Category: Faculty News

Paul Lyrene’s legacy of science and stewardship

In recognition of “the Father of Florida Blueberries,” UF’s new blueberry research building was named the Paul M. Lyrene Blueberry Research Building.

Anna-Lisa Paul receives SURA’s Distinguished Scientist Award

Anna-Lisa Paul, Ph.D., was named a recipient of the Southeastern Universities Research Association’s (SURA) 2025 Distinguished Scientist Award.

Florida scientists send seeds to ISS to study farming solutions for Earth’s harsh conditions

Wagner Vendrame, Ph.D., a UF/IFAS environmental horticulture professor and a member of UF’s Astraeus Space Institute, sent four types of UF-bred seeds to the International Space Station, or ISS, to study how spaceflight affects plant genetics and resilience.

Micronutrient mystery could be key to brain health, cancer defense

An international team of scientists has discovered how bodies absorb a micronutrient that we rely on for healthy brain function, cancer defense and more.

UF lands $7.5 million grant to map treacherous tidal mudflats for faster rescues, military missions

A team led by UF Civil and Coastal Engineering Professor Nina Stark, Ph.D., is launching a $7.5 million research project to help map tidal mudflats. Funded by the Office of Naval Research, the project brings together experts from five universities across the U.S. using satellite imagery, field sensors and hovercraft technology.

Benjamin Johnson comments on the ‘brain rot’ phenomenon

The UF CJC associate professor and director of the STEM Translational Communication Center was quoted in an NBC TODAY article focused on “brain rot.”

CLAS faculty earn CAREER awards from NSF

Ramón Alain Miranda Quintana, Ph.D., and Jeffrey Rudolf, Ph.D., were honored with the prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation.

AI is transforming gambling—A UF researcher explores ethical risks

As gamers and spectators prepare for the 2025 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, a cultural conversation around AI and ethics in gambling is brewing, with a growing concern that unregulated AI systems can exploit and profit from vulnerable individuals.

Researchers uncover hundreds of genes linked to OCD

Newly published research helps unravel medical mysteries by shedding light on the genetics of OCD.

Robotic hands are the next frontier in astronaut safety

Supported by NASA, Eric Du, Ph.D., a professor in the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering and a member of the Astraeus Space Institute, is developing new ways for astronauts to control robotic hands, laying the groundwork for the future of space medicine.