University of South Carolina
January 31, 2013
A publication for faculty, staff and friends of the university
Aiken
Beaufort
Columbia
USC Times
Lancaster
Salkehatchie
Death Becomes Her Brittany Walter has always been interested in death. “Actually, it goes beyond interest and fascination,” says the USC doctoral student. “I’ve always had an understanding of death. “It started when I was in seventh grade,” she says. “I read mostly forensic crime novels, like ‘Death du Jour,’ ‘Break No Bones’ and ‘Bones to Ashes.’ I would say that I was definitely an oddball in middle school.” By the time she entered college, there was no question that the Florida native would major in anthropology and focus her studies on the secrets of human remains. Her curiosity led to conducting undergraduate research in a medical examiner’s office, where she compared cranial shapes and thicknesses. She recalls the first time she saw an autopsy. “The smell is like no other,” she says. “It’s sharp, pungent and sweet all at the same time. And you instinctively know it’s a dead person and not an animal, even without seeing the body.” As a graduate student at the University of Central Florida, Walter conducted further research, this time utilizing global positioning systems and ground penetrating radar for mapping and locating body parts. She also had the opportunity to work a very high-profile crime case. “My adviser was the forensic recovery expert during the Casey Anthony trail,” Walter says. “We assisted the medical
life has No Lim As Gamecontcks, Brittany Walt
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es, worked in morgu d body parts, n skulls, locate Walter’s real She’s held huma s. But Brittany , to and at crime scene examiner’s office autopsy labs d the medical her far beyon t Mediterranean ancien an curiosity is taking and cemetery early Egyptian ed to have ruled. places like an Midas is believ es ancient land where King gravesite in the pology, she analyz anthro ical y nt in biolog and other deadl A doctoral stude breast cancer ns to diagnose ries of the past, skeletal remai medical myste g through the tomorrow. diseases. By diggin ostic tools of ering the diagn Brittany is uncov
sc.edu/nolim
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By Glenn Hare
examiner, and he testified at the trial.” Currently working toward a doctorate in anthropology at USC, Walter has refocused her area of specialization, moving away from crime scenes to ancient burial sites and causes of death. Her research has taken her to an early Egyptian cemetery and an ancient Mediterranean gravesite in which King Midas is believed to have been buried. There she analyzed ancient skeletal remains to diagnose breast cancer and other deadly diseases. She’s working closely with USC professor Sharon DeWitte, a biological anthropologist. DeWitte investigates the mortality patterns, demographics and health consequences of medieval plague in Europe, including the Black Death of 1347-1351. What’s more, Walter teaches in the anthropology department’s osteology (bone) lab and is a Presidential Doctoral Fellow. “Bones are full of information,” she says. “You can tell age and sex. You can tell ancestry. You can tell whether a person was right-handed or left-handed. Bones can reveal certain diseases and how a person might have died.” By digging through the medical mysteries of the past, Walter is not only discovering new and fascinating information from history, she is uncovering the diagnostic tools of tomorrow that may someday help solve some of our most challenging health problems.
No Limits Beginning this month you can see Brittany’s story and other stories from the extraordinary individuals around Carolina in various media across the state. The university will be sharing the inspirational stories of the people who work, study, teach and graduate from USC through newspaper ads, television spots, social media and online ads, and billboards. You’ll spot the iconic garnet and black and the Gamecock tail feathers from the Lowcountry to the Upstate. You’ll even hear the familiar alma mater in our ad during the Super Bowl Feb. 3. To read more stories like Brittany’s or to submit your own, visit sc.edu/nolimits
Sumter
Union
Q&A
Upstate
with Jeannette Andrews
The College of Nursing welcomed its new dean this month. Jeannette Andrews, who has a doctorate from USC, says she’s always been excited about what the university had to offer .
What made you decide to come to USC’s College of Nursing? I decided to come to USC’s College of Nursing because of the outstanding and internationally recognized faculty, high quality students, excellent staff, dedicated alumni groups and partners across the state. The university and the college have an exciting momentum, and I am excited about the opportunity to join this incredible team.
What are you most looking forward to about working at USC? I am most looking forward to working with the diversity of colleges and collaborators across the university. I find this a highly stimulating environment to learn, grow and produce our next generation of practicing nurses and nurse scientists.
What are your plans for the college? My plans for the college are to continue to expand our graduate programs, especially the Doctor of Nursing Practice and Philosophy of Science Degree programs. We want to recruit additional faculty and students who are prepared to help lead innovative health delivery systems across our state and beyond that improve the health of our citizens. We will be looking to expand our partnerships with other disciplines, health care systems and providers to positively impact health outcomes in South Carolina.
There is a nationwide nursing shortage. What can nursing schools do to attract more qualified students? Unfortunately, we have a larger pool of students than we can accept with faculty shortages, as well as limitations in available clinical preceptor sites in our region. Because of the competition and high demand to enter a nursing program on a national level, we are seeing an increased competition from a larger diversity of extremely talented students with prior experiences, such as those with previous careers in business, law, public health and other professions. These experiences and perspectives of our new students and nursing professionals are bringing exciting innovations in nursing care and health care delivery.
Nikky Finney This Carolina life Poet and South Carolinian Nikky Finney will join the university’s faculty next fall as the John H. Bennett, Jr. Chair of Southern Literature and Creative Writing. Finney won a 2011 National Book Award for her poetry collection “Head Off and Split.”
Earliest memory:
Future project:
I was born so close to the Atlantic. I am absolutely three parts sea turtle. I remember as a toddler learning how to walk in the thick wet sand of the seashore, then putting a big seashell to my ear, then closing my eyes, then listening.
I have this idea to gather poetry from South Carolina poets and inscribe some of it on gigantic 40 and 50-gallon pots — in honor of the great but enslaved Edgefield, S.C., poet and potter, known as Dave. I want to do something in my life to honor his life.
Favorite escape:
Steadiest friend:
A fast, safe bike and a good, strong helmet.
The dependable light of early morning.
Biggest inspiration:
Greatest hope:
People who put their own comfort and well-being on the line for the sake of something far bigger.
Latest obsession: Collecting antique pencil sharpeners.
Wisest mentor: Gloria Wade Gayles.
Cherished memory: Seventh grade girls basketball game (Alice Drive Elementary in Sumter). I was fouled with two seconds to go. I walked to the line and made both foul shots. This was the moment in my life when I learned the power of taking my time and not letting the world rush me.
That people from all walks of life will get involved with the environment more. Imagine a world without dolphins or whales. Imagine a world without elephants or polar bears.
Geekiest admission: I have zero geek DNA — zero.
Quietest moment: I love to walk beside the Atlantic Ocean — in winter — just before New Year’s Eve.
Quirkiest habit: Mix-matched socks.
Strongest opinion:
Hardest decision:
Every human being — every — has a right to happiness and wellbeing.
Life is full of hard decisions. This year a call to my vet to come and put Twi, my 18-year-old cat to sleep. She died in my arms.
Greatest achievement:
Best advice: Burn the midnight oil (Daddy). Laziness will get you nowhere fast (Mama).
Living a mindful, empathetic life and teaching my students the power of mindfulness and empathy in their own lives.
Photos By Rachel Eliza Griffiths
University of South Carolina
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Service By
Peggy Binette
S
above self
usan Elkins has always wanted to help people — feel better, be better, have better. As a child in rural Gainesboro, Tenn., she watched her father daily welcome families into their home and comfort them when they needed it the most. She learned compassion at an early age. “I grew up in the funeral home that my father owned. I was fortunate to learn firsthand the importance of helping people from all walks of life. To see my Dad genuinely care for members at difficult times, well … it was a wonderful influence on me,” says Elkins who, when old enough, helped with the business’ insurance and accounting and wrote obituaries. Born on her mother’s 20th birthday, Elkins was the first in her family to attend college. “My mom and dad encouraged me. For my parents, it was never a question of whether you’re going to college but where you’re going to college,” she says. “I was motivated. And I was passionate about education.” Elkins is bringing that passion to USC as the first chancellor of South Carolina Palmetto College, which will provide an affordable and convenient way for South Carolinians to complete a bachelor’s degree online beginning this fall. She also brings with her 10 years of middle-school teaching experience, leadership in bringing computer technology into Tennessee’s public schools in the 1980s and 20 years of experience leading educational outreach and service at Tennessee Technological University. A naturally high-energy person, Elkins is singularly focused on making higher education more accessible and flexible so that people can achieve their goals and have a better life.
Susan Elkins volunteered with the non-profit venture Tunes 4 the Troops, which sent more than 1 million CDs and DVDs to troops stationed abroad. The packing effort was featured on an episode of CNN Heroes.
“These last 35 years all go back to how do you help people have the quality of life they want to have,” Elkins says. “This is not a job for me as much as it is just who I am. There’s an intrinsic reward from helping someone have a better life.” Elkins says it was the innovative concept behind Palmetto College and the commitment to it by leadership at USC and the state that drew her to South Carolina. In addition to helping people have a better life through education, she looks forward to bringing her enthusiasm to volunteer work in communities across the state and to the baselines and sidelines of university sporting events to cheer on the Gamecocks, Pacers, Sandsharks, Fire Ants, Spartans, Indians, Lancers and Bantams.
This is not a job for me as much as it is just
who I am.
Lessons in leadership
By Megan Sexton
P Carolina Science Outreach, a student-run organization that travels around South Carolina giving fun and interactive science presentations, is just one of the many projects funded by the Carolina Leadership Initiative.
“Leadership is not about a title or a position. It’s about the person and what he or she can do to influence their corner of the world. Each person is able to
make a meaningful change in someone’s life positive or negative. If we know more about leadership – how it works and how we can influence others – we’ll be able to make a positive impact.
That’s what grabs me every single time.” President’s Leadership Dialogue Deo Niyizonkiza, the protagonist in Tracy Kidder’s book “Strength in What Remains,” will be the featured speaker Feb. 25 at the second annual President’s Leadership Dialogue. Niyizonkiza will join USC President Harris Pastides for the 7 p.m. lecture in Drayton Hall, which is free and open to the public.
olitical science associate professor Kirk Randazzo took over as director of USC’s Carolina Leadership Initiative this month. The organization is designed to promote leadership development on campus, create new leadership projects and help students develop the motivation and the skills to make a positive difference. Randazzo has long been a student of leadership — starting when he was an undergraduate at USC and involved in Kappa Kappa Psi, the national honorary fraternity for college band members. Along with teaching political science in the College of Arts and Sciences, he also has developed the leadership class that is part of Carolina’s new minor in leadership studies. Here is a glimpse into Randazzo’s view of leadership:
“The quote I like is, ‘Leadership is the art of getting others to do what you want because they want to.’ I like that it refers to leadership as an ‘art.’ It’s not like a math equation or a scientific formula that is going to work every single time. Leadership is not like that; it’s more of an art form. You have to adapt and be flexible.” “Anyone can do this. You don’t have to be Picasso to be an artist. You don’t have to be a Coltrane to be a decent saxophone player. You don’t have to be a Martin Luther King or a Ghandi to lead. You can learn and practice.” “Part of our mission at the Carolina Leadership Initiative is to expose students to aspects of leadership early on and throughout their college careers. As a university, it’s our responsibility to encourage our students to become better individuals. Part of that involves encouraging our students to be more civic minded, to engage more. And leadership can be part of that. It’s our fundamental responsibility to expose our students to it.”
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partnership aims to help those who serve Nikki R. Wooten never thought military service was for her, but her father convinced her otherwise. “He said 20 years would go by quickly, and he was right,” said Wooten, who has now been a U.S. Army Reservist and in the District of Columbia Army National Guard more than 24 years. The decision to serve also put Wooten on a path that would shape her career as a military researcher focusing on post-deployment behavioral health and military social worker, a growing niche dedicated to addressing the problems of military families. “I wanted to give back to a community that gave me so many lifechanging experiences and benefits,” said Wooten, who is joining the faculty of the university’s College of Social Work this spring. Wooten is one of several USC faculty members who will be working closely with leaders at Columbia’s Fort Jackson to create opportunities for enhanced education research and training for students and military personnel. The collaboration is co-sponsored by USC’s Office of Research, which seeks to strengthen ties with the country’s largest U.S. Army basic training center. “The resources at USC and Fort Jackson are tremendous, and we will all benefit from working together on projects of mutual interest,” said USC’s Vice President for Research Prakash Nagarkatti, who is leading the collaboration.
SCIENCE CORNER
By Jeff Stensland
Wooten, who comes to USC from Boston University, said her goal is to create a pipeline for social work students interested in helping military families. Long deployments and exposure to combat situations often cause high levels of stress and depression, which can lead to domestic strife and substance misuse. “There’s also a tendency to be more guarded about these issues in the military,” Wooten said. “The work-family responsibilities are greatly entwined. The military is more than just an employer, but it also provides essential services like health care and housing. Military service members and their families don’t want to jeopardize that.” Because of the large population of active and retired military members in the Southeast, Wooten said future research conducted locally about how to best assist them and their families can be especially relevant. “I have an uncle who is a Vietnam veteran, another uncle who retired from the Army, an aunt currently on active duty in the Army who went on three tours in Iraq and a brother in the Army Reserves who went on two tours to Afghanistan, so my family history of military service makes my professional work personal and very important to me,” she said. For more information visit sc.edu/research/ftjackson.shtml
Opening the gene bank
USC TIMES Vol. 24, No. 2 | January 31, 2013 USC Times is published 20 times a year for the faculty and staff of the University of South Carolina by the Division of Communications. Managing editor: Liz McCarthy Designer: Linda Dodge Contributors: Peggy Binette, Craig Brandhorst, Frenché Brewer, Glenn Hare, Thom Harman, Chris Horn, Page Ivey, Steven Powell, Megan Sexton, Jeff Stensland and Marshall
own hum, sh on sorg ” s le etics ic n n a g the ge ay of “p rstandin wide arr e a d n — in U e . e m as thes the crop rains co es such eties of c ri n Cereal g a re v a f fe s o if r ut — wa itional d a numbe ral outp compos u lt d here for u n c a l ri a g ve a koor. g physic adia Sha t to impro underlyin esy of N at insigh rt th u o e c s u to to y. Pho and how the stud focus of r la u ic rt pa
Since the early 1900s, seed banks have collected samples from around the world, creating a vast genetic resource for scientists. USC’s Stephen Kresovich and Geoff Morris have unlocked some of the prodigious information stored in those vaults by analyzing the genetic diversity of nearly a thousand varieties of sorghum, a cereal crop that is a staple of the diet of some 500 million people in Africa and India. Grains are displayed in a wide array of “panicles” on sorghum (shown here for a number of varieties of the crop), and understanding the genetics of the underlying physical differences such as these will enable more rapid adaptation of sorghum to new locations and conditions. That’s a critical need in the coming decades as humanity must feed a growing population in a changing climate.
Swanson Photographers: Kim Truett To reach us: 803-777-2848 or lizmccarthy@sc.edu Campus correspondents: Patti McGrath, Aiken Candace Brasseur, Beaufort Shana Dry, Lancaster Jane Brewer, Salkehatchie Misty Hatfield, Sumter Tammy Whaley, Upstate Annie Houston, Union
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