News from the Chronicles - January 2026

Photo of story building on campus, with statue in front, day.
Happy New Year!

Happy 2026 from the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. Best wishes as we look forward to an outstanding new year in teaching, research, and service. From the classroom to our laboratories and performance halls, let's bring our highest ambitions, be mindful of community, and find new ways to strengthen our connections to friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues.  

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Four Franklin faculty members named 2026 Advanced Leader Fellows

The University of Georgia has selected 10 faculty - four from the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences – to join the 2026 class of its Advanced Leader Program, an initiative designed to cultivate the next generation of higher education leaders. The program provides a select group of faculty and administrators an opportunity to build upon their existing strengths as they learn from senior administrators, experts in leadership development and…

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UGA names national science policy leader as next VP for research

David B. Berkowitz, an accomplished research administrator and nationally recognized science policy leader, has been selected to serve as next vice president for research at University of Georgia. Currently serving as assistant director of the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Berkowitz oversees a portfolio of approximately $1.7 billion in funding of research and infrastructure in astronomy,…

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Walker receives microbiology teaching award

Jennifer Walker received the Margaret Green Microbiology Teaching Award from the Southeastern Branch of the American Society for Microbiology.  The Margaret Green Microbiology Teaching Award was established in 1986, presented annually to an individual who has rendered outstanding service in the teaching of microbiology, particularly at the undergraduate level, while at a Southeastern Branch institution. Walker was presented with the…