University Relations Tip Sheet - September 25, 2008
Paying attention to the issues
Politics isn’t just a pastime for a class of students at Georgia State University. For a dozen freshmen in the university’s Honors Program, the 2008 Presidential Election is the focus of a semester-long seminar. Students are not only discussing the voting process and the Electoral College, they are also debating the candidates’ policy proposals, the influence of the media and the Internet as well as campaign mobilization strategies. Required coursework includes watching and analyzing the three debates, and scrutinizing the results of the election for their final papers. “Research shows that exposure to high-interest elections during formative years has a lasting impact on political participation and civic involvement throughout one’s life,” said Sean Richey, assistant professor of political science who is teaching the seminar. “This election is incredibly important and interesting, and using real-life examples to demonstrate theoretical concepts may generate a long-lasting interest in politics for the students.” To speak with Richey or for more information, please contact Liz Babiarz at 404-413-1356 or lbabiarz@gsu.edu.
Stemming an epidemic before it starts
Public health officials have struggled to reduce tobacco-related diseases and deaths in the United States. But there's an opportunity to stem a potential epidemic in one continent before it gets out of hand – Africa. Michael Eriksen, director of Georgia State's Institute of Public Health, is working with international organizations to help African nations find ways to keep smoking from becoming an ingrained habit. “Africa is the last place on earth where smoking is not fully entrenched,” says Eriksen. “It’s the last place where smoking has not been part of the culture, and is where we have the potential to keep it out.” To speak with Eriksen, contact Jeremy Craig at 404-413-1357 or jcraig@gsu.edu.
Assistant professor of history first to study lost biography of Galileo
Georgia State assistant professor of history Nick Wilding is the first scholar in more than 150 years to study the recently rediscovered first biography of Galileo, written just 20 years after the scientist’s death in 1642. The book, which had been part of a private collection in Britain, had been missing since the 1830s and is the only copy to have survived the Great Fire of London. Wilding discovered the book in the catalog of items from the private library of the Earls of Macclesfield that were recently auctioned off and was allowed access to study the book. “You realize that no one’s read this thing for about 170 years and it’s the only copy of the book to survive a fire 400 years ago,” Wilding says. “It’s very exciting.” The book offers new insight into how Galileo was regarded by his contemporaries, as well as a new explanation of his trial. For more information, contact Lisa Spires at 404-413-1353 or lspires@gsu.edu.
Exploring conflicts of conscience
A proposal under consideration by U.S. health officials would strengthen protection for physicians experiencing a “conflict of conscience” over performing abortion procedures. But such conflicts– when a medical professional objects to providing certain services based on moral or religious grounds – arise in a number of other areas of medicine, says Georgia State associate professor of Law Leslie Wolf. “It also comes up in the context of withdrawal of life support,” says Wolf, as well as at the pharmacy counter and the family physician’s office. “There can be a tension between health professionals’ beliefs and patient access to medical services,” she says. To further air the questions around conscientious objection in medicine, the College of Law’s Center for Law, Health & Society will host a lunchtime lecture Oct. 9 featuring discussion on both sides. Speakers will include Farr Curlin, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, and Martha Swartz, an attorney and adjunct professor of law at Rutgers School of Law-Camden. For more information, or to speak with Wolf, contact Michael Davis at 404-413-1361 or mdavis6@gsu.edu.
Happenings at Georgia State University
Film from Georgia State alum set for release
“Dark Waters,” a film directed by Georgia State alumnus Pushkaraj Paranjpe, will open Sept. 19 at the Galaxy Peachtree Funplex 8 in Norcross, Ga. Paranjpe, who graduated from the Georgia State film program in 2007, wrote the screenplay for “Dark Waters” as his creative thesis under the guidance of faculty members Jack Boozer, Shirlene Holmes and Ly Bolia. Based on the Marathi-language novella “Kaleshar Pani,” the film follows the lives of a single mother and her eldest daughter living in poverty-stricken rural India. “Dark Waters” was released in India in January to positive reviews. For its U.S. release, Paranjpe wanted to bring the film home to the Atlanta area, where he has lived for the past 10 years. “It was an emotional decision to bring it here,” he says. “There’s a large Indian community here that, in my opinion, is underserved.” For more information, contact Lisa Spires at 404-413-1353 or lspires@gsu.edu.
Georgia State hosts documentary screening, panel discussion
“Southern Stories,” a collection of short documentaries produced by Georgia State students, will premiere at 7 p.m. Sept. 17 with a free screening and panel discussion at the Georgia State University Student Center, 44 Courtland St. “Southern Stories” uses personal narratives to explore issues, such as depression, loss and independence. For more information, visit www.beyonddocumentary.com or contact Lisa Spires at 404-413-1353 or lspires@gsu.edu.
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