Tags: Human Nature

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What a preprint is – and why that matters

New research from the University of Georgia suggests most people don’t understand the difference between a preprint and a published academic journal article. Preprints are research papers that haven’t undergone peer review, the process by which studies’ findings are validated by experts who weren’t involved with the research themselves. The study found the majority of readers have little to no understanding of what a preprint…

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The benefits of protective parenting

Being a protective parent could set your kids up for a healthier life as an adult, according to new research from the University of Georgia. The study found that growing up in places where gunshots are common and heat and electricity are unreliable can lead to pain and other physical health limitations in adulthood. But being involved in your child’s life, such as knowing their friends or where they’re hanging out after school,…

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On science fiction & Afrofuturism: Q&A with Isiah Lavender III

For Isiah Lavender III, science fiction isn’t just a passing interest or favorite genre. The Sterling Goodman Professor of English in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences says science fiction is a storytelling device that can capture the human experience on an otherworldly level. In this Q&A, he goes over his earliest memory of “Star Wars,” the history of science fiction and Afrofuturism, and his latest book on intersectional…

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Landau, Terns named Regents’ Professors

Three University of Georgia faculty members have been named Regents’ Professors in recognition of the national and international reach of their innovative and pace-setting scholarship. Regents’ professorships are bestowed by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and are the highest professorial recognition in the state’s system of public colleges and universities. The university’s 2022–2023 Regents’ Professors are Jenna…

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Kudos, February 2023

Even the shortest month has been replete with accolades and awards across UGA and the Franklin College. A few of the colleagues, alumni, and campus organizations we congratulated during February: UGA senior vice provost Michelle Garfield Cook named vice president for student affairs – UGA Today, WGAU, Athens CEO   Christine Szymanski, professor and associate head of the department of microbiology, is one of three…

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Noted and Quoted, February 2023

A climate change summit with Vice President Kamala Harris, the impossible quest of fake meat, and using machine learning to find new exoplanets are just a few of the many stories where our faculty colleagues lead, explain, and advise in media around the world. A sample of distinguished research and time comment from February:   In Atlanta, VP Harris focuses on climate, finding solutions – event co-moderated by Georgia Athletic Association…

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Cody Marrs and beauty as an omnipresent force

Over the past few years, the entire world has faced some harsh realities. A pandemic seemingly without end. A war between Ukraine and Russia. An international social movement in Black Lives Matter. For many, these moments in time are only seen through the lens of the fear, unrest and change they ignite.  Cody Marrs takes a different approach. Head of the English department in the Franklin College of Arts & Sciences who…

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How active learning affects STEM students with learning disabilities

Active learning is an instructional approach that involves engaging students with the learning process through group work, case studies, class discussions and other methods. This type of approach places a greater degree of responsibility on the learner. Students with disabilities may have unique experiences in active-learning STEM courses because most active-learning practices were designed with limited input from students with disabilities.…

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Franklin students, alumni lead UGA as top producer of Fulbright students

For the fifth time in 11 years the University of Georgia has been named a top producer of Fulbright U.S. students, a recognition given by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to the U.S. institutions that received the highest number of Fulbright offers. Eleven UGA students and alumni were offered Fulbright awards for 2022-2023, with 10 students able to accept. Seven are teaching English in countries…

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Shepherd joins VP Harris for climate discussion

Marshall Shepherd, Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and Geography, moderated a discussion with Vice President Kamala Harris about climate change at Georgia Tech on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in Atlanta: Fresh off the president’s State of the Union speech and with a likely re-election bid on the horizon, Vice President Kamala Harris flew to Atlanta on Wednesday to deliver a message on climate change…

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Cook named vice president for student affairs

Congratulations to our Franklin College colleague Michelle Garfield Cook, who was named today as UGA’s next vice president for student affairs. Cook is a veteran UGA leader and student advocate who has introduced numerous institution-wide initiatives benefitting students. She will succeed Victor K. Wilson, who is retiring from the university on September 30. Wonderful news for our students and for the university: As senior vice provost…

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Ellison receives Breakthrough Scientist award

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation announced that University of Georgia faculty member Courtney Ellison is one of seven new recipients of the Damon Runyon-Dale F. Frey Award for Breakthrough Scientists.  The Dale F. Frey award recognizes Damon Runyon Fellows who have exceeded the Foundation’s highest expectations and are most likely to make paradigm-shifting breakthroughs that transform the way we prevent, diagnose, and…

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Coding for the future

UGA student Aniyah Norman advocates for others in tech while carving out her own spot When she applied to the University of Georgia, Aniyah Norman had one goal in mind: to leave her footprint on the campus in the arena of technology and innovation. Now entering her final semester, Norman can finally say that she has accomplished exactly that. Growing up in Gainesville, Georgia, she was always drawn to STEM fields. She even tutored other…

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Simons, Ma, Hermanowicz elected as AAAS Fellows

Five University of Georgia faculty – three from the Franklin College – have been named new Fellows for the American Association for the Advancement of Science, bringing the university’s total representation on this prestigious list to 42. Fellows are elected annually by the AAAS Council for extraordinary achievements leading to the advancement of science. This year, UGA’s new Fellows, representing four disciplines, are Joseph Hermanowicz, Ping…

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New vaccine targets life-threatening fungal infections

A new study from University of Georgia researchers describes a vaccine that could be the first clinically approved immunization to protect against invasive fungal infections, a growing concern as antifungal drug resistance increases:   The experimental vaccine is designed to protect against the three most common fungal pathogens that are responsible for more than 80% of fatal fungal infections. The study tested the vaccine’s efficacy…

Keith campbell
Mysteries of the Mind

Researchers in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences explore why humans do what we do—and how we can change. psy•chol•o•gy  (noun) The scientific study of the human mind and behavior The Greatest Disorder Ever Keith Campbell | Professor of Psychology One of the most popular majors at the University of Georgia, psychology offers students a broad, science-based education that can be useful in various fields. And it’s just really…

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Georgia Magazine feature: Martin Kagel

Our colleagues at Georgia Magazine published this Faculty Focus Q & A with Martin Kagel, Associate Provost for Global Engagement, Office of Global Engagement. A former associate dean in the Franklin, Kagel is the A.G. Steer Professor in Goethe Studies in the Franklin College. A native of Germany, Kagel has spent decades teaching German studies and helping others understand the importance of the humanities and international studies…

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Noted and Quoted, January 2023

Starting the new year strong with media across the globe featuring Franklin College faculty expertise, research and new books. From resolutions to bot-generated text to tornados, our faculty colleagues have it covered. A sample from over the recent month:   What monks can teach us about paying attention – new book by professor of history and associate dean Jamie Kreiner reviewed and featured widely in The New Yorker, New York…

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Kudos, January 2023

Fellowships and awards, new books and a college football National Championship has 2023 off to a great start for UGA and the Franklin College. Congratulations to all – because it takes everyone to create the new standard of excellence in athletics and academics. The latest accomplishments among our colleagues include: The American Association of Geographers (AAG) honored professor of geography Nik Heynen as a 2023 AAG Fellow, one of 16…

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Athenaeum presents first Kara Walker solo exhibition in Georgia

The Athenaeum presents Kara Walker: Back of Hand, the first solo exhibition to be held in Georgia of the work of this internationally renowned artist. The exhibition displays a series of new works on paper by Kara Walker that examine themes such as complicity, racism, misremembered histories, and the violence that undergirds the legacy of the South. Walker moved to Stone Mountain from Stockton, CA when she was 13 and attended…

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Back-to-back National Champions

Congratulations to the 2023 National Champion Georgia Bulldogs! Celebrating the new standard of excellence in academics and athletics: The No. 1 Bulldogs (15-0) never trailed and were rarely tested by the No. 3 Horned Frogs (13-2), a team that came into the game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, as a compelling underdog. But the only thing compelling about the evening was Georgia’s quick-strike excitement and brutal efficiency on both…

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Stenport selected as next Franklin College dean

Anna Westerstahl Stenport, dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), has been named the next dean of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Georgia following a national search. Stenport is a professor of communication and an expert in transnational cinema and media, modern literature and drama, and visual and cultural studies, with a focus on the Arctic and Nordic regions. She will…

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UGA's rich pageant – Spotlight on the Arts

The 2022 UGA Spotlight on the Arts festival showcased more than 60 events and exhibitions throughout November. Now in its 11th year, the festival began with Student Spotlight on Nov. 1, featuring acts such as Young Choreographer’s Series dancers, Improv Athens, Next Act, classical music soloists from the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, performances by the Grammy Award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir, University Theatre’s…

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2022 in Review – Welcome 2023!

Numerous achievements throughout 2022 for the Franklin College and the University of Georgia – shining on the field, in the classroom and beyond. From celebrating a National Championship in January to a Rhodes Scholar in November, 2022 was truly a year to remember. Thank you to our students, faculty, and staff for making 2022 such a memorable year. To commemorate 2022, please enjoy this slideshow of images from UGA photographers Peter Frey…

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Q&A with Doug Menke: Of lizard genetics & human biology

Three years ago, Doug Menke led a team that became the first in the world to create a gene-edited lizard. A professor of genetics in the Franklin College of Arts & Sciences and director of UGA’s Developmental Biology Alliance, Menke was recognized last spring with a UGA Creative Research Medal for the accomplishment. In this interview, Menke discusses his award-winning work, how he fell into the work of genetics and what…
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