Elena Karahanna and J. Marshall Shepherd, two recently named Regents’ Professors at the University of Georgia, will share insights from their groundbreaking research at the 2026 Charter Lecture on March 25. The lecture begins at 11 a.m. in the Chapel and is open to the public.
Karahanna, a Distinguished Research Professor and the C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry Distinguished Chair in Business Administration in the Terry College of Business, will discuss the evolving relationship between humans and digital technology. Her internationally recognized research has shaped how individuals and organizations engage with digital tools. Among the most cited information systems scholars in the world, she has authored three of the 25 most cited papers in MIS Quarterly, the discipline’s premier journal.
Shepherd, the Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor of Geography and Atmospheric Sciences and an associate dean in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, will address extreme weather, socioeconomic risk and community resilience. An international expert in weather and climate, he has significantly advanced understanding of extreme weather predictability, related hazards and the interactions between urban environments and hydroclimate systems. He is also widely recognized for his mentorship of students and early-career scientists.
Karahanna and Shepherd were named Regents’ Professors earlier this year by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents. The professorship is the highest faculty honor bestowed by the board and recognizes sustained, extraordinary contributions to scholarship and research with global impact.
“Few scholars have shaped their fields as profoundly as Dr. Karahanna and Dr. Shepherd,” said Benjamin C. Ayers, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “Their insights into digital innovation and climate science resonate far beyond academia, influencing industry, policy and public understanding. We are proud to showcase their extraordinary contributions through the 2026 Charter Lecture.”
Sponsored by the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, the Charter Lecture series was established in 1988 to honor the ideals expressed in the 1785 charter that founded UGA as the birthplace of public higher education in America. The event is part of UGA’s Spring 2026 Signature Lecture Series.
Requests for accommodations for individuals with disabilities should be made as soon as possible and at least seven days before the event. Contact Maggie C. Parker in the Office of the Provost at 706-542-9860 or mcparker@uga.edu.