News

Employees and volunteers from UGA’s Marine Education Center and Aquarium and the Shellfish Research Lab presented “Planet Ocean” — an introduction to living marine creatures such as horseshoe crabs, hermit crabs, spider crabs, and whelks — at the 2008 Earth Day Festival in Savannah’s Forsyth Park on April 19.

They talked to excited kids and parents about the animals and answered questions about Marine Extension Service programs and summer camps. Several Tybee Island residents, and even career fisherman, were surprised to learn about the differences between whelks and conchs, and that Georgia has native species of crabs besides the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus). The best question of the day came when a little boy asked if spider crabs like back massages.

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Posted in Events |

Athens, Ga. (April 21, 2008) – Approximately 700 middle and high school students from throughout Georgia exhibited projects at the 60th Georgia Science and Engineering Fair (GSEF), held at the Athens Classic Center April 2-5. The University of Georgia has coordinated this program since 1948.

Exhibits in the fair included projects and experiments in seventeen categories. All participants earned the opportunity to compete in the state fair by winning honors in one of the twenty-one GSEF affiliated regional fairs.

Top high school honors went to Archit Bhise, Peachtree Ridge High School, Duluth; Stoyan Ivanov, North Springs High School, Alpharetta; and Marissa Pan and Kelsey Schodowski, Alpharetta High School, Alpharetta. These students, along with 39 others from across the state, received an invitation to compete at the International Science and Engineering Fair in Atlanta, May 11-16, 2008.

Top middle school honors went to Marguerite Bradley, The Walker School, Marietta; Deborah Postma, Brookstone School, Columbus; and James Conners, Fielding Keeley and Joseph Vanterpool, William James Middle School, Statesboro. These students received an invitation to participate in the Society for Science and the Public’s Middle School Program along with twenty-five other middle school students from throughout Georgia.

In addition to the grand award prizes, entrants in the GSEF competed for more than $48,000 in prizes and awards honoring best achievements in specific scientific areas. There were more than 100 award donors from universities, government, industry, and professional organizations.

The exhibits were judged Thursday, April 3, on creativity, scientific thought and engineering goals, thoroughness, skill and clarity. Two hundred judges from the University System of Georgia and contributing societies and industries judged these projects.

On Friday students, parents and teachers participated in various tours of the UGA campus.

Thirty-five projects in the Senior Division received all-expense-paid trips to the 59th Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Atlanta, Georgia, May 11-16, 2008. These Georgia students will compete against more than 1,400 students from 46 countries. Elizabeth Kornegay of Thomasville Scholars Academy was chosen as the Merial Biological Student of Promise and will travel to ISEF as an observer. The Intel ISEF is best described as the World Cup, The World Series and the Olympics of science competitions.

Posted in Students |

ATHENS, Ga. – A unique project by the students of the University of Georgia’s New Media Institute may soon make wireless phones a new vehicle for Public Service Announcements in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

With the support of Verizon Wireless and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the project organizers hope to create a new production model that allows public service announcement videos to be created by peers and delivered on personal mobile media devices. The goal of the AIDS Personal Public Service Announcement (PPSA) project is to increase awareness of the importance of HIV testing, encourage young people to get tested, and pioneer new ways to reach young adult audiences with vital educational messages.

“Delivering health messages to young people today can be frustrating,” said Dr. Scott Shamp, Director of the New Media Institute and professor of telecommunications at UGA’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. “A whole generation isn’t using their parent’s media, so we have to find new ways to reach them. Mobile media has powerful potential for reaching young people with information to help them stay healthy and protect others.”

Coordinated by UGA’s New Media Institute, the project will bring teams of university students and faculty from around the Southeast together on April 22-23 in Atlanta. Using wireless phones and data equipment, student teams from Emory University, the University of South Carolina, Clark Atlanta University and Georgia State University will collaborate using wireless communications with producers from around the country to shoot, edit, produce and premiere short video PSAs encouraging HIV testing.

“It’s exciting to not only see young people using our equipment and our network in an innovative way but to see how this can directly impact individual lives and the community at large,” said Jeff Mango, president of the Georgia/Alabama Region for Verizon Wireless. “Wireless technology has certainly become part of our daily lives both professionally and personally. It’s only fitting that we harness the power and reach of technology for the greater good and participate in this program.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than a quarter million people are estimated to be living with HIV and are unaware of their infection. Often those infected exhibit no visible symptoms and are more likely to pass the virus to others. Knowing infection status can lengthen life expectancy dramatically as patients are able to start treatment earlier.

“Mobile media is an outlet for truly personalized content. It is an opportunity to reach a targeted audience in a personal way for the public good,” said Kelly Jones, a project participant and UGA student. “Especially for controversial and emotionally charged issues, personal devices are a discrete way to create awareness.”

Student teams will participate in a day of educational forums on HIV and related issues on Tuesday, April 22, including talks by professionals from a variety of organizations including top CDC experts on HIV/AIDS. Teams will begin video production at 9 a.m. on April 23 and end at 4 p.m. with final PPSA videos due by a 7 p.m. deadline. The AIDS PPSAs will be distributed via a variety of channels in association with a series of nationwide educational and promotional events associated with National HIV Testing Day, June 27, 2008. This annual event is organized by the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA).

Founded in 2000, the New Media Institute is an interdisciplinary teaching and research unit of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication (www.grady.uga.edu) at the University of Georgia (www.uga.edu/). The NMI is dedicated to innovating with communication technologies.

Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 65.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 69,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, go to: www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

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Posted in Students |

Athens, Ga. (April 21, 2008) – The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education Conference Center and Hotel is currently accepting registration applications for the 2008 Summer Academy at UGA. SAUGA is a popular series of summer day camps designed to keep the minds and bodies of 10- to 17-year-olds active during summer break. Camps begin the week of June 2 and are held at the Georgia Center.

Since 2001, SAUGA has enriched the summers of more than 300 campers and has provided fun instructional activities in a wide range of subjects. Programs are divided into one- and two-week sessions. Space is limited and pre-registration is required.

This year’s camp offerings include “Mini Medical School,” in which campers will perform surgery on mock specimens, take medical board exams, review x-rays, visit a dentist office and much more. Other new camps include “Sing Your Heart Out,” an American Idol-style voice workshop; “Rockin’ Rockets,” which will explore aerodynamics and physics; “Young Point of View,” an in-depth photography camp; and “Screenwriting and Production” camp. Also new this year is a “Young Actors” camp, which will be taught by an actress who appeared on Seinfeld, an Emmy-award winning TV series.

Other popular camp offerings include “DAWGWarts”, a Harry Potter-themed camp; “Video Production Camp,” “Comic Book Creation” and “Cartooning Camp.”

For more information or to register, please contact Kathleen McDermott at 706/542-3537, 800-325-2090 or Kathleen.McDermott@georgiacenter.uga.edu. Additional information is available online at http://www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/ppd/summer_academy/.

The Georgia Center, a unit of the University of Georgia’s Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, provides innovative lifelong learning opportunities through its continuing education programs. On UGA’s campus, the Georgia Center includes a full-service hotel with 200 rooms and suites, restaurants, ballroom, conference rooms, auditoriums, a fitness center, and computer lab-all under one roof. For more information, see www.georgiacenter.uga.edu.

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Posted in Program News, Students |

Athens, Ga. (April 14, 2008) — The University Of Georgia College of Public Health and Biomedical and Health Sciences Institute present the first annual UGA Global Health Symposium, April 21-22, 2008 at the Paul D. Coverdell Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences. Continue reading »

Posted in Events |

Athens, Ga. (April 7, 2008) – The College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia’s annual Open House was held Friday, April 4, 2008. A parade of dog breeds, rodeo and farrier demonstrations, and veterinary hospital tours were just some of the activities available to young and old alike at the event sponsored by UGA’s veterinary students.

This annual event focused on veterinary medicine as an exciting, rewarding career, and demonstrated the variety of career options available to veterinary medicine graduates.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for young people to see firsthand the role of today’s veterinarian,” said Dr. Lari Cowgill, faculty advisor for Open House. “Veterinary medicine entails so much more than the care of cats, dogs, horses and cows. What we learn from animal health has a significant impact on public health issues.”

Other activities included horseshoeing, hatching quail eggs, face painting, a dog dancing demonstration, and question and answer sessions with current veterinary students. Children also assisted while veterinary students repaired their favorite stuffed playmates in the Teddy Bear Surgery area.

“Parents and teachers look forward to this each year, and the kids always have a great time interacting with the animals and the veterinary students,” said Denise Brinson, vice president of the class of 2010 and co-organizer of the event.

In addition, tours of the small and large animal hospitals were available all day, with scientific exhibits showcasing every kind of animal from dogs to horses to exotics.

The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, founded in 1946, is dedicated to training future veterinarians, providing services to animal owners and veterinarians, and conducting investigations to improve the health of animals as well as people. The College benefits pets and their owners, food-producing animals, and wildlife by offering the highest quality hospital and diagnostic laboratory services. Equipped with the most technologically advanced facilities located on a university campus, the College is dedicated to safeguarding public health by studying emerging infectious diseases that affect both animal and human health. The College enrolls 96 students each fall out of more than 500 who apply. It has more than 130 faculty members.
For more information, please visit www.vet.uga.edu/ERC/openhouse.

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Posted in Events, Students |

Athens, Ga. (April 7, 2008) — The University of Georgia’s Child and Family Policy Initiative invites research-based and best-practice presentation proposals concerning the issue of The Prison Pipeline: The Intersection of Childhood and the Criminal Justice System. Proposals are due by May 1, 2008.

Researchers, practitioners, and students from diverse fields are encouraged to submit proposals to this interdisciplinary symposium intended to bridge university-based research with effective practice to inform sound public policy. Proposals will be accepted for paper presentations, symposium panels, and poster sessions.

The symposium will be held October 13, 2008 at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education Conference Center and Hotel.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS:
Send a one- to two-page abstract of approximately 500 words in Microsoft Word or Rich Text Format to childsymp@cviog.uga.edu. Receipt of submission will be acknowledged.

SUBMISSIONS SHOULD INCLUDE:
• names, affiliations, and contact information for all presenters and identification of primary presenter
• title of presentation
• identification of submission as research-based or best-practice proposal
• brief synopsis/description of the presentation content
• identification of format: paper, symposium, poster

Submissions will be judged based on clarity, quality, effectiveness, and impact.

DEADLINES:
Proposal submissions must be received by 5:00 p.m. on May 1, 2008. Any submission arriving after this time will be disregarded. Acceptance decisions will be communicated via e-mail to the primary presenter by 5:00 p.m. on July 1, 2008.

STUDENT PARTICIPATION:
We particularly encourage students to submit proposals and attend the symposium.

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Posted in General |

Athens, Ga. (April 7, 2008) — On April 18, 2008 Dr. Njeri Marekia-Cleaveland, faculty member with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government’s International Center for Democratic Governance, together with Murendehle Juwayeyi, Mwita Chacha, and Irina Ciurea, will host a round-table conversation on policy, media perception, and current issues surrounding refugees in the state of Georgia today.

Marekia-Cleaveland will also discuss a new grant from the U.S. Department of State to develop and carry out a program of exchange visits between women leaders from Kenya and their counterparts in the United States.

Time: 12:20 PM to 1:30 PM
Location: Student Learning Center, Room 250

*This event is jointly Sponsored with the International Center for Democratic Governance.

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Posted in Events |

Athens, Ga. (April 7, 2008) — Mark your calendar for the April service-learning seminar.

What: “Assessing the Impact of Service-Learning on Students: Utilizing the Service-Learning Self-Efficacy Scale”
Who: Su-I Hou, Associate Professor of Health Promotion and Behavior and Service-Learning Senior Scholar for Curricular Initiatives
When: 12:30-1:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Where: Center for Teaching and Learning North Conference Room

Service-learning can help deepen student’s learning and provide opportunities to discover links between theory and practice in authentic settings. However, reliable tools are scarce in assessing the impact of service-learning on students. This study discusses the development and validation of a 12-item self-efficacy scale aimed to assess the impact of service-learning on student learning in a core Masters of Public Health course. This seminar will introduce participants to a current research study on assessment in service-learning and provide an example of possibilities for future service-learning research.

The Service-Learning Seminar Series is designed to provide a forum for presentations and discussions about emerging topics in service-learning and community engagement. Focus areas for the Spring 2008 semester include classroom strategies for addressing race through classroom discourse, emerging research on assessing the impact of service-learning, and a panel discussion with faculty experts for those new to service-learning.

The Office of Service-Learning is jointly supported by the Offices of the Vice President for Instruction and the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach.

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Posted in Events |

Athens, Ga. (April 7, 2008) — The State Botanical Garden of Georgia will host the 2008 annual Southern Garden History Society meeting April 11-13.

The meeting theme, Tall Columns & High Cotton, will explore the influence of cotton on the architecture, gardens and landscapes of middle Georgia. Educational sessions will take place at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education with a keynote address by James Cobb, Spalding Distinguished Professor of History at the University of Georgia. Tours will include relevant local area attractions as well as house and garden tours of Madison and Milledgeville. The meeting will draw approximately 150 participants, primarily from throughout the Southeast. For additional information, visit www.southerngardenhistory.org.

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Posted in Events |