University System News:
The White House
Today, President Joe Biden named 117 teachers, mentors, and mentoring organizations as recipients of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) and Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM). These awards honor the dedication, hard work, and important role that America’s teachers and mentors play in supporting learners who will be future STEM professionals, including climate scientists, mathematicians, innovators, space explorers, and engineers. PAESMEM recognizes the critical roles mentors play outside the traditional classroom in the academic and professional development of the future STEM workforce. Colleagues, administrators, and students nominate individuals and organizations for exemplary mentoring sustained over a minimum of five years. …Individual Recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM) are listed below:
Ansley Abraham, Southern Regional Education Board, Atlanta, Georgia
Junior Bernadin, The Ron Clark Academy, Atlanta, Georgia
Karen Burg, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
ASBMB Today
By ASBMB Today Staff
The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology today announced that 28 members have been named fellows of the scientific society. Designation as a fellow recognizes outstanding commitment to the ASBMB through participation in the society in addition to accomplishments in research, education, mentorship, diversity and inclusion, advocacy, and service to the scientific community.
Gerald Hart
Gerald Hart is a professor at the University of Georgia and a member of the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center there. Hart co-discovered glycosylation of proteins in the nucleus and cytoplasm at a time when experts thought glycosylation only occurred on secreted proteins. Later, he found that O-linked N-acetylglucosamine, or O-GlcNAc, can be added to serine and threonine phosphorylation sites and acts as a competing signal. His lab continues to explore O-GlcNAc signaling and its interaction with other cellular signals.
Alfred Merrill
Alfred Merrill is an emeritus professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology. His laboratory developed quantitative methods to measure sphingolipids and was a major contributor to mass spectrometry–based lipidomics consortia. Merrill helped delineate how the lipid backbones of sphingolipids are made and how they function in cell signaling and disease.
Athens CEO
Major Gift from Renowned Trial Attorney Jim Butler Enhances Support for Veterans
Staff Report
The Veterans Legal Clinic, operated by the University of Georgia School of Law, has helped approximately 370 veterans and their family members claim over $1 million in additional benefits since its establishment in 2018. This impact is expected to grow exponentially with the expansion of services for Georgia military veterans and their families later this year. Thanks to additional financial support from renowned Georgia trial lawyer James E. “Jim” Butler Jr., the Athens-based clinic – which assists former military members in Georgia with claims before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – will be able to offer:
EurekAlert!
AAAS announces 2022 winners of eight awards for contributions to science and society
Grant and Award Announcement
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals, today announced the 2022 winners of eight awards and prizes bestowed by the AAAS Board of Directors. AAAS also separately announced the 2022 winners of AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books today. These annual awards recognize scientists, engineers, authors, journalists, and public servants for their significant contributions to science and the public’s understanding of science. …Newcomb Cleveland Prize
Breinlinger & Phillips et al. – Hunting the eagle killer: A cyanobacterial neurotoxin causes vacuolar myelinopathy, institutions in the Czech Republic, Germany, and the United States
The organization’s oldest award dating back to 1923, the Newcomb Cleveland Prize is supported by the Fodor Family Trust. It is presented annually to the author(s) of the best research article or report published in Science each year. Winning research is selected based on the quality of the scholarship, innovation, and presentation; the likelihood of influencing its field; and wider interdisciplinary significance. This year’s prize winners forged an international collaboration across government agencies, academic institutions, and the biotechnology sector to bring together over 20 years of research insights. The winning team is co-led by Dr. Susan Wilde, associate professor of aquatic science at the University of Georgia,
The George-Anne
DIAS: Disabled Identities and Support Spotlight
Gabrielle Chloe Reilly, Staff Writer
Although we have the Students with Disabilities Advocacy Group primarily at the Statesboro campus, Mateo Molinari, a sophomore at Georgia Southern, decided that this wasn’t enough to reach all the needs for disabled students and decided to start the club DIAS: Disabled Identities and Support.
WFXL
Renovated historic gymnasium unveiled at Georgia Southwestern University
by FOX 31 Staff
The grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly renovated Florrie Chappell Gymnasium, at Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW), was held on Thursday, February 3. The historic 83-year-old building has been brought back to life with this $3.5 million restoration, which began Fall 2020, serving as the new student recreation center.
WSAV
CASA hosts kick-off event for upcoming ‘Dancing with the Savannah Stars’
by: Steven Poeling
Savannah’s Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) hosted a kick-off event Tuesday night to promote the organization’s upcoming fundraiser, Dancing with the Savannah Stars. The event raises money for CASA, which helps local children in foster care. The 14th annual event takes place May 13th.
CASA hosted the kick off cocktail party Tuesday night at the Cha Bella restaurant. …The goal is to raise $150,000 to help sustain CASA’s programming. …See the complete list of dancers below: … Kareem McMichael – Savannah State University; Marvette D. Wilkerson – Georgia Southern University; Moncello Stewart – Savannah State University
The Clayton Crescent
Your Monday Roundup for Feb. 7, 2022
…THURSDAY, FEB. 10
1:30 p.m.: The City of Morrow and Clayton State University unveil CSU’s new logo (featuring Nessie) on the city’s water tank. The official ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 6362 S. Lee Street. Nearby in Forest Park, that city and the Clayton County Water Authority recently repainted water tanks off Jonesboro Road with the city logo.
13WMAZ
University of Georgia economists project state’s job market to grow in 2022
UGA’s economic experts say Macon and Warner Robins’ job markets will continue to grow as Central Georgia recovers from the COVID-19 recession.
Georgia’s economy and job markets should continue recovering in 2022 if we can continue dodging any further setbacks from COVID-19. That’s the forecast from University of Georgia economists who gave their annual report Tuesday. They also took a closer look at Central Georgia and the Macon metro area. Here are some of the challenges and opportunities headed our way this year.
Albany Herald
Georgia Southwestern’s Justin Payne named NCAA Division II Coach of the Week
From Staff Reports
Georgia Southwestern State University head women’s basketball coach Justin Payne has been named the NCAA Division II Coach of the Week by WHoopDirt.com, it was announced Tuesday. Payne’s squad continued its stellar play last week, taking down the third-ranked team in the nation in one of two victories. The Lady Hurricanes began their week with a 67-60 victory at home over Clayton State on Wednesday, before hosting No. 3 North Georgia on Saturday. The visitors from UNG led by as many as 10 in the fourth quarter, but Georgia Southwestern closed the contest on a 15-2 run to pick up a huge 62-59 win.
Tifton Gazette
Lecture focuses on ‘Alcatraz of the Piney Woods’
Dr. Russell Pryor will speak on the contentious issues of crime and punishment in Georgia, 7 p.m., Feb. 17, in Howard Auditorium as a part of the Jess Usher Lecture Series at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
Pryor, assistant professor in the ABAC School of Arts and Sciences, said part of his story about Georgia’s history may shock some listeners. …Pryor said his presentation will open with a view of Georgia when it was established as a penal colony in 1732. The lecture will then focus on the period after World War II at the Georgia State Prison in Reidsville, which was once dubbed, “Alcatraz of the Piney Woods,” college officials said in a statement. Pryor said the lecture will illustrate the power and politics in Southern prisons and explore the successful and unsuccessful attempts at prison reform in Georgia through the lens of the Reidsville institution. Formerly known as the ABAC Lecture Series, the special collection of speakers was renamed for Dr. Jess Usher, an ABAC professor and a former lecturer in the series.
Future Farming
Smart greenhouses to reduce farmer’s electrical bill
Farmers could reduce their greenhouse electrical costs by as much as 33% with the help of a predictive lighting control system, a new study shows.
According to a study by University of Georgia researchers a new, internet-connected lighting system for greenhouses could sharply reduce a farmer’s electrical bill. A team of University of Georgia researchers designed a new lighting system that could reduce a greenhouse’s electrical demand without hurting the plants.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia House panel backs plan for pay raises, bonuses
By James Salzer
A key state House panel on Thursday backed a $29.9 billion midyear spending plan that would provide $5,000 raises for state and university employees and $2,000 bonuses for Georgia teachers. The vote by the House Appropriations Committee was the first of the 2022 session on Gov. Brian Kemp’s proposal to increase state spending this fiscal year by $2.6 billion, thanks to a huge boost in tax collections in a strong economy. The full Georgia House is expected to pass the midyear budget for fiscal 2022, which ends June 30, on Friday. …State officials hope the raise will help stem the high turnover rate among state workers, many of whom have seen little or no salary boost in recent years.
The Augusta Chronicle
Your heart is racing, your brain is in a fog: Long-term problems from COVID-19 plague many
Tom Corwin
Katherine Croft had a terrible reason for buying an Apple Watch 6. Nearly 14 months after she was infected with COVID-19, the device monitors her heartbeat, which can suddenly race to 200 beats a minute, even if she is not doing anything. …She was the 356th person with lingering symptoms from COVID-19 to sign up for a long-term study at Augusta University looking for answers. Dr. Elizabeth Rutkowski, a neurologist and co-principal investigator on the study said months after infection, these symptoms are having a terrible impact on the quality of life for these patients.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia lawmaker targets work focused on anti-racism, social justice
By Eric Stirgus
Rep. David Knight, a Republican, sent a letter to the University System of Georgia
A state lawmaker has asked University System of Georgia leaders to gather information about courses, curriculum, jobs and research that focus on topics such as anti-racism and social justice that he worries interfere with academic freedom and put the schools at legal risk. Rep. David Knight, R-Griffin, recently sent an 11-page letter to system leaders asking for areas where university administration spending has greatly increased in the last five years. He also wants details on “efforts represented as increasing institutional diversity, equity, inclusion, advocacy and activism.”
Athens Banner-Herald
Bill to ban teaching of ‘divisive concepts’ on race advances in Georgia General Assembly
Jeff Amy Associated Press
Conservative efforts to regulate what Georgia schools can teach about race are advancing in the General Assembly after the public got its first chance to comment on the proposed ban on teaching “divisive concepts.” A House Education subcommittee sent a revised version of House Bill 1084 ahead to the full committee on a split voice vote, where it awaits further action. The bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Will Wade of Dawsonville, told members the measure is needed to stop people from fomenting racial division.
Other News:
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Map: Coronavirus deaths and cases in Georgia (updated Feb. 9)
An updated count of coronavirus deaths and cases reported across the state
CONFIRMED CASES: 1,883,693
CONFIRMED DEATHS: 28,358 | 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.
Higher Education News:
Inside Higher Ed
How K-12 Book Bans Affect Higher Education
Some educators fear removing controversial books from the K-12 curriculum will harm student development and critical thinking—and rob them of the cultural capital colleges expect them to poss
By Josh Moody
Culture war battles have long been fought in colleges and K-12 schools alike, with ideological opponents clashing over free speech, academic freedom and even the politics of fried chicken chains. But a renewed battle over books has some in higher education worried about students’ college readiness as school boards across the U.S. remove challenging texts from the K-12 curriculum.
Inside Higher Ed
Does Math Limit College Access?
By Scott Jaschik
Some four-year colleges place too much emphasis on mathematics in admissions, specifically whether students have done well in calculus, limiting access as a result, said a report issued Wednesday by Just Equations and the National Association for College Admission Counseling. The report examines the “unwritten practices that determine how those policies operate, and the perceptions that influence evaluations of students’ high school records.”
Inside Higher Ed
39 Members of Congress Want Education Dept. to Investigate Anti-Semitism
By Scott Jaschik
Thirty-nine members of Congress, led by Representative Ted W. Lieu, a California Democrat, sent the Education Department a letter urging it to do more to prevent anti-Semitism on campus. “This wave of antisemitism has had a detrimental impact at many American colleges and universities,” the letter said. “Alums for Campus Fairness released a recent survey in which 75 percent of the 500 respondents (including current students and recent alums) indicated that anti-Semitism continues to be a ‘very serious problem’ on campus; nearly 70 percent said they avoided certain places, events, or situations on campus because of their Jewish identity; and nearly half of the respondents stated that antisemitism on campus is getting worse.