Applied Research
1ST PLACE – Economic Evaluation of Georgia’s Artificial Reef Program
Georgia’s artificial reefs create important habitat for fish and other marine life, enhancing the marine ecosystem and supporting the state’s multimillion-dollar recreational fishing industry.
2ND PLACE – Evaluation of Pre-emergent Herbicide Combinations and Rate for Pecans
As the Georgia pecan industry experiences unprecedented growth, a new generation of growers is stepping into the field eager to learn the intricacies of both farming practices and pecan production.
3RD PLACE – The Ethics of Language Artificial Intelligence
With artificial intelligence becoming an increasingly integral part of many people’s day to day life, it is important to investigate the ethics of these models so that any discrepancies that may lead to unfair biases may be identified.
Assessing the Value of Nongame Coastal Wildlife in Georgia
To better understand the balance between development and wildlife conservation, as well as to guide conservation planning, Georgia Department of Natural Resources provided funding in 2024 to determine the economic value of nongame coastal wildlife.
Building Community: Curriculum Development for Rural and Small-Towns
This initiative addresses the challenges faced by rural and small-town communities in preserving their unique identity while planning for sustainable growth.
Co-Benefits of Industry and Natural Resource Planning
In 2015, the University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s Coastal Ecology Lab and Chemours partnered to protect wildlife, focusing on gopher tortoises and eastern indigo snakes, at heavy mineral sand mines in South Georgia’s coastal plain.
Community Development and Local Food Systems: Focus on the Cartersville’s Farmers Market
Sponsored by Bartow County and Cartersville City Government, the Cartersville farmers market has benefitted from the guidance and support of the UGA County Extension office.
Evaluation of Root-knot Nematode Resistant Peanut Varieties in Southwest Georgia
Southwest Georgia row crop fields are notorious for having both Root-knot nematodes (RKN) and highly variable soil types.
Factors and Barriers of Extension Programming Adoption
Because Cooperative Extension agents decide what educational programs to offer to clients, they serve as gatekeepers of Extension information dispersal.
Gamified Cybersecurity Training: Reducing Phishing Susceptibility
This study explores how gamification and AI-driven simulations enhance engagement, improve phishing detection, and strengthen compliance with cybersecurity protocols.
Georgia’s 2024 Report on Dementia
The primary goal of this project was to produce the inaugural report on the state of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias in Georgia.
Look Ahead Georgia
To address challenges, the Archway Partnership launched Look Ahead Georgia, a program designed to create pathways for students to gain internship experience in their rural hometowns.
More Than Just Free Books
Book distribution programs have emerged as a key intervention for promoting language nutrition in early childhood. This scoping review examines the effectiveness of book distribution programs in fostering language nutrition by analyzing real-world interventions.
Using Data Analytics to Evaluate Food Waste
Representatives from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences studied the amount of food waste at events hosted at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel in order to prevent food waste in the future.
Visualizing Program Transitions in Georgia’s Birth to Five System
In collaboration with the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, UGA’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government conducted a demonstration project to examine enrollment trends and transitions between the state’s early childhood education services.
Impact
1ST PLACE – Warner Robins Downtown Resilience Plan
Warner Robins is uniquely positioned to benefit from its proximity to Robins Air Force Base, the largest single-site industrial complex in Georgia. RAFB employs some 22,000 civilian, contractor, and military personnel, making the city a regional employment hub.
2ND Place – Impactful Experience UGA
Launched in 2012, the Experience UGA program is a partnership between the Clarke County School District and the University of Georgia that brings every Clarke County student to UGA every year to experience learning on a university campus.
3RD PLACE – Emerging Engineers Leadership Development Program
UGA’s College of Engineering identified a need to develop more professionalization and leadership skills to serve their students as they work through client-based projects in their senior year.
Accountability Court Coordinator Certification Program
The Accountability Court Coordinator Certification Program is designed to satisfy professional development needs of accountability court coordinators throughout the state.
Backyard Livestock 101
Oconee County Extension has implemented a Backyard Livestock 101 that addresses the need for education in livestock management, hosts hands-on demonstrations, and helps attendees implement better practices from an economic, environmental, and animal husbandry perspective.
Buena Vista Mural goes 3D with Connect to Protect Garden
A vibrant mural at the corner of North Broad Street and Fifth Avenue in Buena Vista, GA, comes into three dimensions with a Connect to Protect garden in the foreground.
Building a Successful Hospitality Internship Program
The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel is uniquely positioned for preparing and addressing the needs of the next generation of hospitality professionals through its hospitality internship program.
Building Education Around Mental Services Community Event
The B.E.A.M.S. Community Event is a free mini conference, focusing on mental health, for youth in grades 6-12 and their parents or guardians.
Building Literary Success for Kids from Birth to 5 Years Old
In 2019, the Colquitt County Archway Partnership established the Youth Development and Education Issue Work Group (YDEIWG). Concerned by the lack of early childhood development resources, the YDEIWG sought an innovative solution to address the deficiency.
Community Development and Local Food Systems: Focus on the Cartersville’s Farmers Market
Sponsored by Bartow County and Cartersville City Government, the Cartersville farmers market has benefitted from the guidance and support of the UGA County Extension office.
Data-Informed Approaches to Rural Housing Challenges
The Carl Vinson Institute of Government assists rural Georgia communities in understanding and addressing their housing challenges, such as aging housing stock and limited affordable housing.
Educational Overnight Event Develops 4-H Essential Elements in Youth
The 4-H Study was a longitudinal investigation of students and their parents that evaluated the link between involvement in positive youth development programs and student success.
Empowering Youth as Leader Through 4-H Certified Teen Leader Trainings
By facilitating this program, 4-H faculty were not only able to educate and empower youth to become peer leaders and mentors to others but also aided in building soft skills among today’s youth.
Evaluation of Pre-emergent Herbicide Combinations and Rate for Non-bearing Pecan
As the Georgia pecan industry experiences unprecedented growth, a new generation of growers is stepping into the field eager to learn the intricacies of both farming practices and pecan production.
Fire Festival
In 2021, the inspiration for what became the Fire Festival was sparked. Effingham and Screven County Extension partnered to address the needs of the communities by offering two Prescribed Burning and Land Management Field Days.
Georgia Electric Mobility Snapshot
By transforming technical research into accessible, visually compelling formats, UGA Institute of Government is ensuring that Georgia’s communities are equipped to navigate the shift to electric transportation.
Georgia Heifer Evaluation and Reproductive Development Program
The Georgia Heifer Evaluation and Reproductive Development Program allows producers to consign heifers for specialized development to enhance the state’s beef industry.
Georgia’s 2024 Report on Dementia
The primary goal of this project was to produce the inaugural report on the state of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias in Georgia.
Harmonizing National Service Programs for Campus-Community Partnerships
The UGA Office of Service-Learning’s VISTA Network and Community Food Fellows programs provide examples of how intentionally intertwined AmeriCorps programs can effectively support a key need.
Hawkinsville Design Charrette
Hawkinsville aimed to attract a pub to boost downtown revitalization, tourism and dining options. The Archway Partnership enlisted the Center for Community Design and Preservation to envision potential opportunities.
Impact of the Certified Public Manager Program
The Certified Public Manager is a 300-hour internationally accredited credential designed for public sector managers who want to increase efficiency, effectiveness and customer service.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD – Increasing Georgia’s Capacity to Support Foster & Homeless Youth
This past year, the Embark Georgia Center has awarded 17 grants to colleges or technical schools across the state, built 7 coalition groups statewide, hosted a statewide conference, and much more.
Increasing Nature Quotients
The concept of building one’s nature quotient is at the heart of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia’s education programming mission to develop the current and next generation of environmental stewards.
Leadership in Neighboring Communities
Leadership in Neighboring Communities is a unique partnership between Cook and Berrien counties, grounded in the Fanning Adult Community Leadership Curriculum, which emphasizes the continuous growth of skills and knowledge for effective leadership.
Lodging Partnership as an Educational Epicenter: Ensuring Impact Across Georgia
The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel is outfitted with two-unit divisions which exist to support operations to the overall education-centric mission.
Migrant Education Summer Program
This program offers Georgia’s migrant high school students a transformative, week-long summer experience designed to expand their academic and career aspirations.
Multi-County Portfolio Workshop Prepares Youth to Thrive through Project Achievement
Project Achievement, one of the core four 4-H programs in Georgia, is an opportunity for this process and empowers young people with the skills to lead for a lifetime.
Planning Rural Opportunities for Prosperity and Economic Leadership in Action in 2024
The University of Georgia’s PROPEL initiative equips rural communities with tools to develop and implement economic and workforce strategies.
Public Finance Leadership Academy
The Public Finance Leadership Academy equips new and emerging public sector financial management leaders with the knowledge they need to successfully manage and communicate at all levels of government.
Revitalizing Downtown EV Charging: City of Buena Vista
Over the last few decades, the City of Buena Vista has witnessed a declining population and economic setbacks. Local elected officials and business leaders are now investing in downtown revitalization, hoping to attract visitors and tourism dollars.
StartSmart Accessible Virtually Across Georgia
The University of Georgia’s Small Business Development Center offers the signature StartSmart program, a comprehensive initiative designed to assist new and aspiring entrepreneurs in establishing a solid foundation for their businesses.
Strengthening Local Education & Workforce Alignment
While many local educators and communities understand the benefits to their students and local industries, it can be challenging to balance priorities within the school building and the ever-changing economy.
Sustaining Staff: Nonprofit Employee Benefits Study
The Interdisciplinary Alliance for Nonprofits at the University of Georgia works to collaboratively harness and make available the spectrum of the university’s academic resources in support of nonprofit organizations.
The Center for Internet Security Risk Assessment Method and the Duty of Care Risk Analysis
CIS RAM utilizes the Duty of Care Standard as the foundation for standardized cybersecurity risk evaluation methods that legal regulators and information security professionals can all understand.
The Plug Into Georgia Initiative
The UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government, with collaboration and support from Southern Company, is engaging local governments through the Plug into Georgia initiative. This initiative provides user-friendly tools, educational opportunities, outreach, engagement, and technical assistance to help communities navigate the transition to electric transportation.
To Know No Bounds
The unique CRC program not only expands upon the engagement methods explored by the university but acts as a method of engagement by which the university can build long-term boundary spanners and enhance community capacity by utilizing a short-term, high-impact model.
UGA CyberArch
UGA CyberArch is an internship program aligned with enhancing the cybersecurity resilience of Georgia’s communities and businesses by providing a risk reviews to K-12 schools, local governments, rural hospitals, and small businesses at no fee.
UGA SBDC Partners with Chamber of Commerce for the “Go Digital Coweta” Assistance Program
The “Go Digital Coweta” Digital Assistance Program was created by the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce to offer assistance to businesses affected by the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Understanding Housing Affordability
Housing affordability is a critical issue in Newton County. Despite stereotypes, apartment living is not inherently tied to income, gender, or age. However, rising rental costs present significant challenges for both residents and policymakers.
Using Data Analytics to Evaluate Food Waste
Representatives from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences studied the amount of food waste at events hosted at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel in order to prevent food waste in the future.
Visualizing Program Transitions Through Birth to Five System
In collaboration with the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, UGA’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government conducted a demonstration project to examine enrollment trends and transitions between the state’s early childhood education services.
Innovation
OVERALL AWARD – Communicating in a Crisis
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia’s Communications Plan provides policies and procedures for effective communication practices during daily activities under normal garden operations and during minor service disruptions.
1ST PLACE – Look Ahead Georgia
To address challenges, the Archway Partnership launched Look Ahead Georgia, a program designed to create pathways for students to gain internship experience in their rural hometowns.
Bringing Talent Back Home
In 2024, the University of Georgia launched the Look Ahead Georgia initiative, facilitated by the Archway Partnership. This initiative is a summer internship focused on connecting UGA students with opportunities in their rural areas.
Empowering Youth as Leader Through 4-H Certified Teen Leader Trainings
By facilitating this program, 4-H faculty were not only able to educate and empower youth to become peer leaders and mentors to others but also aided in building soft skills among today’s youth.
Grant-Funded Entrepreneur Education in Rural SW Georgia
The Albany office of the UGA SBDC responded to a request for proposal from the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission to administer entrepreneur education courses in a 14-county territory in rural Southwest Georgia.
StartSmart Accessible Virtually Across Georgia
The University of Georgia’s Small Business Development Center offers the signature StartSmart program, a comprehensive initiative designed to assist new and aspiring entrepreneurs in establishing a solid foundation for their businesses.
Transforming Student Engagement
The goal is to co-create an innovative and dynamic student pipeline enabling them to ideate, lead, collaborate, and contribute effectively to the community-engaged mission as equal stakeholders.
Partnership
1ST PLACE – Harmonizing Service Programs for Campus- Community Partnerships
OSL’s VISTA Network and Community Food Fellows programs provide examples of how intentionally intertwined AmeriCorps programs can effectively support a key need.
3RD PLACE – Quantitative Analyses in Under-Resourced Communities
Obtaining primary data can be both challenging and costly, often failing to adequately represent historically excluded and vulnerable populations.
Buena Vista Mural goes 3D with Connect to Protect Garden
A vibrant mural at the corner of North Broad Street and Fifth Avenue in Buena Vista, GA, comes into three dimensions with a Connect to Protect garden in the foreground.
Building a Successful Hospitality Internship Program
The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel is uniquely positioned for preparing and addressing the needs of the next generation of hospitality professionals through its hospitality internship program.
Building Literary Success for Kids from Birth to 5 Years Old
In 2019, the Colquitt County Archway Partnership established the Youth Development and Education Issue Work Group (YDEIWG). Concerned by the lack of early childhood development resources, the YDEIWG sought an innovative solution to address the deficiency.
Coaching4Success
Established in partnership with CCSD, Coaching4Success began as a literacy-focused afterschool mentorship relationship between UGA students and elementary student-athletes.
Co-Benefits of Industry and Natural Resource Planning
In 2015, the University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s Coastal Ecology Lab and Chemours partnered to protect wildlife, focusing on gopher tortoises and eastern indigo snakes, at heavy mineral sand mines in South Georgia’s coastal plain.
Cultivating Knowledge and Health Through Collaboration
The Candler County University of Georgia Extension staff hosted a summer “Fun with Food Day” experience for 4th, 5th and 6th grade 4-H’ers in June of 2023.
Emerging Engineers Leadership Development Program
UGA’s College of Engineering identified a need to develop more professionalization and leadership skills to serve their students as they work through client-based projects in their senior year.
Fire Festival
In 2021, the inspiration for what became the Fire Festival was sparked. Effingham and Screven County Extension partnered to address the needs of the communities by offering two Prescribed Burning and Land Management Field Days.
Georgia Electric Mobility Snapshot
By transforming technical research into accessible, visually compelling formats, UGA Institute of Government is ensuring that Georgia’s communities are equipped to navigate the shift to electric transportation.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD: Georgia Native Seed Network
Georgia’s first statewide partnership is striving to provide native plant materials essential to habitat restoration throughout Georgia.
Grant-Funded Entrepreneur Education in Rural SW Georgia
The Albany office of the UGA SBDC responded to a request for proposal from the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission to administer entrepreneur education courses in a 14-county territory in rural Southwest Georgia
Hawkinsville Design Charrette
Hawkinsville aimed to attract a pub to boost downtown revitalization, tourism and dining options. The Archway Partnership enlisted the Center for Community Design and Preservation to envision potential opportunities.
Impactful Experience UGA
Launched in 2012, the Experience UGA program is a partnership between the Clarke County School District and the University of Georgia that brings every Clarke County student to UGA every year to experience learning on a university campus.
Leadership in Neighboring Communities
Leadership in Neighboring Communities is a unique partnership between Cook and Berrien counties, grounded in the Fanning Adult Community Leadership Curriculum, which emphasizes the continuous growth of skills and knowledge for effective leadership.
Lodging Partnership as an Educational Epicenter: Ensuring Impact Across Georgia
The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel is outfitted with two-unit divisions which exist to support operations to the overall education-centric mission.
Migrant Education Summer Program
This youth leadership development program offers Georgia’s migrant high school students a transformative, week-long summer experience designed to expand their academic and career aspirations.
Multi-County Portfolio Workshop Prepares Youth to Thrive through Project Achievement
Project Achievement, one of the core four 4-H programs in Georgia, is an opportunity for this process and empowers young people with the skills to lead for a lifetime.
Partnering with our Community
The partnership between the Georgia Center and Clarke County School District allows special education students to explore vocational opportunities in their community.
Public Finance Leadership Academy
The Public Finance Leadership Academy equips new and emerging public sector financial management leaders with the knowledge they need to successfully manage and communicate at all levels of government.
Reimagining the Hutcheson Medical Center
The former Hutcheson Medical Center and surrounding 33-acre property represent both an unparalleled opportunity and a unique challenge to local leaders in Catoosa County.
Revitalizing Downtown EV Charging: City of Buena Vista
Over the last few decades, the City of Buena Vista has witnessed a declining population and economic setbacks. Local elected officials and business leaders are now investing in downtown revitalization, hoping to attract visitors and tourism dollars.
Shark Science Supporting Students
Every summer since 2021, come rain or shine, a dedicated group of researchers can be found seeking out sharks in Georgia’s coastal waters.
Strengthening Local Education & Workforce Alignment
Aligning secondary Career, Technical and Agricultural Education to state workforce needs has been a top priority in Georgia for some time.
Sustaining Staff: Nonprofit Employee Benefits Study
The Interdisciplinary Alliance for Nonprofits at the University of Georgia works to collaboratively harness and make available the spectrum of the university’s academic resources in support of nonprofit organizations.
The Plug Into Georgia Initiative
The UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government, with collaboration and support from Southern Company, is engaging local governments through the Plug into Georgia initiative.
UGA CyberArch
UGA CyberArch is an internship program aligned with enhancing the cybersecurity resilience of Georgia’s communities and businesses by providing a risk reviews to K-12 schools, local governments, rural hospitals, and small businesses at no fee.
UGA Extension Gwinnett Brings Newfound Knowledge of Protein Sources to the Asian Community
Since November 2023, the Gwinnett UGA Extension faculty have reached the Asian community with nutrition education oriented to seniors and focused on their improvement of protein intake.
UGA SBDC Partners with Chamber of Commerce for the “Go Digital Coweta” Assistance Program
The “Go Digital Coweta” Digital Assistance Program was created by the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce to offer assistance to businesses that were affected by the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Understanding Housing Affordability
Housing affordability is a critical issue in Newton County. Despite stereotypes, apartment living is not inherently tied to income, gender, or age. However, rising rental costs present significant challenges for both residents and policymakers.
Warner Robins Downtown Resilience Plan
Warner Robins is uniquely positioned to benefit from its proximity to Robins Air Force Base (RAFB). RAFB employs some 22,000 civilian, contractor, and military personnel, making Warner Robins a regional employment hub.
Youth LEAD Georgia Summit Report
This poster examines high school students’ perspectives on the most pressing challenges facing Georgia’s youth today.
Scholarly Engagement
OVERALL AWARD – Communicating in a Crisis
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia’s Communications Plan provides policies and procedures for effective communication practices during daily activities under normal garden operations and during minor service disruptions.
1ST PLACE – Reimagining the Hutcheson Medical Center
The former Hutcheson Medical Center and surrounding 33-acre property represent both an unparalleled opportunity and a unique challenge to local leaders in Catoosa County.
2ND PLACE – Shark Science Supporting Students
This collaborative research project between the Georgia Aquarium and UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant is using morphometric data from sharks to gain insight into the health of Georgia’s coastal ecosystems.
Building Community: Curriculum Development for Rural and Small-Towns
This initiative addresses the challenges faced by rural and small-town communities in preserving their unique identity while planning for sustainable growth.
Data-Informed Approaches to Rural Housing Challenges
The Carl Vinson Institute of Government assists rural Georgia communities in understanding and addressing their housing challenges, such as aging housing stock and limited affordable housing.
Educational Overnight Event Develops 4-H Essential Elements in Youth
The 4-H Study was a longitudinal investigation of students and their parents that evaluated the link between involvement in positive youth development programs and student success.
Factors and Barriers of Extension Programming Adoption
Because Cooperative Extension agents decide what educational programs to offer to clients, they serve as gatekeepers of Extension information dispersal.
Gamified Cybersecurity Training
This study explores how gamification and AI-driven simulations enhance engagement, improve phishing detection, and strengthen compliance with cybersecurity protocols. It examines the role of interactive learning in fostering motivation, deterrence, and policy adherence.
The Center for Internet Security Risk Assessment Method
CIS RAM utilizes the Duty of Care Standard as the foundation for standardized cybersecurity risk evaluation methods that legal regulators and information security professionals can all understand.
The Ethics of Language Artificial Intelligence
With artificial intelligence becoming an increasingly integral part of many people’s day to day life, it is important to investigate the ethics of these models so that any discrepancies that may lead to unfair biases may be identified.
Transforming Student Engagement
The goal is to co-create an innovative and dynamic student pipeline enabling them to ideate, lead, collaborate, and contribute effectively to the community-engaged mission as equal stakeholders.
Youth LEAD Georgia Summit Report
This poster examines high school students’ perspectives on the most pressing challenges facing Georgia’s youth today.