University System News:
Growing Georgia
ABAC President Receives Honorary Agricultural Education Pin
Dr. David Bridges, president of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, received an honorary agricultural education pin at the recent pinning ceremony for graduates of the agricultural education program at ABAC. “That was a real honor for me,” Bridges said. “The agricultural education program continues to grow, and I am happy that ABAC is making a concerted effort to alleviate the shortage of teachers in agricultural education across the state and the nation.” Bridges is about to complete his 15th year at ABAC, making him the longest serving president in the history of the college. He is also the longest serving president among the 26 colleges and universities in the University System of Georgia. Bridges is the only ABAC president to have ever been a student at the college. He graduated with the ABAC Class of 1978.
WRBL
Columbus State University welcomes first woman police chief
by: Tom Ingram
Laura Bennett was sworn in today as Columbus State University’s new police chief, the first woman to serve in the role, after serving as interim chief since Sept. 2020 when former chief Mark Lott retired. Bennett served as assistant chief from 2017 until stepping in as interim chief, according to a news release. Dr. Gina Sheeks, vice president for student affairs, said Bennett has her full confidence. “Chief Bennett holds an impressive vision for strengthening University Police as a department, and also its relationships at Columbus State and beyond,” Sheeks said in the release.
Albany Herald
Albany State STEM Academy students get hands-on experience at Phoebe
From staff reports
More than 30 area high school students wrapped up a weeklong science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) academy at Albany State University by learning about careers in health care at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. The students toured the Phoebe Simulation & Innovation Center Friday and took part in a hands-on activity. “Our simulation center is one of the best and most advanced in the Southeast,” Phoebe Putney Health System Vice President for Education Tracy Suber said in a Phoebe News release. “Not only do we utilize it to sharpen the skills of our staff members, train new employees and educate nursing students, we’re always excited to bring younger students into our center.
Jamaica Observer
A pilot’s dream come true for Portmore youngster
Sunday, June 27, 2021
By Romardo Lyons, Staff reporter
AWESTRUCK, a young Jordan Diedrick would be at home in Cumberland in Portmore, St Catherine, looking up at passing airplanes. One day, he even drew a picture of a plane with himself inside as the pilot. Today, the 27-year-old spends most of his days sky-high looking down, and taking passengers all over the world. Diedrick has been a pilot and flight instructor for four years with Delta Airlines, and credits his success to his mother. …However, things were only set in motion when he went to a Delta summer camp while living in the US. “I did all of my training in Georgia, United States. I went to Middle Georgia State University and began training in 2011 with just about 15 flight hours. And I went from 15 hours all the way to becoming a flight instructor. I finished that programme as well as a bachelor’s degree in 2016.
Science Magazine
McIndoe Leading $6.2 Million Innovative Research Initiative
Dr. Richard A. McIndoe, bioinformatics expert and associate director of the Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia, is leading a dynamic, new $6.2 million federally funded initiative to support highly innovative research ideas in three areas with tremendous impact on health. This Innovative Science Accelerator, or ISAC, program establishes an expedited but still extensive review process that will enable scientists to pursue some of their most innovative research ideas in diseases of the kidneys; the urinary tract in both sexes as well as the male reproductive organs; and the blood and bone marrow.
Atlanta Business Chronicle
How Georgia Tech attracted global robotics company Exotec to Atlanta
By Erin Schilling – Technology Reporter/ Atlanta Inno
When robotics warehousing company Exotec raised $90 million for its international expansion, it set up an office in Atlanta, just south of Buckhead. The East Coast time zone and airport made it easier for Exotec employees to collaborate across countries. But Exotec also had three Georgia Tech graduates employed in its Lille, France, offices, making Atlanta stand out as a potential headquarters, said Rudi Lueg, the managing director of North America. And the city’s specs just made sense for the company, Lueg said. Atlanta has a robust supply chain industry, an affordable cost of living and a strong talent pool — from Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State University and Georgia State University. Exotec is working with the Georgia Tech Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines to continue to recruit local talent. “Here in Georgia is definitely the right location to get the talent,” Lueg said.
AP News
With a growing need to better understand the many links between heart disease and cancer, the two leading causes of death worldwide, the American Heart Association – the world’s leading voluntary organization dedicated to a world of longer, healthier lives – announced today grants focused on this area of scientific research. More than $11 million in research grants are awarded to four multidisciplinary teams to create the Association’s newest Strategically Focused Research Network on disparities in cardio-oncology. Specifically, these teams will develop breakthrough solutions to better identify and address how the combination of these diseases disproportionately affects underrepresented populations. Research teams at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Boston University School of Medicine, the Medical College of Wisconsin and the University of Pennsylvania will receive more than $2.7 million each for their individual projects aimed at reducing critical deficiencies related to disparities in cardio-oncology and increasing the understanding of the causes, consequences, treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease among cancer patients and cancer survivors from diverse populations.
EOS
NEON Lights a Path for Sustained Ecological Observations
Resources and data offered by the National Ecological Observatory Network are supporting researchers investigating critical ecosystem changes across the country.
By Michael SanClements and Paula Mabee
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, second to carbon dioxide in its overall influence on anthropogenic warming at Earth’s surface, so scientists are keen to keep a close eye on emissions of the gas, both natural and anthropogenic. Thorough records of methane emissions from the landscape allow researchers to better understand processes that contribute emissions, forecast changes in ecosystems, validate models of land–atmosphere exchanges, and estimate regional and continental methane budgets. But collecting such records from a variety of environments over broad spatial and temporal scales is a massive endeavor. Aiding in this task is the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). … Other archives to which NEON contributes include the Megapit Soil Archive (soils collected and characterized from each NEON site during their initial construction), the NEON Initial Characterization Soils Archive (soils collected during initial operations in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service), and tick samples in the U.S. National Tick Collection at Georgia Southern University.
The Atlanta Business Chronicle
College athletes stand to reap millions as state laws kick into gear this week
By Eric Jackson – Sports Business Reporter
…Up to now, most college athletes have been prohibited from monetizing their skills or personal brands. But with a slate of new state laws set to take effect July 1, the financial floodgates are expected to open for student athletes. To date Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, New Mexico, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas are set to allow college athletes to generate revenue and sponsorships from their personal brands starting July 1. …It will be up to student athletes to leverage their names and brands to pursue financial opportunities under NIL laws; colleges and universities will not facilitate the deals, although most schools will offer resources, guidance and relevant coursework in areas including marketing, entrepreneurship and social media. Football stars aren’t the only collegiate athletes who stand to benefit financially from the new name, image and likeness laws, marketing and branding experts say. Businesses and brands are already showing interest in engaging popular Olympic men and women athletes as well as players in other college sports. University of Georgia sophomore sprinter Matthew Boling, for example, already has one apparel deal offer lined up and experts expect more to follow.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated June 28)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
CONFIRMED DEATHS: 18,469 | Deaths have been confirmed in every county. This figure does not include additional cases that the DPH reports as suspected COVID-19-related deaths. County is determined by the patient’s residence, when known, not by where they were treated.
CONFIRMED CASES: 902,707 | Cases have been confirmed in every county.
Higher Education News:
Inside Higher Ed
Some institutions are seeing surging demand for housing. A few are offering students money to dampen the impact.
By Lilah Burke
Students are headed back to colleges and universities this fall. Some of them will be arriving for the first time in over a year and are eager to get back in the thick of things. That’s one of several factors that have led to an increased demand for housing at some residential institutions. A few have decided to deal with the issue in creative ways.
Inside Higher Ed
Addressing Basic Needs Insecurity Through the BASIC Act
As college students across the country face food and housing insecurity, Democrats in Congress are hoping to pass legislation that can help.
By Alexis Gravely
…According to the Hope Center for College, Community and Justice’s most recent basic needs survey, nearly three in five of the 195,000 students who responded said they had experienced basic needs insecurity, which is defined by the Hope Center as the lack of an ecosystem in place that ensures students’ needs — like access to sufficient food, secure housing, health care and affordable technology and transportation — are met. Thirty-nine percent of students at two-year colleges and 29 percent at four-year colleges experienced food insecurity, and a total of 48 percent of students experienced housing insecurity.
… After talking with students and learning about how many of them struggle to meet their basic needs, Torres [Representative Norma Torres, a Democrat from California] introduced the Basic Assistance for Students in College Act, or BASIC Act, in the House in 2019, with then senator Kamala Harris taking the lead on the bill in the Senate. An updated version of the legislation was introduced by Torres at the beginning of June, with Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, and Senator Alex Padilla, a Democrat from California, picking up the bill in the Senate. So far, the bills are lacking support from any Republicans. …The BASIC Act would establish a $1 billion grant program to help institutions of higher education identify and meet the needs of their students, including food, housing, transportation, childcare and technology. It authorizes $40 million for two-year planning grants to help colleges and universities research and plan to address their students’ unmet basic needs and provides $960 million for five-year implementation grants for institutions to develop a basic needs infrastructure.