The University of Georgia has made another major investment to enhance research and education at America’s first public university. The $2 million initiative, launched by President Jere W. Morehead, provides startup funding to recruit new faculty to establish their research programs at UGA.
“Faculty are the lifeblood of the University of Georgia—driving our vital missions of teaching, research and service,” said Morehead. “This latest effort will provide valuable startup funding to target outstanding scholars who can help the university expand its impact on individuals and communities across this state and around the world.”
Funds provided through this initiative will be matched by unit-level support to help fill 16 critical faculty positions across eight schools and colleges. The new faculty will be located in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the College of Pharmacy, the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, the School of Social Work, the School of Public and International Affairs, the College of Public Health and the Odum School of Ecology.
“These critical investments in new faculty members will help advance the university’s signature research themes of improving human health, safeguarding and sustaining our world and fostering economic vitality,” said Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Pamela Whitten.
The startup research initiative continues a series of strategic investments since July 2013 to strengthen even further the university’s world-class faculty. Past efforts have helped to reduce class sizes, expand research in key areas of strengths—such as infectious disease and informatics—and foster interdisciplinary scholarship and education on campus.
“The research enterprise at UGA is booming, and the faculty hired through this exciting new initiative will help to maintain our positive momentum,” said David Lee, vice president for research. “More importantly, however, these individuals will help the institution expand the frontiers of knowledge and address pressing challenges across the range of human experience.”
