Two University of Georgia faculty members have been named University Professors in recognition of their extraordinary impact on the institution.
The 2025-2026 University Professors are Wayne Parrott, Distinguished Research Professor in the department of crop and soil sciences, director of the Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics and interim director of the Center for Applied Genetic Technologies in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; and Olin E. Rhodes Jr., UGA Athletic Association Professor of Applied Ecology in the Odum School of Ecology and director of the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory.
“The University Professorship is reserved for faculty who have created an enduring legacy at the University of Georgia above and beyond their exceptional impact in teaching, research and service,” said Benjamin C. Ayers, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “Dr. Parrott and Dr. Rhodes are most deserving of this honor, and their contributions for our institution will be felt for generations to come.”
Wayne Parrott
In addition to teaching for almost 40 years in the department of crop and soil sciences, Parrott has played an instrumental role in shaping UGA’s study abroad programs. In the mid 1990s, he co-founded one of the university’s earliest study abroad programs, Agroecology of Tropical America. Parrott later served as chair of the risk management board for all UGA study abroad programs, helping the university establish core risk management protocols. He received the Study Abroad Director of the Year Award and Richard Reiff Award for Campus Internationalization in recognition of his enduring impact on UGA’s global initiatives.
Parrott also spearheaded the development of new master’s and doctoral programs in plant breeding, genetics and genomics in response to a U.S. Department of Agriculture-designated national shortage of trained professionals in these areas. The programs were integrated into UGA’s Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, which now includes more than 60 graduate students. Since Parrott became director in 2022, IPBGG has continued to grow into one of the largest and most prestigious programs of its kind in the nation. UGA’s plant breeding and genetics program has also risen in prominence, with aspirations to become the top program in the nation by the end of the decade.
“One piece of advice I got in my graduate student days was to ‘keep one foot in the furrow,’ or in other words, not to lose track of the real world,” Parrott said. “Many of the activities I’ve undertaken have allowed me to get out of my laboratory and apply those experiences to student training, ensuring that the education they receive really does prepare them for real-world needs. It is a privilege to be recognized for my academic activities as a University Professor.”
Olin E. Rhodes Jr.
During his tenure as director for the past 14 years, Rhodes has played a critical role in strengthening UGA’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. Located at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina, SREL provides an independent evaluation of the environmental impact of the Savannah River Site’s nuclear activities to the public and DOE.
Rhodes increased the combined SREL staff from 46 to 202, grew the number of graduate students from six to 82 and expanded the number of faculty from seven to 19. Under his leadership, SREL established a positive and productive relationship with DOE, leading to a 600% increase in external funding.
“I am thrilled and honored to be recognized by UGA as a University Professor,” Rhodes said. “I have a long history with this great academic institution over my career, and this recognition of my contributions is both personally and professionally rewarding to me as a faculty member and administrator.”
University Professors receive a permanent salary increase of $10,000 and yearly academic support of $5,000. Nominations from the deans of UGA’s schools and colleges are reviewed by a committee, which makes a recommendation to the senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. To learn more and to see a list of previously appointed University Professors, visit https://provost.uga.edu/resources/faculty-resources/faculty-honors-and-awards/career-achievement-awards/university-professorships/.