News from the Chronicles - January 2026

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Happy New Year!

Happy 2026 from the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. Best wishes as we look forward to an outstanding new year in teaching, research, and service. From the classroom to our laboratories and performance halls, let's bring our highest ambitions, be mindful of community, and find new ways to strengthen our connections to friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues.  

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Four Franklin faculty members named 2026 Advanced Leader Fellows

The University of Georgia has selected 10 faculty - four from the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences – to join the 2026 class of its Advanced Leader Program, an initiative designed to cultivate the next generation of higher education leaders. The program provides a select group of faculty and administrators an opportunity to build upon their existing strengths as they learn from senior administrators, experts in leadership development and…

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UGA names national science policy leader as next VP for research

David B. Berkowitz, an accomplished research administrator and nationally recognized science policy leader, has been selected to serve as next vice president for research at University of Georgia. Currently serving as assistant director of the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Berkowitz oversees a portfolio of approximately $1.7 billion in funding of research and infrastructure in astronomy,…

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Walker receives microbiology teaching award

Jennifer Walker received the Margaret Green Microbiology Teaching Award from the Southeastern Branch of the American Society for Microbiology.  The Margaret Green Microbiology Teaching Award was established in 1986, presented annually to an individual who has rendered outstanding service in the teaching of microbiology, particularly at the undergraduate level, while at a Southeastern Branch institution. Walker was presented with the…

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UGA marks seventh consecutive year of R&D growth

The upward trajectory of research and development expenditures at the University of Georgia continues with a record-high figure for FY25.  The $654 million in related expenditures during fiscal year 2025, representing a 4.1% increase over the previous year, set a new set a research and development record for the university. Since 2015, UGA’s R&D activity has grown by 75%: The growth of the university’s research enterprise has been…

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Biomedical physiology unpacks the intersections of medicine and humanities – in Cortona

UGA Cortona began in 1970 with a friendship between sculptor and art professor emeritus John D. "Jack" Kehoe, the late founder of the university’s Cortona study abroad program, and the former mayor of Cortona. Today, UGA students study year-round in Athens’ sister city to practice art across various mediums. This fall, the College of Veterinary Medicine’s biomedical physiology course joined the roster: “UGA Cortona has strategically broadened…

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Charting a path to greater support through relationship science

Justin Lavner studies how evidence-based interventions can strengthen families and couples and improve everyday well-being. Over the course of his work, Lavner has become a leading voice in relationship science: “I’ve always been interested in understanding why people are the way they are,” said Lavner, a professor and the director of clinical training in the University of Georgia’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Psychology…


Internship and Career Coordinator Drop-in Hours Schedule for Spring 2026

I will host drop-in hours during Spring 2026 every Thursday from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. in Park Hall 214. No appointment necessary--just pop in to discuss your job search, application materials, and everything else career-related. Drop-in hours start on Thursday, January 22nd. If this day/time doesn't work with your schedule, no worries!  You are always welcome to make an appointment to see me during a time that works better for your schedule:…

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Geography Ph.D. student selected for prestigious ASPRS Fellowship

Chintan Maniyar, doctoral student in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences department of geography and a NASA FINESST Fellow, has been selected to receive the Robert N. Colwell Memorial Fellowship from the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS). The award amount of $10K is to designed encourage and commend graduate students at the Ph.D. level who display exceptional interest, desire, ability, and aptitude in the field…

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French major finds her voice - from campus to Cannes

Emily Adamo, a French major in the department of Romance Languages, wrote about her personal language journey – from her first course to her participation in the UGA en France 5-week summer program directed by Senior lecturer Debbie Bell and then the AIFS Semester in Cannes. Already achieving B2 level proficiency, Emily's story provides a wonderful example that tout est possible! As February approaches, I find myself nearing the one-year mark…