Category: Distinguished Research Professor

Robert Schmitz, professor in the Franklin College Department of Genetics, is a leader in plant epigenomics, developing genome-wide approaches to understand how chemical modifications to DNA shape gene regulation. His research maps and interprets epigenomic variation within and between plant species and examines how these regulatory features influence development, adaptation, and evolution in plants. Schmitz is widely recognized for discovering how epigenomic differences arise, are inherited, and interact with genetic variation to affect complex traits. By innovating epigenomic technologies and computational methods, his work has transformed how scientists study gene regulation beyond DNA sequence alone. His discoveries have important implications for agriculture and evolutionary biology, informing strategies to improve crop performance, resilience, and stability through epigenome-informed breeding and biotechnology. Supported by major federal funding and published in leading journals, Schmitz’s research has helped establish epigenomics as a central framework for understanding plant genome function. 

Qingguo “Jack” Huang, professor in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, has built a career defined by transformative contributions to environmental research and pollutant remediation. His work has reshaped how persistent contaminants are treated in water and soil, addressing compounds once thought to be nearly impossible to remediate. Over the course of his career, Huang has developed innovative catalytic technologies to break down highly stable pollutants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called “forever chemicals.” His research integrates science with application, leading to practical solutions to urgent environmental and public health challenges. Most notably, Huang pioneered methods for degrading PFAS in contaminated water—work that has resulted in patented technologies now licensed and commercialized for real-world use. His discoveries have helped position UGA as a national leader in PFAS research and remediation. With more than 200 peer-reviewed publications, sustained federal funding, and technologies adopted by industry partners, Huang’s career demonstrates how fundamental science can translate into impactful environmental solutions. 

Daniel Perez, professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, has built an internationally influential research career focused on the evolution, transmission, and control of avian influenza and other emerging viral diseases. His work has fundamentally advanced understanding of how influenza viruses adapt, spread, and cross species barriers, providing critical insight into threats to animal agriculture, wildlife, and human health. Perez is widely known for pioneering research on live attenuated influenza vaccines and novel strategies to control highly pathogenic avian influenza in poultry. His studies have directly informed disease surveillance, biosecurity practices, and outbreak response strategies in the United States and abroad. Consistent and significant support from federal agencies has enabled Perez to build a research program with clear translational impact, bridging molecular virology, immunology, and applied disease control. Through extensive publication, international collaboration, and leadership during major avian influenza outbreaks, Perez’s work has shaped both scientific understanding and practical approaches to managing infectious disease threats in animal health.

David Gay, professor in the Franklin College Department of Mathematics, is a renowned mathematician whose research has transformed understanding of the structure of complicated geometric spaces. His work addresses fundamental questions about how multidimensional spaces can be broken down into simpler, more manageable pieces—questions that lie at the heart of modern topology and theoretical physics. Gay is best known for introducing “trisections,” a powerful new framework that provides a systematic way to decompose four-dimensional spaces into three interacting components. Developed in a landmark 2016 paper, this approach resolved long-standing obstacles in the field and has become a foundational tool used by mathematicians worldwide. It sparked extensive new research and enabled progress on problems that resisted solution for decades. Supported by sustained funding from NSF and the Simons Foundation, Gay’s work has also led to major international leadership roles, including at the Max Planck Institute and the Centre International de Rencontres Mathématiques, reflecting the broad influence of his contributions.

Amy Ellis, professor in the Mary Frances Early College of Education, is an internationally recognized leader in mathematics education whose research has reshaped understanding of algebraic reasoning and learning. Across a distinguished career spanning more than two decades, Ellis has developed foundational accounts of how students generalize, reason, and construct mathematical meaning, producing theoretical frameworks that are now central to research and practice in the field. Her scholarship bridges cognitive theory and classroom application, influencing how algebra is taught in K–12 and undergraduate settings worldwide. Ellis’s work has appeared in the most selective journals in mathematics education and the learning sciences, including Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, Cognition and Instruction, and Science. She has sustained continuous external funding for over 20 years, securing nearly $10 million from federal agencies, and her research has informed national policy, curriculum design, and teacher preparation by shaping how educators understand the development of algebraic thinking.