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Faculty Experts Directory

Georgia Southern University’s faculty experts in Savannah, Statesboro and Hinesville have extensive knowledge on a variety of current topics.

To add your name to the faculty expert database, contact the Communication Officer for your college.

To connect with a faculty expert for a story, contact Jennifer Wise, Director of Communications, at 912-478-2301.

Expert Spotlights

Georgia Southern researchers survey flood-stricken area of Bangladesh

Cox’s Bazar is a bustling tourist destination located on the southeastern coast of Bangladesh. It’s home to more than 3 million people living along the longest naturally occurring sea beach in the world, extending into the Bay of Bengal. But during the monsoon season, the area is prone to flooding and frequent landslides due to its geographical location and low altitude. More than 7,000 people living in the region were displaced in 2024 after a particularly severe season that destroyed thousands of shelters, leaving three dead. Georgia Southern University Assistant Professor Munshi Rahman, Ph.D., knows the dangers and devastation monsoon season can bring to this area. As a native of Bangladesh, he has witnessed firsthand how environmental changes, urbanization and deforestation contribute to the devastation. This is why he is actively working to help his home country identify the most disaster-prone areas through the use of geographic information systems and surveys. In January, Rahman and junior geoscience major Emma Robinson traveled to Cox’s Bazar to survey and identify the areas most prone to landslides and flooding with a goal of providing data to local government and nongovernmental organizations that could help address disaster risks. Robinson says she was thrilled to gain experience in field research and engage in work she’s passionate about. “Dr. Rahman’s project really inspired me because I’ve always had a drive to help the environment,” she said. “I thought this would be a great first step into research, especially since geology and geography are so closely related.” The two used geographic information systems, GPS and community input to pinpoint vulnerable spots near residential areas and population centers. Specifically, they found that many homes and refugee camps were built on slopes. Aside from being geographically vulnerable, they observed that many of these dwellings, built from bamboo poles, tarps, and corrugated metal, lacked the infrastructure to withstand flooding. “The key findings reveal a serious environmental degradation on local landscapes exacerbating the frequency and severity of landslides and flooding events in the region,” Rahman said. He added that these insights highlight the urgency for sustainable ecosystem management and the adoption of inclusive disaster management to reduce social and environmental vulnerabilities Rahman and Robinson suggest that their findings, combined with additional socioeconomic research, could provide a more comprehensive understanding of the situation on the ground. This would enhance disaster preparedness while promoting sustainable land use. “Not too many undergrads have opportunities like this,” she said. “I know this will help me get a jump-start on my senior thesis and give me a whole new perspective for future research projects. It’s made me more confident overall as a student and researcher.” Rahman is similarly grateful for the opportunity to give his students experience in the field. “As a professor, I’ve always wanted to give my students as much real-world experience as possible,” he said. “I also give Emma full credit. Prior to this trip, she had never traveled outside the U.S. She showed incredible courage and a real talent for research.”

July 18, 2025

2 min

Georgia Southern professor receives national faculty mentor award

The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) named Georgia Southern University English Professor Olivia Carr Edenfield, Ph.D., the winner of the 2025 Arts and Humanities Faculty Mentor Award. The award recognizes faculty who go above and beyond to nurture undergraduate research, scholarship and creative work. Edenfield’s record of taking student research to new heights set her apart from a nationwide field of candidates. After joining Eagle Nation as a professor in 1986, Edenfield has helped her students become published researchers and presenters at local and national conferences. She said seeing those hardworking students excel has been her real reward. “Receiving this award is deeply personal,” Edenfield wrote in her CUR nomination statement. “My greatest joy in teaching has come from my students’ successes.” During her time as associate dean for Student Affairs in the former College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS), she launched the college’s undergraduate research symposium, now known as CURIO. She also helped establish a Center for Undergraduate Research for CLASS and set up residential interest groups to encourage students to share their love of different subjects with each other. Edenfield has helped her students achieve access to opportunities on a national level. She has served as director of the American Literature Association (ALA) since 2019, where she started a unique program that places Georgia Southern English majors in high-level administrative roles for ALA conferences. Seven of Edenfield’s students have had their work published in The Richard Macksey Journal at Johns Hopkins University. Many of her students have also presented their research at national and international conferences. Georgia Southern student Maegan Bishop’s presentation at the 2023 American Literature Association Annual Conference, based on research from Edenfield’s undergraduate class, was so impressive that she was invited to present her work at a conference on the short story at the University of Mainz, which covered all of her expenses. “My own experiences with Dr. Edenfield are only a small example of the work she has done to mentor undergraduates at Georgia Southern,” said Bishop. “She is constantly doing everything in her power to assist her students with whatever they need, extending every opportunity to those who express interest in becoming more involved in literary scholarship and campus activities.” David Owen, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, emphasized how much Edenfield cares for her students, noting that her passion to help them succeed is second to none. “Mentoring is not a side note to Edenfield’s career, it is the throughline,” said Owen. “Her students succeed not just because of her guidance, but because she teaches them how to believe in their own voices.” The Faculty Mentor Award is the latest in a distinguished line of recognition for Edenfield. In 2016, she was named both the CURIO Mentor of the Year and the Wells-Warren Professor of the Year at Georgia Southern. She is a three-time recipient of her college’s Award for Distinction in Teaching, winning in 2016, 2020 and 2024. Edenfield was also a member of the inaugural class of the Governor’s Teaching Fellows program in 1995. ___ If you're interested in learning more about Georgia Southern's College of Arts and Humanities and want to book time to talk or interview, let us help - simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.

July 18, 2025

3 min

Georgia Southern to provide overdose prevention education, life-saving medication to campus community

Georgia Southern University’s Office of Student Wellness and Health Promotion, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health (JPHCOPH) Center for Addiction Recovery and Health Services have partnered to provide overdose prevention education to the campus community. The University will distribute naloxone, which is used to rapidly and temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, allowing time for first responders to arrive and initiate further intervention, to the campus community at no cost. Savannah nonprofit No More O.D.s donated a large quantity of naloxone to Georgia Southern for this purpose. “The health and safety of our campus and the many visitors it welcomes are of high priority,” said Shay Little, Ph.D., vice president for Student Affairs. “By increasing access to naloxone we are equipping our community with another life-saving tool.” Georgia Southern Public Health Administrator Sean Bear, DPH, agrees. “Naloxone is a life-saving medication,” he noted. “It is safe, fast-acting and easy to use.” Although many in the Georgia Southern community do not consume alcohol or other recreational substances, opioid overdoses can occur under a number of circumstances. Misuse of prescription opioids provided by a health care provider or the use of illegal opioids can result in negative health consequences, including overdoses. Some common prescription opioids include codeine, morphine, hydrocodone and oxycodone, among others. Counterfeit pills designed to look like prescription opioids often contain a synthetic opioid known as fentanyl, with many of these pills containing enough fentanyl in just one dose to cause an opioid overdose. “The primary aim of distributing naloxone and providing education on overdose prevention, recognition and response is to save lives,” said Robert Bohler, Ph.D., JPHCOPH assistant professor. Just as AED/CPR first aid boxes are placed strategically across campus, naloxone kits and utilization instructions will be placed in high-traffic, high-risk areas. Distribution locations include the Campus Food Pantries (all campuses), Center for Addiction and Recovery (Statesboro Campus), Health Centers (Statesboro and Armstrong campuses), Counseling Centers (Statesboro and Armstrong campuses), and Student Wellness and Health Promotion (Statesboro and Armstrong campuses). “All naloxone packages come with instructions, however, additional educational information, such as a video link on how to administer naloxone, where to find additional information and more will be available at each of these distribution locations,” said Gemma Skuraton, DPH, director of Student Wellness and Health Promotion. Universities play a vital role in promoting harm-reduction strategies. As such, Georgia Southern is committed to ensuring the availability, accessibility and education surrounding naloxone on each of its campuses. Educational initiatives will focus on overdose prevention, recognizing signs and symptoms of overdose, overdose response planning, naloxone administration, legal protections (Georgia’s 911 Medical Amnesty Law and Georgia Southern’s Amnesty Protocol), bystander intervention, and treatment and recovery service availability on campus and in the community. You can sign-up for an open workshop to learn more on the Student Wellness and Health Promotion webpage: Interested in learning more? If you want to connect with any of the experts from this story and want to book time to talk or interview, then let us help - simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.

June 01, 2025

3 min

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