UWG Students take NSSA First Place

 Victoria Martin and Maria Dong of the University of West Georgia took scholarship to a higher level in early April, taking home the top prize for undergraduate research at this year’s National Social Sciences Association Conference in Las Vegas.

Their project was a comparative study on American Pie Pizzeria in Carrollton and Papa John’s Pizza. Their research provided detailed analysis of the data, and provided recommendations to both restaurants as to how better to cater to the student market.

Their study was based on a sample size of 400 respondents. In submitting their report to the NSSA, the two were charged with the task of condensing their 99-page study to 20 pages. After their abstract proposal was accepted, Martin and Dong decided to attend the conference, win or lose.

Their hours of arduous labor paid off as the two were rewarded with the top prize: a $100 award and their paper being invited to be published in the National Social Science Journal.  They were notified of their award during a luncheon on the second day of the conference.

“They were outstanding students in my class last fall, and I believed in their ultimate success when we were working on their research for the course,” said Dr. Beheruz N. Sethna, UWG president and professor of business.

Both Dong and Martin attribute their success to the guidance of Sethna and his challenging yet rewarding course.

Big Night at UWG

Please join us for the 14th annual Big Night: A Celebration of Undergraduate Research next Wednesday, April 18th at 7pm in the Campus Center Ballroom. Immediately following the 6 student presentations there will be an awards ceremony, reception and poster display.

There will be a judged "competition" of the research posters this year with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place monetary awards given.

All students are encouraged to attend this celebration of student achievement and scholarship at Big Night on Wednesday, April 18, 2012.  "Exit Tickets" will be given to the attendees to be given to professors offering extra credit opportunities. 

Presentations

Determinants of County-Level DUIs in Georgia: A Multi-Year Analysis

            Mr. Clinton Baxter- Business

            Professor William J. Smith, Faculty Advisor

The Soil is Beautiful!

            Ms. Kiesha Carroll- Education

            Professor Judy Cox, Faculty Advisor

Power Line Series

            Ms. Virginia Gramling- Fine Arts

            Professor Eilis Crean, Faculty Advisor

Socrates and Law as One’s Own

            Mr. Kevin King- Humanities

            Professor Walter Riker, Faculty Advisor

On the Optimization of Electrolysis of Water

            Mr. Roger Lascorz- Sciences

            Professor J.E. Hasbun, Faculty Advisor

  Becoming American?: International Student Perspectives on Identity and Culture  

            Ms. Dalila Ozier- Social Sciences

            Professor Lisa Gezon, Faculty Advisor

SOTA Research Day

The School of the Arts (SOTA) celebrates Research Day with an evening
of diverse creative and scholarly presentations by some of UWG's

finest undergraduate students.
Presentations are free and open to the
public.





*Tuesday, 3 April 2012
*Kathy Cashen Hall, Humanities Building, 4:45-7:15p
*please enter between presentations (schedule attached) and enjoy
light refreshments in the lobby

For more information, contact Dr. Elizabeth Kramer at ekramer@westga.edu or 678-839-6270.

UWG Researchers Seek Survey Participants from LGBT Community

Sociologists at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton are conducting research into the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Two confidential questionnaires are on SurveyMonkey.

The first survey examines parents in same-sex relationships.

Researchers said an important part of the project is to determine how people feel about identities that are associated with being in these relationships.

The survey can be found at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/UWGparentingsurvey. The deadline for completing the parents survey has not been determined.

For questions, participants may contact the principal researchers: Associate Professor of Sociology Laurel Holland at 678-839-6331 or lholland@westga.edu; or Assistant Professor of Sociology Pam Hunt at 678-839-6336 or email: phunt@westga.edu.

The second survey explores the connection between same sex domestic violence and police response. It can be found at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/UWGperceptions.

The deadline for completing the authorities survey is Feb. 28, 2011.

Researchers said an important part of this project is to determine how people feel about the identities associated with authority figures and identities associated with the LGBT communities.

The information provided by participants will help sociologists understand relationships between authorities and same sex couples.

If participants have any questions about the study they may contact Sarah Bozeman Rhine at sbozema1@my.westga.edu or her advisor Pam Hunt.

Participation in either survey is voluntary. Participants may decline or not answer certain questions or withdraw at anytime. If participants choose to withdraw before completing the survey the information provided will be used, unless researchers are asked to destroy it.

Researchers in both projects stressed that no names or other identifying information will be used. Also, no references to individuals will be made in any part of either study. No individual’s response will be linked to the results.

Each survey takes about 15 minutes to complete.

Written reports of both surveys will be available in the next year. If participants are interested in reading a report of the findings, they may e-mail one of the researchers involved in the particular survey and provide a name and address. This information will not be linked to the surveys.

As an incentive for completing the questionnaires, participants will be entered in a pool to win a Visa Gift Card. At the end of the survey participants may enter their names, e-mail or phone numbers. This information will not be connected with participants’ answers. The Visa incentive ends on Feb. 28, 2011.

Participants in the parenting survey will be entered in a pool to win a $100 gift card. Those in the LGBT authority figure survey will be in a pool to win a $50 gift card.