Tags: Society

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Noted and Quoted, November 2023

We are indeed thankful for the research findings and expertise from Franklin faculty members shared regularly in media across the globe. Archeology and the dangers of online gambling lead November's samples of recent stories and coverage:   Why school location can expose certain kids to more air pollution – Marshall Shepherd, Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of Geography and Atmospheric Science and Franklin College…

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Peer mentor program helps students connect

Now in its third year, the Math Peer Mentor Program (MP)2 in the department of mathematics connects undergraduate upperclassmen with freshmen and transfer students. The program creates a runway to socializing new students to the rigors of a new academic environment – and welcoming students into the campus community. "From the time students meet a mentor, they immediately begin to feel connected to their department, immediately feel connected to…

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Wyatt Anderson, 1939-2023

Former dean of the Franklin College Wyatt Anderson passed away on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023 at Presbyterian Village Athens. Anderson was a loving husband, father, and grandfather, a dedicated scientist, administrator, and great friend of the Franklin College and the University of Georgia. Anderson had a distinguished career and a lasting impact on UGA and in the field of evolutionary biology/genetics. Renowned for his groundbreaking research on…

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Robinson honored at 2023 Blue Key Awards Banquet

Greg H. Robinson, UGA Foundation Distinguished Professor of Chemistry in the Franklin College of Arts and Science, was awarded the 2023 faculty Blue Key Service Award at the university’s annual Tucker Dorsey Blue Key Alumni Banquet on Nov. 10 at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel.  The Blue Key Honor Society is a national organization whose members are committed to leadership in student life, high…

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Beckmann to receive national award for Mathematics education

Sybilla Beckmann, Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus, will receive the 2024 American Mathematical Society Award for Impact on Teaching and Learning of Mathematics. The $1,000 award is presented annually by the American Mathematical Society to a mathematician (or group of mathematicians) for significant contributions of lasting value to mathematics education. “Beckmann is nationally recognized for her seminal…

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Franklin student Mariah Cady named Rhodes Scholar

UGA Russian and International Affairs major Mariah Cady, with minors in geography and German, has been named a 2024 Rhodes Scholar. The oldest and most celebrated international fellowship award in the world, the Rhodes Scholarship allows winners to pursue courses of study as graduate students at the University of Oxford. Cady's Franklin connections run deep and also include the Institute for Native American Studies and the department of…

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Indie game developer seeks to find harmony in modernity

Ezi Ononuju is a third-year student from Alpharetta, Georgia, majoring in computer science and pursuing a certificate in urban and metropolitan studies. He’s also an interdisciplinary artist who is seeking a new way of understanding our constantly changing world.  “On a personal level, my goal in life is to be as capable a person as I can be,” Ononuju said. “I want to create and have the confidence and wherewithal to do so with reckless…

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Conference on Africa and its Diaspora

The African Studies Fall Lecture this afternoon is a prelude to next week's 8th Biennial International Conference on Africa and Its Diaspora (BICAID 2023) taking place from Wednesday, November 15 through Saturday, November 18, 2023 at the UGA Tate Center.  The theme for this year’s conference is Religion and Sustainable Socio-Cultural and Economic Development within the 21st Century in Africa and Its Diaspora.  This year’s…

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Homecoming Tailgate 2023

You are invited to the 2023 Franklin College of Arts and Science Homecoming Tailgate! Join Dean Anna Stenport on the New College Lawn outside New College for Flying Biscuit Cafe, beverages, and pre-game fun! Georgia v. Missouri Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023 12:30 p.m.   New College Lawn located between New College and the Chapel Register Now Please register to purchase tailgate tickets. The attending cost includes a catered lunch by Flying Biscuit…

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Finding balance: the psychology of self-control and justifications

In a world where immediate gratification often takes precedence, the concept of "treating yourself" has evolved into a call for indulgence and abundance. It's a phrase that frequently evokes images of overpriced lattes, impromptu shopping sprees, and the unceasing pursuit of fleeting pleasures. But is this culture of self-indulgence truly as innocent as it may seem? Researchers at the University of Georgia published a new paper examining the…

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New director Gagan Agrawal discusses the future of UGA School of Computing

The University of Georgia elevated its longstanding department of computer science to a School of Computing in July 2022 in response to rising student enrollment, the growing role of computing in a range of fields, and the institutional investment in a Presidential Hiring initiative in data science and artificial intelligence. Created within an interdisciplinary framework, the School of Computing is jointly administered by the Franklin…

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Kudos, October 2023

In the campus community, across the state and around the nation, we applaud the outstanding work by Franklin College faculty and students announced during October. A sample of the awards, grants, performances, and milestones: Organizers of this year’s Atlanta Art Week invited nine M.F.A. students at the Lamar Dodd School of Art to present the group exhibition “Unlisted” at The Works in Atlanta’s Upper Westside. The discipline of dance:…

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Focused on the fuel

Franklin College faculty and graduate students across the life sciences are engaged in bringing next-generation transportation fuels to market through a variety of ongoing research efforts. From  refinement of living organisms to breaking down sugars to release the energy in biomass, extraordinary researchers are developing new methods for displacing fossil fuels from the carbon budget. Our colleagues in the Office of Research share the…

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Noted and Quoted, October 2023

Sharing disciplinary expertise and opinion on issues of the day are important constituent elements of public scholarship. Franklin College faculty and graduate students do their part month in, month out, enhancing the reputation of UGA and Franklin College in the process. A sample of the many stories across the media featuring our colleagues:   What Hollywood gets right-and wrong-about real-life AI – Stephen Mihm, professor and head of the…

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Film MFA students work on first Athena Studios feature

American Deadbolt, the first feature-length film shot at Athena Studios in Athens, wrapped in late July after receiving a waiver from the Screen Actors Guild giving permission for its actors to cross the picket line – and a helping hand from students and graduates of the UGA Master of Fine Arts in Film, Television and Digital Media. Flagpole shares the story: After casting, hiring a crew and making other preparations with the possibility of a…

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Mentoring + Law School

The UGA Mentoring program connects students with alumni to gain insights into the connections between campus and career. This invaluable exchange allows our alumni to give back in ways that help individual students during their educational journey.  Coordinated through the UGA Career Center, the Mentoring program is a critical asset for both alumni looking to stay involved on campus – no matter where they are – and students looking for…

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CRISPR study reveals secret to genetic immunity

Neww research from the University of Georgia has identified the critical role a particular type of protein – known as histone – plays in archiving information from past viral threats and contributing to more effective immune responses to future threats, through what is called genetic immunity. Histones are highly conserved proteins that have been compared to spools around which strands of DNA wrap themselves. A research team led by Michael Terns…

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UGA team awarded NIH funding to use AI to investigate molecular interactions

Molecular scale breakthroughs in human health – from COVID-19 vaccines to cancer therapeutics – require scientists to understand how molecules interact with each other, akin to figuring out how puzzle pieces fit together. To do this, scientists use a special microscope called an atomic force microscope (AFM) that can see and manipulate molecules. For the virus that causes COVID-19, for example, this microscope can gently poke and measure…

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Kudos, September 2023

Thriving students, faculty and staff of the Franklin College pushes UGA to ever-greater heights, A few of the awards and shoutoutds we celebrated during September: University of Georgia professor J. Marshall Shepherd was npresented with the prestigious 2023 Environmental Achievement Award by the Environmental Law Institute 2023 University Professor Jean Martin-Williams, associate dean in the Franklin College, and 2023 Regents Professor Michael…

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2023 BFSO awards luncheon

Six UGA students and four staff members received scholarships and awards during the Black Faculty and Staff Organization’s 2023 Founders Award Scholarship Ceremony, held Sept. 19. UGA President Jere W. Morehead expressed his appreciation to the BFSO for its assistance in supporting the institution’s students. “What the Black Faculty and Staff Organization does at this event, and the work leading up to this event, is especially important because…

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Noted and Quoted, September 2023

From storms to smart phones to... what happened to the Southern accent? Research from Franklin College faculty and graduate students was widely reported during September. A sample of the stories and media pick from across the globe: Scientists are asked if humans have broken the Earth’s climate – Marshall Shepherd, Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor od Geography, quoted by CleanTechnica, The Extinction Chronicles  Does…

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Socializing boosts mood more than screentime

People expect more enjoyment in conversation than on smartphones, but don’t always follow that instinct It turns out people might prefer social interactions over their smartphones, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to stop scrolling. A new study from researchers in the University of Georgia’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences found that when asked to scroll on their phones, sit quietly by themselves or have a conversation with a stranger,…

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Professor studies endangered languages and their variations

Awareness about languages, the differences in how individuals speak, and how these create local identities may come as no great surprise to American Southerners. When speakers of certain linguistic varieties decline, though, their languages become endangered. Keith Langston’s scholarship addresses questions of linguistic structure and the relationship of language and identity, with a focus on the country of Croatia. “We always have this idea…

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Semitic language scholar joins UGA as the Ann and Jay Davis Professor of Jewish Studies

Aaron Rubin joined the University of Georgia in August 2023 as the Ann and Jay Davis Professor of Jewish Studies in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences department of religion. Rubin arrived at UGA after 19 years on the faculty at Penn State University. Jewish Studies is a vast field, which includes the study of religion, history, literature, language, philosophy, art, sociology, political science, and more. Rubin hopes to work with other…

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Dean Stenport meets with Franklin alumni from across the U.S.

Franklin College Dean Anna Stenport has been meeting with alumni and friends of the college at Meet-and-Mingle events designed to provide our alumni the opportunity to get to know Dean Stenport – and for Dean Stenport to learn about how our graduates want to help shape a vision for the Franklin College. The events began even before she officially started her duties as dean of the college when she attended a recital at Steinway Hall in NYC in…
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