Tags: Earth

satellite photo over the Pacific Ocean
‘Atmospheric rivers’ also common in the Southeast

Some timely and informative new research from geography faculty and graduate students on aspects of the erratic weather seen recently: Much of the flood-inducing rainfall that has pummeled California over the last month flowed into the region via a river in the sky. But these so-called atmospheric rivers, which transport large quantities of water vapor poleward from the tropics, can wreak havoc in the Southeast as well. University of Georgia…

woman outside with water, boat
Researchers receive Moore Foundation grant to study the global ocean microbiome

A $1.3 million grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation will allow Franklin researchers to uncover answers about an important metabolic link that takes place in the Earth's oceans: Microorganisms in the largest microbial habitat on Earth, the ocean microbiome, function similarly to microorganisms in the human gut; they perform chemical transformations that keep the whole system healthy. Phytoplankton, the microbial primary producers of…

four people walking outside
"Demain" screening tomorrow at Cine

The event is part of Cine's Science On Screen series, a grant program sponsored by the Coolidge Corner Theatre and Alfred P. Sloan Foundation that creatively pairs film screenings with lively presentations by notable science and technology experts. Tremendous opportunity for our students, courtesy of the Global Georgia Initiative and outreach efforts of Franklin College faculty members. $5 or free for Cine Members and Students with valid…

black holes in space, illustration
2017 Boyd Distinguished Lecture: LIGO discovery

In his talk, Reitze will discuss what makes gravitational waves so difficult to detect and how the ability to do so opens an unprecedented new window to the cosmos.  Welcome to campus, Dr. Reitze. We look forward to this terrific lecture this week, free and open to the public.    

stack of studies
Biochemistry PhD among most cited authors - ever

Marion Bradford, a PhD student in the department of biochemistry from the 1970's, came to our attention recently as the focus of one of the most intriguing stories of the year: a paper he published back then on what is known as the Bradford protein assay, is one of the most cited scientific studies in history: According to analysis published in the journal Current Science, a 1976 paper by Marion M. Bradford, a University of…

student in lab coat in lab
Doctoral student receives UGA's first Materials Research Society Award

Kun Wang, a doctoral student in the department of physics and astronomy, received a Materials Research Society (MRS) graduate student award for research he presented at the recent 2016 MRS Fall Meeting in Boston: Wang, who has been conducting nanoelectronics research in the College of Engineering, is the first UGA student to receive the prestigious MRS research award. In all, 19 students received the silver award, which recognizes students…

watershed graphics poster
Daylighting Tanyard Creek and the Lilly Branch

Prizes for the Daylighting the Watershed design competition were awarded at a roundtable discussion in early November, "How Artists, Scientists and Environmental Activists Can Work Together," that encapsulates how developing interdisciplinary expertise works: Water is integral to life, but the problems of local watersheds are often hidden beneath us, said Laurie Fowler, executive director for public service and external affairs at the Odum…

graphic of of inlet, coast, mountains
Ripple Effect film project

The research consortium Ecosystem Impacts of Oil and Gas Inputs to the Gulf includes 29 researchers from 15 institutions and is led by ­Samantha Joye, Athletic Association Professor in Arts and Sciences in UGA's marine sciences department. In addition to cutting-edge scientific research on the Gulf of Mexico, a primary goal of the consortium is to engage with the public about the group's scientific activities and the importance of healthy ocean…

graphic logo with map, arch
GIS Day at UGA

It's only been a few years now that practically everyone has been walking around with super computers in their pockets - answers to everything, weather anywhere, oh and maps - lots of maps, any maps - all centered on where you are at any given moment. How does all of that work? Georgraphic information systems are designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present spatial or geographical data. The acronym GIS…

landscape with inset photos
Global Land Project - Future Earth

The third Open Science Meeting of the Global Land Project (GLP 3rd OSM 2016), was held last week at the China National Convention Center in Beijing. The conference, aimed at bringing together the Land System Science community to present, discuss and foster progress towards a sustainable land use future, included the presentation of a working paper (with a UGA anthropology faculty contributor) on lessons learned on biofuel…

man with plants
Focus on the Faculty: Jim Leebens-Mack

Professor of plant biology and Creative Research Medal winner Jim Leebens-Mack investigates the history of plant life on our planet while being an active member of the local community. His laboratory compares genome sequences to better understand the genetic basis of biological innovations that are of great practical importance for horticulture and agriculture: What are your favorite courses and why? I regularly co-teach three courses…

graphic illustration with microscope, thespian
STEM education and the humanities

Scientific American weighs in on the tendency to prioritize STEM disciplines over the humanities and how Voltaire and Camus have an important role to play, especially in a high-tech future: Promoting science and technology education to the exclusion of the humanities may seem like a good idea, but it is deeply misguided. Scientific American has always been an ardent supporter of teaching STEM: science, technology, engineering and…

woman in black and white
Natural History Lecture Series: Deborah Blum

Pulitzer Prize winning science journalist Deborah Blum presents “The Poisoner's Guide to Life” on Friday, Oct. 7 at 6:30 p.m. in the Odum School of Ecology auditorium. The talk, which is part of the Natural History Lecture Series, is sponsored by the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Natural History, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, and the Odum School of Ecology. It is free and open…

train station with train
Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems

A perennial political and economic issue, the state of American infrastructure in the face of rapid environmental and social changes is the focus of a new UGA institute that will involve collaboration with Franklin College faculty: The Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems will be administered by the College of Engineering and will include faculty members from more than nine academic units across campus. Faculty in the new institute…

woman i n lab with glasses
'Good as gold' at the nanoscale

"Medieval alchemists tried to create gold from other metals," she said. "That's kind of what we did with our research. It's not real alchemy, in the medieval sense, but it is a sort of 21st century version." Gold has long been a valuable resource for industry, medicine, dentistry, computers, electronics and aerospace, among others, due to unique physical and chemical properties that make it inert and resistant to oxidation. But because of its…

man outdoors
Amazing student: Jonah Driggers

For St. Simons Island native Jonah Driggers, the ecology of the small island community has instilled a sense of mission that has been shaped by his UGA experiences: Although I began my freshman year with vague intentions of pursuing a career in business, I always harbored a love of the outdoors that was developed over years of Scouting and working in the garden with my dad. Experiences made possible through the Foundation Fellowship, like taking…

historical black and white photo of men with instruments
UGA civil engineering program gains accreditation

Though its presence at UGA goes back to the 19th century, civil engineering at the university entered another new era with its initial ABET accreditation announced this week: As part of the evaluation, the commission used detailed criteria to analyze student performance and outcomes, curriculum requirements and program educational objectives, faculty competency and facilities. In its final report, ABET listed an emphasis on written and oral…

digital numerical graphic, blue on black
Informatics Hiring Initiative

The big news about Big Data on campus includes the announcement of eight new faculty members in the rapidly growing field of informatics that we welcome to UGA this year: The new hires, who will work in seven departments and five of the university's schools and colleges, build upon the university's longstanding leadership in informatics. UGA has more than 160 faculty members whose work involves the analysis of massive data sets, and plans are…

weather monitor with super G
Climate data in the classroom

New technology installed at two UGA locations will provide real-time weather data and early warnings for severe weather. Donated by WeatherStem CEO Edward Mansouri,the stations were installed in the State Botanical Garden and on the main campus in early August. The station links to the web and provides tools such as text alerts for changing weather conditions and forecasts. Users can also replay time-lapse videos from attached webcams. Marshall…


A new era of science education at UGA

When classes begin tomorrow on campus, many students will find themselves as the first of many students to follow in their footsteps at the new Science Learning Center on South Campus. The building, which has been years in the making and in many ways serves as the counterpart to the Miller Learning Center, will open its doors officially to students on the first day of classes--fostering in a new era of science education on campus.

people with bounce house outside
Heat dangers of bounce houses

A nearly ubiquitous sight on the suburban landscape, inflatable bounce houses mark the fun and frivolity at children’s parties and other events practically year round. But a new study from Andrew Grundstein and Marshall Shepherd in geography examines the heat safety issues that can put children in danger amid all the innocent play: Expanding on the concept of microclimates like those in parked vehicles that cause serious injuries to children,…

salt marsh day
Satellite data show Georgia salt marsh health decline

Scientists at UGA's Marine Institute at Sapelo Island have found that the amount of vegetation along the Georgia coast has declined significantly in the last 30 years, spurring concerns about the overall health of marshland ecosystems in the area: Using data collected by NASA's Landsat TM 5 satellite, which provided 28 years of nearly continuous images of the Earth's surface between 1984 and 2011, the researchers found that the amount of marsh…

two people in a field
Archeologists find 16th-century fort San Marcos

A team of archaeologists led by University of South Carolina's Chester DePratter and UGA's Victor Thompson has located the remains of a Spanish fort erected in 1577 in the Spanish town of Santa Elena, on present-day Parris Island, S.C. For decades, attempts to find it have failed, and Fort San Marcos stayed hidden until new technology brought it to light: San Marcos is one of five Spanish forts built sequentially at Santa Elena over its 21-…

aerial view of dock with research vessel
Measuring marine CO2 production

Near the ocean surface, sunlight causes the breakdown of organic compounds and converts them into carbon dioxide. Until recently, this process has been nearly impossible to measure because the additional carbon dioxide produced per day is tiny compared to the existing high concentration of CO2 present in the sea. But using a new technique and a new NSF grant, marine sciences researchers at the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography are working…

algal bloom on a pond
Citizen science smartphone app: Cyanotracker

In order to download the CyanoTRACKER app on Android devices, you should first locate the 'Google Play Store' launcher on your device. If you cannot locate the icon on your home screen you may need to click the "Apps" icon and search through the list there. From the Google Play Store you may search for "cyanotracker" (without quotes) to bring up the app information and installation page.  Click install.  You may be prompted regarding…
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