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UGA research takes aim at curbing unnecessary antibiotic prescribing RESEARCH NEWS
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School of Music announces 2017-2018 Thursday Scholarship Series lineup Vol. 45, No. 4
August 21, 2017
www.columns.uga.edu
UGA GUIDE
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University continues to invest in faculty with $2M initiative
By Kellyn Amodeo
kwamodeo@uga.edu
File photo
A variety of workforce development and work-based learning initiatives will be offered to local youth starting this fall.
Future promise
UGA to support Athens youth through career development partnership By Kellyn Amodeo
kwamodeo@uga.edu
As a result of President Jere W. Morehead’s meetings with community leaders in April, the University of Georgia will be offering workforce development and work-based learning initiatives to local youth beginning this fall. Morehead’s conversation centered on economic development and education, and how the university can play a role in both areas. “One of the priorities of the University of Georgia is to support the Athens community,” Morehead said. “The goals of these programs are to promote the importance of graduation and prepare students for the workforce. Students will gain practical experience that they will carry for years to come, as well as gain exposure to the University of Georgia and all we have to offer.”
UGA has joined the Great Promise Partnership, a program implemented in the Clarke County School District and coordinated through the Georgia Department of Community Affairs that connects organizations with local atrisk youth through part-time jobs. “After hearing the community feedback, this partnership seemed to be a natural connection for the university,” said Alison McCullick, director of community relations for the UGA Office of Government Relations. “GPP has been a successful workforce development program across the state of Georgia for five years, and as the largest employer in Clarke County, the university was interested in becoming engaged.” Through GPP, part-time jobs will be offered to students at risk of dropping out of high school to provide practical workforce experience, as well as extra support and
mentoring opportunities to keep students on track for graduation. Part-time job placement will begin in the spring of 2018. In addition to GPP, the University of Georgia will offer internships across the university to encourage work-based learning development. Internships will be based in a student’s field of interest and will directly relate to academic goals set by the students. Internships will be available in multiple areas such as the College of Education, the Office of Research and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, with more opportunities being added throughout the year. The UGA Small Business Development Center, a public service and outreach unit, will also be involved, hosting a seminar this fall for the participants covering job skills, job traits that employers value once a job offer is received See PARTNERSHIP on page 8
OUTREACH NEWS
The University of Georgia has made another major investment to enhance research and education at America’s first public university. The $2 million initiative, launched by President Jere W. Morehead, provides startup funding to recruit new faculty to establish their research programs at UGA. “Faculty are the lifeblood of the University of Georgia—driving our vital missions of teaching, research and service,” said Morehead. “This latest effort will provide valuable startup funding to target outstanding scholars who can help
the university expand its impact on individuals and communities across this state and around the world.” Funds provided through this initiative will be matched by unit-level support to help fill 16 critical faculty positions across eight schools and colleges. The new faculty will be located in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the College of Pharmacy, the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, the School of Social Work, the School of Public and International Affairs, the College of Public
See FACULTY on page 8
INSTITUTE FOR CYBERSECURITY AND PRIVACY
New designation highlights UGA’s role in cybersecurity research By Sam Fahmy
sfahmy@uga.edu
The University of Georgia has been named a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Research, a designation that underscores the role the university plays in advancing technology, policy and practices that strengthen America’s cyber defense capabilities. UGA is one of just 71 institutions nationwide to hold this joint National Security Agency/ Department of Homeland Security designation and, along with Georgia Tech, one of two CAE-R institutions in Georgia. “I am pleased that the University of Georgia is being recognized as a national leader in this area of critical importance,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “Thanks to the
dedication of our faculty and the breadth of our research, instruction and outreach activities, UGA is uniquely positioned to advance the cybersecurity capabilities of our state and nation.” To receive designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Research, an institution must have a high level of research activity and meet several criteria for cyber defense research, student training and overall impact. Faculty members in the university’s Institute for Cybersecurity and Privacy, one of the institutes affiliated with the Georgia Informatics Institutes for Research and Education at UGA, conduct research in network and system security, web security, security for mobile devices and the Internet of See CYBERSECURITY on page 8
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
UGA students build bridges with students during Construction begins next month welcome visits to two Athens-area high schools within Lake Herrick watershed By Kellyn Amodeo
kwamodeo@uga.edu
More than 60 University of Georgia students traveled to Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central high schools Aug. 11 to welcome incoming students as they started their new year. “This event is like a miniature pep rally for these high school students,” said Arthur Tripp, assistant to the president. “We want our Athens-Clarke County students to know that UGA is a part of their community, and we want to encourage and excite them about the upcoming academic year.”
Cultivating strong community relationships is a priority for UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “I am pleased that we are continuing to develop strong partnerships with UGA and the Athens community that will strengthen our vital relationship,” he said. This is the second year for the event, which is organized by the Office of the President, the Office of Service-Learning and student leaders from across campus. “This is a tri-fold partnership that began with an idea from our students,” Tripp said. The goal is to connect UGA with local high school students so they can begin to see the
University of Georgia as a future destination. “It’s important for these kids to see college students from different backgrounds and realize that they can get here. They can do it, too,” said Taylor Tucker, a second-year student studying international business and marketing. DeAnne Varitek, principal of Cedar Shoals High School, hopes her students see UGA as a viable option after graduation. “We would love to increase the number of students who attend UGA,” she said. “Our students may not go to campus often, and See VISITS on page 8
By Kristen Linthicum coulterk@uga.edu
After a year of intensive planning and design work, the University of Georgia will begin construction next month within the Lake Herrick watershed to enhance water quality and reopen the lake to the public for recreation. “This is an exciting moment for our university community and the broader Athens area,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “This project will not only improve and protect one of the most beautiful natural areas on this campus but also create new opportunities for
recreation, research and experiential learning.” Initial construction will involve two phases with a completion target of summer 2018. The first phase will focus on improving water quality within the watershed by revitalizing the upper pond, which acts as a stilling basin to prevent sediments and pollutants from passing downstream to Lake Herrick and the North Oconee River. This phase will include removing more than 50 years of accumulated sediment, replacing invasive plant materials with native flora and installing multiple
See CONSTRUCTION on page 8
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Commit to Georgia 2018
Why I Give
Name: Lynne M. Sallot, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA Position: Professor Emerita, Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor, Public Relations, Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication
Lynne Sallot
At UGA: 24 years
Beneficiary of her gift to the university: Grady College Public Relations Education Fund Why she contributes: “The PR Education Fund provides travel support for our PR students to participate in national and regional professional conferences. These networking opportunities help our students get internships and jobs. My gifts to the fund have been a natural extension of my commitment to teaching at UGA. When I retired in June, my Grady colleagues and friends in the PR profession contributed more than $5,000 in my name to the fund. That was the best retirement gift ever!”
To make your contribution to the Commit to Georgia Campaign, please contact the Office of Annual Giving at 706-542-8119 or visit give.uga.edu.
Around academe
Two NFL football players retire to pursue doctoral degrees
When Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman John Urschel retired from the NFL July 27, he posted on Twitter that it “wasn’t an easy decision, but I believe it was the right one for me.” According to a story in The Washington Post, Urschel already had plans for his second career. A doctoral candidate in mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Urschel has nine published or accepted research papers to his name, according to the school’s magazine, MIT Technology Review. Urschel isn’t the only NFL player to retire to focus on academia. On July 25, Andrew Hawkins, who had signed a one-year deal with the New England Patriots, ended his career, as well. Hawkins, who earned his master’s degree from Columbia University, said he plans to pursue his doctorate in business and economics.
Improved night bus routes rolled out
News to Use
The Student Government Association, working in collaboration with Auxiliary Services and Transportation and Parking, introduced new night bus routes providing more frequent service to student-identified destinations. The new night bus routes will decrease wait times and provide students with safe transportation while still providing coverage to all areas previously serviced. The new night bus routes will reduce average bus service intervals from 20 to 15 minutes, resulting in an average student wait time reduction from 10 minutes to 7.5 minutes. The routes will increase service on the Family Housing, Milledge and Health Science Campus routes as well as provide students with safe travel to and from North Campus and the Arch. Additionally, the routes will more frequently travel to central and south campuses including the Miller Learning Center, the Tate Student Center, Snelling Dining Hall and all libraries. Night bus routes will now also run until 1 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and until 3 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Also, in response to additional student concerns, the SGA proposal amended the new routes to include a one-year night shuttle service from Soule Hall to apartments along South Milledge Avenue and Riverbend Parkway. The addition of the South Milledge Avenue and Riverbend Parkway service was provided for the students who already had signed leases in this area for the 2017-2018 academic year. Source: Student Government Association
UGA ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
Sanford Stadium construction means changes in west end zone By Sara Freeland freeland@uga.edu
Construction on Sanford Stadium will mean a few changes, mostly in the west end zone, for fans attending football games this fall. The west end zone project aims to add 120,000 square feet to the stadium for a new locker room for the Bulldogs, a recruiting lounge to host and entertain prospects on game day, new restrooms, a larger video board and a new plaza and concession area for game day fans. When finished, the project will make the area similar to Reed Plaza. Construction should be complete in time for the 2018 football season. Because of construction this season, stadium gates will change slightly for fans who usually use gates 1 and 10, which is closest to student seating in sections 138-144. Those gates will be combined into one large gate located at the Tate Student Center. “We would encourage those fans who don’t need to enter there to go to gates 2 or 9 to help with the speed of entry into Sanford,” said Josh Brooks, executive associate athletic director. “We’re also asking fans to get here early to avoid congestion at the gates.” In the west end zone plaza, concessions will be grab ’n go style, and will include hot dogs, pizza and Chick-Fil-A. Portable restrooms will accommodate the fans in that part of the stadium. The Dawg Walk will still take the same path into the stadium. For questions about the project, email facilitysupport@sports.uga.edu.
UGA LIBRARIES
PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH Applications being Institute of Genealogy moves to UGA accepted for grants after nearly six decades in Birmingham By Jean Cleveland
By Christopher James
Grants for libraries, institutions and faculty seeking to convert textbooks and learning materials into more affordable options are available through Affordable Learning Georgia. The University System of Georgia began offering the Textbook Transformation Grants in 2014 to expedite the creation of Open Educational Resources, as well as use of existing materials available in GALILEO and USG libraries. The deadline for applications in this funding cycle is Sept. 29. Grants are available for transformation projects falling into three categories: No or Low-Cost-to-Students Learning Materials, Specific Core Curriculum Courses and a new Mini-Grant category to aid with OER revisions and Ancillary Materials Creation. The maximum award is $10,800 for standard-scale projects (courses with less than 500 students), $30,000 for largescale projects (department-wide projects or individual courses with 500 or more students) and $4,800 for the Mini-Grant category. Proposals will be evaluated on the feasibility of the action plan and adherence to proposal guidelines. Those applying for standard or large-scale transformation grants can do so through Georgia Tech’s CompetitionSpace at https://tinyurl.com/yaus83ma. Mini-Grant applications must be submitted through a Google form. More information about proposal guidelines can be found in the Request for Proposals at https://tinyurl.com/y9eunpaw. Questions should be directed to Jeff Gallant, program manager of Affordable Learning Georgia, at jeff.gallant@usg.edu.
The University of Georgia is helping transform a decades-old institution. The Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research debuted in July at its new home, the UGA Center for Continuing Education & Hotel, after nearly 60 years at Samford University. The second-oldest institute on genealogy in the U.S., the IGHR was able to expand thanks to UGA’s facilities, opening evening classes and the opportunity to offer a family history expo to the public. “We feel like we’re working hard to grow it and build it,” said Laura Carter, IGHR director and Athens resident. “A lot of people would love to attend but don’t know it exists. The University of Georgia just provides resources and has an attitude of public service that many public universities do not have. I’m proud to be a graduate.” This year’s institute, held in July, drew 274 people, 52 more than the previous record. Enthusiasts from 36 states, the District of Columbia and Canada all journeyed to Athens. The weeklong event was centered around a series of courses taught by experts on genealogical research, methodology and subjects. It attracts both careerminded professional genealogists and amateur enthusiasts. Carter said the institute usually hosts around 10 courses each year. The Georgia Center’s 38,000 square feet of meeting space allowed IGHR to feature 11 courses this year with plans to expand to 12 by 2019. UGA was one of 22 sites considered for IGHR after the weeklong institute
jclevela@uga.edu
chtjames@uga.edu
decided to look at new locations two years ago. The Georgia Center offered a centralized location for classes, lodging and meals with space to grow the institute. The UGA Libraries’ extensive trove of records and documents made Athens attractive, as well. UGA is designated a document repository by the federal government, and Carter said both the special collections and law libraries have a broad and deep collection of source material. “Genealogy is more than trees and people,” said Mark Lowe, a veteran IGHR instructor.“Those life stories are best told through records, manuscripts and collections. They’re all right here.” Participants were able to utilize the Athens Library’s Heritage Room as well as the plethora of UGA resources. John Colletta, an author and lecturer who has taught at IGHR for 22 years, said he enjoyed working in Athens. “Laura loves this university and was determined to bring the institute here,” he said. “The libraries have fabulous services. We’re enjoying the change, and I think as word gets out you’ll have more people coming out for the public events.” Count Athens’ Jean Giannasi among that group. A member of the Clarke County Genealogical Society, Giannasi attended Colletta’s lecture on how major weather events can affect pop up in family histories. She said she wants to attend the full institute next year. “Having the institute identified with UGA is major,” Giannasi said. “It’s going to bring people who want to do this to Athens. It’s going to be a big draw.”
RESEARCH NEWS
columns.uga.edu Aug. 21, 2017
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Digest UGA faculty ensemble The Yargo Trio celebrates album release with free recital
File photo
Mark Ebell’s research focuses on finding ways to curb unnecessary antibiotic prescribing, such as a clinical decision rule for diagnosing sinus infections.
‘Signs and symptoms’ UGA research takes aim at curbing unnecessary antibiotic use
By Lauren Baggett lbaggett@uga.edu
Sinus infections are one of the most common reasons patients walk out of the doctor’s office with an antibiotic prescription in hand. The problem is that bacteria cause only about one-third of sinus infections, which means most patients are inappropriately receiving antibiotics. To curb unnecessary antibiotic prescribing, physician and University of Georgia researcher Mark Ebell developed a clinical decision rule for diagnosing sinus infections, or acute rhinosinusitis. In a study appearing in the Annals of Family Medicine, Ebell presents a series of simple, clinical rules that integrate patient symptoms and simple lab tests to accurately detect acute bacterial rhinosinusitis. “A lot of the signs and symptoms of a bacterial sinus infection can be similar to those of a viral respiratory infection,” said Ebell, who is a professor of epidemiology at UGA’s College of Public Health. “It can be difficult to distinguish between the two just using individual signs and symptoms.” Though primary practice guidelines only recommend the use of
antibiotics for patients who have experienced prolonged or severe symptoms, an estimated 72 percent of patients receive an antibiotic. Unnecessary antibiotic use is one of the leading contributors to antibiotic-resistant infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To develop a clinical decision rule for acute bacterial rhinosinusitis, Ebell needed to determine which combination of symptoms and tests best predicted the presence of bacteria and compare the statistical predictor to a reference standard, which is used to confirm its accuracy. A positive bacterial culture of sinus fluid was the preferred reference standard in this study. He and his colleague, Dr. Jens Hansen of Aarhaus University Hospital in Denmark, recorded the symptoms and C-reactive protein levels for 175 patients suspected of having sinus infections. Based on these data, Ebell created a point score that can be used to determine the likelihood that a patient is at low, moderate or high risk for bacterial infection. CRP tests detect inflammation in the body, which can indicate an infection. This is an important component of the point score, Ebell said, though CRP testing is currently unavailable in
most primary care settings in the U.S. “That’s one of the issues we wanted to call attention to,” he said. “This is a test that’s widely used by doctors in Europe, the U.K. and Australia, and has been shown to decrease inappropriate antibiotic use.” Approximately half of patients in the study had a low score, meaning they were low-risk for bacterial infection. Withholding antibiotics from this group could cut the proportion of patients receiving antibiotics in half. CRP tests have been shown to help better diagnose lower respiratory infections, pneumonia and, now, acute bacterial rhinosinusitis. Ebell hopes this study will encourage the Food and Drug Administration to loosen restrictions on its use in primary care clinics. Ebell’s next plan is to perform a randomized clinical trial to test the effectiveness of the point score system, including the use of a CRP test, in clinical practice. “We need to give physicians better tools to support their decision-making, and that can include clinical decision rules and point of care tests like CRP,” Ebell said. “Using these kinds of tools, we can hopefully reduce unnecessary antibiotic use.”
COLLEGE OF FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES
Researcher will use grant to enhance coastal communities By Cal Powell
jcpowell@uga.edu
A UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences researcher has received one of four grants from the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to support projects aimed at enhancing resilience among coastal communities in the Gulf of Mexico region. Denise Lewis, an associate professor in the FACS human development and family science department, was awarded a grant of $3,076,000 to engage with Cambodian and Laotian families in Mobile, Alabama, to determine how individual, family and community-level strengths and vulnerabilities contribute to community health and how individuals use social networks for formal
services to respond to environmental stressors and disasters. Other UGA co-investigators are Desiree Seponski from FACS and Curtis Harris, Sarah DeYoung and Tawny Waltz from the UGA College of Public Health. The project will develop culturally responsive interventions and strategies for increasing community capacity and resilience. Lewis will work in conjunction with the Cambodian Association of Mobile and the Lao Association of Mobile. “A key benefit of this multidisciplinary, community-based participatory research project is the inclusion of community leaders and decisionmakers in each step,” Lewis said. “Our project moves beyond collaboration to a partnership of co-creators of science and practice using culturally responsive methods that identify, prevent and/or
mitigate the effects of catastrophic environmental events to create effective and sustainable outcomes across these two coastal Cambodian and Laotian communities.” All four funded projects will increase understanding of community attributes that influence resilience and develop tools and strategies communities can use to strengthen their resilience, according to a press release from the NASEM. Gulf Coast communities are frequently challenged by a variety of unique environmental stressors stemming from both natural- and human-caused disasters. In recent years, such events have included droughts, hurricanes, sinking coastal areas and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. While adverse events are a major challenge for any community, the degree to which communities effectively respond and recover can differ significantly.
The Yargo Trio—Connie Frigo, associate professor of saxophone; Angela Jones-Reus, professor of flute; and Liza Stepanova, assistant professor of piano—stage one of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music’s first recitals of the 2017-2018 season in Ramsey Concert Hall Aug. 25 at 6 p.m. The trio’s recital is a unique performance that heralds the release of their new album, Voices, Reimagined, and reflects the unconventional nature of their collaboration. While their newly released CD recording mainly focuses on the wind instruments as the equivalent of the human voice, the concert will feature a completely new program, celebrating the vibrant music of France. It ranges from some of the best-known masterworks like Debussy’s Afternoon of a Faune to shorter, lighter pieces, like Bizet’s Children’s Games to Poulenc’s cabaret-style Paths of Love. The majority of the works on the program will showcase arrangements created especially for this performance by D.M.A. saxophone performance student Charlie Young. The performance is presented admission-free, and those unable to attend can watch the concert live at music.uga.edu/streaming.
Center for Teaching and Learning offering new courses, workshops for fall semester
UGA’s Center for Teaching and Learning offers ongoing workshops throughout the year that contribute to the development of the scholarship of teaching and learning for faculty and graduate teaching assistants. Workshops include everything from using technology in the classroom to First-Year Odyssey course development and sessions covering pedagogy, research and mentoring first-year students. The CTL also offers several programs centered on transforming teaching at UGA from several Fellows programs to individual, formative evaluations and customizable, group-based workshops. In addition, the CTL has a new studio available to faculty, instructors and graduate teaching assistants for creating videos for online instruction, documenting small-group discussions, recording presentations, theses or dissertation defenses, practicing presentation skills and a variety of other uses. The One Button Studio, which also includes a green/blue screen for creating visual effects, is a great tool to create engaging content for students. The One Button Studio is a simplified video recording setup that can be used without any previous video production experience. The design of the studio allows users to create highquality and polished video projects without having to know anything about lights and cameras. For a comprehensive list of workshops, events and resources, visit ctl.uga.edu.
Lillian Smith Book Award winners to be honored at AJC Decatur Book Festival
Recipients of the 2017 Lillian Smith Book Award will be honored Sept. 3. Part of the AJC Decatur Book Festival, the Lillian Smith Book Award will be presented at 2:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Decatur Public Library. The University of Georgia Libraries sponsors the book award, in partnership with the Southern Regional Council, the Georgia Center for the Book and Piedmont College, to honor the late author of the 1944 novel Strange Fruit. The books being recognized are Patricia BellScott’s The Firebrand and the First Lady, a portrait of the friendship between human rights activist Pauli Murray and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and Risa Goluboff’s Vagrant Nation, an examination of constitutional changes and their effect on the social reform movements of the 1960s. Bell−Scott is a University of Georgia professor emerita of women’s studies and human development and family science. Goluboff is dean of the University of Virginia School of Law, the Arnold H. Leon Professor of Law and a professor of history.
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4 Aug. 21, 2017 columns.uga.edu
HUGH HODGSON SCHOOL OF MUSIC
UGA LIBRARIES
Papers of ‘extraordinary’ educator, peanut champion added to Hargrett Library By Jean Cleveland jclevela@uga.edu
An extraordinary educator who took over operations of the family farm after his father’s death, Andrew Avery helped create the Decatur County Peanutorama, which highlighted the crop and the surrounding counties’ contribution to its marketing. Avery’s family has donated his papers to the University of Georgia Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library. The donation includes correspondence, photographs, printed material, notes, legal documents, plats and various ephemera. Of note is the scrapbook documenting farm improvements he made for the Atlanta Constitution’s Plant-to-Prosper contest of 1938, which he won, as well as several photographs of schools he was involved with in southwest Georgia. Avery (1901-1990) attended Young Harris College, graduating in 1927, and the University of Georgia, graduating in 1929. He taught in Whigham, Hahira and Mt. Pleasant before being elected Decatur County superintendent of schools, serving from 1932-1948, then ran for a seat in the state Senate in 1948. Avery was recognized as making unusual and extraordinary contributions to public education in Georgia. In addition to serving the boys and girls of Decatur County, Avery was active in state and national education activities. He spearheaded the drive for free textbooks and rural library services in Georgia. In 1938, M.D. Collins, Georgia state superintendent of schools, presented Avery to the annual meeting of the National Education Association as the “man who has given free textbooks to the children of Georgia and library service to the rural children.” During Avery’s three terms as NEA vice president, he traveled extensively to lobby for federal financial aid to education, especially vocational agricultural education. “Daddy’s recognition by the state superintendent of schools as the one who spearheaded the drive for the legislation that provided free textbooks in all Georgia schools is partially evidenced by papers in the collection,” said his son, Daniel Avery. “The collection contains the original surveys sent to and returned to Daddy by county and city school superintendents in Georgia. The original summary of this survey is in the collection and was used to support his efforts in his work with legislators.” Previously the Averys donated a collection of home movies to UGA’s Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection. The films picture scenes of South Georgia and elsewhere from the 1930s to mid-1950s. Over the years, he made several films about Decatur County for historic and educational purposes and to promote local agribusiness. Avery produced the short film Footsteps of Progress in the Flint River Valley, which is a compilation of silent footage he shot in black and white and color. The film features agriculture, education, business and religion in Decatur County and Southwest Georgia. Avery pushed hard for the peanut business in Georgia and gave away bags of peanuts constantly until his death. Also included in the amateur footage is a hospital built in Bainbridge by African-American physician Joseph Howard Griffin, who built a small hospital for black people in the 1930s, and in the early 1950s built a larger hospital with $250,000 of his own money.
Clarke Schwabe
UGA String Project students display their completion certificates alongside their instructors, Hodgson School music education students, at the conclusion of their spring performance in Hodgson Concert Hall last April.
Lessons into practice UGA String Project creates unique musical experience for college and grade school students
By Clarke Schwabe ccschwabe@uga.edu
Every April, dozens of elementary and middle school students take the stage of the University of Georgia Performing Arts Center’s 1,100-seat Hodgson Concert Hall. The music education majors who instructed them for a year or more introduce them, conduct them and play alongside them. At the end, when families crowd forward with cellphones pointed to the stage, the schoolchildren hold their certificates, the college students stand behind them, and the group smiles wide, all accomplished after a year of work. For 16 years, the UGA String Project has given music education students a chance to begin putting their lessons into practice by offering lessons of their own: string education for elementary and middle school-aged children that is affordable and, increasingly, rare. “The benefits of starting music lessons on an instrument in elementary school have been well documented, but since none of the area public schools has a string program at the elementary school level, the UGA String Project provides families with a low-cost opportunity for their children to begin learning violin, viola, cello or bass,” said Ruth Monson, co-director of the project since 2009.
Music education students from the Hugh Hodgson School of Music work with their professors to discuss and design lessons for their elementary and middle school-aged students, who often don’t have access to string education programs or couldn’t afford private lessons. Classes begin each fall (preceded by an annual informational open house/ instrument petting zoo at the Hodgson School—this year’s is set for Aug. 28 at 6 p.m.) and continue through the spring, culminating in a public performance. Created in 2001, the project is the product of a grant from the National String Project Consortium, secured for the Hodgson School by David Starkweather, professor of cello and the project’s original director. Michael Heald, associate professor of violin, succeeded Starkweather, and Skip Taylor, associate professor of music and current chair of the music education area, became the current head of the project in the 2008-2009 academic year. One of Taylor’s first moves as director strengthened ties between the project and Clarke County schools. The project was in need of a new practice space after busing Clarke County students to campus became inconvenient and other School of Music areas’ demand for space grew. “I decided to make a connection with Barrow Elementary School, who I had
already worked with, to rent rooms for our marching band camps,” said Taylor. “Principal Ellen Sabatini was and has been absolutely wonderful—she offered up the space to us at no cost. The staff over there are all troopers, helping make sure we have what we need.” Establishing that relationship between the UGA String Project and Clarke County schools became the first step in expanding the reach of the Hodgson School’s after-school music programs. Today, many string project students who are ACC residents get extra support through need-based tuition scholarships and the use of an instrument courtesy of Clarke County schools. AthFest Educates and Ronald Sachs Violins donated tens of thousands of dollars-worth of instruments to this end. Additionally, the success of the string project has spurred the creation of the ACC School Band Project and the Boys & Girls Club String and Drum Project, opening up access to low-cost music education to more students. And the project’s reputation continues to expand even today. Over the summer, Hodgson School students traveled to Albany to take lead roles in the Georgia Music Foundation’s summer music camp at the Thornton Park Boys & Girls Club.
FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
UGA primatologist provides gorilla vocals in ‘Planet of the Apes’ film By Alan Flurry
aflurry@uga.edu
Recordings of gorilla sounds are extremely rare, so sounds used in the entertainment industry are generally not obtained from actual gorillas. In films, they are usually portrayed as screaming, aggressive beasts, when they are actually the opposite. For this summer’s blockbuster War for the Planet of the Apes, the filmmakers contacted the University of Georgia’s Roberta Salmi, assistant professor in the Franklin College of Arts and Science anthropology department. For Salmi, who has published extensive research on vocal communication of western gorillas, it wasn’t the first time that Hollywood had come calling. In April 2014, Salmi was contacted by Douglas Murray, the supervising sound director for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. He learned about her from a Wired Magazine article describing her research on vocal communication of wild western gorillas. “The article was based on my Ph.D. dissertation, for which I spent 18 months in the forest of the Northern
Republic of Congo collecting over 2,000 recordings of gorillas’ vocalizations,” Salmi said. “Since the gorillas I followed every day in the Republic of Congo were fully habituated to humans, I was able to record all kinds of calls, which allowed me to describe their entire vocal repertoire and contextual use.” Murray said that even though the movie was nearly finished, they wanted to Roberta Salmi make the apes’ vocalizations sound more realistic than in the previous film of the series. “The animals were played by real actors and the actors themselves were making the apes’ sounds when the recordings were not available, based on recordings from other films and documentaries,” Salmi said. “Unfortunately, they didn’t have many gorilla close calls, since these sounds are very difficult to record.” Gorillas live in small groups, typically one male and a few females with infants. In these relatively cohesive units they “chat” with each other quite often, eight calls per hour on average, Salmi said.
Once Salmi and Murray reached an agreement on their collaboration with the film project, she prepared a file with more than 40 calls of male and female gorillas from different contexts (aggression, while resting, feeding, moving) and a detailed explanation of when each call was used. “Twentieth Century Fox really needed high-quality sounds and were very happy with what I provided,” Salmi said. In October 2016, Murray contacted Salmi again as they were working on a new movie in the Planet of the Apes series to request authorization to use the calls from the previous film. Salmi also provided new calls as well as professional services as a consultant. For the new film, they also wanted to record vocalizations first hand in a few zoos, for which Salmi suggested Zoo Atlanta, where she has conducted research since 2014. “They have the largest number of captive gorillas in the U.S. and the staff there is great,” Salmi said. “Doug was able to record some calls in Atlanta—but he soon realized how difficult it is to collect good sounds even in captive settings, since gorillas are sensitive to big equipment and new people.”
UGAGUIDE
columns.uga.edu Aug. 21, 2017
For a complete listing of events, check the Master Calendar on the Web (calendar.uga.edu/). The following events are open to the public, unless otherwise specified. Dates, times and locations may change without advance notice.
EXHIBITIONS
The Genius of Martin Johnson Heade. Through Sept. 10. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu
Avocation to Vocation: Prints by F. Townsend Morgan. Through Sept. 10. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu Modern Living: Gio Ponti and the 20thCentury Aesthetics of Design. Through Sept. 17. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu. Gold-digging in Georgia: America’s First Gold Rush? Through Dec. 5. Special collections libraries. 706-542-8079. jclevela@uga.edu
MONDAY, AUG. 21
SANFORD STADIUM ECLIPSE VIEWING PARTY View the total solar eclipse and enjoy views from around the world on the Jumbotron, learning activities, special guests, giveaways and more. Approximately 10,000 free viewing glasses will be available with the first 5,000 guests receiving free UGA-themed viewing glasses. 1 p.m. Sanford Stadium. STATE BOTANICAL GARDEN ECLIPSE VIEWING PARTY Visit the State Botanical Garden as the sun, moon and earth align. There will be a supply of viewing glasses plus snacks, beverages, live music and games inside the air-conditioned conservatory. Free, but online registration
HODGSON SCHOOL OF MUSIC UNVEILS FLAGSHIP CONCERT SERIES LINEUP
requested. 1:30 p.m. Visitor Center and Back Plaza. 706-542-6014.
TUESDAY, AUG. 22 REST OF THE STORY BOOK CLUB Monthly book club with light refreshments and discussion on works connected to upcoming/ongoing exhibitions, programs and collections at the special collections libraries. August’s selection: Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition by Daniel Okrent. 5:30 p.m. Room 258, special collections libraries. 706-542-5788. jhebbard@uga.edu
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 23 TOUR AT TWO Hillary Brown, director of communications, will lead a tour of Avocation to Vocation: Prints by F. Townsend Morgan. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu OPENING RECEPTION Opening reception for a display in the Circle Gallery on the work of landscape architect Warren H. Manning. 4:30 p.m. Circle Gallery, Jackson Street Building. 706-542-8292. mtufts@uga.edu
THURSDAY, AUG. 24 WUGA OPEN HOUSE Open house and tour of radio station with live music. 10 a.m. WUGA Radio Studios, Room 134, Georgia Center. 706-542-9842. thaxtona@uga.edu (See story, page 7). Dan Bara, director of choral activities, conducts the Hodgson Singers, the Hodgson School’s premier choral ensemble, during a November 2016 performance. The Hodgson Singers perform twice in the 2017-2018 Thursday Scholarship Series.
By Clarke Schwabe ccschwabe@uga.edu
Athens’ storied musical tradition continues with the 2017-2018 Thursday Scholarship Series, the flagship concert series from the Hugh Hodgson School of Music. The concert series, which continues the tradition of “Music Appreciation Programs” started by Hugh Hodgson in the 1930s, features the finest ensembles, faculty and students from the University of Georgia’s music school each month of the fall and spring semesters. Proceeds from the series are a major funding source for many students’ music scholarships and graduate assistantships. “The students we teach, the faculty we have, the concerts we host are all extraordinary, and this is due, in no small part, to the support we get from the community,” said Dale Monson, director of the Hodgson School. “We are thrilled to provide that community with the slate of excellent performances we have this year.” Familiar major ensembles like the UGA Symphony Orchestra, Hodgson Wind Ensemble and Hodgson Singers each have their own performances in this year’s series, but they will also be a part of several unique performances throughout the year: the UGASO’s Concerto Competition Concert, which features outstanding student soloists; and a rare, combined performance from the Hodgson Singers and HWE. Other concerts in the series range from traditional, audience favorites like Professor of Piano Evgeny Rivkin’s solo concert and the UGA Holiday Concerts to adventurous new concerts like a faculty and student wind chamber music showcase and a special concert celebrating women in music. Season subscriptions and individual tickets are available for purchase at pac.uga.edu. Individual tickets to Thursday Scholarship Series concerts are $20 each or $6 for students and children. The complete calendar for the 2017-2018 Thursday Scholarship Series is at music.uga.edu/ticketed-events. The UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music sponsors more than 350 performances each year. To view the performance calendar, subscribe to the weekly email concert listing or learn more about the School of Music, go to music.uga.edu. Calendar items are taken from Columns files and from the university’s Master Calendar, maintained by Marketing & Communications. Notices are published as space permits, with priority given to items of multidisciplinary interest. The Master Calendar is available at calendar.uga.edu/.
BOARD MEETING The Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art board of directors will hold the first meeting of the academic year, and all members of the museum are welcome to attend. Please RSVP to gmoarsvp@ uga.edu or 706-542-4199. 5:30 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu ITALIANS AND DESIGN FILM SERIES In conjunction with Modern Living: Gio Ponti and the 20th-Century Aesthetics of Design. Each film will include a 15-minute introduction by a guest speaker and short conversations about the film following the screening. Amare Gio Ponti presents a picture of the man, the architect, aspiring painter and Italian designer. (2015, NR. 34 min.) 7 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu (See story, above.)
FRIDAY, AUG. 25 VOLLEYBALL vs. Presbyterian College. Part of the Benson Hospitality Invitational. 11:30 a.m. Ramsey Student Center. 706-542-1621. MRI SAFETY TRAINING Monthly MRI safety training for researchers working within the BioImaging Research Center. 2:30 p.m. 339 Paul D. Coverdell Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences. 706-583-5548. kmason@uga.edu VOLLEYBALL vs. George Mason. Part of the Benson Hospitality Invitational. 7 p.m. Ramsey
GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART TO SHOW FREE ITALIAN FILM SERIES
By Michael Lachowski mlachow@uga.edu
This fall, the Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia has organized a film series focusing on Italians and design in conjunction with the exhibition Modern Living: Gio Ponti and the 20th-Century Aesthetics of Design, on view through Sept. 17. Ponti (1891-1979) is widely recognized as the father of modern Italian design. In addition to creating architecture, furniture, decorative art and industrial products, he also participated in international design exhibitions and contributed to design magazines, all of which spread his influence far and wide. The four films will screen on consecutive Thursdays at 7 p.m. in the museum’s M. Smith Griffith Auditorium. Each film will open with a 15-minute introduction by a guest speaker and close with a short conversation. All films are open free to the public. The documentary Amare Gio Ponti will screen on Aug. 24 and presents a picture of the man, the architect, aspiring painter and Italian designer who tried it all—from the design of a door handle to the formulation of a town plan. (2015, NR. 34 min.) The 1954 classic La Strada, by director Federico Fellini, will screen on Aug. 31. Set in a seedy traveling carnival, this symbolism-laden drama was the winner of the first official Academy Award for best foreign-language film. It stars Giulietta Masina and Anthony Quinn. (NR. 108 min.) Design Is One: Lella and Massimo Vignelli will screen Sept. 7. Through their firm Vignelli Associates, the couple’s wide-ranging work included housewares and furniture design, logos, signage and the iconic 1972 New York City Subway map. (2013, NR. 86 min.) The series will close Sept. 14 with a screening of La Dolce Vita. One of Fellini’s most celebrated films, the drama presents a series of stories following a week in the life of a philandering paparazzo journalist living in Rome. It stars Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg. (1960, NR. 180 min.) The Italians and Design film series is sponsored by the UGA Parents Leadership Council. Student Center. 706-542-1621.
SATURDAY, AUG. 26 RAMBLE Join participants for a ramble as they walk through the Hummingbird Trail to find the hummingbird’s secret hiding places. Feel free to bring a camera or binoculars. 9 a.m. Meet at the fountain in front of the Visitor Center, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014. DAWG DAY OF SERVICE Dawg Day of Service seeks to realize the university’s commitment through a campus-wide, visible day of service event open to the entire University of Georgia community. Participants will volunteer at different sites around the Athens-Clarke County area. 9 a.m. Grand Hall, Tate Student Center. 404-790-7569. kelly.carter25@uga. edu CLASS Plant conservation surveys threats to biodiversity in Georgia and worldwide, examples of rare plant research, techniques for restoration and reintroduction, and ways individuals and organizations are making a difference in protecting the rare plants of Georgia. $105. 9 a.m. Mimsie Lanier Center for Native Plants, State Botanical Garden of Georgia. 706-542-6014.
SUNDAY, AUG. 27 EXHIBIT OPENING The Meet Your Neighbors photo exhibit
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.
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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.
brings attendees face-to-face with birds, bugs, snakes, frogs and other animals found locally. Athens photographers Chuck Murphy and Jena Johnson will exhibit photographs they’ve created for the project. 2 p.m. Visitor Center, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6014.
MONDAY, AUG. 28 WUGA ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION WUGA 30th Anniversary Celebration with Steve Inskeep, host of NPR’s Morning Edition. $50 per person. 6 p.m. Athens Cotton Press, 149 Oneta Street, Athens. 706-542-9842. thaxtona@uga. edu (See story, page 7). UGA STRING PROJECT OPEN HOUSE The UGA String Project will hold an informational open house and instrument “petting zoo.” Meet the String Project staff, hear and try out the various instruments offered for instruction and get information about instrument rental. 6 p.m. Room 200, Hugh Hodgson School of Music. 706-542-3737, 706-542-2776. ugasp@uga.edu cftaylor@uga.edu (See story, page 4).
COMING UP ECOLOGY SEMINAR Aug. 29. “Why Do Immune Systems Harm Their Bearers: Evolutionary Ecology of Self-reactive Immunity,” Andrea Graham, Princeton University. Reception follows at 4:30 p.m. Seminar is hosted by Sonia Altizer and Pejman Rohani. 3:30 p.m. Auditorium, ecology building. 706-542-7247. bethgav@uga.edu
NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES Aug. 23 (for Sept. 5 issue) Aug. 30 (for Sept. 11 issue) Sept. 6 (for Sept. 18 issue)
6 Aug. 21 , 2017 columns.uga.edu
CAMPUS CLOSEUP
SCHOOL OF LAW
Kathleen Doty named director of Dean Rusk International Law Center Kathleen A. Doty has been appointed the director of the Dean Rusk International Law Center at the University of Georgia School of Law. She will be assisted by two faculty co-directors, Diane Marie Amann and Harlan G. Cohen. Doty’s appointment took effect on Aug. 1. Since May 2017, she had served as the center’s interim director. Doty joined the law school in 2015, serving first as associate director of global practice preparation and then as director of global practice preparation. Her portfolio included planning and the implementation of lectures, conferences and other events; research projects; advising stuKathleen Doty dents interested in global legal practice; administering the Global Externships initiative; and coordinating and serving as a faculty member in the Global Governance Summer School, a 10-day offering in Europe conducted in partnership with the Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies at the University of Leuven, Belgium. As director, Doty will oversee both global practice preparation and international professional education, including the Master of Laws degree for foreign-trained lawyers. Her duties as a member of the law faculty will include teaching the “Legal System of the United States” course to Master of Laws candidates. “We are very pleased that Kate Doty has agreed to take on this leadership role at the law school. I am confident that the center will benefit from her energy and extensive experience in the practice of international law,” School of Law Dean Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge said. This autumn, the center will celebrate its 40th birthday. Its namesake is Dean Rusk, who was a law professor at UGA after serving as secretary of state to Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. The center serves as the law school’s international law and policy nucleus for education, scholarship and other collaborations among faculty and students, the law school community and diverse local and global partners. U.S. News & World Report ranks the law school’s international law program 18th among U.S. law schools. Doty will be the fifth person to lead the center, following in the footsteps of Fredrick W. Huszagh,Thomas J. Schoenbaum, Gabriel M. Wilner, former Ambassador C. Donald Johnson Jr. and, most recently, Diane Marie Amann. Amann will serve as the center’s faculty co-director with Cohen, who holds the Wilner/UGA Foundation Professorship in International Law. He is an international economic law expert and also serves as the managing editor of AJIL Unbound, the online platform of the American Journal of International Law. Before joining UGA, Doty practiced treaty law in Washington, D.C., as assistant counsel for arms control and international law at the Office of the General Counsel, Strategic Systems Programs, U.S. Department of the Navy. Before that, she was attorney-editor at the D.C.-based American Society of International Law, where her duties included managing the American Journal of International Law and editing publications like ASIL Insights, International Law in Brief, International Legal Materials and the Benchbook on International Law. Her published writings cover issues such as the European Court of Human Rights, refugee law, transitional justice and the U.S. military commissions at Guantanamo. She serves in leadership roles for the American Society of International Law, as chair of its Non-Proliferation, Arms Control, and Disarmament Interest Group and vice chair of its Lieber Society on the Law of Armed Conflict.
Alison McCullick finds ways to bring UGA and Athens-Clarke County together in new partnerships and programs.
Dorothy Kozlowski
Director of community relations builds new UGA, ACC partnerships By Krista Richmond krichmond@uga.edu
Alison McCullick has a knack for bringing people together. And her position as director of community relations allows her to do just that for UGA and the Athens-Clarke County community. “The university, being the largest employer in the community, plays an important role in Athens. But at the same time, the university benefits from this community,” she said. “We both have a vested interest in each other and grow stronger by working together.” McCullick’s deep love for Athens started young—she grew up here before attending Furman University. She then spent two years working in intergovernmental affairs at the White House in former President Bill Clinton’s administration before returning to Athens to get her Master of Public Administration from UGA. McCullick then worked in state government for seven years before serving as the director of outreach and communications for the AU/UGA Medical Partnership. She joined UGA’s Office of Government Relations in her current position in January 2016. “To me, community relations is about looking at those partnerships that currently exist and seeing how we might be able to enhance them as we move forward,” she said. “We are intertwined in many different ways.” For McCullick, community relations isn’t just an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
position. She’s always listening for input “from the ground,” whether that is attending a County Commission meeting or having a conversation with a neighbor at the grocery store. Her goal is to connect all members of the community with UGA and explore opportunities for collaborating on efforts that are important to residents, as well as students, faculty and staff. One of the more recent programs McCullick helped coordinate is called North of the Arch. The partnership with the Athens Downtown Development Authority provided UGA freshmen with an opportunity to get to know downtown Athens. Held Aug. 19, the event included stops everywhere from the Board of Elections office to local stores and restaurants. “We’re hoping that we can catch students in their first year and say ‘Look at all the opportunities Athens has to offer,’ ” she said. Other partnerships in which McCullick is involved include workforce development opportunities (see story, page 1); events that provide engagement opportunities between Clarke County School District students, their families and the university; and promoting existing partnerships that local residents can participate in, such as Small Business Development Center classes, student-led service projects, and personal and family clinics, such as the Aspire Clinic. As part of her outreach, the Office of Community Relations recently launched an online
FACTS
Alison Bracewell McCullick
Director of Community Relations Office of Government Relations BA, English and Political Science, Furman University, 1995 MPA, Public Policy, University of Georgia, 1999 At UGA: 10 years
presence highlighting opportunities for community members to take advantage of whatever their interests might be. (See Cybersights, page 7.) McCullick said what drives her is feeling like she’s helped someone and those moments when “you can tell that you helped a project move forward.” Outside of her official position, McCullick looks forward to being involved in her daughter’s new school, Clarke Middle School; serves on the board of the Clarke County Mentor Program, which includes more than 250 UGA student mentors; sits on the Athens Rotary Club board; and serves on the St. Mary’s Foundation board. She enjoys reading, traveling with her family and running, having participated in the AthHalf half marathon three times. “I never thought I’d end up back in my hometown,” she said, “but I wouldn’t trade it for anything at this point.”
FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
Geography professor to receive American Meteorological Society award By Alan Flurry
aflurry@uga.edu
Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor Marshall Shepherd will receive the 2018 Helmut E. Landsberg Award from the American Meteorological Society. The award, which recognizes major advances in understanding urban impacts on rainfall climatology and for assessing the socio-economic value of urban precipitation forecasts, will be presented to Shepherd Jan. 10 at the AMS Awards banquet. “This award speaks to Dr. Shepherd’s level of influence in his field and the value of his research to the world,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “The University of Georgia is very proud of this significant accomplishment.” Professor of geography and director of UGA’s atmospheric sciences program, Shepherd is a leading international expert in weather, climate and remote sensing. In addition to his
work in the classroom and published scholarship, Shepherd serves as host of The Weather Channel’s Sunday talk show Weather Geeks and is a contributor to Forbes Magazine. He served as president of the American Meteorological Society in 2013. “To be recognized by peers with one of the more significant awards in my field is particularly humbling and affirms that Marshall Shepherd our body of work on how urbanization impacts weather and climate is having an impact,” Shepherd said.“The Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professorship and sustained funding from NASA have enabled us to build a world-class research group on urban weather and climate at the University of Georgia. We are now attracting or retaining some of the best and brightest graduate students
because of our work.” Helmut Erich Landsberg was a noted and influential climatologist and an important figure in meteorology and atmospheric science in education, public service and administration. The Landsberg Award recognizes contributions to the fields of urban meteorology, climatology or hydrology that provide an improved understanding of atmospheric processes in urban environments, enhanced urban meteorological or air quality forecasting capabilities or advances in identifying and quantifying beneficial and adverse impacts in urban areas. “This significant honor underscores the pace-setting nature of Dr. Shepherd’s scholarship,” said Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Pamela Whitten. “He is a leader in his field, conducting research with implications for health, safety and the economy while also educating students on campus and advancing the public’s understanding and appreciation of science.”
DIVISION OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
columns.uga.edu Aug. 21, 2017
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WUGA by the numbers First day on air: Aug. 28, 1987 Longest running local show: African Perspectives, hosted by Akinloye Ojo, which began late in 1997 Hours on the air: 262,800 hours
File photo
Robb Holmes, WUGA-FM’s music director from 1986-2011, first signed WUGA on the air a little before 6 a.m. on Aug. 28, 1987. The station is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
‘It started with an idea’ WUGA-FM celebrates 30 years on the air
By Sara Freeland freeland@uga.edu
The Classic City’s own WUGA-FM first hit the airwaves 30 years ago this month, bringing with it National Public Radio’s signature blend of local programming, news and music. A little before 6 a.m. on Aug. 28, 1987, Robb Holmes welcomed new listeners to the station with the words “This is WUGA Athens, now beginning regular broadcast. “I got about halfway through the first sentence and realized I’d forgotten how to breathe,” joked Holmes, the station’s music director from 1986 until his retirement in 2011. His announcement was followed by a similar welcome from Edward Simpson, director of the Georgia Center, the public service and outreach unit that oversaw the radio station. At the time, National Public Radio was a must-have for a major research institution and an important part of faculty recruitment, said Holmes. The station started with a 1984 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and a staff of two, who helped get things up and running. But things didn’t always go smoothly.
The station did on-air testing for weeks, and then the Friday before the original sign-on date, the station found out the transmitting antennae hadn’t received FCC approvals. Simpson said the station built a lot of anticipation. “It took three years to get everything lined up,” he said. “It started it with an idea, and all kinds of crazy problems. “It was wonderful to see it happen, and that we made it happen,” he said. “And people would probably come to the barricade with torches if you took away WUGA now.” In fact, WUGA almost wasn’t WUGA. Originally, staffers wanted the call letters WLLL, a reference to the Georgia Center’s slogan of “life-long learning.” But because those letters were assigned to a gospel radio station in Lynchburg, Virginia, the station went with WUGA. The station wasn’t that different than it is now. It began with Morning Edition, the middle of the day was devoted to music programs, the late afternoon broadcast All Things Considered and local news. The first day was a Friday, so the night was filled with jazz, while weeknights were devoted to classical music, Holmes said. Technology is the biggest change at the station. Gone are the days of reel-to-reel audio and cutting tape with razor blades.
WEEKLY READER
Book shows Selma through photography
Black Belt Color: Photographs by Jerry Siegel By Jerry Siegel Georgia Museum of Art Hardcover: $30
Black Belt Color: Photographs by Jerry Siegel represents a project that started decades ago. Born and raised in Selma, Alabama, photographer Jerry Siegel has spent years documenting his hometown and the surrounding area. These images set forth the unique cultural landscape of that area, known as the Black Belt. The book includes 65 full-color, full-page images of Siegel’s photographs of the Black Belt from the 1990s to the present decade, including seven panoramic fold-outs. It features an essay by William U. Eiland, director of the Georgia Museum of Art; a brief essay by the late Alabama writer Mary Ward Brown (who was a close friend of Siegel’s); and a long interview. Eiland, a fellow native of the region, writes, “These photographs speak of deep attachment, of reasoned critique, of the vagaries of memory. ... He has stories to tell, a time and place to document and plenty of territory to cover in doing so.”
“In 1987, your announcer had to set up the recorder, tune the satellite receiver and start the tape rolling at the right time, which was tricky because it was usually at the top of the hour and they were busy doing something else,” said Holmes. Now the station uses digital files and a digital automation system that can provide broadcast service in the evenings and overnight hours even when no staff is onsite. The station, which operates through a partnership between UGA and Georgia Public Broadcasting, has won numerous state and national awards over the years. Centerlines, a daily 15-minute magazine of local news and events, received national awards in the ’80s and ’90s. The Commons, a daily half-hour program was twice judged best in the nation by public radio news directors around the country. Mary Kay Mitchell, WUGA’s news director from 1987 until her retirement in 2011, received more than 100 state and national awards as well as the key to AthensClarke County for her news coverage. Most recently, WUGA’s 2016 election night coverage received the Merit Award from the Georgia Association of Broadcasters. Notable alumni over the years include Angela Elam, who joined the station midway through its first year. She’s currently the producer and host of the independent, nationally syndicated program, New Letters on the Air. National radio guests Fred Child and Lisa Simeone have visited WUGA over the years. WUGA has hosted production and broadcasts of several national radio programs, including Marketplace, Mountain Stage and eTown, which recorded a sold-out concert in April at the Georgia Theatre. The station, which in 2004 became part of UGA’s Office of Public Affairs, now Division of Marketing & Communications, also hosts Artist in Residence events and the Athens Jazz Festival in the fall. As for the station’s legacy, Abbie Thaxton, WUGA’s traffic director and an employee since 1987, said she thinks it’s the local programming that’s really become part of the Athens culture. From shows like Pajama Time, a 1987 program airing children’s bedtime stories, to shows like Athens News Matters, she said the station tries hard to make “programs for everyone. To give them something local.” WUGA currently produces 11 weekly and monthly news, informational and entertainment programs with the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Terry College of Business, the student volunteer group Athenia and several independent Athens-based producers. Holmes said he’s often shocked to meet young adults who tell him, “I grew up listening to you,” but that’s he’s proud WUGA has been there, providing people with information and cultural experiences that might not otherwise have been accessible. “I think that does make a difference in the community,” he said.
CYBERSIGHTS
ABOUT COLUMNS Columns is available to the community by subscription for an annual fee of $20 (secondclass delivery) or $40 (first-class delivery). Faculty and staff members with a disability may call 706-542-8017 for assistance in obtaining this publication in an alternate format. Columns staff can be reached at 706-542-8017 or columns@uga.edu
Community relations resources now online
http://www.uga.edu/information/community/ As part of UGA’s efforts to further enhance relationships between the campus and Athens-Clarke County, the Office of Community Relations has launched an online presence that serves as a portal to on- and off-campus news, events, information and resources. The “Be involved. Stay informed” section has links to some of UGA’s most popular offerings such as athletic events, the Georgia Museum of Art, the Performing
Arts Center and the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Community Practice Clinic. The “Community Impact” section contains links to information about ongoing partnerships in which local community members can participate, ranging from arts and culture, business, community development, continuing education, education and youth, the environment, health, to personal and family programs.
Editor Juliett Dinkins Art Director Jackie Baxter Roberts Photo Editor Dorothy Kozlowski Writer Leigh Beeson Communications Coordinator Krista Richmond The University of Georgia is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action. The University of Georgia is a unit of the University System of Georgia.
8 Aug. 21, 2017 columns.uga.edu
CONSTRUCTION from page 1
Peter Frey
stormwater control measures, among other improvements. The second phase will expand recreational opportunities at Lake Herrick by improving conditions around the pavilion area. A lakeside lawn for passive recreation and events will be developed, and a stepped dock will be constructed for launching canoes and kayaks in the lake. A lakeside walking and running trail also will be installed in the second phase. This project, announced by Morehead during his 2016 State of the University Address, has developed through broad collaboration across UGA. An interdisciplinary team of faculty, staff and students helped to define the project timeline, identify related research and experiential learning opportunities and secure private funding. “Renewed use of Lake Herrick will provide unique outdoor learning and recreation opportunities to students and community members,” according to Kevin Kirsche, UGA’s director of sustainability, “hopefully inspiring healthy activity, an enhanced sense of place and a growing appreciation for the natural treasures right here on our own campus.” Private support is playing a critical role in advancing the watershed cleanup and lakefront renovation. The Georgia Power Company—one of UGA’s key corporate partners—has donated $300,000 to support the project, and the Riverview Foundation also has contributed funds. The Office of the President—as the lead campus partner
on the project—has allocated $250,000 in private resources toward the effort. “Georgia Power has a longstanding history of working with UGA, and we are proud to partner with them on the restoration of Lake Herrick’s watershed,” said Chris Cummiskey, Georgia Power’s executive vice president of external affairs. “Our commitment to this project, and others like it, reinforces our philosophy to be ‘A Citizen Wherever We Serve’ and provide a sustainable environment to be enjoyed by the community today and into the future.” The Lake Herrick restoration project is one of several strategic initiatives launched in recent years to advance campus sustainability. In 2015, UGA replaced an aging coal-fired boiler with a more cost-effective and energyefficient electrode boiler. In 2016, UGA partnered with Georgia Power to install a solar tracking and demonstration project to offset a portion of campus energy use through on-site renewable sources and to create solar energy research and learning opportunities for faculty and students. In addition, UGA is in the process of converting one-third of its buses to electric vehicles, reducing fuel use, operating costs and tailpipe emissions in the nation’s largest campus transit system. Access to UGA’s Recreational Sports Complex, Oconee Forest Park and the Outdoor Challenge Course will be maintained during construction activities in the Lake Herrick watershed this fall. More information on the Lake Herrick project is available at https://sustainability.uga.edu/lakeherrick.
Chad Osburn
GETTING TO KNOW UGA—First-year
VISITS from page 1
students kicked off their collegiate careers during Freshman Welcome, held Aug. 13 at Sanford Stadium. The Class of 2021 gathered to hear from the Student Alumni Association and the Student Government Association and learn traditions for cheering at UGA football games. They also heard from campus leaders, including President Jere W. Morehead. The event ended with a class photo in the form of a “Power G.”
FACULTY from page 1 Health and the Odum School of Ecology. “These critical investments in new faculty members will help advance the university’s signature research themes of improving human health, safeguarding and sustaining our world and fostering economic vitality,” said Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Pamela Whitten. The startup research initiative continues a series of strategic investments since July 2013 to strengthen even further the university’s world-class faculty. Past efforts have helped to reduce class sizes, expand research in key areas of strengths—such as infectious disease and informatics—and foster interdisciplinary scholarship and education on campus. “The research enterprise at UGA is booming, and the faculty hired through this exciting new initiative will help to maintain our positive momentum,” said David Lee, vice president for research. “More importantly, however, these individuals will help the institution expand the frontiers of knowledge and address pressing challenges across the range of human experience.”
Dorothy Kozlowski
Chad Osburn
PARTNERSHIP from page 1 and opportunities to continue to grow and develop once the job has begun. Johnelle Simpson, Great Promise Partnership and work-based learning coordinator with the Clarke County School District, is eager to work alongside the university. “I’m excited that the University of Georgia will be partnering with the Great Promise Partnership Program and the Clarke County School District to providing work-based learning opportunities to students,” he said. “This collaboration is a win-win situation for everyone—schools, businesses, students and the community.” To read more about UGA’s involvement with the Athens community, see Campus Closeup on page 6 and Cybersights on page 7.
Bulletin Board Football season tickets
Due to a large quantity of tickets returned from all visiting teams, the UGA Athletic Association is offering 600 nonrenewable season tickets on sale to the general public. Season tickets are adjacent, but assignments may vary game to game due to seat locations returned from the visiting teams. Season tickets are $430 (due to pricing associated with visiting team allotments) and can be purchased online at https://tinyurl.com/y7ogohad or by calling 1-877-542-1231.
In the past, the UGA Athletic Association has offered visiting team returned tickets as single game options. The UGA Athletic Association has received tickets back from all visiting teams this year, and therefore is offering the maximum number of full season tickets available based on quantities returned from each school. Orders will be sold and filled on first-come, first-served basis. Bulletin Board is limited to information that may pertain to a majority of faculty and staff members.
UGA students participate at the local high school welcome event at Cedar Shoals High School, welcoming and encouraging students as they start their first week of classes.
this event brings campus to us. Any time we can bring UGA to the minds of our students, it brings them one step closer to attending UGA, and one step closer to earning a college education.” Rashaad Pierre, a fifth-year student majoring in communication studies, was one of the students who helped bring this idea to fruition last year. “We want these students to know that we are a resource to them,” he said. “This event
helps me see that I’m more than a UGA student. I’m part of a community, and I want to be an active part while I’m here in Athens.” Pierre hopes this program will create a culture of partnership between UGA and the community that lasts beyond his time in Athens. “In the future, I want this event to be embraced by the community and to become a tradition,” he said. “I want these communities to come together for our future leaders.”
CYBERSECURITY from page 1 Things, and cybercrime attribution, among several other areas. Their work has been funded by agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency, and National Science Foundation, as well as through industry partners such as Intel and Cisco Systems. A DHS grant to associate professor of computer science Roberto Perdisci, for example, is supporting the transition to market of a system known as AMICO that he and his colleagues created to defend computer networks from malicious software. An NSF grant to computer science professor Kang Li, who directs the ICSP, is enabling the creation of open-source software to enhance the security of cloud computing. “The goal of the Institute for Cybersecurity and Privacy is to become a state hub for cybersecurity research and education, including multidisciplinary programs and research, outreach activities and industry partnership,” Li said. “By working together, we can help meet our nation’s cybersecurity needs.” Increased cybersecurity research activity at UGA has been accompanied by growth
in the number of students earning degrees related to cybersecurity at the undergraduate and graduate levels. With funding from the NSF, Li and Perdisci are developing and evaluating cybersecurity educational materials for undergraduates. This fall UGA launched its Informatics Certificate Program to prepare students across campus for careers involving big data, and the department of computer science recently launched a graduate certificate program in cybersecurity. Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Pamela Whitten noted that the university’s designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Research comes at a time when the institution is making dramatic strides in research and instruction related to big data. The university now boasts nearly 170 faculty members whose work involves big data, cybersecurity and related fields. “Cybersecurity touches nearly aspect of modern life, and our designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Research is a testament to the quality of our faculty and the far-reaching impact of their work,” Whitten said.