College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

As the new director for UNC Charlotte’s Center for the Study of the New South, Ashli Stokes will draw upon her research expertise and knowledge, along with her leadership and community engagement experiences, to lead the center in its work.

The center promotes discourse and dialogue on a rich and diverse constellation of topics and ideas relating to the New South. Known as the period of regional history from the end of the Civil War to the modern era, the New South offers a bold tapestry of history, culture, social movements and political issues ripe for reflection and study.

Undiagnosed sleep disorders may be sabotaging students’ academic success, according to a study by UNC Charlotte psychology professor Jane Gaultney.

Gaultney presented the study at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies’ Conference and published the abstract in the journal Sleep. Her research found evidence suggesting that college students with sleep disorders may run a higher risk for lower GPAs, less motivation and possibly even more dire consequences.

As the new director of the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens, Jeff Gillman sees his mission as engaging the public with the gardens and with nature.

“My goal is to bring the gardens to the public,” Gillman said. “The gardens have had a wonderful base over the years, and I hope we can bring it to a wider audience and help more people to experience not only the gardens but also plants in general. That is something I’ve worked on for my whole career – public engagement and getting people to appreciate plants and the environment.”

This week’s “Live Wire,” airing at 2 p.m., Thursday, is a rebroadcast of a segment devoted to the University’s archaeological dig at Mount Zion. Religious studies professor James Tabor and other guests discuss the excavation, which is uncovering history in Jerusalem.

Click on the menu item “Live Stream” above or here to go to “The Live Wire.”

Archaeologist Shimon Gibson describes the vision for the Mount Zion excavation site near Jerusalem in this video. The dig is a multi-year effort in the ancient city, and UNC Charlotte is the only American university licensed to carry out such excavations in Jerusalem.

Never underestimate the ability of a bizarre plant to bring thousands of visitors to campus. Odie, the Titan Arum, attracted a following during his recent blooming event.

This week’s “Live Wire,” takes viewers to Jerusalem, the location of UNC Charlotte’s archaeological dig at Mount Zion. James Tabor, professor of religious studies, will speak directly from Israel about the exciting work he and his team have been doing to uncover history in the Holy City. Other guests also will report from the dig, on the July 16 edition of “The Live Wire,” Inside UNC Charlotte’s streaming webcast, airing at 2 p.m..

UNC Charlotte’s burgeoning Titan Arum now has a name – Odoardo or “Odie” for short. The flower is named for Italian naturalist Odoardo Beccari, who discovered the Titan Arum in Sumatra in 1878.

Biology major Mariah Huffman, co-president of the UNC Charlotte Student Community Garden, submitted the chosen name. She said she is excited to have the chance to experience a Titan Arum blossom. While she knew about Bella, the University’s previous Titan Arum, she was not a student when the plant last bloomed in 2010 before it expired.

One of UNC Charlotte’s Titan Arums or “corpse flowers” is preparing to bloom in the next seven to 10 days, so it is time to give it a name.

“Amorphophallus titanum or the Titan Arum, which is native to Sumatra, is considered one of the rock stars of the plant world,” said Paula Gross, interim director of the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens.

The yet to be named flower is one of two Titan Arums the Botanical Gardens purchased from California in 2008; at that time, the plants were roughly five years old.