The mission of the Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases is to lead the University of Georgia to become a worldwide center of excellence in the study of the ecology of infectious diseases.

The center seeks to cultivate an intellectual community where scientific curiosity is valued, rigorous solutions to the problems posed by ecology and infectious diseases are sought, and technical skills are developed and transferred to the rising generations of scientists.

The River Basin Center, housed in the Odum School but drawing from units across campus, connects freshwater science and policy to promote sustainable management of aquatic resources and ecosystems. River Basin Center faculty, staff and students work on aquatic management issues around the globe, but with particular emphasis on the southeastern U.S.

The Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) is a research unit of The University of Georgia, located at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken, S.C. Since the laboratory’s founding in 1951 by Dr. Eugene Odum of the University of Georgia, a pioneer of modern ecology, SREL scientists have studied the long-term ecological impacts of the SRS nuclear facility. SREL is supported by federal, state, industry and foundation funding.

The rapid growth of solar projects helps to meet the demand for renewable energy and reduces our reliance on fossil fuels. However, large solar farms can have negative impacts on the environment and agriculture. They may provide little support for wildlife, exhaust the soil, decommission farmland and break generational ties to farming. But we do not have to choose between growing food and producing energy. Agrivoltaics combines farming with solar energy production, offering a way to create stronger, more resilient communities.

The Agrivoltaics Initiative invites stakeholders in the transition to renewable energy to help improve the lives of all Georgians. It aims to solve the technical, ecological, legal and agricultural challenges of solar production while addressing the need for renewable energy and preserving our state’s agricultural industry.

Affiliated Research Partners

Located at historic Wormsloe on the Isle of Hope, Georgia, the UGA Center for Research and Education at Wormsloe (CREW) hosts researchers from the Odum School, the College of Environment and Design, the College of Engineering, and the departments of anthropology, geography and history.

The Center conducts basic research to gain new fundamental knowledge about water and land resources of Ichauway and the region, as well as applied research focusing on modern problems related to environmental quality and land management activities. Information gained through scientific research is shared with graduate and undergraduate students, some of whom participate in Center research, as well as with land managers and policy-makers.

Graduate students from regional research universities conduct thesis work under on-site advisement of Center scientists. Work experiences in research and conservation are also available for qualifying undergraduate students, especially during summers. The Odum School of Ecology and the Warnell School of Forest Resources have developed a joint program with the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, including research assistantship support for those graduate students who will be conducting their thesis or dissertation research at Ichauway.

Ichauway is a 29,000 acre outdoor laboratory of the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center. Located in rural Southwest Georgia, Ichauway provides a program of excellence in ecology and natural resource management, including research, education and conservation objectives.

For more information about the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, please contact: Kier Klepzig, Director [email protected].