News from the Chronicles - February 2024

With a deep history as rich as the story of the university itself, the Latin program continues to be a robust presence on campus. A report from the Modern Language Association ranks the UGA latin program the largest in the nation: The study of classical languages at the University of Georgia dates to the university’s founding, when Latin and Greek were required for admission. In the wake of industrialization and the two world wars, higher…

Diana Downs, Distinguished Research Professor in the department of microbiology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences,  is one of two University of Georgia faculty members named Regents’ Professors for the widespread reach and impact of their scholarship and creative activity.  Regents’ professorships are the highest professorial recognition bestowed by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents. Known as an expert in…

Geography faculty members have written and published extensively on the mountain ecology of the Ecuadorian Andes. Our colleagues in the Office of Research share a slideshow from their work investigating changes in freshwater availability and agricultural sustainability due to climate change, with important cultural and economic implications for the region: In September 2023, researchers from the University of Georgia Franklin College of Arts and…

Some may say that Rayna Carter has a lot on her plate for a second-year student, but it’s all about service for her. She wants to make her time at college count by using her time and skills to help as many people as possible.  “I've always been passionate, not just about leadership but about service,” she said. “That's really where my drive comes from: that desire to help people however I can.” Carter is triple-majoring in biology,…

UGA, Georgia Tech, Georgia State University and the Georgia Mining Association kicked off February with the first of what promises to be a long-standing workshop to develop essential, critical mineral resources in Georgia. The Georgia Essential Minerals (GEMs) workshop at UGA featured geology faculty experts and stakeholders from across government and industry: Demand for critical minerals and rare earth elements is rapidly increasing as the…

Information Technology operations are an immense endeavor across every sector of society and no less so in higher education. Our students, faculty, and staff rely on an expansive, readily-available infrastructure to support, broaden, and enhance the UGA learning environment and maintain its vibrancy amidst myriad challenges and constraints, not to mention constant technological changes and requirements. That is one reason why it's great to see…

The Lamar Dodd School of Art directs us to this essay written by art history student Gabriela Diaz-Jones published in The Classic Journal, the Franklin College Writing intensive Program's journal of undergraduate writing and research, “Baroque Women in Marble as Intimate or Intricate.” Diaz-Jones explores the objectification of female sitters sculpted in marble during the Italian Baroque era, focusing on two busts, one by Gian Lorenzo Bernini…

University of Georgia faculty member Michelle Momany is one of 65 new fellows elected to the American Academy of Microbiology, Class of 2024. Fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology, the honorific leadership group within the American Society for Microbiology, are elected annually through a highly selective, peer-review process, based on their records of scientific achievement and original contributions that have advanced…

UGA faculty member Natalie Cohen has been awarded a prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship to support her research for the next two years, the Sloan Foundation announced on Feb. 20. Cohen, assistant professor in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences department of marine sciences will receive $75,000 from her fellowship over the next two years. One of 126 Sloan Fellows nationwide for 2024, Cohen is the 14th Sloan recipients from UGA…

Devoted to advancing interdisciplinary research across multiple application areas, ten university-wide projects have been awarded Presidential Interdisciplinary Seed Grants as part of the 2023 cohort. The Franklin College congratulates  faculty involved in the the program's two tracks: For the first time, this year’s program has two tracks: New Frontiers and Cluster Engagement. The New Frontiers track is intended to support early-stage…