A group of new University of Georgia faculty members will leave Aug. 4 on a five-day trip across the state as part of the 2025 UGA New Faculty Tour, designed to help them connect their research and expertise to the needs and opportunities of rural communities and show them how deeply their university is tied to Georgia.

Traveling through 45 counties and making 19 total stops in 15 cities, the tour highlights the state’s rich economic, geographic, social, and cultural diversity—offering faculty insight into how their work can support and strengthen communities across Georgia and reinforce the university’s deep-rooted commitment to public service and statewide impact.

From economic development and small business support to agricultural research and downtown revitalization, participants will learn what sets UGA apart from other public universities when it comes to community engagement. They’ll gain an understanding of how UGA creates jobs, develops leaders and addresses critical needs in the state through Public Service and Outreach, Cooperative Extension and within the schools and colleges.

The tour also enables new faculty to network and develop professional relationships with peers across campus so that they can use their teaching and research to help address Georgia’s most pressing needs.

“We want our faculty to see the incredible potential their research and expertise have to address real challenges facing Georgia communities,” said Stacy Jones, vice president for UGA Public Service and Outreach. “The New Faculty Tour lays the groundwork for meaningful connections and partnerships across the state—helping faculty align their work with the needs of Georgians and reinforcing UGA’s role as a driver of community-based solutions.”

The group is comprised of 30 faculty members, including two associate deans. They represent 17 colleges and schools, and three Public Service and Outreach units. The participants include:

• Stephanie Aguilar-Smith, Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education

• Berit Bangoura, College of Veterinary Medicine

• Jian “Jane” Bian, College of Environment and Design

• Joshua Caballero, College of Pharmacy

• Yanyu Chen, College of Engineering

• Joshua Cloudy, Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication

• Shelby Cosner, Mary Frances Early College of Education

• Valerie Dixon, Archway Partnership

• Andre Erpenbeck, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences

• Jaivime “Ben” Evaristo, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources

• Rex Facer, Carl Vinson Institute of Government

• Yizhu Gao, Mary Frances Early College of Education

• Charles Geier, College of Family and Consumer Sciences

• Daniel Gibbs, School of Social Work

• Caroline Gomez-Di Cesare, School of Medicine

• Ignazio Graziosi, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources

• Sarah Haight, College of Public Health

• Victoria Haneman, School of Law

• Doug Huemme, UGA Small Business Development Center

• Tatum Mortimer, College of Veterinary Medicine

• Allison Palmer, College of Veterinary Medicine

• Jiyong Park, Terry College of Business

• Ashley Sanders, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences

• Nicholas Shay, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

• Brian Steele, School of Medicine

• Miaoying Tian, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

• Megan Vahsen, Odum School of Ecology

• Chris Weatherly, School of Social Work

• Taylore Woodhouse, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences

• Xin Zhang, College of Engineering

Lorenzo Villa-Zapata, a College of Pharmacy assistant professor who was on the 2023 tour, has continued to build on the insights gained from his experience. He secured a seed grant to explore the use of telehealth among rural cancer patients in Georgia.

“This trip was really eye-opening for me. Seeing the depth and diversity of PSO’s work gave me a much richer understanding of how UGA fulfills its land-grant mission by engaging with communities across Georgia,” said Villa-Zapata. “The experience directly shaped my understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities in serving rural communities and continues to influence my research focus.”