Tags: Society

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Team Science: UGA builds support for effective teams

The university’s efforts to develop a support network for faculty seeking research funding, which run the gamut from pre-seed grants to team science workshops to hiring off-campus experts to review large proposals, are paying off. A distinguished roster of faculty members from across the Franklin College are connecting their research goals with the tools for sustainable results that make a difference: “It’s always been my dream to have a long-…

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Searching for Sequoyah

The Native American leader and scholar of the Cherokee Nation, Sequoyah (ᏍᏏᏉᏯ Ssiquoya) completed his independent creation of the Cherokee syllabary in 1821, making reading and writing in Cherokee possible. His achievement was one of the few times in recorded history that a member of a pre-literate people created an original, effective writing system, and his…

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Noted and Quoted, October 2021

Franklin faculty members provided clarity and guidance in the media on a range of issues from climate change to workaholism over the course of October. As sampling of a few of the many recent stories: The “extra” Atlantic hurricane name list will likely be used soon — but not the Greek alphabet – Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of geography and atmospheric sciences Marshall Shepherd writing at Forbes Why Bezos,…

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COVID Booster Vaccines Expanded at UHC

On Oct. 15, the university drew the final 25 names in its vaccine drawing, selecting the last of the cash prize winners. The $100,000 incentive program was supported by the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III. The first 50 names were selected Sept. 15 and another 25 names were selected Sept. 30. More than 24,000 entries were submitted for the drawing, which was conducted by UGA’s Office of Institutional Research with results verified by…

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Breaking down biofuel barriers

Debra Mohnen, Georgia Athletic Association Professor in Complex Carbohydrate Research and professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, has made internationally recognized contributions to the field of plant cell-wall glycobiology with significant impacts on biomass and bioenergy research. In 75 peer-reviewed publications, which have generated more than 500 citations annually since 2013, she has advanced understanding…

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UGA recognizes historically Black fraternities, sororities

The University of Georgia held a commemoration ceremony on Friday, Oct. 15, to honor nine historically Black fraternities and sororities on the West Lawn of the Tate Student Center, where markers were installed to recognize the National Pan-Hellenic Council member organizations. A crowd of spectators representing students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members gathered for the ceremony and to tour the marker installation. The markers…

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Gorillas can tell human voices apart

Many animals recognize the voices of members of their own species, and some can even recognize those of other species, such as humans. But it turns out a few animals, such as gorillas, can not only recognize familiar voices but also connect those voices to pleasant or not so pleasant memories. A new study from the University of Georgia is the first to show that gorillas are able to recognize familiar human voices based on their relationship…

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Connecting geography and justice

Excellent video about the work of Distinguished Research Professor Nik Heynen of the department of geography, who works to connect geography and justice. “Geography really offers an opportunity to bring abstract theory and grounded, everyday experience together in a way that we can start to imagine how to both frame problems, but also how to figure out solutions and pathways to solving those problems.” Thanks to our…

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Saunt awarded Ridenhour Book Prize

Claudio Saunt, Richard B. Russell Professor in American History and Co-Director of the Center for Virtual History, has been awarded the 18th annual Ridenhour Book Prize for his widely celebrated work, Unworthy Republic: The dispossession of Native Americans and the road to Indian Territory: The Ridenhour Prizes seek to recognize and encourage those who persevere in acts of truth-telling that protect the public interest, promote social…

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'Workaholic' personality traits can fluctuate

Dreading a tough day at work? New research led by University of Georgia psychologist Malissa Clark reveals that anticipating a high workload can lead to daily fatigue and affect spousal relationships—even for people who don’t identify themselves as workaholics. Workaholism—the inner compulsion that you should always be working, as well as feeling anxious or guilty when you’re not working—is typically viewed as a disposition or…

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Kudos, September 2021

Alumni on and off campus headline our kudos over the month of September. Congratulations on the wonderful accomplishments near and far celebrated here on campus: On Tuesday, Sept. 21, the Franklin College celebrated staff excellence at a socially distant event at the Innovation Hub R. Wood Studio celebrates 30th anniversary and grand reopening (Rebecca Wood, BFA ’77) – R&B David Froetschel (BFA ’13) wins Lyndon House Arts Center solo…

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Amazing student Joshua Williams

Double Dawg and triple Franklin degree holder Joshua Williams is finishing up the requirements for a master’s degree in communication studies. He followed two older sisters to the University of Georgia. When it came to pick a major, he was inspired by his sisters and his hardworking single mother to major in women’s studies. Next up, he’ll pursue a Ph.D. to “foster the next generation of interdisciplinary scholars.” Williams shares some terrific…

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Noted and Quoted, September 2021

Zoom fatigue, the asteroid Vesta, and Hurricane Ida led the news coverage of research stories and expert commentary around the world by Franklin College faculty during September. A sample of recent stories:    Turning cameras off during virtual meetings can reduce fatigue – research by Kristen Shockley, associate professor of psychology, report widely by Mirage News, Big News Network, ScienceDaily, EurekAlert…

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Staff Appreciation and Awards

On Tuesday, Sept. 21, the Franklin College celebrated staff excellence at the Innovation Hub on campus. The socially-distanced event was a nice opportunity to finally gather, in smaller groups than usual, to catch up and share an afternoon snack. Several of our colleagues picked up their awards and we are happy to return to a semblance of recognizing the staff excellence that keeps the Franklin College working at such a high level. A list of…

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New heat exposure model can protect citizens

Increasingly extreme heat threatens the health and comfort of city dwellers. That’s why researchers from the University of Georgia have developed a new dynamic heat exposure index that captures varying heat exposure within urban environments. “This is the first time a dynamic heat exposure model has been proposed, thanks in part to recent technological advances in sensing and big data,” said Deepak Mishra, professor, associate head of…

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A history of colorism sheds light on discrimination today

Colorism is a form of discrimination, typically within a racial or ethnic group, favoring people with lighter skin over those with darker skin.This pernicious form of discrimination is often overshadowed in discussions about racism, but it affects a broad swath of people across multiple populations. A new study by a University of Georgia researcher explores the present-day impact of colorism, provides case studies of the effect of skin…

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UGA research project to develop new parenting assessment

Extensive research on families and parenting going back decades allows clinicians and other practitioners to assess and prescribe effective intervention strategies to support healthy children. However, because the assessments and strategies are decades old, they may become outdated in terms of language or changing demographics in the United States. When assessment scales don’t match with intended populations, mismatches in effective…

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Native American Studies Institute gift to boost tribal student body presence at UGA

The University of Georgia Franklin College of Arts and Sciences Institute for Native American Studies has received a gift to recruit and support scholarships for Native American students at the university. The gift by UGA alumnus Chris Goeckel is designed to bring graduate students from across the United States to study at UGA and to promote the importance of the Native American Studies curriculum for the campus community. The UGA Institute…

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Welcome to our new Advisory Board members

The Franklin College Board of Advisors met in person on campus last week, and the college welcomed four new members to the board. The Franklin College is especially grateful for the support and guidance of our board, and it is a pleasure to welcome these extraordinary alumni and friends of the college to the group. The new members add a broad range of experience and expertise to a dedicated group with a vision for excellence in the arts and…

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Franklin faculty co-lead new NSF center to study oceanic ecosystems

The University of Georgia, along with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, will co-lead a new National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center that will pursue and promote a deeper understanding of the microbial worlds and chemical processes that swirl throughout the Earth’s oceanic ecosystems. The new Center for Chemical Currencies of a Microbial Planet (C-CoMP), based at Woods Hole in Falmouth, Massachusetts, is…

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Women's Leadership Fellows shape the future of campus

The University of Georgia established the Women’s Leadership Fellows Program in 2015 to provide a selected group of current faculty and administrators with dedicated time to develop and hone leadership skills and gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities confronting research universities. The program specifically focuses on issues women face in academic administration. Throughout the year long program, the participants will…

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Cameras as the source of Zoom fatigue

In the post-pandemic world, a few things have become ubiquitous: masks, hand sanitizer and Zoom fatigue, or the feeling of being worn out after a long day of virtual meetings. But new research from a team led by University of Georgia psychologist Kristen Shockley suggests that it’s not the meetings causing the fatigue—it’s the camera. “We knew people had the perception that Zoom meetings were leading to fatigue, but we didn’t know…

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Incentives for getting COVID-19 vaccines

Vaccine incentives offered to students, faculty and staff at the University of Georgia are working, and next week, the university will up the ante once again. UGA is already offering a $20 gift card and specially designed T-shirt to all who get vaccinated through the University Health Center and recently added an incentive to sign up for a chance to win one of 10 $100 gift cards being awarded on four successive Fridays. To date, 20 individuals…

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Kudos, August 2021

Awards, grants, exhibitions and fellowships lead our shout-outs to colleagues across the college to begin the academic year. Congratulations all – a few of the highlights: Seven UGA doctoral students – four from the Franklin College – selected as ARCS Scholars – Albany Herald Jody Clay-Warner, Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor in the department of sociology, part of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and associate…

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Noted and Quoted, Summer 2021

While the summer may have been quiet for some, Franklin faculty members were busy writing and offering a wide variety of expertise in media around the world. A sampling of recent stories: It just rained at Greenland’s highest summit for the first time — and you can guess why? Thomas Mote, Distinguished Research Professor and Associate Dean, quoted by Green Matters, New York Times Potential Hurricane Henri and the remnants of Fred…
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