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FALL 2006
Awards and Honors
by Eric Dahl

Lamar Dodd Award

Honors an outstanding body of research in the sciences.

Stephen P. Hubbell, Distinguished Research Professor of Plant Biology, has created a mathematical theory to explain general patterns in the distribution of biological diversity on earth from local to global scales. Originally published as The Unified Neutral Theory of Biodiversity and Biogeography (2001), the theory unifies previously unconnected theory in population biology and island biogeography with speciation theory. The theory has generated great excitement but also consternation among ecologists. The controversy is because, despite the concept’s simplified neutral approach, it works remarkably well, accurately describing many observed patterns of species diversity that had previously resisted theoretical explanation. Hubbell’s book has already become a citation classic and his theory has spawned a significant growth industry in theoretical ecology, resulting in a spate of derivative publications in leading scientific journals such as Nature and Science. Hubbell is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is also a Pew Fellow in Conservation Biology and in 2004 was awarded the prestigious Marsh Global Prize in Ecology by the British Ecological Society.

Honors an outstanding body of research in the social and behavioral sciences.

Gail M. Williamson, professor of psychology, is a health psychologist. She was among the first to document the interconnected challenges confronted by the elderly and their caregivers and has led the way in determining factors that contribute to neglectful and abusive care. Her research is both theoretically and methodically sophisticated, providing clear directions for effective new interventions to promote well-being among caregivers and care recipients. Her model of the social and psychological consequences of restricted activity has attracted the sustained interest of researchers in the field of aging, and the impact of her work has extended beyond aging and the care-giving relationship to issues in a range of life-threatening and incapacitating health disorders. Williamson’s publications have appeared in the most respected disciplinary journals of psych- ology, social sciences, sexuality, health, rehabilitation, Alzheimer’s disease and gerontology, and her works are widely cited.

Honors an outstanding body of nationally and internationally recognized scholarly or creative activities in the creative arts and humanities. Established 1980.

William D. Davis, professor of music, is a world-renowned bassoon performer who has created an imaginative and popular body of compositions for the instrument. Although the bassoon is not typically associated with solo performance, Davis has established an international reputation as a solo recitalist and as a soloist performing with a range of orchestras and concert bands. While his repertoire includes music from the last four centuries, his most widely recognized contribution is to the field of new music. As a composer, Davis has produced works for many instrument and vocal combinations, including solo and ensemble works for bassoon. His superb bassoon performance ability gives him a “hands-on” advantage when composing for this instrument. He uses avant-garde techniques integrated with musical textures that possess interest and clarity. The outcome has been an important contribution to the contemporary music repertoire. He has performed on four continents and has works released on eight compact discs.

Recognizes an inventor for a unique, creative and innovative discovery that has made an impact on the community.

Michael Adang, professor of entomology, biochemistry and molecular biology, studies insects that have natural tolerance for or an acquired resistance to toxins typically used to protect crops. As an inventor in this field, he has created technologies resulting in 12 patents. While conducting research at UGA with funding from the Georgia Research Alliance, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Institutes of Health, Adang discovered a new protein that increases the effectiveness of the bioinsecticide Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). His discovery, which he calls “Bt-Booster,” expands the range of insects that Bt works against and reduces the amount required to be effective. The benefits are higher crop yields and less environmental impact. InsectiGen, a new biotech company based at UGA’s Georgia BioBusiness Center, has been formed to commercialize Bt-Booster as a biological control agent.