Four Women Named to Josiah Meigs Distinguished Professorships at the University of Georgia

The University of Georgia has honored four faculty members with its highest accolade for teaching, the Josiah Meigs Distinguished Professorship. The Meigs Professorship underscores the university’s commitment to excellence in teaching, the value placed on student learning experiences, and the central role instruction plays in the university’s mission.

“Meigs Professors embody the University of Georgia’s commitment to exceptional instruction,” said S. Jack Hu, the university’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “They create engaging experiences both inside and outside the classroom that challenge students to apply their knowledge in creative and meaningful ways.”

All four scholars who were named Josiah Meigs Distinguished Professors are women.

Tessa Andrews is an associate professor of genetics in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. Her labs focuses on knowledge that college instructors need to effectively implement evidence-based teaching practices, such as active-learning instruction. She joined the faculty at the University of Georgia in 2013. Dr. Andrews holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Ph.D. in biological sciences from Montana State University.

Sonia Hernandez is a professor with a joint appointment in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources and the department of population health in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Her research focuses on understanding how anthropogenic changes to the landscape affect wildlife disease dynamics. Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Spain, Dr. Hernandez earned a bachelor’s degree in biology at the University of New Orleans. She holds a doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Louisiana State University and a Ph.D. in ecology from the University of Georgia.

Maria Navarro is a professor in the department of agricultural leadership, education, and communication in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, specializing in interdisciplinary education. A member of the faculty since 2005, Dr. Navarro is a graduate of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Lleida, Spain. She holds a Ph.D. in agricultural education from Texas A&M University.

Kimberly Skobba is an associate professor of housing management and policy in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Georgia. Her research focuses on the housing needs of low-income households and the relationship between community development and social capital in rural and small towns. Dr. Skobba is a graduate of what is now Augsburg University in Minneapolis. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in design, housing, and apparel from the University of Minnesota.