Dear Odum School friends and family:
On July 1, 2021, I began service as the interim dean of the Odum School of Ecology. As we look to the start of the fall term, I feel optimistic about the opportunities we have this coming year, and am excited to maintain our collective momentum in advancing Ecology’s mission and strategic plan. We have many exciting changes happening in and around Odum, including renovations and updates to the Ecology Building; advancing our plan for enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion; supporting new research activities at Horseshoe Bend; and welcoming new staff, faculty and students.
As a faculty member in Ecology at UGA since 2005, my professional career benefited from the support and inspiration of many amazing colleagues and students. I’ve long said that it’s hard for me to imagine a better group of colleagues than what we have here. For ecologists, I believe that what the Odum School offers matches or exceeds that of any other institution in the world.
I want to thank Dean John Gittleman for his thoughtful and bold leadership the past 15 years. He led Ecology in becoming a new school, cultivated plans for new opportunities for undergraduates, developed our research and instructional facilities, and strengthened key areas of research. John will be missed as dean, and we look forward to engaging with him as a faculty colleague in this new chapter.
Finally, I look forward to hearing from you. I hope to connect with many of you at our virtual mixer during this year’s ESA annual meeting on Aug. 4 and at our River Basin Center policy celebration Sept. 24-25; details are included in this month’s edition of the EcoVoice E-news and on our website.
All the best,
Sonia Altizer
Georgia Athletic Association Professor of Ecology
Interim Dean of the Odum School of Ecology