Two distinguished faculty members at the University of Georgia will share their impactful research in the realms of labor geography and infectious diseases during the 2025 Charter Lecture.
Andrew Herod, a Distinguished Research Professor in the geography department of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, alongside M. Stephen Trent, UGA Foundation Distinguished Professor within the department of infectious diseases at the College of Veterinary Medicine, will present the Charter Lecture at 11 a.m. on March 26 in the Chapel. Admission to the lecture is complimentary and accessible to the public.
This year, both Herod and Trent received the title of Regents’ Professors, an accolade granted by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents to exceptional faculty whose scholarly or creative endeavors are recognized both nationally and internationally as pioneering and influential.
“It is no overstatement to assert that Drs. Herod and Trent rank among the foremost scholars globally in their respective disciplines,” remarked S. Jack Hu, the university’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “The 2025 Charter Lecture offers an extraordinary opportunity for our campus community to engage with these innovative researchers.”
Herod is widely acknowledged as the leading authority in labor geography, a field he helped establish in the 1990s. His research projects have included examining how U.S. dock workers adapted to technological advancements in the 1950s and investigating the repercussions of COVID-19 on labor markets. In 2023, Herod was honored with a Guggenheim Fellowship, awarded annually by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to exceptional individuals in scholarship, writing, science, and the arts.
Herod has authored 12 books and over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, with several receiving national and international accolades. ScholarGPS, a prominent online research information and analysis platform, ranks Herod among the top 0.5% of scholars cited worldwide.
Trent is a globally recognized researcher in bacterial cell surfaces and envelope biology. His primary research focus is on how bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics, including “last resort” medications used when all else fails. His discoveries are essential in advancing scientists’ understanding of antibiotic resistance and influence the treatment of infectious diseases through the creation of innovative antibiotics and vaccines.
Trent’s research has garnered more than $30 million in external funding from various organizations, including the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. His work has also addressed significant voids in scientists’ knowledge of bacterial physiology, leading to the publication of more than 130 studies in prestigious scientific journals.
Sponsored by the Provost’s Office, the Charter Lecture series was initiated in 1988 to commemorate the high ideals expressed in the 1785 charter that established UGA as the birthplace of public higher education in the United States. This event is part of UGA’s spring 2025 Signature Lecture Series.
Accommodations for individuals with disabilities should be requested as early as possible, but at least seven days prior to the planned lecture. For accommodation requests, please reach out to Will Richardson in the Office of the Provost at 706-542-0415 or [email protected].
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