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Federal legislative staffers get firsthand look at UGA research efforts CAMPUS NEWS
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UGA Symphony Orchestra to open concert season for Thursday Scholarship Series
August 29, 2016
Vol. 44, No. 6
columns.uga.edu
jhataway@uga.edu
Peter Frey
Officials gather to cut the ribbon at the dedication of the Science Learning Center on Aug. 17. The facility is now open for classes and houses instructional spaces to facilitate the most effective STEM teaching methods.
Dedicated to learning New building will provide strong foundation in sciences at UGA student collaboration. “This impressive facility represents a transformation of science education at the University of Georgia,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “We are especially grateful to Gov. Deal, the General Assembly and the board of regents for their support.” With updated instructional spaces to facilitate the most effective science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, teaching methods, the Science Learning Center is geared toward retaining and recruiting more STEM majors with the goal of increasing the number of students who pursue careers in these fields. The facility represents the university’s mission of teaching and learning, according to University System of Georgia Chancellor
Hank Huckaby. “How exciting it is to have this facility come into being in a time when, more than ever, we need to be more productive, more efficient and more successful in producing the young people, particularly young scientists, of tomorrow, because they are the key to quality of economic viability of this nation for many years to come,” Huckaby said.“I look forward to the great things that will come from the graduates who will study here.” Others speaking at the ribboncutting ceremony were Gregory Robinson, UGA Foundation Distinguished Professor in Chemistry, and Hayley Schroeder, an undergraduate Honors student majoring in ecology and entomology. “When I first came to UGA See DEDICATION on page 4
CENTER FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING
Former LSU administrator to open CTL’s National Speaker Series at Aug. 29 events By Beatriz Lima-Silva bea22@uga.edu
Three nationally recognized experts on student learning will visit UGA this fall as part of the Center for Teaching and Learning’s National Speaker Series, presentations and workshops for faculty and graduate assistants. The National Speaker Series begins Aug. 29 with Saundra Yancy McGuire, director emerita of the Center for Academic Success and former assistant vice chancellor and professor of chemistry at Louisiana State University. She will present a series of lectures on m etacognition
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UGA researchers work to pave way for new type of vaccines By James Hataway
UGA dedicated its 122,500-square-foot Science Learning Center on Aug. 17. An estimated 10,00012,000 students will use the building each day for classes in chemistry, biology, physics, ecology, math, computer science and genetics. The three-story facility, which opened Aug. 11 for fall semester classes, aims to provide a strong foundation in the sciences at UGA. Supported by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and funded by Gov. Nathan Deal and the Georgia General Assembly, the center cost $48 million and includes 33 instructional labs, two 280-seat lecture halls, two 72-seat SCALE-UP (Student-Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs) classrooms as well as spaces for informal
UGA GUIDE
Saundra McGuire
Henry Roediger
as a key to student success and learning, drawing upon her 2015 book Teach Students How to Learn. At 6 p.m. that same day, she will lead the session “Metacognition: The Key to Acing
Kate McConnell
Courses.” This additional sess i o n i s d esigned specifically for undergraduates, and faculty are encouraged to recommend this talk to their
students. The second set of lectures in the National Speaker Series, focusing on learning and memory, will be presented Sept. 12 See SPEAKERS on page 8
UGA researchers are working to develop a new generation of vaccines to protect against a variety of bacterial infections. Fikri Avci, an assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and a member of UGA’s Center for Molecular Medicine, is leading a project that will improve understanding of the fundamental molecular mechanisms involved in creating new vaccines that seek out carbohydrates found on the surface of pathogens. His work, which is supported by a $1.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, may ultimately pave the way for vaccines
that are more efficacious and easier to produce. Carbohydrates, or glycans, adorn the surface of nearly every cell in the human body, but they are also found on bacteria, viruses and cancerous cells. The carbohydrates on different cells carry unique signatures, and the immune system can be trained to recognize and attack specific cell types based on these hallmarks. “One of the problems in the field of carbohydrate vaccine research is that a lot of work is based on trial and error,” Avci said. “Scientists will identify a vaccine target and measure its protective capacity to conclude that it works or not. “ B u t w e d o n ’t h a v e a good understanding of what is
See VACCINES on page 8
ODUM SCHOOL OF ECOLOGY
Ecologists create framework for predicting new infectious diseases By Beth Gavrilles bethgav@uga.edu
UGA ecologists are leading a global effort to predict where new infectious diseases are likely to emerge. In a paper published in Ecology Letters, they describe how macroecology, the study of ecological patterns and processes across broad scales of time and space, can provide valuable insights about disease. “Applying the tools and perspectives of macroecology can enhance our understanding of disease ecology and large-scale patterns of disease diversity,” said the study’s lead author, Patrick R. Stephens of UGA’s Odum School of Ecology. “It can also do something that other
existing widespread approaches can’t, which is to help us predict where new unknown diseases might come from.” The need to make such predictions is increasingly pressing. Infectious diseases cause some 9.6 million deaths each year. Roughly 60 percent of those diseases originate in wild animals before jumping to people. Human population growth, encroachment into areas where wildlife live and increasing international trade and travel all combine to raise the chances that new diseases will emerge and spread. The paper reviews the research in the relatively new discipline of macroecology, covering important
See DISEASES on page 8
UGA LIBRARIES
Country music’s Bill Anderson to read from new autobiography By Jean Cleveland jclevela@uga.edu
Country music star “Whisperin’ Bill” Anderson will return to Athens Sept. 7 to perform specially selected songs and read from his autobiography, now out from the University of Georgia Press. Known as “Whisperin’ Bill” to generations of fans for his soft vocalizations and spoken lyrics, Anderson is the only songwriter in country music history to have a song on the charts in each of the past seven decades. A UGA graduate and member of the Grand Ole Opry, Anderson will be at
the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries for the event, which begins at 4 p.m. It is open free to the public and a reception will follow, giving visitors an opportunity to see an exhibit drawn from Anderson’s collection of memorabilia. Reservations are requested by Aug. 31 to Leandra Nessel at libdevelopment@uga.edu or 706-542-3879. Whisperin’ Bill: An Unprecedented Life in Country Music is a revealing portrait of Anderson, one of the most prolific songwriters in the history of country music. Mega
See AUTOBIOGRAPHY on page 8
2 Aug. 29, 2016 columns.uga.edu
OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Around academe
Department of Education tests new loan counseling strategies
In an effort to ease the burden of student loans, the U.S. Department of Education is testing how more financial counseling can help college students handle debt and manage schoolwork. Loan counseling is currently only required twice—before students take out federal loans and after they receive their degree or leave school. In a new program, participating universities will mandate students receive additional loan counseling. The department also recently created StudentLoans.gov/Repay to help students determine their best loan repayment option by answering five yes-or-no questions.
Fulbright teaching program in Turkey suspended for academic year
Citing security concerns, the U.S. State Department has suspended the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Program in Turkey for the academic year, according to The New York Times. Turkey and its institutions of higher education are still reeling from an attempted coup in July. Since the coup, every university dean in Turkey was forced to resign. Fulbright research grants in Turkey have not been affected.
As summer ends, take steps to limit your family’s exposure to mosquitoes
News to Use
Although school is back in session, Georgians won’t be giving up on summer fun just yet. In fact, many of us may be spending even more time outside as it starts to cool off in September and October. Unfortunately, mosquitoes will be with us until it’s time to go in and turn on the heat. Here are some tips for limiting your family’s exposure to mosquitoes. • Make sure there is no standing water on your property or near your home. Mosquitoes can breed in as little as a teaspoon of water, and that means everything from a bottle cap to the tarp covering the patio furniture is fair game. • Get in the habit of looking for mosquito habitats every two weeks or whenever you mow the grass. • Use EPA-approved mosquito repellents when playing or working outdoors. Repellents that use DEET are the most tested and are approved for children 2 months old and older, but some other ingredients have also been approved by the EPA, two of which are derived from natural materials. Visit http://tinyurl.com/ hbalmjh to find a repellent that meets your family’s needs. • Never let children apply repellents themselves. Adults should apply them to their hands and rub them on their child’s arms and legs. • Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeve shirts and pants whenever possible. Source: College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Jackie Baxter Roberts
Congressional staff members get taste of UGA’s coastline research By James Lichtenwalter
james.lichtenwal25@uga.edu
At UGA’s special collections libraries—about a four-hour drive from the Atlantic Ocean—a group of federal legislative staff members got a firsthand taste of the university’s research efforts and facilities on the state’s coastline. Their sampling included tastetesting shrimp possibly afflicted with black gill, observing clam formations, and learning about the projects and studies the university is overseeing. The event was one of four presentations that were part of this year’s Federal Legislative Retreat. On Aug. 18 and 19, staff members for both of Georgia’s U.S. senators, Johnny Isakson and David Perdue; 12 of the state’s 14 House seats; and the Senate Appropriations Committee attended the retreat. “This is a great opportunity for UGA faculty to highlight their research and work to national policy makers,” said Andrew Dill, director of federal relations in the university’s Office of Government Relations. “This event allows congressional staff to experience firsthand the impact federal investment has on research and innovation at UGA and beyond.” The event is also important because many faculty members and their research projects receive funding from federal organizations such as the
Peter Frey
Tom Bliss, director of the shellfish research lab, shows aspects of oyster aquaculture to staffers taking part in the Federal Legislative Retreat.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. During the “UGA on the Coast” presentation, the 38 staffers heard from four faculty members who oversee and conduct marine-related research: Merryl Alber, director of the UGA Marine Institute on Sapelo Island; Clark Alexander, interim executive director of the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography; Mark Risse, director of the Marine Extension Service and Georgia Sea Grant, a public service and outreach unit; and Daniela Di Iorio, chair of the marine sciences department, which is based in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. After the presentation, the
legislative staffers broke into smaller groups and visited five stations for more in-depth presentations from faculty on the university’s marine-related research. One station was devoted to the seafood industry—and had the black gill shrimp taste test—while another featured faculty discussing the water quality of coastal waters and a third explained the use of “gliders” that can travel in the ocean for months gathering data. Other presentations included an overview of all the university’s research as well as sessions on regenerative medicine, agricultural research, textiles, vaccines, 3-D technology, the music business and a discussion of the 2016 election.
ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGE
OBITUARIES
Engineering college names new associate dean for student success, outreach
UGA mourns passing of two staff members
By Mike Wooten
mwooten@uga.edu
Stephan Durham, an associate professor of civil engineering, has been appointed to the new position of assistant dean for student success and outreach for the College of Engineering. “Dr. Durham has been an excellent instructor, scholar and colleague, and our college and its students will benefit greatly from his leadership and vision,” said Donald J. Leo, dean of the engineering college. “Dr. Durham is passionate about enhancing the engineering student experience at UGA and has had tremendous success with Stephan Durham our civil engineering program.” In his new role, Durham will develop and execute professional development activities for undergraduate and graduate students; coordinate nominations and student applications for fellowships, scholarships and travel awards; lead the college’s student ambassador program; and support and coordinate student club activities. Durham also will work to enhance the college’s internship and cooperative education programs by strengthening relations between the college and its partners in business and industry. “My passion is teaching and helping young people grow into successful engineers,” said Durham, who will continue teaching civil engineering courses. Durham joined the engineering faculty as an associate professor and program coordinator for civil engineering in 2012. In this position, he helped develop the college’s new undergraduate degree program in civil engineering. Durham earned his doctorate in civil engineering with a structural engineering emphasis from the University of Arkansas. Durham has received a number of accolades for this work, including the 2016 UGA College of Engineering Award for Excellence in Instruction and the 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers Georgia Section President’s Award. The Georgia Engineering Alliance named Durham its 2013 Georgia Engineer of the Year in Education. He received the University of Arkansas College of Engineering Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 2012.
UGA is mourning the recent deaths of two longtime staff members. Shannon Lay, a student accounts manager in the Division of Finance and Administration, died Aug. 2 of cancer, and Jeff Whitfield, a veteran of the UGA Police Department, died Aug. 16 following an automobile crash near his home in Jefferson. Born in Athens, Lay graduated from Oconee County High School in 1987. She received her bachelor’s Shannon Lay degree from Augusta College and her M.B.A. from Brenau College. Lay began her employment at UGA in 1996 in the College of Pharmacy. She then worked in Food Sciences before joining Student Accounts in October 1998. Lay, who was 47, is survived by Mitch, her husband of 28 years; daughter, Mendi; and son, Drew. A service for Lay was held Aug. 6. Whitfield, who had a 20-year career with the UGA Police Department, most recently served as a patrol lieutenant. Whitfield also taught police courses on health and wellness, mental health and crisis intervention. He was commander of the department’s crisis negotiations team. Whitfield graduated from high Jeff Whitfield school in 1978 and went on to serve in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He joined the UGA Police Department in 1982. After reaching the rank of lieutenant, Whitfield left in 1988 to become a U.S. Army medevac pilot where he flew helicopter rescue missions during the Gulf War in Kuwait. He left the U.S. Army in 1992 and returned to the UGA Police Department as a lieutenant. Within a year, Whitfield became chief of the Jefferson Police Department and later went on to be deputy chief of the Bibb County Board of Education Police Department. He worked for the FBI as a special agent until returning to the UGA Police Department in 2003. Whitfield, who was 56, is survived by his wife, Cindy, and two sons, Tyler and Kevin. A funeral for Whitfield was held Aug. 20 in Jefferson.
RESEARCH NEWS
columns.uga.edu Aug. 29, 2016
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Digest ‘Welcome Home’ reception to be held for UGA Olympians, Paralympians
UGA athletes and coaches who participated in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games—as well as those scheduled to compete at the upcoming Paralympic Games—will be celebrated Aug. 31 at a “Welcome Home’’ reception, presented by Athens BMW, on the UGA campus in Athens. Open free to the public, the reception will take place from 5-7 p.m. in the third-floor rotunda of the Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall. Commemorative posters, courtesy of Athens BMW, will be available for autographs from the Olympians. UGA’s contingent of 37 athletes and coaches at the Olympics in Rio represents the greatest number in school history. Dorothy Kozlowski
Research led by Dexi Liu, UGA’s Panoz Professor of Pharmacy, suggests that switching your diet at regular intervals can help prevent obesity and control body weight.
Healthy exchange
Alternating diet between high fat and nutritionally balanced foods may help control obesity By James Hataway hataway@uga.edu
Researchers at UGA’s College of Pharmacy have discovered that alternating between a high fat and a more nutritionally balanced diet at regular intervals may help prevent or treat obesity and its associated metabolic disorders. They published their findings recently in the journal Scientific Reports. For their study, scientists fed mice a high fat diet for five days before switching the animals to regular feed for a period of one, two or five days. They repeated this cycle for several weeks and observed the effects. They found that switching to a regular diet for two or five days between periods of high fat intake not only helped control body weight, it also improved insulin sensitivity and prevented the accumulation of fat in the liver, two common side effects of obesity. “Maintaining a proper diet requires a lot of willpower, and one of the problems we see very often with modern weight loss programs is that people cannot sustain a restricted diet over long periods of time,” said Dexi Liu,
the Panoz Professor of Pharmacy at UGA. “The temptation to eat becomes overwhelming, and many people end up regaining the weight they’ve lost, so we wanted to see if there may be an alternative to these diets.” Mice were allowed to eat as much food as they wanted during every phase of the study. The researchers also maintained two control groups, one which received only a high fat diet and another that received only regular feed. While mice that received only a high fat diet predictably gained weight, those fed an alternating diet closely mirrored the control group that received only regular feed in terms of their body weight, liver health and glucose sensitivity. “The mice that received an alternating diet maintained body weight similar to mice that only received a regular diet,” Liu said. “They also had much lower levels of inflammation, which can contribute to the development of metabolic disorders like diabetes.” Liu and his co-authors Yongjie Ma and Mingming Gao also found that an alternating diet can reverse obesity
in mice. To test this, they fed a group of obese mice an alternating diet for five weeks, which led to a 12 percent reduction in fat mass compared to control animals. “These results suggest that it may be possible to eat the foods you like, and to do so with pleasure, as long as those habits are tempered with periods of rest,” Liu said. While he cautions that their results in an animal model do not necessarily translate directly to humans, Liu and his colleagues think that an alternating diet similar to the one used in their experiments could serve as the foundation for new dietary guidelines. “Obesity is a complex disorder, and there are many factors that can contribute to excessive weight gain,” Liu said. “There are, for example, genetic differences that may influence how easily a person gains or loses weight, but we believe that diet is still the dominant factor. “Ultimately, we want to find ways to help make people healthy, and an alternating diet may be a more practical way for people to live a healthier life,” he also said.
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
Study: Ultrasound reliable in measuring health By Kristen Morales kmorales@uga.edu
To explore the relationship between the percentage of fat in muscle and overall health, UGA graduate student Hui-Ju Young began looking into ways to use ultrasound to measure muscle health. She had no idea her research would be based on cattle—and cuts of beef. But as it turns out, a similar ultrasound technique used by ranchers to measure muscle mass in cows and bulls in an effort to produce offspring with similar qualities also can be used to estimate the amount of fat in human muscle. Except in Young’s research, the end result translates into a more accurate measurement of overall health, not the marbling in a cut of beef. In a study recently published in
the journal Muscle & Nerve, Young compared percent fat obtained with ultrasound to other health indicators, such as body mass index and fitness level, to determine if there is a relationship between the percent of muscle fat and a person’s overall health. “Once I came out with that percent fat, I wanted to compare it to other health indicators,” said Young, who is now a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Alabama at Birmingham/ Lakeshore Research Collaborative. While it was a small-scale study, she said her findings show promise in using ultrasound technology as a valid tool to describe muscle health. “There are studies that show intramuscular fat is linked with more severe health conditions, so the ultrasound measurement we came up with, if developed well enough to tease out the
influence of connective tissue on the signal, can be used in clinical settings just like a weight scale,” Young said. This means a 30-second scan, when entered onto a patient’s chart, can give doctors in a variety of settings a clearer picture of a person’s overall health. Plus, it is a valuable tool to examine the muscle composition of people with disabilities or chronic health conditions. Traditionally, the most reliable measurement of overall muscle health has been via an MRI, CT scans or DXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), but if a patient is pregnant, has implanted metal rods or plates, or is obese, this isn’t a viable option. “This study is showing the utility of this measurement,” said Kevin McCully, a professor in the kinesiology department in the UGA College of Education.
BFSO’s annual Founders’ Award Scholarship Luncheon to be held Sept. 9
Shirley Sherrod, executive director for the Southwest Georgia Project, will deliver the keynote address at UGA’s Black Faculty and Staff Organization’s 14th annual Founders’ Award Scholarship Luncheon. It will be held Sept. 9 from noon-1:30 p.m. in the Tate Student Center’s Grand Hall. Proceeds from the luncheon will be used for BFSO activities and the scholarship program, which awards scholarships to outstanding undergraduate, graduate and professional students at UGA. The Southwest Georgia Project is a nonprofit organization that fights social inequality and negative agriculture-related experiences for minorities through education and engagement of local communities. Sherrod also is vice president of development for New Communities at Cypress Pond.
UGA Libraries’ Ready, Steady, Vote! series to open Sept. 13 with FDR author
A collection of photographs and oral historical accounts provide fresh insight into President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s relationship with his adopted state in a book out from the University of Georgia Press. A President in Our Midst: Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Georgia was researched and written by Kaye Lanning Minchew, who retired in 2015 as the executive director of the Troup County Archives. A talk with Minchew will be held Sept. 13 at 4 p.m. in the auditorium of the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries. Open free to the public, the talk will be followed by a reception. A native New Yorker, Roosevelt visited Georgia 41 times between 1924 and 1945. This collection of photographs and remembrances documents the role of Georgia’s people and places in FDR’s rise from his position as a politician daunted by disease to his role as a leader who guided the country through its worst depression and a world war. Seeking relief from the devastating effects of polio, Roosevelt was first drawn to Georgia by the reputed healing powers of the waters at Warm Springs. FDR immediately took to Georgia, and the attraction was mutual. Nearly 200 photos show him working and convalescing at the Little White House, addressing crowds, sparring with reporters, visiting fellow polio patients and touring the countryside. Quotes by Georgians from a variety of backgrounds hint at the countless lives he touched during his time in the state. Minchew’s lecture is the first event in the Ready, Steady, Vote! series to be hosted by the Russell Library this fall. Spotlighting all things presidential during the remaining months of the 2016 election season, the series will include community forums, debate watch events, lectures and performances hosted with campus and community partners. All events in the series are open free to the public. For more information, call 706-542-5788 or visit http://www.rbrl.blogspot.com.
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4 Aug. 29, 2016 columns.uga.edu
Science Learning Center dedicated
Rick O’Quinn
The Science Learning Center will allow faculty to introduce undergraduate students to the “wondrous, captivating and amazing world of science in a state-of-the-art, modern facility,” according to UGA Foundation Distinguished Professor in Chemistry Gregory Robinson, who spoke at the Aug. 17 dedication ceremony.
DEDICATION from page 1 two years ago, I was immediately amazed by the enthusiasm of the faculty and students I encountered,” Schroeder said. “It just took the smallest hint that you were interested in their work, and they were off. Whether it was stream ecology, food systems, medicine or even some unheard-of little insect—after talking to them for a few minutes, suddenly I was excited, too. I believe this contagious excitement, curiosity and inclusive mentality is now embodied by the new Science Learning Center.” Located on the southwest corner of the D.W. Brooks Mall adjacent to Pharmacy South and across from the Miller Plant Sciences Building, the Science Learning Center houses numerous study areas for group projects and individual learning as well as a cafe. Rooms for formal instruction will be Andrew Davis Tucker Andrew Davis Tucker used primarily for introductory courses The Science Learning Center will help UGA produce more young in chemistry, physics, biological sciences The Science Learning Center’s instructional spaces are geared toward retaining and scientists who can contribute to the economic vitality of both the and ecology. recruiting more students majoring in science, technology, engineering or math. state of Georgia and the nation. “With this new facility, the University of Georgia, and indeed the state of Georgia, has thrown down the gauntlet and is sending a clear message: Not only do we accept this responsibility of science education, we fully embrace the challenges that are before us,” Robinson said. “The new Science Learning Center will allow us to introduce the wondrous, captivating and amazing world of science to undergraduate students in a state-of-the-art, modern facility.”
Andrew Davis Tucker
The Science Learning Center has places for informal student collaboration and individual study. Above: Freshman public relations major Jenna Franke from Ocala, Florida, reads on her tablet in a sitting area on the second floor overlooking the main entrance and lobby of the building.
Andrew Davis Tucker
On the first day of fall semester classes, metaphysics and astronomy professor Bill Dennis shows students in his introductory physics class one way to view a wave. The class is being taught in the large auditorium in the Science Learning Center.
UGAGUIDE
columns.uga.edu Aug. 29, 2016
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.
EXHIBITION
PERFORMING ARTS CENTER TEAMS WITH CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER FOR CONCERTS
John Abbot, Early Georgia’s Naturalist Artist. Through Aug. 31. Hargrett Library Galleries, special collections libraries. 706-542-8079.
By Bobby Tyler
MONDAY, AUGUST 29 CTL LEARNING SESSION Saundra Yancy McGuire will lead the session “Metacognition is the Key!,” which is about the importance of helping students acquire simple but effective learning strategies based on cognitive science principles. Participants will engage in interactive reflection activities that will allow them to experience strategies that significantly improve learning while transforming student attitudes about the meaning of learning. 10 a.m. Auditorium, special collections libraries. 706-583-0067. tchagood@uga.edu (See story, page 1). CTL LEARNING SESSION “Metacognition–Key to Accelerated Success for Graduate Students & Their Students.” 2:30 p.m. Reading Room, Miller Learning Center. 706-583-0511. tchagood@uga.edu (See story, page 1). SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS INITIATIVE SEMINAR “Regenerative Agriculture Using Pasture-Based Livestock Systems,” Dennis Hancock, crop and soil sciences department and forage Extension specialist. 3:30 p.m. 103 Conner Hall. 706-542-8084. sustainag@uga.edu
TUESDAY, AUGUST 30 ASSOCIATE PROVOST FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION FINALIST PRESENTATION Jane Gatewood, University of Rochester. 9:30 a.m. 135 Tate Student Center. SWING DANCE NIGHT Casual evening of social swing dancing starts with beginner and intermediate dance lessons from 8-9 p.m. then everyone gathers for social dance from 9-11 p.m. Visitor Center, State Botanical Garden. garden@uga.edu HUGH HODGSON FACULTY SERIES PERFORMANCE David Starkweather, professor of cello. $12; $6 with a UGACard. 8 p.m. Ramsey Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center. 706-542-4752. ccschwabe@uga.edu
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31 CLASS: FLOWER ARRANGING UNIT 1 “Line/Line Mass Design.” $45. 9 a.m. Visitor Center, Gardenside Room, State Botanical Garden. 706-542-6156. WELCOME HOME RECEPTION Honoring UGA athletes and coaches who participated in the 2016 Summer Olympics and those will participate in the Paralympics. 5-7 p.m. Third-floor rotunda, Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall. (See Digest, page 3). TOUR AT TWO: PERMANENT COLLECTION Sarah Kate Gillespie, curator of
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btyler@uga.edu
The UGASO opens its season Sept. 8 with a performance of works from Gioachino Rossini, Manuel de Falla and Dmitri Shostakovich.
Thursday Scholarship Series concert to feature legends, history, superstition By Clarke Schwabe ccschwabe@uga.edu
The UGA Symphony Orchestra will begin its season with a concert in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music’s premier concert series, the Thursday Scholarship Series, Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m. in Hodgson Concert Hall. The orchestra’s program will include unique and storied works from Gioachino Rossini, Manuel de Falla and Dmitri Shostakovich. “This is not your ordinary ‘overture, concerto and a symphony’ program,” said Mark Cedel, director of the UGASO. The program will open with the overture to Rossini’s opera La Gazza Ladra, or The Thieving Magpie, a popular piece with a fanciful legend: It is said that the producer of the opera, before the first performance, locked Rossini in a room to assure the composition of the overture and that Rossini dropped each completed page out of the room’s window to his copyists below. The next piece on the program, “Nuits dans les jardins d’Espagne,” or “Nights in the Gardens of Spain,” by de Falla, refers to the Hispano-Arabic past of de Falla’s native al-Andalus and depicts three gardens in the region. Originally devised for solo piano, de Falla decided to turn it into a piece for piano and orchestra. Martha Thomas, UGA’s Despy Karlas Professor in Piano at the School of Music, will be the piano soloist for the performance. “The de Falla, while not a true concerto, is in the standard threemovement format,” said Cedel. “Virtuosic for the piano, it demands a wide palette of colors from both the soloist and orchestra.” Thomas said that part of what makes this piece unique is how it uses the pianist as both soloist and orchestral player, with piano writing that often imitates guitar and requires techniques rarely found in the traditional piano repertoire. The final piece is Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10, a work notable for its quality but also for its attachment to a popular superstition. “Shostakovich stands tall in his 10th symphony,” said Cedel. “He breaks the stigma that, after Beethoven, no one should compose more that nine symphonies.” Often referred to as the “curse of the ninth,” a belief exists that any composer’s ninth symphony is fated to be the composer’s last. However, while well-known composers like Beethoven and Ralph Vaughan Williams are said to have been subject to this curse, many can be found who produced well beyond nine symphonies, so the belief is widely held to be little more than a curiosity. Still, with words like composer Arnold Schoenberg’s, “Those who have written a Ninth stood too close to the hereafter, ”some level of mystery persists, adding another layer to the UGASO’s September concert. Tickets are available at pac.uga.edu or the PAC box office for $20 or $6 with a UGA student ID. The UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music sponsors more than 350 performances each year. To view the performance calendar, to subscribe to the weekly email concert listing or learn more about the School of Music, visit 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
The UGA Performing Arts Center is once again partnering with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center to present an entire season of concerts in the Franklin College Chamber Music Series. Members of the Chamber Music Society will visit Athens six times during the 2016-2017 season, establishing the greatest presence in one location for CMS outside of New York City. Tickets are now on sale for the Performing Arts Center’s 20162017 season. For more information, visit the Performing Arts Center online at pac.uga.edu or call the box office at 706-542-4400. “This is the world’s premier repertory company for chamber music, and I’m excited about continuing our partnership with them,” said George Foreman, director of the UGA Performing Arts Center. The Franklin College Chamber Music Series will begin Oct. 2 with the program Folk Inspirations, which will feature folk-inspired music by Prokofiev, Bartok and Dvorak. The series will continue with Destination Vienna (Nov. 6), Tutto Italiano (Feb. 26), French Virtuosity (March 21) and Russian Twilight (April 2). The season will conclude May 22 with a tribute to five of America’s master composers, highlighted by a performance of Aaron Copland’s original 1944 version of “Appalachian Spring.” On a related note, the PBS program Live from Lincoln Center will broadcast a documentary Sept. 9 about the Chamber Music Society’s tour to Shaker Village in Kentucky. American art, will lead a tour of the newly reinstalled permanent collection galleries. 2 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu CTL WORKSHOP “Exploring Discussion in the FYO” will explore various discussion strategies by modeling research-based techniques for increased student participation via discussion. 2 p.m. 372 Miller Learning Center. 706-583-0067. tchagood@uga.edu (See story, page 1).
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 ASSOCIATE PROVOST FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION FINALIST PRESENTATION Paul Kaiser, senior World Bank consultant. 9:30 a.m. 135 Tate Student Center. CLASS “Lighting and Flash for Digital Photography.” Class meets Thursdays for two hours through Oct. 6. $179. 6 p.m. Georgia Center for Continuing Education. 706-542-3537. questions@georgiacenter.uga.edu STUDIO WORKSHOP: ABSTRACTION Attendees will join Athens-based artist and educator Brian Hitselberger for a four-part series of studio-based courses that will explore abstraction and nonrepresentational art through various techniques and materials. RSVP to 706-542-8863 or callan@uga.edu Limited to 15 participants. $15. 6:30 p.m. Georgia Museum of Art. 706-542-4662. hazbrown@uga.edu
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 INTERNATIONAL COFFEE HOUR 11:30 a.m. Memorial Hall Ballroom. 706-542-5867. cheeia@uga.edu
TO SUBMIT A LISTING FOR THE MASTER CALENDAR AND COLUMNS Post event information first to the Master Calendar website (calendar.uga.edu/). Listings for Columns are taken from the Master Calendar 12 days before the publication date. Events not posted by then may not be printed in Columns.
Any additional information about the event may be sent directly to Columns. Email is preferred (columns@uga. edu), but materials can be mailed to Columns, Marketing & Communications, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Campus Mail 1999.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 FOOTBALL VS. NORTH CAROLINA Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game on ESPN. 5:30 p.m. Georgia Dome, Atlanta.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 LABOR DAY HOLIDAY No classes; offices closed.
COMING UP STAFF COUNCIL MEETING Sept. 7. 2:30 p.m. 213 Miller Learning Center. mmoore10@uga.edu READING: WHISPERIN’ BILL ANDERSON Sept. 7. Whisperin’ Bill Anderson will read from his new autobiography and will treat the audience to a set of specifically selected songs. RSVP to libdevelopment@uga.edu or 706-542-3879 by Aug. 31. 4 p.m. Grand Hall, special collections libraries. 706-542-3879, lnessel@uga.edu (See story, page 1). THURSDAY SCHOLARSHIP SERIES Sept. 8. The UGA Symphony Orchestra, directed by Mark Cedel, will open its season with Martha Thomas, UGA’s Despy Karlas Professor in Piano. $20; $6 with a UGACard. 7:30 p.m. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall. 706-542-4752, ccschwabe@uga.edu (See story, at left). BFSO FOUNDERS’ SCHOLARSHIP LUNCHEON Sept. 9. Keynote speaker: Shirley Sherrod, executive director, Southwest Georgia Project. $40-$45; $320-$360 for a table of eight. Noon. Grand Hall, Tate Student Center. (See Digest, page 3).
NEXT COLUMNS DEADLINES Aug. 31 (for Sept. 12 issue) Sept. 7 (for Sept. 19 issue) Sept. 14 (for Sept. 26 issue)
6 Aug. 29, 2016 columns.uga.edu
CAMPUS CLOSEUP
Nut crackers
Oxford University researchers believe they have discovered evidence that bearded capuchin monkeys have been using stone tools for centuries to open cashew shells to get to the nut. It already had been established that these monkeys use primitive tools, but the Oxford discovery suggests that the monkeys have “maintained this stone tool tradition, unchanged, for about 100 generations,” according to New Scientist. Dorothy Fragaszy, director of UGA’s Primate Behavior Laboratory, told New Scientist we shouldn’t be surprised by the discovery. “They have methods that work well for them, and the foods they exploit with these tools have remained the same over this period,” said Fragaszy, who also is a professor in Franklin College’s psychology department. “Why should they have modified their technology?”
Tracking Ebola
Using machine learning methods developed for artificial intelligence, a team of researchers, including some from UGA, developed a model to predict bat species most likely to transmit Ebola and other viruses. “Maps generated by the algorithm can help guide targeted surveillance and virus discovery projects,” John Drake, professor in the Odum School of Ecology and a co-author of the study, told The Register, which covers the IT industry. “We suspect there may be other filoviruses waiting to be found. An outstanding question for future work is to investigate why there are so few filovirus spillover events reported for humans and wildlife in Southeast Asia compared to equatorial Africa.”
To rinse or not to rinse pre-washed salads
As pre-packaged, pre-washed salads have made life a little easier for consumers, it also has raised an important question: To rinse or not to rinse? Judy A. Harrison, professor and Extension foods specialist in UGA’s College of Family and Consumer Sciences, told Refinery29 that rinsing pre-washed salads actually could do more harm than good. “[Consumers] are more likely to contaminate the product in their kitchen than they are to remove any harmful microorganisms that had not already been removed by washing during processing,” Harrison said. In fact, salad safety starts with how the greens are grown, picked, packaged and transported. “Once pathogens get on or inside produce, they are difficult—if not impossible—to eliminate,” Harrison said.
Background noise
Background speech, such as from an unwatched TV, can make it harder for toddlers to learn new words, according to a recent study featured in Reuters. One thing parents need to understand is that infants and toddlers aren’t as good at tuning out distractions as adults, said Suneeti Nathani Iyer, an associate professor of speech and language pathology in UGA’s College of Education, who wasn’t involved in the study. “When adults are in the presence of a lot of background noise, we are able to ignore it and focus on what is relevant,” Iyer told Reuters. “Infants appear to not be as good at filtering out background noise and focusing on relevant information.”
A part of history
Dawn Bennett-Alexander, associate professor of law and legal studies at UGA’s Terry College of Business, attended the Democratic National Convention this summer as a Georgia delegate. During that time, she was interviewed by Atlanta TV stations as well as American Public Media’s Marketplace. Bennett-Alexander said the experience of casting a vote for the first female presidential nominee of a major party was significant. “Not only is equality my profession as well as my life’s work,” she said, “but as an AfricanAmerican, it was important to me for my descendants to know that we were a part of history.”
Andrew Davis Tucker
PGA head golf professional Matt Peterson on the third tee at the university’s golf course. Peterson is a 1989 UGA alumnus and former golf team member.
For this former professional golfer, course is about more than the game By Aaron Hale
aahale@uga.edu
For those who love golf, the golf course is a place to compete or to unwind; it can be a place to be alone with one’s thoughts or to socialize and make connections with others. For Matt Peterson, PGA head golf professional and manager of the UGA Golf Course, the university’s course is all of these—but it’s also a 250-acre outdoor classroom, research lab and service opportunity. “There is a lot of potential here, and our doors are open,” Peterson said, who manages day-to-day operations of the course and provides golf instruction. A former professional golfer on the PGA Tour and alumnus of UGA’s golf team, Peterson said he is always looking for new ways for the UGA Golf Course to exemplify the university’s motto: “to teach, to serve and to inquire into the nature of things.” Already, the course hosts classes for students and the UGA community, houses research opportunities for studying turfgrass and ecology and hosts tournaments that serve UGA and the state. For Peterson, it’s all about making the most of this beautifully manicured, 18-hole course, which has played a major role in his professional life. Peterson first played on the UGA Golf Course 31 years ago when he joined the UGA golf team as a freshman. As a student-athlete, he was a three-time All-American and was part
of the 1988 SEC championship team. In 1990, he turned pro, with Athens as his home base. Peterson spent years in the PGA’s developmental tour—currently called the Web.com Tour—and the UGA Golf Course was one of his go-to places to work on his swing. In his 14 years as a professional, Peterson found some success, playing on the PGA Tour for a year in 2002 before retiring in 2004. “I loved every minute,” he said of the grueling years competing on the tour. After he retired, he took a job on the maintenance staff for the UGA Golf Course, which included cutting the grass, blowing leaves, and all of the other hard, intricate work required to maintain an 18-hole course. The following year, he became the course’s PGA head golf professional and assistant course manager. He became the head manager in 2014. One might imagine that a golf pro’s job consists mostly of playing endless rounds of free golf. Instead, Peterson juggles a variety of duties including managing the facility’s budget and a staff of more than 50, leading customer service efforts, planning and running tournaments and events, and offering golf instruction to customers. These days, he doesn’t have much time get out and play. This is typical for many golf professionals and course managers, but what makes Peterson’s job different is the UGA Golf Course’s expanded mission to serve the university. That mission goes beyond simply being the home course for the UGA golf teams.
FACTS
Matt Peterson
PGA Head Golf Professional and Course Manager UGA Golf Course B.B.A., Management Sciences, UGA, 1989 At UGA: 12 years
As a teaching site, the course has long hosted university physical education classes, but Peterson has also found other teaching opportunities. Last year, the course hosted a UGA Women in Business golf clinic, where he and other staff helped attendees work on their swing and taught them how the game offered opportunities for professional development. For research, UGA faculty have used the course to test turfgrass and study ecology. The golf course has worked with the UGA Office of Sustainability to increase its recycling efforts. For service, the course has hosted fundraising efforts like the Ed Hoard Memorial First Tee Scholarship Golf Tournament, which raises money for a need-based scholarship. Peterson plans to expand this fundraising role. Peterson also wants the course to be a resource for faculty and staff. Each semester, the golf course hosts a free golf clinic for UGA employees. This year’s clinic will be in early October; the date and times are to be announced. Peterson encourages faculty and staff—those who golf and those who don’t—to see and enjoy the course.
RETIREES July
Twenty-five UGA employees retired July 1. Retirees, their job classification, department and length of employment are: Linda Faye Adams, building services worker I, Cooperative Extension4-H and Youth, 13 years, 11 months; James V. Bruckner, professor, pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences, 32 years, 10 months; Cynthia G. Coyle, associate vice president, External Affairs-Financial Services, 30 years, 4 months; Kim C. Crawford, administrative assistant II, human development and family science, 15 years; Jary Lynn Douglas, instructor, Cooperative Extension-animal science, 9 years, 11 months; Margaret L. Dowdle-Head, graphics designer, Georgia Center: Sales and Marketing, 42 years; Connie R. Edwards, public service associate, Small Business Development Center, 20 years; Brian Nathan Fosgate,
program coordinator III, School of Forestry and Natural Resources, 15 years, 10 months; G. LaVonne Goldschmidt, administrative specialist I, Facilities Management Division-HR Department, 10 years, 3 months; Kent M. Hannon, managing editor, Terry College of Business-Dean’s Office, 23 years, 3 months; Valerie Maples, research professional I, genetics, 40 years, 8 months; Teresa A. Mauldin, associate professor, financial planning, housing and consumer economics, 30 years, 10 months; Todd McDaniel, lab animal facilities supervisor, Office of the VP for Research, 30 years; Susan F. Norman, county secretary, Cooperative Extension-Northeast District, 11 years, 2 months; Jack Eugene Pannecoucke, assistant registrar, Registrar’s Office, 28 years, 8 months; James Ingram Richardson, instructor, School of Ecology, 20 years, 9 months;
Belton Robertson, van operator, Campus Transit System, 17 years, 7 months; W. Terry Ruark, design estimator, Facilities Management Division-Work Management Department, 32 years, 3 months; Hugh M. Ruppersburg, senior associate dean, College of Arts and Sciences-Dean’s Office, 38 years, 10 months; Nancy L. Stamper, librarian II, libraries-general operations, 37 years, 2 months; Vivienne C. Sturgill, academic advisor II, crop and soil sciences, 22 years, 8 months; Cherie G. Summer, senior accountant, Savannah River Ecology Lab, 30 years, 10 months; Barbara Trevena, library associate III, libraries-general operations, 33 years, 9 months; Xiuzhen Yan, research professional IV, infectious diseases, 16 years, 1 month; and Ping Zhao, research professional I, Center for Food Safety, 22 years, 2 months. Source: Human Resources
FRANKLIN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
Changing places
Two faculty members named associate dean in Franklin College; new development director joins staff
Jean Martin-Williams
Thomas Mote
Michael Cumbie
By Alan Flurry
psychology and sociology. Russell Malmberg continues in his current role as an associate dean with primary responsibilities focused on facilities and research matters and as point of contact with the biological sciences programs: biochemistry and molecular biology, cellular biology, genetics, marine sciences, microbiology, plant biology, and the division of biological sciences. Martin-Williams is the Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music and also served as director of UGA’s Lilly Teaching Fellows program for more than a decade. As associate dean, she will serve as point of contact for the Lamar Dodd School of Art, the Hugh Hodgson School of Music and the departments of dance, English, and theatre and film studies. She also will have general responsibilities for curricular matters in the college, online courses and programs, summer courses and programs and the college’s instructional programs at the Griffin campus. A Distinguished Research Professor, Mote has served as head of the geography department since 2011. He also served as the founding director for the Program in Atmospheric Sciences until 2011. His scholarship is in climate science, with a focus on the effect of climate change on atmospheric circulation in the Arctic. In 2014, he was one of two UGA faculty members selected to participate in the University System of Georgia Executive Leadership Institute.
As associate dean, he will serve as the point of contact for the departments of chemistry, computer science, geology, mathematics, physics and astronomy, and statistics. He also will have general responsibilities for graduate affairs in the college and will manage the college’s supplemental instructional budget. Martin Kagel, the A.G. Steer Professor of Germanic and Slavic Studies, is the interim associate dean for humanities departments and international programs, serving as the college liaison with the Office of International Education and point of contact for the departments of classics, comparative literature, Germanic and Slavic studies, history, philosophy, religion and Romance languages. Kagel joined the dean’s staff while Noel Fallows serves as interim associate provost for international education. Cumbie arrived at UGA from the College of Coastal Georgia where he served as the vice president for advancement. From 2006-2015, he served as the director of development for the College of Fine Arts and Communication at Western Illinois University. Prior to his fundraising experience, Cumbie had a 24-year career in the U.S. Army, including an appointment as chief of counterintelligence at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. “I am thrilled to welcome our new Associate Deans Martin-Williams and Mote and Michael Cumbie to what is already an outstanding leadership team,” said Franklin College Dean Alan Dorsey.
aflurry@uga.edu
The Franklin College of Arts and Sciences welcomed two new associate deans in August. Jean Martin-Williams will serve as associate dean for the Fine and Performing Arts, and Thomas Mote will serve as the associate dean for the Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Both move from faculty positions within Franklin College. The college also welcomed new senior director of development Michael “Mick” Cumbie, who comes to UGA from the College of Coastal Georgia where he served as the vice president for advancement. The new associate deans take the roles of outgoing staff in the Franklin College. Senior Associate Dean Hugh Ruppersburg retired on June 30 after 39 years of distinguished service at UGA, including as an interim dean and interim vice provost. Chuck Kutal has returned to his faculty role in the chemistry department after serving 14 years as an associate dean in the Franklin College. Associate Dean Kecia Thomas is now senior associate dean with primary responsibilities centered on faculty affairs, including faculty recruitment, promotion and tenure; faculty professional development; and grievances. Thomas also leads diversity initiatives for the college and serves as point of contact for the social and behavioral sciences: anthropology, communication studies, geography,
WEEKLY READER
Collection meditates on language, literacy
Imperfect Tense By Melisa Cahnmann-Taylor Whitepoint Press $15
Imperfect Tense is a meditation on language by Melisa CahnmannTaylor, professor of language and literacy education in UGA’s College of Education. Informed by Cahnmann-Taylor’s Fulbright study in Oaxaca, Mexico, as well as her experience teaching English as a second language, this poetry collection is grounded in teaching, learning, and living between languages and cultures. The poems play, imperfectly, with form, including sonnets, sestinas, pantoums, terza rima, couplets and syllabic verse. Others compress the essence of qualitative interviews and fieldwork observations through free verse and prose poetry. Much like the imported “dragon fruit,” these poems grasp displacement as opportunity while relishing in perpetual “outsiderness” as a way inside a fundamentally shared human condition.
columns.uga.edu Aug. 29, 2016
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CAES Ag and environmental sciences staff members win six ACE awards By Krista Richmond krichmond@uga.edu
UGA communications, photography and design professionals were recognized with several honors at the Association for Communications Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Life and Human Sciences Awards. J. Faith Peppers, director of public affairs for UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, received the ACE Professional Award, the highest recognition given by the organization, for her service. During her time with ACE, Peppers has been president and Southern Region director, served on the board of directors and several committees, presented at conferences and taken part in learning communities. She also worked closely with the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities to secure a permanent seat for an ACE representative on the governing board’s communications and marketing committee. As a member of that committee, Peppers worked with a national team to enact a Plan of Work, which brought focus to national priorities, created issues management and communications for new deans and directors, and built connections between local institutions and the national land-grant system. In addition, Peppers, Edwin Remsberg, Kady Dulny and Rob Cooper received a gold award for a single marketing item in the marketing and media relations category. Peppers, Remsberg, Dulny, Cooper, Merritt Melancon and Josh Paine took a bronze award for best innovative use of communication technology in the information technology category. Remsberg also received a gold award for picture story in the photography category. In the design categories, Paine, Katie Walker and Caitlin LeMoine received a silver award in posters. And Walker, Paine, LeMoine, Angela Rowell, Carla Wood, Cindy Allen and Kathryn Schiliro took a gold award in the exhibits category. Rowell, Todd Hurt, Marcie Simpson and Clint Thompson received a silver award for educational packages in the distance education and instructional design category. The Critique and Awards Program, part the organization’s annual conference held recently in Memphis, gives ACE members an opportunity to receive a professional critique of their work and recognizes excellence in those categories. To learn more about the awards program, visit www.aceweb.org/awards
CYBERSIGHTS
ABOUT COLUMNS Columns is available to the campus community by subscription for an annual fee of $20 (second-class delivery) or $40 (firstclass 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 Jackie Baxter Roberts
Student Conduct website undergoes redesign
Photo Editor Dorothy Kozlowski
conduct.uga.edu Student Conduct educates students about their rights, responsibilities and expectations as members of the university community and provides a fair and educational conduct process. Part of the Division of Student Affairs, the department also creates opportunities for student learning and development and offers
outreach services to educate faculty, staff and community partners about the conduct process and Student Conduct programs. The department’s newly redesigned website provides clear information about the Code of Conduct, the conduct process, outreach programs and the University Judiciary.
Senior Writer Aaron Hale Communications Coordinator Krista Richmond The University of Georgia is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action.
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The University of Georgia is a unit of the University System of Georgia.
8 Aug. 29, 2016 columns.uga.edu
DISEASES from page 1
AUTOBIOGRAPHY from page 1 country music hits like “City Lights” (Ray Price); “Tips Of My Fingers” (Roy Clark, Eddy Arnold, Steve Wariner); “Once A Day” (Connie Smith); “Saginaw, Michigan” (Lefty Frizzell) and many more flowed from his pen, making him one of the most decorated songwriters in music history. But the iconic singer, songwriter, performer and TV host came to a point in his career where he questioned if what he had to say mattered anymore—little did he know, his most rewarding climb lie ahead. A followup to his 1989 autobiography, this book tells the story of a man with an unprecedented gift, holding on to it in order to share it. A product of a long-gone Nashville, Anderson worked to reinvent himself, and this biography documents his 50-plus-year career, a career he once thought unattainable. With 80 charting singles and 37 Top 10 country hits, Anderson is a six-time Song of the Year Award winner and BMI Icon Award recipient, has taken home many CMA and ACM Award trophies, and garnered multiple Grammy nominations. Whisperin’ Bill is illustrated with blackand-white photos of Anderson interacting with the superstars of American music, including such legends as Patsy Cline, Vince Gill and Steve Wariner. The book highlights Anderson’s trajectory in the business and his influence on the past, present and future of
this genre. “Bill has written so many wonderful songs and is a major force in country music, not only as a writer, but as an entertainer, a singer and a host,” said his friend Dolly Parton. “It would be impossible really to measure his worth in this industry, but it’s big.” The tourism office of the Georgia Department of Economic Development has declared 2016 the Year of Georgia Music to celebrate the state’s music heritage through attractions, exhibitions and tribute events. As repository for the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, the UGA special collections libraries will have an exhibit highlighting Athens music and “Whisperin’ Bill.” Items from Anderson’s collection on display in the gallery of the Brown Media Archives and Peabody Collections will include one of his “Nudie Suits,” a guitar, boots, sheet music and a poster. “This honest and revealing book, written with acclaimed music journalist Peter Cooper, recounts the 50-year career of singer-songwriter (and Georgia native) Bill Anderson,” said Lisa Bayer, director of the UGA Press. “In turn, the book presents an insider’s history of classic Nashville and introduces readers to the famous and fascinating characters who helped build what is now known as Music City.”
Bulletin Board TEDxUGA presenters
Do you have an idea worth spreading? Since 2013, TEDxUGA has been engaging the campus community in an exploration of ideas worth spreading and is currently seeking dynamic faculty and staff presenters to take the stage for TEDxUGA 2017. Visit tedxuga.com/nominate to submit a nomination for a faculty or staff member by Sept. 30. Selfnominations are welcome and encouraged. Email tedxuga@uga.edu with any questions.
New MyID process
The process for requesting a MyID for new UGA employees has changed. The change does not affect MyIDs for current faculty and staff. The new process will assign MyIDs that include the new employee’s initials and five random digits (example: gwb12345). As part of the new process, the form to request a MyID has changed and now requires authentication through UGA’s Central Authentication Service. New employees and those without MyIDs are no longer able to request a MyID for themselves. Instead they should contact their manager or HR representative to have that person complete the MyID request form at myid.uga.edu. Once the MyID request has been successfully completed, the new employee will be informed by an email from accounts@uga.edu. The email will be sent to the email address the MyID recipient provided during the MyID request process. Visit the EITS Helpdesk website at http://t.uga.edu/2qI for information about this change along with frequently asked questions. Email questions about the new
process to Keith Martin at keith.martin@uga.edu
New UGAAlert desktop app
An updated version of UGAAlert desktop notification software is available on the EITS software page (software.uga.edu) under the section for UGAAlert. To receive UGAAlert notices on a computer, the updated version must be installed; previous versions no longer work. If a UGAAlert notice is distributed, computers with the new app will display the alert as a large pop-up message on the monitor as well as an audio notification. More information about the emergency will be posted at emergency.uga.edu The UGAAlert desktop app is another means of being notified in addition to voice phone calls, text messaging and emails. It is ideal for classrooms or meetings where a computer is used to project information on a screen. Everyone in the room can be notified through the pop-up message. The app is available for Mac and PC for the Athens and Gwinnett campuses. Instructions on how to install the app are available on the UGAAlert page of the EITS website. Some UGA departments require an IT professional to install software on university-owned computers. Any UGA employees who need help installing the UGAAlert desktop app should contact their department’s IT staff for assistance. For more information about the UGAAlert Desktop Program, contact the Office of Emergency Preparedness at 706-542-5845 or prepare@uga.edu Bulletin Board is limited to information that may pertain to a majority of faculty and staff members.
findings and advances in computational and statistical methods and explaining how macroecological approaches can inform human health and conservation initiatives. Macroecology uses advanced computational techniques to look for patterns in enormous datasets. When applied to disease ecology, this kind of analysis can help scientists understand relationships among parasites, hosts and their environments. One such project cited by Stephens combines a study of the factors that allow wild host species to share parasites with an analysis of primate diversity. “One of the major findings is that species that are closely related tend to have a lot of diseases in common,” Stephens said. “Combining primate diversity with information on which of those primates are more closely related to humans yields a map of areas where there might be a high risk of a new infectious disease jumping out of primates and moving into humans.” That study and others point to another strength of the macroecological approach. “To understand what’s going on with diseases overall, you need to integrate understanding of human, animal and environmental health,” Stephens said. “You can’t look at diseases of humans in complete isolation of diseases of wildlife, and you can’t look at diseases of wildlife in complete isolation of what’s going on with the environment because a lot of times those diseases are related to environmental degradation. “Macroecology has a lot of important insights for that and for the conservation of threatened species.” The paper is the product of a research coordination network supported by a jointly funded, five-year grant from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to UGA. Led by Stephens, the network convenes working groups that meet periodically at UGA. “What’s important about the research
coordination network is not just that we’ve got some of the most prominent macroecologists and disease ecologists in the world, it’s that we’re bringing together experts from many different disciplines, from statistical methods to phylogenetic comparative methods,” Stephens said. “That’s allowing us to take on projects that I don’t think any of us would have been able to do on our own.” Those projects include studies of patterns of disease overlap in wild ungulate species, how species’ range shifts in response to climate change will affect parasite sharing and analysis of biological traits of host species most central in host-parasite networks. “For conservation, for human health and for agriculture, understanding how diseases move between species and where and when new diseases might emerge are all really important questions,” Stephens said. “Macroecology can’t tell us exactly what’s going to happen, but it’s really the best approach we have for figuring out what’s more or less likely to happen with respect to disease emergence, disease globalization, and population declines and species extinctions driven by disease.” Study co-authors are Sonia Altizer, Sarah A. Budischak, James E. Byers, Tad A. Dallas, John M. Drake, Vanessa O. Ezenwa, John L. Gittleman, Andrew Park and J. P. Schmidt of UGA; Katherine F. Smith, Brown University; A. Alonso Aguirre, George Mason University; James H. Brown, University of New Mexico; T. Jonathan Davies and Maxwell J. Farrell, McGill University; Barbara A. Han, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies; Shan Huang, Senckenberg Gesellschaft fur Naturforschung, Frankfurt, Germany; Rebecca A. Hutchinson, Oregon State University; Pieter Johnson, University of Colorado; Charles L. Nunn, Duke University; David Onstad, DuPont Agricultural Biotechnology; Gonzalo M. Vazquez-Prokopec, Emory University; and Robert Poulin, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
VACCINES from page 1
SPEAKERS from page 1
happening in between those steps,” he also said. “We have limited knowledge on how that vaccine interacts with and stimulates the immune system at the cellular and molecular level. This project will help us better understand many of these basic cellular processes and create vaccines that generate a stronger immune response.” In a previous study, Avci and his colleagues identified a class of T cells that are able to recognize carbohydrates on the surface of cells. T cells are a kind of white blood cell that act as the core components of the highly specific and effective adaptive immune response against invading pathogens. Avci will expand on his previous research into carbohydrate-specific T cells, which he calls Tcarbs, to define the molecular mechanisms for Tcarb activation in a model for Streptococcus pneumoniae, a bacterium that may cause pneumonia, meningitis or bloodstream infections. For the T cells to recognize the correct carbohydrates, they must be presented to the T cells with an attached carrier-peptide, which then binds to a specialized protein called major histocompatibility complex class II, or MHCII. Like a molecular red flag, carbohydrates presented by MHCII alert T cells to the presence of a dangerous pathogen or cancerous cell, which they then begin to dismantle using the body’s immune response systems. Avci already has tested this hypothesis by designing a new carbohydrate-based vaccine against a model of streptococcus that produced an immune response up to two orders of magnitude greater than existing vaccines. Avci cautions that more work must be done at the molecular level before these techniques are used to create a vaccine for humans, but it may be possible to one day produce target-specific vaccines that are highly protective and produced at low cost using the mechanisms his lab is studying for the project.
by Henry Roediger. Co-author of the 2014 book Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning, Roegider is the James S. McDonnell Distinguished Professor at Washington University in St. Louis. On Oct. 18, Kate McConnell, senior director for research and assessment at the Association of American Colleges & Universities, will present her lecture series covering best practices in programmatic and general education assessment. UGA faculty also will share their teaching practices during the fall semester. Upcoming speakers include Jennifer Palmer, a professor of history in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and Paige Carmichael, a professor of pathology in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Topics include using social media for teaching and using multimodal teaching methods to improve learning. The Pedagogy and Practice Series, which will begin in September, will feature CTL speakers focusing on a range of teaching and learning topics, including active learning strategies, using Kaltura for media streaming and a series of sessions about the scholarship of teaching and learning. The CTL also offers a First-Year Odyssey Series for any faculty interested in or currently teaching a First-Year Odyssey Seminar course. FYO Seminars are required one-hour credit courses that allow first-year students to get to know UGA and faculty members in a small class setting. Reacting to the Past is an award-winning pedagogy that transcends traditional disciplinary divisions and gives students a unique opportunity to engage in active learning. UGA introduced Reacting to the Past in 2003, integrating the pedagogy into the undergraduate curriculum. Peggy Elliott, Chase Hagood and Naomi Norman will present “Reacting to the Past and Setting the Stage for Active Learning” on Sept. 19.
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