Cameron Thomas joined the University of Georgia’s Rural Engagement Workshop for Academic Faculty cohort eager to learn how his research on precision medicine could meet the needs of rural communities.
A first-year faculty member in the College of Pharmacy, his work in pharmacogenomics centers on using genetic information to customize medications. As he sat in a room with public service and outreach experts and faculty from across UGA, a different perspective began to take shape.
Thomas began to think less about what he was studying and more about where it could matter.
“What really struck me was seeing how passionate faculty members were about getting their research into rural communities and making a real impact,” he said. “It made me excited about the possibility of blending my work in precision medicine and pharmacogenomics with rural health needs.”
Translating ideas into solutions
Launched in 2021 by the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach and the Office of the Provost, the Rural Engagement Workshop connects research and communities in ways that go beyond traditional academic settings. By fostering sustained partnerships and community-engaged scholarship, the workshop provides opportunities for faculty to translate academic expertise into new interdisciplinary research opportunities and collaborative solutions that better address the complex needs of Georgia residents.
“The Rural Engagement Workshop exemplifies how UGA connects its academic strengths with the needs of communities across Georgia,” said Benjamin Ayers, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “By preparing faculty to engage meaningfully with rural partners, we are ensuring that our research and teaching have a direct and lasting impact on the state we serve.”
For Thomas, being part of the workshop’s 2026 cohort meant seeing his research through a new lens.
He learned how UGA’s extensive public service and outreach networks bridge the gap between academic research and real-world applications, helping faculty translate complex ideas into community-informed solutions. He also gained a deeper understanding of how critical relationships are to successful community-engaged research, learning that even the best-designed research will fail without local support.
Through the program, participants gain insight from workshop alumni who share how they have successfully translated their research into community settings, offering both practical guidance and reflections on challenges. Networking events create additional opportunities to connect with alumni, PSO faculty and peers, strengthening relationships that extend beyond the classroom.
“The people are really what make it happen,” Thomas said. “I can come in with an idea or a proposal, and then you can bounce it off public service and outreach experts, and you really get a sense for how effective this implementation might be, how well received it will be or what challenges you might anticipate.”
Creative partnerships for community impact
Sheri Dorn is an assistant professor of sociohorticulture and horticultural therapy in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences who splits her position between the college’s department of horticulture and the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, a unit of PSO.
“As faculty, we have so many resources at our fingertips here at UGA,” Dorn said. “The challenge is thinking creatively about how to put them together in ways that truly serve communities.”
Having previously served as coordinator for the Georgia Master Gardener program at the University of Georgia Griffin campus, the workshop deepened her knowledge and understanding of UGA’s public service and outreach network. She learned to think more strategically about how her work fits into existing partnerships and ongoing efforts in rural areas. Her research focuses on adapting Meet Me at the Garden, a therapeutic horticulture program offered at the State Botanical Garden in collaboration with the UGA Cognitive Aging Research and Education Center, for use in rural communities.
The need is particularly acute in those areas, where rates of dementia and health disparities are higher and access to medical care is often limited. Through the workshop, Dorn explored how to scale the program in community-based settings by leveraging existing assets such as University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, Archway Partnership and local organizations.
For Angie Im, an assistant professor of marketing in the Hospitality and Food Industry Management program within the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the workshop has opened the door to thinking beyond disciplinary boundaries.
Im’s research examines consumer behavior in tourism and hospitality, including how people choose destinations and how workplace environments affect employee performance. Through the workshop, she has begun exploring how that work connects to rural Georgia, where tourism, local economies and community identity intersect.
“I see this program as a bridge between academia and communities, creating opportunities to make a meaningful impact both in scholarly work and at the local level,” said Im, faculty in the department of agricultural and applied economics.
Meet the 2026 cohort
Members of this year’s Rural Engagement Workshop cohort include:
- Kayla Anderson, assistant clinical professor, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
- Dana Bultman, professor and head of Romance languages, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
- Sheri Dorn, assistant professor, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
- Charles Easley, associate dean for research and associate professor, College of Public Health
- Ted Futris, professor and UGA Extension state specialist, College of Family and Consumer Sciences
- Caroline Gomez-Di Cesare, associate professor, School of Medicine
- Rachael Green, clinical assistant professor, College of Veterinary Medicine
- Sarah Haight, assistant professor, College of Public Health
- Angie Im, assistant professor, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
- Hee Yun Lee, Thomas P. Holland Distinguished Professor, School of Social Work
- Lingling Liu, assistant professor, College of Engineering
- Vladimir Reukov, assistant professor, College of Family and Consumer Sciences
- Patricia Richards, professor, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
- Cameron Thomas, assistant professor, College of Pharmacy
The Provost’s Office provides seed grant funding for up to 10 proposals developed by faculty teams through the workshop each year. Up to $70,000 in seed grants is available this year and will be awarded this summer. Grants will range from $5,000 to $10,000.