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Researchers at UGA working with fire ants are trying to understand how a small group of ants can convince a larger group to change a fundamental aspect of their behavior—whether they kill or nurture multiple queens. Their work was published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The lead author is Haolin Zeng, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Georgia Odum School of Ecology who completed his PhD at the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in 2022.

University of Georgia professors C. Robin Buell and Daniel R. Perez have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the organization announced on April 29. Members are elected to NAS in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Membership is a widely accepted mark of excellence in science and is considered one of the highest honors a scientist can receive.

It’s a Thursday morning in the Perry Events Center, a high-ceilinged, white-walled open room that used to serve as an armory. It’s filled with just shy of 150 attendees of the second Integrative Precision Agriculture Conference hosted by the University of Georgia’s Institute for Integrative Precision Agriculture.

The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and North Dakota-based Grand Farm came together Friday to break ground on the University of Georgia Grand Farm, an agriculture innovation partnership in Perry, Georgia. UGA President Jere W. Morehead, Georgia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, Georgia Sen. Larry Walker, Grand Farm Ecosystems Director Andrew Jason and CAES Dean and Director Nick T. Place addressed the crowd of more than 200 attendees.

For the 20th consecutive year, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences hosted the prestigious E. Broadus Browne Research Awards competition, resulting in three new graduate students being honored for their outstanding efforts in research and communication. In recognition of former Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station Director Edmund Broadus Browne, the annual competition highlights some of the best graduate research from departments within the college and challenges contestants with an oral presentation. 

The UGArden student farm will celebrate 15 years of service to the Athens community this spring with two major events: a Community Day on May 3 and an upscale Garden Gala on June 7. UGArden is a 10-acre student-run farm at the University of Georgia that produces organic produce through sustainable practices. The farm provides fresh food to Athens-area families, conducts research and offers hands-on education to students. It was founded by students in 2010 with support from the Department of Horticulture in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Georgia, traditionally known as the Peach State, is famous for its peaches, pecans and peanuts. But thanks to its mild climate, the state also supports a variety of uncommon and exotic fruits. In a new series inspired by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension publication, “Minor Fruits and Nuts in Georgia,” we’ll highlight lesser-known fruits that thrive in Georgia and can be grown in home gardens. This month, we’re kicking things off with a tree that produces a fruit many may not know — the mayhaw.

Meet George Vellidis, director of the University of Georgia's Institute for Integrative Precision Agriculture. UGA launched the institute in 2022 to leverage interdisciplinary faculty expertise and industry ties to advance this field. “As researchers, it’s easy for us to work as individuals to solve a particular task,” said Vellidis. “But when we work together to look at problems from different perspectives, we come up with optimal solutions for even bigger challenges.”

As the academic year winds down, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is preparing for its spring 2025 convocation, to be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 8, at the Classic Center in Athens. “Convocation presents a unique opportunity for students to reflect on all they have achieved during their college careers,” said CAES Dean and Director Nick Place.