The University of Georgia Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (SkIO) congratulates Emma Gallagher, a senior ocean science major in the Department of Marine Sciences in UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and a participant in the 2025 Semester at Skidaway program, on receiving a UGA Presidential Award of Excellence.
The award is given to honor undergraduates in their final year who embody the best of the University of Georgia student body, demonstrating outstanding academic achievement, strong extracurricular involvement, and service to their college.
“I am honored to receive this award,” Gallagher said. “I owe my thanks to the Department of Marine Sciences and the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography in providing me with the many opportunities which led to my success.”
Gallagher is a member in the lab of William Miller, a professor in the Department of Marine Sciences, where she has become proficient in analytical methods to measure reactive oxygen species in photochemical experiments. The experience led to her participation in a 21-day research cruise to the North Atlantic, where she worked alongside graduate students and research scientists. As a result, Gallagher was listed as a co-author on two presentations at the 2026 Ocean Sciences Meeting in Glasgow, Scotland.
Gallagher participated in SkIO’s Semester at Skidaway program with 12 of her peers. The program brings undergraduate seniors majoring in ocean science to the Georgia coast for a semester of hands-on research, immersive courses, an overnight cruise on the 104-foot Research Vessel Savannah, and field trips to scientifically and culturally relevant locations.
About SkIO
The UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (SkIO) is a multidisciplinary research and education institution located on Skidaway Island near Savannah, Georgia. The Institute was founded in 1967 with a mission to conduct research in all fields of oceanography. In 2013, SkIO was merged with the University of Georgia. The campus serves as a gateway to coastal and marine environments for programs throughout the University System. The Institute’s primary goals are to further the understanding of marine and environmental processes, conduct leading-edge research on coastal and marine systems, and train tomorrow’s scientists.