Tags: Earth


Two faculty named AAAS Fellows

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is an international professional organization founded in 1848 that published the journal Science, which has the largest paid circulation of any peer-reviewed general science journal in the world (approximatelt 1 million). AAAS also has two new members from the UGA: Two University of Georgia faculty members have been named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement…


Students field tested during Hercules blowout emergency response

When the Hercules 252 rig blew out and began spewing gas, condensate and other hydrocarbons into the Gulf of Mexico on July 23rd earlier this year, UGA marine scientist Samantha Joye and colleagues from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative quickly assembled a team and plan to assess the potential impacts of the accident. Graduate students involved with the project found themselves with the rare opportunity to participate in 'rapid…


Improving Sorghum

Through the new Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Climate-Resilient Sorghum, UGA and partner researchers will use new genomics tools to address urgent needs for a more drought-resilient food supply, increase rates of sorghum improvement to better meet long-term population growth, and investigate production systems that promote sustainable farming, particularly regarding preservation or restoration of soil resources and water quality.…


Choosing a path to medical school

10. Demonstrating an ability to remain calm under pressure   Still not sure if going to medical school is for you.? Don’t fret. Beyond the classroom and plethora of resources via advisors with the Premedical Studies Program, another good resource for exploring this career direction is a UGA publication called PreMed Magazine. Created by students at UGA the publication aims to inform students about preparing for medical school, but also…


Plant genome mapping with Andrew Paterson: Focus on the Faculty

I was trained as a conventional plant breeder but have been fortunate to participate in genome sequencing to reveal the entire genetic blueprint(s) of most of the crops that I study. Their unique attributes make crop plants valuable both commercially and as botanical models, thus linking increased fundamental knowledge to improving human lives. Genome sequences empower many new opportunities to improve plants to better suit human needs while…


Lynne Billard selected for Florence Nightingale David Award

We are fortunate to have so many faculty members who work diligently in the classroom, as well as the laboratory - whose scholarly research introduces innovation into their instruction efforts. Our students benefit and the institution grows as a result. Then there is a level of achievement even beyond those two types of outstanding contributions, when a faculty member has an outsized impact on a wide swath of their colleagues, on their careers,…


The Marine Institute at Sapelo Island

The appointment of Alber reflects a renewed focus on the pristine marine laboratory as a field station that supports world-class research and education in coastal ecosystems. UGAMI's international reputation, dating back to the 1950s, is based on groundbreaking ecological research by scientists from UGA and beyond.  An undeveloped barrier island on Georgia's coast, Sapelo is a national treasure as well as a unique living laboratory for…


Shepherd: shell game with climate science

As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Science rolls out its fifth assessment report this week, Athletic Association Professor and president of the American Meteorological Society J. Marshall Shepherd weighs in on the need for common sense on climate change: For me, the hat with the ball from the IPCC report is that it continues to affirm that our planet is warming, and humans are a significant contributor to the warming. Andrew Dessler,…


More UGA women in STEM fields

  UGA touted for women in STEM programs By Jessica Luton jluton@uga.edu   The University of Georgia is helping more women go into the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), according to a recent College Database ranking. UGA comes in at number seven on The College Database’s “50 Colleges Advancing Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)” list.  A university that promotes STEM will mean more…


Fire walk and lecture

Nice slideshow in the Athens Banner Herald on the fire walking demonstration and lecture by John Campbell at the Physics Building last night, in case you missed it. Great event - kudos to the department of physics and astronomy for sponsoring and bringing more science to the public. And here's a great multi-media piece on the event from our colleagues at UGA Public Affairs, Andrew Tucker and Dot Paul:  


Exploring Earth Sciences

By JESSICA LUTON  jluton@uga.edu If interest in the Earth sciences is at your core, two events happening this week may very well provide some insight into the kinds of careers that are possible in meteorology and geography. First up, tonight from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in room 200B of the Geography and Geology building, is an informational meeting entitled “Your Future in Meteorology.”  The UGA Chapter of the American Meteorological Society is…


Fire walk with him

The department of physics and astronomy hosts a distinguished guest to campus on Thursday sept. 19 with a very unusual bit of expertise to share with all and sundry: To some, fire walking is an act of faith, belief or mind-over-matter, but for condensed matter physicist John Campbell, fire walking is a matter of thermal conductivity. Campbell will lecture on the subject at the University of Georgia Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. in the physics auditorium.…


Science Learning Center and CURO

  Increased CURO participation validates need for Science Learning Center By Jessica Luton jluton@uga.edu Recent news of a twenty percent increase in participation among undergraduate students through the CURO program, alongside news that UGA will finally be getting a new Science Learning Center, are two great pieces of news for the UGA community. By investing money in a new building and further supporting research, the University is…


Kudos, September 2013

Great news this month about our faculty, students and alumni. A few of the highlight of accomplishments and awards in the Franklin College:   University Professor Lynn Billard of the department of statistics was selected to receive the 2013 Florence Nightingale David award by the Committee of Presidents of the Statistical Societies. The award recognizes a female statistician who exemplifies David’s contributions to education, science and…


Genetically Speaking

  Genetics lectures series begins today By Jessica Luton jluton@uga.edu If the development of species over time is of interest to you, the department of genetics has just the thing for you—a weekly lecture series meant to shine light on genetics research on campus and at other universities.  Featuring visiting scholars and campus experts alike, this series of lectures happens each Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Paul D. Coverdell Center…


Graduate Student Research Conference

Franklin students share scientific research at symposium         By Jessica Luton jluton@uga.edu Scientific research, and plenty of it, was on display this week at an interdisciplinary conference on UGA’s Coverdell Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences. The 5th Annual Scientific Research Day, as it is known, is put together each year by the Graduate Students and Postdocs in Science (GSPS), a campus…


Museum of Natural History adds to its collection

The Georgia Museum of Natural History is a unit of the Franklin College that links collections, research, public service, and education through programs designed for a diverse audience. Many Franklin faculty also serve as museum personnel and board members. Faculty, staff, and students from across campus have built significant collections in natural history through their research that, together, represent the most comprehensive in Georgia.…

three students in front of NASA sign
Summer NASA experience for Franklin students

This is an update on a story we reported back in January. The Franklin College is especially pleased that it is written by the newest member of our communications team, Jessica Luton. Be sure to watch the great videos for each research project.   To Infinity and Beyond From Observation to Application: Franklin students inform policy using NASA data By Jessica Luton When NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, is mentioned…


Joye organizes research expedition to Hercules incident site

 


NOAA supercomputers: 200 trillion calculations per second

As we enter the height of hurricane season, forcasters have a new model to improve their work. Newly upgraded supercomputers of NOAA’s National Weather Service are now more than twice as fast in processing sophisticated computer models to provide more accurate forecasts. The scientific data and insights that these newly upgraded supercomputers will provide are essential to help government officials, communities, and businesses better understand…


Robinson named UGA Foundation Professor

2012-13 has been a banner year for chemistry professor Gregory Robinson, and now a new professorship has been offically added to his list of recent accolades: Gregory H. Robinson, Franklin Professor and Distinguished Research Professor of Chemistry at the University of Georgia, has been appointed the UGA Foundation Distinguished Professor in Chemistry. The special appointment was approved by the Board of Regents at its May 2013 meeting and will…


Shepherd named Inaugural Athletic Assoc. Professor in the Social Sciences

It's easy to find news stories and analyses that feature the conflicts between athletics and academics on campus. Especially at big state universities where sports fuel a level of revenue and enthusiasm otherwise unknown on the quad, academics can be perceived as a second class pursuit even when they are our very reason to be. The UGA Athletic Association has taken steps over the years to re-enforce the teaching and research missions of the…


Georgia Museum of Natural History gets major addition of specimens

With large scale coordination of people, machines, the United Parcel Service and the Smithsonian Institute, the Georgia Museum of Naural History received a rather significant expansion to what was already one of the largest university-based collections in the country: As officials with United Parcel Service, which coordinated the move, looked on, they unloaded literally tons of bones and animal skins. Freeman and other museum workers talked most…


Shepherd on the 'Face the Nation'

With all the usual caveats about the difficulty for complex issues to break through the media preferences for fragmentation and drama, extreme weather and climate conditions are forcing their way into the national discussion. On the CBS Sunday morning show 'Face the Nation' this week, UGA's Marshall Shepherd was among the panelists. WFOR's Chief Meteorologist David Bernard, Climate Central's Chief Climatologist Heidi Cullen, TIME Magazine's…


Weather and climate experts

The devastating tornado that hit the Oklahoma City suburbs on Monday has rightly taken up a lot of media oxygen over the last few days. The attention means faculty members in geography John Knox and especially current president of the American Meteorological Society J. Marshall Shepherd have been on call, non-stop. A sampling for Shepherd alone, just in the past two days: Huffpost Live, XM Sirius B. Smith Show NPR Science Friday on Friday.…
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