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Home > Administrative Offices > College of Arts & Sciences > A & S Spring Events

ArTS AND sCIENCES eVENTS, sPRING 2013

Click on the event title on the calender to read more information.

January 23 (Wednesday)

Health Care Reform Panel– A&S Lecture Series
Bailey Science Center Auditorium; room 1011 at 6:30 p.m.

Our feature panelists will be announcing and discussing the latest health policies being conducted or implemented within our region. Health care reforms often attempt to give more care to residents, provide financial aid or decrease medical costs, and increase access to hospital or medical centers. The nation’s evolving healthcare system leads many to question and how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act affects them and their health care.  With that in mind, Valdosta State University’s College of Arts and Sciences begins its Spring Lecture Series with a panel discussion titled “Healthcare Reform."

The discussion will feature several experts in the areas of health care, public policy and employee benefits. The event is free and open to the community.

Dr. Mary Eleanor Wickersham, College of Coastal Georgia assistant professor of business and public affairs, will present an overview of the upcoming changes in health care policies and the importance of health care to economic vitality. Randy Sauls, chief executive officer of South Georgia Medical Center, will address the implications of health care reform for hospitals and Dr. Myron Faircloth, assistant professor in the VSU College of Nursing, will focus on the implications of health care reform and the growing need for nurses and nurse practitioners.

“Virtually every person in the U.S. will be affected in some way by healthcare reform,” said Wickersham. “I think the most important reason to attend this event is to understand how reform will affect individuals, families, friends and employers.”

To discuss reform from an employer’s standpoint, Barbara Barrett and Ewelina Sparks, of Langdale Industries, will discuss innovative ways that companies are managing health care benefits for employees.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act includes a mandate that requires everyone to purchase insurance or pay a penalty. Larger employers are required to provide coverage. Smaller employers may receive tax benefits for offering insurance. People from 100 to 400 percent of the federal poverty level will be eligible for subsidies for insurance purchased on the exchange. The mandate is set to become effective Jan. 1, 2014.

For more information about the event or the lecture series, contact the College of Arts and Sciences at (229) 333-5699.

Please read below to learn about our guest speakers:

Mr. Randy Sauls CEO, South Georgia Regional Medical Center

Mr. Sauls dedicated his career to expand high quality healthcare in our region, education, and local workforce development.  Despite his position, he continued to support the Cancer Coalition (as one of the founding partner) and became recognized as a Fellow of the American Collage of Healthcare Executives.  Before being promoted to CEO of South Georgia Medical Center in 2011, he graduated with a M.B.A. in business administration from Albany State and the paramedic program at Valdosta Tech.

 

 

Dr. Mary Eleanor Wickersham, Assistant Professor, School of Business and Public Affairs, College of Coastal Georgia

Dr. Wickersham offered her teaching skills as an assistant professor in public affairs and school of business at the College of Coastal Georgia. Between 2010-2012, she assisted in teaching in the Public Administration Program of the Department of Political Science at Valdosta State University. She also provided guidance and advise to former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue as Health and Human Services Policy Advisor (2008-2010). She obtained her Doctor of Public Administration from Valdosta State University after receiving her Master of Arts in public affairs, with concentrations in ethics and public policy, from Georgia College and State University.

 

Dr. Myron Faircloth, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, Valdosta State University

Even being appointed to the Special Advisory Commission on Mandated Health Insurance Benefits, Dr. Faircloth continued to strived as an active participant at G & G Family Medicine MD, PC. He also obtained his Georgia Board of Nursing-license, certificate that emitted him as a registered nurse anywhere in Georgia. In 2011, he graduated with a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Georgia Southern University and a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Valdosta State University.

 

Ms. Barbara Barrett, General Manager for TLC Benefit Solutions, Inc., Langdale Industries

As the General Manager for TLC Benefit Solutions, Inc., Ms. Barrett handled her responsibilities in human resources, management of the self-insured Workers' Compensation, and health and dental benefit plans. She also served on several boards: the Georgia Self-Insured Association, Children's Advocacy Center and Lowndes County. For education, she graduated from Valdosta State University and the Leadership Lowndes program, trained in paralegal practices, and other management courses.

Ms. Ewelina Sparks, Compliance Officer at TLC Benefit Solutions, Langale Industries

Certified in Human Resources (PHR), Ms. Sparks continued to serve as a Compliance Officer at TLC Benefit Solutions, Inc., the health benefits management arm of Langdale Industries, Inc. in Valdosta.  She maintained responsiblilities for ensuring compliance with HIPAA, ERISA, and other applicable laws relative to Langdale’s self-insured and self-administered Health and Dental plans. As committed herself to pursue a Doctorate in Public Administration and write her dissertation on the impact of the PPACA on employers and employees, she graduated with a Master of Sciences in Sociology and a Bachelor of Arts from Valdosta State University,

 

 

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February 19 (Tuesday)

The Particle that Changed Everything - A&S Lecture Series
Bailey Science Center Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.

This month, the College of Arts and Sciences Spring Lecture Series features Physicist Harrison Prosper, the Kirby W. Kemper Professor of Physics at Florida State University, speaking on “The Particle that Changed Everything.” Dr. Prosper will discuss exactly how the Higgs boson’s discovery could signal an evolution in how we understand life and our universe. The Higgs boson has been making headlines since last summer. On July 4th, scientists announced they had discovered a previously unknown particle suspected to be the Higgs boson. Prosper will discuss the significance of this discovery on Tuesday.

The idea of the Higgs boson “god particle” first came about in 1964 when Peter Higgs and five other physicists developed a theory to explain how electrons and other particles acquire mass. Their groundbreaking research resulted in what we now refer to as the Standard Model which explains strong force, electromagnetic force, and the basic building blocks of matter. However, the theory does not explain gravity. After almost five decades, the Higgs boson has become a hot topic once again—this time because the theory of its existence could possibly be confirmed. 

Prosper, along with other respected physicists in the field, consider the Higgs boson an “elementary” particle. Its discovery could explain certain forces of nature that have thus far been deemed a mystery. Prosper believes this “god particle” is what gives substance to all other particles, giving even subatomic particles (such as protons and neutrons) mass. If this is proven true, our understanding of the how the universe and how it works will expand.

With the initiative to confirm that the Higgs boson does exist, Prosper has collaborated with other renowned physicists at CERN, a multinational research center in Geneva, Switzerland. CERN houses the world’s biggest, most advanced particle accelerator: the ten billion dollar Large Hadron Collider. The machine is capable of producing the data needed to confirm that the Higgs boson does, in fact, exist. Prosper will talk about how this is possible, what this discovery means for the future of physics and our understanding of life, and why its discovery is so significant. 

Lectures are free to the public .For more information about the event or the lecture series, contact the College of Arts and Sciences at (229) 333-5699.

Please read below to learn more about our guest speaker:

Dr. Harrison Prosper, Kirby W. Kemper Professor of Physics, Florida State University

Dr. Prosper pursues his research in high energy, cosmology, physics, advanced analysis methods and Bayesian statistics. While he currently serves as a professor in Florida State University, he also makes multiple appearances as a guest speaker at local and out-of-state conferences. He actively participated in many collaborations like CMS Collaboration at CERN. In 1980, he graduated with a Ph.D in Experimental Physics from Manchester University.

Watch the TEDxFSU video

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February 21 (Thursday)

A&S Spring Colloquia
The Second Anniversary Event of the Great East Japan
Earthquake on March 11, 2011
“Earthquake and Tsunami Effects and Disaster Social Work for Community Recovery:
Support from Outsiders and Expectations of Medical Social Workers ”
University Center Theatre, 7:00 P.M.

Representatives:

Drs. Kaoru Umezaki
Department of Social Work, Saitama Prefectural University, Japan;
Hanae Kanno
Division of Social Work, VSU;
Donald Thieme
Department of Physics, Astronomy and Geosciences, VSU

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February 27 (Wednesday)

A&S Spring Colloquia
Science as Pseudo-Religion & Religion as Pseudo-Science:
Unhealthy Practices that Polarize Our Society
University Center Theater, 7:00 p.m.

Representatives:

Drs. Leslie Jones and Cristobal Serran-Pagan y Fuentes
Department of Biology and the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies

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March 5 (Tuesday)

A&S Spring Colloquia
"Social Problems Represented in the Hispanic Literatures"
University Center Theater, 7:00 p.m.

Student Presenters:

Marcus Mundy, Heather Soto, and Yannik Gil   
Department of Modern and Classical Languages

Faculty Sponsor:

Dr. Grazyna Walczak

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March 26 (Tuesday)

Arab Spring Revisited – A&S Lecture Series
Bailey Science Center Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.

The third lecture of the Arts and Sciences Spring Lecture Series will be presented by Hadi Kahalzadeh, visiting scholar at VSU and Iranian political activist, and Labib Nasir, news reporter for Reuters in Jerusalem. The lecture titled “Arab Spring Revisited” will commence at 6:30 p.m. in Bailey Science Auditorium with discussion about the cultural and political revolutions in the Arab world of the Middle East.

During the lecture, Kahalzadea and Nasir will discuss how the Green Movement in the Middle East introduced important social and political changes to the Arab countries. Since 2010, three different models of democracy have been in transition. The lecture will focus on political reforms, the transition process that will lead the Middle East to democracy and what this means for the future of Arab countries.

All Arts and Sciences Spring Lecture Series events are free and open to the public

Mr. Labib Nasir, Producer, Palestinian Affairs, Irael and the Palestinian Territories

 

"After graduating at Valdsota State University, Mr. Labib Nasir became a researcher and a fixer for visiting journalists in Jersualem Media and Communications Center. In 2001, he joined the MIFTAH (a nonprofit organization and management industry) as a media coordinator where he drafted and published articles and studies. He currently serves a producer and news reporter for Thomas Reuters."

 

Mr. Hadi Kahalzadeh, Visiting Scholar, Valdosta State University

 

"Mr. Hadi Kahalzadeh served as an economist for Iran's Social Security Organization from 2003 to 2011.  For education, he graduated at Islamic Azad University with his Master of Arts in energy economics. He currently serves as a visiting scholar at the department of political science and history at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey."

 

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April 1 & 2

These photos were taken from the previous Symposium events over the years.

Campus-Wide Undergraduate Research Symposium

Hosted by the Graduate School
Student Union Theatre

Valdosta State University and the Undergraduate Research Council invite you to join us for the Second Annual Campus-Wide Undergraduate Research Symposium. The Symposium encourages students not only to pursue academic research in a particular field, but also rewards their dedicated work by showcasing the student's results to the public. This two-day event features more than 200 participating undergraduates who will be delivering oral or poster presentations. Additionally, the event showcases the 15th Annual Art Student Competition and the Student Debate.

We are excited that this Symposium is the kick-off event for Presidential Inauguration Week. Dr. David Williams will discuss his recent book Bitterly Divided: The South’s Inner Civil War as part of the inauguration week theme of “engaged innovation." A panel of faculty and students will then discuss their innovative and collaborative scholarship on Tuesday.

For more information about the Symposium and how you could participate in the next event, please visit the Undergraduate Research Council website. To view more about the schedule or the programs available in the event, please open and read these forms (below):

• Abstract Form
  
• Program Form

Here is a brief overview of the schedule for the two-day event:

Schedule for April 1st

8:00--9:30 A.M. Paper Session I (Student Union Theatre)
Moderator: Mr. Michael Savoie, Honors College

12:00--1:00 P.M. Noon Symposium: Engaged Innovation and the Individual (Student Union Theatre)

Welcome: Dr. James LaPlant, Symposium Coordinator
Moderator: Dr. Paul Riggs, Department Head of History
Speaker: Dr. David Williams, Professor of History
Dr. David Williams, professor of history, will focus on his recent book Bitterly Divided: The South’s Inner Civil War, which explores the internal conflicts within the South during the Civil War. The author of eight books, two nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, Dr. Williams is a highly regarded researcher in the area of Civil War and Reconstruction Era, as well as Southern U.S. history. He is currently working on his ninth book, under contract with Cambridge University Press, which examines the contributions slaves made in securing their freedom.

1:00--1:30 P.M. Reception Outside the Student Union Theatre

1:30--3:00 P.M. Paper Session III (Student Union Theatre)
Moderator: Dr. Fred Knowles, Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice

3:30--5:00 P.M. Paper Session IV (Student Union Theatre)
Moderator: Dr. Marc Pufong, Department of Political Science

7:00-8:00 P.M. Spotlight on the Arts: Art Student Competition (VSU Fine Arts Gallery)

Welcome: Dr. William McKinney, VSU President
Remarks: Mr. A. Blake Pearce, Department Head of Art
The 15th Annual Art Student Competition features 107 works from 57 students. Works for the exhibition were reviewed by Professor Alan MacTaggart, Head of the Department of Art at Georgia Regents University. The exhibit features work in both 2-D and 3-Dmedia.

Schedule for April 2nd

8:00--9:30 A.M. Paper Session V (Student Union Theatre)
Moderator: Dr. Tom Aiello, African American Studies
10:00--11:30 A.M. Paper Session VI (Student Union Theatre)
Moderator: Dr. Jade Coston, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
12:00--1:00 P.M. Noon Symposium: Engaged Innovation in the Classroom (Student Union Theatre)

Moderator: Dr. James LaPlant, Symposium Coordinator
Speakers:

Dr. ThomasManningand Haley A. Franklin,
Department of Chemistry;

Dr.Zulal Denaux and Felina Duncan,
Department of Marketing and Economics;

Dr. Jade Coston and Alyson Berndt,
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders;and

Professor Jacqueline Wheeler and Elie Siegel,
Department of Communication Arts in theatre and dance

As part of VSU’s Annual Undergraduate ResearchSymposium, faculty and students will discuss their collaborative research that highlights innovative approaches to teaching and learning.

1:00--1:30 P.M. Reception Outside the Student Union Theatre
1:30--3:00 P.M. Paper Session VII (Student Union Theatre)
Moderator: Dr. Matthew Grant, Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education
3:15--4:15 P.M. Spotlight on the Arts: Student Debate (Student Union Theatre)

Moderators: Dr. Michael Eaves and Mr. Kevin Bryant, Department of Communication Arts
Debate Topic: Georgia Should Change Its HOPE Scholarship Requirements

Government Team: Hannah Tabrizi and Chesley McNeil
Opposition Team: Keven J. Rudrow and Erin Taliaferro

4:30--6:00 P.M. Poster Session and Reception (Student Union Ballrooms)
6:00-6:20 P.M. Awards Ceremony (Student Union Ballrooms)

Welcome: Dr. James LaPlant
Symposium Coordinator
Remarks: Dr. William McKinney
VSU President
Dr. Karla Hull
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Presentation of Best Poster Awards

 

 

 

 

 

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April 18 (Thursday)

A&S Award Ceremony
Bailey Science Center Auditorium, 6:00 p.m.

Download this program for more information about the event. This program is susceptible to any changes before the actual event occurs.

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