In The Halls
CURO Winner
Abigail Wilson (Senior, Fashion Merchandising) won the “Best Paper” award in the social sciences division of the University of Georgia’s Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities Symposium held in April.
Wilson’s project was titled, “Bolivian Wrestlers in Skirts,” and focused on women in Bolivia who wear lace petticoats, a Spanish-style skirt and a color, fringed shawl while wrestling. Wilson explored how these wrestlers’ attire provides insight into the social and political tension that exists in contemporary Bolivian society where domestic and political violence is rampant. Wilson’s faculty mentor for the project was Katalin Medvedev (Assistant Professor, Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors).
Wilson was one of three FACS undergraduates who were chosen via a competitive process to participate in the CURO symposium. Other students included:
Thomas Shaffer(Senior, Nutrition Science and Dietetics) conducted a project titled, “Heart Rate Monitoring is Superior to Accelerometry as an Estimator of Human Energy Expenditure During Physical Activity.” James Hargrove (Associate Professor, Foods and Nutrition) was his mentor.
Jillian Kornau (Senior, Fashion Merchandising with Global Soft Goods Emphasis) conducted a project titled, “Manicures: Not just paying for pretty nails,” which examined the emotional and therapeutic benefits women receive from manicures, including their benefits to elderly women and those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Medvedev was her mentor.
Hands On Athens
More than 50 FACS students, their friends and family members spent three days working as part of Hands On Athens, a community-wide program that rehabilitates the homes of low-income Athenians. The students repaired and painted much of the exterior of Emma Jean Favors’ home, installed new kitchen cabinets and countertops, repaired plumbing fixtures and squirrel-proofed the attic.
Student News
Xinying (Daisy) Cheng (Master’s Student, Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors) placed third in the Herman and Myrtle Goldstein Student Research Paper Competition at the 2009 American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists International Conference.
Katy Gregg (PhD Student, Child and Family Development; MS ’08, Child and Family Development) was chosen to receive one of UGA’s Outstanding Teaching Awards for 2009.
Dawn Marie Penn (Ph.D. Student; MS ’03, Foods and Nutrition) was among seven doctoral students in biomedical and health sciences at UGA to receive the Achievement Rewards for College Students Award from the Atlanta chapter of the ARCS Foundation.
Melissa Wilmarth (PhD Student, Housing and Consumer Economics) has been awarded the 2009-2010 Jewell L. Taylor Graduate Fellowship by the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.
