Experts Matter. Find Yours.
Connect for media, speaking, professional opportunities & more.
Georgia Southern launches new merchandise line to benefit ‘Freedom’ and the Wildlife Center
“Freedom” merchandise is now available for purchase at Southern Exchange in Statesboro. Items will be available soon at the University Store on the University’s Armstrong and Statesboro campuses and in the gift shop at the Center for Wildlife Education located on the Statesboro Campus. Proceeds will benefit the Wildlife Center and Freedom’s care. Georgia Southern University is launching a new brand and merchandise line that will benefit and honor Freedom, the University’s live bald eagle mascot that flies before each home game in what many call the “most exciting 30 seconds in college football.” Unable to survive on his own because of an injury to his beak as a newborn, Freedom came to Georgia Southern in 2004 and now lives at the University’s Center for Wildlife Education in Statesboro alongside other eagles, raptors, reptiles and waterfowl. He will celebrate his 20th birthday this December. As an ambassador for Georgia Southern and symbol of our nation, Freedom has inspired thousands annually at the Center for Wildlife Education, Georgia Southern football games, the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Savannah, commencements, community events and other appearances, such as at the Charles Swab Classic PGA tour event earlier this year in Texas. To support Freedom and the Wildlife Center, University Communications and Marketing, Georgia Southern’s office of Athlete Brand Management and Licensing, the Wildlife Center and the university’s retail partners are collaborating to launch a new line of merchandise featuring Freedom. One shirt includes “Freedom’s Ride,” and depicts Freedom perched in the back of a 1977 International Scout often seen around town as it’s owned and driven by handler and Wildlife Center Executive Director Steve Hein. “Freedom belongs to Georgia Southern students, faculty, the Statesboro community and all those he encounters” Hein said. “It’s natural to want to express a unique relationship spanning 20 years and what better way to do this than by making his image available for people to wear and promote. I’m excited about this program, honored to be his plus-one, and greatly appreciate everyone’s support for Freedom, his care and his future.” The Freedom merchandise is designed to be both inspirational and stylish. Items are in development, but initial offerings could include: Hats T-Shirts Hoodies Posters Postcards Proceeds will benefit the Wildlife Center and Freedom’s care. Items will be available starting this week at Southern Exchange near the Georgia Southern campus in Statesboro and will be available soon at the University Store on the University’s Armstrong and Statesboro campuses and in the gift shop at the Wildlife Center located on the Statesboro Campus. Interested in learning more or looking to talk with Wildlife Center Executive Director Steve Hein? Simply click on his icon now or Contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
President Joe Biden is set to meet Chinese president Xi Jinping during this week’s APEC Summit in California, marking the first in-person communication between the two leaders since they spoke in Bali almost exactly a year ago. While this meeting is not expected to produce notable changes to the United States’ policy toward China, or new initiatives between the countries, the hope is that it will at least keep the doors cracked on such conversations moving forward. “The purpose of this summit—for both the U.S. and China—is to show that each country is willing to talk to the other,” said Preston Jordan Lim, an assistant professor of international law at Villanova University and expert in Chinese foreign policy. “The fact that both leaders are willing to meet face to face and restart their conversation could well lead to more regularized bilateral communication and, down the road, to some small, bite-sized agreements.” However, that does not mean the upcoming meeting – and the careful language from both countries during the leadup – are just for show. Lim says that it is very likely the two heads of state will discuss “topics of real concern,” noting that President Biden indicated following their talk in November 2022 that they had “been very blunt with one another.” There is even more at stake now. Tensions have been soaring over the last 12 months between the U.S. and China, figuratively and literally. The incident with the Chinese balloon flying over the U.S, along with aggressive maneuvers from Chinese fighter jets near American military planes have earned harsh condemnation from U.S. officials. Separately, China believes the U.S. is trying to “economically cripple” them through a “mix of measures,” according to Lim. Those are not the only factors fueling tensions. “The U.S. continues to express significant concerns about aggressive Chinese actions in the South China Sea,” Lim said. “U.S. officials also continue to criticize China’s ongoing genocide of the Uyghur people. “On top of that, the geopolitical situation is even more tempestuous than it was in November 2022. In addition to the Russia-Ukraine war, both countries are now dealing with the effects of the Israel-Hamas War.” These are all topics Lim thinks could be discussed this week, in a meeting he says President Xi has more incentive to go through with than President Biden. “The Chinese economy entered a prolonged economic slowdown in April and there is mounting domestic dissatisfaction with how the Party-state has handled the economy,” Lim explained. “Xi has, on several recent occasions, indicated that the two countries should cooperate more closely. After Governor of California Gavin Newsom’s recent meeting with Xi, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that China’s U.S. policy ‘remains one of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.’ “Clearly, Xi and the Chinese government want to give off the impression that they are willing to have cooperative conversations with the U.S. government, even if they are unlikely to respond in good faith to U.S. concerns.” That unlikeliness to respond in good faith underscores the true nature of the meeting between the two powers, despite the largely positive messaging from both parties in advance. Does simply meeting at the table mean they will break bread? “U.S.-China relations are at a nadir right now and may well decline further, even if Xi and Biden meet,” Lim said. “There are serious roadblocks standing in the way of more harmonious bilateral relations, even though cooperation between the two countries has never been so necessary. It remains to be seen whether the U.S. and China will be able to work together on areas of mutual concern given the many stressors in the relationship.”
University of Delaware researcher one of 500 contributors to Fifth National Climate Assessment
A.R. Siders, core faculty with the University of Delaware's Disaster Research Center, is one of 500-plus experts who developed the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5), the preeminent source of authoritative information on the risks, impacts and responses to climate change in the United States. Leaders and practitioners highlighted the findings and raised awareness of climate impacts and solutions at a release event on Nov. 14. White House and climate leaders from across the country elevated the key themes of NCA5 and further highlight the Biden Administration’s whole-of-government approach to mitigating and adapting to climate change. Siders focuses on managed retreat, which is the purposeful movement of people, buildings and other assets from areas vulnerable to hazards. She also specializes in climate change adaptation decision-making and evaluation in general: how and why communities decide when, where, and how to adapt to the effects of climate change and how these decisions affect risk reduction and equity outcomes. Joining Siders on the NCA5 were Jing Gao, Assistant Professor of Geospatial Data Science, and Kimberly Oremus, assistant professor of marine science and policy. Siders is available for interviews. Click on her profile to connect.
Georgia Southern University has been awarded a $1.6 million grant to help provide childcare subsidies for eligible student-parents over the next four years through the Child Care Access Means Parents In School (CCAMPIS) program. Written on behalf of the Office of Inclusive Excellence by Corine Ackerson-Jones, director of TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) on the Armstrong Campus in Savannah, the CCAMPIS grant will serve no less than 30 student-parents per year on the Armstrong Campus and the Liberty Campus in Hinesville by providing a maximum amount of $150 per week for childcare services to be paid directly to the childcare provider. Corine Ackerson-Jones The grant, a first of its kind at Georgia Southern, is fully funded by the Department of Education and will work with centers licensed and accredited through the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning. To apply for CCAMPIS assistance student-parents must be PELL eligible. “According to recent data, the annual price of childcare can exceed the annual cost of in-state tuition at a public four-year university,” said Ackerson-Jones. “Without financial assistance, it is next to impossible for economically challenged student-parents to attend school and pay for quality, affordable childcare.” Amanda Brandmire, a student-parent studying natural resource and wildlife conservation on the Armstrong Campus, said balancing her role as a parent and a student can be challenging emotionally and financially, especially when it comes to childcare. “There have been several times where my husband and I had to get very creative with our funds to make it because of our childcare costs,” she said. “My husband and I may skip meals or go a week at a time without food because childcare is a necessity for us to work and go to school. In addition, I have to give up study time or time with my kids to go pickup a shift delivering for DoorDash just to get by. Right now we don’t have an income and we are a week behind on childcare expenses, but thankfully our daycare is working with us.” A subsidy for childcare would change the trajectory of Brandmire’s education. “For me this would be an amazing opportunity,” Brandmire said. “I am so close to finishing my undergraduate degree and plan on applying to grad school in March. Being a first-generation college student, my education is extremely important and this would help me make graduation a reality.” Brandmire feels this resource would appeal greatly to other student-parents in the greater Savannah area. “This is also a huge selling point for potential students and moms like me who want something better but can’t get over the childcare hurdle,” Brandmire said. “I appreciate Georgia Southern for taking the time to reach out and serve their non-traditional students.” Ackerson-Jones has worked on the Armstrong Campus for 17 years and assists low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities through the TRIO SSS program which is also funded 100% by the Department of Education. Through her role, she saw a need for student-parents like Brandmire and sought ways to make a difference in their educational journeys. “It has been evidenced in the data that the four-year graduation rate for Armstrong and Liberty campus PELL recipients falls below that of non-PELL recipients,” Ackerson-Jones said. “It has been my experience that a great number of these students are not graduating sooner due to financial hardship. They must work more hours, so oftentimes they cannot maintain a full course load. Taking less classes prolongs graduation. It was my goal to find some financial relief for these students because the threat of unaffordable childcare was a threat to them remaining in school. “There has never been a child care facility on either of these campuses nor has there been any access to financial support for student-parents to help pay for child care,” she continued. “The time seemed right to try to rectify this.” The objective of the program is that student-parents will persist from one academic year to the beginning of the next, or that they will earn a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern, Ackerson-Jones added. “I am excited about the addition of the CCAMPIS grant to the array of programs that serve underrepresented students, this one serving Pell-eligible students who are also parents, which complements our work in the Inclusive Excellence cluster,” said Dominique A. Quarles, Ph.D., associate vice president for Inclusive Excellence and chief diversity officer at Georgia Southern. “Mrs. Jones went beyond what’s required of her to respond to a need she saw on campus, which resulted in securing $1.6 million in grant funds to serve students in a way that will have a real and immediate impact on their ability to enroll and complete their degree at Georgia Southern.” The grant will be disbursed at $401,128.00 a year for four years for a total of $1,604,512. More information on student eligibility and the application process will be available soon. To learn more, contact the Office of Inclusive Excellence by emailing oie@georgiasouthern.edu. Interested in learning more or looking to talk with Corine Ackerson-Jones about this program? Contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Celebrating 140 years of the Gretsch Company
Georgia Southern University helped Fred and Dinah Gretsch – and a roomful of other supporters and musical friends – celebrate 140 years of the Gretsch musical instruments company and “that great Gretsch sound” at a recent anniversary celebration at Savannah’s Plant Riverside district. Benefitting the Georgia Music Foundation, the event was held in a space that is a living testament to the partnership between Georgia Southern and the Gretsches, whose name are on the University’s school of music. “That Great Gretsch Sound!” Museum is a spotlight destination in the heart of downtown Savannah that tells the rich history of the Gretsch family and company. The space celebrates Gretsch’s ever-growing worldwide musical community, honors the Gretsch family commitment to music education, and showcases hundreds of Gretsch’s most storied instruments. In addition to the instruments and artifacts on display in Savannah, Georgia Southern is working to build one of the most comprehensive digital document collections of music industry history, thanks to decades of resources collected by Fred and Dinah and donated to our University Libraries. Together, through innovative pathways, Gretsch and Georgia Southern are creating renewed interest in performance and music education amongst K-12 students throughout our region. And, this fall at Georgia Southern, the Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music saw a 25% increase in enrollment – with nearly 20% of the school’s students focused on our Music Industry program. “Fred and Dinah, we thank you for your tireless efforts to make Georgia Southern a more musical place,” Georgia Southern University President Kyle Marrero said. “Your guidance, resources, and imagination have helped us soar to new heights, and we look forward to our future together. “ The evening included performances by Georgia Southern Gretsch School of Music students, and Tony Arata, a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame who grew up on Tybee Island and studied at Georgia Southern University. Interested in learning more about the Gretsch's involvement with Georgia Southern or the Gretsch School of Music? Contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
How Diverse Crop Mixes Can Help Solve the Water Scarcity Crisis
How exactly can alternative crop mixes come to our rescue in this water scarcity crisis? Different crops have different water needs in order to grow without stress. And it is often the case that the thirstiest crops are grown in places where little water is available. Shifting crop mixes to crops that require less water but still ensure farmer profits is a promising way to reduce the amount of water needed to irrigate crops and to avoid conditions of water scarcity. Kyle Davis, assistant professor in Geography and Spatial Sciences at the University of Delaware, can offer commentary on this. He is an expert in food systems, sustainability, global environmental change and geospatial data science among other things. Diverse crop mixes can save water, maintain economic output, and provide for the needs of aquatic ecosystems. Davis and others recently released a study that looks at issue. "These findings demonstrate strong opportunities for economic, food security and environmental co-benefits in irrigated agriculture and provide both hope and direction to regions struggling with water scarcity around the world," the study notes. Davis has been featured in publications such as Earth.com and Phys.org and was recently awarded an Early Career Award for pioneering global research in sustainable agricultural food systems. He can be contacted by clicking the "View Profile" button.
Georgia Southern’s public health center receives $4 million to assist rural hospitals nationwide
Georgia Southern University’s Center for Public Health Practice and Research at the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health (JPHCOPH) received a $4 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to provide targeted technical assistance to rural hospitals nationwide. The funding will support the team’s implementation of the Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program over a five-year period (2023-2028). “Many rural hospitals are struggling financially across the U.S.,” said JPHCOPH Dean Stuart Tedders, Ph.D. “Long-term, the primary program goal of this grant is to ensure that all rural hospitals are financially viable and positioned to serve their communities with the essential health care services that we all need and expect. A viable health care system is essential for assuring that all communities and their residents thrive. I am very proud of the Center for Public Health Practice and Research at the JPHCOPH and the commitment they have made to improving the quality of life of rural and underserved populations across the country.” Bettye Apenteng, Ph.D., and Charles Owens, both professors of health policy and management, serve as the co-principal investigators for the grant. “We are proud to be selected to work cooperatively with rural hospitals across the U.S. to strengthen their viability so they can continue to provide essential health care locally so the residents, the local hospital and the community may thrive,” said Owens. As part of this cooperative agreement, the team will work in partnership with HRSA and rural health stakeholders to provide in-depth and tailored technical assistance to rural hospitals at risk of financial distress nationwide. Technical assistance delivered as part of this program will help rural hospital communities implement a prioritized strategy for maintaining essential services locally through capacity building in evidence-based decision-making, operational and financial improvement, strategic management, community partnership, project implementation and evaluation. “We are excited to extend the work we have done in Georgia with rural hospitals, for close to a decade, to the rest of the nation,” said Apenteng. “We look forward to building strong collaborative relationships with rural hospital communities nationwide.” The grant activities will be executed by a multidisciplinary team that includes additional JPHCOPH faculty Angie Peden; Andrew Hansen, DrPH; Linda Kimsey, Ph.D.; William Mase, DrPH; Tilicia Mayo-Gamble, Ph.D., and Samuel Opoku, Ph.D.; and Parker College of Business’ Kwabena Boakye, Ph.D.; and the College of Arts and Humanities’ Jason Murdock. Interested in learning more or looking to talk with Bettye Apenteng, Ph.D., and Charles Owens about this grant? Simply click on an expert's icon or contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Ask Our Expert: Why it’s important to get a flu vaccination
As cold and flu season approaches, it’s time to take proactive steps to ensure the health and well-being of everyone. Getting a flu vaccination is be the best defense in staying healthy this time of year. Klaus Ley, MD, founding co-director of the Immunology Center of Georgia, part of the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, emphasizes the significance of getting vaccinated against the flu. “The flu can have serious consequences and by getting vaccinated, you protect yourself and those around you,” Ley said. “It’s a simple yet effective way to prevent the spread of this contagious virus.” Flu vaccination is not only a responsible choice but also a crucial step in maintaining public health. The World Health Organization records about 1 billion cases of influenza each year. Severe cases often result in hospitalizations, contributing to up to 650,000 respiratory-related deaths globally. Worried about potential side effects from the vaccine? Ley said that’s a minor concern compared to the effects of the full-blown flu. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, life-threatening allergic reactions to flu shots are very rare. While severe reactions are uncommon, it’s important to let your health care provider know if you have a history of allergy or severe reaction to vaccines before getting a flu shot. “Common side effects from a flu shot could include soreness or swelling at the site of the injection, headache, low-grade fever, nausea, muscle aches or fatigue. Those minor side effects are an indication your immune system is responding as it should to the vaccination. You will experience much more severe fever, aches and other symptoms if you catch the flu without being vaccinated against it,” said Ley. Klaus Ley, MD, is the Georgia Research Alliance Bradley Turner Eminent Scholar in Immunology, founding co-director of the Immunology Center of Georgia, and a professor in the Department of Physiology at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. He's available to speak with media regarding flu season and vaccinations - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
Bird flu resurfaces in chicken, turkey flocks, in midst of fall migration
Across the U.S., cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza are ramping up again in commercial chicken and turkey flocks as well as backyard flocks. HPAI, commonly known as bird flu, is a highly contagious viral disease that is fatal to chickens and turkeys. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 60 million commercial and backyard birds in the U.S. have died from the disease or been killed to contain its spread, since the current, ongoing outbreak first hit U.S. commercial flocks in early 2022. Wild bird migrations are an especially important signal to the Delmarva Peninsula, a major broiler chicken producing region, that HPAI could be near. “In the Atlantic Flyway, extending from the northern Delmarva down to the Carolinas, that’s where the bulk of the Atlantic Flyway birds overwinter,” said Jeffrey Buler, a professor of wildlife ecology in the University of Delaware College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “We get tens of thousands of snow geese that are here in the winter, and they’re just starting to arrive.” Wild birds, particularly waterfowl, can shed the virus through their saliva or feces. Around this time of year, waterfowl are migrating south, to their wintering grounds. Buler is part of a team of scientists from the University of Delaware, the University of California, Davis, and the U.S. Geological Survey that has been researching using weather radar to track migrating wild birds that could be carrying avian influenza viruses. “It gives us an idea of where and when these migrations are happening,” Buler said. “So ultimately, the poultry industry can ramp up their biosecurity.” Buler can talk about wild bird migrations, what types of migratory birds we tend to see in Delaware this time of year, trends in fall migration and climate, and ongoing weather radar research. To arrange an interview with Jeffrey Buler on this topic, click the “Contact” button in his ExpertFile profile.
In a new study funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, University of Delaware Associate Research Professor Leigh McLean and her co-authors found a strong connection between teachers’ math and science anxiety and the respective math and science anxiety of their low socioeconomic status (SES) students. When a teacher was more anxious in these content areas, their low-SES students were also more anxious; and, when teachers were less anxious, so were their low-SES students. Teachers play a significant role in shaping students' experiences and attitudes towards learning. When teachers themselves exhibit anxiety or stress about specific subjects, it can inadvertently send signals to students that these subjects are difficult or intimidating. McLean can speak more broadly about this phenomenon and discuss the interesting pattern of associations that emerged from their analysis. She has been featured in multiple publications including The Associated Press and Education Week. Click the "View Profile" to connect with her.
