Two educators from the University of Georgia have been recognized as Regents’ Professors due to their groundbreaking and trailblazing research. This accolade is the highest professorial honor granted by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents.

This year’s Regents’ Professors at the university are Andrew Herod, Distinguished Research Professor in the geography department at the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences; and M. Stephen Trent, UGA Foundation Distinguished Professor in the infectious diseases department at the College of Veterinary Medicine.

“Professors Herod and Trent are acknowledged both nationally and globally for their trailblazing research and academic contributions, and they are truly worthy of this esteemed distinction,” remarked S. Jack Hu, the senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at the university. “The effects of their research extend worldwide and tackle some of our most intricate challenges.”

Andrew Herod

Herod identifies as a human geographer and political economist, focusing on the construction of economic landscapes. He is widely regarded as the premier authority on labor geography, a field he helped establish during the 1990s.

“It is no exaggeration to state that Dr. Herod has been one of the most influential voices of his generation within the expansive field of human geography,” said Jamie Peck, Distinguished University Scholar and geography professor at the University of British Columbia. “Few can claim to have contributed to the creation and development of a wholly new subfield in their discipline.”

Herod’s research endeavors have varied from investigating how U.S. dock workers adapted to technological advancements in the 1950s, to observing how Western labor unions collaborated with their counterparts in Central and Eastern Europe during the 1990s to aid in the region’s economic recovery, as well as examining the effects of COVID-19 on labor markets. His latest book, “Industry 4.0 and the Future of Work,” was released in 2024. In this publication, Herod and his co-authors scrutinize the evolving nature of work, the escalating generation of waste, and the interconnectedness of these elements within a circular economy.

In 2023, Herod received a Guggenheim Fellowship, awarded annually by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to scholars, artists, writers, and scientists “who have shown exceptional productivity or extraordinary creative talent in the arts.”

Herod has authored 12 books and over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, several of which have earned national and international accolades. ScholarGPS, a premier online research information and analysis platform, ranks Herod among the top 0.5% of scholars cited globally.

“There has been virtually no published research paper concerning geographic, employment, and economic restructuring questions by an Anglophone geographer over the last two decades that does not reference or extensively draw upon his work,” stated Noel Castree, professor and associate dean for research at the University of Technology Sydney.

M. Stephen Trent

Trent is acknowledged globally as a prominent researcher in bacterial cell surfaces and cell envelope biology. His research is vital for understanding antibiotic resistance and influences the development of innovative antibiotics, vaccines, and treatments for infectious diseases.

A primary focus of Trent’s laboratory is understanding how bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics, including “last resort” medications used to combat bacteria when other options fail. His lab has uncovered mechanisms that allow bacteria to modify their surfaces to improve their survival in various environments and to shield themselves from the human immune response.

“Dr. Trent’s findings have not only provided crucial new insights but also possess significant implications for managing infectious diseases,” remarked Tracy Palmer, a microbiology professor at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom and Fellow of both the Royal Society and the Academy of Medical Sciences.

Trent’s research has secured over $30 million in external funding from entities such as the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. His contributions have filled critical gaps in bacterial physiology knowledge and resulted in over 130 published studies in prestigious scientific journals.

Moreover, his investigations have led to numerous patents and licensing agreements, showcasing his ability to convert laboratory findings into clinical applications that have the potential to enhance patient health.

Trent’s accolades include the Zoetis Award for Research Excellence, awarded by the American Veterinary Medical Association, and UGA’s Lamar Dodd Creative Research Award. He was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2023 and a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology in 2014.

“Many microbiologists often concentrate on a single organism throughout their careers, but Stephen opted early to adopt a more systems-oriented approach to examining diverse bacteria, increasing the relevance of his research,” exclaimed Lisa K. Nolan, Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor and dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. “The rigor and scope of his approach to scientific inquiries have enabled him to delve into complex and novel questions deeply.”

As the latest Regents’ Professors, Herod and Trent will present the 2025 Charter Lecture on March 26 at 11 a.m. in the Chapel.

Regents’ Professors receive a permanent salary increase of $10,000 in the year of their initial appointment. Additionally, recipients are granted yearly academic support of $5,000 as long as they maintain the Regents’ Professorship. A complete list of Regents’ Professors at UGA can be found at https://provost.uga.edu/academic-excellence/honors-awards/career-achievement-awards-professorships/regents-professorships/regents-professors/.

The article Herod, Trent named Regents’ Professors first appeared on UGA Today.