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Is too much of a good thing actually a bad thing? That’s what researchers in Georgia Southern’s Biodynamics and Human Performance Center aim to find out through a recent study of 75 ultramarathon runners during the 50th anniversary of the Western States 100-mile Endurance Run (WSER) in California. The study focuses on the benefits of physical activity beyond the typical recommended amount by examining the cardiovascular effects of extreme exercise in the WSER, a 100-mile trail race through the Sierra Nevada mountains that climbs more than 18,000 feet and descends nearly 23,000 feet before runners reach the finish. Drs. Grosicki and Babcock (University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus) work through the night to collect cardiovascular measures on race finishers. “We know that exercise is beneficial for health, and national and international public health agencies, such as The American Heart Association, advise that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week,” said Gregory Grosicki, Ph.D., associate professor in the Waters College of Health Professions Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology. “Moreover, there is a dose-response relation between exercise and health, whereby an individual can gain even more health benefits by being active for up to 300 minutes per week,” he continued. “However, it is uncertain whether exercising for greater than 300 minutes will confer any additional health benefits, and importantly, excess exercise may actually detract from cardiovascular health.” It is important to note, Grosiciki said, that this apparent “partial loss of health benefits” from excess exercise is theoretical for the time being. “Studies such as ours will help to determine whether this hypothesis is valid, and if so, what can be done about it,” he said. This is the third year Grosicki and colleagues attended WSER to collect data on some of the world’s most extreme athletes. Previous studies focused on changes in gut health during exercise, which, believe it or not, may actually be linked to changes in cardiovascular health. Associate Professor Gregory Grosicki, Ph.D., and research colleagues stand at the start line of the Western States Endurance Run. Grosicki recruited 10 research faculty and students from Auburn University, Florida State University, San Francisco State University and the University of Colorado Anschutz to assist in the data collection. “We measured blood pressure, arterial stiffness, heart size and function and kidney blood flow, and we collected blood and urine from 75 athletes pre-race, 55 of which completed the race and returned for post-race measures,” stated Grosicki. “This is, without question, the largest and most comprehensive dataset ever to be collected at a single event like this.” WSER begins in Olympic Valley, California, and ends in Auburn, California, and is considered one of the oldest and most competitive ultramarathons in the United States. Participation is highly selective, and if chosen, athletes have only 30 hours to cover the distance. The Western States Endurance Run Research Foundation funded this project. This is exciting research and you are a reporter looking to contact Gregory Grosicki, Ph.D. from the Waters College of Health Professions Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology - then let us help. Simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Today’s global business environment has led to rising demand for more advanced qualifications. Aston University’s Geoff Parkes explains how a DBA degree can help leaders meet employer demands and identify cutting-edge solutions to business problems. In recent years, the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) has emerged as a prestigious qualification that equips aspiring business leaders with the skills and knowledge necessary to address complex challenges in the corporate world. Delivered online, Aston University’s Executive DBA programme is designed to accommodate professionals’ busy schedules and exemplifies the flexibility and relevance that DBA degrees offer in today’s dynamic business environment. Turning theory into practice DBA programmes, like their doctoral counterparts, require candidates to delve deeply into advanced business topics and contribute to their chosen field through original research presented in a thesis. What sets DBA graduates apart is their ability to bridge the gap between theory and practice. They are trained to apply their extensive knowledge directly to real-world business problems, making them invaluable assets to their employers. While DBA students are generally not inventing new theories, they are applying existing models in innovative and creative ways that contribute new knowledge both to academia and practice. Universities and business schools that offer DBA programmes will have a cadre of academic supervisors and faculty who can combine scholarly rigour with practical business experience. This is what students look for in their choice of institution. According to the Global DBA Survey from Compass, the typical DBA candidate boasts an impressive 15 years of professional experience on admission to the programme. It’s the norm for DBA students to complete their research while holding middle or senior management positions, showcasing their commitment to career advancement and expertise development. In fact, a DBA candidate’s thesis is usually directly related to a live work issue that requires this level of rigour. Rising educational expectations In the rapidly evolving business landscape of the 21st century, businesses worldwide are seeking leaders who can seamlessly navigate new challenges without extensive training. While a bachelor’s degree coupled with professional experience was once sufficient, the demand for more advanced qualifications has grown substantially. For many, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) has therefore supplanted the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) as the requisite ‘entry-level’ degree, with DBA degrees elevating candidates even further. A recent report from EFMD Global found that DBAs are on a growth trajectory, with 86 per cent of institutions offering the qualification expecting an increase in enrolments in the near future. Career advancement and reputation are key growth factors for those seeking to study the qualification. The main driving motivations are the transformation of careers (cited by 81 per cent of respondents), the ambition to achieve the recognition of ‘Doctor’ (cited by 76 per cent) and the need for research with managerial impact (71 per cent). Business as an international language The proliferation of DBA education globally is a relatively recent phenomenon, with many programmes established in the last decade. This trend is not confined to a specific geographic location – the aforementioned Global DBA Survey from Compass indicates that 42 per cent of programmes are based in Europe, 28 per cent in North America and 22 per cent in Asia. DBAs are demonstrating their ability to impart business knowledge that transcends borders. Moreover, the survey highlights an 80 per cent increase in demand for DBA programmes worldwide, with no region experiencing decreased interest and significant growth in the Middle East and Asia. Aston University’s Executive DBA programme, with its flexible distance learning approach, exemplifies this global trend. Taking an academic approach to business Contrary to popular culture perceptions, business leaders rely on a foundation of knowledge acquired through rigorous academic and professional development. A guide in US News & World Report outlines the various stages of a typical DBA online programme, emphasising that candidates undergo multiple phases of research and evaluation to become workplace-ready executives. The journey includes: Research methods: DBA programmes commence with research methods courses that equip students with essential skills for business research. These practical courses introduce students to valuable sources and questions, preparing them for their thesis projects. Thesis and defence: After completing research methods courses, DBA candidates propose their doctoral theses, refining them with faculty supervisors. Supervisors ensure that thesis topics are original and contribute knowledge to the field. Candidates then conduct research and present their findings in a viva, which determines whether they have met the required standard for a doctorate. Benefits of DBA completion DBA graduates stand to enjoy several benefits, including: 1. Increased salary: DBAs command significantly higher salaries compared to other business degrees. PayScale data reveals that while graduates of a bachelor’s degree in business earn an average of GBP£34,000, MBA graduates earn median salaries of £52,000. DBA degree holders stand to earn even more, in executive positions that might include operations director (£87,989), vice-president (£92,800) and finance director (£102,078). 2. Multiple career paths: Unlike PhD programmes that primarily prepare students for academic careers, DBAs offer participants the flexibility to pursue both academic and business careers. Aston University’s Executive DBA programme, in line with global trends, focuses on preparing students for senior management roles. DBA candidates align their research projects with their career paths, showcasing their advanced knowledge and expertise in specific domains. In conclusion, the rise of DBA programmes is driven by the growing demand for advanced business education, the globalisation of business knowledge and the need for leaders who can integrate academic rigour with practical expertise. DBA graduates are well-equipped to meet employer demands and explore innovative solutions to contemporary business challenges, making them invaluable assets in the ever-evolving world of business. Dr Geoff Parkes is DBA programme director and associate professor in marketing and strategy at Aston Business School, Aston University. Following a career in industry, he graduated with a DBA in 2015 Discover Aston University’s online Executive DBA programme Aston University is a public research university situated in Birmingham, England. In 2020, Aston University was named ‘University of the Year’ by the Guardian and ‘Outstanding Entrepreneurial University’ in the Times Higher Education Awards. Aston was also shortlisted for ‘University of the Year’ in the Times Higher Education Awards 2021
One of the most extensive ways humans modify the planet is through agricultural practices. At the University of Delaware, assistant professor Kyle Davis has been conducting research on sustainable agricultural food systems on a global scale for many years, thinking about how these systems, because of their vast impact, can also act as a catalyst for addressing issues related to sustainability. This research, as well as the mentoring of graduate students and the research they are conducting in his lab, earned Davis a 2023 Global Environmental Change Early Career Award from the American Geophysical Union (AGU). Davis, an assistant professor in the Department of Geography and Spatial Sciences and the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, as well as a resident faculty member with UD’s Data Science Institute, said he was honored and humbled to receive the award and that he feels deeply fortunate to get to do research he loves and to work on new science with students from across the university. “One of the greatest joys of the job is being able to mentor graduate students,” Davis said. “I feel really lucky to get to work with a group of incredibly talented and enthusiastic graduate students who come from all over the world.” Davis said that, in a lot of ways, the research he conducts has grown through working with graduate students, coming up with ideas and exploring those ideas together. “So much of my research is the result of their passion, abilities, drive, and creativity,” Davis said. The Davis Lab conducts research on a global scale and also has a key focus on four main countries: the United States, China, India and Nigeria. The research in those areas takes on different forms and looks at different questions. In the U.S., for instance, the research is primarily focused on addressing questions related to water scarcity and food production in the West. The research in Nigeria concentrates on addressing agricultural data and information needs across the country, while the work in India and China is focused on questions related to crop production, nutrition, farmer livelihoods and water sustainability. “We look at the nutritional supply and climate resilience of different crops and their associated water, energy, fertilizer and pesticide needs and try to find opportunities to improve all of these outcomes simultaneously,” Davis said.
Looking back at challenges pet owners faced after Maui's devastating wildfires
The deadly wildfires that ravaged Maui in August left thousands of people homeless. Many of them had companion animals – in fact, an estimated 3,000 pets were still missing more than a week later. Sarah DeYoung, associate professor of sociology and criminal justice and core faculty with the Disaster Research Center at the University of Delaware, is an expert on evacuation decision-making for people with companion animals and what happens to pets after disasters. DeYoung, who conducted research in Hawaii after the 2018 lava flows on Big Island, can discuss various aspects related to evacuation and care of pets after last month's wildfires. In a piece published by The Conversation last month, she discussed: What happens to pets after a catastrophic fire: Time is always a major factor in an owner's ability to save their pet when disaster strikes. The rush might also cause owners to forget carriers or leashes. Extra challenges with disasters on an island: Islands have limited space for the boarding and care of displaced animals. Nearly all of Hawaii’s animal shelters were already at full capacity due to the state’s pet overpopulation. Long-term problems for animal recovery: People sometimes surrender their pets after disasters because they can’t find temporary housing that allows dogs or cats, or due to breed restrictions. A wave of animal surrenders causes already full shelters to become overcrowded. DeYoung is available for interviews. To contact her, simply click on the contact button on her profile.
Georgia Southern sets fundraising record for third year in a row
Total cash, pledges and in-kind gifts to Georgia Southern University amounted to $23,831,604 during Fiscal Year 2023, which ended on June 30, 2023. That surpasses the total from the previous year, which was also a record at $22.3 million. For the third straight year, Georgia Southern supporters have propelled the University to a record-breaking year of private fundraising. Total cash, pledges and in-kind gifts to Georgia Southern University amounted to $23,831,604 during Fiscal Year 2023, which ended on June 30, 2023. That surpasses the total from the previous year, which was also a record at $22.3 million. The record total was buoyed by another record-breaking fundraising year for the Georgia Southern Athletic Foundation, Inc., which raised a record $11.06 million in new pledges and outright gifts. “As we soar into a very bright future for this University, record-breaking fundraising is a sign that Georgia Southern is not only strong now, but poised for even greater heights,” said Georgia Southern President Kyle Marrero. “We are endlessly thankful for the supporters, friends, alumni and donors who endorse our path forward and are stepping up to ensure our success.” Donors helped with various projects and programs this past year, including: $1 million from Betty Foy Sanders for the Betty Foy Sanders School of Art with scholarships, travel and programmatic needs $750,000 deferred gift for the Department of Biology to be used for student scholarships 23 newly created endowments Anthony P. Tippins Family Training Facility for athletics “Through unwavering dedication and the overwhelming generosity of our community, we have demonstrated the boundless potential of Eagle Nation in support of our students’ dreams and the University’s future,” said Georgia Southern Foundation Chair Mike Sanders. Last year’s Athletic Foundation Chair Leonard Bevill added, “The impact of this achievement will ripple through generations, leaving an indelible mark on the trajectory of higher education and Georgia Southern. I am humbled and inspired by the collective spirit that has made this three-year milestone possible.” The Erk Russell Fund, the Athletic Foundation’s annual fund, continues to grow and saw donations of $3.2 million this fiscal year. Additionally, the Athletic Foundation received 58 major gift commitments this year, which are gift commitments of $25,000 or greater to support Eagle Athletics. Over the past three fiscal years, the Athletic Foundation has raised more than $27 million in support of Georgia Southern Athletics. This total is the largest three-year fundraising window in department history. “It’s clear that Georgia Southern University’s power to transform lives and communities is making a positive impression with our private supporters,” said Trip Addison, Vice President of Advancement, noting that more than 3,600 alumni were among the supporters this past year. “I am grateful for the welcome reception we are receiving when we ask people to join in our effort to help support our students and the work they and our faculty are doing.” Interested in knowing more about fundraising or to speak with Georgia Southern Foundation Chair Mike Sanders? To arrange an interview simply connect with Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Bridget Melton, Ed.D., professor in the Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology at Georgia Southern University, is part of a team awarded $1.1 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist with a study aimed to promote wellness in firefighters and first responders. Melton is collaborating with researchers at the University of Kentucky as part of a three-year study that builds on a decade of foundational work by Melton and the Tactical Athlete Initiative team in the Waters College of Health Professions, College of Education and the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health. The grant will help the researchers assist firefighters with injury mitigation, better work outcomes and reduction in financial burdens. “Our tactical research team has collaborated with our local fire department, Statesboro Fire Department, to create an industry-leading integrated health approach to firefighter wellness,” stated Melton. “In this model, the firefighter’s health and wellness is prioritized in a cost-effective approach.” The integrative approach brings the best human performance practices to first responders, infusing strength and conditioning coaches, athletic trainers, nutrition specialists and mental skill experts. A handful of agencies nationwide are beginning to embrace this integrated approach. Even with the model’s success, there is still limited research on benefits to the firefighter, health care costs and the organization with this new model, Melton noted. “The goal of the FEMA study is to provide agencies and government officials with evidence supporting the model,” she said. “We want to be able to demonstrate to these individuals that their return on investment will be worth it, as firefighters using the model will sustain fewer injuries; therefore, the agency’s financial burden will be reduced.” Looking to know more - we can help. To connect with Bridget Melton from Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology at Georgia Southern - simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Managed retreat: Could this "extreme" move be one of the best ways of dealing with climate change?
Climate change is wreaking havoc on every part of the world right now. Coastal towns are seeing more consistent floods, inland cities are being plagued by droughts and fires and regions unaccustomed to deadly high temperatures are struggling to adapt. A.R. Siders, assistant professor in the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration and the Department of Geography and a core faculty member of the Disaster Research Center, looks at climate change and the impact it is having on communities. One solution she poses for regions being pummeled by climate change is managed retreat. The idea is to plan an exit strategy for a community before these life-altering events occur. One such example is Valmeyer, Ill. In 1993, back-to-back floods swamped the town, officials simply moved their residents to higher ground. Siders can discuss the advantages to this seemingly extreme move and other ways communities can deal with climate change. She has been featured in multiple national outlets including The New York Times, NPR and Vice. She is available for interviews. Click "View Profile" to connect with her.
With tourism, concerts and other forms of recreation experiencing blockbuster summers, it seems almost hard to believe that we were wearing masks, quarantining and dealing with other COVID-19 restrictions as recently as a year ago. But according to Jennifer Horney, professor and founding director of the University of Delaware's epidemiology program, the virus is far from gone, with waves hitting Japan and the Dominican Republic and a rise in cases in the southern part of the United States. In addition to providing expert analysis for national media on the pandemic, Horney focuses on the impacts of natural disasters on public health, as well as linkages between disaster planning and the actions communities and individuals take to prepare, respond and recover. A core faculty member with UD's Disaster Research Center, Horney has trained rapid response teams around the world to respond to outbreaks of novel and reemerging diseases, such as Influenza A H1N1. She recently published "The COVID-19 Response: The Vital Role of the Public Health Professional," which emphasizes the critical roles that the public health workforce played on the frontlines of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this day and age, people of all ages are often on social media. While most of the platforms can be engaging for the good, there are always bad actors out there passing along misinformation. That’s the type of content younger students need to be aware of, according to an Augusta University faculty expert. Stacie Pettit, PhD, program director of the Master of Education in Instruction in the College of Education and Human Development, suggests there needs to be more media literacy and awareness of social media taught to students. With so many videos and posts claiming to be informative, how is one supposed to discern what is factual and what is not? Pettit feels people need to be more aware of how to tell when something is legit as opposed to something that is inaccurate. “Knowing what legitimate research is and what’s not, especially in this political climate, it can be tough to tell,” said Pettit. “More can be done in them understanding how deep it goes and what you search for, you’re going to get things that are skewing your mind to what you already want to believe. I feel like that component can be deeper.” Pettit realizes younger students know how to use social media, but using it in a responsible way can be just as important. People may post videos claiming one thing, but without fact checking, it may be inaccurate and can be a dangerous tool to mold a younger person’s mind. “If you already have your mind made up about something, you’re going to find things. It’s like the old phrase, ‘If you’re looking for a yellow cab, you’re going to find a yellow cab.’ This may be your context, your culture that you’re coming from, but put yourself in this place, how might they feel? Knowing there isn’t just one way to think about something, it’s not just a black and white answer to all these critical issues is important,” Pettit added. She knows it’s of the utmost importance for students to realize that every talking head they see in a video on social media isn’t always speaking the truth. Fact checking, finding another source to support a view and paying attention to the source in the first place can be key pieces of the puzzle students can use to find out the legitimacy of a post from the start. Amid all the misinformation, there are still plenty of legitimate uses for social media platforms. “There’s definitely educational and helpful things on YouTube. I encourage my kids a lot to go there because I’m trying to teach them to be more independent. She’s often like, ‘I don’t know how to do that’ but I tell her to find a video; this is what you’re going to have to do in college,” she said. If you're a journalist covering education and the impacts social media has on students, then let us help. Stacie Pettit, PhD, is a respected leader in middle level teacher education and meeting the needs of marginalized young adolescents. She's available to speak with media; simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.
Michael Huggins, Ph.D., will join Georgia Southern University on August 1 as the Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. “I am excited to welcome Dr. Huggins to our academic leadership,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Carl Reiber, Ph.D. “Dr. Huggins has a distinguished career filled with research, service and mentorship. He will be a valuable partner as we move forward with our leadership goals. He brings with him the working knowledge of how to lead a College, along with the foundations needed to advance our research mission.” Huggins comes to Georgia Southern from Tarleton State University, where he has served as a dean since 2020. He led three academic departments with nine undergraduate degree programs and three master’s degree programs. While serving as dean at Tarleton State, Huggins established a $15 million College of Science and Mathematics (COSM) fundraising initiative. He also led efforts to improve COSM First-Time-In-College (FTIC) retention rates resulting in an improvement from 67.3% COSM FTIC retention for the Fall 2019 cohort to 71.7% retention rate for the Fall 2021 COSM FTIC cohort; a 6.5% improvement in just two years. “I am excited to join the Georgia Southern team,” Huggins said. “I look forward to working with the faculty and staff to develop initiatives that support the growth of the College of Science and Mathematics and to ensure the success for all students during their time at the University and beyond.” Huggins holds a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of West Florida, a Ph.D. in Chemistry from University of Nevada, Reno and completed his postdoctoral at University of Texas at Austin. He is also a graduate from the Harvard University Institute for Management and Leadership in Education. To connect with Michael Huggins or to learn more about Georgia Southern University — simply reach out to Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.