Sonia Hernandez
Josiah Meigs Distinguished Professor
I am a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Professor in a joint appointment at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources and the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine since 2008.
I was raised in Madrid, Spain and moved to New Orleans when I was 12 yrs old. I am a wildlife veterinarian (LSU, 1996). I originally trained as a clinician and completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at a specialty practice in Arizona (1997) and then a residency in zoological medicine at Cornell University from 1998 – 2001, after which I became a Diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine (2002). I worked in private practices, zoos, and as a clinical instructor until I “returned to school” and earned a PhD in Ecology from UGA (2008). I teach several courses to undergraduate, graduate, and veterinary students, including Wildlife Disease Investigation for graduate Students, Wildlife Diseases for veterinary students, Conservation Medicine & Biology course in Costa Rica, Ornithology, and Field Ornithology in Costa Rica and others. My research activities focus on wildlife diseases and, specifically, how human activities affect the ecology and health of wildlife and often for the purpose of conserving biodiversity. I am a Fulbright scholar (2021). I have received the UGA Alumni Excellence in Teaching Award (2021), the Warnell Professor of the Year (2018), the University-wide Richard B. Russell Award for Excellence in Teaching (2017), and the Warnell Outstanding Teaching Award (2013). I am the proud mom of Paxton and twins Ashton and Maya.
Education
Education
PhD, Ecology, UGA, 2008
DVM, Veterinary Medicine, LSU, 1996
Professional Appointments
Professional Appointments
Associate Professor 2008-2012
Assistant Professor 2012-2018
Awards & Honors
Awards & Honors
2025 Richard Reiff Award for Campus Internationalization; University of Georgia
– recognizes full-time faculty members who have made exceptional contributions to global education
2023 Josiah Meigs Distinguished Professor in Teaching; University of Georgia
– recognizes excellence in instruction at the undergraduate and graduate levels
2021 Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources Alumni Award for Outstanding Teaching
2021 US Fulbright Scholar for research/teaching in Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
2021 Nominated for UGA University-wide Creative Research Medal
2020 Nominated for UGA Graduate School Excellence in Mentorship Award by graduate students
2019 Nominated for UGA Graduate School Excellence in Mentorship Award by graduate students
2018 Xi Sigma Pi Herrick Professor of the Year Award
2018 Nominated for Office in Global Engagement Study Abroad Award
2017 Richard B. Russell UGA University-wide Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award
2013 Warnell School Faculty Award for Outstanding Teaching
2013 Continuing Educator of the Year from Western States Veterinary Conference
2012 American College of Zoological Medicine Presidential Award, work as Chair of the Conservation Committee
2009 American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians Presidential Award, work as Vice-President
2009 American College of Zoological Medicine Presidential Award, work on the Education Committee
2008 UGA Graduate Student Excellence-in-Research Award
2008 American Association of Zoo Veterinarians Presidential Award, exemplary work as Chair of the International Committee
Areas of Expertise
Areas of Expertise
I am interested in all aspects of wildlife disease, particularly how pathogens affect wildlife populations, communities and ecosystems and primarily with an applied perspective. I have and will continue to conduct research that attempts to understand how anthropogenic changes to the landscape can affect disease dynamics. My research has and will encompass the intersection of human, animal and wildlife health. I aim to integrate ecological principle to inform the fields of conservation medicine and wildlife disease investigation. Learn more at https://hernandezlabuga.wixsite.com/wilddisease.
Publications
Publications
1. GSTFrancisco, R., S. M. Hernandez, E. P. Barton, M. R. Kunkel, K. G. Adcock, D. G. Mead, M. G. Ruder, J. R. Broadhurst, and M. J. Yabsley. 2024. Surrogate Virus Neutralization Test ELISA efficacy with different white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) biological samples. Accepted by the Journal of Wildlife Diseases, September, 2024
2. GWTAdams, HC, Markham KE, Madden M, Gray MJ, Bolanos Vives F, Chaves G, and Hernandez SM. 2024. Geographic risk assessment of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans invasion in Costa Rica as a means of informing emergence management and mitigation. PLoS ONE 19(12): e0293779. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293779.
3. GSTTatz MJ, Lance SL, Hernandez SM. Mercury Exposure Is Associated with Urbanization but not Salmonella Status in White Ibis (Eudocimus albus). J Wildl Dis. 2024 Jul 1;60(3):769-773. doi: 10.7589/JWD-D-24-00002. PMID: 38754863.
4. GSTShock BC, Jones HH, Garrett KB, Hernandez SM, Burchfield HJ, Haman K, Schwantje H, Telford SR, Cunningham MW, Yabsley MJ. Description of Babesiacoryicola sp. nov. from Florida pumas (Puma concolor coryi) from southern Florida, USA. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl. 2024 Jul 6;24:100963. doi: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2024.100963. PMID: 39169986; PMCID: PMC11337720.
5. GSTWilson, CA, Hernandez, SM, Weil, JNu, Ezenwa, VO, Altizer S and Hall, RJ.. Human-provided food increases aggregation but does not change activity budgets in an urban wading bird. Journal of Urban Ecology, Volume 10, Issue 1, 2024, juae017, https://doi.org/10.1093/jue/juae017
6. Hernandez, S. M., Curry, S. EGST., Murray, M. H., Hoopes, L. A., Nilsen, R., Gregory, C., . . . Gottdenker, N. L. (2023). An Acute Mortality Event Associated with Novel Macrorhabdus ornithogaster Infection and Underlying Factors in a Newly-Established Captive Group of American White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) Nestlings.. J Wildl Dis, 59(4), 759-766. doi:10.7589/JWD-D-22-00141
7. Laity, K., Conway, AGST., Hernandez, S. M., Carroll, J. P., & Ejigu, D. (2023). Occupancy and abundance of a West African mangabey species (Cercocebus atys Audebert, 1797) in forest patch habitat. African Journal of Ecology; doi:10.1111/aje.13139
8. Yabsley, M. J., CokerGST, S. M., Welch, C. N., Garrett, K. B., Murray, M., Grunert, R., . . . Hernandez, S. M. (2023). A single Haemoproteus plataleae haplotype is widespread in white ibis (Eudocimus albus) from urban and rural sites in southern Florida. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl, 21, 269-276. doi:10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.06.010
9. Patel, K., Stapleton, G. S., Trevejo, R. T., Tellier, W. T., Higa, J., Adams, J. K., Hernandez S.M., Sanchez, S., Nemeth N, Debess, E. S., Rogers, K. H., Mete, A., Watson, K.D., Foss, L., Low, M.S.F., Gollarza, L.,Nichols, M. (2023). Human Salmonellosis Outbreak Linked to Salmonella Typhimurium Epidemic in Wild Songbirds, United States, 2020–2021. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 29(11). doi:10.3201/eid2911.230332
10. GSTFrancisco R, Hernandez SM, Mead DG, Adcock KG, Burke SC, Nemeth NM, Yabsley MJ. SARS-CoV-2 Susceptibility: Raccoons and Skunks Experimental susceptibility of North American raccoons (Procyon lotor) and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) to SARS-CoV-2. Front. Vet. Sci., 2022. Sec. Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics
Other Links
Other Links
Professional Website: Hernandez Wildlife Disease Lab Website
Curriculum Vitae: CV SM Hernandez
