UGA Welcomes Second Cohort of Faculty Innovation Fellows
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026
The University of Georgia has named the second cohort of the Faculty Innovation Fellows program. The program was established last year as part of UGA’s Innovation District for faculty who promote innovation and desire to build cultures of leadership and entrepreneurship in their respective colleges, schools and departments.
As part of the fellowship, members will serve a two-year term, acting as a liaison between their college or school and the Innovation District and encouraging entrepreneurial activity within their unit. The Fellows will also play an active role in raising awareness of the latest research, publications, patents and other marketable ideas generated from their unit.
“I’m excited to apply the lessons learned from last year’s inaugural cohort as we welcome and work alongside this year’s Fellows,” said Chris Rhodes, executive director of UGA’s Innovation District. “This group exemplifies the exceptional talent, creativity and leadership found across campus. Together, we look forward to elevating the remarkable work happening here at UGA and expanding its impact throughout our community and beyond.”
This year’s Fellows are:
- Dr. Canaan Whitfield-Cargile, associate professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s department of large animal medicine
- Sycarah Fisher, associate professor in the Mary Frances Early College of Education’s department of educational psychology
- Kamal J.K. Gandhi, Wheatley Distinguished Professor of Forest Health and director of the Southern Pine Health Research Cooperative, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources
- Neil Grimsey, associate professor of pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences in the College of Pharmacy
- Luan Oliveira, assistant professor and precision agriculture Extension specialist for vegetables and specialty crops in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
- Lance Porter, Karen W. and Daniel J. King Distinguished Professor in Advertising in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication
Dr. Canaan Whitfield-Cargile
Dr. Whitfield-Cargile, a member of the UGA faculty since 2022, is a board-certified specialist in large animal surgery and equine sports medicine, performance and rehabilitation. He earned his DVM from UGA in 2006, followed by a residency in large animal surgery at Texas A&M University where he later completed his doctorate in biomedical science. Dr. Whitfield-Cargile’s work advances new approaches to understanding equine gastrointestinal health and develops innovative treatments for horses facing complex medical and surgical conditions. In addition to his role as an associate professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, he holds the Crosswell Chair in Large Animal Medicine.
Sycarah Fisher
Over the course of her higher education career, Fisher has built a national reputation for research that advances youth mental health, substance use prevention and educational equity. Since joining UGA in 2019, Fisher has developed a portfolio of collaborative, community-engaged research initiatives and federally funded projects aimed at improving the well-being of children and adolescents, particularly those from historically underserved populations. Fisher is the recipient of numerous awards including the Arthur M. Horne Faculty Award for Community Engagement and Research.
Kamal J.K. Gandhi
With nearly two decades of experience in forest health research, Gandhi has served on the UGA faculty since 2008 and is internationally recognized for her work on the ecology and management of forest insects and invasive species. As a Wheatley Distinguished Professor of Forest Health and director of the Southern Pine Health Research Cooperative, she leads research initiatives that help protect forests, strengthen sustainable forest management practices and address emerging threats to natural resources.
Neil Grimsey
Grimsey began his career in biomedical research at the Cambridge Institute of Medical Research in the United Kingdom in 2000 and joined UGA in 2018. Since then, he has established a dynamic research program supported by multiple federal grants and focused on atypical kinase signaling and its role in human health and disease. His research integrates vascular biochemistry, inflammation and molecular biology to understand how dysregulated signaling contributes to blinding retinal diseases, lung injury, viral infections and neuroinflammatory disorders. Grimsey has been the recipient of multiple awards, fellowships and grants, including the Illumina Pilot Study Visium 10x Spatial Genomics Award.
Luan Oliveira
A member of the UGA faculty since 2023, Oliveira focuses his research on developing precision agriculture tools and applying agricultural machinery and technologies. His work supports the production of specialty crops and enhances social and environmental sustainability. Oliveira has received numerous accolades, including the 2026 Gary A. Herzog Award of Excellence for Junior Scientist at the UGA Tifton campus.
Lance Porter
Porter is a nationally recognized expert in digital media, social media analytics and strategic communication. Porter, who earned both his master’s degree in 1998 and doctorate in 2002 from UGA’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, returned to the university as a faculty member in 2024. Prior to that, Porter spent 20 years at Louisiana State University, where he founded the Social Media Analysis and Creation Lab. Porter’s research explores the evolving impact of social media, digital advertising and emerging technologies and helps organizations better understand how people engage with information, brands and one another in an increasingly connected world.
Representing different colleges and departments across campus, each of this year’s Faculty Innovation Fellows exemplify the breadth and depth of innovation taking place across UGA. In partnership with the Innovation District, they will help strengthen connections between research, entrepreneurship and public impact while championing a culture of creativity and discovery within their respective units.
For more information on the UGA Innovation District and opportunities to get involved, visit innovation.uga.edu.
