When Professor Worlanyo Eric Gato, Ph.D., watches his students walk through the iron gates of Cape Coast Castle for the first time, he doesn’t say much. He doesn’t have to.

“They feel it,” he says. “You can see it in their faces.”

That moment — walking the same stone floors where generations of enslaved Africans once stood — is just one of many that define ����Vlog’s Study Abroad Program in Ghana, a three-week immersive experience blending public health research, cultural engagement and emotional growth. Led by a multidisciplinary team of faculty from the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health (JPHCOPH), the College of Science and Mathematics (COSM) and the Institute for Water and Health (IWH), the program gives students more than academic insight. It gives them perspective.

Originally founded by the late Evans Afriyie-Gyawu, Ph.D., the Ghana Study Abroad Program has evolved into a high-impact educational model under the direction of JPHCOPH faculty members Bettye Apenteng, Ph.D., and Samuel Opoku, Ph.D., along with Gato. Their shared mission is clear: foster cultural awareness and empower students to address complex global health challenges — starting with those rooted in Ghana’s communities.

Real research, real impact

The program’s 2025 cohort took part in a collaborative research project centered on occupational and environmental exposures, particularly in illegal mining zones in Ghana’s Ashanti Region. Funded by Georgia Southern’s Internal Seed Funds, the IWH and the Office of Research and Economic Development, the project explored the relationship between water and soil-borne contaminants and chronic health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and metabolic syndrome.

“This wasn’t a simulation, this was the real thing,” said Nick Guerra, a graduate student studying public health. “We were in the field, collecting water samples, interviewing residents and working side by side with Ghanaian students.”

Their findings were sobering. Water samples from community wells revealed contamination by fecal bacteria. Soil tests uncovered dangerously high levels of heavy metals — arsenic, lead, copper, mercury — linked to illegal mining activities. And medical surveys showed widespread hypertension, often undiagnosed or untreated.

What made the work even more meaningful was its collaborative nature. Georgia Southern students were paired with their counterparts at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), building not only research teams but friendships.

“We taught each other,” said Tia Taylor, another graduate student in the public health program. “We shared techniques, ideas and stories. They were just as curious about us as we were about them.”

For Gato, the partnerships are central to the program’s success. “It’s not just about coming to Ghana and collecting data,” he said. “It’s about mutual exchange — of knowledge, of culture, of purpose.”

Learning beyond the classroom

Beyond the data and research, the students’ most lasting lessons often came from unexpected places: dinner tables, prayer circles and dirt roads deep in rural Ghana.

One night, when their van got stuck on an unpaved road, a group of local young men came to the rescue. 

“There was no tow truck, no roadside assistance,” Gato recalled. “Just kindness. The kind of kindness that stays with you.”

Hospitality became a theme. Students dined with host families, learned about traditional dishes and participated in household prayer rituals. They shared laughs, tears and silent moments of awe.

“These interactions humanized the experience,” Gato said. “Ghana became more than a destination — it became a network of relationships.”

Taylor agreed. 

“Their warmth was overwhelming,” she said. “Their faith, constant. It made me want to pray more, to be more grounded. It changed the way I see people — and myself.”

Cultural immersion meets academic rigor

In classrooms and research sites alike, students embraced a multidisciplinary lens. Their work spanned biochemistry, environmental science and public health — and was guided by faculty from three academic units. Each stop on the itinerary was carefully chosen, from university campuses to cultural landmarks, to create a holistic picture of health in Ghana.

Aslan, who led the environmental assessment and coordinated teams of students from both KNUST and Georgia Southern during the research leg, carried both personal and scientific aspirations into the study.

“Thirteen years ago, when I began my journey at Georgia Southern as a new faculty member, we launched a water quality and health assessment with the late Dr. Afriyie-Gyawu,” Aslan said. “That project produced an impactful research paper with students — one that still receives high citations today. Now, years later, to be collaborating with an exceptional team of new research partners from KNUST on such a cutting-edge project is beyond exciting. This project is a testament to IWH’s commitment to advancing global water initiatives, as our center continues to make a meaningful impact in Georgia and around the world.”

For Guerra, that meant recognizing how social and economic conditions shape public health outcomes. 

“Some of the people we interviewed looked decades older than they were,” he said. “It hit me — poverty and limited access to health care age you.”

Taylor, whose background is in health leadership, said the trip helped her mature both personally and professionally. 

“It’s one thing to read about global health challenges in a textbook,” she said. “It’s another to sit with someone, hold their hand and ask about their blood pressure.”

Growing the pipeline

The program’s future is just as ambitious as its present.

In its next phase, the Ghana Study Abroad Program plans to expand its reach to students from Georgia Southern’s Africana Studies Program and institutions across south Georgia, broadening access to underrepresented populations. New research partnerships with the University of Cape Coast and the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ho, Ghana, will allow for more geographically diverse studies. The goal, according to Gato, is to build a sustainable pipeline for interdisciplinary, international collaboration.

“This is more than a trip. It’s a launchpad,” he said.

With strong institutional support from the Director of the IWH and faculty member within JPHCOPH Asli Aslan, Ph.D., the Dean of JPHCOPH Stuart Tedders, Ph.D., and Vice President for Research and Economic Development David Weindorf, Ph.D., the program exemplifies Georgia Southern’s commitment to global engagement. Even the logistical hiccups — missed flights, shifting hotel reservations, slow internet — became part of the learning process.

“We adapted,” Gato said. “We smiled through it. And we came back stronger.”

Advice for other faculty

When asked what he’d tell faculty thinking about launching their own global experiential learning program, Gato’s answer is simple: know your “why,” build your team and lead with gratitude.

“Let your local partners lead,” he said. “Listen more than you speak. And always thank the people who make the experience possible — from bus drivers to tour guides to the students themselves.”

A lasting legacy

For some, like Taylor, the trip was a connection to ancestral roots. For others, like Guerra, it was a journey into a future career in global health. And for faculty like Gato, it was another step in a long walk toward transformative education — one that transcends borders, disciplines and expectations.

“Everything we teach in a lecture hall comes alive in Ghana,” he said. 

Caleb Hartshorn, a public history graduate student, has been pursuing his dream job of being a paleontologist for as long as he can remember. However, after taking a brief field school excursion to the desert, he learned one very painful lesson:

“Paleontology mostly happens in the desert, and the desert and I do not get on well,” he quipped. “The sand and the sun did an absolute number on me over the course of two weeks, and I realized that was not the program I wanted to do.”

Yet, the Columbus, Georgia, native had no interest in abandoning his dreams. Instead, he sought new ways to seek his passions. He was always fascinated by history, but was fueled by the “aha!” moments of discovering history in the field.

That’s what led him to research at Georgia Southern. Hartshorn and his mentor and professor, , are diving into the fascinating world of maritime archaeology on Ossabaw Island, off the Georgia coast. Hartshorn’s research, part of his master’s degree program, focuses on uncovering the history of this island, particularly its 18th and 19th-century past. 

Hartshorn’s work includes archaeological surveys, archival research and the development of an ArcGIS Map, which is a geographic information system. The project, conducted in collaboration with the Ossabaw Island Foundation, aims to catalog remnants of the island’s history, including Colonial-era structures and even modern debris. By mapping the locations of these findings, Hartshorn is laying the groundwork for future researchers.

“The idea is that this map will serve as a springboard for later projects in the area,” he said. “Ten years from now, if somebody else is out there, they can just add on to what’s been put in there.”

One of the highlights of his research, on display in a new exhibit, “A Maritime Legacy,” in the Learning Commons on the University’s Armstrong Campus through May, is the immersive experience of working in a place untouched by human hands for generations. 

This hands-on experience not only deepened his understanding of the island’s history but also brought history to life in a way that textbooks never could.

“You get maybe 20 or 30 feet out into the woods and it looks like no one’s ever been there,” he reminisced. “Just a completely empty forest. You’re driving along a little trail, but sometimes there’s no trail, then you’ll take a turn and find a pile of shells. It just looks like a regular pile of shells, but when you look closer, you can see some of them were used as tools by people who were in this same spot two or three thousand years ago just going about their daily lives, walking possibly the same trail you’re walking now. It really puts into perspective just how long this island has been inhabited.”

Knoerl praised Hartshorn’s dedication, noting his talent for combining fieldwork with meticulous archival research.

“Ossabaw Island is like a lot of the Georgia Sea Islands,” he said. “These were enclaves for enslaved communities. There’s so much of Georgia’s history, including the development of the Gullah Geechee culture, that took place on those islands. It’s an understudied area, and so we’re happy to have this opportunity to record and preserve as much of that history as we can to study it and to share that with as many people, because it’s such an amazing part of Georgia’s history.”

For Hartshorn, the experience has been a dream come true, combining his love of history with archaeological exploration. His passion for finding forgotten stories buried in the ground, untouched for centuries, makes his work both meaningful and transformative for Georgia’s historical narrative.

Cemil Yavas knows firsthand the devastation that earthquakes can bring to communities, which led him to research how to predict the phenomenon for many years. 

“My interest in earthquake prediction research stems from a deeply personal experience,” Yavas said. “I was in Istanbul during the devastating Aug. 17, 1999, earthquake, a disaster that claimed nearly 18,000 lives and left hundreds of thousands homeless. Among those affected were some of my closest friends. The chaos that followed—limited resources, strained rescue efforts, and the haunting sound of people trapped beneath rubble—left a lasting impression on me.”

Cemil Yavas, collaborating with Yiming Ji, Ph.D., Lei Chen, Ph.D., and Christopher Kadlec, Ph.D., faculty and researchers in the Department of Information Technology at the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing, has used his personal motivation to build upon previous research and enhance earthquake prediction models.

Using groundbreaking machine-learning algorithms and neural network techniques, they can now predict the highest magnitude of potential earthquakes in Los Angeles from as long as a month out with 97.97% accuracy.

“The inspiration for this research stemmed from the urgent need to improve earthquake prediction accuracy for seismically active urban areas like Los Angeles,” Yavas said. “Earthquakes pose significant risks to densely populated regions, impacting public safety, infrastructure and the economy.”

In a joint 2023 report by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, earthquake damage was estimated to cost the U.S. nearly $14.7 billion annually, with California shouldering nearly two-thirds of that burden, at around $9.6 billion annually. 

Yavas and his mentors are optimistic that innovation in prediction techniques, such as machine learning, specifically neural networks — a program that aims to mimic the human decision-making process — can mitigate its destructive effects. Using a layered, connected structure similar to the neurons in our brains, the network can detect patterns, weigh options, and arrive at conclusions.

These technologies may not typically be top of mind when studying and predicting earthquakes. According to Ji, seismology was solely the domain of geography and the other earth sciences until recently.

“At its core, machine learning involves teaching computers to find patterns in data, often revealing insights that may be too subtle or complex for humans to detect easily,” Ji said. “In seismology, this means we can analyze vast amounts of earthquake data—from ground vibrations to atmospheric conditions—and uncover patterns that might hint at when and where future earthquakes are likely to happen. 

“By feeding seismic data into machine-learning models, we enable these systems to ‘learn’ from past earthquakes and make predictions about the magnitude and likelihood of future seismic events,” Ji continued.

This isn’t the team’s first time tackling earthquake prediction. They used similar techniques in previous research and achieved an accuracy rate of 69.14%. Subsequently, their work expanded to include other seismically active sites like Istanbul and San Diego, where their results improved drastically. They scored rates of 91.65% and 98.53%, respectively.

Their years of experience and previous attempts only enhanced their current research.

“Our team officially came together to focus on this research over the past year, but the journey began much earlier,” Chen said. “We each have a substantial background in machine learning. Before starting this project, we independently explored methods for earthquake prediction, gaining insights that ultimately contributed to our collaborative approach. This research represents a culmination of those years of groundwork, enriched by the collective expertise we’ve each brought to the table.”

The project, partially funded by the and supported by the  Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing, allowed the foursome to build upon momentum. They adopted a comprehensive data set that included all earthquakes since 2012 and used well-established variables in earthquake prediction. 

Eventually, they developed a feature matrix and evaluated 16 different machine-learning and neural network algorithms for their accuracy in determining the highest magnitude of potential earthquakes within 30 days. The “Random Forest” model emerged as the top performer, achieving an accuracy level of 97.97%.

in the multidisciplinary journal Nature.

Though the research is restricted to the Los Angeles area, according to Kadlec, it can potentially improve prediction methods in other areas.

“While we trained our initial model on data specific to Los Angeles, the techniques and methodologies we developed are versatile,” Kadlec said. “With localized data—such as geological, atmospheric, and seismic information from other regions—our model could be adapted and retrained to forecast earthquakes elsewhere.”

He added something indicative of the team’s larger purpose. 

“Ultimately, our goal is to make machine learning a central tool in earthquake forecasting and to inspire continued advancements in AI applications for natural disaster preparedness worldwide,” Kadlec said. “This research is just the beginning, and we hope it motivates others to push even further in developing tools to keep communities safe.”

Growing up in India, Surjith Krishna was intrigued by the tall buildings surrounding him.

“I had a passion for civil engineering from an early age,” he said. “I was really fascinated by the tall infrastructure that was in my area. I admired the brains behind those structures.”

Later, Krishna worked as a land surveyor, however, over time, his interests evolved. With a newfound interest in ecology, he moved from looking up at buildings to looking down at water for inspiration.

Globally, two billion people, or 26% of the population, do not have safe drinking water, and there is imminent risk of a global water crisis, according to a 2023 report from UNESCO.

“Water is becoming one of the most scarce commodities,” he said. “Everybody needs water to live. Not having clean water causes deadly human diseases like liver damage and skin irritation. This issue has to be eradicated as soon as possible. So that is my primary goal.”

Eutrophication, a major environmental issue, occurs when excessive nutrients in water lead to harmful consequences, including algae blooms. These blooms can result in ecosystem damage, human health issues and increased water treatment costs. 

Krishna, a civil engineering student at ����Vlog, is part of a team of student researchers funded by a (EPA) to find practical solutions for cleaning water systems. The team is developing a biofilter for water streams which will use algae and other organic elements to absorb these nutrients. 

Krishna’s involvement, as well as that of many other students, is an aspect of the project that Principal Investigators Kamran Kardel, Ph.D., associate professor of manufacturing engineering in the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing, and Francisco Cubas Suazo, Ph.D., associate professor of Civil Engineering and Construction, are particularly excited about. 

Cubas Suazo, who teaches a watershed management class, said he and Kardel intentionally designed the project to prioritize student participation.

“I see a lot of students interested in trying to solve this problem,” said Cubas Suazo. “It was very important to us to design this project to involve as many students as possible, both undergraduates and graduates, so that they can take part in a real-world solution. We also have a lot of students living in rural areas who can provide different perspectives to help us inform our approach.” 

The biofilter is a 3D-printed cube with void spaces to promote biofilm growth, allowing algae to flourish and effectively capture phosphorus and nitrogen as runoff water flows through. Though the exact dimensions of the filter are still being finalized, the project has already garnered significant attention for its potential impact on water quality.

“This biosystem is acting like an agent for us,”said Kardel “They can do the phenomenon for us and improve the quality of the water that targets runoff from the urban and agricultural watersheds.”

The use of 3D printing is also garnering attention. Brennen Smith, a construction engineering major preparing to graduate this December, believes that the mainstreaming of 3D printers is a game changer for this industry and many others.

“You can make whatever shape you want,” he said. “The resources needed are relatively low, the material is pretty cheap and with 3D printers’ axis system, you are able to produce a model to fit any mold. 3D printers have made engineering concepts as a whole easier to produce as models.”

Kardel and Cubas Suazo added that the ease and flexibility of 3D models are especially important in this context because they allow the filter to employ a higher surface area-to-volume ratio. This means more algae can grow in a smaller area, increasing the biofilter’s efficiency and effectiveness.

“The idea of 3D printing in manufacturing is not necessarily new, but in the past, maybe the resources weren’t there to apply it to biofilters,”said Kardel. “We’ve found that this technology is the only way to maximize that high surface area-to-volume ratio critical to a biofilter’s success.”

Furthermore, the professors noted that the ease of use afforded by 3D-printed materials will make maintenance and upkeep much easier, preventing the clogging and decay currently seen in biofilters.

Though still in its early stages, Kardel noted that the project could have broader applications for water treatment in urban and rural settings.

The National Science Foundation announced a $2.5 million award supporting ����Vlog researchers in addressing high-demand workforce needs in information technology and computer science fields.

The funded project, “Enabling Lifelong Success in an Information Technology Workforce,” adapts and evaluates evidence-based student support activities within the IT Department, one of the units in the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing. The goal of the project is to identify a group of highly qualified students and to render 161 scholarships over a six-year period in an effort to increase student retention and graduation rates. 

“This is great news for the IT program at Georgia Southern, and it will provide a positive impact to the surrounding area as businesses’ needs for IT professionals increase,” said interim Vice President of Research and Economic Development Chris Curtis, Ph.D.

Georgia Southern Professor and Department of Information Technology Chair Yiming Ji, Ph.D., is taking the lead on the grant, which, he noted, has the potential to have a profound impact on students.

“This project will train a pool of talented students, especially those with financial needs, and prepare them for successful careers in IT,” said Ji. “With scholarships from the grant, students will have time to focus on studying, instead of having to work to make ends meet. These students will also receive dedicated support, including academic advising, research opportunities, internship and career service and much more. The result is that these students will become confident and have a greater future in IT careers.”

The project involves four researchers, including Lei Chen, Ph.D., (co-PI), professor of IT; Hayden Wimmer, Ph.D., (co-PI), associate professor of IT; Elise Cain, Ph.D., (co-PI), assistant professor of leadership’ and Kania Greer, Ed.D., (external evaluator), program coordinator of the Center for STEM education. The project also received support from the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) and the Georgia Southern Office of Research. 

The national and regional demand for computer and IT professionals remains high. 

“This project will directly benefit our local, regional and national economies,” said CEC Dean Craig Harvey, Ph.D. “High-tech industries are already in and being attracted to the Savannah area, and the locations of ����Vlog’s campuses provide unique opportunities to train high-quality computing and IT professionals who are in high demand.”

The Department of Information Technology offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate computer and IT programs at Georgia Southern, in addition to a new Ph.D. program in applied computing. 

This grant is the first of its kind to be received by the IT department. The department hopes that through the use of this grant, they will build stronger partnerships with businesses and federal or state government organizations, among others.

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences, one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), awarded ����Vlog’s Dongyu Jia, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Biology, a federal grant totaling $426,000 to fill in the gaps of learning the steps of tumor formation at the beginning stages and what initially triggers their epithelial cell shape change before becoming invasive.

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences supports basic research that increases understanding of biological processes and lays the foundation for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

“Georgia Southern’s researchers are focused on making a meaningful impact with their innovations and discoveries,” said Vice Provost of Research Christopher Curtis, Ph.D. “Dr. Jia’s award recognizes him as a leading national scholar in understanding the process of how tumors form and in shaping the scientific pathways to explore early-stage treatments in the future. This is the kind of public impact we strive for.” 

“I have been working on fruit fly follicular epithelium since I was a graduate student,” said Jia. “I became captivated by the molecular events controlling cell fate determination and cell shape changes in the epithelial tissue. At Georgia Southern, our lab is dedicated to understanding the signaling networks involved and linking them to human diseases.”

According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 1.9 million new cancer cases will be diagnosed in 2023. Jia’s and his Department of Biology team’s research will help scientists understand how tumors are formed in the first place. These findings have the potential to provide a better understanding of the causes of epithelial diseases by examining the process by which tumors are formed.

Jia explained that epithelial tissues are responsible for the protection and regulation of chemicals and hormones in the human body’s organs. The epithelial cells have three distinct shapes: cuboidal, columnar and squamous. These shapes maintain normal cellular functions. If the shapes change in an abnormal way, it may lead to diseases like tumors. Jia’s project studies a type of epithelial tissue called follicular epithelium in fruit flies to learn how it changes during development.

There are many different types of follicle cells in the epithelial tissue. For the NIH grant, Jia is particularly interested in a specific type. A squamous cell undergoes a dramatic flattening process, which changes their shape from cuboidal to squamous. Jia has previously found that a specific molecule called “Broad” is important in the process, but there is not a full understanding of how it works. With the support of the NIH grant, Jia plans to further study how cuboidal to squamous shape change is controlled, and what the roles of Broad and other molecules are in the process.

Prior findings have revealed a novel mechanism of squamous cell shape change driven by Broad. Jia is extending his studies by determining the different signaling pathways and the molecular events that control squamous cell shape changes.

Research activities and expenditures at Georgia Southern continue to grow, again validating the University’s classification as a “high research activity” institution, according to two national organizations.

The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education has again classified Georgia Southern as an “R2” institution, which means it is a doctorate-granting university with “high research activity.” Carnegie lists only 139 universities in the country as having achieved this R2 designation.

“We should all take pride in this classification,” said Carl Reiber, Ph.D., Georgia Southern’s provost and vice president for academic affairs. “It shows that we are a major public impact research institution and that we are competitive on a national and international level. Our competitiveness is being noted by Carnegie, the USG, and other institutions. It is also being recognized by current and future students, alumni, and donors.”

Starting in 1970, the Carnegie Commission developed a classification of colleges and universities to support its program of research and policy analysis. Carnegie Classification is regarded as the leading framework for recognizing and describing institutional diversity. Carnegie has designated 141 institutions as Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity, or R1.

Part of the reasoning behind Georgia Southern’s R2 designation is research expenditures. For the fiscal year 2021, Georgia Southern reported $37.2 million in research expenditures to the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development Survey, the primary source of information on research and development expenditures at U.S. colleges and universities. With a new vice provost for research and a new methodology for identifying research expenditures, the $37.2 million provides a new baseline for the university to benchmark progress.

“I’m confident that our research activities will continue to grow,” said Chris Curtis, Ph.D., Georgia Southern’s vice provost for research. “We have gained some significant momentum over the past few years. Our focus on public impact research has allowed us to better leverage our strengths and resources to support our outstanding faculty researchers.”

As concerns arise about the novel COVID-19 virus, faculty public health experts at Georgia Southern are advising people to take their panic into an action plan which follows guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“Worry is a valid response to stressful situations, but for the public, turn your worry into productive action,” said Jessica Schwind, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences. “Talk with your family about emergencies most likely to happen and prepare your household, including stocking up on food and supplies should you need to stay at home. However, these are standard recommendations for general emergency preparedness and should not induce panic-buying or hoarding.”

CDC guidelines regarding the virus include washing your hands frequently; avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; staying home when you are sick; covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throwing the tissue in the trash (if you have no tissue then cover your face with your entire elbow); cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Georgia Southern faculty experts, Schwind, Atin Adhikari, Ph.D. and Isaac Chun-Hai Fung, Ph.D., are all professors in the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, and provide a wealth of experience in dealing with similar situations as the COVID-19 pandemic. They say these CDC guidelines are the baseline for dealing with the virus, and offer other helpful ways to stem its spread.

Adhikari, an associate professor of environmental health sciences, brings more than 15 years of extensive research experience on aerosols, airborne microorganisms, other air pollutants and related respiratory disorders. He says the best way to combat such a virus is prevention. Social distancing as much as possible will limit the spread of the disease, and if it becomes mandatory, people should adhere to the rule.

“People should stay calm and quiet and help the public health officers in the event of a mandated quarantine,” he said. “This procedure is important because you may have been unknowingly exposed to the virus from infected persons who are not showing symptoms yet.”

Fung, a digital health expert and infectious disease epidemiologist, has worked with CDC emergency response modeling taskforce in response to the avian flu in China in 2013, and has extensive experience with epidemic data. He says even in the event of a quarantine, people should practice preventative measures daily, including cleaning surfaces and disinfecting communal areas every day. He said one can’t be too cautious and shouldn’t take easily avoidable risks.

“At the exponential growing phase of an outbreak, the number of confirmed cases lag behind the number of infected individuals,” he said. “Therefore, simply making a low-risk judgment based on the number of confirmed cases may give people a false sense of assurance that there is no community transmission going on. The absence of evidence is not the evidence of its absence.”

At such a stressful time, when news from around the world can bring fear and panic almost instantly, Schwind says not to neglect the mental stressors of the virus during this time.

“The emotional impact of a public health emergency can cause distress, especially among first-responders, people with preexisting health conditions and children,” she said. “I encourage people to take breaks from the news, go for walks, and connect with others through phone, email, text or video calls when possible. However, they should contact their healthcare provider if stress reactions become severe or interfere with their daily lives.”

For updates on Georgia Southern and COVID-19, follow Georgia Southern on Twitter and Facebook. Visit the CDC website, , for more updates on the virus.

The Association for the Advancement of Young Scientists, an organization founded by ����Vlog senior chemistry major Chelsea Miller, will host the first annual Coastal Georgia Reverse Science Fair on April 11 at the Southwest Chatham Library in Savannah. The reverse science fair is a research symposium for local graduate and undergraduate researchers where visiting high school students will judge their presentations.

“My organization’s overall mission is working together with our community for the benefit of the future of science,” she said. “This event is the first of its kind in the area and will offer many opportunities to the attendees and participants.”

Miller got the idea for a reverse science fair from an academic article she found while researching ways to bring high school and university researchers together. The study in the article found that 70% to 80% of the high school students who participated in the reverse science fair increased their understanding of the scientific process, including effectively communicating their projects, developing an original research question, representing data in different ways and drawing conclusions from data.

“I am passionate about getting students inspired about science by exposing them to the diverse STEM pathways,” Miller said. “Reading this paper was confirmation for me that we could provide a whole new outlet for our community to learn science.”

Miller, who has worked as a lab assistant and teacher’s assistant within the Georgia Southern Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said the faculty on the Armstrong Campus have given her many opportunities to gain experience and the skills to plan this event and spearhead a startup.  

“Working as a lab assistant allowed me to work under pressure because the students’ results relied on my work,” she said. “I had to provide work that could be trusted so the students could get results in their labs. As a teacher’s assistant, I had to learn how to consistently adjust my approach to help others understand, and many of the skills I have acquired are also applicable to organizational planning.”

The science fair will award first, second and third place prizes of $1000, $500 and $250, respectively, and the winning research group will have a feature article written about them in inChemistry magazine. There will also be free educational and professional development workshops held by the Oglethorpe Astronomical Association, Society of Women Engineers and the Foram Sustainable Aquaponics Research Center, among others.
Abstracts for the fair are due March 20.

For more information, visit www.taays.org. To view the article that inspired the event, visit .

The National Youth-At-Risk Center (NYAR) has awarded a research grant to two ����Vlog professors for a study titled “The Impact of CrossFit Intervention for Youth-At-Risk at the Boys and Girls Club of Bulloch County.”   In an effort to explore how an afterschool intervention program can impact middle-school-aged youth who have been identified as at-risk, Christina Gipson, Ph.D., assistant professor of Sport Management in the College of Health and Human Sciences’ School of Health and Kinesiology, and Michael Moore, Ed.D., professor of Curriculum, Foundations and Reading in the College of Education, will partner with the Bulloch County Boys and Girls Club and CrossFit Boro. In addition, Glenn P. “Trey” Burdette III, Ed.D., associate professor of Coaching Education and Charles “Hal” Wilson Jr., Ph.D., assistant professor of Coaching Education, will add their expertise to form a solid research team for the program called Crossfit Boro Prepared for Anything – Youth Edition. The afterschool intervention program is expected to help children learn how to develop healthy habits, be aware of their own goals and motivations and enjoy new activities. The children will be monitored for changes in grades and body fat as indirect outcomes. “The program is special because it aims to promote academic, social, physical and personal development through the vehicle of CrossFit, which is a mix of strength training, cardiovascular activities and gymnastic movements,” said Gipson. For children to be eligible for CrossFit Boro Prepared for Anything – Youth Edition, they must be middle school age, attending the Bulloch County Boys and Girls Club and parents must be able to complete and submit required documents. Participants will meet for an hour three times per week, for 12 weeks. Health assessments are completed for each participant with assistance from Georgia Southern’s School of Nursing. “The program will be beneficial and change the mindsets of the students,” said Taylor Langley, a graduate assistant in the University’s College of Education. During the program, which began on August 31 with 16 participants, children perform a variety of exercises, including squats, deadlifting, jogging, rowing, pushups and situps. The CrossFit program, designed by CrossFit Boro’s Kacie Lanier, M. Ed., will give the children a full-body workout. Major sponsors for the program include Willingway, The Herb Shop and Neb Pros Nebulizer Company. The program also received sponsorships from Sea Island Bank, Ameriprise Financial, Patricia Moore APRN, Cristine Brinson and Charlene Gipson. “We are grateful to any and all sponsors, and especially to Ryan Brack, owner of Crossfit Boro, since there is equipment not covered by the grant,” said Moore. “We’ve been able to buy jump ropes, training bars and will soon purchase mats for working out on the floor.” Results of the research grant will be published in the National Youth-At-Risk Journal and will be available online at the Center’s site. Follow the CrossFit Boro Prepared for Anything – Youth Edition program on . ����Vlog, a public Carnegie Doctoral/Research University founded in 1906, offers more than 125 degree programs serving more than 20,500 students. Through eight colleges, the University offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs built on more than a century of academic achievement. Georgia Southern is recognized for its student-centered and hands-on approach to education. Visit .