Dr. Diana Downs to deliver Charter Lecture on March 27, 2024

Two distinguished faculty members at the University of Georgia will discuss their pace-setting research in the fields of microbiology and international affairs during the 2024 Charter Lecture.

Diana Downs, Distinguished Research Professor in the department of microbiology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and Amanda Murdie, Georgia Athletic Association Professor in the School of Public and International Affairs and head of the department of international affairs, will deliver the Charter Lecture at 11 a.m. on March 27 in the University Chapel. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Both Downs and Murdie were named Regents’ Professors this year, an honor bestowed by the University System of Georgia on distinguished faculty whose scholarship or creative activity is recognized both nationally and internationally as innovative and pace-setting.

“Dr. Downs and Dr. Murdie reflect the breadth and quality of research and scholarship at the University of Georgia,” said S. Jack Hu, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “They are most deserving of the Regents’ Professorships, and I encourage the university community to take advantage of this opportunity to gain insights from their highly influential work.”

Downs has made transformative contributions to the field of microbiology by using genetic analysis to help solve important biochemical mysteries of bacterial life. A key theme of her research is that pulling one thread of metabolism reveals interconnected threads in unexpected ways. She has published 126 peer-­reviewed papers and her work has been funded through 30 years of continuous grants from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and industry and private foundations.

Murdie has distinguished herself in the field of international relations as a preeminent scholar on the behavior of international non-governmental organizations. She has published more than 80 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters focusing on topics including human security, human rights, conflict processes and development. Most recently, Murdie won the Karl Deutsch Award from the International Studies Association. This award is widely regarded as the most prestigious in the field of international relations.

Sponsored by the Provost’s Office, the Charter Lecture series was established in 1988 to honor the high ideals expressed in the 1785 charter that made UGA the birthplace of public higher education in America. The event is part of UGA’s spring 2024 Signature Lecture Series.

Requests for accommodations for those with disabilities should be made as soon as possible but at least seven days prior to the scheduled lecture. Please contact Stacia Fink in the Office of the Provost at 706-542-04