MESSAGE FROM THE AVP
Brian Mosier, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President for Innovation and Research
At the University of West Georgia, we are passionate about fostering innovation and collaboration to support our students, faculty, and community. Our commitment to cutting-edge research and creative endeavors ensures that our students are well-prepared for the future. By partnering with public and private entities, we enhance our research capacity, stimulate regional development, and create valuable educational experiences and job opportunities for students. Our dedicated faculty engage students in meaningful research, integrating scholarship into courses to enhance our academic programs. With secured resources, the institution is shaping the future of research and innovation and celebrating the diverse contributions that drive our success.
RESEARCH CENTERS AND LABS
• The Antonio J. Waring Jr. Archaeological Laboratory
• The Biological and Forensic Anthropology Lab
• The Center for Economic Education and Financial Literacy
• The Center for Integrative Wellness
• The Center for Public History
• The Innovations Lab
• The Small Business Development Center
• The Thomas B. Murphy Center for Public Service
NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
With the support of the Student Research Travel Awards from the Office of Undergraduate Research, six UWG students showcased their mentored research at the 2024 National Conference of Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in Long Beach, California. This prestigious event, held from April 8-10, provided a platform for these students to present projects they had been working on for a semester or more, significantly boosting their career prospects before graduation.
Presenters included:
• Marissa Keeler: “Binding Studies of Methylene Blue, Pyronin Y, and Acridine Orange with Cucurbituril and Cucurbituril using Constant Constraint Analysis,” mentored by Drs. Farooq Khan and John Hansen
• Leetavious Maines: “Democratic Erosion in Uzbekistan: An In-depth Analysis of Historical Dynamics, Precursors, and Future Prospects,” mentored by Dr. J. Salvador Peralta
• Kayleigh Metcalf, Kyli Cauthen, and Tian Green: “The Use of Analytical Methods to Enhance the Marketing of Chick-fil-A,” mentored by Dr. Beheruz Sethna
• CJ Okpala: “Biochemical Characterization of a New Microbacterium Species Isolated from a Contaminated Chlamydomonas Culture Plate that is a Vitamin B Auxotroph,” mentored by Dr. Mautusi Mitra
Participation in NCUR not only affirms the relevance of their research but also enhances their competitiveness as they approach graduation, simultaneously elevating UWG’s national reputation. This transformative experience was made possible through the unwavering support of UWG, for which the students and their mentors are deeply grateful.
ACADEMIC LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING EXCHANGE
UWG celebrated the graduation of its first cohort from the groundbreaking Academic Law Enforcement Training Exchange (ALETE) program in the first quarter of the 2024 fiscal year and saw the start of the second cohort in the fourth quarter. A partnership with the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC), this innovative police academy aims to address the talent shortage in law enforcement. Thirteen graduates, including UWG students and cadets from local police and sheriff’s departments, were honored at a ceremony held at UWG’s Townsend Center for the Performing Arts.
The 12-week program involved rigorous physical training, classroom instruction, and practical
AFFORDABLE LEARNING GRANTS
simulations, culminating in all participants achieving Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification. The program emphasizes UWG’s dedication to fulfilling the mission of contributing positively to society by meeting the needs of law enforcement agencies.
Facilitated by UWG criminology professor Dr. Dave Ayers, ALETE offers a streamlined path for aspiring officers, enabling them to earn certifications and degrees more efficiently. Graduates like Preston Marlowe, who joined the program after losing a close friend to violence, now hold both a college degree and POST certification, enhancing their employability and potential earnings.
The ALETE program exemplifies UWG’s commitment to addressing community needs and preparing graduates to make significant contributions to public safety.
Five UWG faculty were awarded Affordable Learning Grants in FY24 for a total of $34,625. As of 2023, UWG has an average student savings of $9.88 per awarded $1. This means that we can expect approximately $342,095 of cost savings for students from the FY24 awards. From 2014 to 2023, UWG has been able to provide an estimated $37,902,123.17 in student cost savings that had an effect on 439,247 students’ enrollment.
• Round 24 Awardees:
» Agnieszka Chwialkowska - $5,125
» Isabel Maggiano - $4,000
• Round 25 Awardees:
» Crystal Shelnutt - $7,500
» Danilo Baylen - $10,000
» Jim Bellon - $8,000
SOURCES OF STRENGTH
The Sources of Strength program at the University of West Georgia, led by Jamie Brandenburg with the support of Hannah Hardin, has made a significant impact on students and the community through a variety of engaging events with the local school systems focused on the prevention of opioid and prescription drug misuse/abuse through fostering connection, hope, and well-being. One notable event, “Palentines,” saw 451 Central High School students celebrating positive friendships by exchanging Valentine’s cards and candy. The Kindness Challenge encouraged 326 students to perform acts of kindness, culminating in a colorful wall display. The program also organized a menstrual product drive, collecting over 7,000 items, and a virtual art show featuring 121 Carrollton High School student artists expressing what the program means to them.
In addition to these events, the program emphasized mental health awareness and community building. They distributed 572 crisis cards during a Kona Ice event, which also provided students with a much-needed break from testing. The program’s fall welcome event – in collaboration with the UWG mascot, Wolfie – distributed 1,000 donuts to encourage participation in the Sources of Strength Peer Leader program, which served as a fall welcome event. A first-ever Color Run, attended by
157 students and community members, promoted healthy activities. The initiative also included a GreenBelt cleanup and a QR code scavenger hunt to help students identify trusted adults in their school, with 521 participants engaging in this activity. Overall, these efforts have not only enriched the student experience but have also strengthened community ties and promoted a supportive environment.
FACULTY HIGHLIGHT:
NICK STERLING, P h .D.
Dr. Nick Sterling, professor of physics, was awarded a $209,885 grant from the National Science Foundation to investigate the origins of the heaviest elements (atomic number > 30) in the universe. This project utilizes optical and infrared spectrometers on 3-10-meter aperture telescopes to determine the heavy element compositions of planetary nebulae to unprecedented precision and accuracy. This will provide stringent new constraints on the relative contributions of low-mass and high-mass stars to these elements. The study reveals new information regarding stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis and on the evolution of galaxies through cosmic time.
This program provides numerous opportunities for UWG undergraduate students to participate in cutting-edge research. Five UWG physics majors played substantial roles in this work. They analyzed spectra taken with the 3-meter NASA Infrared Telescope Facility in Hawaii, the 8.1-meter Gemini Telescopes in Hawaii and Chile, the 10-meter Hobby-Eberly Telescope in Texas, and the James Webb Space Telescope. They have developed marketable skills in data analysis and coding in programs such as Python and IDL and have interacted with astronomers at the University of Texas, Gemini Observatory, and the Instituto
INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH IN ACTION
MAUTUSI MITRA, P h .D. & ANA STANESCU, P h .D.
At UWG, groundbreaking interdisciplinary research is making waves in the STEM field. Dr. Mautusi Mitra from the former Department of Natural Sciences and Dr. Ana Stanescu from the former Department of Computing and Mathematics have successfully published their collaborative research on microbial bioinformatics and genomics in the prestigious Microbiology Resource Announcement journal, published by the American Society for Microbiology.
Their research focuses on sequencing and assembling the complete genome of a novel bacterium, Acidovorax temperans strain LMJ, using cutting-edge Single Molecule Real Time (SMRT) DNA sequencing and advanced bioinformatics tools. This achievement marks the first complete genome report of this bacterium, now recognized as the reference
de Astrofisica de Canarias in Spain. In the second and third years of this program, the students will present results of their work at state (Georgia Regional Astronomy Meeting) and national (American Astronomical Society) conferences and will be coauthors on publications.
As part of the broader impact of this program, Sterling developed Astronomy Day outreach events at UWG Newnan for high school students, the first of which was held on March 8, 2024. Over 40 students from Newnan and Northgate High Schools participated in this event. In the morning, students rotated through six different hands-on learning activities that included building and using a spectrometer, telescope optics, solar observations, and other topics in astronomy. The theme broadened to STEM in general in the afternoon, with a panel discussion involving majors from each of the STEM disciplines at UWG and a keynote speaker from a local industry (Northrop Grumman). These events will continue to be held once each semester through Spring 2026 and will be scaled up to include a third high school in Newnan.
genome by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), making it accessible to scientists worldwide.
This publication, which went online ahead of print on March 15, 2024, highlights the innovative and interdisciplinary collaboration between biology and computer science at UWG. The study exemplifies the university’s commitment to advancing research that is highly relevant in today’s STEM landscape.
For more information, the genome can be accessed by scanning the QR code:
CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE WELLNESS
UWG’s Center for Integrative Wellness (CIW) is a key initiative that underscores the university’s commitment to holistic well-being and community support. Highlighting this commitment, the CIW has made significant strides in addressing food insecurity on campus, achieving a 21% reduction through efforts like the Wolves Don’t Waste program, which repurposed over 5,000 pounds of food into nearly 5,500 meals for students and staff.
A standout feature of the CIW is its innovative mobile health unit, envisioned by alumna and Chief Wellness Officer Bridgette Stewart. This medical clinic on wheels brings essential health services directly to underserved communities around Carrollton, overcoming barriers like lack of insurance, transportation, and financial constraints. The mobile unit is equipped with biometric screening stations, a portable kitchen, and an expandable awning, allowing it to offer high-quality, cost-effective wellness programs anywhere they’re needed.
The mobile unit not only benefits the community but also provides UWG students with hands-on learning opportunities. Known as the Screen
Team, these students conduct various health screenings and gain valuable soft skills through direct interaction with the community. Additionally, the unit offers community-based health education, including CPR and first-aid training.
The mobile unit’s capability of supporting disaster response, vaccination clinics, and blood drives exemplifies the university’s proactive approach to health care. Partnerships, like the ones with Cobb & Douglas Public Health, further extend its reach, enhancing access to preventive services and fostering a healthier community.
