Distinguished scientists, artists and leaders in technology, business and government will speak at the University of Georgia this semester as part of the university’s Signature Lecture Series.

Coordinated by the Office of the Provost, the Signature Lecture Series features speakers noted nationally or internationally for their broad, multidisciplinary appeal and compelling bodies of work. Many of the lectures are supported by endowments, while others honor notable figures and milestones in the university’s history.

“We are proud to host nationally and internationally renowned thought leaders who bring a wide variety of experiences, insights and viewpoints to our campus,” said S. Jack Hu, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “The Signature Lecture Series is an opportunity for the campus community to hear from preeminent voices in critical fields including the arts, humanities, business, law and science.”

The fall 2024 Signature Lectures are:

Brandon Som, associate professor of literature and creative writing, University of California, San Diego, and Siwar Masannat, managing editor, African Poetry Book Fund and Prairie Schooner, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Sept. 16, 6:30 p.m., M. Smith Griffith Auditorium, Georgia Museum of Art

Som’s “Tripas,” a Georgia Review Books imprint, won a Pulitzer Prize for poetry and was a finalist for the National Book Award. His first book, “The Tribute Horse,” won the Kate Tufts Discovery Award. Masannat’s poetry collection “cue” was also published in the Georgia Review Books imprint. Her debut poetry collection, “50 Water Dreams,” was selected by Ilya Kaminsky as the winner of the Cleveland State University Poetry Center’s First Book Competition.

Sponsored by the University of Georgia Libraries, The Georgia Review, The University of Georgia Press and the Georgia Museum of Art

Anabella Villalobos, senior vice president and head of biotherapeutics and medicinal sciences, Biogen

Chu Leadership Lecture

Sept. 18, 11 a.m., David and Jane Chu Auditorium, College of Pharmacy South Building, with a reception at 10:30 a.m.

Villalobos is internationally recognized for her leadership in drug discovery and medicinal sciences. As vice president of medicinal synthesis technologies and neuroscience medicinal chemistry at Pfizer, she designed Icopezil, a drug that advanced to phase 2 studies and is in the same class as Aricept, the front-line treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Villalobos is a 2023 inductee of the American Chemical Society Medicinal Chemistry Hall of Fame.

Sponsored by the College of Pharmacy

Eric Nelson, Robert M. Beren Professor of Government, Harvard University

Constitution Day at UGA Lecture

Sept. 20, 2 p.m., University of Georgia Chapel

Nelson is an American historian, award-winning author and professor of government. His research focuses on the history of political thought in early-modern Europe and America and on the implications of that history for debates in contemporary political theory. His books have received a variety of awards, and his essays have appeared in a wide range of scholarly journals and edited volumes. Nelson has been awarded fellowships by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and the American Council of Learned Societies.

Sponsored by the School of Public and International Affairs, Jack Miller Center and the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts

Belle S. Wheelan, president, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Louise McBee Lecture in Higher Education

Sept. 23, 11 a.m., University of Georgia Chapel

In a career spanning more than 50 years, Wheelan has made significant contributions to higher education. She has served as a faculty member, chief student services officer, campus provost, college president and Virginia’s secretary of education. She was the first African American or woman to hold several of these positions, including her current role as president of SACSCOC.

Sponsored by the Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education

Micah Cash, visual artist

Sept. 26, 5:30 p.m., M. Smith Griffith Auditorium, Georgia Museum of Art

Investigating how land use and social history influence cultural geography, Cash uses the visual languages of landscape and architecture across media to explore narratives of utilization, demarcation and ownership. His work is featured in solo and group exhibitions as well as private collections throughout North America and Europe. Cash’s monographs include “Waffle House Vistas” and “Dangerous Waters: A Photo Essay on the Tennessee Valley Authority.”

Sponsored by the Georgia Museum of Art

Daniel P. Amos, chairman, chief executive officer and president, Aflac Incorporated

Mason Public Leadership Lecture

Oct. 2, 10:20 a.m., University of Georgia Chapel

Amos is one of the longest-serving CEOs in the FORTUNE 200. His innovative leadership style at Aflac has led to annual revenue growth from $2.7 billion in 1990 to $18.7 billion in 2023. During his tenure, the Ethisphere Institute has recognized Aflac Incorporated as a World’s Most Ethical Company for 18 consecutive years, making Aflac the only insurance company in the world to appear on this list every year since the inception of the award in 2007.

Sponsored by the Institute for Leadership Advancement

Saxby Chambliss, former U.S. senator, and Arnold Punaro, defense expert

Russell Library 50th Anniversary Celebration

Oct. 22, 11 a.m., Richard B. Russell Building, Special Collections Libraries

Chambliss served in the U.S. Senate for two terms following four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his tenure in the Senate, he served as a member of the Armed Services Committee, the Rules Committee and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. His leadership and experience on homeland security and intelligence matters earned him an appointment to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence where he served as vice chairman from 2011 to 2015. Punaro, a retired Marine Corps general, is chief executive officer of The Punaro Group, a firm specializing in federal budget and market analysis, business strategy and capture, acquisition due diligence, government relations, communications, crisis management, sensitive operations and business risk analysis and compliance. He consults for a broad array of Fortune 100 companies and has been recognized by Defense News as one of the 100 most influential individuals in U.S. defense.

Sponsored by the Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies

Greg Lavender, executive vice president and chief technology officer, Intel Corporation

Nov. 5, 12:30 p.m., Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel, Mahler Hall, with a reception following in the Hill Atrium

As CTO, Lavender is responsible for driving Intel’s future technical innovation through his leadership of Intel Labs, Intel Federal LLC, and Intel Information Technology. He is also responsible for defining and executing Intel’s software strategy across artificial intelligence, confidential computing and the growing need for open accelerated computing to support Intel’s range of business and hardware offerings. He has held executive and leadership roles at VMware, Citigroup, Cisco Systems, and Sun Microsystems. Lavender holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree and doctorate in computer science from Virginia Tech. He also served as a faculty member and associate chair in the department of computer science at the University of Texas at Austin.

Sponsored by the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences

Saxby Chambliss, former U.S senator, Heidi Heitkamp, former U.S. senator, and Deborah Roberts, award-winning ABC News senior national affairs correspondent

Johnny Isakson Symposium on Political Civility

Nov. 18, 1:30 p.m., Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel

The Johnny Isakson Symposium on Political Civility honors and perpetuates former U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson’s legacy of statesmanship and political civility. Special guests consider how civil debate, mutual respect and common-interest problem-solving advance the public good.

Sponsored by the School of Public and International Affairs

Krysta Harden, president and CEO, U.S. Dairy Export Council, and former U.S. deputy secretary of agriculture

2024 D.W. Brooks Lecture and Awards: “Georgia Roots, Global Impact: A Journey Working with People, Industry and Nations on Challenges to Nourishing the World”

Nov. 19, 3:30 p.m., Masters Hall, Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel

With a focus on agriculture and a heart for sustainability, Harden wants to boost American dairy exports and advocate for sustainable practices in the industry. Harden was named the first female chief executive of the U.S. Dairy Export Council in 2021 after serving in notable positions such as chief sustainability officer at Corteva and DuPont, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and CEO of the National Association of Conservation Districts. Her consistent focus has been on promoting agriculture policy and sustainability, with a particular emphasis on opportunities for women, young people and underrepresented groups, and returning veterans and retirees.

Sponsored by the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Requests for accommodations for those with disabilities should be made as soon as possible but at least seven days prior to the scheduled lecture. To request an accommodation, please notify the event contact. Event contacts are listed here.