I cannot tell you how excited I am to join the team at the University of Georgia Graduate School! For more than a hundred years, the UGA Graduate School has been at the forefront of graduate education, providing exceptional educational experiences and professional development for tens of thousands of talented and diverse students. Our remarkable graduate students and alumni are innovative, creative thinkers who have the potential to change our lives in immeasurable ways. The Graduate School contributes to development of these emerging leaders by supporting innovative and comprehensive training in programs that are tailored to suit the interests of UGA students and meet the needs of their eventual employers. I am honored to lead those efforts as we move forward.

As evidenced by the outstanding individuals featured in this issue, graduate students are vital to the mission of the University of Georgia to preserve and enhance the intellectual, cultural, and environmental heritage of our state and the nation. They are the backbone of the original scholarship, basic and applied research, and creative activities that underscore our mission. Their efforts support the signature research themes of the University: inquiring and innovating to improve human health; safeguarding and sustaining our world; and changing lives through the Land Grant Mission. Through their roles in cooperative extension, continuing education, public service, and experiment stations, our students engage the public, enhance the well-being of the citizens of Georgia, and contribute to economic, social, and community development in our region. Our students are the leaders of tomorrow. They are the researchers who will cure diseases, tap into new sources of energy, and identify actions from our past that inform the steps we take in the future. They are the performers who will enrich our culture and change the way we look at ourselves, our state, and our planet. They will lead our government, teach our children, entertain our families, and change our world.

On behalf of our students and everyone in the Graduate School, I thank you for your continued support and look forward to working with you as we continue to grow graduate education at the University of Georgia.

Suzanne Barbour
Dean