Office of Strategic Research Development

The Biomedical and Translational Sciences Institute (BTSI) at the University of Georgia facilitates and promotes interdisciplinary research and instructional efforts throughout UGA. With divisions focusing on neuroscience, basic and translational biomedical science and the One Health initiative, researchers in the institute support graduate degree programs and cooperative research projects designed to solve the most fundamental problems in the fields of biomedical and health sciences. btsi.uga.edu.

The Center for Applied Isotope Studies (CAIS) is an interdisciplinary unit dedicated to providing the highest quality radiocarbon (14C), stable isotope, and elemental analyses to researchers in academia, industry, and government in order to facilitate integrative research, inform science-based decision making, and promote the future growth of UGA as a leader in applied STEM fields. The CAIS occupies a 22,000 square-foot complex of offices and laboratories located in UGA’s Riverbend Research Facility. Additional facilities are located in the UGA Chemistry Building, the Geology/Geography Building, and in the L.L. Pete Philips Wood Utilization Plant Sciences Building within the Whitehall Forest complex of the Warnell School of Forest Resources. CAIS is accredited (since 2015) under the International Organization for Standardization, ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for stable isotope and radiocarbon analyses—an accreditation that is universally recognized as the highest level of quality attainable by a testing laboratory. cais.uga.edu

The Center for Cyber-Physical Systems (CCPS) develops partnerships among universities, industry and government on research and education in Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) analytics and security and fosters bold innovation and entrepreneurship in CPS. The CCPS center is an interdisciplinary research center in UGA committed to advancing research and education in CPS and to transitioning CPS science and technology into engineering practice and real-world applications with lasting impact. Integrating with the existing strength of UGA, the CCPS will be initially positioned on leading the CPS innovations on the intersecting grand challenges of energy, environment, food and health. cps.uga.edu.

The Center for Drug Discovery is designed to be the premier portal at the University of Georgia for the development of therapeutics by supporting pre-clinical stage collaborations with extramural supporting entities. The Center for Drug Discovery was established in 2005 to fulfill a critical state, national, and international need for the discovery and development of new chemical and biological entities for combating existing and emerging life-threatening diseases. The Center’s drug discovery services are provided by the Drug Discovery Core Laboratory, which is a partnership between the UGA Center for Drug Discovery and the Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program. More on some of the center’s services as well as its ability to help with proposal development can be found here cdd.uga.edu

As an intellectual community where scientific curiosity is valued, the CEID seeks to address the problems at the intersection of ecology and infectious diseases by developing innovative technical methods and novel collaborative approaches, which draw upon the various fields vested in infectious disease research. The CEID welcomes participation from anyone wanting to learn and contribute, including professional scientists, graduate or undergraduate students, and industry professionals seeking answers to today’s pressing infectious disease issues. Center activities include disease ecology workshops in which faculty present research in progress, computational clinics to teach modeling techniques, and research seminars given by visiting faculty on a range of topics. The CEID also supports working groups on zoonotic spillover, disease mapping, and disease forecasting. ceid.uga.edu

The Center for Food Safety (CFS) was established in 1992 to promote food safety and its role in protecting the agricultural system. CFS is a leader of multidisciplinary, innovative research to improve the safety of food. CFS researchers develop ways to detect, control and eliminate harmful microorganisms and their toxins from the food supply. The expertise within CFS is broad and involves every stage of the food supply chain, from the growing fields and barns to consumers’ plates. CFS is part of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and is located on the Griffin Campus of the University of Georgia. CFS maintains strong collaborative ties with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and research groups at the Athens campus of the University of Georgia. center-for-food-safety.

The Center for Geospatial Research (CGR) promotes geographic thinking and the application of geospatial technologies in interdisciplinary research, education, and public service. They apply expertise in remote sensing, photogrammetry, GIS, geovisualization, and field surveys to uncover spatial and temporal aspects of projects and research. Since their establishment in 1985 as the Laboratory for Remote Sensing and Mapping Science (later renamed to Center for Remote Sensing and Mapping Science), their internationally recognized work in natural and cultural resources, terrain analysis, and spatiotemporal modeling addresses critical and contemporary issues in humans and the environment relationships. cgr.uga.edu

At the Grady College Center for Health and Risk Communication (CHRC) at the University of Georgia researchers are working to improve communication practices that address a broad catalogue of health and risk conditions ranging from breast cancer and diabetes to multiple sclerosis and sickle cell anemia to drinking water contamination arising from terrorist attack. It functions as an institutional, regional, and international contact point for UGA outreach in health and risk communication research, training, and service to advance knowledge about effective and understandable messages to help people make better health-related decisions. chrc.uga.edu

The Center for Integrative Conservation Research (CICR) works to inspire durable and equitable solutions to complex environmental challenges through its support of collaborative training, research, and problem-solving with an emphasis on a broad diversity of ways of perceiving and analyzing complex conservation issues. Established in 2007, the CICR plays a convening and catalytic role in fostering integrative research across the social and environmental sciences and diverse knowledge traditions, supporting conservation practices and policies that simultaneously preserve biodiversity and serve human needs. With a remarkable breadth of expertise on the social-environmental interface at UGA, CICR serves as a bridge between faculty and students from different disciplines and units on campus. cicr.uga.edu.

The Center for International Trade & Security (CITS) was established in 1987 with the support of former U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk. Since its founding, CITS has developed a network of academic researchers, public officials, and industry representatives with expertise in critical areas of national and international security. CITS advises policymakers and trains personnel around the world on nonproliferation, strategic trade and energy security, while serving as a hub of research, teaching, and outreach on new and emerging security topics. spia.uga.edu/cits.

The Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM) at the University of Georgia is working to better understand the molecular and cellular basis for human disease and translate this research into the discovery of new therapies, cures and diagnostic tools. The therapeutics being developed may be in the form of stem cell-based therapies, vaccines, new drugs, antibodies or protein pharmaceuticals. Research programs also focus on the identification of new biomarkers and other tools for clinical diagnostics, with direct application to a wide range of diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurological disorders and diabetes. cmm.uga.edu

The Center for the Study of Global Issues (GLOBIS) at the University of Georgia fosters educational and research activities focused on economic, political, and sociocultural change and development occurring at the global level. GLOBIS conducts research and educational activities which examine recent global economic, political, and socio-cultural trends and the human problems associated with these trends in order to furnish a basis for forecasting the future and forming public policy. spia.uga.edu/globis.

The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) offers a wide variety of programs and activities to foster an institutional climate that reinforces excellence in teaching and learning across the University of Georgia. The CTL partners with faculty, graduate students, staff, and administrators to promote evidence-based teaching and learning practices, sustain a university culture that values and rewards teaching, encourages critical reflection on teaching practices, and creates learning environments in which all students and instructors can excel. The CTL provides instructional grants, consultation services, faculty and TA development programs, publications, activities planning, and teaching resources and media services. In addition, it offers seminars, workshops, and conferences that address a wide range of topics throughout the year. ctl.uga.edu

The Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases at the University of Georgia is one of the largest international centers of research focused on diseases of poverty that contribute enormously to global death, disability, and instability. CTEGD’s 24 faculty are from nine departments in five colleges/schools and adjunct faculty from the Task Force for Global Health provide a strong foundation of parasitology, immunology, cellular and molecular biology, biochemistry, and genetics to develop medical and public health interventions for at-risk populations. CTEGD also benefits from the participation of adjunct faculty from The Task Force for Global Health, and its linkages to the Emory Vaccine Center and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all in nearby Atlanta, as well as its relationships with UGA’s Faculty of Infectious Diseases, Complex Carbohydrate Research Center (CCRC). The Center is made up of a wide range of research programs that focus largely on protozoan and metazoan parasites, their hosts, and their vectors. Many of these programs have major international, on-site components for both research and training, where the faculty and trainees deal with these global infections and the populations that harbor them. CTEGD also benefits from the participation of adjunct faculty from The Task Force for Global Health, and its linkages to the Emory Vaccine Center and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all in nearby Atlanta; as well as its relationships with UGA’s Faculty of Infectious Diseases, Complex Carbohydrate Research Center (CCRC), and other related programs at UGA. ctegd.uga.edu

Established in 2015, the Center for Vaccines and Immunology (CVI) is made up of a premier team of researchers that are leading the way in basic and translational research in immunology and vaccine development. CVI takes advantage of UGA’s diverse, world-renowned expertise within the areas of infectious disease, veterinary medicine, ecology and public health. With UGA’s world-class biocontainment research resources coupled with the expertise of scientists from nearby institutions, CVI investigators can focus on translational studies to test and assess the efficacy of vaccines and immunotherapies in development by industry, governmental and academic institutions. cvi.uga.edu

The Clinical and Translational Research Unit (CTRU), an initiative of the AU/UGA Medical Partnership and the UGA Office of Research, was established in 2015 to support investigators in conducting sponsored or pilot clinical and translational studies that advance the understanding, prevention and treatment of human diseases. For students and health sciences trainees, the unit provides opportunities to gain experience in clinical research and learn how laboratory discoveries are translated into improved patient outcomes. The CTRU also offers competitive seed grants for faculty. ctru.uga.edu

The Complex Carbohydrate Research Center (CCRC) at the University of Georgia was founded in 1985, and is one of only three centers worldwide dedicated to the study of complex carbohydrates, which play critical roles in cellular communication, gene expression, immunology, organism defense mechanisms, growth and development. The 140,000 square-foot facility was specifically designed for the interdisciplinary and equipment-intensive nature of carbohydrate science and is home to 17 interdisciplinary research groups, including four federally designated centers for carbohydrate research. Collaborative research programs span multiple domains, including biomedical glycoscience, plant and microbial glycoscience, synthetic and analytical chemistry. In addition to UGA research projects, the center provides analytical services and training worldwide for university, government and industrial scientists interested in complex carbohydrate molecules. ccrc.uga.edu

The Developmental Biology Alliance at the University of Georgia is a novel mechanism based on partnerships with diverse units and research groups at UGA and across Georgia to advance common goals in supporting integrative and interdisciplinary research and undergraduate and graduate training programs in developmental biology. The UGA Developmental Biology Alliance encompasses research in organogenesis, evolutionary developmental biology, and the interface of developmental mechanisms and aging. The Developmental Biology Alliance also actively promotes interactions between developmental biologists and scientists in diverse disciplines including nanotechnology, quantitative modeling, and advanced imaging, to develop new avenues of collaborative research and training. devbio.uga.edu

The Engineering Education Transformations Institute in the UGA College of Engineering seeks to transform engineering education through building community and shared capacity around the scholarship of teaching and learning in engineering that will allow educators to improve their own teaching, innovate in their courses and curricula, and conduct empirical investigations to better understand their students’ experiences. The college faculty, staff, engineering education researchers, graduate, and undergraduate students in three schools and 15 degree programs fuse a vibrant culture and discourse around educational innovation in the college with cutting-edge engineering education research to transform engineering programs, educational practices, and institutional cultures, locally and nationally. The strength of their efforts, and of their community, is grounded in a shared commitment to celebrating diversity, embracing collaboration as our mode of operating, and valuing individual strengths and interests. eeti.uga.edu

The Faculty of Infectious Diseases was created in 2007 to address existing and emerging infectious disease threats to species and economies worldwide by integrating multidisciplinary research in animal, human and ecosystem health. The Faculty of Infectious Diseases spans eight schools and colleges at UGA, creating a consolidated profile for infectious disease research at UGA including epidemiology, host-pathogen interactions, evolution of infectious diseases, disease surveillance, vaccine development, therapeutics and diagnostics and predictors/modelling of disease outbreaks and the likely influence of countermeasures to control outbreaks. The faculty promotes interdisciplinary interactions, new collaborations, and synergy among UGA faculty and with regional institutions and the private sector; facilitates the pursuit of new research initiatives, particularly in response to emerging threats, and new technologies and applications; and trains the next generation of researchers in infectious diseases. fid.uga.edu

The Faculty of Robotics at the University of Georgia aims to significantly advance the fundamental science and engineering involved in robotics, facilitate diverse robotic applications with profound societal impact, and enhance the University’s prominence in the discipline of robotics by serving as a singular hub for research in robotics that brings together interested University faculty and students from a variety of disciplines. The Faculty facilitates close research exchanges among several UGA faculty all of whom have research expertise in fields related to robotics science, engineering, and its applications. robotics.uga.edu

The institutions of the NIH-funded Georgia Clinical & Translational Science Alliance (CTSA) leverage their complementary strengths to accelerate clinical and translational education, research, and community engagement to impact health in Georgia and beyond. This strategic multi-institutional alliance among Emory University, UGA, Georgia Tech, and Morehouse School of Medicine offers compelling, unique, and synergistic advantages to research and patients statewide. UGA’s statewide Extension footprint has allowed Georgia CTSA to broaden the impact of its community engagement mission across the state. actsi.org.

The explosion of digital information has created new opportunities in so many fields-from the sciences to engineering and the humanities. The goal of the Georgia Informatics Institutes (GII) is to help faculty use informatics as a tool to help answer research questions while making it easier for them to incorporate informatics into their instruction. GII is a hub for informatics research and instruction that will promote collaboration among faculty members and give our students the knowledge and skills they need to fill some of today’s most in-demand positions. GII institutes and affiliated groups are the Institute of Bioinformatics, Health Informatics Institute, Institute for Cyber-Security and Privacy, Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Center for Cyber-Physical Systems, Digital Humanities, Management Information Systems, and Departments of Statistics, Computer Science, and Geography (GIScience Group). gii.uga.edu

The Georgia Initiative for Climate and Society at the University of Georgia fosters a scientific community dedicated to improving our understanding of the complex processes and effects of climate variability and change on natural, managed, human-built, and societal systems. As part of the initiative’s mission, members integrate research, outreach and instruction to provide the public with science-based information about climate variability and change, as well the tools needed to prepare for and respond to the challenges it may create by developing user-inspired effective and appropriate adaption and mitigation strategies, solutions, information and tools. climateandsociety.uga.edu

The Global Health Institute (GHI) at the University of Georgia seeks to identify best practices of health care throughout the world and to support their dissemination, adaption, and adoption in order to create equity in health for people around the world. The GHI promotes the health of individuals and their communities through global health research and the application of scientific discoveries, undergraduate and graduate education programs, and service activities that promote global health. GHI has 34 members from nine different UGA colleges/schools, centers, and institutes. Members range from Deans to postdoctoral researchers and represent 74 different academic research areas. ghi.publichealth.uga.edu

Ideas for Creative Exploration is a catalyst for innovative, interdisciplinary creative projects, advanced research and critical discourse in the arts, and for creative applications of technologies, concepts, and practices found across disciplines. It is a collaborative network of faculty, students, and community members from all disciplines of the visual and performing arts in addition to other disciplines in the humanities and sciences. Ideas for Creative Exploration enables all stages of creative activity, from concept and team formation through production, documentation, and dissemination of research. ice.uga.edu

Innovation Gateway (IG) is the University of Georgia’s technology and commercialization office, incubator, and entrepreneurial assistance center. Conveniently located on UGA’s Athens campus, Innovation Gateway facilitates licensing and patents for the discoveries of UGA students, faculty, and staff in the fields of medicine, agriculture, bioinformatics and environmental science, and also enables start-ups to accelerate the commercialization of those discoveries. The IG helped UGA introduce 900+ products to the marketplace, placing it in the top 5 among U.S. Universities for bringing new products to market for 8 consecutive years. The UGA has placed in the top 10 U.S. universities in active licenses for 14 consecutive years and has generated a $531 million economic impact from UGA startup companies. research.uga.edu/gateway.

The Institute of Bioinformatics (IOB) at the University of Georgia facilitates interactions and cutting-edge research collaborations between experimental biologists, technologists and computational/mathematical scientists to solve complex biological problems. Thus, our program emphases the full data lifecycle from experimental design to choosing the appropriate technology to analysis with the proper statistics and algorithms. The IOB’s 50 associated interdisciplinary faculty actively conduct bioinformatics research on genomics and phylogenomics (all domains of life), biomedicine and cancer, metabolomics, glycobiology, data integration, systems, and statistical and mathematical sciences. Our M.S. and Ph.D. and Graduate Certificate programs train students to tackle complex biological problems which utilize omics or other complex data types in support of campus-wide computational biology and bioinformatics research at UGA. iob.uga.edu.

Every year, thousands of people are impacted by disasters across the world, often receiving aid only after considerable delay and suffering. The leading researchers and subject matter experts at the Institute for Disaster Management at the University of Georgia (UGA IDM) work to reduce the casualties and disruption from all types of hazards through engagement in planning, mitigation, risk analysis, professional training, and the development of response capabilities and infrastructure. They work with local, state, federal, and international partners to host a coordinated research, service, and training program to affect meaningful improvement in the global response to disasters and human suffering that disasters entail. The IDM offers one of the only Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees with a specific concentration in disaster management, graduate and undergraduate certificates, and an undergraduate minor in public health. uga.edu/dman

The institute provides a venue for industry, government, and academia to improve and harmonize the worldwide safe use of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, medical devices, biologics, animal health products and combination products through the regulatory sciences. We achieve this through collaborative partnerships, integrative research, education, training, and outreach. The University of Georgia established graduate training in regulatory affairs and clinical trials management in 2005 with an initial focus toward improving the education of working regulatory professionals in a wide variety of biomedical product areas involving pharmaceuticals, biologics, medical devices, and animal health products. Advances in technology and our understanding of diseases create new opportunities to positively impact the health and well-being of patients while presenting increasing challenges that need to be studied and understood in order to bring the highest quality of life to mankind.  The regulatory sciences are responsible for the integration of new innovations in science, technology, engineering, informatics, and other related disciplines into guidelines that can be broadly understood and operationalized. iibrs.uga.edu

The Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems (IRIS) helps communities, businesses, and governments mitigate risks – and seize opportunities – associated with environmental change, extreme weather, and climate-related events by rethinking, transforming and adapting infrastructure systems to strengthen social, economic and ecological resilience. IRIS advances the integration of natural and conventional infrastructure systems to strengthen society’s long-term resilience to flooding, sea level rise, drought and other disruptions through collaborative partnerships, integrative research, decision support, education, training, and outreach. https://www.iris.uga.edu/.

The Georgia Sea Grant College Program is part of a national network of 34 Sea Grant programs located in every coastal and Great Lakes state, Puerto Rico, Lake Champlain, and Guam. These programs serve as a core of a dynamic university-based network of over 300 institutions involving more than 3,000 scientists, engineers, educators, students, and outreach experts. UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant provide research, education, training, and science-based outreach to assist Georgia in solving problems and realizing opportunities for its coastal and marine environments. They promote the economic, cultural, and environmental health of Georgia’s coast by preparing citizens to become good stewards of coastal ecosystems and watershed resources and assisting marine industries in finding ways to increase their efficiency and effectiveness by developing new, environmentally sustainable industries. gacoast.uga.edu. 

The UGA New Materials Institute is committed to preventing waste through the design of materials and systems that adhere to Green Engineering principles. The Institute partners with industry and businesses to design materials for their use that are bio-based, fully biodegradable, or completely recyclable, and safe for people, animals and our planet. In addition, it works with businesses, governments, foundations and other organizations to redesign systems so that they generate less waste and promote circularity in materials management. The New Materials Institute is also shaping the future by training the next generation of scientists and engineers on the importance of considering Green Engineering design principles in everything they do. newmaterials.uga.edu

The NMI is home to the Bioseniatic Laboratory, which tests materials and/or products currently in development or in use, from any manufacturer or researcher to determine how long it takes to degrade into a natural state and in what receiving environment. A Bioseniatic™ material or product is one that will be consumed by microbes in water or on land, leaving behind no micro- or nano-sized particles or toxic residues. The lab assesses the safety of biologically degradable materials and products that can replace environmentally persistent petroleum-derived plastics and other environmentally persistent materials. Their certification program determines how long it takes a material or product to degrade into a natural state and tests for micro- and nano-sized particles of materials and/or chemical residue. https://newmaterials.uga.edu/the-bioseniatic%e2%84%a0-laboratory/

The UGA Obesity Initiative addresses the growing epidemic of adult and childhood obesity and its related diseases by promoting multidisciplinary, collaborative research that will inform effective and sustainable obesity prevention and treatment programs across the lifespan. Through its public service and outreach, the OI ensures that UGA’s outstanding research helps Georgia communities, employers and health care providers develop and implement obesity prevention and treatment programs to improve the health of Georgia’s citizens and decrease the cost of health care in the state. obesity.uga.edu.

The Owens Institute for Behavioral Research, founded in 1970, provides services, information, and support to enhance the quality, comprehensiveness, and relevance of social and behavioral research at the University of Georgia. Over 140 behavioral scientists from across the university’s campus collaborate to address basic and applied cutting-edge research questions in the arenas of health, family, education, culture, conservation, and sustainability. OIBR’s mission is to encourage multidisciplinary research by facilitating the exchange of information and ideas across disciplinary boundaries, to enhance the ability of both emerging and eminent scholars to further their careers and to obtain extramural funding, to encourage the development of young scholars, to increase recognition of the social and behavioral sciences across campus, and to expand the research infrastructure at the University of Georgia by turning ideas into funded research. oibr.uga.edu.

Opportunities for Networking and Collaboration. The Institute sponsors frequent colloquia, research presentations, interest group sessions, and an annual retreat to promote interdisciplinary collaboration.

Grantsmanship Development Program. The Grantsmanship Development Program is a competitive, two-year program designed to prepare participants to compete successfully for extramural funding. Training includes workshops, seminars and staged guidance on proposal preparation.

Grants Support Services. OIBR offers customized, comprehensive pre-award and post-award grants services. Pre-award support includes funding searches, budget development, coordination among collaborating institutions, proofreading, and evaluation to ensure the proposal meets RFP requirements and sponsor guidelines. Post-award services include assistance with procurement and all aspects of account and expense management.

Centers of Excellence:

• Center for Family Research (CFR)
• Center for Gambling Research (CGR)
• Center on Biological Embedding of Social Events and Relationships (BESER)
• Center for Integrative Conservation Research (CICR)
• Center for Research on Behavioral Health and Human Services Delivery (BHHSD)
• Scientists Engaged in Educational Research Center (SEER)

The Phenomics and Plant Robotics Center (P2RC) aims to propel UGA into a global leadership position in the high-impact area of phenomics and plant robotics and to provide interdisciplinary educational programs to train the next generation of cross-trained scientists and workforce at the interface of plant science and technology. The P2RC leverages UGA’s world-class plant sciences portfolio (e.g., Plant Center, Complex Carbohydrate Research Center), as well as plant robotics/sensing, and the new Georgia Informatics Institutes to create a nucleus for interdisciplinary collaboration and convergence of sciences, including plant breeding/genomics, plant biomass characterization, engineering, and computational sciences. The Center addresses a major grand challenge facing humanity: to feed and sustain a growing human population amidst increasing climate variability and less arable land. It seeks to establish international collaborations with phenomics centers in Europe, Australia, and Asia while developing robotics technologies to accelerate the application of genome information in the improvement of plants that produce food, fuel, feed, and fiber. pprc.uga.edu

The Plant Center at the University of Georgia enhances the tradition of outstanding research in plant molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, genomics, and ecology to sustainably meet the food, feed, fiber and fuel needs of an ever-increasing population. The center promotes interaction among UGA researchers to support agriculture in Georgia and beyond. Researchers focus particularly on the growth, development and behavior of plants; the organization, evolution, and function of plant genomes; and the improvement of plants for agricultural and industrial uses. They bring together plant scientists from across the UGA community with an annual retreat and research seminars featuring nationally renowned speakers covering cutting-edge topics. Their workshops and symposia highlight research breakthroughs and technological advances. plantcenter.uga.edu

The Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center (PDRC), which is part of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Population Health, is dedicated to the advancement of poultry medicine throughout our state, nation, and world. Faculty members in the PDRC teach undergraduate courses in the UGA College of Agriculture, offer course work for DVM students, and oversee several graduate programs for veterinary professionals. They also provide diagnostic assistance and consultation to the world’s poultry producers and conduct research focused on solving problems of importance to the industry. vet/uga.edu/poultry

The Regenerative Bioscience Center (RBC) at the University of Georgia, established in 2004 by Dr. Steven Stice, links researchers and resources collaborating in a wide range of disciplines to develop new cures for devastating diseases and medical conditions that affect both animals and people. With its potential restorative powers, regenerative medicine could offer new ways of treating diseases for which there are currently no treatments—including heart disease, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and stroke. In addition to research, the RBC provides education to national and international researchers, graduate and undergraduate classes taught by the faculty, and a Young Scholar program for high school students interested in biomedical science careers. rbc.uga.edu.

The River Basin Center (RBC) of the University of Georgia works to produce and disseminate the knowledge and tools for sustainable management of aquatic resources and ecosystems through applied scientific and policy research. The River Basin Center works in three broad areas: (a) Conservation ecology of aquatic ecosystems; (b) Applied research on aquatic system stressors and development of appropriate management tools; (c) Policy development and outreach. Its affiliate faculty are drawn from across the university and it is known for an interdisciplinary approach to challenging environmental and social problems. rivercenter.uga.edu.

The Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL), founded in 1951, is located on the Savannah River Site, a Department of Energy facility near Aiken, SC. Scientists here pursue a wide variety of basic and applied research at multiple levels of ecological organization, from atoms to ecosystems, designed to provide sound science for decision-making and environmental stewardship. The lab also provides opportunities for graduate and undergraduate research training and service to the community through environmental outreach. srel.uga.edu

The UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography is a multidisciplinary research and training institution located on Skidaway Island near Savannah. The Institute was founded in 1968 with a mission to conduct research in all fields of oceanography. In 2013, the institute was merged with the University of Georgia. The campus serves as a gateway to coastal and marine environments for programs throughout the University System. The Institute’s primary goals are to further understanding of marine and environmental processes, conduct leading-edge research on coastal and marine systems, and train tomorrow’s scientists. Institute scientists conduct basic research across a broad range of subdisciplines, covering not only local economic and environmental issues, but also global processes and phenomena. Skidaway encourages interdisciplinary research among its faculty who collaborate on projects ranging from molecular aspects of biological systems to studies of global-scale climate change. Institute faculty are members of the Department of Marine Sciences at UGA and serve as mentors and advisors for undergraduate and graduate students from UGA and all over the world. skio.uga.edu

The University of Georgia Cancer Center is composed of more than 30 teams of researchers from across campus working to discover new drug targets, develop diagnostic tests, create cancer vaccines, and educate the public about cancer treatment and prevention. The center is also committed to educating undergraduate and graduate-level students who will become the next generation of cancer researchers and physicians. cancercenter.uga.edu.

A Public Service and Outreach unit of the University of Georgia, the Carl Vinson Institute of Government (CVI) has been helping governments become more efficient, effective and responsive since 1927 through training and development, customized assistance, application of technology, and studies relevant to government operations and decision making. The CVI offers over 600 training and education courses to help governments throughout Georgia and beyond solve grand challenges and analyze the effectiveness of new initiatives with surveys, evaluations, and focus groups.

CVI offers undergraduate and graduate students opportunities to gain valuable experience and prepare for careers in public service through a variety of experiential learning opportunities, internships, fellowships and part-time paid employment.  Carl Vinson Institute of Government

The Jane and Harry Willson Center for Humanities and Arts at the University of Georgia promotes research and creativity in the humanities and arts through research grants, lectures, symposia, publications, visiting scholars, visiting artists, collaborative instruction, public conferences, exhibitions and performances.  It cultivates a community of publicly engaged faculty and students whose diverse interests reflect the intellectual breadth and depth of UGA as a leading global and public institution. willson.uga.edu

The Animal Health Research Center:  The AHRC  is a secure, state-of-the-art 75,000 sq. ft. research facility on the UGA campus that enables scientists to study infectious microorganisms, parasites, and toxins in an environment that is safe for researchers, animals, and the public. The AHRC is one of the most technologically advanced biocontainment facilities located on a university campus in the United States that is dedicated to studying a wide variety of infectious diseases that affect both animal and human health. UGA has a current certificate of registration from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in accordance with 42 CFR part 73, 9 CFR part 121, and 7 CFR part 331 that includes Tier 1 agents. Containment levels include: ABSL-2, BSL-3, ABSL-3 enhanced, and BSL-3-Ag (for large and extra-large animals). All AHRC containment facilities, operations, and staff are expected to meet or exceed all the requirements set forth by the CDC, APHIS, and the National Institutes of Health, and will continue to meet or exceed recommendations found in the Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL). The AHRC facility works collaboratively with the Department of Infectious Diseases, a central contributor to the CTEGD training program. vet.uga.edu/animal-health-research-center.

Bioexpression and Fermentation Facility: Established in 1967, the BFF provides animal cell culture, fermentation, high-containment services, molecular biology, monoclonal antibodies, peptide synthesis, process development, and purification to UGA, other academic researchers, and industry. The state-of-the-art facility has fermentation equipment from 1L to 750L: (1L (x8), 4L (x6), 10L (x2), 20L (x4), 100L, 200L, 400L, 500L, and 750L working volumes); DASGIP parallel bioreactor system (8 vessels) for optimizing fermentation conditions; downstream processing equipment including homogenization (12k psi), TFF (10 m²), and hollow fiber (up to 12 m²); three Sharpels continuous centrifuge units; preparative and analytical HPLC; low-pressure chromatography (up to 3 L/min.) with ÄKTA avant™ and start systems; an array of chromatography equipment for projects (up to 25L packed column); and shelf lyophilizers (purified proteins only).

Monoclonal Antibody Facility: This facility is a part of the BFF and works with the UGA Animal Care and Use program. They function as a core research laboratory service dedicated to creating custom monoclonal antibodies. These services include maintaining mice, performing fusions, cloning selected cell lines, preserving these selected cell lines in liquid nitrogen, and producing and purifying antibodies from cell cultures. bff.uga.edu.

Bio-imaging Research Center: BIRC is a multi-imaging research suite designed to provide a full range of biological tissue imaging technologies to multiple biomedical investigators in programs across the UGA campus, their students, and other researchers. The state-of-the-art facility serves as a resource across disciplines and fosters collaborative, extramurally funded research among human, animal, and cellular scientists at UGA and scientists in other federal, state, and private agencies or businesses.

Human and large animal imaging: A state-of-the-art, General Electric Discovery MR750 3.0 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) magnet is the anchor technology within the BIRC. The magnet makes available multiple magnetic resonance imaging techniques including magnetic resonance imaging for structural tissue imaging (MRI), functional neuroimaging (fMRI) for studies of brain activation in real time, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) for the study of chemical changes in the brain, and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) for the study of vascular changes throughout the system.

The Varian Magnex 7 tesla, with a 210 mm horizontal bore, provides an actively shielded small animal MRI system. The 7T magnet allows MRI and MRS tissue imaging at a high level of resolution. The magnet allows cutting-edge monitoring of the development and treatment of disease in small animal models (primarily rats and mice) and provides non-invasive monitoring of both anatomical and metabolic changes without the statistical aberrations introduced by post-sacrifice analysis. Other instruments include a CTF Omega Whole-cortex magnetoencephalography system with 143-channel MEG and 64-channel EEG, all enclosed in a state-of-the-art magnetically shielded room; an EGI Geodesic System 200 Electroencephalography system with 256-channel head capabilities; and a fully functional MRI simulator, a life-size “mock-up” of the MR magnet, complete with stimulus presentation and behavioral data acquisition computing equipment. The simulator is used to develop new protocols, train research participants, and acclimate participants to the MR environment; the M7™ compact, high-performance 1 tesla MRI system is designed for dedicated imaging of mice and rats weighing up to 700 grams. The M7™ enables 2D and 3D ex vivo, in vivo, and in vitro imaging.

In addition, a variety of software tools are available for all investigators via a multi-computer workstation environment on the premises, supporting Linux and Windows versions of most programs. Image processing software includes BESA, CURRY, SPM, FSL, AFNI, MATLAB, E-Prime, Presentation, and Brain Wave. birc.uga.edu.

The Biomedical Microscopy Core (BMC) provides access to high-end confocal, deconvolution, light sheet, super resolution, and other optical microscope systems that are useful for multi-color imaging of live and fixed cells and tissue and whole organ samples, and high-content screening. This state-of-the-art microscopy facility serves UGA and external researchers by providing microscopy related expertise, training, and assistance for advancing their projects on various model organisms. Additionally, BMC offers software packages on high-end workstations for image processing and analysis. Among the various equipment at BMC, users have access to an ImageXpress Micro Confocal for high content screening, DeltaVision I (pd125225), DeltaVision II (pd20621) and a Nikon Ti2-E system for deconvolution and live imaging, Miltenyi Biotec Ultramicroscope II for whole organ imaging, and Zeiss LSM 710, LSM 880, LSM 900, Zeiss LSM 980 with Airyscan 2 and a Zeiss ELYRA S1 (SR-SIM) for confocal and Super Resolution imaging. Moreover, we have a Zeiss Axio Scope A1 with a multichrome color camera for histochemical and fluorescence imaging. bmc.uga.edu.

Founded in 1985, the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center offers Analytical Services and training to universities, federal agencies, research institutes, and biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies interested in analysis, structural elucidation and validation of polysaccharides, glycoproteins, and glycolipids. The Analytical Service Team offers both routine services and in-depth full structural characterization of all types of glycoconjugates derived from plants, animals, or bacteria, or produced through cell culture. The AS team has the expertise and experience to tackle the most challenging projects in the analysis of glycoconjugates. They also develop and perform method validations and conduct research into new methods for glycoscience research. ast.uga.edu.

Located at UGA’s Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) facility is used to determine molecular structures of small molecules, carbohydrates, and proteins as well as investigate the structural and dynamical basis of protein-carbohydrate interactions. Researchers at the CCRC will consult in planning studies, preparing samples, and analyzing data and can help at all stages of bio-molecular NMR projects. The in-house expertise includes new NMR methods to analyze structures of large mammalian glycoproteins and carbohydrate binding proteins.

The CCRC NMR facility houses seven NMR spectrometers from 600 MHz to 1.1 GHz equipped with autosamplers and a diverse collection of probes suitable for a wide range of biomolecular and chemical NMR.  It has laboratory space for sample preparation, and the IT infrastructure to allow remote operation of the instruments.  NMR probes include a 5 mm C13 and N15 optimized triple resonance TXO cryoprobe at 900MHz and 1.1 GHz, a 1.7 mm proton optimized triple resonance TCI cryoprobe at 800MHz, a 3 mm TCI cryoprobe at 1.1 GHz, two additional 5 mm TCI cryoprobes at 600 MHz, and a comprehensive multi-phase (CMP) HRMAS probe at 600 MHz.  The new 1.1 GHz Bruker NMR is part of the National Science Foundation’s Network for Advanced NMR, the first in the US for a user facility that is dedicated to solution NMR (metabolomics, glycomics, structural biology). nmr.ccrc.uga.edu.

The Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases’ (CTEGD) Flow Cytometry Facility provides UGA researchers and others across the scientific community with access to state-of-the-art flow cytometry analyzers, including a Luminex multiplexing instrument, an imaging flow cytometer, and flow cytometry cell sorters. The facility also provides expert advice and consultation for the design and analysis of flow experiments and educates researchers at all levels of expertise in the understanding of the concept and operation of flow cytometry equipment and the correct interpretation of flow data. ctegdcytometry.uga.edu.

Note to grant writers: Because GACRC’s high-performance digital technologies are frequently upgraded, we refer you to the link below for the most current descriptions of GACRC facilities. This link is regularly updated and provides two versions, a summarized one as well as a full description, which can be edited to fit the proposer’s needs. You should request assistance from GACRC staff to tailor a description for any individual program requirements.

https://gacrc.uga.edu/about/proposal_info

Established in 1969 through a Center of Excellence grant from the National Science Foundation, Georgia Electron Microcopy (GEM) offers expertise in the use and application of electron, x-ray, and optical microscopy methods within and outside the University System of Georgia to users with interests in biology, chemistry, biomedical sciences, nanotechnology, engineering, plant biology, geology, materials science, textiles, archaeology, food science, agriculture, and physics. GEM provides state-of-the-art equipment, a highly competent technical staff, and a broad STEM education mission. A complete range of conventional preparative services are offered, allowing investigators to submit fresh or fixed tissues and receive end results as requested (i.e., pathologist evaluation and/or digital imaging). Special services include Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Negative Staining/Negative Contrast, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). On-site instruction and training are available to utilize the facility. Instrumentation a STEM Hitachi SU9000EA, Cryo-TEM

The Georgia Electron Microscopy (GEM) facility serves the University System of Georgia and the broader community by providing expertise in electron, x-ray, and optical microscopy to address a wide range of scientific questions. GEM offers training, imaging services, consultations, workshops, and outreach activities focused on these advanced techniques. Its comprehensive instrumentation includes cryo transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), micro computed tomography (micro-CT), cryo scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM), variable pressure scanning electron microscopy (VP-SEM), low kV scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and light/optical microscopy. These capabilities enable research across biology, chemistry, biomedical sciences, nanotechnology, plant biology, veterinary medicine, geology, materials science, textiles, archaeology, food science, agriculture, physics, and engineering. GEM participates in the Georgia Research Alliance Core Exchange, a partnership connecting universities across Georgia with cutting-edge laboratory technology. Its staff are also active members of the Southeastern Microscopy Society and the Microscopy Society of America, and they lead research efforts to advance microscopy methods. gem.uga.edu.

The GGBC is a campus core laboratory that provides nucleic acid sequencing and bioinformatics. The GGBC’s mission includes research support, education, and training, and its services are available to both university and industry researchers. The facility provides UGA researchers with access to state-of-the-art genomics infrastructure, and its personnel perform genomics-related services, including DNA/RNA sample manipulation and quality control, library synthesis, and Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), both in-house and outsourced for larger sequencing projects. The GGBC utilizes standard pipelines and protocols for handling and processing NGS samples and data, and its staff works with UGA investigators to provide project-specific consulting and support for datasets.  The most popular workflows include sample normalization, pooling and QC, bulk RNA-Seq, DNA-Seq, and amplicon/metagenomics library preparation.  Currently, the GGBC does not provide DNA or RNA isolation from tissue samples.

The GGBC encompasses 2,200 sq. ft. of lab space in the Riverbend North Research Building. This space includes a pre-PCR lab and a larger post-PCR lab as well as an administrative office and office spaces for technical staff.  GGBC instruments include: an Illumina NextSeq 2000, three Illumina MiSeqs, several Oxford Nanopore MinION devices, a Roche Lightcycler (96 and 384-well capable), an epMotion 5075 liquid handling robot, multiple Eppendorf and Roche thermocyclers, a Covaris E220 Evolution DNA shearing instrument, two QubitTM fluorometers, a Bio-Tek Synergy LX fluorometric plate reader, a SageELF electrophoresis system for DNA fractionation, an Agilent Fragment Analyzer, an Agilent BioAnalyzer, as well as numerous supporting instruments and devices.

Several core instruments have been placed around campus in the labs of researchers who are participating in the GGBC’s “collaboratorium” efforts.  After demonstrating competence in their operation or via appropriate training, these instruments can be accessed by UGA researchers and staff.  Instruments include a 10X Genomics Chromium X and 10X Controller, an Invitrogen Countess 3 cell counter, an Invitrogen EVOS M7000 imaging system, an Epredia NX70 Cryostat & Automatic Microtome, and a Bio-Rad QX200 automated digital droplet PCR system. dna.uga.edu.

The Integrated Bioscience and Nanotechnology Cleanroom includes a 2,200-square-foot (Phase I) Class 100/1,000 multidisciplinary, nanotechnology-focused fabrication, characterization, and manipulation facility and a 1,000-square-foot (Phase II) Class 10,000 bio-cleanroom part. This campus-wide shared facility can also be accessed by users outside UGA. cleanroom.uga.edu.

UGA Libraries Makerspace is a participatory learning environment that inspires curiosity, exploration, and innovative uses of technology to support the research and academics at UGA. The UGA Makerspace cultivates an environment of discovery, critical thought, and project-based learning and is open to all UGA students with a valid UGA ID in good standing for educational, non-commercial making purposes. Come learn, prototype, and iterate!

Technology 

• MakerBot Replicator+ FDM 3D Printers and Form 3+ SLA resin 3D Printers
• 3D Scanner (Revopoint POP)
• microcontroller boards for coding: Arduino; MakeyMakey; multimeters; Raspberry Pi
• Laser Cutter (Dremel LC40)
• Cricut Maker3Button Makers (1″ & 2.25″)
• Singer 4452 Heavy Duty Sewing Machines
• Embroidery machine (Baby Lock Ellisimo Gold)
• Hand embroidery kits
• Soldering equipment (Hakko FX-888D)
  UGA Makerspace

Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Facility (PAMS): PAMS is run by two dedicated Ph.D. faculty who provide services such as sample preparation and experimental design consultation in addition to sample and data analysis and interpretation. These services are provided at subsidized rates. The PAMS facility is equipped with a ThermoScientific Orbitrap Elite mass spectrometer for high-resolution and high-mass-accuracy analysis. It is coupled with a nano HPLC to analyze limited quantity complex protein mixtures. For large quantity samples, the facility has a Bruker Impact II Q-TOF mass spectrometer coupled with a UHPLC.  In addition, an Autoflex Max MALDI is available for quick analysis of pure protein digests (peptide mass fingerprinting). PAMS offers in-gel digestion and subsequence analysis for protein identification. An in-house version of Matrix Science Mascot software provides the option of searching data using uncommon or proprietary databases provided by the researcher. pams.uga.edu.

The Statistical Consulting Center (SCC) is a unit of the Department of Statistics and a core unit of the UGA Office of Research. We provide statistical consulting and collaborative support to researchers across the university as well as external clients. We offer expertise in study design, analytical methods, statistical programming, data management, and manuscript and grant preparation. Services we offer include

• Operationalizing research questions
• Advising on measurement issues
• Designing experiments, observational studies, and surveys
• Determining analytical methods
• Sample size calculation and power analysis
• Managing and manipulating data
• Implementing data analyses
• Interpreting and reporting statistical results
• Creating graphical and tabular summaries
• Providing help with statistical software.
• Manuscript and publication support.

The center is led by Drs. Daniel Hall and Jinae Lee, who serve as Director and Associate Director, respectively, and who are both faculty members of the UGA Department of Statistics. Drs. Hall and Lee have 40 years of combined experience as statisticians involved in collaborative research. They supervise a staff of five-six SCC consultants, all of whom are PhD students in Statistics. stat.uga.edu.

The SPIA Survey Research Center (SRC) is a nationally recognized polling operation with a primary focus on the state of Georgia, providing timely data about public perceptions of policy priorities and political attitudes of Georgia citizens. The SRC serves as a model for the University’s experiential learning initiative. Graduate students are hired to serve as lab managers, overseeing onsite operations of the SRC. The center also serves as a teaching tool for undergraduates in the Applied Politics Program—an interdisciplinary program focusing on practical politics and public affairs communications. The SRC conducts both live-interviewer surveys, as well as online polls. In addition to conducting its own statewide polls relating to Georgia politics and policy, the SRC also performs contract work for academic researchers, corporations, and non-profits. spia.uga.edu/spia-survey-research-center.

The Comparative Pathology Laboratory at the University of Georgia is a full-service laboratory providing services in laboratory animal pathology and research pathology. The pathology laboratory is dedicated to providing expert diagnostic and research pathology (biopsy and necropsy) services to investigators using laboratory animals in their research projects. It offers diagnostic pathology research services in many areas of expertise—including avian pathology, laboratory animal comparative pathology, infectious diseases, wildlife and zoological pathology. The laboratory is directed by a Ph.D./DVM diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. Services: autopsy (Necropsy) of research animals; histopathology; immunohistochemistry; standard phenotyping of genetically engineered mice; clinical pathology (hematology, cytology, bone marrow evaluation, urinalysis, etc.); imaging (radiography, ultrasound, MRI). vet.uga.edu/diagnostic-service-labs.

As the state’s most comprehensive research institution, the University of Georgia is a major driver of economic and workforce development, catalyzing effective public/private partnerships that support industry, create new businesses, generate new jobs, and train the college-educated workforce of tomorrow. Research strengths include glycobiology; plant sciences, including genomics; infectious diseases, including vaccine development and parasitology; biomedical research, including stem cell/regenerative medicine; and behavioral/social science research. The University of Georgia is classified at the Highest Research Activity level, according to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. UGA’s research expenditures totaled $628.1 million in FY2024, including NIH expenditures totaling $90 million and NSF expenditures totaling almost $40 million. UGA’s estimated $8.4 billion annual impact on the economy of Georgia includes a $531 million economic impact from research-based startup companies.

The Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (CURO) is open to all undergraduates at UGA. CURO allows students to pursue faculty-mentored research in any discipline as early as the first year of college. The program supports students in identifying and selecting opportunities, choosing a mentor, and presenting their work. Through this program, students can earn course credit for research in any department regardless of year, GPA, or major. Additionally, approximately 500 UGA undergraduates now participate in the CURO Symposium each semester. 

In addition to $3,000 summer fellowship grants, students can apply for the CURO research assistantship, which has provided $1,000 stipends to 500 undergraduates each year since 2016. Students can also apply for the CURO Conference Participation Grant, which provides funding for undergraduate students to present their research at national conferences. 

UGA’s Office of Service-Learning supports academic service-learning and community engagement initiatives designed to enhance students’ civic and academic learning, promote engaged research that is responsive to community needs, and contribute to the public good through mutually beneficial community-university partnerships. During the last academic year, 512 service-learning course sections were taught at UGA. More than 40% of undergraduates complete their experiential learning graduation requirement with a service-learning course. These courses represented 9,500 student enrollments at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional level in all of UGA’s 18 schools and colleges, extended campuses, online courses, and through study abroad. Students in these classes provided over 408,000 hours of service last year; as a value of volunteer time, this represents $12.75 million in direct benefit to communities across Georgia.

The Office of University Experiential Learning (EL) ensures access to challenging and engaging experiential programs. All UGA undergraduates are required to engage in at least one approved Experiential Learning activity that enhances learning and positions them for success after graduation. To succeed, students in the 21st century must be able to tackle real-world problems and use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to solve multifaceted problems that do not have simple solutions. A growing body of research demonstrates that experiential learning enhances student learning, success in the classroom, on-time graduation, and transition to the workforce. EL gives students hands-on opportunities to connect their academic foundations to the world beyond the classroom through internships, study abroad, faculty-mentored research, service learning, and leadership opportunities.  

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia at the University of Georgia aims to acquire and disseminate botanical knowledge and to foster appreciation, understanding and stewardship of plants and nature through collections and displays, horticultural gardens, research, educational programs, exhibitions and special events. The garden is a 323-acre preserve set aside by UGA in 1968 for the study and enjoyment of plants and nature. Located three miles south of campus, it is a living laboratory serving educational, research, recreational and public service roles for the university and the citizens of Georgia. It contains a number of specialized theme gardens and collections, more than five miles of nature trails, and four major facilities including a tropical conservatory.

The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) provides a leadership program for University of Georgia students interested in earning a commission and entering the active duty Air Force as an officer after completing a bachelor’s degree. AFROTC instructs students in military heritage, the development of air and space power, military ethics, drill and ceremonies, communication, human relations, and leadership theory and techniques. The Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) offers students an opportunity to diversify their college curriculum by providing military science courses that prepare them with tools, training, and experience to help them succeed in any competitive environment. During classes and field training, students learn first-hand what it takes to lead others, motivate groups and how to conduct missions as an officer in the Army.

The University of Georgia Graduate School provides resources for academic departments as they recruit, train, and support graduate students.

For Prospects and Applicants

The Graduate School assists graduate programs with the recruitment of trainees by providing a recruitment toolbox, which assists faculty with the graduate student recruitment process. The toolbox includes an overview of recruitment best practices as well as resources such as informational videos to be shared with prospective students regarding the application process, the advantages of earning a graduate degree, and essential strategies to secure graduate school funding.

For Admitted Students

For admitted students who have never attended an R1 institution, are transitioning from a different field of study, and/or could benefit from an extended onboarding process, the Graduate School provides the Gateway to Graduate School Bridge Program, allowing these students to begin their graduate education at UGA in the summer semester to facilitate a smooth transition to graduate education. This eight-week program provides students with peer mentorship and an intellectual, professional, and social introduction to UGA through weekly workshops. Since summer 2014, the Gateway Program has welcomed 120 participants (including 93 incoming doctoral students) with a 97% student transition success rate, based on first-year retention and academic good standing.

For Current Students

Support for currently enrolled graduate students is provided throughout their stages of training. For incoming students, we offer GradFIRST, a faculty-led seminar series that supplements discipline-specific training in graduate students’ academic programs with focused professional development and engagement/networking opportunities with faculty and other graduate students across UGA’s campuses.

GradUP, is a comprehensive web-based resource designed to complement degree program-level offerings to support the academic, professional, and personal success of graduate students at UGA. The one-stop resource hub is a centralized place for students to access curated skill-building opportunities, programs, certificates, awards, and events organized around six key areas essential to student development: leadership and collaboration; communication; teaching and mentoring; research and scholarship; career navigation; and well-being.

The Graduate School also offers the Graduate Experiential Internship Program (XPD) to help doctoral students explore a diverse range of career opportunities beyond traditional academic faculty roles in units across the UGA campus. For the academic year 2024 – 2025, one hundred and twenty-three students applied to 17 different units. The Graduate School placed 20 interns in the summer of 2025, and the program continues to gain interest from campus partners and students alike. Further, the Graduate School hosts the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition, an annual competition challenging graduate students to present their original research to non-technical audiences with one slide in under three minutes. Sixty to 80 students register to compete each year.

The Graduate School partners with other units on campus to extend professional development opportunities. For example, GradLEAD is a semester-long leadership development cohort experience for graduate students in collaboration with UGA’s Office of Engagement, Leadership, and Service. The Spring 2025 cohort had 27 students across a variety of master’s and doctoral programs. Similarly, the Graduate School and The Jill and Marvin Willis Center for Writing co-sponsor an annual Dissertation Writing retreat, a weeklong retreat for post-candidacy doctoral students, that teaches writing techniques and provides dedicated writing time and feedback. This retreat is capped at 25 students each summer. Finally, the annual Graduate Student Career Conference/Industry Networking event, held in collaboration with the UGA Career Center, provides the opportunity for students to learn about potential careers and hear from alumni and industry representatives about navigating the job search and the interview process. The Graduate School and campus partners provide well-being programing to graduate students at all stages and on all campuses.  The Graduate Peer Support Network connects students to campus resources and to each other.  Topics include Addressing Burnout, Confronting Imposter Syndrome, Moving from Self-Criticism to Self-Compassion, Setting Boundaries, Beyond the Blank Page: Conquering Writer’s Block and Writing Anxiety, and Finding Your Voice: Navigating Public Speaking Anxiety. Well-being programming for graduate students is also offered in collaboration with other campus units such as the Department of Recreational Sports and the University Health Center.

Finally, the Graduate School provides competitive awards and funds to graduate students (this support totaled $3.4 million in AY24-25). These awards include recruitment fellowships, such as Presidential Graduate Fellows, awards to support research and degree completion, such as Summer Research Grants and the Dissertation Completion Assistantship, professional development funding through Conference Travel Grants, and Excellence Awards to honor graduate student achievement in research, teaching, and engaged scholarship. The Graduate School also offers more than 30 endowed scholarships and provides support to students seeking external funding.

Teaching excellence is at the forefront of the University of Georgia’s priorities. UGA provides robust instructional development roles for graduate students, with the goal of preparing teaching and laboratory assistants for instructional duties at UGA, as well as to support their development as instructors for future careers in the academy. The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) at UGA is tasked with providing this support, supplementing required TA training with regular workshops and enrichment programs to assist graduate students as they improve their instructional effectiveness.

UGA’s teaching assistant (TA) policy requires all graduate students with instructional roles to receive support and training prior to or concurrently with the start of their teaching activities. Per UGA policy, anyone holding an assistantship with defined teaching duties – including all teaching and laboratory assistants – must complete a TA Orientation conducted by the CTL prior to or concurrently with their first assistantship. This interdisciplinary orientation provides general preparation for graduate students with instructional responsibilities, including an overview of policies and procedures pertinent to their role, an introduction to effective teaching strategies and practices, and exposure to services and resources available across campus that offer support for individuals engaged in teaching and learning at UGA. All graduate teaching assistants must also successfully complete GRSC 7770 (Intro to College Teaching) or an approved departmental equivalent prior to or concurrently with their first teaching assignment. GRSC 7770 is a credit-bearing course providing instructional assistants with knowledge of pedagogical approaches, relevant UGA policies, and available support systems.

In addition to the training required of TAs, the CTL also offers a range of enrichment activities available to all graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to support their instructional development. The CTL’s GradTeach programs focus on topics of particular interest to the developing teacher, including effective teaching presentation, facilitating discussion, lesson planning, intercultural communication, and preparing for the academic job market. GradTeach programming includes an annual workshop series open to all graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, advanced graduate pedagogy courses, book clubs, and TA Cafés, which provide opportunities for instructional assistants to come together and discuss issues relevant to their work. Teaching assistants are also encouraged to request teaching observations and mid-semester formative evaluations (MSFEs), and to connect with the CTL for consultations on teaching as well as teaching-related job market materials development (such as a teaching portfolio). Finally, the CTL and the Graduate School jointly sponsor the Future Faculty Fellows Program (3FP), a year-long professional development program that brings together 15 innovative and dedicated teaching assistants from across campus to talk about, reflect upon, and improve their teaching, while contributing to their preparation for the academic job market and the rigors of their first faculty positions.

The University of Georgia Veterans Legal Clinic has dual goals. One is aiding former members of the military in accessing all the benefits they are entitled to through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, while the other is giving current law students a hands-on and purpose-driven learning experience so they can become skilled legal leaders. The VLC serves veterans and their families, helping them to obtain the benefits they have earned through service to our country. The clinic helps its clients with benefits from the Veterans’ Administration and with changes to discharge papers from the military. The VLC’s estimated financial impact for veterans is almost $11.5 million, representing collectively more than $6.5 million in monthly income for veteran clients for an average of $277,500 per veteran. The clinic fosters an ethic of public service, echoing Abraham Lincoln’s call to care for those who have borne the battle and for their dependents.