Smita Rawal and Cameron Thomas, assistant professors in the Department of Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy in Athens, recently participated in UGA’s New Faculty Tour with UGA Public Service and Outreach. Throughout the four-day experience, Rawal, Thomas and fellow faculty members traveled to 13 cities across Georgia to learn more about UGA’s work and its impact across the state.
The tour offered a firsthand look at UGA programs and partnerships spanning community engagement, coastal research, agriculture, economic development, entrepreneurship and public service.
To remember the experience and share what she learned along the way, Rawal documented the four-day journey below.
A New Faculty Tour Adventure
By Smita Rawal, PharmD, PhD
Day 1: From Athens to the Georgia Coast
The tour began at the Georgia Center, where new faculty gathered for orientation and our first group photos, including one with Hairy Dawg.
We then traveled to Thomson-McDuffie County to learn about the Archway Partnership, its programming and its community engagement initiatives.
Later, we visited UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant on Skidaway Island near Savannah. During our visit, we met UGA’s ambassador mascot, toured the aquarium, interacted with Marine Extension faculty and staff, and learned about Georgia’s coastal ecosystems through hands-on demonstrations featuring horseshoe crabs, oysters and other coastal species.
The visit showcased UGA’s education, research and outreach efforts through Georgia Sea Grant and Marine Extension in supporting Georgia’s coastal communities.
Day 2: Agriculture and Georgia’s Economy
Day two focused on Georgia’s agriculture and economy.
In the morning, we visited the Georgia Ports Authority and learned how the Port of Savannah has become one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing ports. A highlight was seeing its extensive on-terminal rail network, which allows cargo containers to be transferred directly between ships and trains, improving efficiency and supporting the movement of goods throughout the country.
In the afternoon, we toured Bland Farms, the world’s largest grower of Vidalia onions, to learn more about one of Georgia’s signature agricultural products. We then visited Paulk Vineyards, where we learned about Georgia’s muscadine industry and the vineyard’s winemaking process.
The day concluded at the UGA Tifton Campus, where we learned about the university’s agricultural research and Extension programs and their impact on Georgia’s farming communities.
Researchers demonstrated GPS-enabled cattle collars that help monitor livestock movement and keep cattle within designated grazing areas, reducing the need for traditional fencing. We also learned about precision agriculture technologies, including a large agricultural spray drone equipped with spray nozzles that can carry up to 75 pounds of liquid for efficient and targeted crop protection applications.
We also learned about the history and economic importance of Georgia’s cotton industry, the cotton production process from field to fiber, and the university’s ongoing research to support cotton growers across the state.
Day 3: Partnerships, Entrepreneurship and Public Service
Day three highlighted UGA’s public service, partnerships and economic development efforts.
We visited the National Infantry Museum in Columbus, where we learned about UGA’s partnerships with Fort Moore and regional organizations supporting conservation and community development.
We then traveled to Macon to tour the historic Capricorn Studios and met local business owners who shared how UGA’s small business programs helped them launch and grow their businesses.
The day concluded with a reception with UGA alumni and leadership, including Interim Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Ron Walcott and deans from several colleges. We had the opportunity to share our work and goals at UGA and connect with alumni and university leaders.
Day 4: Economic Development, Energy and UGA’s Statewide Impact
Day four focused on economic development, energy and UGA’s statewide impact.
At Georgia Power’s corporate headquarters in Atlanta, we learned how Georgia Power partners with UGA and other organizations to support economic development, create jobs and strengthen workforce training across the state. We also met economic development leaders who shared how partnerships among industry, universities and communities help attract and grow businesses in Georgia.
We then traveled to Living Water Winery in Blairsville, where we toured the winery and learned about UGA Extension programming to support the business.
The day concluded at Brasstown Valley in Young Harris with a group reflection on our experiences throughout the tour.
The New Faculty Tour was a valuable opportunity to see UGA’s statewide impact firsthand. Over four days, we experienced the work of the university across Georgia and learned more about the connections between UGA, communities, businesses and industries throughout the state.
From the coast to the mountains, the tour offered a closer look at the many ways UGA serves Georgia and the people who make that work possible.
