Tags: Human Nature

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Franklin alumna leads Fort Pulaski site

An excellent story about a trio of UGA engineering students developing a plan to maintain the Fort Pulaski National Monument site in the face of sea level rise, severe storms and more frequent flooding includes a quote from Fort Pulaski Superintendent Melissa Memory, a 1989 graduate from the Department of Anthropology: “They’ve blown it out of the water metaphorically and literally with how far they’ve taken this project…

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The show goes on: UGA Theatre takes the digital stage

Our colleagues in the Office of Research share the story of a successful year for theater at the University of Georgia. The Department of Theatre and Film Studies and its associated student theater organizations produced over 30 shows, each unlike anything seen before at UGA. Productions ranged from self-taped musical cabarets to live-streamed comedy shows, to multimedia explorations of current events, and featured the work of…

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Visualizing brain activity, understanding humor as emotion

Whether it’s sarcasm, a punchline or a comical accident, humor is ubiquitous around the world. No matter the culture or language, humor involves substantial high-level mental processing. A new meta-analysis by University of Georgia psychology researchers shows humor also exhibits a surprising amount of brain activity associated with emotional processes – findings that suggest humor provides its own kind of reward. While a great…

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UGA's Art Edison leads $40M grant for NMR network

Researchers all over the world will have access to the University of Georgia’s expertise in nuclear magnetic resonance, or NMR, thanks to a new infrastructure funded by a $40 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The Network for Advanced Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, or NAN, will allow researchers to access ultra-high field nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers to study the structure, dynamics and interactions of biological…

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Amazing student Caroline Caden

UGA’s theatre program brought Caroline Caden to UGA. The senior from Marietta has performed, directed and stage managed productions from cabarets to “Young Frankenstein.” Caden, who has designed lights and worked on publicity for shows, performed in “Young Frankenstein” and “The Tall Girls” with UGA Theatre and in ABBAret cabaret, “Homecoming: A cabaret,” “Broadway Backwards” cabaret and “Homegrown” cabaret with Next Act…

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“A Sense of Belonging”

Terrell Strayhorn has authored over 10 books, including College Students’ Sense of Belonging: A Key to Educational Success. Dr. Strayhorn will share his thoughts on creating a sense of belonging for students at UGA. This is virtual event is hosted by the Franklin College and the Mary Frances Early College of Education and sponsored by the New Approaches to Promote Diversity and Inclusion grant program. This event is open to all UGA students…

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Citizen science bolsters rural communities

Local populations understand their communities best. They’re familiar both with points of pride and with areas that could be improved. But determining the nature of those improvements from best practices, as well as achieving community consensus on implementation, can present a different set of challenges. Jerry Shannon, associate professor of geography in the Franklin College of Arts & Sciences, worked with a team of…

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Saunt wins 2021 ROBERT F. KENNEDY BOOK AWARD

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights announced the winners of its 2021 RFK Book and Journalism Awards on Thursday, June 3 during a virtual ceremony.  This year's RFK Book Award winner is "Unworthy Republic: The Dispossession of Native Americans and the Road to Indian Territory," by Claudio Saunt,  Richard B. Russell Professor in American History.  Winners of the 2021 RFK Journalism Awards were…

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The Human Behind Humans of New York

Alumnus and 'What Can't You Do with an AB degree' example extraordinaire Brandon Stanton is profiled in the new issue of Georgia Magazine: Stephanie Johnson is a 76-year-old New Yorker. Known as Tanqueray, she was incredibly candid, relaying stories about mob bosses and the grittier side of NYC in the ’60s and ’70s. “I knew it was lightning. She was lightning,” says Stanton AB ’08. “After I shared her story, everyone was just obsessed…

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What Climate Science Loses Without Enough Black Researchers

Excellent journalism from Bloomberg in this expansive article on racism inside climate science, which includes UGA's J. Marshall Shepherd among the featured scientists who are remaking institutions that have excluded people of color. Persevering to become a leader while pursuing critical scholarship is more than should be asked of any scientist but the group featured here honors the profession and creates new knowledge while helping our…

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Researcher receives $3M NIH award to continue exploring bacterial immune systems

Michael Terns of the University of Georgia is the recipient of a $3 million Maximizing Investigator Research Award, or MIRA, from the National Institutes of Health to further research on CRISPR—bacterial immune systems harnessed as powerful human gene-editing tools—and to begin studying Anti-CRISPR, or ACR, proteins used by viruses to evade the CRISPR immune systems. “We’re studying a global viral pandemic. Rather than a virus against…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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UGA undergrad brings science vividly to life

Daniel Sina Rouhani is just finishing up his second year as a UGA undergrad, but this genetics and biochemistry double major has already put together a portfolio that would be the envy of many college graduates. Rouhani is the founder of the 3D design studio ExonScientific, which develops new techniques in digital graphic design to “push the boundaries of scientific communication.” He’s put his talents to use in projects with both UGA…

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Alumnus focused on the future of clean water

The experience that opens up the world, the heart and the mind for students across the Franklin College can coalesce and accelerate at any point, once that broad foundation has been established. After graduating from UGA with a bachelor’s degree in English, Jack Hartpence (AB ’15) worked in politics, with think tanks and for campaigns. He used his previous experience with research and data to determine where…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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Johnston Turner selected as dean by WLU

Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario has appointed Cynthia Johnston Turner as dean of the Faculty of Music. Johnston Turner, is currently the director of bands, artistic director of Contemporary Chamber Ensemble and professor of music at the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia. She will formally begin in the role of dean of the Faculty of Music on July 1, 2021. Johnston Turner, a dual citizen of…
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