Georgia Southern University announces Michael Huggins, Ph.D., as new dean of the College of Science and Mathematics
Michael Huggins, Ph.D., will join Georgia Southern University on August 1 as the Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics.
“I am excited to welcome Dr. Huggins to our academic leadership,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Carl Reiber, Ph.D. “Dr. Huggins has a distinguished career filled with research, service and mentorship. He will be a valuable partner as we move forward with our leadership goals. He brings with him the working knowledge of how to lead a College, along with the foundations needed to advance our research mission.”
Huggins comes to Georgia Southern from Tarleton State University, where he has served as a dean since 2020. He led three academic departments with nine undergraduate degree programs and three master’s degree programs.
While serving as dean at Tarleton State, Huggins established a $15 million College of Science and Mathematics fundraising initiative. He also led efforts to improve COSM First-Time-In-College (FTIC) retention rates resulting in an improvement from 67.3% COSM FTIC retention for the Fall 2019 cohort to 71.7% retention rate for the Fall 2021 COSM FTIC cohort; a 6.5% improvement in just two years.
“I am excited to join the Georgia Southern team,” Huggins said. “I look forward to working with the faculty and staff to develop initiatives that support the growth of the College of Science and Mathematics and to ensure the success for all students during their time at the University and beyond.”
Huggins holds a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of West Florida, a Ph.D. in Chemistry from University of Nevada, Reno and completed his postdoctoral at University of Texas at Austin. He is also a graduate from the Harvard University Institute for Management and Leadership in Education.
Last updated: 6/14/2023
Georgia Southern University names David Owen as new dean of the College of Arts and Humanities
David Owen, Ph.D., will join Eagle Nation on July 1 to serve as the new Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities (CAH).
“I am pleased to welcome David to Georgia Southern as the next generation of leadership for the College of Arts and Humanities,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Carl Reiber, Ph.D. “David brings with him a wealth of knowledge and understanding in analytical and philosophical foundations that will prepare our students for vital roles in their professional communities.”
Owen comes to Georgia Southern from the University of Louisville, where he has served as the interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences since 2020. Among his many achievements, he transitioned the college to a new enrollment-based budget model, led the development of a three-year retention plan, and led morale improvement efforts among the College.
While interim dean, Owen oversaw a budget of $62 million, including $4.8 million in funded research grants and a fundraising campaign that raised $4.3 million in 2021-2022. Prior to becoming interim dean, he was the chairperson of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Louisville. He is a three-time alumnus of the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he received his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D.
“I am truly excited to be joining Georgia Southern as dean of the College of Arts and Humanities,” said Owen. “In my meetings, I found the faculty and staff of the College to be extraordinarily talented, and deeply committed to student success. The importance of the arts and humanities to a vibrant civic culture has never been more clear, and I look forward to working with the faculty and staff in CAH, Provost Reiber, colleagues from across campus, and alumni and friends of the college to advance the impact CAH has on students’ lives, on the wider community, and on civic culture.”
Last updated: 6/7/2023
Georgia Southern University built eco-friendly statues for World Oceans Day
As part of World Ocean Day on June 10, Georgia Southern University displayed sculptures in 16 exhibit tanks at the UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium in Savannah. The pieces were part of an exhibit at the aquarium titled “SUBMERGED: An Underwater Exhibition of Bioceramic Artwork.”
The sculptures were designed by students and faculty of Georgia Southern’s Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art, and supported by the UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant.
The bioceramic sculptures range in subject matter from realistic ocean species, such as octopus and sea turtles, to abstract sculptural forms that were created to engage with the aquarium fish in a new and interesting way. The students were encouraged to consider the coastal environments of Georgia but also to interpret the exhibition however they felt inspired by the material.
Casey Schachner, assistant professor of art, said working with these materials in this way was an exciting process, and the goal of the exhibit is to raise environmental awareness on coastal Georgia ecosystems.
“It’s important to consider environmental impacts of the materials we work with as artists,” said Schachner. “This collaboration between art and science is just one creative way of dealing with the algae waste from our waterways and hopefully, this show inspires others to consider how they can make their own unique impact.”
The displays were more than just good for the eyes. They were also good for the ecosystem. They were made from native algae and will be placed in the Skidaway River after the art exhibit closes. In this position, they will help form new oyster reefs.
Last updated: 6/13/2023
Georgia Southern University announces Fulbright US Scholar Award for 2023-2024
A noted Georgia Southern University public health professor has earned a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award in All Disciplines to Latvia for the 2023-2024 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
Yelena N. Tarasenko, DrPH, is a professor at the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences at Georgia Southern’s Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health. Her Fulbright project is titled “Strengthening research and teaching capacity in cancer prevention globally.” She will be collaborating with personnel and students at the Faculty of Medicine and Institute of Clinical and Preventive Medicine at the University of Latvia, as well as colleagues at the International Agency for Research on Cancer to help improve cancer care coordination and screening in Latvia and 14 European countries participating in the “Towards gastric cancer screening implementation in the European Union” project. Given Tarasenko’s expertise in legal and cancer epidemiology, she will engage in (i) implementation research focused on cancer screening and patient navigation, and (ii) teaching activities focused on fostering research productivity (e.g., guest lecturing, curriculum development, advising, and mentoring).
Tarasenko is among more than 800 U.S. citizens who will teach or conduct research abroad for the 2023-2024 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Fulbrighters engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often continuing research collaborations started abroad and laying the groundwork for forging future partnerships between institutions. Upon returning to their home countries, institutions, labs, and classrooms, they share their stories and often become active supporters of international exchange, inviting foreign scholars to campus and encouraging colleagues and students to go abroad.
As Fulbright Scholar alumni, their careers are enriched by joining a network of thousands of esteemed scholars, many of whom are leaders in their fields. Notable Fulbright alumni include 62 Nobel Prize laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize recipients, 78 MacArthur Fellows, and 41 who have served as a head of state or government. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 participants from over 160 countries – chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential – with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to challenges facing our communities and our world.
“This is a wonderful validation of Dr. Tarasenko’s scholarship and expertise, and another example of Georgia’s Southern’s expanding reputation for public-impact research,” said Carl Reiber, Ph.D., Georgia Southern University provost and vice president for academic affairs. “Fulbright scholars are among the world’s most talented academicians, and we congratulate Dr. Tarasenko for this achievement.”
More than 800 U.S. scholars — faculty members, artists, and professionals from all backgrounds — teach or conduct research overseas through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program annually. In addition, over 2,000 U.S. students, artists, and early career professionals from all backgrounds in more than 100 different fields of study receive Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards annually to study, teach English, and conduct research overseas.
“I’m excited to help expand our expertise on global health and develop a relationship with the only classical university in Latvia,” Tarasenko said. “This proposed project meets the university’s strategic pillars, as its leadership looks for ways to create and encourages opportunities for the exchange of teaching, research, scholarship, and professional development. It also meets the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health’s values and goals in terms of thinking globally and acting locally.”
The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program and is supported by the people of the United States and partner countries around the world. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program. In the United States, the Institute of International Education supports the implementation of the Fulbright U.S. Student and Scholar Programs on behalf of the U.S. Department of State, including conducting an annual competition for the scholarships. For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit https://fulbrightprogram.org.
Last updated: 6/5/2023
Economic Monitor Q1 2023: Regional economy’s slow growth continues
Slower growth of the Savannah metro economy continues for the sixth consecutive quarter, according to Georgia Southern University’s Q1 2023 Economic Monitor, even as the Hyundai Metaplant provides a positive undercurrent.
“The prospects for healthy regional economic growth through 2023 are becoming more dependent on hiring plans for the Hyundai Metaplant and its associated supplier manufacturers,” stated Michael Toma, Ph.D., Georgia Southern’s Fuller E. Callaway Professor of Economics. “The U.S. economy will likely experience a recession in the second half of 2023 and import-export traffic through major ports, including Savannah, has slowed considerably. Nonetheless, continued investment in port infrastructure to expand capacity is spurring additional supporting real estate development and job creation in the logistics ecosystem this year. Combined, these factors are likely to allow the Savannah metro economy to sidestep a downturn from the U.S. recession, but are creating some uncertainty about upside potential for growth in 2023.”
Tourism Leads Modest Growth in Region
The regional tourism industry carried the economy in the opening quarter of the year. Hotel room and short-term vacation rental tax receipts increased 5.2% while boardings at the airport surged 13%. Alcohol sales increased 1.1%. Car rental taxes dipped during the quarter but are up about 5% over the year. The tourism sector added 100 jobs during the quarter and is 5% higher than its pre-pandemic peak.
Employment Trends
Metro Savannah employers collectively released about 600 workers during the quarter, dropping back to 200,500 total employees from 201,100 in the previous quarter. Despite this loss, total employment remains 1.5% higher on an over-the-year basis.
Employment in the service economy was mixed during the quarter. Education and health added 400 jobs, as did state and local government. Overall, however, the service sector shed about 600 workers. Business and professional services declined 400 jobs, falling 3,000 below its peak employment level one year ago. Retail trade employed 300 fewer workers as well.
Other leading service sub-sectors were generally flat. Logistics employment dipped 100 jobs as port activity notably declined. Combined, education and health remain the region’s top job-providing sector with 28,800 workers followed closely by tourism with 28,600 workers.
The goods-producing side of the economy grew modestly during the quarter. Manufacturing employment increased 300 workers to 19,800 and remained barreling along at its 50-year peak in the region. Construction employment declined 200 workers to stand at 9,200 jobs.
Private sector wages unexpectedly dropped during the quarter and returned to roughly the same level 18 months ago. The inflation adjusted average hourly wage rate in the metro area private sector was $25.01, a sharp drop of $1.50 per hour. The length of the private sector workweek was roughly 10 minutes longer at 32.3 hours.
Housing Market
The issuance of construction permits for single-family homes rebounded 12.5% from the previous quarter but remained 7% below year-ago levels. The upside swing to 603 permits is modestly above the 575 permits issued per quarter since early 2019.
However, the average value for each single-family unit decreased for the second consecutive quarter, falling 5% to $249,400 from $262,400 in the previous quarter. The six-month moving average of building permit value fell just below $260,000 in inflation-adjusted terms and is down from $310,000 in early 2021.
A Note from the Analyst
The Economic Monitor is available by email and at Georgia Southern’s Center for Business Analytics and Economic Research’s website. If you would like to receive the Monitor by email send a ‘subscribe’ message to CBAER@georgiasouthern.edu.
About the Indicators
The Economic Monitor provides a continuously updated quarterly snapshot of the Savannah Metropolitan Statistical Area economy, including Bryan, Chatham and Effingham counties in Georgia. The coincident index measures the current economic heartbeat of the region. The leading index is designed to provide a short-term forecast of the region’s economic activity in the upcoming six to nine months.
Georgia Southern University, a public Carnegie Doctoral/R2 institution founded in 1906, offers approximately 140 different degree programs serving nearly 26,000 students through 10 colleges on three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, Hinesville and online instruction. A leader in higher education in southeast Georgia, the University provides a diverse student population with expert faculty, world-class scholarship and hands-on learning opportunities. Georgia Southern creates lifelong learners who serve as responsible scholars, leaders and stewards in their communities. Visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu.
Last updated: 5/31/2023
Social Studies Storytelling in Statesboro kicked off on May 27
Every town has a story to tell.
Georgia Southern University undergraduate elementary education students, in tandem with faculty and local public history experts, are bringing Statesboro’s history to life with a new digital walking tour, which launched on May 27.
Highlighting Statesboro’s evolution since its establishment in 1803, the digital walking tour showcases the told and untold stories of important historical sites in downtown Statesboro through the Open Tour app, featuring links to student-curated sources, written content and inquiry questions.
“We hope that this digital walking tour will allow an increased number of local residents and tourists to technologically access and actively engage with place-based narratives and interpretative resources in our Statesboro, Georgia, community,” stated Ariel Cornett, Ph.D., assistant professor of elementary social studies in Georgia Southern’s College of Education. “The digital walking tour app would not be possible without the generous support of Georgia Humanities, Georgia Southern University Museum, Georgia Southern College of Education, Bulloch County Historical Society, Statesboro-Bulloch County Library and Downtown Statesboro Development Authority.”
The kick-off event, “Social Studies Storytelling in Statesboro,” began with a tour that highlighted historical venues featured on the app. Guests met in the Statesboro-Bulloch County Library’s Community Room and culminated at the historic Jaeckel Hotel that now serves as the Statesboro City Hall.
To facilitate thoughtful processes and research material for the app, Cornett implemented a field-trip learning structure for students in her fall 2021 and spring 2022 Elementary Social Studies Methods classes while they visited both the Georgia Southern University Museum and downtown Statesboro.
“I wanted them to utilize both their student and teacher perspectives to think about how they would facilitate an elementary social studies field-trip experience,” Cornett explained. “Dr. Brent Tharp, who is the director of the museum and vice president of programs for the Bulloch County Historical Society, was extremely supportive of this goal. Then, I also took my students downtown to the library where Ms. Lillian Wingate, who is an expert on local history and genealogy, gave us a walking tour of downtown Statesboro. That experience informed my students’ selection of their historical site.”
Narrowing their choices, each student researched one historical site in downtown Statesboro. They gathered information on the local economics, geography, history, civics and government of their chosen historical sites while citing their primary, secondary and tertiary sources. Following, they wrote inquiry questions that directly linked to Georgia elementary social studies standards.
The student-curated sources, written content and inquiry questions are embedded in the app and can serve as primers on local history.
“If you are a local resident or tourist using this digital walking tour and want to stop in front of downtown historical sites to have a conversation about them, it gives you inquiry questions that can guide your conversation,” noted Cornett.
The Statesboro Convention & Visitors Bureau also offers a QR code for the app to visitors looking to explore the downtown area.
Last updated: 5/31/2023
Georgia Southern adding two engineering doctorate degrees
Georgia Southern University is launching two new engineering doctorates – a Ph.D. in applied computing degree and a Ph.D. in engineering – after approval of the programs this week from the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents.
With almost 4,000 students in its programs, Georgia Southern’s Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing identified the need for the new graduate degrees to sustain growth in the discipline, continue to aid workforce development in the region, add substantially to the university’s research capabilities, and provide additional teacher-scholars for Georgia.
“In line with Georgia Southern’s Strategic pillars, the new Ph.D. programs will greatly enhance the University’s research capabilities and further advance key partnerships in the region,” said Carl Reiber, Ph.D., Georgia Southern’s provost and vice president for academic affairs. “A strong Ph.D. program improves faculty recruiting and is a prerequisite for applying for research grants from sources such as the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense.”
The proposed engineering Ph.D. program will have concentrations in civil, electrical, advanced manufacturing and mechanical engineering, and will fuel future multidisciplinary research synergies with other departments and centers within Georgia Southern in fields such as natural sciences, environmental sustainability, public health and education. Greater scholarly collaborations with sister institutions within the university system and beyond are also envisioned. The Ph.D. in engineering program will have a positive impact on the economic and technological development of Southeast Georgia, contributing significantly to the growth of the I-16 technology corridor.
The Ph.D. in applied computing degree program will be offered jointly by the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Information Technology within the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing at Georgia Southern University. The program will provide students with the requisite foundation to conduct basic and applied research to solve advanced technical problems in computing foundations, cybersecurity and machine learning.
The program aims to promote the education of individuals who will become exceptional researchers, high-quality post-secondary educators, and innovative leaders and entrepreneurs in the field of applied computing. It will advance research and the generation of new knowledge in applied computing and support the growing knowledge-based economy in Southeast Georgia.
The mission of the Ph.D. in applied computing degree program is to ensure student, graduate and faculty success by preparing graduates with the skills and depth of knowledge to advance the computing disciplines through application and scholarship. It will mentor students who will support faculty in their scholarly pursuits as they prepare to assume professional computing and computing-related positions that utilize their applied technical skills, problem-solving aptitude and scholarly abilities upon graduation.
“The addition of these two new degree programs is part of Georgia Southern University’s commitment to be a world-class institution that provides a population of advanced graduates who can contribute to regional economic development and public-impact research,” Reiber said. “The programs will enhance the vitality and growth of the bachelor’s and master’s computer science and information technology degree programs by expanding the academic and research missions of the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing.”Georgia Southern University, a public Carnegie Doctoral/R2 institution founded in 1906, offers approximately 140 different degree programs serving nearly 26,000 students through 10 colleges on three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, Hinesville and online instruction. A leader in higher education in southeast Georgia, the University provides a diverse student population with expert faculty, world-class scholarship and hands-on learning opportunities. Georgia Southern creates lifelong learners who serve as responsible scholars, leaders and stewards in their communities. Visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu.
Last updated: 6/15/2023
Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia to open new four-year campus at Armstrong Campus of Georgia Southern University in Savannah
Georgia’s only public medical school has received funding approval to open a new four-year campus in Savannah, an expansion that will provide greater access to education and training for medical students and ease the state’s ongoing shortage of physicians.
The new campus of Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia (MCG) is expected to enroll its first students on the Armstrong Campus of Georgia Southern University by Fall 2024, pending approval by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the accrediting body for medical schools in the U.S. and Canada. The campus will be located in the existing Armstrong Center and the Health Professions Academic Building of Georgia Southern’s Waters College of Health Professions.
Located down the street from Savannah’s St. Joseph’s Hospital, it would be MCG’s third four-year campus in Georgia. The MCG educational experience is anchored at its main campus in Augusta, with another four-year campus located in Athens in partnership with the University of Georgia.
“Georgia ranks 40th in the nation for both the number of active physicians and the number of primary care doctors,” Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns said. “Georgians experience this reality every day. Increasing opportunities within the University System of Georgia allows Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia to educate and train more students and meets a clear need to make sure our communities receive better health care. Georgia needs more doctors, and I’m proud we are making this investment in our future.”
The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) on Tuesday approved $1.7 million for renovations at Georgia Southern’s Armstrong Campus to help make the new campus a reality. The money was included in the fiscal year 2024 state budget passed earlier this year by the Georgia General Assembly and signed by Gov. Brian Kemp on May 5.
“We’re grateful to Governor Kemp, Speaker Burns, Lt. Gov. Jones and the General Assembly for their support in helping MCG and the university system expand one of the best public medical colleges in the nation and help get more doctors into our local communities,” USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue said.
Four-year campuses provide the full spectrum of medical education, from basic sciences to clinical experiences.
“This campus expansion is a momentous milestone for Augusta University and the Medical College of Georgia, standing as a testament to the unwavering support we have received from Speaker Burns, state Rep. Butch Parrish, Governor Kemp, the entire General Assembly and Chancellor Perdue,” said Augusta University President Brooks A. Keel, PhD. “Through this collaboration, we are forging a brighter future for health care in Georgia and fulfilling our shared commitment to producing more doctors for our state. I extend my deepest gratitude to all those who have championed this vision, including St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System, whose exceptional partnership has provided invaluable clinical experiences for our students. Together, we are bolstering the state’s medical community and strengthening Southeast Georgia’s access to quality health care.”
MCG’s statewide educational model also has students learning at two-year, clinically focused regional campuses in every corner of the state, including the Southeast Campus, established in 2011 and based at St. Joseph’s/Candler in Savannah, and Southeast Georgia Health System in Brunswick. Other regional campuses include the Southwest Campus based in Albany and the Northwest Campus based in Rome.
“This partnership with Augusta University and the Medical College of Georgia is another example of how together, the governor, our legislators, the University System of Georgia and Georgia Southern University are collaborating to meet the growing needs of Southeast Georgia,” added Georgia Southern University President Kyle Marrero. “These programs on our Savannah campus further Armstrong’s history of being a leader in training health care professionals and complement our efforts to expand nursing education and develop our future physician assistant program.”
Through this partnership, Georgia Southern is providing approximately 23,000 square feet of instructional and lab space in its Armstrong Center and the Waters College of Health Professions’ Health Professions Academic Building. This includes 10,000 square feet of dedicated student group workspace and faculty and staff offices and 13,000 square feet of shared anatomy lab and large classroom space. The renovations include the creation of a new anatomy lab within the Health Professions Building, as well as minor renovations and new furniture, fixtures and equipment for the student group workspace and faculty and staff offices.
The new campus would allow MCG to accept 40 more students per year, increasing its class size, already one of the nation’s largest, to 304 students per class.
“As the state’s only public medical school, it is both our responsibility and commitment to produce more doctors for Georgia, and this growth in our class size is one way we can fulfill what I consider to be our most critical mission” said MCG Dean David Hess, MD. “This expansion would not be possible without the support of Governor Kemp, the Georgia Legislature, the University System of Georgia, Augusta University President Brooks Keel, and our colleagues at Georgia Southern University. I am also thankful for the unwavering support of St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System, including its CEO Paul Hinchey and chief medical officer Dr. Julia Mikell, a 1976 MCG graduate. Physicians and staff at St. Joseph’s/Candler have been exceptional educational partners, serving as a home base for our Southeast Campus, and providing rich clinical experiences for our third- and fourth-year students, for well over a decade. I know that commitment will extend to students at this new four-year campus.”
“This is a sentinel event not only for the future of health care in Georgia, but also for Savannah and the region,” added Paul P. Hinchey, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s/Candler. “We have had a great relationship with MCG for more than a decade and our physicians have been instrumental as faculty in teaching third- and fourth-year students in Savannah. SJ/C has also served as a longstanding clinical site for nursing students from Georgia Southern and from the Armstrong campus. Creating a four-year medical school campus in Savannah will strengthen the medical community in Savannah and throughout Southeast Georgia. I want to thank Speaker Burns, Dr. Hess and the University System of Georgia for making this great vision a reality.”
“I am excited to help build a campus that will continue MCG’s mission of educating the next generation of physicians,” said Elizabeth Gray, MD, associate dean at MCG’s Southeast Campus, based in Savannah and Brunswick. “I am confident that Georgia Southern will be an exceptional educational partner, and am excited to continue working with the leadership, physicians and staff at our longtime partners St. Joseph’s/Candler to help increase the number of physicians in this area of the state and beyond.”
Story courtesy Augusta University.
Last updated: 5/18/2023
