Tags: Society

photo. of students with instructor, mountains and village in background
The imperative of regenerative development

A new publication from Fausto Sarmiento, professor of mountain science in the department of geography, expands on the concept of Montology as a Transformative Frame for the Future of Education About Mountains. The paper, following on recent scholarship from Sarmiento, posits an intriguing concept that takes an important step beyond discussions of sustainability: Montology, the transdisciplinary science of mountains,…

photo of woman in piano performance, with audience silhouette foreground
UGA Arts Lab awards initial graduate student fellowships

Two UGA graduate students have been awarded fellowships through the university’s recently established Arts Lab Cluster, a multi-year initiative to enhance research, practice and community engagement in the arts. Zaira Castillo-Ramos, who is pursuing a Masters in piano in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, and Sayantika Mandal, a creative writing PhD candidate in the department of English, are the first graduate students to benefit from this…

photo of two women sitting on bench outdoors, day
Georgia Possible offers leadership development to CCSD high school students

We love Clarke County schools and the close, collaborative nature with the university community of which they are in so many ways an important part. One new UGA program in particular helps Clarke County students develop leadership skills, career interests, and confidence as it paves the way for academic excellence. Since she was 2 years old, Tiffani Richardson has had her sights set on becoming a…

photo of frontispiece of old book, with farsi text
Hargrett Hours: Exploring Medieval Manuscripts

Our colleagues with the UGA Libraries share one of the many humanities research experiences made possible through the extraordinary resources on campus: On display through Aug. 26 at the Special Collections Libraries, “The Hargrett Hours: Exploring Medieval Manuscripts” presents insights gained by UGA students while investigating medieval manuscripts in the collections of the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library. A Book of Hours is a…

graphic with quill pen and globe on red with white text
Teaching Writing for a Better World: Write@UGA 2021 recap

Vanessa Swenson, a Writing Intensive Program graduate student, shared this recap of the Write@UGA 2021 event from February. On February 22, 2021, the Write@UGA event series “Writing for a Better World,” welcomed Asao B. Inoue, an award-winning scholar whose work considers the intersection of writing assessment and race and racism. In a morning keynote address, “What Does It Mean To Assess Writing For A Better World? Or What Does It…

photo of stadium at twilight, with white letters
Spring Commencement 2021

Today is the day – and tomorrow, and Saturday! In an unusual turn consistent with this most unusual academic year, UGA will hold three undergraduate commencement ceremonies beginning tonight in Sanford Stadium. The Spring Graduate Commencement will held Friday at 10 a.m. in the stadium. Congratulations to every graduate at every level from every school and every college. Let the Chapel bell ring! Welcome to the many family members and…

graphic with three circle Venn diagram, words
Data Science Industry Day

Industry Day—a celebration of the first Data Science Competition, organized by the statistics department along with data scientists—was held virtually on April 28. Following introductions by Provost Jack Hu and Alan Dorsey, dean of Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, the top undergraduate and graduate data science teams presented their findings from the competition. Industry Day included a panel discussion about careers in data science…

photo of woman outdoors, day
Franklin IT director focuses on serving and supporting

Columns features our executive director for Franklin IT, and leader extraordinaire, Beth Woods: For Beth Woods and her team, information technology goes beyond coding and servers. In fact, they made sure more than 300 classrooms were ready for both in-person and virtual learning in August. “Everyone came together to find a solution that was cost-effective, that met the needs of faculty and students, and that we could roll out…

photo of man outdoors
Tech industry leader honors UGA mentor with scholarship

Inspired by a mentor's wisdom and guidance when he was a computer science major 40 years ago, Greg Lavender (BS ’83), established an endowed undergraduate scholarship  named for Jeffrey W. Smith, associate professor in the department of computer science, as part of the Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program to pay tribute to the impact he made in his life and the lives of other UGA students. Our…

headshots of three people, two men, one woman
Kudos, April-May 2021

Truly an April to remember for the Franklin College and the University of Georgia, with our three new National Academy of Sciences members announced. Details below on those and other extraordinary achievements across the college for faculty, students, staff and alumni. We also want to include a special note of thanks and congratulations to our 14 graduating Franklin College Student Ambassadors – we are honored by your efforts…

photo of woman, with wall map in background
UGA professor awarded Harvard fellowship

Chana Kai Lee, associate professor in the department of history, has been awarded a 2021-22 Warren Center Faculty Fellowship at Harvard University. The Charles Warren Center, Harvard’s research center for United States history, invited applications for a workshop on Slavery and the Universities. The workshop will bring together scholars to systematically reflect on how such research can be elevated by considering how it contributes to…

graphic map of Gulf of Mexico
Noted and Quoted, April 2021

From reporting on new research findings from across the college to weighing in on events of the moment, Franklin faculty expertise appeared in a wide variety of international media during April. A sample: The Great Depression led to many of the hobbies we enjoy now. The pandemic created a whole host of new ones – Stephen Mihm, associate professor of history, quoted by CNN Landmark study shows what makes a relationship successful…

photo of fuel tank cap/door, with blue letter and number
Sensors eliminate sparking risk in hydrogen vehicles

Hydrogen as a clean, renewable alternative to fossil fuels is part of a sustainable-energy future, and very much already here. However, lingering concerns about flammability have limited widespread use of hydrogen as a power source for electric vehicles. Previous advances have minimized the risk, but new research from the University of Georgia now puts that risk in the rearview mirror. Hydrogen vehicles can refuel much more quickly and go…

photo of man in suit with green wall
UGA students lead breaking coverage of severe weather

When the tree came crashing through their bedroom window, Jasper and Ashley Kent had moved to safety only moments before thanks to a live weather broadcast by University of Georgia student, Will O’Neil. The Midwest transplants had seen severe weather before and thought nothing of the storm brewing outside until Ashley Kent came across O’Neil’s broadcast.  "I wasn't really taking it seriously, but I decided to look at local news and see…

headshots of three people, aligned horizontally
Three faculty members elected to National Academy of Sciences

Three distinguished faculty members at the University of Georgia have received one of the highest honors a scientist can earn, election to the National Academy of Sciences. The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit institution that was established under a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. It recognizes achievement in science by election to membership and — with the National Academy of…

photo of man speaking, with banner in background
Marshall Shepherd elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

UGA's J. Marshall Shepherd has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, an honorary society that recognizes and celebrates the excellence of its members and is also an independent research center that convenes leaders from across disciplines, professions and perspectives to address significant challenges. This highly prestigious national honor comes in the same year that Shepherd, the Georgia Athletic Association…

photo of woman, outdoors
2021 Outstanding Academic Advisors

The Office of Instruction announced the Outstanding Academic Advisor Award recipients, which include Franklin College staff members Jennifer Patrick and Elizabeth Fuller. Elizabeth Fuller, Outstanding Professional Advisor, is known for her genuine and calm demeanor, which has served her well in her 16 years in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. She currently serves as the lead advisor for the Division of Biological…

photo of woman, with glasses, outdoors
Soares to present annual Coley Lecture in LGBT Studies

Kristie Soares, assistant professor of women and gender studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, will deliver the 27th annual Andrea Carson Coley Lecture in LGBT Studies at the University of Georgia on April 23 at 12:30 p.m. The lecture, “Dancing with Death: Celia Cruz’s Azúcar and Queer of Color Survival” will take place virtually on Zoom. It is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Register here. Soares will…

photo of woman, with glasses, outdoors
Hahamovitch awarded 2021 Guggenheim Fellowship

Cindy Hahamovitch, B. Phinizy Spalding Distinguished Professor of Southern History in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, has been awarded a 2021 Fellowship by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Hahamovitch is one of 184 artists, writers, scholars and scientistschosen through a rigorous peer-review process from almost 3,000 applicants. Guggenheim Fellowships are intended for individuals who have already demonstrated…

side-by-side photo of woman, left, and man
Two UGA undergraduates named Goldwater Scholars

Claire Bunn and Yoong “Terry” Phang are among 410 undergraduates across the nation to be recognized as Barry Goldwater Scholars in 2021, earning the highest undergraduate award of its type for the fields of the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering. Bunn, from Marion, Arkansas, is a third-year Foundation Fellow and Stamps Scholar majoring in genetics and minoring in statistics. Phang, from Cumming…

photo of woman with laser
Teaching physics via Zoom

When she started her stint as head teaching assistant in the Physics and Astronomy Department in August 2019, Lauren Sgro’s life was pretty well mapped out. The Ph.D. candidate had time to work on her dissertation – concerning dust around red dwarfs – while keeping up with head TA duties, such as teaching the new TAs how to do their once-a-week labs and helping anyone with questions. Then the pandemic hit. “After COVID-19, the position…

photo of woman with palm fronds in background
Under the skin: How social and environmental factors affect health

Man Kit “Karlo” Lei came from humble beginnings in Macau, China. His mother was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease and died five years later when Lei was a teenager. It was a difficult time, but fortunately, he had good support through school and from friends. He thrived despite the challenges, earning degrees in law and sociology at National Taiwan University and then the University of Georgia. Lei’s studies led him to a question: Why do…

photo of woman seated in auditorium, writing
Birch, Sahakian, receive 2021 Russell Awards

Three UGA faculty members, two from the Franklin College, have been named recipients of the Richard B. Russell Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, which recognize outstanding instruction by faculty members early in their academic careers. The Russell Foundation established the Russell Awards during the 1991-1992 academic year to honor the late U.S. Sen. Richard B. Russell. The awards include a $10,000 cash award: The 2021…

graphic with photos of two people getting vaccinated, red background
Vaccination 'One Great Step'

The UGA Athletic Association is making a strong statement about vaccinations, working with the Georgia Department of Public Health to promote the increased availability of the COVID-19 vaccines in the state and encourage those that wish to receive it to make an appointment. This past Saturday, dozens of UGA Athletic Association coaches and staff members received their first dose: Among those that have now received at least one dose of the…

photo of man walking next to small river, with plants
New UGA center to combat global human trafficking

Each year, an estimated 800,000 people are trafficked globally, though the true number may be higher. In a quest to arm officials and stakeholders around the globe with more accurate and trusted data to better understand and address this global problem, the University of Georgia has established a new interdisciplinary center to combat human trafficking through research, programming and policy development: The Center on Human Trafficking Research…
Subscribe to Society

Support Franklin College

We appreciate your financial support. Your gift is important to us and helps support critical opportunities for students and faculty alike, including lectures, travel support, and any number of educational events that augment the classroom experience.

 Click here to learn more about giving

Every dollar given has a direct impact upon our students and faculty.