The Academic Success Center (ASC) at 91ɬ�� has earned an international recertification by the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) for the tutoring services it offers students. 

The ASC received the recertification as a Level 1 International Tutor Training Program (ITTPC). To earn the recertification, the tutoring services team successfully completed CRLA’s peer review process and demonstrated its tutor training program meets the established standards for tutor selection, training, direct service and program evaluation.  

“CRLA certification reflects our University’s commitment to excellence in student support by ensuring tutors receive consistent, rigorous and research-informed training,” said Lydia Reynolds, tutoring coordinator at the ASC. “It transforms tutoring into a meaningful professional development opportunity while ensuring students receive support from well-prepared tutors equipped to meet diverse learning needs. Ultimately, CRLA certification strengthens the quality, credibility and impact of our tutoring program and supports a broader culture of student success.”

CRLA’s International Tutor Training Program Certification is a nationally and internationally recognized certification that promotes high-quality tutor training and academic support programs. For more than 30 years, CRLA has been a leader in learning assistance, reading and academic support, serving professionals and programs dedicated to student success.

For more information about CRLA and ITTPC, visit . 

This September, 91ɬ�� will recognize National Recovery Month with two events that celebrate Statesboro’s recovery history and community.

Organized by the Center for Addiction Recovery (CAR) in the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health (JPHCOPH), these activities include a monthlong library exhibit highlighting the origins and evolution of recovery in Statesboro and a recovery tailgate before the Sept. 26 home football game.

The explores the community’s history of supporting individuals in recovery from substance use and mental health disorders. Through photographs, journals, audio testimonials and more, the exhibit traces Statesboro’s history of recovery back to the 1950s and highlights the people and organizations that have shaped it. 

The exhibition, curated by Georgia Southern Libraries and Center for Addiction Recovery staff, begins with the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous as a national organization and its arrival in Statesboro, and follows the expansion of local support services, including the founding of , which has become a nationally recognized addiction treatment center. 

“Recovery has long been part of the fabric of this community,” said David Gerber, CEO at Willingway Hospital, the title sponsor for the library exhibition. “For generations, people in Statesboro have supported one another in finding hope, connection and a path forward. Willingway is proud to have played a part in the rich history and tradition of recovery in Statesboro.” 

The activities will continue on Sept. 26, when Georgia Southern’s True Blue Recovery program hosts a recovery tailgate before Southern’s home football game against the University of Houston. True Blue Recovery at the Center for Addiction Recovery is Georgia Southern’s collegiate recovery program that supports students in recovery. 

The event will be a stop on the , a statewide initiative led by the that travels across Georgia throughout September to celebrate recovery and connect communities with resources and support.

“The Georgia Council for Recovery is proud to partner with our local recovery community hosts to bring a uniquely Georgia message of the hope and joy of recovery,” said Brian Kite, recovery community organization development program manager of the Georgia Council for Recovery.

The free tailgate is open to students and community members and will feature live music, food and drinks, entertainment and recovery resources.

“College football and tailgating are such a big part of the student experience, and we want people to know that you can still be part of that excitement without alcohol or other substances,” said Julia Curiel, coordinator of True Blue Recovery. 

Together, these events highlight both the deep roots of recovery in Statesboro and the growing network of resources available to those struggling with addiction. Most importantly, they offer a reminder that recovery is not only possible, but is worth celebrating.  

“Recovery is about more than overcoming substance use, it’s about building a life that is full, connected and worth celebrating,” Curiel said. “We want people to see that there is a community here for them, and that choosing recovery doesn’t mean missing out on the fun. It can mean finding an entirely new way to belong.”

91ɬ��’s College of Science and Mathematics (COSM) is teaming up with Shimadzu Scientific Instruments to host the second annual Forensic Science Symposium Sept. 30. This year’s event offers an expanded list of speakers, poster presentations and a panel discussion covering a broad range of topics.

“We have something for everyone interested in this field,” said Ed Mondor, Ph.D., interim director of the Georgia Southern Center for Forensic Sciences and coordinator of the event. “Forensics isn’t limited to just one area, it spans multiple disciplines: anthropology, biology, chemistry, criminal justice. We have it all.”

The keynote speaker will be Animal Crimes Resource Prosecutor Jessica Rock from the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia. Other invited speakers will discuss topics such as forensic pathology, forensic palynology, forensic nursing, forensic psychology and more. Panelists include Interim Statesboro Police Chief Jared Akins, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Region Five Special Agent in Charge Lindsay Smith, Chatham County Police Department Crime Scene Investigator Matthew Diggins and Ogeechee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Catherine Sumner.

Mondor sees the event as a forum connecting all corners of the forensic science community. He hopes the annual event continues to serve students, faculty and investigators.

“From students who want to know what these careers look like, professors who want to know  how their knowledge can serve a case, to law enforcement who need access to specialized knowledge and the public who just want to know how all this works, everyone can come away with something,” said Mondor. “Forensics impacts everyone, and it excludes no one. There’s a role for all of us.”

The symposium is part of a continuing partnership with Shimadzu, which has provided world-class equipment and learning opportunities to Georgia Southern students. Speakers from Shimadzu will highlight how cutting-edge technology is being applied to cases today and how agencies from metropolitan cities to rural communities can access it.

“Shimadzu has been a great partner by providing everything from advanced lab equipment to funding for student research internships,” said Michael Huggins, Ph.D., dean of COSM. “They have shown us firsthand how reliable industry partners can make an impact in science.”

The event will take place at the Military Science Building on the Statesboro Campus from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Registration is closed as the event has reached capacity.

The U.S. National Tick Collection (USNTC) has been housed on 91ɬ��’s Statesboro Campus since 1990, on loan from the Smithsonian Institution. But it’s far more than a nondescript exhibit tucked away in the bottom of a building. It is a living, breathing resource and a primary research hub for scientists, students, physicians, veterinarians and public health professionals from around the world. 

Among its most valuable holdings are type specimens, which are used to identify and describe tick species. They serve as scientific vouchers against which researchers can compare their own samples, resolve questions about species identification and deepen the world’s understanding of ticks and the sometimes fatal diseases they may carry. Lorenza Beati, Ph.D., a Swiss physician, biologist and parasitologist who has served as the collection’s curator for more than 20 years, estimates the 120-year-old collection houses between one-third and one-half of the world’s tick type specimens.

“A lot of researchers come just to see these specimens because they have some taxonomic questions about their own samples,” said Beati.

Researchers study the specimens’ morphology, or physical form and structures, to identify, describe and differentiate species. Beati also conducts molecular research, studying tick genes, population genetics and genomes to explore relationships among species and resolve questions about their classification and phylogeographical evolutive history. Together, these traditional and molecular approaches support the collection’s central work in taxonomy, which consists of identifying, naming and classifying ticks.

Yet the collection, which provides an incomparable foundation for research, is only as valuable as the experts who understand and interpret it.

At the heart of the lab are Beati, who joined the University in 2004, and Dmitry Apanaskevich, Ph.D., a primary global expert in tick systematics who arrived at Georgia Southern in 2006 following his studies in Russia. An annual ranking from Stanford University and Elsevier, which identifies the world’s most-cited researchers, has consistently recognized Apanaskevich among the world’s top 2% of scientists.

Hired as curators of the collection, Beati and Apanaskevich later joined the faculty. Within the last 10 years, they have secured $3 million in research grants, authored 119 research papers and created a teaching and research environment that educates and inspires students and professionals through personal attention, scientific expertise and unrivaled access to the collection.

“We collaborate with a lot of people around the world,” said Beati. “And I would say every single small or large project can be very exciting in one way or another.”

Researchers visit the collection in the Math/Physics Building for access not only to its specimens but also to the expertise of Beati and Apanaskevich. Some come for a few days; others stay for months. During each visit, the curators host, teach and share knowledge derived from specimens that cannot be found in any other modern collection. Beati recalled that some of the best collaborative work emerged at her dining room table, where she and global scientists discussed their research and findings over a home-cooked meal.

Although only a small portion of the world’s tick species transmit disease-causing bacteria, viruses and parasites, their bites can cause serious and sometimes fatal illnesses in humans, domestic animals and wildlife. Because Beati and Apanaskevich know ticks so intimately through their taxonomic research, they also collaborate with scientists studying tick-borne diseases and their effects worldwide.

“The collection is a vital resource for scientists and public health officials, helping us understand and combat tick-borne diseases,” Beati said.

Apanaskevich currently has a grant from the National Institutes of Health, the nation’s medical research agency, to study the taxonomy of Hyalomma ticks. Found primarily in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, the ticks transmit some of the world’s most dangerous diseases.

“They are moving into Europe with climate change,” said Beati. “So those are very important tick species in terms of global health around the world, not just for the U.S. The mission of the collection is really international.

“We have samples from every single continent. It’s the largest collection in the world. So we have people constantly coming and working with us from everywhere. Our mission is not just to work on local or American kinds of issues; we have more of an international field with our research collaboration.”

Beati is currently leading a project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that examines an increase in ticks and emerging tick-borne diseases affecting humans and cattle in Uganda. She and her team are also training local students and health personnel to strengthen preparedness for outbreaks caused by previously unknown disease-causing agents.

“The real interest is in understanding the system there,” said Beati. “We have to get interested in systems outside the country. We need to understand how they function. All this research around the world is helping us understand mechanisms of tick-borne diseases.”

In the last decade, nearly 30 undergraduate and graduate students have participated in the collection’s global research. Some have coauthored papers with Beati and Apanaskevich, gaining extraordinary access to experiences that have helped them build successful careers in academia and the private sector.

“It’s an incredible opportunity,” said Beati. “Tick-borne diseases are worrying people and so, I think there are going to be jobs around for quite some time.”

Since 2018, Beati has also offered the annual Summer Tick Workshop at the James H. Oliver, Jr. Institute for Coastal Plain Science on the Statesboro Campus, which attracts international public health officials and other professionals from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pharmaceutical companies and the U.S. Army. Entomologists from Fort Stewart attend to learn how to identify and differentiate ticks, mitigating risk for deployed military members.  

“This dedication to education ensures that the knowledge and expertise needed to understand and combat tick-borne diseases will continue to thrive,” said Beati.

Salim Sazzed, Ph.D., a faculty member in 91ɬ��’s Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing, is conducting research that could help scientists better understand the relationship between changes in human cells and serious illness. 

As the sole principal investigator of a four-year, $568,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Sazzed is developing artificial intelligence–based methods and software tools to identify and trace actin filaments more accurately in three-dimensional cellular images. These filaments help cells maintain their shape, move and divide. Their alteration is closely associated with cancer, neurological disorders and heart disease.

Currently, these images are produced using “Cryo-electron tomography (Cryo-ET)”, an imaging technique that allows scientists to see the microscopic actin filaments within the cells. Cryo-ET can provide insight, but the images it produces can also be difficult to analyze, according to Sazzed.

“Through my previous work, I know that these images can be very noisy,” he said. “Manually tracing the filaments can sometimes take hundreds of hours, while existing automated approaches often lack sufficient accuracy.”

 Sazzed expects his AI models and software tools to provide a more accurate automated approach for analyzing these images and to be ready for public use by 2030. While the software won’t provide an immediate treatment or diagnostic test for disease, Sazzed is hopeful about its long-term impact.

“Having a more comprehensive knowledge of how cells function and how actin filaments change in the presence of disease could eventually support the development of new treatments,” Sazzed explained.

Another important aspect of the project is student involvement. Two Ph.D. students and six undergraduates will help develop the software, train the AI models and analyze results. They will also attend team meetings with Sazzed and other collaborators, experts in biology, biochemistry and actin research from the University of Oregon, Ohio State University and Reed College. 

“Working with students is one of the most rewarding parts of this project,” Sazzed said. “They will contribute directly to this  NIH-funded effort while developing as independent researchers.”

Sazzed also plans to host an annual workshop during the project period to promote computational modeling and artificial intelligence in biomedical research.

The Georgia Department of Health is working with researchers from 91ɬ��’s Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health after Georgia lawmakers requested more information to address the rise of adolescent social media use.  

The U.S. Surgeon General said social media use among adolescents is increasing at an alarming pace, and its effects on youth ages 13 to 18 are concerning. 

“There are increasing concerns among researchers, parents and caregivers, young people, health care experts and others about the impact of social media on youth mental health,”  the published in 2023, states. “More research is needed to understand the impact of social media fully.” 

“We frequently partner with the Department of Public Health,” said Tilicia Mayo-Gamble, Ph.D., associate dean for practice and research and principal investigator for the report. “This was going to require intense data collection, and they knew we could handle it.” 

Mayo-Gamble is an associate professor in the Department of Health Policy and Community Health at Georgia Southern. Her background in communications proved helpful as she partnered with Chun Hai Fung, Ph.D., professor of biostatistics, epidemiology and environmental health sciences, whose work was cited in the surgeon general’s initial report.

“Dr. Fung is an excellent epidemiologist, and he also works with large data sets,” Mayo-Gamble said. “That’s exactly what this project needed.”

The group reviewed post-COVID research and existing federal laws before recommending a comprehensive media literacy program. It would target students in grades 4 through 12 and be developed by the Georgia Department of Education. Mayo-Gamble said the curriculum would teach healthy social media habits, privacy protection skills and problematic use patterns.    

“A program like this would be extremely important,” she said. “That’s what public health is; it’s more than research, it’s about having the chance to impact people’s lives.”

They also recommended continued funding for research and monitoring social media’s impact on youth. The collected data would be used to inform future policy development as technologies continue to grow. But these benefits extend beyond informing policymakers. 

“Research like this is meant to support communication between parents and their children,” Mayo-Gamble said. “I do think that a lot of parents worry if they’re doing the right thing for their kids. So if there’s an opportunity to educate parents about something that impacts their ability to be a good parent, I think that’s the type of research we should be doing.”

In rural Georgia, public libraries often serve as a hub, connecting community members to various resources they may otherwise have difficulty accessing. A new program at 91ɬ��’s Institute for Health Logistics and Analytics (IHLA) is helping rural public libraries offer a pathway to addiction recovery and treatment services.

Funded by the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust, “Rural Opioid Harm Reduction for Libraries” will create a scalable statewide model that equips public libraries to serve as trusted, stigma-free spaces where community members can access information, naloxone (Narcan) and connections to local harm reduction and recovery services.

The pilot phase will occur in partnership with the Ocmulgee Regional Library System, serving a diverse and predominantly rural population in central Georgia. Jennifer Drey, MPH, IHLA community outreach coordinator and project lead, has already met with library leadership to plan the program’s public launch, slated for mid-September this year.

“I’m thrilled to be working directly with these libraries,” said Drey. “Their mission has always been to provide resources and support, this builds on that trusted role in a meaningful new way.”

Library staff will first complete specialized training developed by IHLA in collaboration with harm reduction experts and individuals with lived experience with opioid use disorder. Since they are often the first point of contact for the community, staff members’ competency is critical to the program’s success, according to Drey.

“Our goal is to ensure they feel informed, supported and confident with the materials and conversations involved with this work,” she added.

IHLA will also help libraries host community events, providing additional opportunities for education, outreach and connection to local services.

Lessons learned from the pilot will guide the development of a comprehensive program toolkit, including training materials, program templates, evaluation tools and implementation strategies. The toolkit will be shared through partnership with the Georgia Public Library Service, creating a sustainable and adaptable model that can be used by library systems statewide.

By positioning libraries at the center of community-based opioid response efforts, the program aims to reduce stigma, improve access to care, strengthen pathways to recovery and ultimately save lives in rural Georgia and beyond.

IHLA uses an integrated One Health approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems. Its mission is to transform the health and well-being of communities through applied evidence-based practices and technology integration. To learn more about IHLA, visit georgiasouthern.edu/ihla.

A new 91ɬ�� study suggests that long-standing differences in maternal and child health, specifically breastfeeding rates, may help explain why some communities were affected more severely by COVID-19 than others.

Led by faculty in the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, the study found that Georgia counties with lower breastfeeding initiation rates experienced higher COVID-19 cases and related mortalities across the overall county population.

Published in the scientific journal Breastfeeding Medicine, examined COVID-19 cases and death rates across all 159 counties in Georgia, from March 2020 through February 2022. 

“Our findings show a strong association at the community level,” said lead author and Professor of Health Policy and Community Health Joanne Chopak-Foss, Ph.D. “It raises important questions about how early-life health investments, like breastfeeding support, contribute to long-term resilience and health outcomes.”

Counties were grouped by breastfeeding rates and compared after accounting for demographics and public health interventions. The research team, which included JPHCOPH master’s and doctoral students, analyzed more than 2 million reported COVID-19 cases. They found the biggest differences in rural communities, a gap the researchers also link to social factors such as income and healthcare infrastructure.

“COVID-19 exposed structural inequalities that existed long before the pandemic,” said co-author and Professor of Epidemiology Jian Zhang, M.D. “Our work suggests that breastfeeding support may be an underrecognized component of community preparedness, one that warrants further research and sustained public health investment.”

Although the study does not prove that breastfeeding directly prevents COVID-19 infection, it adds to growing evidence that breastfeeding may provide health benefits that extend beyond infancy. 

“Breastfeeding is one of the earliest and most sustainable investments communities can make in health,” said Nandi A. Marshall, DrPH, MPH, JPHCOPH associate dean and president of the American Public Health Association. 

“These findings remind us that support for breastfeeding may generate benefits that may contribute to stronger, healthier, and more resilient communities over the long term.”

Building on this research, the team looks to expand its work beyond Georgia to examine whether similar patterns exist nationwide and how these results can guide future public health planning.

“Looking at data across the country helps us see the bigger picture,” Chopak-Foss said. “We hope our findings will provide new insights and contribute to the national conversation.”

While illustrating the importance of 91ɬ��’s Senior Companion Program, Deb Blackburn, the program’s director, recalled one situation with potentially deadly consequences.

“There was a woman on our waiting list who lived alone and was very sick,” she said. “We went to check on her, and could smell the natural gas. She had a leak that no one knew about. We got her out of the house immediately, and called the fire department. The woman quickly recovered.”

Efforts to prevent those kinds of incidents received a major boost in the form of a $378,000 grant increase from AmeriCorps Senior. Effective July 1, the funding is one of three equal installments arriving over the next three years. It’s part of the largest-ever award for the program housed in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences’ Center for Social Gerontology.

Sometimes called “companions,” volunteers, 55 and older, are paired with seniors needing support to live independently in their homes. They provide socialization while assisting with meal preparation, household chores and occasional transportation.

Clients live in 15 counties across southeastern Georgia including Bulloch, Emanuel and Effingham. These counties, plus six more, have waiting lists. The new contract no longer divides the funds by location, meaning volunteers can go to areas of greatest need. Currently, there are 7 vacancies for volunteers.

Other benefits include an hourly stipend, better travel reimbursement rates for volunteers and the doubling of their daily meal stipend from $1.50 to $3. These changes are significant, because companion eligibility requires an annual individual income no higher than $31,920.

Theretha Alston has been one of those companions for four years. Until recently, she visited  Beatrice Huff, a 94-year-old Bulloch County resident. Huff’s own work with the program inspired Alston to get involved.

“I heard about the program by word of mouth, at the time, Beatrice was still working as a companion,” she said. “Seeing her so excited about the program at the age of 90 inspired me on a daily basis. I thought to myself ‘What if I could be like that at her age?’ She just retired last year.”

Alston spent four days a week with Huff for five hours each day helping with her lunch, her exercises and walks to the mailbox. Unfortunately, Alston needed to be paired with another senior for logistical reasons. Still, she cherishes the conversations she shared with Huff.

“My favorite part was hearing about her history,” she said. “She would start talking about her childhood, her school days, meeting her husband, raising a family and her grandkids. Then she  would start smiling for sure.” 

Blackburn emphasized that social connections like this can improve quality of life for isolated individuals

“To me, that’s one of the best examples of how our participation in the community helps people who are alone and don’t have the capacity to take care of all their household needs,” she said.

As businesses and communities navigate the growth of AI, the Department of Mathematics at 91ɬ��’s College of Science and Mathematics is hosting Po-Shen Loh, Ph.D., professor of mathematical sciences at Carnegie Mellon University, to discuss what this growing technology means for the people it impacts. Reflecting Georgia Southern’s leadership in charting the responsible use of AI in education and industry, the lecture will inform attendees on the practical uses of AI, the societal effects of its implementation and the infrastructure required to support it.

“What is the best way for people to handle the future? What kinds of skills are people going to need? What is different between humans and machines?” Loh asked. “People who attend will get directions for how they can lead their own future in a world where AI is strong.” 

Loh envisions the lecture as both an informative presentation and an open discussion where people can share their own hopes and concerns. His work brings him into discussions with leaders of AI development companies where he shares feedback he receives from attendees at his forums.

“The way I usually do my talks is I look at the audience, I try to find out what they care about, and we talk about some of those things,” said Loh. “I like making it interactive.”

Loh believes the ability for people to discuss and find solutions together is the age-old solution to the newest challenges.

“Even in a world where there are very powerful machines and people are getting more lonely, we can build a community that has thoughtful people,” said Loh. “We can still find meaning and cohesion at a time when it feels like technology is pulling us all apart.”

Professor of Mathematics Education Heidi Eisenreich, Ph.D., sees Georgia Southern as an important source of knowledge in conversations that matter to the region.

“Georgia Southern has such a strong connection with the local area,” said Eisenreich. “It’s a family-oriented place and we make sure to support our community like family. This talk bridges the topics of math and education while providing a place for our neighbors to join a bigger conversation about our future together.”

The lecture is Tuesday, Aug. 25, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., on the Statesboro Campus in the Russell Student Union Ballroom. It is free and open to the public.

The discussion is part of the Stone Distinguished Lecture Series. The series is endowed in honor of Professor Emeritus of Mathematics David R. Stone, Ph.D., who taught at 91ɬ�� for 49 years. He arrived in 1968 as an assistant professor, retired from his full-time position in 2008 and taught part-time through 2017.