January 15, 2019
by Jere W. Morehead, President
Through their research, UGA faculty are addressing many of the grand challenges facing our society. From ensuring the safety of our food and water supplies to fighting infectious diseases, UGA research is improving lives in Georgia and around the world. The work of our faculty is gaining national and international recognition along the way.
For example, Dr. Jenna Jambeck, an Associate Professor in the College of Engineering, and her colleagues found that more than 90 percent of the world’s plastic has never been recycled. This startling revelation was named the 2018 International Statistic of the Year by the Royal Statistical Society. Dr. Jambeck is a leader among scientists and engineers who are helping communities rethink how materials are managed both locally and globally.
The work of Dr. David Okech, an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work, and his colleagues was cited at the 2018 United Nations General Assembly last fall. Dr. Okech’s team is developing evidence-based reintegration programming for victims of human trafficking. They were awarded a $4 million grant from the U.S. State Department as part of the Program to End Modern Slavery, extending the work they began with funding from a UGA Interdisciplinary Seed Grant.
The University of Georgia’s strategic investments in research faculty, facilities, and grant programs—combined with the hard work of the UGA community—are helping us increase our positive impact at home and around the world while securing our position as one of the top public research universities in the nation.