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… Nick Vena, a student in health and physical education and a member of the UGA track and field team, who was named the Outstanding Major of the Year by the Society of Health and Physical Educators. … Laura Dean, associate professor in the College of Education, who was awarded the Robert H. Shaffer Award for Academic Excellence as a Graduate Faculty Member by Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. … David Riley (BSA ’80), an entomologist on the UGA Tifton campus, who received the 2016 Recognition Award in Entomology from the Southeastern Branch of the Entomological Society of America. … Josh Miller, professor and director of clinical training in the department of psychology, who received the 2016 Theodore Millon Award in Personality Psychology from the American Psychological Foundation.
UGA joins fabric revolution UGA is a partner in a new national public-private consortium to revolutionize the fiber and textiles industry through commercialization of advanced fibers and textiles for the defense and commercial markets. The partnership, Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA), was announced in April. “UGA’s contributions to AFFOA tap into longstanding expertise in textiles, polymers and fibers, and a track record of collaboration with industry, as well as our success in launching new businesses based on discoveries,” says Vice President for Research David Lee. The AFFOA partnership builds on recent breakthroughs in fiber materials and manufacturing processes, with the mission of ensuring America remains at the leading edge of fiber science. It brings together Fortune 500 companies, universities, fiber and textiles manufacturing facilities, state workforce development programs and federal agencies. UGA’s involvement will bring in at least $5 million over five years, with researchers from the colleges of Family and Consumer Sciences, Arts and Sciences, and Engineering serving in critical roles. Innovation Gateway, UGA’s commercialization and startup arm, will be instrumental in bringing new technologies to the market. Alumna Tosha Hays’ company, Brrr!, also is a member of the consortium. Hays (BSFCS ’07) developed BrrrX, a “cooling” fabric that drops skin temperature an average of 2 to 4 degrees. She served as an executive at SPANX before co-launching Brrr! in 2014.
… Michael K. Johnson, Distinguished Research Professor in the department of chemistry, who was named a Regents Professor by the board of regents of the University System of Georgia. … Carolina Acosta-Alzuru (MA ’96, PhD ’99), associate professor of public relations, who won the 2015 Charles E. Scripps Journalism and Mass Communication Teacher of the Year Award, presented by the Scripps Howard Foundation.
… Brian P. Bledsoe, a professor in the College of Engineering, who was appointed the inaugural Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor in Resilient Infrastructure.
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GEORGIA MAGAZINE • www.ugamagazine.uga.edu
ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER
… Jin Xie, assistant professor in the department of chemistry, who was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program. Vice President for Research David Lee (second from right) and faculty members (left to right) Jason Locklin, Suraj Sharma and Sergiy Minko are working together in UGA’s part of a national public-private partnership to accelerate the widespread commercialization of highly functional, advanced fibers and textiles for the defense and commercial markets. The project brings together researchers with backgrounds in chemistry, engineering and textiles, among other areas of expertise.