Tags: research

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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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Two UGA doctoral students win international Geology Award

Two Franklin College doctoral students won the Farouk El Baz Student Research Award from the Geological Society of America. The primary role of the GSA research grants program is to provide partial support of master's and doctoral thesis research in the geological sciences for graduate students enrolled in universities in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Central America. The highly regarded Farouk El Baz Award for desert research is…

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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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UGA research team receives USDA APHIS funding for development of a rapid diagnostics platform for SARS-CoV-2

A person with COVID-19 might transmit SARS-CoV-2 to domestic cats and dogs (and perhaps other pets) in the same way that an infected animal could possibly transmit it to another individual. In addition, lions, tigers, pumas, snow leopards and non-human primates from zoos or wildlife refuges in the U.S. and other countries have been confirmed infected with SARS-CoV-2, while infections have also been reported in white-tailed deer, both wild and…

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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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Research Q & A: Katrien Devos

Katrien Devos is Distinguished Research Professor with joint appointments in the University of Georgia’s departments of Crop & Soil Sciences and Plant Biology in the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (CAES) and Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, respectively. Specializing in plant genetics, she also is a member of CAES’ Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics & Genomics. In this interview, she discusses her…

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Franklin faculty research on podcasts

The platform you can take with you, that so many people enjoy, is also very useful for learning about leading researchers and research topics of wide interest. New episodes of two podcasts each feature Franklin College faculty discussing their work, shedding light, and sharing their expertise. In a new episode of People, Parasites, & Plagues, the jhosts interview Dr. Xiaorong Lin, a distinguished professor of medical mycology at the…

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Timing plant evolution with a fast-ticking epigenetic clock

Recent discoveries in the field of epigenetics, the study of inheritance of traits that occur without changing the DNA sequence, have shown that chronological age in mammals correlates with epigenetic changes that accumulate during the lifetime of an individual. In humans, this observation has led to the development of epigenetic clocks, which are now extensively used as biomarkers of aging. While these clocks work accurately from birth until…

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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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Classic Georgia accent fading fast

A collaborative study between the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech has found the classic Southern accent is undergoing rapid change in Georgia. The instigator? Generation X. “We found that, here in Georgia, white English speakers’ accents have been shifting away from the traditional Southern pronunciation for the last few generations,” said Margaret Renwick, associate professor in UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences department of…

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CRISPR enables plant biologists to engage grand challenges

New research from UGA plant scientists describe how CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology has a significant role to play in developing sustainable agriculture. The study and illustrations are featured on the cover of the August issue of the CRISPR Journal, which details how recent studies in the deployment of genome editing in trees are opening new avenues for sustainable forestry: The widespread success of CRISPR medicines in the clinic is…

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Bram Tucker prioritizes people in work to understand cultures

Bram Tucker is an associate professor in the University of Georgia’s Department of Anthropology, where his Behavioral Ecology and Economic Decisions Labstudies how people make decisions under risks, vulnerabilities and changes. He works primarily with Mikea hunter-gatherers, Masikoro farmers and Vezo fishers in southwestern Madagascar, and previously served as president of the Society for Economic Anthropology with the American…

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In Memoriam: Lars G. Ljungdahl

University of Georgia Professor Emeritus Lars G. Ljungdahl passed away in July 2023 at the age of 96. A pioneer in the field of anaerobic metabolism, Ljungdahl made remarkable discoveries leading to a set of biochemical reactions now known as the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, and about supramolecular cellulosome complexes that efficiently digest cellulose. Ljungdahl joined the faculty of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences department of…

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Aerial dance program taking flight at UGA 

Aerial dance, a mesmerizing fusion of dance and acrobatics, has found its place at the University of Georgia (UGA) with the development of an aerial dance program. Elizabeth Stich, a performer and instructor, joined the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences as an assistant professor of dance in 2022 to spearhead this new initiative.  "We are fortunate to have Elizabeth Stich's expertise on our faculty," said Jean Martin-Williams, associate…

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How individuals learn racial biases at the microlevel

While many White American residents believe that disregarding race would help minimize racism, or fear that acknowledging race could lead to the development of racial biases in children, multiple research studies suggest that racial socialization in White American families can reduce racial biases among children and provide a counter narrative to the systemic factors that reinforce racial biases. Individual-level racial biases operate across…

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The First Kings of Europe: professor explores ancient hierarchies in Field Museum exhibit

Attila Gyucha, assistant professor of archaeology at the University of Georgia’s Department of Anthropology, and colleagues organized an exhibition at Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History titled, “The First Kings of Europe”. Gyucha is the co-curator and leading editor of two books that accompany the exhibition, which runs through Jan. 28, 2024. It can be accessed by discovery or an all-access pass, and showcases more than 700…

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UGA research links climate change to lazier jet stream, leading to weather extremes

Jet streams are relatively narrow bands of strong wind in the upper atmosphere, typically occurring around 30,000 feet in elevation, that blow from west to east. The normal westerly flow leads to week-to-week variations in the weather, modulated in the mid-latitudes by ridges and troughs in the jet stream. The influence of a high-pressure ridge, for example, produces clear, warmer weather conditions; a trough in the jet stream is typically…

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Adversity can accelerate brain aging among Black Americans

Longitudinal research studies led by faculty in the UGA Center for Family Research have changed the landscape of developmental, health, and prevention science by demonstrating its potential for narrowing social and racial disparities in health and well-being. By tracking the experiences of individual subjects over decades, prospective investigations of resilience among Black Americans have set a standard for conducting research with…

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CURO opens door to funding, research, and valuable experience

Emilio Ferrara, junior biochemistry and molecular biology major from Atlanta, Georgia, utilizes CURO—the Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities—to connect with research opportunities across campus. A nice feature story on the CURO program describes Ferrara and his work on Type IV CRISPR systems: Emilio Ferrara did not realize it at first, but his experience with CURO led to a whole new career path. When you hear the title, “…

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Colorful foods improve athletes’ vision

Nutrition is an important part of any top athlete’s training program.And now, a new study by researchers from the University of Georgia proposes that supplementing the diet of athletes with colorful fruits and vegetables could improve their visual range. The paper, which was published in Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, examines how a group of plant compounds that build up in the retina, known as macular pigments, work to improve eye health…

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Urban Climate Justice

A new book of essays published by the UGA Press explores the links between climate justice and urban justice. Edited by Jennifer L. Rice, Joshua Long and Anthony Levenda, Urban Climate Justice – Theory, Praxis, Resistance was published May 1. Arguing that climate injustice is one of our most pressing urban problems, the volume explores the possibilities and challenges for more just urban futures under climate change. Whether…

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Psychology researchers changing the way we diagnose, treat schizophrenia

Our colleagues from UGA Research Communications take a deep dive across the breadth of department of psychology research on schizophrenia, changing perceptions of the disorder, new information that could bring clarity to how clinicians diagnose and treat it in the future. Great work by some of UGA's best: The popular understanding goes something like this: An individual, usually a young adult, begins having hallucinations—“hearing voices”…
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