National Conference at Mercer on March 19-20 to Call for End to 21st Century Slavery

Mercer University will host a national conference on human trafficking, titled “STOP Sex Trafficking: A Call to End 21st Century Slavery,” on March 19-20 in Willingham Auditorium on Mercer’s Macon campus. The conference is organized by Mercer students in STOP, the Sex Trafficking Opposition Project, to counter the growing worldwide crisis. According to the U.S. State Department, more than a million women and children are trafficked into sex slavery each year. Nearly 20,000 are trafficked annually into the United States and many of these victims are trafficked into the Southeast.

The conference will feature rescued trafficking victims Kika Cerpa and Joana Santos, who will share their stories. In addition the conference will include presentations from prominent national figures in the anti-trafficking movement, including rock musician and filmmaker Justin Dillon, who will also screen his anti-sex trafficking film, Call+Response, at the conference; Patricia McCormick, the best-selling author of Sold, the story of a Nepalese child trafficked into sex slavery; and Lauran Bethell, founder of a Thailand trafficking refuge center and recipient of the Baptist World Alliance Human Rights Award.

“The students’ aspiration is, first, to make sure Macon is not a home for trafficking and, second, to combat sex trafficking wherever it is occurring,” said Dr. Mary Alice Morgan, senior vice provost for service-learning and an adviser to the conference. “The students are fired by idealism but they also have a very informed, practical sense of how to carry that idealism into effective activism.”

The goals of the conference include: raising awareness about sex trafficking, encouraging faith-based mission work overseas and support groups to help survivors here at home, aiding service providers, law enforcement and local government in fighting sex trafficking and supplying care for survivors, and providing a forum for student groups to join together to end sex slavery.

The STOP organization was founded by Mercer students to take on the issue of prostitution-related trafficking in the Middle Georgia area. The conference will build on STOP’s efforts, student organizers say.

“We’re all passionate about the issue of sex trafficking,” said Hannah Vann, a senior and conference organizer. “The idea that there are sex slaves within miles of where we live is sickening, and we won’t stand for it anymore. We've been working hard to raise awareness about the issue, but the conference will take awareness and activism in Macon, in Georgia and in the region to another level. We want to see Mercerians, Maconites, Georgians and all Americans stand up and call to end slavery, and we hope this conference will help to make that happen.”

The conference has been designed to be welcoming to all: faith leaders, students, scholars, service providers, the legal community and anyone interested in learning how communities can join together to rescue women and children and protect thousands more from sex slavery.

The Sex Trafficking Opposition Project began in a First Year Seminar course called “Engaging the World,” in the spring of 2008. While writing their research essays on contemporary ethics and justice, students started asking questions about the many spas and spa billboards dotting Macon’s landscape. They soon joined ranks with members of Baptist Collegiate Ministries and Women’s and Gender Studies students enrolled in a course devoted to violence against women. At the end of spring semester 2008, this diverse coalition of students formed STOP: Middle Georgia’s first anti-trafficking group.

This conference is being organized under the direction of Dr. Morgan, who also directs the Women’s and Gender Studies Program, and Dr. Andrew Silver, the Paige Morton Hunter Associate Professor of English. Co-sponsors for the event include: Mercer University, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia, Baptist Collegiate Ministries, Evangelicals for Human Rights, and the Mercer Women’s and Gender Studies Program.

“Every year, the traffickers rob millions of innocent victims of their normal lives,” Dr. Silver said. “We’re asking people to spend a few hours with us to help stop them.”

For more information or to register for the conference, visit www.mercer.edu/stop.

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Shirley Franklin and other U.S. Mayors to Meet With President Barack Obama at the White House on Friday, February 20, 2009

The nation's mayors have been invited by U.S. President Barack Obama and U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden to the White House for a meeting with The Conference of Mayors leadership on the morning of Friday, February 20, 2009. Led by U.S. Conference of Mayors President, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, over 60 mayors will also meet with Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr., Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Energy Secretary Dr. Steven Chu, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and White House Senior Staff.

The mayors meeting with President Obama and Vice President Biden will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. in the East Room of the White House and will be OPEN to the press. The mayors will also hold a press availability at the White House at 11:30 a.m. immediately following the meeting (location is TBD).

Following the White House meeting, the mayors will gather at the Capitol Hilton in Washington, D.C. for a session with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson, U.S. Department of Energy Weatherization Program Director Gil Sperling, and U.S. Department of Justice COPS Office Acting Director Tim Quinn.

The nation's mayors commend President Obama and Congress for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which is in line with the U.S. Conference of Mayors' priorities, and look forward to working with the Administration to implement this landmark legislation toward transforming our national economy for the 21st Century.

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One in Five Augustans With Type 2 Diabetes Mistakenly Believe That Being Obese or Overweight Can Positively Impact Their Disease

/PRNewswire/ -- Taking Control of Your Diabetes (TCOYD) announced findings today from a recent survey conducted by national research firm Yankelovich that found that more than one in five Augustans with type 2 diabetes mistakenly think that excess weight has a positive effect on the disease. In fact, research shows that being overweight often contributes to the development of diabetes, complicates proper management of the disease and can lead to other serious conditions, including blindness, kidney damage and cardiovascular disease.

Survey findings also revealed that the recession is taking a negative toll on how Augustans manage their diabetes. One in four have reduced their level of diabetes care to save money, either by limiting treatment supplies, skipping doctor visits or taking medications less often, which can all lead to significant long-term health risks.

"These findings underscore the need for more education on the importance of proper diabetes management, including the impact of weight, in Augusta and the variety of options available to them," said Dr. Steven Edelman, physician, author and founder of TCOYD.

The survey, which assessed the behaviors and attitudes of Augustans with type 2 diabetes, was commissioned by TCOYD, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 diabetes education organization that offers programs to inform, motivate and empower participants to take control of their diabetes. TCOYD is also holding a diabetes education conference that will help Augustans with diabetes and their loved ones learn how to better manage the disease. The conference and health fair, taking place on Feb. 28, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Augusta Marriott, will feature national and local medical experts in diabetes care discussing the latest developments in the treatment of diabetes, the complications of the disease, psychological barriers to controlling diabetes and nutritional issues.

The survey also found that many Augusta residents with type 2 diabetes struggle with managing their weight because of a lack of knowledge of their disease and available treatment options, as well as local challenges specific to Augusta. Survey results include:

* Seventy-nine percent of survey respondents describe themselves as
overweight, and 81 percent say that their doctor has told them to lose
weight to better manage their disease
* Seventy-one percent are aware that there are diabetes medications that
cause weight gain, but almost half are currently taking these
medications. A startling 77 percent are unaware that there are diabetes
medications that can help people lose weight



"These survey findings show that many Augusta residents with type 2 diabetes are unclear on how to manage their disease and do not have the educational and economic resources to make healthy choices," said Dr. Charles Shaefer, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia. "It is vital that Augustans receive the necessary information and resources to take care of their health and prevent serious related conditions."

Both diabetes and obesity are growing national epidemics, affecting millions in the United States and worldwide. Recognizing the impact of these and other chronic diseases on the American healthcare system, the new Obama administration is making them a primary health focus. These diseases also have a significant impact in Richmond County, where more than 10 percent of the population has diabetes and more than 30 percent are obese. With so many Augusta residents affected by these diseases, it is vital to understand the best way to manage them.

Pre-registration for the conference is recommended and is $15 per person. On-site registration begins Feb. 28, 2009 at 9 a.m., and costs $20. Financial assistance is available by calling TCOYD. To register or get more information, call (800) 998-2693 or visit http://www.tcoyd.org/.

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Culture, Family, Memory Researchers Gather at Emory December 11-12

Experts on memory, family history and culture from Denmark, Germany and the United States will gather at Emory University for a two-day conference Dec. 11-12 on "Culture, Family and Communicative Memory."

The conference, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Emory Center for Myth and Ritual in American Life (MARIAL) and the Emory Cognition Project.

"The ways in which we remember the events of our lives are shaped by our families and the larger communities and cultures in which we live," says Robyn Fivush, chair of Emory's psychology department and Samuel Candler Dobbs professor of psychology. "Who we are as individuals is very much defined by our social cultural place in the world." A core faculty member of MARIAL, Fivush is co-organizing the conference with colleagues from Germany, Tilmann Habermas and Harald Wexler.

Moderators include Fivush and MARIAL colleagues Marshall Duke, Charles Howard Candler Professor of Psychology, and Bradd Shore, director of the MARIAL Center and an anthropologist. Researchers from Denmark, Germany, Duke University, Northwestern University, the New School for Social Research in New York and Holy Cross University will discuss their work.

"Researchers from around the world will come together to consider how memory develops in childhood and throughout adulthood through family stories and cultural myths," Fivush says. "Information shared at this conference will help us better understand the complex processes by which individuals come to define themselves in relation to the social groups in which they live."

The Emory Center for Myth and Ritual in American Life (MARIAL) is one of five Sloan Centers on Working Families, supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The Emory Center focuses its research on the functions and significance of ritual and myth in dual wage-earner middle-class families in the American South.

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Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference Jan 9-11

The Southeastern Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference will be Jan. 9 -11 in Savannah, Ga. Sponsored by the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and South Carolina Peach Conference, it offers classes and demonstrations designed to bring relevant information to the fruit and vegetable industry.

“This year’s educational program is outstanding,” said Beth Bland, GFVA education program coordinator. “Featuring everything from methyl bromide updates to blackberry fundamentals for new growers, the 2009 conference offers something for everyone.”

Friday and Saturday, there will be sessions for commodities like peach, vegetable, Vidalia onion, watermelon, muscadine, pecan, blueberry and strawberry. There will be sessions for organic production, food safety and roadside markets, too.

Sparked by the tomato safety scare in 2008, a special food-safety forum will take place Friday and feature several speakers including Tom Stenzel, the president of United Fresh Produce Association, Reggie Brown, executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Commission, and Washington legislative representatives.

Congressman Jack Kingston (R -GA) will speak Saturday morning at the general session.

The conference includes a trade show with 180 booths, a spouse program and an industry roundtable to discuss issues of mutual concern to growers and suppliers.

Continuing education credits for pesticide application license will be available.

For more information, call (800) 453-3070 or send an e-mail to chall@asginfo.net .

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Public Symposium set for Emory University Oct. 23-24 Explores How Science Changes Life

"Evolution Revolution: Science Changing Life," a public symposium at Emory University Oct. 23-24, will explore the future of evolution as a theory and a process and the potential of recent research to transform our lives. The program features some of the world's leading scientists, from Emory and beyond, who will discuss how technology and growing knowledge of our origins may affect our future.

"Evolution Revolution" anticipates the 200th anniversary in 2009 of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of "On the Origin of Species." The two-day event begins Thursday, Oct. 23 with free talks by biologist E. O. Wilson, known as "the father of biodiversity." Wilson will speak informally on the topic of creativity at 3 p.m. in the Jones Room at Woodruff Library, then deliver the keynote address, "Darwin and the Future of Biology," at 7 p.m. in Glenn Memorial Auditorium.

New York Times columnist Olivia Judson, one of the preeminent science writers of our time, kicks off the events of Friday, Oct. 24, with a 9 a.m. talk at the Emory Conference Center. Panels of Emory and Georgia Tech faculty will then discuss how their research is helping to explain where we came from and where we may be going — including the potential for everything from renewable bio-energy sources to bioengineering advances that could transform health care.

Conference Includes Workshop for High School Teachers

The strong educational component of the conference will include a workshop for high school teachers from throughout metro Atlanta, to discuss the difficulties and best practices for teaching evolution. Registration is required for the Conference Center events.

"Darwin's theory of evolution has been called the greatest intellectual revolution," says David Lynn, chair of chemistry and co-leader of Emory's strategic initiative for Computational and Life Sciences, the main sponsor for the event. "We want to celebrate Darwin by looking forward, at how the theory of biological evolution continues to change our world view and the understanding of what the future may bring."



Symposium Aims to Share Research With Community

The conference, which bridges the humanities, medicine, public health and the natural and social sciences, aims to communicate the potential of recent research, particularly at Emory — to improve our society.



"We may be reaching the threshold of a new era in the life sciences," says Tom Jenkins, director of the Office of Academic and Strategic Partnerships, which is assisting with the event. From the search for the pre-biotic origins of life, through anthropology and non-human primate research, and the journey into bioengineering, Emory faculty are making major contributions, he says. 



"Emory recognizes that it has a responsibility not just to conduct pioneering research, but to share that research with the community," Jenkins says. "This is a public discussion of cutting edge science that may be transforming our lives."



"Technology is moving extremely fast," Lynn adds. "We're at a critical time now. Evolution is a complex, interwoven network. From renewable energy to health care, we need to put our heads together and think about how we're going to evolve to meet the challenges and pressures we're going to face."



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The Conference Board U.S. Leading Economic Index Edges Up Slightly

PRNewswire/ -- The Conference Board reports today that the Composite Index of Leading Economic Indicators edged up 0.3 percent in September, following a 0.9 percent decline in August, and a 0.7 percent decline in July.

Says Ken Goldstein, Labor Economist at The Conference Board: "This summer, before the financial market turmoil intensified, the overall economy was entering a period of decline. The extreme volatility in the financial market, and the near freeze-up of credit, will no doubt weaken the economy further. But latest data suggest that conditions in the non-financial economy are not falling apart. Data on hand reflect a contracting economy, but not one in free fall. More likely, what's going on in the financial market is a stretching of the recovery process - which could take a full year to develop."

The Conference Board reports that the Coincident Index fell by 0.5 percent in September, following no change in August, and a 0.2 percent decrease in July. The Lagging Index fell by 0.2 percent in September, following a 0.2 percent rise in August.

-- The leading index increased in September, the first increase in the
last five months. Real money supply, consumer expectations, the
interest rate spread, and the index of supplier deliveries all made
large positive contributions to the index in September, more than
offsetting the negative contributions from building permits, stock
prices, initial claims for unemployment insurance (inverted) and the
average workweek in manufacturing. From March to September, the
leading index decreased 1.3 percent (a -2.5 percent annual rate),
declining modestly slower than the 1.7 percent decrease (a -3.4
percent annual rate) that prevailed in the previous six months.
However, the weaknesses among the leading indicators have remained
widespread over the past six months.

-- The coincident index decreased sharply in September and it has
declined or held steady since October 2007. Industrial production fell
steeply this month, while employment continued to decline. The
six-month decline in the coincident index has picked up to 0.8 percent
(a -1.7 percent annual rate), from a decrease of 0.3 percent (a -0.6
percent annual rate) in the previous six months, while the weaknesses
among the coincident indicators remained very widespread. In
September, the coincident index decreased more than the lagging index,
and the coincident-to-lagging ratio continued to decline as a result.

-- With consistently widespread weakness among its components, the
leading index has been falling since July 2007. Following the leading
index, the coincident index, a monthly measure of current economic
conditions, has also been decreasing, and its rate of decline has
accelerated in recent months. Meanwhile, real GDP growth slowed to a
1.8 percent average annual rate in the first half of the year, down
from an average annual rate of 2.3 percent in the second half of 2007.
Taken together, the behavior of the composite indexes suggests that
the economy is unlikely to improve in the near term.


LEADING INDICATORS

Six of the ten indicators that make up the leading index increased in September. The positive contributors - beginning with the largest positive contributor - were real money supply*, index of consumer expectations, interest rate spread, index of supplier deliveries (vendor performance), manufacturers' new orders for nondefense capital goods*, and manufacturers' new orders for consumer goods and materials*. The negative contributors - beginning with the largest negative contributor - were building permits, average weekly initial claims for unemployment insurance (inverted), stock prices, and average weekly manufacturing hours.

The leading index now stands at 100.6 (2004=100). Based on revised data, this index decreased 0.9 percent in August and decreased 0.7 percent in July. During the six-month span through September, the leading index decreased 1.3 percent, with two out of ten components advancing (diffusion index, six-month span equals 20 percent).

COINCIDENT INDICATORS

Two of the four indicators that make up the coincident index increased in September. The positive contributors to the index - beginning with the larger positive contributor - were personal income less transfer payments* and manufacturing and trade sales*. The negative contributors were industrial production and employees on nonagricultural payrolls.

The coincident index now stands at 106 (2004=100). This index remained unchanged in August and decreased 0.2 percent in July. During the six-month period through September, the coincident index decreased 0.8 percent, with one out of four components advancing (diffusion index, six-month span equals 25 percent).

LAGGING INDICATORS

The lagging index stands at 112.2 (2004=100) in September, with two of the seven components advancing. The positive contributors to the index - beginning with the larger positive contributor - were commercial and industrial loans outstanding* and the ratio of manufacturing and trade inventories to sales*. The negative contributors - beginning with the largest negative contributor - were average duration of unemployment (inverted), change in CPI for services, and change in labor cost per unit of output*. The average prime rate charged by banks, and ratio of consumer installment credit to personal income* held steady in September. Based on revised data, the lagging index increased 0.2 percent in August and increased 0.5 percent in July.

DATA AVAILABILITY AND NOTES

The data series used by The Conference Board to compute the three composite indexes and reported in the tables in this release are those available "as of" 12 Noon on October 17, 2008. Some series are estimated as noted below.

* Series in the leading index that are based on The Conference Board estimates are manufacturers' new orders for consumer goods and materials, manufacturers' new orders for nondefense capital goods, and the personal consumption expenditure used to deflate the money supply. Series in the coincident index that are based on The Conference Board estimates are personal income less transfer payments and manufacturing and trade sales. Series in the lagging index that are based on The Conference Board estimates are inventories to sales ratio, consumer installment credit to income ratio, change in labor cost per unit of output, the consumer price index, and the personal consumption expenditure used to deflate commercial and industrial loans outstanding.

The procedure used to estimate the current month's personal consumption expenditure deflator (used in the calculation of real money supply and commercial and industrial loans outstanding) now incorporates the current month's consumer price index when it is available before the release of the U.S. Leading Economic Indicators.

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Georgia State to Host Regional Geomorphology, Hydrology Research Conference October 25

Georgia State University’s Department of Geosciences will present a one-day research conference on Saturday, Oct. 25 which will bring together advanced undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and professionals.

The first-annual Greater Atlanta Geomorphology and Hydrology Research Conference will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room 718 in the General Classroom Building at Decatur Street and Peachtree Center Avenue.

The forum is designed for those involved in the study of geomorphology (the study of landforms and the processes that shape them), hydrology (the study of water resources and water movement throughout the Earth) and related fields to present research in a friendly setting, and to enhance regional collaboration in these fields, as described by Jordan Clayton, a Georgia State assistant professor in Geosciences.

“This is a great way for participants to meet others working in these research areas, and to get valuable feedback on ongoing projects,” said Clayton, whose research interests include the impact of land-use changes on streams and other hydrologic systems.

Participants include Georgia State students and faculty, as well as researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State University, the University of Alabama, the University of Georgia, and Golder Associates Inc.

For more information about the conference, contact Clayton at 404-413-5791 or jclayton@gsu.edu. Further information, including research abstracts, is available online at http://monarch.gsu.edu/jclayton/gaghrc/index.htm.

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Carter to Address International Human Rights Conference October 16

Nobel laureate and former President Jimmy Carter will give the opening address this week at "Advancing the Consensus," a conference at Emory University School of Law celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Free tickets are still available to Carter's keynote speech at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16 in Glenn Memorial Auditorium. Visit the Dobbs University Center ticket desk or sign up online.

Also speaking will be Nobel laureate and Iranian human rights activist Shirin Ebadi and Upendra Baxi, professor of law Warwick University of Coventry, England.

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UGA Institute for Women's Studies to Host Second Annual Conference on Women and Girls in Georgia, Oct. 24-25

The University of Georgia Institute for Women’s Studies is hosting the second annual conference on Women and Girls in Georgia on Oct. 24-25, at the Paul D. Coverdell Building on the UGA campus. The theme of the 2008 Women and Girls in Georgia Conference is “Health & Well-Being.” Presentation topics include environmental health, depression, body image, aging, teen pregnancy prevention, addiction, disability, midwifery and maternal health and many more.

The Women and Girls in Georgia Conference was established in 2007 to highlight and encourage cutting-edge research by, for and about women and girls in Georgia, in all their diversity. The conference brings together leading researchers, teachers, activists and community members to share expertise, strengthen networks and strategize for positive social change in Georgia and beyond.

This year’s conference will include a keynote lecture by Susan Wood, a research professor in the department of environmental and occupational health at George Washington University. A long–time champion of women’s health, Wood previously served as director for Policy and Program Development at the U.S Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health. She was assistant commissioner for women’s health and director of the Office of Women’s Health at the FDA until 2005, when she made headlines by resigning on principle over the continued delay in approving emergency over–the–counter contraception.

Prior to joining HHS, Wood was science adviser and then deputy director of the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues. In that capacity, she was directly involved with policy initiatives and legislative proposals designed to advance biomedical research, women’s health, family planning and health care reform.

Academics, students, advocates, activists and community members are welcome to register for the conference. The full conference program and registration information are available at www.uga.edu/iws/WAGG.

By Molly Moreland Myers
University of Georgia

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National Society of Hispanic MBAs National Conference Making History in Atlanta

PRNewswire/ -- The National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) will hold its Annual Conference and Career Expo October 9 - 11, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA. Local officials are hailing this event as the largest Hispanic conference in Atlanta History. Over 8,000 MBA students, professionals and executives will converge in Atlanta to engage with top Hispanic leaders in America. The Career Expo boasts more than 300 corporations and academic institutions, 500 interview booths and more than 4,000 interviews on-site. The conference theme, "Make Your Connection" exemplifies the essence of the conference -- it is the most influential place where national and global business leaders, executives, academics, MBA professionals and students connect.

This year, NSHMBA is pleased to have Deloitte as corporate lead sponsor and Emory University, Goizueta Business School as the academic lead sponsor. "We are pleased that our lead sponsors not only embrace diversity, but are actively involved in the pursuit of diverse, global leaders and are committed to providing opportunities to ensure the pipeline continues to flourish," states NSHMBA CEO, Lourdes Hassler.

NSHMBA's three-day conference features a Professional Development Day, an exclusive Executive Forum, and the nation's largest career expo for Hispanic MBAs. The Professional Development Day includes break-through sessions presented by leading corporate executives and business experts. The Executive Forum was created to provide a venue for high-level Hispanic executives to convene and address the challenges and demands Hispanic executives face in corporate America.

During the conference, NSHMBA will recognize Hispanic scholars from across the country that were recently awarded over $1 million in NSHMBA scholarships and financial aid. The organization will also present the prestigious Brillante Awards for Excellence during the final evening gala on Saturday night. For an overview of the conference schedule and activities, please go to www.nshmba.org.

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Conference Examines State Tax Policy Proposals September 11

Towards a Better Understanding of Property Taxes & Proposed Policies
8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 11, 2008
Capitol Education Center, 180 Central Avenue, Atlanta, GA

When lawmakers convene for the 2009 session of the Georgia General Assembly in January, a number of new tax proposals could be on the table, including limits on levies and caps on assessment increases.

To wade through the proposals, and the current landscape of current Georgia tax policy, the Fiscal Research Center at Georgia State University will hold a conference on the property tax as it exists, and the likely effects of changes under consideration.

“Towards a Better Understanding of Property Taxes & Proposed Policies” will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Capitol Education Center, 180 Central Ave., Atlanta.

Including presentations from officials from Georgia’s Department of Revenue and economic experts from states that have implemented assessment limits and levy caps, Fiscal Research Center Director Dave Sjoquist said the seminar will provide objective information to lawmakers, local elected officials and fiscal policy watchers.

“People will have a much better understanding of how the property tax works and have information on these two policies and the consequences they might have for Georgia,” he said.
The Fiscal Research Center, housed in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State, is a nonpartisan fiscal policy and education center which provides technical assistance and information to state and local governments.

Vicki Lambert, director of the Local Government Services division of the state revenue department, will give an overview of the current Georgia tax structure. Sjoquist will discuss options for reducing and controlling property taxes.

Mark Haveman, executive director of the Minnesota Taxpayers Association, will discuss property tax limitations, how they’re structured and their effects on local governments. Experts from Colorado, Michigan and Florida will discuss their states’ experiences with assessment limits and levy caps.

For more information about the conference, visit http://frcconference.gsu.edu/.

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International Conference at University of Georgia to Focus on Weeds

Weeds. We often speak the word with a grimace, thinking of knotty lawn problems or unwanted species that cost farmers billions in control every year. And yet weeds also have much to teach about how plants can adapt to changing environments imposed on them through human influence.

That’s why the University of Georgia will host an international conference in September called “Agricultural Weeds: Bridging the Gap between Evolutionary Ecology and Crop Science.” The event will bring together applied scientists and evolutionary ecologists to discuss how weeds become problematic to farmers, and how researchers from a range of disciplines can begin to address a common ground for tackling the problems that weeds pose to the nation’s food supply.

“The goal is to promote integrative thinking about the process of weed domestication to agriculture and the evolution of ‘weediness,’” said Regina Baucom a postdoctoral researcher in the department of genetics and co-organizer of the conference.

Other organizers, also in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, include John Burke and Shu-Mei Chang in the department of plant biology, and William Vencill of the department of crop and soil sciences in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. This conference will be small and highly interactive, with around 50 people expected.

The conference will be held Sept. 11-13 in the Georgia Center for Continuing Education. Keynote speakers will be Jonathan Gressel, emeritus professor of plant sciences at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, and Jodie Holt, professor in the department of botany and plant sciences at the University of California, Riverside.

Topics in the conference will include evolutionary ecology of weed species, weed adaptation to the agricultural system, transgene movement from crops to wild species, parasitic weeds, weed shifts and weedy species of special interest. Some 17 speakers will be present for the event, and there will also be poster sessions. Speakers will include representatives from other universities, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and industry.

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