Tags: Earth

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Perspective illuminates ethics across disciplines

Rather than a specialized approach to a set of philosophical questions or political issues, ethics presents a way of evaluating choices in an open society. The tools to navigate choices may involve a variety of expertise and disciplinary specialties, but these are also connected simply by the physical world where they are put into practice. Piers Stephens, professor in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences department of philosophy, explains…

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Franklin genetics major named UGA's 10th Marshall Scholar

Finn Walsh will build on her studies in infectious disease post graduation as UGA’s newest Marshall Scholar. The senior from Atlanta will graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in genetics and a minor in Spanish through the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. She has conducted undergraduate research through the Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities, with the majority of her work in the Odum School of Ecology. Up to 50 students are…

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Oyster shore strengthens Sapelo Island

Nik Heynen, Distinguished Research Professor of geography in the University of Georgia’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and friends hit upon an ingenious idea to tackle waste in an Athens industry and arrest the effects of sea level rise on a Georgia barrier island. Tyler Leslie and Hunt Revell had worked at the popular downtown Athens seafood restaurant, Seabear. Working at an oyster bar, Leslie and Revell were aware of the high volume…

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Marine Education Center and Aquarium offers wonders, opportunities

The University of Georgia Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Island, a barrier island just outside Savannah, offers visitors sweeping views of the marsh and a sense of wild seclusion. Since opening to the public in 1971 as Georgia’s first saltwater aquarium, the center has introduced generations to the wonders of the coast, combining hands-on education, immersive fieldwork, and engaging exhibits to spark curiosity and stewardship:…

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Schroeder receives Elemental Critical Minerals grant

University of Georgia faculty member Paul Schroeder will lead one of 11 new partnerships launched to accelerate innovation in engineering biology for sustainable critical mineral supply chains.  Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and delivered in partnership with the UK Science and Technology Network, this initiative provides targeted grants to strengthen transatlantic collaboration in sustainable…

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Top rankings affirm UGA as a leader for international education

With more than 50 study abroad programs across five continents and 57 countries, the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences is no stranger to the power of the international student experience. With the University of Georgia ranked No. 1 in the nation for short-term study abroad participation and No. 5 overall, the reach of that power for all UGA students is assured – and growing: A total of 3,322 UGA degree-seeking students studied abroad for…

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The collaborative power of poetry and photography in Andrew Zawacki’s Endscape

UGA professor explores a distressed landscape in new interdisciplinary collection This November Andrew Zawacki, Distinguished Research Professor in the department of English, published Endscape, a collection of his poetry and photography. The work appears in the inaugural edition of the P5 Photo Poetry Pamphlet series, directed by Photoworks.    Endscape began around 2019, born out of an interest in the landscape surrounding…

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Georgia Coastal Ecosystems research program renewed for fourth cycle

A long-term ecological research project run by the University of Georgia Marine Institute on Sapelo Island, the Georgia Coastal Ecosystems research program has been renewed by a $7.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The grant supports research on how ecological disturbances affect marsh health and resilience, comprehensive efforts dedicated to understanding a diversity of habitats and how they respond to changing conditions:…

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UGA’s Small Satellite Research Lab showcases student-powered space innovation

To mark a major milestone of the fifth anniversary of launching UGA’s first satellite into orbit — and the lab’s 10th anniversary fast approaching in 2026 – the University of Georgia’s Small Satellite Research Lab welcomed UGA President Jere W. Morehead; Marisa Pagnattaro, vice president for instruction and senior vice provost for academic planning; and Anna Stenport, dean of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, for a special visit on Oct…

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UGA doctoral student wins atmospheric sciences award

University of Georgia doctoral candidate Ashley Cornish received the 27th annual Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award for Women in Atmospheric Sciences from the Desert Research Institute. An award ceremony commemorating her achievement was held at the DRI campus in Reno on Oct. 7, 2025. The Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award for Women in Atmospheric Sciences is an annual competition recognizing the published works of women pursuing a…

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Three Franklin faculty members named 2025-2026 Aspire Fellows

The University of Georgia has named 11 faculty members – including three from the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences – to the 2025-2026 Aspire Fellows cohort. The Fellows represent seven UGA schools and colleges as well as the Center for Teaching and Learning. Established in 2017, the Aspire Fellows program is designed for mid-career and senior faculty on any career track to complete a signature project that extends their professional impact…

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UGA, Duke collaborate with insurers to rethink climate resilience

Funded by a five-year, $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation, a new partnership between the University of Georgia, Duke University and leaders from the insurance and climate data industries will launch the Center for Innovation in Risk, Catastrophes, and Decisions (CIRCAD),  a new initiative focused on insurance innovation and large-scale climate risk mitigation research. CIRCAD will convene researchers, insurers,…

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A place at the table

UGA researchers from across campus are deeply engaged in food systems and agricultural sustainability issues around town and around the globe. UGA Research Communications offers an updated look at the social connections that provide the foundation for a wide variety of efforts to support a healthy ecosystem. The largest remaining Saltwater Geechee community in the nation has lived in Sapelo Island’s Hog Hammock community for centuries. Today,…

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Franklin College launches Franklin CREATE! startup initiative

The Franklin College has partnered with The Marcus Foundation to launch Franklin CREATE!, a new initiative designed to build students’ entrepreneurial confidence and to help them create successful startup companies. Funded by a $3 million grant from The Marcus Foundation, Franklin CREATE! will establish a robust three-phase model that allows arts and sciences students to gain hands-on experience, mentorship and access to the resources needed to…

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Ten years in the Top 20

The University of Georgia has placed in the top 20 among the nation’s best public universities for the 10th consecutive year, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 rankings. UGA and Georgia Tech remain the only two Georgia institutions in the top 20, making Georgia and California the only two states with multiple universities ranked in that tier. Among private and public universities, UGA placed No. 46 in the nation: The USNWR…

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NSF project to peer into deep space, observe rapid planet formation

University of Georgia faculty member Cassandra Hall is a co-principal investigator on a new project supported by $450,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to learn more about planetary formation by studying a star system over 500 light-years away. The grant funds a three-year collaborative research project between principal investigator New Mexico State University Astronomy Associate Professor Wladimir Lyra, co-principal investigator…

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International expedition tracks East Greenland Coastal Current

Nick Foukal, assistant professor in the UGA Department of Marine Sciences is co-leader of an international research project focused on oceanography and current measurements in the East Greenland Coastal Current. The team’s observations aboard the Research Vessel Thorunn Thordardottir from August 29 through September 12 aim to help determine how the East Greenland Coastal Current may influence the stability of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning…

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Original Space Dawg achieving lift-off at NASA

As founding ringleader of the UGA Small Satellite Research Lab, Franklin alumnus Caleb Adams (BS ’18, MS ’20) displayed an early knack for tackling tech and software conundrums, as well as putting teams together. Today, those skills, intuition and creativity are hard at work in helping lead efforts in Silicon Valley at NASA’s Ames Research Center to develop automated spacecraft to manage traffic in Earth’s low orbit and perhaps one day…

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Noted and Quoted, summer 2025

Throughout the summer quiet and into the busy fall, Franklin faculty expertise and research findings continues to resonate broadly across the global media. A few of the many recent stores we've been following: How it’s not about the place — it’s about the people – research lead by Daisi Brand, graduate student in the department of psychology, reported by Health Medicine Network   New research illustrates how live events foster social…

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New Faculty Tour lets professors get to know Georgia

28 University of Georgia faculty members toured the state in early August on the 2025 New Faculty Tour. The immersive five-day trip introduces new faculty to UGA’s statewide mission and helps them connect their academic expertise to the real-world needs of Georgia communities.  The tour provided a thorough introduction to UGA’s vital role in the state as participants traveled through 45 counties and 15 cities: Tour stops included the UGA…

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Jack Hartpence: Supplying Water, Serving Humanity 

In this seven-part series, we’re excited to highlight our 2025 Franklin alumni award winners—showcasing their accomplishments and providing some insights as we seek this year’s nominations. The Franklin College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Awards honor a group of outstanding alumni across various categories. These individuals exemplify The Franklin Spark, the characteristics that unite the arts and sciences: ambition, curiosity, creativity,…

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Welcome, Class of 2029!

It's that time – crowded buses and sidewalks, nervous energy and general wonderment of students back on campus for the fall of 2025. Welcome to the Class of 2029 – the next in a distinguished line of high-achieving, ambitious, creative freshmen entering UGA and the Franklin College with big dreams: This year, every measure of the incoming class’s academic profile increased. These first-year students arrive with an average of 11 Advanced…

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Three Franklin professors named as UGA Faculty Innovation Fellows

The University of Georgia Innovation Fellows Program, a university-wide initiative to provide the UGA community with improved, peer-delivered access to information, training, and assistance related to innovation and entrepreneurship, announced its first cohort of Faculty Innovation Fellows. The program recruited faculty members from select colleges to act as peer-liaisons and ambassadors between researchers and innovation programs…

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Chemistry doctoral student awarded prestigious DOE fellowship

University of Georgia Ph.D. student Troy Smith is among thirty students selected for the Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE CSGF) program, which emphasizes the use of computing and mathematics. The DOE CSGF ranks at the top of the most competitive fellowship programs offered by the NSF and DOD. The 2025-2026 incoming fellows will attend 21 U.S. universities as they learn to apply high-performance computing (HPC)…

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Alumni Awards are open!

The Franklin College of Arts and Sciences is excited to announce the 2026 Franklin College Alumni Awards! These awards honor a group of distinguished alumni who exemplify the characteristics of the Franklin Spark that unite us across the arts and sciences. These traits are undeniably ambitious, exceptionally curious, wildly creative, incredibly innovative, and tomorrow’s leaders. When the arts and sciences come together, innovative multi-…
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