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

Dr. Diana Downs

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

University Chapel
Type of Event:
General
Dr. Diana Downs
Department of Microbiology

Charter Lecture to feature UGA’s newest Regents’ Professors

 
Dr. Downs and Dr. Murdie
The university’s 2023-2024 Regents’ Professors are Diana Downs, left, Distinguished Research Professor in the department of microbiology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, and Amanda Murdie, right, Georgia Athletic Association Professor in the School of Public and International Affairs and head of the department of international affairs. (Submitted photos)

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

Multi-omic analysis of microbial community ecology in the human gut and in a human-impacted stream.

Coralis Rodriguez Garcia

Multi-omic analysis of microbial community ecology in the human gut and in a human-impacted stream.

404D, Biological Sciences
Type of Event:
Student Seminars
Coralis Rodriguez Garcia
Ottesen Laboratory
UGA Department of Microbiology

Dissertation Defense Seminar by Coralis Rodriguez Garcia of the Ottesen Lab.

Tatum Mortimer

Adjunct Assistant Professor

The Mortimer lab is focused on unraveling the epidemiology and evolution of bacterial pathogens of human and animal populations, including addressing the pressing public health threat of antimicrobial resistance. We employ computational tools using microbial whole genome sequencing data to reconstruct pathogen transmission, investigate adaptation during infection and transmission, and inform the development of novel diagnostics and interventions.

Labs (via personnel):
Labs:

Presidential Award of Excellence Winner

The Presidential Award of Excellence is awarded to undergraduate students in their final year of study who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, strong extracurricular involvement, and/or service to and involvement in their respective school or college. Students selected for this award exemplify the best of UGA's undergraduate student body. Only 46 students have been selected, which translates to 0.6% (0.006) of the graduating class.

Selection and Characterization of Escherichia coli Citrate Synthase Variants That Improve Biosynthesis of Products Derived from Acetyl-CoA

Jeff Dodelin

Selection and Characterization of Escherichia coli Citrate Synthase Variants That Improve Biosynthesis of Products Derived from Acetyl-CoA

404D, Biological Sciences
Type of Event:
Student Seminars
Jeff Dodelin
Eiteman Laboratory
UGA Department of Microbiology

Dissertation Defense Seminar by PhD Candidate Jeff Dodelin of the Eiteman Lab.

UGA Griffin Microbiology Outreach with Pike County Middle School Students

Across three days (February 13 – 15), the UGA Griffin Campus hosted 270 seventh-graders from Pike County Middle School, who had the opportunity to hear from a number of researchers and also take a tour of the microbiology teaching lab. During the tour for the teaching lab, Dr. Oliver Shey Njila, Lecturer in Microbiology, introduced students to microbiology as a discipline and its applications in public health, the food industry, agriculture, biotechnology, and other areas. He also highlighted various career opportunities available to graduates of our microbiology program.

Support Microbiology at UGA

The Department of Microbiology appreciates your financial support. Your gift is important to us and helps support critical opportunities for students and faculty alike, including lectures, travel support, and any number of educational events that augment the classroom experience. Click to read more

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