the garden. “The Bird and Pollinator Garden project has already engaged a group of students, and it stands to bring awareness and health benefits to See GARDEN on page 8
Former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn will be joined by former Secretary of Defense William J. Perry for the spring 2016 Charter Lecture at UGA. Their discussion, “Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe in an Age of Terrorism,” is free and open to the public and will be held April 26 at 3:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries. “Sen. Nunn and Secretary Perry have dedicated their lives to public service, and we are pleased to have
Sam Nunn
William Perry
them join us as distinguished Charter Lecturers,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “Their topic is timely and one of great importance to our society. We are looking forward to a provocative and engaging discussion.” The lecture is co-sponsored by
See LECTURE on page 8
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Newsmakers to gather at UGA for three-day Alumni Seminar By Sam Fahmy
sfahmy@uga.edu
Some of the nation’s most prominent newsmakers—in fields ranging from athletics to the sciences—will share their stories during UGA’s 2016 Alumni Seminar, April 29 through May 1. The three-day seminar, which is open to UGA alumni and anyone interested in lifelong learning, begins with an opening dinner and an address from UGA alumna and award-winning ABC News journalist Deborah Roberts. Events continue through May 1 with lectures, behind-the-scenes tours and interactive seminars. “The Alumni Seminar provides an in-depth look at some of the exciting things that make this university distinctive,” said UGA
President Jere W. Morehead. “Alumni and friends alike will learn a great deal over the course of the weekend from some of Deborah Roberts our most notable students, faculty and alumni who are shaping the future of our nation and world.” In addition to the opening dinner with Roberts, who has traveled the world for 20/20 and World News Tonight and recently published a book with husband Al Roker, highlights of the 2016 Alumni Seminar include: • A talk by Ted Ross, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent
See SEMINAR on page 8
OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
GRADY COLLEGE
Peabody Awards names 60 finalists; gala host UGA Fulbright scholars to Hayes: Back to “What better way to celebrate visit Germany, explore Chile For the first time in the 75-year
Baltimore and history of the Peabody Awards, CNN’s Cover60 finalists have been named by the group’s board of jurors for 2015. age of Guns in From these finalists, a set number America also of winning programs will be chosen. are among the To be known as The Peabody 60 finalists. 30, these selections will be unveiled Additionbeginning this week, and they will ally, three inbe honored at the 75th anniversary Keegan-Michael Key dividual and Peabody ceremony May 21 in New institutional York.The Peabody Awards are based winners have been announced for out of UGA. Peabody Awards. Late-night titan Among the 60 finalists are ABC David Letterman and documentary comedies Black-ish and Fresh Off the filmmaker Stanley Nelson will be Boat, FX Network’s Fargo Installment recognized for their contributions 2, season four of HBO’s VEEP and to electronic media, and The Daily USA Network’s Mr. Robot. The news Show with Jon Stewart will receive programs MSNBC’s All In with Chris an institutional Peabody.
the 75th anniversary of the Peabody Awards than to recognize two individuals and a television program that have transformed the cultural landscape through their unique contributions,” said Jeffrey P. Jones, Peabody Awards director. The ceremony gala will be hosted by Peabody Award recipient KeeganMichael Key (Key & Peele, Fargo). An award-winning actor, writer and creator, Key has become one of the most creative and in-demand faces in Hollywood for both comedy and drama. He is the co-creator and co-star of Comedy Central’s Key & Peele with Jordan Peele, a 2014 See PEABODY on page 8
By Susan Myers Smith suesmith@uga.edu
UGA faculty participating in the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 Core Fulbright Scholar and Fulbright Specialist programs carry out UGA’s motto, “To teach, to serve and to inquire into the nature of things,” on a global scale. Their work in South America and Europe touches on health care, culture, astronomy research and the environment. “I extend my congratulations to the UGA faculty who were selected as Core Fulbright Scholars this year,” said Noel Fallows, interim
associate provost for international education. “Through Fulbright, these internationally engaged scholars are strengthening research partnerships and enhancing the international reputation of the University of Georgia across all academic disciplines.” The UGA faculty members and their destinations include: • Phaedra Corso, UGA Foundation Professor of Human Health and director of the Economic Evaluation Research Group in the College of Public Health. Corso traveled to Ecuador in the summer of 2015 on a Core Fulbright
See FULBRIGHT on page 8
2 April 18, 2016 columns.uga.edu
Around academe
Textbook publishers report that digital sales have outpaced print
Major education publishers have reported that digital textbook sales have surpassed print for the first time. There are questions about the accuracy of the announcement though, reported Inside Higher Ed, as critics point to the ambiguity in distinguishing between sales of the two formats, especially when print textbooks and digital material are bundled together. Publishers are eager to transition to digital sales to initiate direct sales with students to reduce costs.
Survey: Students support freedom of speech, but with certain caveats
New findings by Gallup suggest that most students think freedom of expression is an important aspect to their campus climate and advocate for not restricting offensive speech. However, students do distinguish potentially offensive speech from hateful language, which a majority of students said their campus should restrict. In addition, 70 percent of students said the news media should not be restricted from covering campus events—the dissenting groups were largely female and black students, who overwhelmingly said reporters should be denied access from campus due to bias or the students’ right to be left alone.
UGA’s revamped shared sick leave program to begin in January 2017
News to Use
During 2016, UGA will transition procedures for its shared leave program so that it aligns with the newly implemented University System of Georgia shared sick leave policy. The first step in the process will occur during the annual open enrollment period. Individuals who wish to participate in the 2017 UGA shared sick leave program, including receiving shared leave in the future, must first donate a minimum of eight hours of sick leave during that period. In addition, employees must have a 40-hour sick leave balance after the donation is taken from their accrued sick leave on Jan. 1, 2017. A total of 48 hours sick leave will be required to join the program (one eight-hour donation plus a 40-hour balance) during open enrollment, typically in November each year. In addition to the open enrollment donation requirement, the primary changes for 2017 are: • Faculty and staff will donate to a shared leave “pool” instead of the current requirement to name individual recipients of shared leave. • To participate in the program, employees must complete their initial six-month probationary period in a benefit-eligible position by Jan. 1, 2017. • Only sick leave can be donated. More information will be communicated as part of the open enrollment process this fall. Employees with questions about the new shared sick leave policy should contact UGA Human Resources at benefits@uga.edu or 706-542-2222.
FOOD SERVICES GOES
TRAYLESS
26.7%
REDUCTION IN PLATE WASTE
16.4
REDUCTION IN WATER USE
Read more about the university’s work involving sustainability at discover.uga.edu.
OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTRUCTION
Five receive FYO teaching awards By Tracy N. Coley tcoley@uga.edu
Five UGA faculty members were honored with 2016 First-Year Odyssey Teaching Awards at an April 7 reception celebrating the continued success of the First-Year Odyssey Seminar Program. Award recipients, their school or college and their seminar titles included: • Stephen J. Hajduk, professor, biochemistry and molecular biology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, “Molecular Basis of Human Infectious Diseases”; • Melissa A. Harshman, professor and chair, printmaking and book arts, Lamar Dodd School of Art, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, “Printmaking: A Hands On Experience”; • Michael T. Mengak, associate dean of service and outreach, professor and wildlife outreach specialist, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, “Conservation and Natural History of the Southern Appalachian Mountains”; • Anneliese A. Singh, associate professor, counseling and human development services, College of Education, “Social Justice and Activism 101”; and • Robert J. Warren, Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor, certified wildlife biologist, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, “Recent Advances in Understanding and Managing Deer Overabundance.” This is the third annual awards reception recognizing outstanding instructors who have demonstrated
From left, Ronald Cervero, associate vice president for instruction and director of the First-Year Odyssey Seminar Program, stands with Robert Warren, Michael Mengak, Anneliese Singh and Rahul Shrivastav, vice president for instruction. Warren, Mengak and Singh were honored with First-Year Odyssey Teaching Awards.
innovation in instruction, connection of seminar content to the instructor’s research and how FYOS program goals are incorporated into the seminar. This year’s recipients have been fully engaged with their students, provided them with a strong connection to the university through their research and tied their curriculum directly to FYOS program goals. UGA is a leading institution for providing a first-year student engagement experience that promotes student success from start to finish. The FYOS program, administrated by the Office of the Vice President for Instruction and taught by faculty who tie seminar
content to their own scholarly research, is unique among other first-year programs in the nation. Since its inception in 2011, more than 25,000 students have completed a First-Year Odyssey Seminar. Faculty from every school and college—and more than 85 departments—have participated in the program. FYO seminars provide students with an introduction to academic life at UGA by engaging them with faculty and other first-year students in a small class environment. Students learn about UGA’s unique academic culture through lectures, social events and learning opportunities outside the classroom.
OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
Faculty, staff members receive OIE awards By Susan Myers Smith suesmith@uga.edu
The Office of International Education honored seven UGA faculty and staff members at its annual International Education Awards Reception April 7 at the State Botanical Garden. The annual event honors faculty and staff who have made outstanding contributions to the university’s internationalization through instruction, research and service. Two UGA faculty were awarded the Richard F. Reiff Internationalization Award this year: Rose ChepyatorThomson, a professor of kinesiology in the College of Education, and Jessica Kissinger, a professor of genetics in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and director of the Institute of Bioinformatics. The Reiff Award honors tenured or tenure-track faculty members for major contributions to the overall internationalization of UGA. Chepyator-Thomson’s teaching, research and service activities illustrate her passion for internationalizing the university. She founded and directs the annual Global Education Forum, hosted by UGA. Now in its 10th year, the conference attracts internationally renowned scholars to UGA and brings together faculty and students across disciplines and cultures to focus on a scholarly theme based in diversity and global development. Kissinger, who was instrumental in establishing the Institute of Bioinformatics at UGA, has developed a network of international research and training programs to the benefit of students at UGA and abroad. In addition to collaborating on a massive genomics database, EuPathDB, with researchers in the U.S., U.K., Brazil and other countries, Kissinger has held training workshops abroad for STEM-focused graduate students in 15 countries, including Brazil, Canada, China, India, Morocco,
The 2016 International Education Awards were held April 7 at the State Botanical Garden. Honored were, from left, Noel Fallows, SunKoo Yuh, Paul D. Welch, Jessica Kissinger, Nathaniel Kohn, Alex Murawski, Rose Chepyator-Thomson and Ron Pegg.
Nigeria, Portugal and Taiwan. She also brings doctoral students to the U.S. for formal training in her lab to assist them in their research goals. Frequently these goals include training in state-of-the-art techniques to address specific health issues in the students’ native countries. Nathaniel Kohn received OIE’s Study Abroad Award, which honors faculty or staff members who have made significant contributions to the university’s study abroad efforts. A professor in the entertainment and media department of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, Kohn also is the associate director of the Peabody Awards. SunKoo Yuh received the Mary Ann Kelly Open Arms Award, which honors UGA faculty or staff who have gone above and beyond their formal duties in facilitating the presence of international students and/or scholars at UGA. Yuh is a ceramics professor in the Lamar Dodd School of Art. An internationally recognized artist, Yuh fulfills an unofficial role as artistic and cultural ambassador of Korea to
the School of Art and UGA. He has recruited many top students from Korea to Lamar Dodd’s undergraduate and graduate art programs and created an opportunity for UGA students to visit Korea. In addition, Yuh has been instrumental in plans to bring Korean students, scholars and artists to UGA’s residential center in Cortona, Italy. Three additional awards were presented to those in the UGA community making major contributions to the programs housed in UGA’s international residential centers. UGA Costa Rica presented its Costa Rica Adelante Award to Ron Pegg, a professor in the food science and technology department in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. UGA at Oxford presented its Friends of UGA at Oxford Award to Paul D. Welch, director of undergraduate student services in the School of Public and International Affairs. UGA Cortona, Italy, presented its Dedicato a Cortona Award to Alex Murawski, a professor of graphic design in the Lamar Dodd School of Art.
RESEARCH NEWS
columns.uga.edu April 18, 2016
3
Digest Office of Service-Learning to mark its 10th anniversary with all-day showcase
Cal Powell
A study led by Gene Brody, left, of the UGA Center for Family Research found that African-American youths from less supportive families who experienced high levels of racial discrimination showed signs of greater epigenetic aging.
Stress barriers
Supportive families can reduce impact of racial discrimination on faster biological aging By Cal Powell
jcpowell@uga.edu
A supportive family environment can help reduce the biological impact of racial discrimination on adolescent African-Americans, according to a new study by the UGA Center for Family Research. The study also demonstrated that African-American youths from less supportive families who experienced high levels of racial discrimination showed signs of greater epigenetic aging, an index of aging in cells and tissues. The results further established that chronic stressors can trigger harmful physiological responses that place young people at greater risk for chronic diseases during mid-life. “Living in a family environment that is emotionally supportive, predictable and organized can create a barrier between outside stressors, like racial discrimination, and the biology of young people,” said the study’s lead author Gene Brody, director of the Center for Family Research in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. “This study shows that families are able to ameliorate negative effects of being exposed to stress, like discrimination.” Previous research has shown that
African-Americans, compared with other racial groups, experience more age-related diseases earlier in life and with more severe consequences, and also have shorter life expectancies. While cumulative stress has been shown to damage, or “weather” physiological systems, the study sought to measure exposure to racial discrimination across adolescence among AfricanAmerican youths in rural Georgia and determine whether the adolescents’ family environments were able to offset these effects. Researchers examined data from 616 adolescents in two separate longitudinal studies: the Strong AfricanAmerican Healthy Adult Project, or SHAPE, and the Adults in the Making project. Both studies followed the participants for more than five years. The 322 SHAPE participants resided in nine rural counties in Georgia, with 46 percent of the participants living below federal poverty standards. Similarly, the 294 AIM participants were recruited from public schools in six rural Georgia counties, with 42 percent of the youths living below federal poverty standards. Racial discrimination and supportive family environments were measured for three consecutive years when the participants were between 16 and 19 years old.
Participants in both studies also provided blood samples—at age 20 for the SHAPE cohort and at 22 for AIM—that researchers used to assess cellular aging. In both studies, participants with lower family support who also experienced higher levels of discrimination showed faster epigenetic aging, meaning they were biologically older than would be expected given their chronological age. For those from highly supportive family environments, no association between discrimination and epigenetic aging was detected. “In this study we showed that those young people who across several years were exposed to high levels of racial discrimination, a pernicious stressor in the lives of these young people, showed no effect of it if they lived in families that were highly supportive and organized,” he said. “It’s remarkable we can demonstrate that protective, supportive parenting that youths receive is evident at the levels of cells and tissues.” Future studies will seek a better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the protective capacities of a supportive family environment, Brody said, focusing on the regulation of negative emotions.
UGA REGENERATIVE BIOSCIENCE CENTER
Researchers track neural stem cells by coloring chicken eggs By Charlene Betourney cbetourney@uga.edu
An overwhelming number of researchers still struggle within the black hole of the effectiveness and safety of stem cell therapy for neurological diseases. While the complexity of understanding how neurons grow, connect and function has long been studied, it remains a mystery, one that graduate student Forrest Goodfellow in the UGA Regenerative Bioscience Center is helping unravel. Goodfellow has developed a unique approach of marrying stem cell biology and 3-D imaging to track and label neural stem cells. His findings were published in the journal Advanced Functional Material. Using microscopic iron beads and a chicken egg, he and his colleagues were able to label neural stem cells and watch them for multiple days using magnetic
resonance imaging—without harming the cell. Very little is known about the unusual behavior of neural stem cells after experimental treatment. Understanding their whereabouts, keeping them safe from the body’s own immune system and tracking the intended destination for repair in a noninvasive manner is the next important step in regenerative medicine therapy. “The unknown is that big ‘black box’ when people inject neural stem cells and have no idea where they go or what they do. It’s pretty invasive and inaccurate,” said Steven Stice, a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and director of the Regenerative Bioscience Center housed in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The question remains, he said, of whether injecting neural stem cells to restore damaged neurons and allowing the body to heal as it is meant to naturally
really delay the onset of symptoms, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. To answer that question, Goodfellow painstakingly labeled neural stem cells with extremely small iron beads and then transplanted the cell into a chicken embryo. “We went to great pains to prove and demonstrate that our labeling method does not harm the stem cells,” Goodfellow said. “If we are altering transplanted stem cells that we hope will be an effective treatment, then it’s a moot point if we do it blindly.” In addition to developing a chick model and applications for toxicology testing in the near future, Goodfellow and his team hope that this project may finally shed some light on the uncertainty surrounding neural stem cells and the great therapeutic promise for healing patients after stroke and traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries.
The Office of Service-Learning will celebrate its 10th anniversary April 19 with an all-day showcase. Open to faculty, staff, students and community members, the showcase will be held in the Tate Student Center Reception Hall. The showcase is open to those who are interested in exploring the range of service-learning course offerings at UGA as well as resources available to support this work. In addition to servicelearning course presentations, a Community Partner Roundtable and Lunch will be held from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Attendees will hear from a number of community partners about successful service-learning partnerships as well as community needs that could serve as opportunities to develop new experiential learning partnerships. Additionally, the 10th Anniversary Reception and Service-Learning Fellows Reunion will be held from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Although the showcase is a drop-in event throughout the day, anyone planning to attend the luncheon or reception should RSVP at http://tinyurl.com/q3sa9op. The showcase agenda is at http://t.uga.edu/2e4.
Lecture, documentary will highlight significance of early automobile tourism
A lecture and documentary screening highlighting the significance of the Dixie Highway will take place April 21 at 4 p.m. in the auditorium of the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries. Tammy Ingram’s talk, “Driving Dixie: The Politics of Early Automobile Tourism,” will focus on the ways automobile tourism reshaped the physical and political landscapes of the South, and Georgia in particular, from the 1910s through the 1930s. A reception and book signing will follow at 5 p.m. Ingram’s book, Dixie Highway: Road Building and the Making of the Modern South, 1900-1930, is the first to examine the largely forgotten 6,000-mile network of roads that crisscrossed the South and Midwest from Lake Michigan to Miami Beach. Published in 2014, the book has been awarded an Excellence in Research Award by the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Council and the 2015 Malcolm Bell Jr. and Muriel Barrow Bell Award by the Georgia Historical Society. At 6:30 p.m., Down the Dixie Highway, a onehour documentary produced by Georgia Public Broadcasting will be screened followed by a question-and-answer session with filmmakers and producers.
Latin American Sustainable film series to conclude with ‘Children of Amazon’
The 2015-2016 Latin American Sustainable Agriculture film series will conclude with the screening of Children of the Amazon. Open free to the public, the film addresses how the environment and the lives of indigenous peoples in the Amazon rainforest are transformed by the construction of a highway. It will be shown April 22 at 6 p.m. in Room 214 of the Miller Learning Center. UGA alumna Felice Wyndham, who worked with the Ayoreo people in Paraguay on the challenges faced by indigenous peoples when their lands were encroached, will speak before the screening. Wyndham received a doctorate in anthropology from UGA in 2004. The film’s director, Denise Zmekhol, will interact with the audience via Skype after the screening and provide an update about the people and the situation in the film. The film series is sponsored by the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Institute and the sociology department in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.
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 UGA News Service. Periodicals postage is paid in Athens, Georgia. Postmaster: Send off-campus address changes to Columns, UGA News Service, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Athens, GA 30602-1999.
For a complete listing of events 7 8 5 at the University of Georgia, check the Master Calendar on the Web (calendar.uga.edu/). I
The following events are open to the public, unless otherwise specified. Dates, times and locations may change without advance notice.
UGAGUIDE UGA Symphony Orchestra, choirs will bring together more than 150 for end-of-season concert
Refining Realities By Hillary Brown
hazbrown@uga.edu
Portraits of the Working Class: Trees. Through May 1. Visitor Center’s Greatroom, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014, connicot@uga.edu. Master of Fine Arts Degree Candidates. Through May 1. Georgia Museum of Art. hazbrown@uga.edu. David Ligare: California Classicist. Through May 8. Georgia Museum of Art. hazbrown@uga.edu. Frank Hartley Anderson: Forging the Southern Printmakers Society. Through June 19. Georgia Museum of Art. Refining Realities. Through June 19. Georgia Museum of Art. (See story, above). Seeing Georgia: Changing Visions of Tourism in the Modern South. Through July 30. Special collections libraries. 706-542-5788, jhebbard@uga.edu.
MONDAY, APRIL 18 BLOOD DRIVE 11 a.m. Reception Hall, Tate Student Center. WORKSHOP “Collecting and Analyzing Qualitative Data.” 1 p.m. 372 Miller Learning Center. 706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu. BLOOD DRIVE 2 p.m. Myers Hall. SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS SEMINAR SERIES LECTURE USDA National Needs Fellows students will present their interdisciplinary research topics. 3:30 p.m. 103 Conner Hall. 706-542-8084, sustainag@uga.edu. EDITH HOUSE LECTURE “The Voice of a Woman Lawyer: Why it Matters and How to Use it,” Rep. Stacey Godfrey Evans of the Georgia House of Representatives. 3:30 p.m. Hatton Lovejoy Courtroom, Hirsch Hall. FILM SCREENING Wilbanks CEASE Clinic will present a screening of the documentary Pursuit of Truth, which is about adult survivors of child sexual abuse seeking justice. A question-and-answer session with filmmakers will be held after screening. Food will be provided. RSVP to ehether@uga.edu. 5 p.m. Classroom F, Hirsch Hall. SOFTBALL vs. Tennessee. 7 p.m. Jack Turner Stadium. 706-542-1621.
TUESDAY, APRIL 19 WORKSHOP “Experience the World: Best Practices in Designing Study Abroad Programs.” The workshop will focus on best practices in organizing study abroad programs focusing on the following pillars: academic, risk management and financial. Additionally, the workshop will take advantage of the expertise of experienced
By Bobby Tyler
By Clarke Schwabe
btyler@uga.edu
The UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music’s final major concert of 2015-2016 brings over 150 students from nearly every area of the school together in Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall April 22 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 each, $5 with a UGA student ID and are available by visiting pac.uga.edu, calling 706-542-4400 or by purchasing at the Performing Arts Center box office. The UGA Symphony Orchestra, directed by Mark Cedel, will be joined by the UGA Combined Choirs—the Hodgson Singers, University Chorus and Men’s and Women’s Glee Clubs, directed by Dan Bara and J.D. Burnett—for a performance of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “A Sea Symphony.” According to the program notes written by Steven Ledbetter, “A Sea Symphony,” approximately 63 minutes long, is Williams’ “first really large-scale work, and its accomplishment took him a full half-dozen years.” The score calls for soprano and baritone soloists, mixed chorus and orchestra. Written from 1903 to 1909, “A Sea Symphony” began life as a choral work inspired by the works of Walt Whitman. Setting Whitman to music was something of an English tradition from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, and Williams was a notable participant.
The UGA Performing Arts Center will present the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center April 24 at 3 p.m. in Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall in the program “Glorious Sextets.” The concert will feature string sextets by Richard Strauss, Antonin Dvorak and Johannes Brahms. The concert is the finale of a season-long partnership between the Performing Arts Center and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center; the UGA partnership established the greatest presence in one location for the Chamber Music Society outside of New York City. Tickets for the concert are $40 and are discounted for UGA students. Tickets can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center box office, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-4400. The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center is the nation’s premier repertory company for chamber music. The artists performing on the “Glorious Sextets” program include violinists Ani Kavafian and Erin Keefe, violists Yura Lee and Matthew Lipman, and cellists Dmitri Atapine and David Finckel. The concert will be recorded for national broadcast on American Public Media’s Performance Today, heard by 1.4 million listeners around the country. Patrick Castillo from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center will give a preconcert lecture 45 minutes before the concert.
ccschwabe@uga.edu
The exhibition Refining Realities, a work of electronic installation art created by VolvoxLabs (VVOX), is on display at the Georgia Museum of Art through June 19. Installed on the museum’s Patsy Dudley Pate Balcony, Refining Realities' digital visualizations and light projections activated by real-time data create an immersive architectural landscape on a trio of 3-D panels mounted to the wall. “VVOX’s past projects have been astounding examples of cuttingedge digital art at the intersection of commerce,” said Lynn Boland, the museum’s Pierre Daura Curator of European Art. “It is particularly exciting to bring them into a museum context where the work can explore ideas more independently.” Based in Brooklyn, VVOX uses cutting-edge technology to create digital and physical experiences. The firm has worked with the band Neon Indian to enhance its live performance at the CMJ Music Marathon in New York by using Microsoft’s Kinect motion-sensing devices to map the band members’ movements live and translate them into simultaneously projected visuals. It also has collaborated with Ferran Adria’s famed elBulli in Barcelona to capture time-lapse video of the restaurant’s laboratory that is automatically posted online and with LinkedIn to create an interactive data visualization kiosk. VVOX’s work has been covered in Wired, Fast Company, Creators Project and Vice and been featured on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Boland will lead a free tour of Refining Realities April 20 at 2 p.m.
EXHIBITIONS
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center to perform ‘Glorious Sextets’
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UGA faculty, leaders of programs abroad. 2 p.m. Reading Room, Miller Learning Center. 706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu.
Online Classes.” 2 p.m. Center for Teaching and Learning. 706-542-6603, ehoran@uga.edu.
TUESDAY TOUR 2 p.m. Special collections libraries. 706-542-8079, jclevela@uga.edu.
TOUR AT TWO Lynn Boland, the Pierre Daura Curator of European Art, will lead a tour of the installation by VVOX on the museum’s Patsy Dudley Pate Balcony. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu. (See story, above left).
INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURE DAY International Agriculture Day is an event for faculty, staff and students to celebrate the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ international involvement and achievements. Guest speaker Ann Steensland from Global Harvest Initiative will give the keynote address. The Ag Abroad Photo contest voting, student awards and light refreshments will be available. 3:30 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-1073, ogp@uga.edu. ECOLOGY SEMINAR “Trees, Pets and People: A Watershed Approach to Understanding Urban Water Pollution,” Sarah Hobbie, a professor in the ecology, evolution and behavior department at the University of Minnesota. 4 p.m. Ecology building auditorium. 706-542-7247, bethgav@uga.edu. INNOVATION GATEWAY STARTUP STORIES The Innovation Gateway Startup Stories is an opportunity to learn about the exciting projects and startup companies emerging from UGA research. Startup Stories features a different Innovation Gateway or Athens based start-up each month. Valentine Nzengung, CEO and CTO of MuniRem Environmental, will be the guest speaker at this event. 4 p.m. 128/130 CAGTECH. 706-542-0796, tina@uga.edu. SCREENING Autism in Love is a PBS film that explores how adults with autism find and navigate romantic relationships. Automatic for Autism benefits UGA’s Applied Behavior Analysis Support Clinic at the College of Education. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion. 5:30 p.m. Cine, 234 W. Hancock Ave. 706-542-2267, mmetcalf@uga.edu. LECTURE Richard Wall will talk about his late wife Carol Wall’s memoir, Mister Owita’s Guide to Gardening. 7 p.m. Visitor Center, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014, connicot@uga.edu. CONCERT The final Hodgson Wind Ensemble concert of the season featuring School of Music trumpet student Michael Meo. $10; $5 with a valid student ID. 8 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4752, musicpr@uga.edu.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20 UGA CSO SPRING POTTERY SALE The UGA Ceramic Student Organization will hold a spring pottery sale. Work on sale will include sculpture, teapots, mugs, boxes, plates, vases and bowls. 9:30 a.m. First floor lobby, Lamar Dodd School of Art. Also to be held April 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (See Bulletin Board, page 8). WORKSHOP “Technology in the Classroom: New Resources for Flipped and
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 on the Web at calendar.uga.edu/.
RAMSEY LECTURE SERIES LECTURE “The Foundation of a Person-Centered Approach to Youth Sport Involvement,” Jean Cote. 3:30 p.m. Masters Hall, Georgia Center. GUEST LECTURE “Tomb Raiders and Terrorist Financing: Cutting off the Islamic State’s Illicit Traffic in ‘Blood Antiquities,’” Tess Davis, affiliate researcher at the University of Glasgow. Part of the Signature Lecture Series. 4:30 p.m. Griffith Auditorium, Georgia Museum of Art. SOFTBALL vs. Georgia State. 6 p.m. Jack Turner Stadium. 706-542-1621. PERFORMANCE Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a dark and grisly comedy, set in 19th-century London. It tells the story of a barber who exacts revenge on the judge and the town that unjustly exiled him by murdering his customers—and using them as the secret ingredient for wildly popular meat pies. 8 p.m. $16, $12 for students. 8 p.m. Fine Arts Theatre, Fine Arts building. 706-542-4400. Also to be performed April 21-23 at 8 p.m.; April 24 at 2:30 p.m.
THURSDAY, APRIL 21 BLOOD DRIVE Noon. Science library. NEUROIMAGING PROGRAM DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER Susan Whitfield-Gabrieli will present “Clinical Applications of Resting State Networks: Clinical Characterization, Novel Treatments and Prediction of Clinical Outcome” as part of the Franklin Foundation Neuroimaging Program lecture series. 3:30 p.m. 175 Coverdell Center. lbalkcom@uga.edu. GUEST LECTURE “Driving Dixie: The Politics of Early Automobile Tourism,” Tammy Ingram, author of Dixie Highway: Roadbuilding and the Making of the Modern South, 1900-1930. Ingram will talk about the ways that automobile tourism reshaped both the physical and political landscapes of the South and Georgia from the 1910s through the 1930s. A book signing and reception will follow the lecture. A screening of the GPB documentary Down the Dixie Highway will follow. 4 p.m. 271 special collections libraries. 706-542-5788, jhebbard@uga.edu. (See Digest, page 3). THE BIG READ EVENT Cora Keber will begin with a tour of the International Garden. The group will move inside for UGA professor and poet Melisa Cahnmann-Taylor to use the writing of Robinson Jeffers to spark some deep thinking about nature and poetry through guided writing exercises. 5 p.m. Visitor Center, State Botanical
4&5
Performing Arts Center to present Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in April 27 performance By Bobby Tyler btyler@uga.edu
The UGA Performing Arts Center will present the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus April 27 at 8 p.m. in Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall. Music director Robert Spano will conduct the program, which includes A German Requiem by Johannes Brahms. Tickets for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra concert are $25-$65 and are discounted for UGA students. Tickets can be purchased at the Performing Arts Center box office, online at pac.uga.edu or by calling 706-542-4400. This month marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of former ASO conductor and choral director, Robert Shaw. To commemorate the occasion, the orchestra will perform the Brahms Requiem in Carnegie Hall on April 30. Athens audiences will have the rare opportunity to hear the concert before the orchestra performs it in New York City. The Athens concert will also include the Symphony No. 2, Innerspace, by Jonathan Leshnoff. Commissioned by Spano, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Carnegie Hall, Leshnoff’s Symphony No. 2 received its world premiere on Nov. 5, 2015, in Atlanta Symphony Hall.
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Garden. 706-542-6156, ckeber@uga.edu. FILM SCREENING Down the Dixie Highway. Hosted by the Richard B. Russell Library and the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences’ history department. This one-hour documentary, produced by Georgia Public Broadcasting, shares the history and significance of the Dixie Highway, an early road network. Following the screening, filmmakers and producers will host a question-and-answer session. 6:30 p.m. 271 special collections libraries. 706-542-5788, jhebbard@uga.edu. (See Digest, page 3). THURSDAY TWILIGHT TOUR Led by docents. 7 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662, hazbrown@uga.edu. EARTH DAY PROGRAM The Georgia Review’s 2016 Earth Day program will include a guided tour of the State Botanical Garden and a Robinson Jeffers-inspired poetry workshop, followed by a keynote address “Coming Home to Earth” by internationally regarded environmental writer Alison Hawthorne Deming. A reception will follow with music from Hawk Proof Rooster and home.made. 7 p.m. Visitor Center, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-3481, lagsolo@uga.edu. UGA CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAM FACULTY READING This widely-published and award-winning group of writers and scholars will include LeAnne Howe, Reginald McKnight, Ed Pavlic, Jed Rasula, Andrew Zawacki and Magdalena Zurawski. 7 p.m. Cine, 234 W. Hancock Ave. 706-542-2659.
FRIDAY, APRIL 22 AN EXCHANGE ON EXPERIENCES TEACHING FYO SEMINARS Participants should arrive prepared to share their interactive FYO classroom strategies as well as to engage in a dialogue on why one should want to understand his/her students, what motivates these students, and how students’ beliefs shape their approach to content and learning. 9 a.m. 372 Miller Learning Center. 706-583-0067, tchagood@uga.edu. INTERNATIONAL COFFEE HOUR 11:30 a.m. Memorial Hall ballroom. 706-542-5867, cheeia@uga.edu. BFA EXIT EXHIBITION II OPENING RECEPTION Undergraduate students Austin Lonsway, Anthony Gaskins and Sarah Wingate will unveil their exhibitions. 6 p.m. Lamar Dodd School of Art. kgeha@uga.edu. SCREENING Children of the Amazon. 6 p.m. 214 Miller Learning Center. (See Digest, page 3). PASSOVER Jewish religious observance. CONCERT The UGA Symphony Orchestra, Hodgson Singers, University Chorus and Glee Clubs finish their performance season with Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Sea Symphony.” $10; $5 with a valid
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 April 18, 2016
Any additional information about the event may be sent directly to Columns. Email is preferred (columns@uga.edu), but materials can be mailed to Columns, News Service, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Campus Mail 1999.
student ID. 8 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4752, musicpr@uga.edu. (See story, above left).
SATURDAY, APRIL 23 WORKSHOP “Scientific Illustration in Black and White.” 10 a.m. 285 special collections libraries. 706-542-8079, jclevela@uga.edu. WORKSHOP “Scientific Illustration in Watercolor.” 2 p.m. 285 special collections libraries. 706-542-8079, jclevela@uga.edu. WOMEN’S SOCCER vs. Kennesaw State. 2 p.m. Turner Soccer Complex. 706-542-1621. LAVENDER GRADUATION 2016 Lavender Graduation is a cultural celebration that acknowledges the achievements and contributions of LGBTQIA students on UGA’s campus. Through this recognition, LGBTQIA students are provided with a positive experience at the university, encouraging them to continue their connections to the university, other students and other alumni. 2 p.m. Memorial Hall ballroom. 706-542-4077, evansme@uga.edu.
SUNDAY, APRIL 24 CONCERT The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center brings the Performing Arts Center’s 20th season to an conclusion with a concert of three 19th- and 20th-century sextets for strings. $40. 3 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4400. (See story, above left page).
MONDAY, APRIL 25 BLOOD DRIVES 2:30 p.m. Russell Hall and East Campus Village. CONCERT The UGA Wind Symphony, directed by Jaclyn Hartenberger, closes out its spring season. 8 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4752, ccschwabe@uga.edu.
COMING UP CHARTER LECTURE April 26. The 2016 Charter Lecture, “Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe in an Age of Terrorism: A Conversation with Bill Perry and Sam Nunn,” will feature former Sen. Sam Nunn, CEO of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, and William Perry, former U.S. secretary of defense. 3:30 p.m. Special collections libraries auditorium. 706-542-0383, kcfite@uga.edu. (See story, page 1). CONCERT April 27. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will give a special performance of “A German Requiem.” $25-$65. 8 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4400. (See story, above).
NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES April 20 (for May 2 issue) May 11 (for May 23 issue) June 1 (for June 13 issue)
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FACULTY PROFILE
‘Constitutional significance’
The death of Justice Antonin Scalia will have significant impacts on cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. According to a Politico story, Scalia’s death has put an even bigger spotlight on Justice Anthony Kennedy, who is considered the moderate on an ideologically split court. Kennedy’s decisions are expected to be the crucial vote on a number of cases including a recent Texas abortion law that restricts where females can get abortions. Randy Beck, who holds the Justice Thomas O. Marshall Chair of Constitutional Law in the School of Law and who once clerked for Kennedy, told Politico the justice has been “consistent in recognizing the right to abortion is one of constitutional significance” since he co-authored a 1992 case that reaffirmed Roe v. Wade. “The bigger question is how deferential he is willing to be to states on health regulations,” Beck said.
Know your ingredients
A recent Chicago Tribune article explored the latest housekeeping fad of homemade cleaning products. Pamela Turner, an associate professor of financial planning, housing and consumer economics in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, told the Tribune that before mixing ingredients, people should learn about the ingredients’ side effects and how they should be used. “I always go back to what is an alkali, what is an acid, what is a surfactant and why do you need it when cleaning?” said Turner, who also is a UGA Cooperative Extension housing specialist. “Just because it’s natural, it’s still not necessarily safe to use in large quantities in an unventilated area.”
#CrossofGold
UGA historians and Georgia Tech data scientists tracked what “going viral” was like 120 years ago. The researchers looked at the spread of presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan’s “Cross of Gold” speech at the 1896 Democratic Convention, in which he called for a currency based on silver instead of gold. Using U.S. News Map, a database of more than 10 million newspapers, the researchers were able to track how Bryan’s ideas spread in the U.S. “We know now that the structure of networks impacts information movement,” said Claudio Saunt, Richard B. Russell Professor of History in UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, in a Washington Post article.
‘Fighting for education’
A Christian Science Monitor story examined the growing and diverse homeschooling movement in the U.S. Recent statistics show African-American and Latino families are increasingly becoming a part of the movement. Cheryl Field-Smith, an associate professor of early childhood education at UGA’s College of Education, said that she was surprised at first when she realized that black families were leaving low-quality schools. “But when you dig, you see that we’ve always been determined to be self-taught,” said Field-Smith, who is African-American. “When we were denied resources for school, we did it ourselves ... I see this as a new iteration of the long history of (AfricanAmericans) fighting for education.”
‘Ultimate wet blanket’
Tim Samples, an assistant professor of legal studies in the Terry College of Business, blamed poor timing for the reason Mexico has missed out on investment in oil. Recently, Mexico ended the Petroleo Mexicanos oil monopoly, and it was expected that oil investments from outside companies would flourish. In a Bloomberg Business article, Samples, a Mexican-energy analyst, blamed low oil prices for the failure. “Oil prices have really been the ultimate wet blanket for this whole reform,” he said. “It’s incomprehensible how bad the timing has been for Mexico.”
Dorothy Kozlowski
Abigail Borron, an assistant professor in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, helps students better understand how to communicate with the general public.
Assistant professor teaches students art of agricultural communication By J. Merritt Melancon jmerritt@uga.edu
On a typical Friday morning in the middle of the semester, Abigail Borron’s students aren’t in class. They’re working in food pantries across North Georgia helping to give a face to food insecurity. By interviewing food bank clients, helping to tell their stories and documenting the work of Northeast Georgia’s largest anti-hunger nonprofit, the students are learning more than how to use a camera or connect with strangers. They’re expanding their worldview, developing empathy and building a greater understanding of how the food system works in the U.S. “They’re volunteering, but I’m also teaching them observation techniques and this idea of ethnography in communication,” said Borron, who teaches agricultural communication in UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “The goal is that they realize that it’s not just about telling the story;it’s about recognizing how to engage—in this case, with food pantry clients—for the purposes of constructing a story that the food pantry clients would say, ‘Yes, that captures my experiences.’ ” Borron built the course, CultureCentered Communication and Engagement, in the agricultural leadership, education and communication department, as a way to help her students deconstruct
biases and assumptions around hunger and food insecurity to help them become better communicators, better advocates and better journalists after graduation. By the end of the semester, students produce a series of personal narratives that will be used for fundraising by network food pantries served by the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia. Agricultural communication has long been a major for students who want to advocate for agriculture, but Borron has adopted an expanded view of what that advocacy means.The story of agriculture is a great entry point for talking about everything from food access to nutrition to environmental sustainability, she said. Students in agricultural communication still learn about the science and economics of large-scale agriculture so that they can explain these issues to the nonfarming public, but there’s an increased emphasis on how these issues impact life off the farm, in topics like nutrition, food security and public health. “Students oftentimes come into agriculture from an agricultural background,” Borron said. “When they do, they often see themselves as being an advocate for all of agriculture. And that’s one of the things that I want to help them to understand: Not every aspect of agriculture is perfect. I want them to be an advocate for something, but they need to figure out what that’s going to be.” Borron’s research always has focused
FACTS
Abigail Borron Assistant Professor College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Ph.D., Youth Development and Agricultural Education, Purdue University, 2012 M.S., Youth Development and Agricultural Education, Purdue University, 2007 B.A., English, Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne, 1999 At UGA: 1 year, 4 months
on the intersection of marginalized audiences and effective community engagement. Drawing from areas of research in sociology, anthropology and communication, Borron extends to her students the benefit of learning about applied practices from all of those disciplines. In addition to learning technical storytelling skills through exercises in news writing, photography, Web design and video production, she also works to expand students’ understanding of how the public interacts with the food system. “From science communication to agricultural communication to environmental communication, there are lots of opportunities to tell those stories through an agricultural lens that we don’t really capitalize on, and that’s why I do this type of work,” she said.
DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS UNC Charlotte administrator named associate VP for student affairs By Stan Jackson ugastan@uga.edu
Michele Howard, director of early college programs for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, has been named associate vice president for student affairs at UGA. Howard will provide vision, leadership and supervision for six departments within Student Affairs: Academic Partnerships and Initiatives, Student Affairs Assessment and Staff Development, the Center for Leadership and Service, International Student Life, the LGBT
Resource Center, and Multicultural Services and Programs. Howard’s appointment is effective May 2. She will report directly to the vice president for student affairs and serve as a memMichele Howard ber of the senior administrative and leadership teams for the Division of Student Affairs. She also will serve as the permanent liaison to the UGA Extended Campuses Executive Committee. “Michele is a superbly talented leader, administrator and champion for students,” said Victor K. Wilson, vice president for student affairs. “We are thrilled that she will oversee these important areas for students and help to promote student
success, foster an inclusive community, advance campus and community partnerships, and enhance the overall quality of student life at UGA.” In this role, she will supervise the directors and budgets of the departments she oversees and advise the vice president and other campus stakeholders on opportunities and challenges related to these units. She will advance the development and enhancement of division programs and support efforts to strengthen the partnerships between Student Affairs and other campus units. She will serve as an advocate for various student populations. “I am so impressed with the staff members I’ve met and their passion for working with students and creating a more inclusive community at Georgia,” Howard said. “I look forward to being a part of the innovative work being done to meet students’ needs.”
QUESTIONS&ANSWERS
columns.uga.edu April 18, 2016
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Building a culture of philanthropy Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations discusses importance of fundraising to UGA
By Katie DeGenova
public and announce campaign goals, which will help attract new donors and build more energy. This comprehensive capital campaign launched in 2013 and has already raised more than $550 million, and we will set a goal to raise over $1 billion by 2020. We will be announcing the official campaign goals in November.
kdegen@uga.edu
Columns: Why is fundraising important to the University of Georgia? Kerner: The University of Georgia is positioned to have a dramatic and lasting impact on the lives of its students, the state of Georgia and the world. Donations enable UGA to make that a reality. Funds also create access. Through funding, the University of Georgia is able to offer students access to top-notch faculty and an excellent education that extends beyond the classroom. In addition, UGA can provide resources to faculty, enabling them to conduct breakthrough research. Columns: Who benefits from donations to UGA? Kerner: Students. Faculty. Georgia residents. The country. The world. That sounds dramatic, and it is. Lives change as a direct result of UGA’s fundraising success. Some donations have a direct and attributable impact. Endowed faculty chairs and professorships, of which we have over 250, bring talent and research to all corners of our campus. On the other hand, a scholarship that helps a first-generation student receive a world-class education could change the trajectory of an entire family’s future. That has reverberations into the future in ways we cannot predict. Columns: If UGA stopped fundraising, what would happen? Kerner: Without private donations to UGA, we’d face hard decisions. Programs could be cut. Jobs could be lost.The student experience would not be what it is. Without financial support, some students would be unable to attend UGA. Without the enriched student experience, some students may choose not to attend. Other universities may attract both students and faculty from us. UGA would fall behind. That’s not acceptable. Columns: Why should a first-time donor choose UGA as his or her cause? Kerner: Nonprofit organizations may affect changes related to cancer, poverty or
File photo
Kelly Kerner, vice president for development and alumni relations, said the university “must maximize fundraising efforts because private donations play a critical role in the future success of this great institution.”
hunger. Donors can give to any of those organizations and make a difference. But supporting Georgia’s flagship university gives them the opportunity to support all of those causes in addition to having a positive, lasting impact on our state and our students. Columns: How can faculty and staff help create a culture of philanthropy? Kerner: I have two requests for faculty and staff: Get involved and encourage one another. If you don’t currently support UGA, please consider doing so. If you do, talk to your colleagues. Tell them how and why you give back to UGA. Our faculty and staff are the lifeblood of the University of Georgia. For faculty and staff, an annual gift to UGA is an investment in themselves. Their beliefs in UGA’s mission is vital to our success, and philanthropic support illustrates their confidence in UGA in the most concrete way. External influencers and stakeholders view UGA through a new
WEEKLY READER
New guide book focuses on Broad River
Broad River User’s Guide By Joe Cook University of Georgia Press $19.95
The Broad River is among the last free-flowing rivers in Georgia and perhaps the state’s most wild. The UGA Press’ Broad River User’s Guide traces the unique characteristics of the full 60 miles of the river and the 110 miles of its three forks before the main river’s convergence with the Savannah River. In doing so, the guide outlines the river’s cultural and natural history, telling the story of humans’ relationship to the river from precolonial days to the present. Though the mainstem of the Broad is one of the few Georgia rivers to escape dams, it was one of Georgia’s first inland river valleys to be explored and settled. Along its course are rare species like shoals spider lilies and the Bartram’s bass, not to mention some of the most popular whitewater paddling in North Georgia.
lens—and are more likely to support it—if they see internal “buy in.” Columns: What role will the comprehensive campaign play in fundraising at UGA? Kerner: We are all committed to taking this university to the next level. To get there, we must maximize fundraising efforts because private donations play a critical role in the future success of this great institution. Campaigns are about building messaging and operational structure around the goals, vision and aspirations of an institution. Demonstrating how the university’s goals and aspirations have real-world impact on the lives of our constituents is the first step. From there, we must build excitement and foster increased visibility for our university as a cause worthy of support. Early in the campaign, the focus was on building momentum and demonstrating to our constituents that getting on board is worthwhile. At the peak, UGA will go
Columns: How are you preparing to launch the public phase of the comprehensive campaign? Kerner: The way we organize ourselves has a direct impact on our success. UGA’s fundraising organization underwent a considerable restructure in December 2014, and we’re starting to see the benefits. I believe we have the right team in place, and we’re organized to be successful. We are now focused on refining the messaging for the public phase of our campaign, which will be unveiled this fall. The public announcement in November will signal that we’re ready to achieve our goal. The operational structure and messaging will be set. There will be an on campus event for faculty, staff and students on Nov. 10 to kick off the comprehensive capital campaign. Columns: Do you expect that UGA will break fundraising records this fiscal year for a third year in a row? Kerner: Fundraising success should be assessed from a long-term viewpoint. Much like the stock market, short-term trends carry little weight as long as the long-term trend is on an upward trajectory. Breaking an annual fundraising record is great, but to me, building an organization that is equipped for long-term success year over year is more important. We are pacing to break last year’s record, but I do not expect us to continue to break the fundraising record each year. Momentum ebbs and flows throughout a campaign. We should anticipate ups and downs as we approach the end of the campaign in 2020. The real measure will be the eight-year trend line over the course of the campaign. Significant improvement will signal that we are structured for success and able to fundraise to the aspirations of the university as we set out to do.
ABOUT COLUMNS
CYBERSIGHTS
Columns is available to the campus 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 Art Director Janet Beckley
Global Gateway website launched
Photo Editor Dorothy Kozlowski
http://international.uga.edu
A new international portal, the UGA Global Gateway highlights the university’s achievements around the world. As the university develops an ever-greater international presence, the need has grown to highlight its accomplishments while disseminating comprehensive campus internationalization data. The Office of International
Education will maintain the new site and coordinate submissions from the campus at large. The Global Gateway features data about international partnerships, inbound and outbound student mobility and inbound scholar mobility. Work is underway to supplement this information with data pertaining to international research activities.
Senior Reporter Aaron Hale Reporter Matt Chambers The University of Georgia is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action. The University of Georgia is a unit of the University System of Georgia. I
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GARDEN
DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS
UGA Miracle receives top student organization award at annual event By Don Reagin
dreagin@uga.edu
UGA Miracle was named Organization of the Year during the 15th annual H. Gordon and Francis S. Davis Student Organization Achievement and Recognition Awards ceremony April 7 at the Tate Student Center. The SOAR Awards celebrate the accomplishments of student organizations at UGA. UGA Miracle is the largest student-run philanthropy on campus. This year, UGA Miracle raised $1,068,358 for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta through its annual signature event, Dance Marathon. In March, Children’s Healthcare dedicated its Comprehensive Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit Gym as the “UGA Miracle Gym.” Since1995,UGAMiraclehasraisednearly $6 million for the hospital network. Alex Reinecke, a fourth-year entertainment/media studies and international affairs major who served as UGA Miracle’s campus relations director for 2015-2016, said the organization is inspired and proud to be a part of the campus community UGA fosters. “There are so many exceptional organizations and events on our campus; we really think that it’s a testament to the impact this school has made on its students and on our community,” he said. “(UGA) Miracle worked tirelessly this year to support our hospital, champion our families and engage our campus creatively and collectively— we’re so unbelievably honored to have our university recognize that and applaud
those efforts.” Other award categories, their recipients and student organizations are: • Adviser of the Year: Peter Smagorinsky, Journal of Language and Literacy Education; • Bulldog Vision: Johnelle Simpson, Houston Gaines and Darby Miller, Student Government Association; • Candice Sherman Emerging Leader: Claire Gordon, Rotaract; • Commitment to Social Justice: University Union Student Programming Board; • Large Event: UGA Relay for Life; • Small Event: Women in Science; • Innovative Initiative: Student Government Association; • New Organization: End It Movement; • Organizational Collaboration: Black Male Leadership Society and the UGA chapter of NAACP; • Organizational Improvement: Abeneefoo Kuo Honor Society; • Pillar of the Community: Claire Gordon, Rotaract; • Service to the Community, Large Organization: Camp Kesem; • Service to the Community, Small Organization: Service Ambassadors; and • Cross-Cultural Awareness: World Ambassadors. This year, 117 nominations were submitted. A panel of 42 faculty and staff members judged the nominations.
Bulletin Board Faculty Learning Communities
The Center for Teaching and Learning at UGA will support Faculty Learning Communities for the 20162017 academic year. Faculty interested in proposing a topic for the coming year and/or facilitating an FLC should complete the form at http://ctl.uga.edu/flc/future-flc by 5 p.m. on April 20. Email questions about the FLC program to Chase Hagood, tchagood@ uga.edu. More information about CTL’s FLC program is at http://ctl.uga.edu/flc.
CSO spring pottery sale
The UGA Ceramic Student Organization will hold a spring pottery sale April 20-21 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the first floor lobby of the Lamar Dodd School of Art. Works for sale will include handbuilt sculptures for home and garden as well as functional pottery: teapots, mugs, boxes, plates, vases and bowls. All works were made by ceramic students or faculty. Prices will start at $10. For more information, contact Ted Saupe at tsaupe@uga.edu.
Learning Technologies Grants
The Center for Teaching and Learning is accepting proposals until April 29 for its 2016-2017 Learning Technologies Grants Program. Projects must focus on the innovative use of technology to assist students in meeting the educational objectives of their academic programs. Grant award recipients will be announced by June 15. Funds will be disbursed as soon as possible during FY17. Complete details about the program, including proposal requirements, are at http://www.ctl.uga.edu/ltg. Send questions about the program to Eddie Watson, director of the
CTL, at edwatson@uga.edu.
Family communication study
Researchers in the psychology department are conducting a study to learn more about how families communicate about emotions in their marital and parenting relationships. Those eligible to participate in the study must be married and have a child between the ages of 7-11. Participation in the study will involve completing questionnaires at home and a one-time campus visit of one to two hours to the psychology building. Both parents and the child are required to attend the session together. Participating families will receive $75. For more information, call 706-542-1299 or email ugamarriagelab@ gmail.com.
Breast cancer survivors study
The HEELS Study (Healthy Eating, Mindfulness, Exercise and Lifestyle in Breast Cancer Survivors) is recruiting breast cancer survivors for a study. There is an immediate need for female breast cancer survivors age 50 or older with a body mass index of 25 or greater (overweight or obese) who are able to perform moderate-intensity exercise (like brisk walking). Participants may be asked to attend study sessions at the UGA Health Sciences Campus once a week for eight weeks. Participants will receive an incentive valued at $185 for completing the study. Those interested should call 706-713-2721 and leave a message. For questions about the study, call Lilian Sattler at 706-542-1040. Bulletin Board is limited to information that may pertain to a majority of faculty and staff members.
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countless people and wildlife in the area,” said Joel Siebentritt, manager of Cancer Support Services at ARMC.“The bottom line is Athens Regional’s Healing Garden doesn’t just impact our patients and their families. (It) brings benefit to our 3,000 hospital employees and the neighborhood as well.” Wood is following a long legacy of UGA students who have contributed to the Healing Garden. Students under the lead of now Professor Emeritus Marguerite Koepke, an expert in therapeutic landscapes, helped lay the groundwork for the garden.They surveyed the lot, took inventory of existing vegetation and developed creative proposals to maximize the use of the space to meet its therapeutic goals. “I think students take home a lot more when they get their fingernails dirty, when they’re holding onto plants,” Wood said. “It helps them realize they really can have an impact on the environment if they want to.” UGA’s involvement has been complemented by assistance from partners within ARMC including facilities management, Athens Regional Auxiliary and the Athens Regional Foundation. Financial support has come from UGA’s River Basin Center, UGA’s Office of STEM Education, the Oconee River Audubon Society, the State Botanical Garden, Lowe’s and Home Depot. The result is tremendous activity in the garden over the past five years. Recent improvements include the installation of the Meditation Garden, a labyrinth of paved walkways and bridges giving access to garden features and viewpoints; a children’s play scape; and additional plantings to accent the various garden elements. Read more at discover.uga.edu.
PEABODY from page 1 Peabody Award-winning show that has become a TV and viral sensation. On television he also has appeared in USA’s Playing House, Adult Swim’s Children’s Hospital and NBC’s Parks & Recreation, and was a series regular on FOX’s MADtv for six seasons and CBS’ Gary Unmarried. In film, Key recently completed production on Peter Atencio’s Keanu (a Warner Bros. release set for April 29). He also recently completed production on Mike Birbiglia’s comedy Don’t Think Twice opposite Gillian Jacobs; is currently in production on John Hamburg’s Why Him?, which opens this November. The Peabody 30 will be revealed in a succession of announcements by category, beginning April 19 with the news, radio/podcast, public service and Web winners via Facebook Live. Entertainment and children’s/youth winners will be announced April 21 on The Today Show and documentary and educational winners via Facebook Live on April 26. As part of the week leading up to the Peabody Awards gala, several New York events will also be held to commemorate the 75th anniversary. On May 18, the cast and showrunner of one of this year’s winners will be present for a screening and discussion, sponsored by Pivot, which will take place at the New York Institute of Technology auditorium. On May 19, Peabody will look back across the career of Sheila Nevins and a selection of the 49 Peabody winners that the HBO documentary unit has won over the last 35 years. The gala will be televised in a 90-minute special, The 75th Anniversary Peabody Awards, airing on June 6 at 8 p.m. on Pivot. The complete list of 60 Peabody Awards finalists is at http://t.uga.edu/2ef.
LECTURE from page 1 the Provost’s Office and the School of Public and International Affairs. Perry will be participating via videoconference from Stanford University, where he is a senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. Students from Georgia Tech will be participating in the discussion, as well, with UGA Meigs and Regents Professor Loch Johnson moderating questions submitted via the Twitter hashtag #UGACharter16. “The SPIA faculty, students and staff are deeply honored that Sen. Nunn and Secretary Perry will deliver the Charter Lecture on April 26,” said SPIA Dean Stefanie Lindquist. “Sen. Nunn and Secretary Perry have contributed enormously to our national security and defense, and we look forward to their unique insights into these
areas so critical to our students’ and our nation’s future.” Nunn is co-chairman and chief executive officer of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works to prevent the use and spread of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, and he served as a U.S. senator from Georgia from 1972 to 1996. Perry is an emeritus NTI board member who served as secretary of defense from 1994 to 1997. “Safeguarding and sustaining our world is a Signature Research Theme at the University of Georgia, and Sen. Nunn and Dr. Perry are among the most prominent thought leaders on the critical issue of global nuclear security,” said Provost Pamela Whitten.“Their Charter Lecture will undoubtedly enrich the university’s extraordinary learning environment.”
SEMINAR
FULBRIGHT from page 1
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Scholar in Infectious Diseases and director of UGA’s Center for Vaccines and Immunology, on his work to develop and test a vaccine for the Zika virus. • A dinner with alumnus and NASA program manager Roger Hunter, who will discuss the newest satellite technologies and his role in leading a mission that has discovered more than 1,000 planets. • A talk by alumnus Larry Bowers, chief scientific officer of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, on the deterrence and detection of banned substances in athletics. • Tours of UGA’s new Veterinary Medical Center and a behind-the-scenes hard-hat tour of its Science Learning Center, which will open in August. • A lunch with Vice President for Public Service and Outreach Jennifer Frum, who will share headline-making news in outreach across the state and nation. • A presentation by doctoral student Hannah Morris on her role in an archeological expedition that discovered fossils belonging to a newly discovered species of human. • A private screening of footage from the Peabody Awards Collection in honor of its 75th anniversary. Registration for the three-day seminar is $290 per person, and space is limited. A supplemental evening reception and dining package for non-attendee spouses/guests may be purchased for $115. For more information or to register online, see http://t.uga.edu/2d2.
grant to teach and conduct research. Her host institutions were the School of Public Health at the University of San Francisco Quito and Quito Salud Publica. During her stay, Corso surveyed the impact of a rural nursing intervention program and evaluated the cost-effectiveness of a Quito-based program called Salud al Paso. Several UGA graduate students participating in an MPH internship program accompanied Corso to help complete the data collection and evaluation. • James “Jeb” Byers, associate dean of administrative affairs and a professor of marine ecology in the Odum School of Ecology, will travel to Chile in 2017 to initiate a project examining the ecology of the Chilean coast and to teach a course on invasive species. His host institution is Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile. • Robin Shelton, a professor in Franklin College’s physics and astronomy department, will travel to Berlin in spring 2017 to work on galactic computer simulations. The simulations will help determine whether some of the enormous clouds of gas that astronomers have found falling into the Milky Way galaxy are related to the spiderweb-like structure of material that stretches across the universe, called the “cosmic web.” • Carolina Acosta-Alzuru, an associate professor in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, traveled to Chile for four weeks in spring 2015 on a Fulbright Specialist grant.