![Darrell Sparks was awarded the UGA Inventor of the Year Award in 2018.](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/news/multimedia/images/4012/sparkspicforweb.jpg)
UGA Inventor
Darrell Sparks’ legacy at the University of Georgia spans more than 50 years and includes the release of eight patented pecan cultivars and research focused on the development of new and improved pecan varieties. For his contributions to Georgia’s pecan industry, Sparks is the 2018 recipient of the university’s Inventor of the Year Award.