College News
Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing
Three Georgia Southern Students Win Wit Scholarships
Three Women in Technology (WIT) members from Georgia Southern have been awarded scholarships from WIT Atlanta. Alajia Colon, Chidera Obinali and Angel VanEllison were awarded a $5,000 scholarship at a ceremony in June.
Georgia Southern’s WIT has just completed its second year as a campus organization. WIT recognized the energy and passion members demonstrated for their chosen discipline by awarding the lion’s share of the awards in Georgia to Georgia Southern students. Congratulations to Colon, Obinali and VanEllison, as well as the WIT faculty mentors Elizabeth Rasnick and Kristen Hawkins.
College of Arts and Humanities
The Republic of Moldova Recognizes Foreign Languages Faculty Member
The Republic of Moldova recognized Department of Foreign Languages Associate Professor and Moldovan native Olga Amarie with the Alexei Mateevici Commemorative Medal in July. She received the award for her translation work, promotion of Moldovan cultural values abroad and for recruiting various collaborators for her translation activities.
The Republic of Moldova is a landlocked country in southeastern Europe located between Romania and Ukraine. The medal, which is awarded for both literary and religious studies, is named for Alexei Mateevici (1888-1917). Mateevici was a poet and the lyricist of the Moldovan national anthem, Greek language teacher and priest from Eastern Bessarabia. Bessarabia was in the Russian Empire at the time, and is now a part of the Republic of Moldova.
“I am very honored to receive such a distinction from my country of origin,” Amarie said. “Even though my main area of research is 20th century French literature and film, I find myself contemplating translation activities very often. It is something that I do to stay connected with the culture that I was born in, far across the Atlantic Ocean.”
Amarie collaborated with Rosemary Lloyd, Ph.D.; Emanuel Mickel, Ph.D.; Marie-Line Brunet, Ph.D.; and Michael Dow, Ph.D.; in the translation of “The Word” (“Catapeteasma cuvintelor”) and Graphical Poems for the Moldovan national anthem “Our Language” (“Limba Noastră”). The Moldovan language is viewed by some as a dialect of the Romanian language. “Limba noastră” calls for the Moldovan people to revive the usage of their native language.
Mateevici wrote the lyrics to the national anthem a month before his death, and contributed significantly to the national emancipation of Bessarabia. His works remain an enduring and revered source of cultural knowledge by the Moldovan people.
“My next challenge in translation will be poetry, translating free-verse poems and rhymes,” Amarie said.
This year Amarie translated another book from Romanian into English with an English major from Georgia Southern, Margaret Geddy. They are both currently seeking a publisher for their translated book in the United States.
College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Helping Seniors Find Companionship
The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences has developed programs to make a positive impact in the lives of others. One of those programs is the Center for Social Gerontology in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. It has been awarded a grant that will keep the Senior Companion Program (SCP) running for three more years. The grant of nearly $500,000 was awarded by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
Sociology Professor Adrienne Cohen, Ph.D., is the director of the Center and the principal investigator for the grant. Deb Blackburn is the SCP coordinator.
Started in the late 1980s, the Senior Companion Program enlists low-income older volunteers to help maintain the health and wellness of frail older adults and people with disabilities over age 21. Those living in Bryan, Bulloch, Candler, Emanuel, Effingham, Evans, Jenkins, Screven and Tattnall counties are eligible for the program. Senior Companions assist adults who need extra support to live independently in their homes. They also provide respite for caregivers. Blackburn was recognized in July for her “outstanding and admirable work” and commitment to SCP at the 2nd Annual Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Region 5 Regional Community Collaborative Celebration.
College of Education
Focusing on Stem
Georgia Southern University College of Education will soon begin offering materials and supplies for K-12 science and social studies content and curriculum through the Institute for Interdisciplinary STEM Education (i2STEMe) School Outreach program.
Formerly hosted by the Georgia Southern Museum as Project SENSE (Science Education Network for the Southeast) and Project BESST (Be Engaged in Social Studies Teaching), the i2STEMe School Outreach program offers equipment, materials and activity kits that enhance science and social studies curriculum and provide hands-on, inquiry-based learning.
The program is a paid service that provides opportunities for membership at the school system, individual school or individual teacher level. Annual memberships range from $2,500 for entire school systems to $250 for an individual teacher. Materials will be available for pick up on the Armstrong or Statesboro campuses.
Parker College of Business
New Degree Offerings on the Armstrong Campus
The Parker College of Business now offers the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree in Economics and the BBA in Logistics and Intermodal Transportation (LIT) on the Armstrong Campus.
Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Parker College of Business delivers degree programs that prepare students for careers in a globally diverse environment.
Through experiential learning activities, which includes internships, co-ops, business abroad trips and professional development activities, the College seeks to produce career-ready professionals upon graduation.
College of Science and Mathematics
Chemistry Faculty Member Receives National Science Foundation Award
Assistant Professor of Analytical Chemistry Ji Wu, Ph.D. recently received funding from the National Science Foundation for the Program: Research at Undergraduate Institutions. The award supports his research in the area of battery technology.
The title of his project is “Asymmetric Membranes for High Capacity Lithium Ion Battery Anodes” and is funded for three years beginning in July 2018. The project’s goal is to address the limitations of lithium ion batteries by the use of readily available materials such as silicon and tin dioxide in novel structural forms called asymmetric membranes.
Stipends are provided for Georgia Southern students to perform research on the project. Additionally, the project hopes to broaden participation of underrepresented minorities and women in undergraduate research experiences.
Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health
Bachelor of Science Program Expands
The Bachelor of Science in Public Health program within the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health has expanded as a result of the consolidation between Georgia Southern and Armstrong State.
BSPH graduates are sought after to assess overall community health, to educate the public about disease prevention, to design and evaluate health promotion programs, to work with community or international health organizations and so much more.
Associate Dean Stuart Tedders said, “There are so many job opportunities today for graduates of Public Health, it is a really great time to be expanding our program offerings.”
The BSPH expansion joins the new Master of Public Health Generalist concentration. The College is now planning to expand doctoral degree offerings in the near future for this relevant and growing field of study.
Waters College of Health Professions
Asthma Education at the Cutting Edge
The Waters College of Health Professions hosted the seminar, Asthma Education at the Cutting Edge: Reaching and Teaching the Asthma Community.
Held in collaboration with the Georgia Asthma Coalition, Georgia Department of Public Health and the Magnolia Area Health Education Center, the seminar provided training to nurses, asthma educators and respiratory therapists.
The one-day event, held in October, focused on new research that addressed the increased burden of asthma in Georgia and the Southeast United States. Guest speakers presented on novel approaches, such as pinpointing asthma in communities using OASIS data and treating asthma in the schools. Also covered was the topic of pharmacists serving as asthma educators certified AE-C® in a family practice community pharmacy.