Cynthia Y. Lester Appointed Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives

Provost Nicolle Parsons-Pollard appointed Dr. Cynthia Lester as Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives effective Nov. 1.

Dr. Lester will play a critical role in advancing Georgia State’s strategic priorities, driving innovation, and promoting excellence across all areas of the institution. She will collaborate with Provost Parsons-Pollard, members of the strategic plan task forces, and other stakeholders at the university to ensure the successful implementation of the plan.

Her leadership experiences at Perimeter College, one of the largest associate-degree-granting colleges in the United States and the largest college by enrollment at Georgia State, have prepared her to take on the university-wide role. Appointed as interim dean in February 2022, she has led the five campuses of the college plus its extensive online programs in a changing academic environment.

Prior to serving as interim dean, she was Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the college, leading all academic initiatives including academic proposal review, assessment and accreditation; new pathway development; and curriculum development, review, revision and implementation. She also led faculty and administrative searches, supervised and evaluated department chairs, chaired the department chairs council, and served as the academic initiative’s team facilitator.

With a passion for STEM education, she has also served as associate dean of the Division of Math, Computer Science and Engineering and associate dean of the Clarkston Campus, chair of the computer science and engineering department, and the founding executive director of STEM Initiatives.

She holds professional memberships in the Association for Computing Machinery, the American Society for Engineering Education, and the National Society of Black Engineers. Dr. Lester was also named a 2021 EAB Rising Higher Education Leaders Fellow, an IAspire Fellow 2019-20, Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education Policy Fellow 2015-16, and an International Academy, Research and Industry Association Fellow 2010.

A professor of computer science, Dr. Lester’s academic expertise includes software engineering and human computer interaction. She holds a B.S. in computer science from Prairie View A&M University and both the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa). She has held an appointment at Tuskegee University as an associate professor of computer science.

Dr. Lester will continue to serve the duties of interim dean of Perimeter College until the arrival of Barbara J. Johnson, the college’s next permanent dean, in February.

– Compiled by Jeremy Craig, Communications Manager for the Office of the Provost

Identity, Placemaking & Belonging: GSU Celebrates the Opening of the Library North Study Commons, New Saxbys Café

The Georgia State University Library celebrated the opening of a brand-new student-focused study area and the grand opening of its student-run coffee shop on Nov. 15.

Dubbed the Study Commons, the new indoor space in Library North accommodates up 250 people for individual and group study sessions, increasing the number of seats in the library by nearly 10 percent.

The space was created by making use of increasingly valuable downtown real estate already within the University Library’s footprint. Following Board of Regents approval, work began in December 2022 to convert the street-level C Lot parking area underneath Library North into a 19,000-square-foot indoor space.

The Study Commons, accessible to students, faculty and staff, features wireless connectivity and movable furniture that can be adapted to accommodate the needs of students studying alone or in large groups. Its eight small and three large group study rooms are ideal for collaborative projects or focused individual work, and a designated silent study room provides a distraction-free environment. The Study Commons also offers computer workstations and a printing station.

Other features include four single-user gender-neutral restrooms and a private, reservable Women’s Philanthropy Network Wellness Room dedicated to supporting breastfeeding students, faculty and staff.

“After years of planning and a full year of construction, we are delighted to welcome students into this new space,” said Dean of Libraries Jeff Steely. “What was an inefficient parking lot is now a vibrant learning space.”

The event will also celebrate the grand opening of the new student-run experiential learning café, Saxbys, located in the entrance to the University Library off the greenway.

The Saxbys Experiential Learning Platform (Saxbys E.L.P.) café is managed by a student CEO and provides new entrepreneurial opportunities on campus. It’s one of 27 E.L.P. cafés across the country, and the first in the Southeast.

Its menu includes all-day breakfast items, a range of grilled cheeses, and a selection of beverages including cold brews, energy drinks, smoothies and teas. The café is open Mondays through Thursdays from 7 a.m. to midnight, Fridays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays from noon to 9 p.m. and Sundays from noon to midnight.

-Roy Cummings, Director of Communications, University Library

Originally published at the university News Hub here.

Research, Scholarship & Creative Activity: Catch the 2023 Highlights

As one of only four schools in the state of Georgia with an R1 designation from the Carnegie Foundation, Georgia State University is home to a highly active research community. Over the past year, that community has pushed to explore and answer critical questions in a wide range of subjects, from health and wellness to culture and community to issues that affect the places and planet where we live. That research has yielded new knowledge, new tools and new methods to navigate the most pressing global challenges.

Below are some examples from across the university showcasing the impact that research at Georgia State has made in 2023:

• One research team in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies is leading the charge to conquer secondary traumatic stress.
• Dawn Aycock, a stroke prevention researcher and the first Black faculty member to reach the rank of professor in Georgia State’s School of Nursing, brings a research heart to the table as she educates students.
• A new grant is helping a team in the College of Arts & Sciences advance research in artificial intelligence, robotics and edge computing.
• Research Innovation and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) grant funding helped two faculty members in the College of the Arts create and launch MTM Standard, GSU’s student-led music distribution company and sync house.
• A new article from researchers in the College of Education and Human Development explores how to reduce stigma around mental health diagnoses for athletes on college campuses.
• A fellowship is helping the College of Law create a new research centerand transform the way urban communities tackle critical challenges.
• A student in the Honors College is helping researchers study PTSD in pregnant Black women.
• Two researchers from the Institute for Biomedical Sciences have been named among the world’s most-cited scientists for 2023.
• Experts in the J. Mack Robinson College of Business have developed a new method that can help companies and investors assess an organization’s climate impact risk.
• A Perimeter College professor is working, thanks to a Carnegie Fellowship, to identify and analyze key healing ingredients in medicinal plants native to Ethiopia.
• Experts from the School of Public Health are seeking ways to improve data sharing to accelerate Alzheimer’s research.
• A Ph.D. student in The Graduate School earned a Rosalind Franklin Society Award in Sciencethanks to her published research insights.

Follow Georgia State University Research on LinkedIn for additional stories of impact, or visit research.gsu.edu for more information on the university’s research community.

Amanda Dobbs, Associate Director for Public Relations and Communications, Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development

Originally published on the University News Hub here.

Student Success 2.0: National Institute for Student Success at Georgia State Awarded $7.6M to Study Benefits of AI-Enhanced Classroom Chatbots

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has awarded the National Institute for Student Success (NISS) at Georgia State University a $7.6 million grant to study how chatbots can improve student outcomes in foundational college math and English courses.

Building on previous studies that demonstrate AI-enhanced chatbots increase grades and retention rates among lower-income and first-generation students, the NISS will deploy chatbot technology in first-year math and English courses at Georgia State and its associate degree-granting institution Perimeter College, and at partner schools Morgan State University in Maryland and the University of Central Florida.

The DOE’s highly competitive Postsecondary Student Success Program supports innovative approaches with the potential to improve national student outcomes. The NISS grant will fund the piloting and scaling of text-based chatbots in critical first-year courses at the partner universities as well as support an evaluation team of national scholars to assess the work.

The goal of introducing chatbots into these courses, according to Tim Renick, the founding executive director of the NISS and the project lead for the grant, is to provide more personalized and timely supports for the students in the courses. The chatbot is designed to complement the efforts of course instructors — answering basic student questions about course material, reminding students of upcoming assignments, and offering encouragement and tips when they struggle.

“Because of their schedules, students with jobs and families currently are less likely to attend after-class tutoring and study sessions,” Renick said. “The chatbots we are developing can support students 24/7, answer questions after hours and keep students on track in these challenging courses.”

Georgia State’s use of artificial intelligence-enhanced chatbot technology dates to 2016, when it piloted a program aimed at reducing “summer melt,” a term describing the phenomenon of high school graduates accepted to college failing to register for fall classes. By communicating with students over the summer through text message reminders and two-way question-and-answer capabilities, Georgia State reduced summer melt from 19 percent to 9 percent, according Renick.

During the first summer, the Pounce chatbot interacted with incoming first-year students 185,000 times, an impossible feat for even the most robustly staffed admissions office.

Georgia State has since expanded the use of the Pounce chatbot for enrollment-related communications to around 40,000 students on its Atlanta and Perimeter College campuses, and in 2021 developed a course-related Pounce, designed for students in first-year political science and economics courses critical to many majors.

Lindsay Page, the Annenberg Associate Professor of Education Policy at Brown University, designed and led experimental studies to assess Georgia State’s use of the Pounce chatbot. All of these trials have shown the benefit of chatbot communication for students. For example, the studies focused on course chatbots in political science and economics found that receiving direct text messages about class assignments, available academic supports and course content increased the likelihood students would earn a course grade of B or higher and reduced the likelihood of students dropping the course.

“We are grateful to have this opportunity to build on our strong research-practice partnership with the NISS and Georgia State,” said Page, who will lead a team of scholars from Brown, Harvard, Stanford and the Brookings Institution to evaluate the implementation and impact of the newest classroom chatbots. “This project will provide a unique opportunity to dramatically scale course-specific chatbots to additional academic subjects, students and campus contexts, and to deeply investigate how best to incorporate these tools in service of improved learning outcomes for students.”

The NISS and its partners at Morgan State and the University of Central Florida hope to show that chatbots integrated into core math and English courses result in higher grades in those foundational courses, setting students up for better performance in later courses and, ultimately, a degree.

“Far too many of our students find themselves struggling in gateway math and English courses,” said Dr. Ryan Maltese, Associate Vice President for Student Success and Retention at Morgan State. “By incorporating faculty-driven assistive technology directly into the classroom, our students will be able to engage their course materials at any time, in digitally native spaces that they have come to expect as a part of their everyday lives. Morgan State University is proud to be a partner in this innovative work that will help shape the future of higher education, and we look forward to working with our colleagues at GSU and UCF on this trailblazing initiative.”

“Student success is a top priority at UCF, and we’re excited to elevate our use of this promising technology to positively impact student outcomes,” said Dr. Ryan Goodwin, Interim Chief of Staff and Assistant Vice President for Strategy and Innovation at the University of Central Florida. “We are excited to work with our partners at Georgia State University and Morgan State University at the forefront of the student success movement to make an even greater impact on our students.”

Performing well in their first college math and English courses has an outsized impact on a student’s later academic success, according to Renick. A student who passes the courses during their initial 12 months at Perimeter College, for example, is nine times more likely to graduate.

“It’s not just because they are required courses,” Renick said. “It’s because the skills that students are learning in those courses are disproportionately impactful on how they’ll do in subsequent courses. If you can strengthen your composition skills by getting a good grade in an introductory English course, then you’re more likely to do well in your history class or your psychology class.”

By fall 2024, researchers will begin piloting the chatbots in courses at each location with the aim of demonstrating the effectiveness of the tool across a variety of demographic profiles served by each institution.

Andrea Jones, Vice President for Public Relations & Marketing Communications 

Originally published at the University News Hub here.

Beyond College to Career: Georgia State University Receives Kaiser Permanente Grant to Support School of Nursing and Narrative Exposure Therapy Program

“Georgia State University has received $50,000 from Kaiser Permanente to fund recruitment and retention activities to increase enrollment in the School of Nursing and expand the Narrative Exposure Therapy program in the School of Public Health.

This project aims to address the national nursing shortage by increasing enrollment in Georgia State’s School of Nursing. The grant will support a marketing campaign that will guide the school’s recruitment and retention activities, aimed at increasing the number of students it can educate, train and retain.

Additionally, this grant will allow the School of Public Health to expand narrative exposure therapy, which addresses trauma spectrum disorders, to refugee mothers in Clarkston, Ga.

“Georgia State is a university for all, and Kaiser Permanente’s support and partnership will provide more students with more opportunities for rewarding careers, real-world experience and meaningful community engagement,” said Telly McGaha, interim president of the Georgia State University Foundation. “We thank Kaiser Permanente for their generous investment in Panthers’ educations, careers and commitment to the community.”

Funding from this grant will enable Georgia State School of Public Health students to gain applied research experience as they provide more refugee mothers in Clarkston, a refugee resettlement area in DeKalb County, with valuable narrative exposure therapy. Depression, anxiety and PTSD are highly prevalent in refugee, immigrant and migrant communities due to trauma experiences before or during the journey to resettlement in the United States. They also face numerous barriers to effective care, such as narrow English proficiency, limited health literacy and a lack of culturally appropriate care. Asylees and refugees in Clarkston are nearly three times more likely to be without health insurance and without access to the healthcare resources they need.

Kaiser Permanente’s support will also help the School of Nursing contribute to and diversify the healthcare workforce. Ranked 14th in the nation for student racial and ethnic diversity and first for the number of Pell-eligible students enrolled, the School of Nursing will use grant funds to combat the national nursing shortage by enrolling and retaining more students.

“The pandemic has further strained an already stressed health care system. With that, it is important to support the recruitment and training of top health care and public health professionals to provide more Georgians access to quality care,”” said Charmaine Ward-Millner, vice president of Marketing, Communications, and Community Relations for Kaiser Permanente Georgia. “Through our shared mission of shaping the future of health care, we support Georgia State University in their work of bolstering the health care workforce.”

Explore some of the many ways Georgia State’s philanthropic partners and individual donors make a meaningful difference every day at https://giving.gsu.edu.

-Michael Rohling, Senior Director, Advancement Communications, University Advancement

Originally published at the university News Hub here.

Barbara J. Johnson Named Perimeter College Dean

Dr. Barbara J. Johnson has been named the next dean of Perimeter College effective Feb. 12, 2024.

Dr. Barbara J. Johnson

Dr. Johnson currently serves as executive vice president and provost at Talladega College in Alabama, where she oversees the college’s academic affairs, including the institution’s academic mission, teaching, research and service.

“As a first-generation college graduate, I am honored and excited to join Georgia State University, a national leader in social mobility and closing equity gaps,” Johnson said. “I look forward to partnering with faculty, staff, students and community partners to facilitate the success of students in and out of the classroom.“

Prior to joining Talladega College in 2022, Dr. Johnson served as vice president for academic affairs and professor of student services administration at Arkansas Tech University. She has also held faculty appointments and leadership positions at several institutions, including Northern Illinois University, the University of New Orleans, Vanderbilt University and Volunteer State Community College.

In addition, Dr. Johnson serves as a board member of the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education and director of the Leadership and Mentoring Institute (LMI).

She holds a bachelor of science in accounting from Winston-Salem State University, a master of business administration from Ohio State University and a Ph.D. in education and human development with an emphasis in higher education administration from Vanderbilt University.

-Andrea Jones, Vice President for Public Relations & Marketing Communications

Originally published on the university News Hub here. 

Thomas J. Vicino Named Dean of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Effective March 4

Dr. Thomas J. Vicino has been named the next dean of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University, effective March 4.

Dr. Thomas J. Vicino

Dr. Vicino currently serves as the associate dean of graduate studies in the College of Social Science and Humanities at Northeastern University in Boston, where he also is jointly appointed as professor in the Department of Political Science and the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs.

Since 2019, Dr. Vicino has served as associate dean of graduate studies, where he is responsible for leading and strategically managing a portfolio of more than 30 graduate programs across the social sciences, the humanities and the policy fields. He led the development and implementation of a holistic approach to graduate admissions that has significantly advanced the college’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“Dr. Vicino will be an essential part of the university’s leadership team,” said Dr. Nicolle Parsons-Pollard, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. “His impressive record demonstrates that he will be invaluable to the university’s strategic vision.”

“I am excited and deeply honored to lead the Andrew Young School,” Dr. Vicino said. “I look forward to collaborating with the outstanding faculty, staff, students, alumni and the community in Atlanta and beyond to advance the mission of the school.”

In previous leadership roles at Northeastern, he served as chair of the Department of Political Science and as the director of the Master of Public Administration program. Dr. Vicino led the effort to achieve a seven-year reaccreditation from the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), earning numerous national commendations for the program’s faculty and staff support, learning flexibility, instructional support and experiential educational opportunities.

Prior to his appointment at Northeastern, he served on the faculty at Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., and previously in the School of Urban and Public Affairs at University of Texas at Arlington.

An internationally recognized scholar of urban affairs, Dr. Vicino specializes in the political economy of cities and suburbs, focusing on issues of metropolitan development, housing, and demographic analysis. He is the author or editor of five books and has also published numerous book chapters, essays, reviews, and research articles. He serves on various editorial boards including the Journal of Race, Ethnicity and the City and Urban Planning.

As the chief executive officer and chair of the Governing Board of the Urban Affairs Association, Dr. Vicino led the foremost international organization for urban scholars, researchers, and public service professionals. In 2014, he was a U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Brazil.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in communication studies and political science, cum laude, from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla., as well as a Master of Public Policy and Ph.D. in public policy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Across his leadership roles and as an educator, Dr. Vicino has promoted a culture of inclusive excellence grounded in mutual respect and collaboration. He has been a dedicated mentor to many faculty and staff colleagues as well as students.

“I am inspired by the pillars of Georgia State’s strategic plan to leverage research and innovation to advance the public good and to support student success, careers, and placemaking and belonging,” he said. “By collaborating across the disciplines and emphasizing experiential learning for our students in the digital world, the Andrew Young School will prepare the next generation of leaders to confront the complex challenges of the 21st century.

Lindsey Cohen Named Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences

Dr. Lindsey Cohen, Distinguished University Professor of Psychology, has been appointed as interim dean of the College of Arts & Sciences effective Jan. 1.

Lindsey Cohen

Dr. Cohen succeeds Dr. Sara Rosen, who stepped down from the position at the end of 2023.

He joined the Arts & Sciences faculty in 2004 and led the Department of Psychology as chair from 2020-2023.

Dr. Cohen has a faculty line in the Department of Psychology, holding the title of Distinguished University Professor. He leads a grant-funded research program in pediatric psychology, focusing on the intersection of clinical child psychology and pediatric medicine. The Child Health and Medical Pain (CHAMP) lab, under Dr. Cohen’s direction, has developed a long-standing interest in the assessment and treatment of acute medical pain in children, such as during injections or bone fracture casting. Additionally, the lab is actively engaged in researching chronic pain in children, particularly exploring mindfulness and acceptance-based treatments to aid adolescents in leading fulfilling lives with their pain.

Graduate student-led projects within the CHAMP lab cover an array of child health issues. Notably, these projects have included investigations into nurse burnout in pediatric chronic pain settings, stress in parents of infants with congenital heart disease, adolescents’ understanding of mindfulness in the context of chronic pain, the impact of social support and discrimination on adolescents with sickle cell disease, and factors of risk and resilience in pediatric chronic illnesses.

Parallel to these research endeavors, Dr. Cohen’s clinical interests focus on children dealing with medical issues. Dr. Cohen oversees two Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) training grants, which allows graduate students to provide evidence-based, culturally sensitive services in a multidisciplinary team setting for children with medical conditions at numerous partner healthcare facilities across Atlanta, including the three Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta hospitals.

The university will undertake a national search for a permanent dean this spring.

Dave Forquer Named Interim Director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute

Dave Forquer

Dave Forquer has been named as interim director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute effective Jan. 1, succeeding Jennifer Sherer.

Forquer is a lecturer in the institute and a former assistant dean for executive programs in the Robinson College of Business, with interests in organizational effectiveness, strategic planning and supply chain management.

He has significant experience developing and delivering executive education programs in these areas using a variety of methods, including simulations. Forquer has also been a corporate manager and a startup manager/owner.

Sherer stepped down from the ENI director position at the end of 2023 to pursue a business opportunity outside of higher education, an agriculture business based on a fourth-generation family cattle ranch.

The university will undertake a national search for a permanent director.

National Institute for Student Success Receives Grant from the Carol and Gene Ludwig Family Foundation

The National Institute for Student Success (NISS) at Georgia State University received a grant from the Carol and Gene Ludwig Family Foundation to fund pilot programs of one of the university’s most successful initiatives, Keep Hope Alive, at three higher-ed institutions in Georgia, including two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Through this grant, NISS will work with Albany State University, Fort Valley State University and Georgia Southern University to implement and administer a suite of wrap-around services that help students who have lost or are at risk of losing the Hope Scholarship remain in school, reach prescribed benchmarks to regain the scholarship and complete their degrees.

Through a systematic, data-driven and collaborative process, the NISS helps colleges and universities identify and find solutions for institutional barriers to equity and college completion. The Carol and Gene Ludwig Family Foundation grant will enable the NISS partner institutions to provide eligible students with modest financial support on the condition that they attend a suite of advising, academic and financial wellness supports.

“We thank the Carol and Gene Ludwig Family Foundation for its support and partnership and appreciate their commitment to NISS’s mission of reducing barriers to student achievement and degree completion in higher education,” said Timothy Renick, executive director of the National Institute for Student Success. “Financial barriers are the primary reason that students drop out or stop out at universities and are a major cause of equity gaps nationally. This grant will allow us to launch at several public universities in Georgia the NISS’s proven systems for producing equitable college outcomes.”

Established in 2002, the Carol and Gene Ludwig Family Foundation is a private foundation that makes charitable investments in support of medical research, education and communities. The Foundation’s grantmaking in education is primarily focused on empowering young people from low-income backgrounds to achieve their educational and professional goals.

“We are honored to partner with the NISS in its mission to improve college completion for all students,” said Dr. Carol Ludwig, co-founder and president of the Carol and Gene Ludwig Family Foundation. “We are incredibly excited about the potential for this innovative program to prove impactful and replicable far beyond this initial pilot.”

Explore how the Carol and Gene Ludwig Family Foundation supports medical research, enables access to educational and economic opportunities for young people and strengthens communities at ludwigfamilyfoundation.org.

Learn more about the NISS mission and services at niss.gsu.edu. See how donor support is making a meaningful difference at Georgia State and how to get involved at giving.gsu.edu.

– Michael Rohling, Senior Director, Advancement Communications, University Advancement

Georgia State Ranks Highly for Undergraduate Teaching, Social Mobility

Georgia State continues to receive recognition for making a difference in the lives of students, opening doors and providing opportunities.

This fall, U.S. News & World Report ranked Georgia State as the top Public University for Undergraduate Teaching for the fourth straight year, and No. 2 for Innovation for the third consecutive year in its 2024 edition of Best Colleges.

It marked the seventh straight year that the university has been ranked in the top four for Innovation, and the fifth year within that time span that it has ranked No. 2.

Georgia State retained its position as tops among public institutions for its strong commitment to undergraduate teaching for the fourth year in a row.

The innovation and undergraduate teaching rankings are based on a survey of presidents, provosts and admissions deans at colleges and universities across the country.

In a separate set of rankings by the editors of Washington Monthly, Georgia State ranks among the top universities in the United States contributing to the public good.

In Washington Monthly’s 2023 National University Rankings, Georgia State ranked 100 out of the more than 1,400 universities measured for their impact on social mobility, research and public service. Georgia State ranked fifth overall for its Pell performance, a measure of the university’s commitment to educating a diverse group of students.

Fifty-seven percent of Georgia State’s full-time, first-time, first-year students in fall 2022 were Pell-eligible.

The university ranked 85th for social mobility, 139th for research and 186th for service.

The social mobility ranking takes into account factors including an institution’s eight-year graduation rate, predicted earnings by graduates and net price of attendance for families earning below $75,000 per year.

The research ranking examines factors including research expenditures, the number of science and engineering Ph.D.s awarded and faculty accolades.

The service measure takes into account factors such as voting engagement, the percentage of federal work-study funds an institution spends on service and the percentage of graduates with service-oriented majors.

Information consolidated from the university News Hub here and here.

Cradle to College Program at Perimeter College Grows

The “Cradle To College” (C2C) program at Georgia State University’s Perimeter College is growing.

The community engagement program, which brings elementary and middle school students to a Perimeter College campus for mini-classes and activities, has added new dates and new schools to its successful mix. It’s also enfolded an existing Dunwoody Campus STEM elementary school program under its umbrella. Currently, Clarkston, Dunwoody and Newton campuses are C2C hosts.

Newcomers to the C2C program this spring will be students from Sandy Springs Charter Middle School in Dunwoody and Jolly Elementary School in Clarkston. They will join students from Indian Creek Elementary in Clarkston and Dunwoody Springs Elementary, as well as Newton County middle school students. Campus program leads are Dr. Melody Kelley, Shellie Welch, Dr. Sahithya Reddivari, Dr. Crystal Garrett and Trina Saffold.

Added to the C2C program this year are the long-standing engagement programs initiated by Dunwoody STEM faculty Dr. Marjorie Lewkowicz, Dr. Brooke Skelton and Dr. Jay Dunn and the Dunwoody Space Club. The professors have fostered a long-term partnership with Vanderlyn Elementary, Dunwoody Elementary, Austin Elementary and Hightower Elementary schools by coordinating STEM nights and STEM Career Days over the years, where their math and science students visited the elementary schools, leading fun STEM activities.

This spring, the Dunwoody faculty are adding more DeKalb elementary schools for STEM engagement.

In November, the Newton Campus hosted its third ‘STEM Day’ for dozens of Newton County middle school students after two successful fall and spring events coordinated by Trina Saffold, Newton Earth and Life Sciences lab coordinator.

Since 2018, hundreds of elementary and middle school students have participated in C2C programs. And like the STEM programs started years earlier by Dunwoody faculty, Perimeter students also continue that engagement, visiting local elementary schools and talking to the students about their own experiences in college. Recently, a group of students, faculty and staff visited Dunwoody Springs Elementary to talk about the college experience.

“We want all young people to see college as a viable option, and we believe that early exposure is a vital part of the pipeline,” said Dr. Deborah Manson, who became C2C program coordinator in January.

“Cradle to College was the vision of Dr. Karen Wheel-Carter, and I am so grateful to her for sharing that vision with me and trusting me with the program.”

Besides Wheel-Carter, Manson is assisted by Dr. Paulos Yohannes, Dr. John Redmond and Dr. Mary Helen O’Connor, who are senior advisors for the program.

Ivy Goggins, Dunwoody Springs Elementary School principal, sees the value of the program.

“My hope is that with programs like “Cradle 2 College,” we will be able to help kids to better understand what college all is about,” said Goggins, who commented during the spring 2023 event on Dunwoody Campus.

“You never know as an elementary educator the impact of these experiences in planting a seed of hope or dream of what they can become,” she said.

– Kenya King, Director of Communications, Perimeter College

Originally published on the University News Hub here.

In Person or Online? Researchers Find People’s Stated Support for Democracy Depends on How They’re Asked

Americans may be less satisfied with U.S. democracy than previously thought and new survey methods may have something to do with that disconnect, according to researchers at Georgia State University.

Judd Thornton, an associate professor in the Department of Political Science, recently conducted a study using American National Election Studies data from 2012 and 2016 to gauge how satisfied U.S. citizens are with American democracy, and how much that sentiment may be influenced by how they were surveyed.

“The basic idea was that when people are by themselves, answering questions over the internet, they could be a little more truthful,” Thornton said. “There’s some idea that liking democracy is good, so you don’t tell someone who’s knocking on your door that you aren’t satisfied with it.”

This study is a continuation of work on a theory first put forward in the 1940s that now has a lot of literature to back it up.

Thornton’s study, “Survey Mode and Satisfaction With Democracy,” found there was a 20 percent decline in reported satisfaction with democracy when comparing the results from the 2012 and 2016 surveys.

According to the article, 65 percent of respondents in 2012 were interviewed online, while 71 percent had been interviewed online in 2016. In the years prior to 2012, the interviews were conducted almost entirely face to face, with a small percentage over the phone.

“The optimistic take is that some of the documented decline in positive attitudes is actually a function of switching over to interviewing by the internet,” he said. “I think through 2010 or so, we’re probably overestimating satisfaction levels.”

The person-to-person nature of surveys before 2010 most likely caused more people to report that they were happy with American democracy than actually were, he said.

Thorton and his fellow researcher, Georgia State political science Ph.D. student Hamad Ejaz, also looked at results from the 2020 survey, which reported even lower satisfaction than 2016.

“Survey mode doesn’t account for all of the decline though, so there is a genuine decline in warmth for democracy, but this is a specific incident in this long-standing theory about survey method,” Thornton said.

He also noted this decrease in reported satisfaction in democracy is part of a global trend.

“Political scientists have spent a lot of energy over the last 20 years documenting attitudes about democracy, especially as democracies are on the retreat in certain parts of the world,” Thornton said.

In the U.S. specifically, citizens may just be tired of political polarization, which is the focus of the next study Thornton is working on.

“The public just doesn’t want every election to feel like this existential choice,” he said.

—By Katherine Duplessis

Originally published at the University News Hub here. 

Georgia State Receives $10M Grant to Advance Research in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Edge Computing

Jonathan Shihao Ji

Jonathan Shihao Ji, a computer science professor at Georgia State University, has received a $10 million grant from the Department of Defense (DoD) to address critical problems in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics with a focus on human-robot interaction, 3D virtual environment reconstruction, edge computing and trustworthy AI.

In recent years, AI has become more and more prevalent in our world, powering search engines, voice assistants and self-driving cars. But Ji thinks it can do more.

“It has been claimed recently that AI is the new electricity,” Ji said. “It can empower and will transform almost every industry in the next several years.”

The research team at Georgia State includes co-principal investigators Professor Anu Bourgeois and Assistant Professor Yi Ding in the Department of Computer Science in the College of Arts & Sciences and Professor Balasubramaniam Ramesh, chair of the Department of Computer Information Systems in the J. Mack Robinson College of Business. The grant will allow them to establish the Center of Excellence in Advanced Computing and Software (CoE-ACS) and foster collaborations with researchers from Duke’s Athena NSF AI Institute and partners from the U.S. Army Research Laboratory to work with students and professors at GSU.

“AI research is a rapidly-developing field, but the advancements we are seeing are typically years in the making,” said Sara Rosen, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. “The award of the CoE-ACS represents the culmination of years of boundary-pushing research, which has spanned Dr. Ji’s time at Georgia State and in industry. I am excited to see this research taken to the next level, and am thrilled that Georgia State is a player in advancing the frontiers of AI and robotics.”

One major area of research for the center will involve Boston Dynamics’ Spot — a four-legged, dog-like robot — which was acquired by Ji with another DoD grant last year.

Using Spot, Ji hopes he and his fellow researchers will be able to advance AI technology by developing a natural language interface for the robot, which could increase the number of useful tasks that it can perform.

“We’ll be able to tell Spot, ‘Please go to the kitchen and see if the fridge door is closed properly. If not, please close it,’ and Spot should be able to understand it and go do that on its own,” he said.

Ji also hopes to teach Spot how to navigate a variety of environments on its own.

“We can build a 3D virtual environment and train Spot in that environment then transfer the knowledge learnt from the simulator into the real world,” Ji said.

That could be helpful in situations such as search and rescue, facility maintenance and emergency response that may be dangerous for humans.

Research will also focus on developing machine learning algorithms to increase the ease of human-computer interaction. To do this, researchers at the center will try to teach AI to understand humans in new ways, for example by human voices or through virtual reality goggles. In the next research phase, the center will explore visual demonstrations.

“If you want to teach the robot how to pick up a water bottle, you can show the robot how to do it naturally by demonstration,” Ji said.

The center will also focus on increasing the security of AI devices and systems. In many cases, data that could be housed and processed on a device is instead uploaded to remote servers collectively referred to as the cloud, creating a risk that private information could be leaked, Ji said.

Edge computing could be a solution. This technology involves storing and processing data locally, rather than in the cloud. In some cases, such as with drones, this can be difficult because the devices can’t carry much weight, limiting the amount of processing power they can house. One of the projects will focus on creating smaller and more power-efficient models to process the data on devices to decrease the chances of data leaks from them. Duke’s Athena, a research institute dedicated to edge computing, will help the GSU center to address the privacy and security challenges in the context of AI and robotics.

The grant will enable Ji and his fellow researchers at Georgia State to fund 12 Ph.D. students, 100 undergraduate students and multiple post-doctoral researchers at the university over the initial five years. The team also plans to partner with local high schools, hoping to spark interest in AI and robotics in younger generations.

“This very significant grant presents an incredible opportunity to establish a national presence for the university in cutting-edge research areas such as Human-AI Collaboration and the development of Responsible AI systems that are also well aligned with the strategic priorities of the university,” Ramesh said. “We are also excited by the opportunity provided by the grant to prepare a diverse group of students to pursue research and careers in artificial intelligence.”

Professor Yiran Chen, director of Athena NSF AI Institute and the Duke PI of the project, noted the longstanding collaboration between his team and colleagues at Georgia State.

“We eagerly anticipate a more productive partnership within this new center of excellence,” Chen said.

— Story by Katherine Duplessis. Photo by Qing Su. Originally published on the university News Hub here.

The Ignite Awards

Georgia State University celebrated the winners of its first-ever Ignite Awards in November.

The awards recognize outstanding contributions from faculty, staff and students whose work offers tremendous impact on advancing knowledge, solving complex problems, creating new innovations and enhancing the quality of life in Georgia and beyond.

Honorees are as follows.

For the Research Impact Award: The CHARA Array of Georgia State University, consisting of Gail Schaefer, Theo ten Brummelaar, Nic Scott, Narsireddy Anugu, Nils Turner, Christopher Farrington, Jeremy Jones and Cyprien Lanthermann

• The CHARA Array is one of the most complex astronomical facilities ever built, and the work of this team has led to the discoveries of magnetic storms on the surfaces of stars, the expanding fireball from a nova explosion and the gas and dust ring surrounding a supermassive black hole.

For the Research Partnership Award: Shannon Self-Brown and Dan Whitaker

• Self-Brown and Whitaker have worked over the past 15 years developing and leading the National SafeCare Training and Research Center within the Mark Chaffin Center for Healthy Development. Their work partnering with hundreds of organizations, including governmental agencies, nonprofit and for-profit service agencies, to conduct research on child maltreatment and related childhood adversities, to advance implementation science, and to broadly disseminate evidence-based practices has had and continues to have a real-world impact on disadvantaged families and children.

For the Research Scholarship and Creativity Award: Monique Moultrie

• Moultrie’s outstanding work in the overlapping fields of the academic study of race, sexuality and religion has been well received, both in the scholarly community and by a wide audience. She has been nominated for multiple awards and has frequent engagement in public scholarship and media interviews.

For the Research Mentorship Award: Janice Fournillier

• Fournillier’s work includes serving as a research and teaching mentor to more than 200 graduate and teacher preparation students as well as a graduate chair to 28 Ph.D. students and one master’s student. She is a member on 58 Ph.D. committees and one Master’s committee, and has served as a mentor to 16 graduate student interns, many of whom now have tenure-track/tenured faculty positions or as research scientists.

For the Early Career Research Impact Award in the area of Arts and Humanities: Juan S. Piñeros Glasscock

• Piñeros Glasscock has had notable success in field of philosophy, especially in publication; his articles have been accepted at about double the rate of publication for most tenured faculty. He has published six peer-reviewed articles in some of the most prestigious journals in philosophy, and his publications are already being cited, responded to in print and discussed within the field.

For the Early Career Research Impact Award in the area of Natural and Life Sciences: Jessica Bolton

• Bolton is known for her work on limbic and stress-related neural circuitry with a central emphasis on the mechanisms by which early-life experiences (e.g. adversity and stress) can rewire the plastic, developing brain. She has won prestigious and highly competitive grants, produced 10 scientific articles since joining GSU in 2021, and is sought after as a nationally recognized expert in her field.

For the Early Career Research Impact Award in the area of Social and Behavioral Sciences: Thaddeus Johnson

• Johnson has done exceptional work on police professionalism and innovation, police coercion, predictive bias and disparities in the justice system and control of violent crime. He has also excelled in sharing research in the public eye both through both traditional and non-traditional channels, including making more than 60 media appearances and writing 13 op-ed publications in popular media outlets.

For the Research Administration Excellence Award: Kay Gilstrap

• Gilstrap’s notable work at GSU includes serving as leader for the Research Administration Departmental group, Director of the University Research Centers support team, and as co-PI on a grant that began a novel research administration training internship at GSU. She also serves as Treasurer-elect for the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA).

For the Doctoral Research Achievement Award: Shaligram Sharma

• Sharma’s doctoral work on the biological basis of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases has expanded knowledge in this area and has the potential for tremendous real-world impact.

For the Postdoctoral Research Achievement Award: Jordan Ross

• Ross has been a meaningful contributor to the Neuroscience Institute by teaching graduate lectures and supervising an undergraduate lab, has earned a fellowship from the National Institutes of Health, and had done outstanding work in organizing the GSU Postdoctoral Association which supports and promotes the postdoctoral community on the GSU campus.

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Molnupiravir Administered at Human Effect Size-Equivalent Dose Blocks SARS-CoV-2 Transmission in Ferrets, Researchers Find

Two oral drugs, molnupiravir and paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir), provide equivalent therapeutic benefit in preventing severe COVID-19 in animal models, but only molnupiravir efficiently blocked SARS-CoV-2 transmission when administered at a human effect size-equivalent dose, according to a study led by researchers at Georgia State University’s Center for Translational Antiviral Research in collaboration with the Emory University Institute for Drug Development.

The study published in the journal Nature Communications compared the efficacy of two licensed drugs, molnupiravir and paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir), and the effects on SARS-CoV-2 transmission in dwarf hamster and ferret animal models. The researchers established correlations for animal and human dose levels, which can be complex.

Both drugs have received emergency use authorization, but therapeutic options against SARS-CoV-2 are underutilized. Effective treatments against SARS-CoV-2 are critical because extensive viral spread continues, despite the development of vaccines and antivirals. Also, the rise of new SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern that can escape preexisting immunity have reduced the possibility of rapidly ending the pandemic through large-scale vaccination campaigns.

“This study affirms previous clinical analyses that early treatment of older adult patients at elevated risk of progression to severe COVID-19 with either paxlovid or molnupiravir will provide significant therapeutic benefit,” said Richard Plemper, Ph.D., a Regents’ Professor and Distinguished University Professor and the director of the Center for Translational Antiviral Research at Georgia State University’s Institute for Biomedical Sciences.

“We demonstrate in two animal model species, one rodent and one non-rodent, that infectious particle titers, but not viral RNA copy numbers, should be assessed to determine efficacy of a viral mutagen such as molnupiravir. Using reduction of viral RNA copies as biomarker available across all animal models and human patients, we demonstrate that molnupiravir, but not paxlovid, prevents all SARS-CoV-2 transmission when drugs were administered at human effect size-equivalent doses.”

The researchers compared both drugs in two animal models, the Roborovski dwarf hamster model for severe COVID-19-like lung infection and the ferret SARS-CoV-2 transmission model.

“Recent data has indicated another uptick in COVID-19 infections in a broad cross-section of the population. Antiviral drugs can play an important role in not only treating COVID-19 infection but also in controlling its transmission and spread,” said George Painter, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology at Emory University School of Medicine, CEO of DRIVE (Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory) and director of the Emory Institute for Drug Development where molnupiravir was developed. “This collaborative study shows that molnupiravir treatment completely suppresses transmission at all dose levels tested. We look forward to continued studies to verify these exciting results.”

Additional authors of the study were Robert M. Cox and Carolin M. Lieber, co-first authors of the study from the Center for Translational Antiviral Research at Georgia State University’s Institute for Biomedical Sciences; Josef D. Wolf and Amirhossein Karimi of the Center for Translational Antiviral Research at Georgia State University’s Institute for Biomedical Sciences; Nicole A. P. Lieberman, Pavitra Roychoudhury and Alexander L. Greninger of the University of Washington; Zachary M. Sticher, Meghan K. Andrews, Rebecca E. Krueger, Michael G. Natchus and Alexander A. Kolykhalov of Emory University.

The study was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health.

To read the study, visit https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-40556-8.

LaTina Emerson, Director of Communications, Institute for Biomedical Sciences

Georgia State Professor Granted $5M to Identify and Characterize Objects in Space

Georgia State Professor of Physics & Astronomy Stuart Jefferies has been awarded a $5 million, multi-institutional grant by the U.S. Air Force to develop techniques to detect, map and image faint objects in space.

The work could have far-reaching impacts, including strengthening national security in an increasingly congested space domain. The work will also advance the next generation of exceptionally large telescopes and improve the capabilities of astronomers studying the universe by providing images that are significantly sharper than those from existing telescopes.

“Detecting objects in the space region between where many communications satellites are located extending to the distance at which the Moon orbits the Earth presents a substantial challenge,” Jefferies said. “The faintness of these objects makes observation difficult using ground-based telescopes, as they are starved of photons from the target of interest, creating a potential vulnerability that adversaries could exploit.”

Jefferies will lead the research under the grant “Space Domain Awareness in a Photon Starved Environment” with experts from academic institutions including the University of Hawai’i, University of Minnesota and the Georgia Tech Research Institute.

The Georgia State team will also collaborate with government contractors and Air Force researchers at the Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing (AMOS) Site on Maui and at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico.

“The Air Force recognizes the significance of fostering collaboration among researchers from these diverse domains, each offering unique perspectives,” Jefferies said. “This multidisciplinary approach aims to push the boundaries of telescope technology and advance our understanding of celestial bodies.”

Space Domain Awareness (SDA) is the comprehensive examination and surveillance of objects within the realm of space, specifically focusing on satellites orbiting Earth. It includes detection, tracking, cataloging and identifying artificial entities such as active or inactive satellites, spent rocket stages and fragments from previous missions. SDA plays a crucial role in decision-making across tactical, operational and strategic levels to meet national security objectives.

Jefferies said researchers at the University of Hawai’i are pioneering the development of innovative optics to create financially viable, extremely large-aperture telescopes. This telescope design combines elements of traditional telescopes and interferometers, like Georgia State’s CHARA Array, to create a Hybrid Optical Telescope (HOT). Collaborating with Georgia State researchers, the UH team will work to address the inherent blurring of images caused by Earth’s turbulent atmosphere to achieve the full resolution potential of the telescope.

The University of Minnesota team is investigating ways to use the HOT system to not only identify and describe dim celestial objects but also to laser-light illuminate them in order to improve visibility.

Scientists at the Georgia Tech Research Institute will examine satellite material composition using spectral analysis. Their aim is to understand the effects of weathering caused by radiation on the properties of these materials.

Some of the work that falls under this award will likely tap into the expertise gained from the Imaging Innovation Hub (IIH) which was developed in part with support from a Georgia State Research Innovation and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) grant.

Georgia State’s RISE initiative was established in 2022 to address complex societal problems through interdisciplinary collaboration. The initiative aims to foster an innovative research ecosystem at the university and leverage the strengths of the research community to address complex problems.

Over the past two decades, Jefferies’ research has focused on achieving clear images of objects in space through ground-based telescopes, including images of the Sun. His work to capture high-resolution images of the Sun has taken him to the far reaches of the South Pole.

According to Jefferies, this research over the next five years will be crucial in developing the next generation of exceptionally large telescopes and the related techniques needed to fully utilize them.

“While the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is currently transforming our perspectives of the cosmos, envisioning telescopes surpassing JWST in size by more than fivefold and impervious to atmospheric blurring marks a significant leap forward in our quest to deepen our understanding of the universe,” he said.

-Noelle Toumey Reetz, Communications Manager, Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development

Originally published at the university News Hub here.

#GSUMLK24: Join in the Vision

Georgia State continues its annual commemoration of the life, legacy and vision of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with events this month.

You can find more information at https://belonging.gsu.edu/info/mlk/.

Upcoming events include:

Thursday, Jan. 18, 12 to 2 p.m.: Commemoration Brunch at the Student Center East Ballroom, with a keynote by Lynae Vanee. The event will be live-streamed for the GSU community.

Faculty/Staff Log-In: https://mygsu.sharepoint.com/:u:/r/teams/gsu-events/SitePages/MLK-Commemoration-2024.aspx

Student Log-In: https://studentgsu.sharepoint.com/:u:/r/sites/gsu-events/SitePages/MLK-Commemoration-2024.aspx

Friday, Jan. 19, 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.: King Center Visits – Explore the King Historic District and The King Center with the Office of Civic Engagement. Tours will depart from the Student Center East lobby. Click the following links to the Panther Involvement Network below to learn more about the tours and RSVP. To attend and receive lunch, you must RSVP for this event via PIN.

10:30 a.m.: https://pin.gsu.edu/event/9658226

2 p.m.: https://pin.gsu.edu/event/9658227

Monday, Jan. 22, 1 to 3 p.m.: Culture Café at The Intersection Lounge (Room 210, Student Center East): Culture Café is designed to highlight culture and heritage while providing students support services by promoting resources and events provided by The Multicultural Center and Cultures, Communities & Inclusion (CCI).

More information at the Panther Involvement Network: https://pin.gsu.edu/event/9060542

Tuesday, Jan. 23, 3 to 5 p.m.: Leaders for a Cause Festival – Celebrating Our Community (Student Center West, 460 & 462, 466 & 468):

In the spirit of Dr. King’s passion for empowerment and community, the Leaders for a Cause Festival is a lively event that offers students a space to gather and make new friends. Attendees can grab a meal, enjoy board games, experience inspiring student spoken word and musical performances, dance to a live DJ, explore the 360 selfie photo booth, experience highlights showcasing students from the Leaders for a Cause cohort and their difference-making projects, and explore volunteer sign-up opportunities with Student Civic Engagement. The festival is hosted by the Office of Leadership & Service.

Students can earn POUNCE Reward Points as well as credit towards the Student Leadership Certificate, which will be presented at the Spring 2024 Royal Flame Awards. Students who wish to earn points/credit should make sure to RSVP for the event at the Panther Involvement Network: https://pin.gsu.edu/event/9611093

– Compiled by Jeremy Craig with information from Student Engagement/Cultures, Communities & Inclusion 

International Holocaust Remembrance Day Event at Georgia State on Jan. 25

Georgia State will mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Thursday, Jan. 25 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Ballroom in Student Center East.

The event will include discussions and educational resources in an opportunity to reflect on history and reaffirm a collective commitment to building a future grounded in compassion and tolerance, and unity against bigotry and intolerance.

Additional details about the event, including speaker information and livestreaming, will be posted online soon to the event listing at the Panther Involvement Network here:  https://pin.gsu.edu/event/9658412

The United Nations General Assembly designated Jan. 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day, corresponding with the Jan. 27, 1945 liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. At that location alone, it is estimated that at least 1.1 million people were murdered by the Nazi regime in the systematic genocide of approximately 6 million Jews in Europe. 

The regime engaged in persecution and murder of other groups as well, including Roma/Sinti people, people of Slavic backgrounds, gay people, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and political opponents, in addition to disabled people.

More information about the Remembrance Day and historical resources are available on the Belonging@GSU website at https://belonging.gsu.edu/2024/01/international-holocaust-remembrance-day/.

ADVANCE-IMPACT: Register for the Spring 2024 Bystander Leadership Program Faculty Workshops

Feb. 1 & 2
25 Park Place, 2nd Floor, College of Arts & Sciences Events Space

Choose one day, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Register here

Have you ever witnessed an interaction involving colleagues, students, or staff that made you uncomfortable, or you knew wasn’t quite right, but you didn’t act because you weren’t sure what to do or say? This hands-on workshop from Georgia State’s ADVANCE-IMPACT program will help you learn—and practice—concrete strategies to intervene effectively.

This workshop presents scenarios based on real-life experiences in the university to guide you in developing skills and strategies to lead effectively.

In this interactive, immersive workshop, you will learn to:

· Notice and interpret instances of unintentional bias and other situations that may negatively impact members of our community.
· Determine the options for intervening effectively and select the best option for you.
· Intervene in ways that are effective and consistent with your values.
· Make Georgia State University a more welcoming community where we all feel we belong and can thrive.

Testimonials from Fall 2023 Participants:

“One of the best professional learning experiences I have had as either a faculty member or an administrator. … The content, the pace, the opportunities for discussion—all excellent.”

“The scenarios presented by the actors … were very rich with the power and privilege dynamics that shape culture and climate in higher education.”

“The most important outcome for me is that I feel much more confident intervening in situations in which bias occurs.”

Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/BKiF7Ee3RH

Fourth Annual Bennekin Black History Symposium to be Held Feb. 19-23

The fourth annual Mario A.J. Bennekin Black History Symposium at Georgia State University’s Perimeter College is scheduled for Feb. 19-23, 2024, with a keynote address on Monday, Feb. 19. on the college’s Dunwoody Campus auditorium at 2101 Womack Rd.

The symposium theme is The Challenges and Triumphs of the Black Working Class in America.”

The Bennekin Black History Symposium is named for Mario Bennekin, a beloved history professor at Perimeter who taught for 20 years before passing in 2019 when he chaired the History and Political Science department. Bennekin was instrumental in bringing the African-American Studies (now Africana Studies) curriculum to Perimeter.

“My Mind Stayed on Freedom: The Revolutionary Voice of Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer” and “We Will Shoot Back: Armed Self Defense in the Mississippi Freedom Movement” are among the scheduled symposium sessions slated for presentation by Georgia State professors and others.

The annual Mario A.J. Bennekin Symposium is free and open to the public.

– Kenya King, Director of Communications for Perimeter College

Originally published on the University News Hub here.

Georgia State University Expands Mental Health Support for Refugee, Immigrant, and Migrant Communities

A team of researchers at Georgia State University is expanding the reach of a program that provides mental health support to refugees, immigrants and migrants.

The Georgia RIM Mental Health Alliance is a partnership between researchers at the GSU Prevention Research Center, which is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Atlanta, a local chapter of the global humanitarian organization. It was launched as a pilot program in 2022 funded by the DeKalb Board of Commissioners, and its success has laid the foundation for an expansion in Clarkston and other communities across Georgia that is being funded by state agencies.

“The early results from our evaluation of the program were extremely promising, and it was overwhelmingly welcomed by the community,” said Mary Helen O’Connor, associate professor of English at GSU’s Perimeter College and deputy director of the university’s Prevention Research Center. “The exciting part of this contract is that we can now help train other communities to create these kinds of programs to support mental health for new arrivals throughout the state.”

Escaping trauma and overcoming barriers

Clarkston is a refugee resettlement hub that is often referred to as “America’s most diverse square mile.” Approximately 50% of the city’s population is foreign born, and its residents hail from countries as diverse as Afghanistan, Myanmar, Somalia and Syria.

Ashli Owen-Smith, associate professor in the School of Public Health, noted that many foreign-born Clarkston residents endured traumas such as war, the loss of loved ones and displacement. Although their mental needs are high, a lack of awareness combined with language, financial and transportation barriers and the stigma associated with seeking assistance often prevents individuals from getting the help they need.

“The mental health needs of refugee, immigrant and migrant communities differ from those of U.S.-born communities because they have so many different layers of challenges,” Owen-Smith said. “In addition to the traumas they have experienced in their home countries, many spend time in multiple refugee camps before they even arrive in the United States. What happens in the post-migration context can be even more challenging as people adjust to a new country where they may not speak the language and struggle to navigate challenges in things like employment, housing, education or transportation.”

Applying lessons learned

DeKalb County allocated initial federal funding from the American Rescue Plan to enable the Mental Health Alliance to provide 204 one-on-one counseling sessions led by post-graduate students in the Clinical Mental Health Services program offered through GSU’s College of Education and Human and Development.

The IRC in Atlanta has been an essential partner in the Mental Health Alliance from the start, providing screening, interpretation and spaces for community members to meet with counselors. Justin Howell, executive director of the IRC in Atlanta, said the existing relationships the organization has with refugees, immigrants and migrants create an environment of trust that makes it easier to discuss sensitive mental health concerns.

“In many cases we’re the first contact that people have when they arrive at Hartsfield-Jackson,” Howell said. “We’re the ones who help them to the homes that we’ve prearranged for them and stocked with culturally appropriate food. We help them get their kids in school, access English classes, find jobs and start businesses. We support people with a variety of needs, and mental health support is an important extension of that.”

With the pilot program complete, the researchers are now applying what they have learned to serve more people. In addition to providing one-on-one counseling to those with the greatest needs, the expanded program will also provide group-based psychoeducation, which combines elements of cognitive behavioral therapy, group therapy and education.

The researchers also found that in many cases the stress and anxiety that residents experienced were rooted in issues such as housing and food insecurity, or a lack of employment opportunities. To help address these needs, the researchers are connecting with campus and community partners with the goal of adding support from social workers.

To assess the program’s effectiveness and to develop best practices that can be shared worldwide, the team will collect baseline data on measures such as depression, anxiety, social isolation and coping skills and assess how these measures change throughout the study period.

The expansion of the scope of the Mental Health Alliance is just getting started, but anonymous feedback submitted by participants in the pilot project reveals the impact the program has already had.

“Being a parent, I’m motivated to recover for the sake of my child,” one resident said. “I came out in a completely different person,” another said. Another participant said, “The tension I had and the things I was most scared of, I finally realized I should not fear them.”

Sam Fahmy, Director of Communications, Georgia State University School of Public Health
Fiona Freeman, Communications and External Relations Manager, International Rescue Committee in Atlanta

Originally published at the university News Hub here.

Delta Air Lines Provides New Support for Georgia State’s Award-Winning Free Passport Program for Students

The Atlanta-based airline has awarded $51,000 to the six institutions that make up the Atlanta Global Research and Education Collaborative (AGREC): Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Emory University, Agnes Scott College, Spelman College and Kennesaw State. The sponsorship will cover the cost of 300 U.S. passports — 50 for students at each partner institution for the 2023-24 academic year.

Georgia State’s Free Passport Program began in February 2021. Removing the cost of the passport application eliminates the first barrier to studying abroad, which encourages global engagement and cultivates career readiness for students beyond their time at GSU. The goal of the initiative was to prepare students for studying abroad post-pandemic, and to increase the number and diversity of GSU students with valid U.S. passports.

“Delta’s support for the free passport initiative will allow us to reach even more students, not just at GSU but at our AGREC partner institutions here in Atlanta,” said Carrie Manning, associate provost for international initiatives at Georgia State. “We are grateful to Delta for working with us to expand the horizons of students of all backgrounds.”

The success of the pilot Free Passport Initiative was recognized with the 2022 Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education in the category of Widening Access for International Education, paving the way for an annual program. To date, Georgia State has helped more than 1,300 students get their first U.S. passports without cost.

The Free Passport Program has helped students overcome more than financial barriers.

“I always thought the process to attain a passport was overwhelming, but I wanted to be able to travel internationally one day, so I applied,” said psychology major Nikki Baldwin. “Now I am more confident in myself. I am not just a better U.S. citizen, but a global citizen.”

 To be eligible for the Free Passport Program, students must:

• Be enrolled at Georgia State University.
• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Be applying for a U.S. passport for the first time.
• Complete the Free Passport Program application through the GSU Study Abroad websiteby April 12.
• Complete the Passport Services appointment by April 26.

For more information about the Free Passport Program, email [email protected] or visit Study Abroad Programs or the Office of International Initiatives. For questions about U.S. passport requirements, visit travel.state.gov/passports.

President M. Brian Blake Presented Honorary Doctorate by London South Bank University

Georgia State University President M. Brian Blake has received an honorary degree from the United Kingdom’s London South Bank University.

During LSBU’s fall commencement exercises, Blake was presented with a Doctor of the University, which recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions to areas of interest to the university and attained distinction in the arts, literature, sport or public life.

“LSBU is delighted to award Dr. M. Brian Blake an honorary doctorate for his considerable services to higher education and significant academic and leadership achievements. Our honorary degrees are awarded to individuals who make an exemplary contribution in their field,” said LSBU Deputy Vice-Chancellor Deborah Johnston.

“Following his success as a distinguished scientist and senior leader, Blake became the eighth president of Georgia State University, and the institution’s first African American president, in 2021. Blake’s leadership of a public university that aims to break the link between demographics and destiny, and between academic excellence and elitism, speaks directly to the LSBU mission, that there should be ‘no barriers to brilliance.’ His vision for GSU is exciting and marries a blueprint for technology, inclusion and excellence. All of this is more inspiring given his own education journey, being in the first generation of his family to attend university.”

The honorary degree was presented to Blake during a ceremony Oct. 18.

London South Bank, one of London’s largest and oldest universities, was founded as Bourough Polytechnic Institute in 1892.

Today it is ranked eighth in the world for reducing inequalities, according to the Times Higher Impact Rankings for 2023. The university has schools in applied sciences, arts and creative industries, architecture, engineering, health, law and business.

“I am tremendously honored to be receiving this distinction from London South Bank University, an institution that in so many ways reflects the mission and vision of Georgia State,” Blake said. “LSBU, like Georgia State, is working to transform lives and communities through accessible education and impactful, problem-solving research. Our graduates, like LSBU’s, are well-prepared for their professional pursuits, leadership roles and lifelong learning, and that’s what higher education should strive to do.”

Blake received his Ph.D. in Information and Software Engineering from George Mason University, his Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Mercer University and his Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech.

Prior to Georgia State, Blake had over 22 years of faculty and administrative experience across five comprehensive research universities. He served as provost at George Washington University and Drexel University, dean at the University of Miami, and as associate dean for research at the University of Notre Dame. During the first 10 years of his academic career, he was professor and later department chair of Computer Science at Georgetown.

An acclaimed engineer and computer scientist, his private-sector experience includes positions at Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics and The MITRE Corporation.

“As a leader, he has been instrumental in shaping the strategic vision of Georgia State University,” LSBU wrote in its award citation. “His focus on fostering an inclusive learning environment has been pivotal in driving the university’s growth and creating sustainable foundations for future success.”

-Andrea Jones, Vice President for Public Relations and Marketing Communications

Originally published on the university News Hub here.

Carrie Manning, Professor of Political Science, Named Associate Provost for International Initiatives

Dr. Carrie Manning, professor of political science, has been appointed as the new Associate Provost for International Initiatives at Georgia State.

Carrie Manning

Dr. Manning was appointed to the role in an interim capacity last March and has provided strong, continued leadership of the university’s Office of International Initiatives (OII).

As interim, Dr. Manning has provided oversight over several divisions within the unit, including International Partnerships and Agreements, special programs, study abroad, communications and the Virtual Exchange Initiative.

She served as chair of the Department of Political Science from 2011 to 2017 and as Senior Faculty Associate for Faculty Advancement in the College of Arts & Sciences from 2019 through 2020.

She is the author of several books and numerous journal articles. Her work on comparative democratization and post-conflict politics has been published in such journals as Comparative Politics, Journal of Democracy, Party Politics, Studies in Comparative International Development and Democratization, among others.

She has also served as a visiting professor at the University of Strasbourg, France, and has provided expert assessment about political conflict and settlement in Mozambique.

Originally published here. 

GSU Piano Program Strikes a Chord on the Global Stage

The piano studio under the guidance of Dr. Sergio Gallo at Georgia State University has hit a high note with a series of remarkable achievements over the past year.

The impressive performances by students from Dr. Sergio Gallo’s piano studio have left an enduring impact on prestigious international stages. The collaborative efforts between the piano studio and the Chopin Society of Atlanta (CSA) have yielded incredible opportunities for aspiring musicians. Several students, including Fernanda Miranda, Lauren Vaccaro, Ísis Cardoso, Gregorio Oliveira (a student of Dr. Geoff Haydon), Hannah Jung, and Victoria Allen, were awarded full scholarships to attend international courses in prestigious locations such as Paris and Vienna. Reflecting on her journey, Hannah Jung shares, “My trip to Paris and Vienna, guided by the encouragement and recommendation of my esteemed professor, Dr. Sergio Gallo, has been a pivotal chapter in my musical career. Immersing myself in the rich musical heritage of these cities taught me the importance of seeking inspiration from diverse environments. Dr. Gallo’s unwavering support and mentorship have been instrumental in unlocking my true potential. The experiences in Paris and Vienna in 2023 are cherished as key milestones in my musical development.”

Junior piano performance major Victoria Allen gained attention with a compelling Carnegie Hall performance in New York City on June 1, 2023, and at Altes Rathaus in Vienna, Austria, on July 13, 2023. Artist Certificate student Hannah Jung continued to captivate audiences with diverse performances, including engagements at Altes Rathaus in Vienna on July 13, a Master Class with Robert Lehrbaumer at the Friedrich Gulda School of Music in Vienna on July 11, and a mesmerizing display at the Conservatoire Municipal in Paris, France, on July 7, 2023. The resonance of these achievements reverberated to renowned venues, as former graduate student Hyun-hwa Jang, on the cusp of completing her Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Georgia, delivered a memorable performance at Carnegie Hall on November 14th. These achievements underscore the studio’s commitment to excellence on both national and international platforms.

CSA further demonstrates its commitment to nurturing musical excellence by sponsoring a recital featuring Martín García García, a laureate at the last Chopin Competition, held at Kopleff Recital Hall last spring. This partnership promises an exciting lineup of future performances and masterclasses with international artists. Ísis Cordoso adds, “The Chopin Academy of Atlanta has been hosting many recitals where both we, the students, and guest artists get to perform. It’s been an incredible experience to be surrounded by such talented and inspiring individuals and to have these opportunities to showcase our skills. All of this has been highly motivating.”

The Georgia State University Collegiate Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) chapter, advised by Dr. Gallo, has garnered national attention. Recently, the chapter achieved a significant milestone by securing a grant from MTNA, allowing all its members to attend the 2025 national conference. As part of this year’s conference held in Atlanta, Georgia, Ísis Cardoso, a graduate piano performance major and a talented member of the studio, will be presenting her accepted research poster titled “Folklore Stylization in Suite no. 2 (Nordestina by Guerra-Peixe).” Ísis comments, “I am thrilled to announce that my poster has been accepted for the MTNA conference next year. This is my first research experience in the United States, and I will be presenting on the topic of Brazilian music. I believe this will be a fantastic opportunity to connect with other musicians and the academic community.” Graduate student Gregorio Oliveira adds, “I am honored to have represented Georgia State at the Georgia Music Teacher Association annual conference this year. This edition had a record-breaking attendance of collegiate members, and it was great to be part of it, creating meaningful connections with students and faculty from all over the state.”

In conclusion, Dr. Sergio Gallo reflects on the collective achievements and promising future of his piano studio at Georgia State University, stating, “It is a pleasure to work with and advise this group of students at GSU. They are curious and driven.” With a year marked by notable accomplishments, the future holds the promise of even greater achievements for these aspiring musicians and the musical community at Georgia State University.

Communications Office, College of the Arts

Originally published on the university News Hub here.

Spring 2024 Events from the Office of Faculty Affairs

We are excited to share events offered through the Office of Faculty Affairs for the Spring 2024 semester! Please see below, and make sure to check back with https://faculty.gsu.edu/events throughout the semester for the latest updates.

We will also send you reminder emails about individual events as they approach, in addition to any event changes, additions or cancellations.

The Leadership Hour
Via Webex

Friday, Jan. 19, 3 to 4 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 12, 11 a.m. to Noon
Wednesday, March 20, 2 to 3 p.m.
Monday, April 15, 2 to 3 p.m.

This inaugural four-part series will begin with a discussion, led by Dr. Corrie Fountain, Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs, on the role, expectations, and complexities of leadership. The remaining workshops will feature special guests who will discuss their own leadership practices, including a discussion of mistakes from which we all can learn. The schedule of special guests will be announced at our first session! We’re excited about this series of virtual workshops because it is a leadership development program that is open to all faculty, from all ranks at Georgia State.

To register for a particular date, please click on the relevant link below.

• Friday, Jan. 19, 3 to 4 p.m.
• Monday, Feb. 12, 11 a.m. to Noon
• Wednesday, March 20, 2 to 3 p.m.
• Monday, April 15, 2 to 3 p.m.

• • •

Faculty Wellness Workshop Series
Via Webex

Faculty mental health and wellness is an essential part of a healthy university community. Thus, the Office of Faculty Affairs (OFA) has launched its Faculty Wellness Workshop Series for the 2023-24 academic year.

These workshops will focus on topics relevant to the faculty experience, including burnout prevention, time management, goal-setting, and work-life balance. The workshops will be delivered via Webex and facilitated by Dr. Cirleen DeBlaere, a psychologist and OFA’s Director of Faculty Development. Registration for each training will be limited to 40 participants.

Tuesday, Jan. 23, 11 a.m. to Noon
Time Management and Setting Goals 

As the semester begins, we often find ourselves trying to get into a productive rhythm. This training will focus on the skills of setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals and time-management to meet the myriad responsibilities of faculty. This hour-long training will include resources and activities.

Friday, April 19, 2 to 3 p.m.
Envisioning the Summer You Want 

The summer semester is right around the corner! It is a time where faculty teach, engage in writing, and hopefully make time for rest. This training will focus on mapping out a successful summer that meets your specific needs. This hour-long training will include resources and activities.

Register for either remaining date or both of the sessions below. If you’ve already registered for these events using a form distributed during the Fall 2023 semester, you do not need to register again. The same form is linked below and is valid for the entire series in 2023-24.

Click here for the registration form.

• • •

Best Practices in Faculty Hiring
Via Webex

Thursday, Feb. 8, 9 to 10 a.m.
Friday, March 22, 2 to 3 p.m.

Hiring and retaining excellent faculty are some of the most important things we can do as an organization. To ensure that we set ourselves up for success, the Office of Faculty Affairs is excited to announce two Best Practices in Faculty Hiring workshops via Webex at the dates and times listed above.

Click here for the registration form.

• • •

Spring Writing Table
Centennial Hall, Room 120 (100 Auburn Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30303)

Thursday, Feb. 15, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

We are excited to announce the Spring Writing Table on Feb. 15, a writing retreat to support faculty professional writing goals.

The session will begin with a brief goal-setting exercise — then everyone will write!  A qualitative and quantitative methodologist, as well as a grant specialist will be available for consultation. Food and beverages will be provided. The event is limited to 50 participants.

For faculty focused on dissertation writing, we encourage you to explore the multiple writing supports offered by The Graduate School at this link.

Click here for the registration form.

• • •

Non-Tenure Track (NTT) Faculty Promotion Workshop
Via Webex

Friday, Feb. 16, 10 to 11 a.m.
Thursday, March 21, 2 to 3 p.m.

These sessions will provide information on building strong dossiers and take faculty through the promotion process. Non-tenure track faculty and administrators will share their perspectives on navigating the promotion process.

A registration link for this event will be sent specifically to NTT faculty in the coming days.

• • •

Department Chair Lunch & Share
Via Webex

Wednesday, Feb. 21, and Wednesday, April 17, Noon to 1 p.m.

This virtual event provides department chairs an opportunity to discuss how the academic year is progressing, ask questions and learn about the latest developments in faculty affairs. Attendees are welcome to enjoy lunch during the event.

We will send the registration link to department chairs via email as this event is specifically for them. Chairs can register for either session or both of them by using the link that we will send.

If you are a department chair and have already registered for these sessions with a link that was distributed during the Fall 2023 semester, you do not need to register again. The form is valid for all Department Chair Lunch & Shares for 2023-24.

• • •

Building Communities and Careers: Librarians, Law Librarians and Archivists
Centennial Hall, Room 120 (100 Auburn Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30303)

Wednesday, Feb. 21, 1:30 to 3 p.m.

This facilitated discussion, especially for librarians, law librarians and archivists, continues our Building Careers and Communities Series for non-tenure track (NTT) faculty. Each workshop in this series has focused on a specific group of NTT faculty, providing information and resources on growing careers, as well as an opportunity to meet colleagues with similar experiences.

The deadline for registration is Friday, Feb. 16. The registration link was distributed on Jan. 9 to faculty holding these specific ranks.

If you are a faculty member of these ranks and did not see the email in your inbox, please click here so that we can send you the registration link again.

• • •

Non-Tenure Track Faculty Spring Roundtable
University Club at Center Parc Stadium (755 Hank Aaron Dr., Atlanta, GA 30303)

Friday, March 1, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This half-day roundtable event is for all non-tenure track (NTT) faculty. This event will offer opportunities for NTT faculty to meet with experts, consider ways to grow their careers, and connect with colleagues who share similar experiences. The first half of the session will feature roundtables focused on reorienting NTT faculty to available university resources and opportunities at Georgia State.

The second half of the session will feature roundtables on critical professional development topics relevant to NTT faculty such as:

• Conducting research with significant teaching responsibilities
• Pathways to leadership for NTT faculty
• Expanding mentoring networks
• Community building as NTT faculty
• Writing textbooks, anthologies, and other instructional materials
• And more!

Faculty will select their roundtables of interest and rotate among them at timed intervals. Light breakfast and lunch will be served, and free parking will be available.

The deadline for registration is Friday, Feb. 21.

A registration link will be sent to NTT faculty soon.

• • •

New Faculty Check-In
Via Webex

Wednesday, March 20, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Building community amongst new faculty is a great way to maintain peer mentoring networks. Our virtual check-ins for new faculty provide an open space to build community, ask questions and discuss general information.

The sessions for new faculty from academic year (AY) 2023-24 are open regardless of appointment type or rank.

As this event is specifically for new faculty, a registration link will be sent to new 2023-24 faculty via email.

• • •

New Department Chair Check-In
Via Webex

Thursday, March 21, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

This event will give new department chairs an opportunity to ask questions and discuss how their new leadership role is going. Participants will also hear updates and new information from the Office of Faculty Affairs and discuss trends in the larger higher education community.

As this event is specifically for new department chairs, a registration link will be sent to new department chairs via email.

• • •

Advancement and Initiatives for Mid-Career Support (AIMS) Institute
In-Person Location TBD

Friday, March 22, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

We are pleased to announce the inaugural Advancement and Initiatives for Mid-Career* Support (AIMS) Institute. Literature indicates that the mid-career period involves unique challenges, but also holds the potential for the greatest trajectory of professional productivity. The AIMS Institute is a day-long workshop “aimed” at encouraging and supporting mid-career faculty during this specific career stage. The workshop will include speakers, topic-specific discussions (e.g., pathways after promotion, goal-setting, and leadership development), and activities.

Additional details are forthcoming, and registration will begin in February.

*For tenure track faculty, we define mid-career as having been promoted with tenure. For non-tenure track faculty, we define mid-career as faculty at the Senior or Associate level and above. Professors of Practice and Experts in Residence should have been in their position for at least five years.

Call for Applications – Faculty Associate for Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity for 2024-25

Georgia State University’s Office of Faculty Affairs invites applications for the position of Faculty Associate for Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity. This position reports to the Director of Faculty Development in the Office of Faculty Affairs.

This position is open to faculty at the rank of full professor or associate professor with tenure and non-tenure track faculty in one of the academic units at Georgia State. Applicants must have 40 percent of their workload in research, scholarship and creative activity and have demonstrated success in that area.

Candidates must have strong communication and interpersonal skills, excellent judgment, and strategic vision. Experience with mentoring, the professional development of faculty, familiarity and success with grant funding, including relevant fellowships, academic publications, program evaluation, and promotion and/or tenure is desired. A demonstrated record of administrative experience is preferred but not required.

Examples of Duties

• Co-plan, develop, implement, manage, review and evaluate customized professional development workshops, seminars, training, and other programs and activities
• Provide a broad range of delivery methods for professional development and support, using the most current technologies
• Identify and arrange for speakers, provide leadership and coordination for activities and programs
• Coordinate with the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development on the Ignite Awards and programming needs for faculty
• Coordinate workshops to support faculty with grant writing and publications
• Create a four-part series for faculty on research, scholarship and/or creative activities
• Provide informal and formal mentoring to faculty needing support with their scholarly activities
• Aid in the execution of short workshops and semester(s) long programs
• Design, conduct and evaluate annual needs assessments and program evaluations for OFA workshops
• Use COACHE data and other relevant assessments to adapt professional development programming to the needs of the faculty and the university
• Collaborate with academic units, administrators and staff to plan the logistics and market events and programs, as necessary.
• Other duties as assigned

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Competent in the areas of research, obtaining grants, including relevant fellowships, dissemination of scholarship, and creative activities, mentoring, and faculty development
• Use of teaching methods that engage, promote critical thinking and are inclusive
• Flexibility in handling shifting priorities
• Able to interact effectively and diplomatically with stakeholders across the university

Qualifications

• Doctorate degree or terminal degree
• Tenure at the associate or professor level or a successful fifth-year structured review
• At least 40 percent of workload dedicated to research, scholarship and creative activity
• Demonstrated success in research, scholarship and creative activity
• Strong communication and organizational skills
• Experience in faculty mentoring and professional development
• Knowledge of leadership and inclusive strategies and/or pedagogies
• Familiarity with policies related to faculty hiring, evaluation, promotion and tenure
• Administrative experience is preferred but not required

Commitment

The Faculty Associate for Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity will serve in this capacity from August 2024 to May 2025, with optional summer employment in Summer 2025. The faculty associate will be bought out of half their teaching load and will be expected to negotiate their remaining teaching schedule with their department chairs/directors. Colleges will receive funds to replace the faculty associate at the PTI (Part-Time Instructor) rate.

Compensation

The faculty associate will receive an academic year administrative supplement of $15,000. Summer work is optional and will be discussed at a later time.

Application Process

Applicants should submit:

1. A letter of interest detailing their professional accomplishments, future goals, and philosophy of supporting faculty with their scholarly activities at the university level,
2. their curriculum vitae, and
3. a letter of recommendation from their immediate supervisor.

Applications can be submitted electronically (as PDF documents) to [email protected] with the subject line: Faculty Associate for RSC Application. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. To ensure consideration, submit all materials by March 8, 2024. Interviews will take place in March 2024.

Georgia State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or protected veteran status in its programs, services, activities, employment, and/or admissions. Additionally, the university promotes equal employment opportunity for women, minorities, persons with disabilities and veterans through its affirmative action program.

Georgia State Law Faculty Garner Top Recognition at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Association of American Law Schools

Georgia State’s College of Law garnered top recognition and was well represented at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Association of American Law Schools, held during the first week of January.

Fifteen faculty members from Georgia State Law delivered a collective 18 presentations in total, with three awardees for excellence.

Award winners included:

– Tia Gibbs, 2024 Society of American Law Teachers (SALT) Junior Faculty Award
– Darcy Meals, Section on Pro Bono & Access to Justice Awards—Emerging Leader Award
– Rose Rameau, Section on Comparative Law 2024 Mark Tushnet Prize for winning article titled “Reshaping Government’s Fiduciary Role Under the 1992 Constitution of Ghana”

Presenting faculty members/faculty panelists at the meeting included:

– Lisa Bliss, Teaching Methods: Inclusivity Interactions: How to Have Productive Interactions In and Out of the Classroom
– Clark Cunningham, Criminal Procedure: Are Most Search Warrants for Electronically Stored Information Unconstitutional General Warrants?
– Anjali Deshmukh, Law, Medicine & Health Care: New Voices (works in progress)
– Anjali Deshmukh, New Voices in Administrative Law
– Julian Hill, Section: AALS Agency, Partnership, LLCs and Unincorporated Associations: Ethical Behavior in Unincorporated Business Associations and Agency Relationships
– Kendall Kerew, Balance & Well Being: Works in Progress
– Kendall Kerew, AALS Discussion Groups: Understanding Professional Identity Formation
– Tim Lytton, Liability for Gun Violence Torts & Compensation Systems
– Susan Provenzano, Law and the Social Sciences: New Fronts in Equality Law and Social Sciences
– Rose Rameau, Africa: Redefining Investment Dynamics: Africa’s Influence on the Evolving Landscape of ISDS and the AfCFTA Investment Protocol
– Rose Rameau, Comparative Law: Comparative Law Perspectives on the Future of Constitutional Government in the Global World Order
– LaVonda Reed, AALS Law Deans Forum: Reflections from Opening Plenary
– LaVonda Reed, American Bar Association (ABA) Task Force for Democracy
– Christina Scott, New Law Professors, Co-Sponsored by Teaching Methods: Designing Our Teaching to Support All Students
– Eric Segall, Constitutional Law and Pedagogy: Teaching Stare Decisis
– Jonathan Todres, Children and the Law: “Children’s Rights and Voices in the Era of Parents’ Rights”
– Margaret Vath, International Law: Normative Development & Standard 303 – Next Gen Students Develop the Next Gen International Order
– Tanya Washington, Children and the Law: Consortium for the Advancement of the Constitutional Rights of Children
– Allison Whelan, Law, Medicine and Health Care: New Voices (works in progress)

– Information provided by Dean LaVonda Reed, news item compiled by Jeremy Craig

Two Biomedical Sciences Researchers Named Among World’s Most Highly Cited Scientists for 2023

Two leading researchers in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University have been ranked in the top 1 percent worldwide by citations for their field and publication year in the Web of Science database, according to the Highly Cited Researchers 2023 list by Clarivate.

The annual Highly Cited Researchers list has identified global research scientists and social scientists who have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their fields of research since 2001.

The 2023 list contains 7,125 Highly Cited Researcher designations in total, with 3,793 researchers in 20 fields of the sciences and social sciences and 3,332 individuals identified as having exceptional performance across several fields. These researchers are 1 in 1,000 of the world’s population of scientists and social scientists, according to Clarivate.

Dr. Andrew Gewirtz, Regents’ Professor in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences, is listed among the Highly Cited Researchers in 2023 for the cross-field category. He was listed in 2022 as well. This is the sixth year that researchers with cross-field impact, those who contribute multiple highly cited papers in several different fields, have been selected.

Dr. Lanying Du, a Distinguished University Professor in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences, is listed among the Highly Cited Researchers in 2023 for the microbiology category. Du was also listed in the category in 2021 and 2022. A total of 200 Highly Cited Researchers were selected for the microbiology category.

Du has also been listed among the world’s top 2 percent most-cited scientists in 2021, 2022 and 2023 by Stanford University.

Each researcher selected for the Highly Cited Researchers list has “authored multiple Highly Cited Papers that rank in the top 1 percent by citations for their field(s) and publication year in the Web of Science over the past decade,” according to Clarivate. The Highly Cited Researcher 2023 designations were issued to 6,849 individuals. Some researchers are recognized in more than one Essential Science Indicators field of research.

To create the final annual list of Highly Cited Researchers, names were drawn from publications that rank in the top 1 percent by citations, and qualitative analysis and expert judgement were used to refine the preliminary list, according to Clarivate’s website.

-LaTina Emerson, Director of Communications, Institute for Biomedical Sciences

Dean Rodney Lyn Elected to Board of Directors of Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health

Rodney Lyn, Professor and Dean of the Georgia State University School of Public Health, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health.

Representing more than 140 schools and programs accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health, the ASPPH is the leading voice and authority on academic public health. The organization advances solutions to critical public health challenges facing society, champions the development of a diverse and exceptional public health workforce, and upholds and advances
excellence and innovation in teaching, research and practice. The Board of Directors is composed of up to 17 members elected to three-year terms, with the next term beginning in March.

Lyn was appointed dean of the GSU School of Public Health in 2021. He joined Georgia State in 2004 and has been on the public health faculty since 2007, currently holding an appointment as professor in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences. He previously served as associate dean for academic affairs, senior associate dean for academic and strategic initiatives, and interim dean from 2019-2021. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he co-led the university’s campus-wide response across testing, case investigation, vaccinations, and data management and reporting. Since assuming the role of dean, he has increased alumni and donor engagement, strengthened research and administrative infrastructure, and led the development of an ambitious strategic plan, Vision 2027.

Lyn’s research interests center around chronic disease prevention, including physical activity, healthy eating, obesity, and cancer, with special focus on health equity and health disparities. He has an active research program, having led or contributed to funded grants totaling over $16 million from federal and state agencies and foundations.

“I am honored to work alongside peers from the outstanding schools and programs that comprise the ASPPH to advance the critical work of educating the next generation of public health practitioners and promoting research-based solutions to public health programs,” Lyn said.

Sam Fahmy, Director of Communications, School of Public Health

Deadline for Instructional Award Nominations Extended to Feb. 2

The Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Online Education and Office of Faculty Affairs invite nominations for university-level instructional awards.

Self-nominate if you are using exceptionally creative and effective methods to engage students in learning, using a novel strategy or tool to enhance learning or incorporating social justice themes in the curriculum to help students develop complex views of citizenship and self. For the Teaching for Social Justice and Democracy Award, you can self-nominate or be nominated by your chair or an associate dean.

• Instructional Innovation Award
• Instructional Effectiveness Award
• Teaching for Social Justice and Democracy Award

Submit nominations by the new deadline of Friday, Feb. 2.

Learn more about these awards, criteria and how to submit nominations by clicking here.

Amy Coleman Appointed Interim Chief Learning Innovations Officer

Amy Coleman

Amy Coleman was appointed as Interim Chief Learning Innovations Officer this past October, taking on the leadership role of Julian Allen, who departed Georgia State during the fall semester.

Coleman brings a wealth of experience to the interim CLIO role. While rising in the ranks at Perimeter College from instructor to tenured associate professor of English, she became the chair of Online English at Perimeter, and then the co-director of Perimeter’s Online Programs.

She joined the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Online Education (CETLOE) in 2020, first as assistant director, then as associate director of the Technology-Enhanced Teaching and Learning (TETL) group. She brings to the role a combination of expertise in teaching, administration, and educational technology.

Provost Parsons-Pollard has formed a search committee to carry out a national search for a permanent director of CETLOE, co-chaired by Phil Ventimiglia, the university’s Chief Innovation Officer (and former CETLOE supervisor), and Dr. Michael Galchinsky, Senior Associate Provost for Academic Affairs.

Check Out the Following Workshops From the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning & Online Education (CETLOE)

Documenting Teaching Effectiveness and Student Success in Your Annual Review
Friday, Jan. 26, 1 to 2 p.m.
Virtual event

This workshop provides ideas for how to document teaching effectiveness and student success activities for annual reviews, promotion, and/or a teaching portfolio. Topics covered include what instructional sources to draw from in order to document student success activities, considerations for how to measure student learning, and how to place Student Evaluation of Instruction (SEI) data in the context of your teaching goals.

Click here to access more information about the livestream.

Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Course Grant Info Session
Friday, Feb. 9, Noon to 1 p.m.
CETLOE Learning Studio, Library South (103 Decatur St. SE, Atlanta, GA 30303)

In this session, we will introduce Writing Across the Curriculum and give an overview of the grant request process for those new to WAC. We will discuss applying for the grant, the grant requirements, training requirements, and how/when to request a graduate consultant.

Click here for registration information.

Providing Efficient and Effective Feedback
Thursday, Feb. 29, Noon to 1 p.m.
Virtual Event

In this session, we will discuss feedback and how to improve both the feedback you offer and how to streamline your responses to student work. We will discuss feedback strategies as well as how you can leverage some of the tools in iCollege to lift some of the burden that grading creates. This virtual session is appropriate for instructors at all levels.

Click here to access more information about the event and to register.

Access previous webinar recordings here on the CETLOE website.

Core IMPACTS

On October 4, 2023, the Board of Regents approved changes to its policy on the University System of Georgia’s core curriculum, and, in November 2023, Georgia State University updated its Core Curriculum Policy to align with the USG’s policy. The USG core curriculum, Core IMPACTS, is designed to ensure that students acquire essential knowledge in foundational academic areas and develop career-ready competencies. IMPACTS is a mnemonic for students to appreciate the impact of the overall core curriculum. There are seven Core IMPACTS areas.

Summary of the Changes

• Using meaningful (as opposed to alphabetical [A-E]) names for Core IMPACTS areas.
• Establishing system-wide Learning Outcomes for each Core IMPACTS area.
• Establishing system-wide Career-Ready Competencies for each Core IMPACTS area.
• Courses designed to satisfy the U.S./Georgia history and constitutions requirements (Georgia Legislative Requirements) are now separated into the Citizenship area (shorthand name) within “P” for Political Science and U.S. History.
• Syllabi for courses in the core curriculum are now required to include a Core IMPACTS curriculum statement, created from the USG’s provided templates which are available on the CETLOE website.

Instructors have the option to attach career-ready competencies in their Core IMPACTS course to individual assignments or assessments in iCollege.

Read more here:

• Guide to Constructing a Syllabus – Core IMPACTS templates, areas, orienting questions and competencies
• Core IMPACTS FAQs

Ramesh Receives AIS Impact Award

Bala Ramesh, Distinguished University Professor and George E. Smith Eminent Scholar’s Chair, received the AIS Impact Award. It is the association’s premier award for the impact of information systems research beyond academia, and honors scholars whose work has had widespread impact on practice in business and society.

Ramesh received the award in recognition of his pioneering work in information systems design (ISD). He was among the first scholars to establish that knowledge about the processes involved in creating information systems can be used to improve the quality and efficiency of ISD. He also developed the widely implemented representation and maintenance of process knowledge (REMAP) model as well as associated artificial intelligence-based tools for acquiring and using process knowledge to improve ISD outcomes. His groundbreaking work has not only provided a solid foundation for understanding the issues in implementing comprehensive traceability, and also developed solutions in the form of reference models and tools for representing and reasoning with traceability.

Funding agencies supporting Ramesh’s research have included the National Science Foundation, Accenture’s Center for Strategic Technology Research, the Office of Naval Research, and DARPA. He currently is a co-principal investigator on a $10 million grant from the Department of Defense to create a Center of Excellence in Advanced Software, principal investigator and lead administrator on a $3.92 million research grant from the National Science Foundation, and co-principal investigator (along with Georgia State and MIT colleagues) on a $500,000 grant for the development of a generative AI tutor for facilitating equitable student success.

According to a 2023 analysis conducted by the Meta-Research Innovation Center at Stanford University (METRICS), Ramesh is among the world’s top two percent of the most cited business researchers in his field between 1996 and 2022.

“It’s fitting that Bala’s peers have recognized him with the AIS Impact Award because his singular impact in advancing the theory and practice of information systems design cannot be overstated,” said Robinson College Dean Richard Phillips.

Ramesh, who holds a doctorate from New York University, joined Georgia State in 1997.
The AIS Impact Award was first presented in 2020. Ramesh is the second Robinson College faculty member to receive the award, following 2022 recipient Arun Rai.

Hsieh Receives AIS Mid-Career Award

Associate Professor JJ Po-An Hsieh received the AIS Mid-Career Award which recognizes individuals in the middle stages of their careers for outstanding research, teaching, and service contributions to the field of information systems.

Hsieh’s research centers on the effective use of digital technology, focusing on the digital divide, post-adoptive usage behaviors, artificial intelligence, and the future of work. He has published in MIS Quarterly, Information Systems Research, the European Journal of Information Systems, and Decision Support Systems, among others. He has served as an associate editor of Information Systems Research since 2019 and was recognized with its 2022 Associate Editor Award. He previously served on the editorial board of the Journal of the AIS. Hsieh also has chaired workshops, tutorials, and panels.

Hsieh characterizes his research as interdisciplinary, collaborating with experts from management, marketing, finance, and public policy to approach problems holistically. As a result, his work has been published and cited in non-IS journals, including in premier management, operations management, marketing, and medical informatics publications.

“JJ’s mid-career accomplishments are extraordinary, and I expect his career trajectory will only continue to grow,” said Robinson Dean Richard Phillips.

Hsieh earned his doctorate from Georgia State in 2005 and joined the faculty in 2015 after spending ten years on the faculty at Hong Kong Science Polytechnic University.

– Holly Frew, Office of Communications and Marketing, Robinson College of Business

Originally posted to the university News Hub here.