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Three veterinarians in scrubs stand around a sedated dog in an operating room
Opinion: Florida needs veterinarians trained to respond to natural disasters. Congress can help.
Tuesday January 7, 2025
Without a nationwide system for coordinating these efforts, it’s often chaotic, and animals suffer because of it.
child's hand petting sheep
Humans infecting animals infecting humans − from COVID-19 to bird flu, preventing pandemics requires protecting all species
Wednesday September 4, 2024
UF geography professor Sadie Ryan and Colorado State University veterinary microbiologist Anna Fagre write for The Conversation about cross-species disease transmission and how disease affects both wildlife conservation and people.
A headshot of Scott Angle.
At UF, here’s why post-tenure review will strengthen tenure, not weaken it
Friday August 23, 2024
By ensuring that tenure lives up to high expectations at UF, we are not only supporting tenure, but we are also arming it against attacks that it is an indefensible “job for life.”
A headshot of Jiaying Jiang.
When it comes to artists using GenAI, copyright law should protect the creative partnership
Wednesday August 21, 2024
The current copyright law has a hardline rule about AI, which leaves work contributed by AI unprotected. However, as artists continue using AI in their work, this creative collaboration needs to be protected.
A flooded rice paddy
The Conversation: Scientists use rice cultivation to preserve soil in Florida’s Everglades Agricultural Area
Friday August 9, 2024
Growing rice can slow soil loss and the lowering of surface elevation.
an older woman on the phone
The Conversation: Are older adults more vulnerable to scams?
Tuesday June 11, 2024
UF psychologists examine factors that may make older adults more susceptible to financial exploitation.
A group of teenagers sits on a grassy lawn passing a bible around
The Conversation: Why do religious teens engage in less risky behavior?
Tuesday May 14, 2024
A University of Florida research team has identified four conditions that could explain why religious teens are less likely to engage in risky behavior.
A headshot of male faculty member dressed in a suit and tie standing in front of a building.
The Conversation: Florida’s school safety dashboard helps parents and teachers address root causes of bullying, fighting and other misbehavior
Wednesday May 8, 2024
F. Chris Curran discusses how parents and schools can benefit from the dashboard and what other states might learn from it as well.
A headshot of Ted Bridis.
Opinion: Investigative journalism is not dying, it’s adapting
Wednesday April 24, 2024
As digital media changes how we consume information, and newsrooms scramble for resources, we need to train the next generation of reporters.
Two full bags of stored breast milk on a table
Opinion: Medicaid should cover donor breast milk for vulnerable infants
Friday April 19, 2024
Expanded coverage could save lives and save taxpayer money
A top-down view of an embryonic hammerhead shark with a nascent hammer forming at the head.
The Conversation: Hammerhead shark embryos reveal secrets of their unique head development
Monday March 11, 2024
Rare access to specimens provides first-ever look at captivating process
An oil refinery at dusk
The Conversation: What the SEC's US climate disclosure rules mean for companies
Thursday March 7, 2024
And why the requirements are much weaker than planned
The Conversation: How the keffiyeh became a symbol of Palestinian identity
Tuesday December 5, 2023
A practical garment used for protection against the desert sun has gained new meaning.
graphic of computer in a lock
Breaking down the threat of ransomware attacks
Thursday November 2, 2023
UF Professor Kevin Butler breaks down for viewers facts about ransomware attacks on businesses, institutions and governments and how UF researchers are working to protect us against these threats.
The Conversation: What is an abaya − and why does it cause such controversy in France?
Wednesday September 27, 2023
A scholar of European studies explains
map showing Niger
Niger coup explained
Wednesday September 20, 2023
Leonardo Villalon, a political scientist and West African expert at the University of Florida, explains the Niger coup and breaks down its global impact in this one-minute video.
astronaut space walk
UF’s Rachael Seidler explains work underway to mitigate health risks of space travel
Tuesday September 19, 2023
With plans to send a manned mission to Mars in the next decade, NASA turns to scientists to find solutions to the hazards of space travel
The Conversation: The fine line between freedom of expression and incitement of hatred
Thursday September 7, 2023
A Quran burning in Sweden prompts new debates
The Conversation: The Bhagavad Gita was special for Oppenheimer − but not in the way Christopher Nolan’s film depicts it
Thursday August 17, 2023
An expert in Hindu religion explains the controversy over the use of the Gita in "Oppenheimer."
The Conversation: From its birth 50 years ago, hip-hop has spread throughout Europe and challenged outdated ideals of racial and ethnic identity
Wednesday May 31, 2023
Like their American counterparts, European rappers use their music to push for change.
Op-ed: Florida is No. 1 in higher ed, and here’s why
Wednesday May 17, 2023
For the seventh year in a row, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Florida the No. 1 state for higher education. Furthermore, the College Board reports that undergraduate tuition in Florida is now the lowest in the country.
A headshot of a woman in a gray suit.
Improving national literacy won’t take a village; it will take an entire ecosystem
Wednesday April 19, 2023
The Lastinger Center’s approach to addressing the literacy crisis began in 2018, and the new Literacy Micro-Credentials program is taking this one step further. The Micro-Credentials program is part of an all-hands-on-deck reading structure that addresses the needs of whole communities. 
All views should be welcome on Florida’s campuses
Wednesday April 5, 2023
“When on-campus speech events go off the rails” sounds like a bad reality TV series, but it crisply captures the events in March at Stanford University and the University of Florida. Taking some simple steps, however, like engaging in counterspeech rather than disruption, may begin to address these woes.
In Florida, what does ‘tenure’ actually mean? Amid the fictions, here are the facts.
Wednesday April 5, 2023
Lawmakers should keep in mind realities about tenure when drafting such legislation — namely what tenure is, how faculty obtain it and why it exists.
Are we headed toward a dystopian online world? Supreme Court must prevent it
Wednesday April 5, 2023
A dystopian online world might well arise, though it certainly doesn’t need to. This depends on how the U.S. Supreme Court interprets a federal statute called Section 230 in Gonzalez v. Google.
rolls of toilet paper
UF study reveals toilet paper as unexpected source of ‘forever chemicals’
Wednesday March 1, 2023
University of Florida research demonstrates the challenges of PFAS in everyday products
An engraving of Lucian of Samosata
The Conversation: What a second-century Roman citizen, Lucian, can teach us about cultural exchange
Wednesday February 15, 2023
How ancient civilizations grappled with multicultural societies can provide lessons for our modern world.
An iPhone screen showing a folder of social media apps.
Supreme Court must step in to defend the editorial rights of social media platforms
Sunday January 29, 2023
Can the government dictate how social media platforms moderate their content, compelling them to host speech they wouldn’t otherwise? The answer to this question should be no. 
A man getting escorted out of a building by two other men.
In the middle of a chilling crypto winter, US regulators need to turn up the heat
Tuesday January 10, 2023
The crypto industry is being poorly managed, but that’s no big surprise. Unfortunately, this year’s predicted “crypto winter” will continue to get colder if key players don’t mitigate the risks, policymakers don’t provide clearer guidance, and regulators don’t start adjusting their enforcement strategies.  
How this college marching band gets ready to take the field
Tuesday August 30, 2022
With 425 members, the Gator Marching Band is one of the biggest in the nation. Jay Watkins, associate director of bands, shares what it takes to get members ready for a new season of setting the tempo for Gator Nation and what fans should watch for this year.
Op-ed: Traffic safety improvements were made around UF, but we must all do our part to stay safe
Tuesday August 23, 2022
We want to point out some of the changes on campus and encourage everyone — pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike — to do their part to make traveling to and around UF safe for all. 
Here’s what $1 billion in research spending does for UF and for Florida
Tuesday August 23, 2022
The University of Florida has achieved $1 billion in research spending, a historic milestone that puts UF in a select group of about 15 public universities with expenditures of this magnitude. In this episode of From Florida, Vice President for Research David Norton explains what that means for UF, Gainesville and for the state.
Op-ed: Why Florida’s future is brighter with UF hitting the $1 billion mark in research spending
Wednesday July 27, 2022
There are only about 15 public universities in the U.S. that have achieved this mark — an accomplishment that highlights the excellence of UF’s faculty, staff and students.  
Op-ed: Controversies involving COVID, political influence at UF have been shown to lack merit
Wednesday July 13, 2022
Exacerbated by Florida’s political importance, these controversies inevitably make the headlines, but not the results of any subsequent review or resolution. 
Op-ed: Why I share lessons learned about student debt
Monday July 11, 2022
Now that I’m a faculty member, I’ve made it a priority to pass what I’ve learned about finances on to students I teach and mentor. 
Op-ed: Would you let your toddler ride the bus alone?
Tuesday July 5, 2022
“Old Enough!” shows us that children are more capable than we may realize, which raises the question: How do children learn to do complex tasks at these early ages?  
Op-ed: Ban on seafood from Russia may be path to sustainable fish industry
Thursday June 23, 2022
The fact that seafood is one of Russia’s larger export goods, with a significant share coming to the U.S. via third countries, makes improved traceability necessary for the sanctions to bite.
NSF director: Let’s seize this moment to achieve prosperity for all
Wednesday June 1, 2022
The Honorable Sethuraman Panchanathan, director of the National Science Foundation, visited the University of Florida on Friday, May 27, to learn more about UF’s research initiatives and share his vision for accelerating scientific advancements to benefit all.
Op-ed: Keeping children safe and healthy in digital spaces
Friday May 27, 2022
When families with children go out in public, they typically are not expected to come equipped with protective gear or a security detail. When children go online in the U.S., the de facto message is "get your own protection.” 
Op-ed: Plants can grow in Moon dirt -- here's why knowing that is so important
Tuesday May 17, 2022
Scientists have grown plants in soil from the moon, a first in human history and a milestone in lunar and space exploration.
The best climate change reporting drives solutions
Wednesday April 27, 2022
Environmental journalist Cynthia Barnett was at the forefront of climate reporting and has seen the field grow exponentially in recent years. She explains why doomsday reporting is not the answer and recommends coverage that offers a balance of wonder and warning, along with options for what can be done. 
Op-ed: This is how we can double food production by 2050
Thursday April 21, 2022
We’ll need to feed another 2 billion people by mid-century, even as climate change threatens our ability to produce food. Georgia, Florida and other Southeastern states must play a central role if we’re to feed the world and simultaneously protect the planet.
Preparing students to take the lead in protecting our planet
Tuesday April 19, 2022
Coleen Sailsman and Sarisha Boodoo are among 12 students in the first cohort of the Environmental Leaders Fellowship program, hosted by the Thompson Earth Systems Institute. They spent the semester gaining skills that will make them better advocates for our planet and our communities.
Sharing the experiences of African American elders
Tuesday April 12, 2022
The Joel Buchanan Archive of African American Oral History includes 1,000 interviews with elders in Florida, Mississippi, Georgia and elsewhere about their experiences in the Civil Rights Movement and their efforts to establish churches, schools, businesses and build their communities.
Does medical marijuana work? Florida consortium seeks answers
Tuesday April 5, 2022
A consortium of nine universities in Florida, led by two professors at the University of Florida, is in the early stages of investigating medical marijuana. In this episode, Professor Almut Winterstein describes the consortium, its three major efforts and the opportunities and challenges in understanding how marijuana works as a medical treatment.
Op-Ed: We need better data to understand the impact of law enforcement officers in schools
Monday April 4, 2022
Although schools have received millions of federal and state dollars to support school resource officer programs, there is still much we don’t know — yet need to know — about how their presence affects increased student involvement in the criminal justice system.   
An expert shares best practices for preventing cybersecurity attacks
Tuesday March 29, 2022
Charles Carmakal is a UF alumnus and senior vice president and chief technology officer at Mandiant, a cybersecurity firm that works with government entities, corporations and law enforcement agencies around the world. On this episode of From Florida, Carmakal shares what organizations and individuals should do to protect themselves against cyberattacks.
Digging up facts, telling stories and busting myths with a university archivist
Tuesday March 22, 2022
Carl Van Ness has worked as an archivist at the George A. Smathers Libraries for nearly 40 years – and that’s given him a lot of time to read letters from the past, set the historical record straight when needed and uncover interesting facts about the University of Florida. Listen as Carl describes some of his favorite items in the archive and a few myths he's unraveled.
Meet the astrobiologist and her students who are searching for life on Mars
Tuesday March 15, 2022
As a child, Amy Williams gazed at the skies and had the same thought many of us do: Is there life out there? Now, as an astrobiologist at the University of Florida, Williams and her students are actively working on NASA’s Curiosity and Perseverance missions to find out if ancient life forms ever existed on Mars.
The bald eagle’s surprising history – and its ties to Florida
Tuesday March 8, 2022
The bald eagle wasn’t the hands-down choice to be our national emblem but today it is widely acknowledged as a perfect symbol of American patriotism. Pulitzer-Prize winning author Jack Davis, an environmental historian, has a new book out about the bird, its surprising past and why it is an environmental success story.
A Rhodes scholar with a passion for justice
Tuesday March 1, 2022
Aimee Clesi's passion for justice fueled her focus on wrongful conviction. It also led to her selection as the University of Florida’s most recent Rhodes scholar. Aimee talks more about her plans to study at Oxford University and joins UF external scholarship and fellowship coordinator Kelly Medley in offering advice for other students pursuing scholarship opportunities.  
Decision Day: Welcoming the Class of 2026
Tuesday February 22, 2022
Students who applied to the University of Florida as part of the Class of 2026 will learn if they’ve been admitted on Friday, Feb. 25. Mary Parker, the university’s chief enrollment strategist, explains what will happen on Friday, what comes next and offers her perspective on enrollment trends around the country.
Ancestry matters . . . even at the cellular level
Tuesday February 15, 2022
This year, the theme of Black History Month is Black health and wellness, which makes it an ideal time to learn more about the work of Dr. Josephine Allen and Dr. Erika Moore, both materials science engineers at the University of Florida. In this episode of From Florida, they explain why genetic diversity is important to medical research.
What makes the University of Florida’s online bachelor’s degree program No. 1?
Tuesday February 8, 2022
The University of Florida decided seven years ago it wanted to create an online bachelor’s degree program that mirrored the quality and experience of its on-campus programs. Dr. Evangeline Cummings, assistant provost and director of UF Online, explains what UF did to reach that goal and, most important, serve the needs of all kinds of students.
Innovative programs are positioning UF to meet demand for nurses and provide health care in rural areas
Tuesday February 1, 2022
There is a nationwide shortage of nurses and it has been exacerbated by the pandemic. Interest in nursing as a career remains strong, however. UF’s College of Nursing has a long history of developing programs aimed at meeting the need for health care services, as Dean Anna McDaniel and Clinical Director Denise Schentrup explain.
Op-Ed: Beijing 2022: National legacy seems assured, but international legacy an open question
Tuesday February 1, 2022
China and the International Olympic Committee face a challenge in ensuring a lasting legacy — international and national — for these games.
George Trotman, 68, receives a COVID-19 vaccination from a UF Health vaccinator at the Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in Gainesville recently.
Op-Ed: This Untapped Tool Could Help Boost Vaccination Rates
Thursday January 27, 2022
The recent failure of workplace vaccine mandates in the Supreme Court means we have to look for fresh ideas to get the last third of Americans vaccinated.   
Studying glaciers . . . from Florida
Tuesday January 25, 2022
Mickey MacKie, an assistant professor of geological sciences and a glaciologist, joined UF this summer. She has set up the Gator Glaciology Lab, where she and a team of undergraduate students are using machine learning tools to study conditions under glaciers to better understand movement and melting, which has implications for sea level rise.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping agricultural practices to address extreme weather and an increasing demand for food
Tuesday January 18, 2022
Researchers with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences are at the leading edge of using artificial intelligence to improve agricultural practices and production. Scott Angle explains the innovations happening at UF that will help Florida and other southeastern states take an increasing role in the nation’s food production.
University of Florida is bringing a scientist to every Florida school
Tuesday January 11, 2022
Students and teachers throughout Florida are learning more about scientists and their work through UF’s Scientist in Every Florida School program. Bruce MacFadden, director of the Thompson Earth Systems Institute, oversees the program and in this episode, he shares how the program got started and why it matters.
This supercomputer is a game-changer for researchers
Tuesday January 4, 2022
The University of Florida is home to one of the world’s fastest supercomputers. It’s called HiPerGator and in this episode of From Florida, Erik Deumens explains how its speed and capacity is making a difference in what researchers are able to do.
A portrait of David O. Prevatt. He is wearing a light blue dress shirt and an orange and blue striped tie.
Opinion: We can build homes to survive tornadoes like Kentucky suffered. We just haven’t.
Monday January 3, 2022
The housing industry and politicians have resisted changes that could save lives.
Untangling the knots in the supply chain
Tuesday December 21, 2021
Disruptions in the supply chain continue. Asoo Vakharia, director of the Supply Chain Management Center in UF’s Warrington College of Business, explains what’s happening. Produced by Nicci Brown, Brooke Adams, Emily Cardinali and James L. Sullivan. Original music by Daniel Townsend, a doctoral candidate in music composition in the College of the Arts.  
Sharing photos of your kids online? Here’s what you should consider.
Tuesday December 14, 2021
Today’s parents are the first to raise children alongside social media and this generation of children is the first to grow up constantly “shared” online. Stacey Steinberg, a professor at the University of Florida’s Levin College of Law is an expert on “sharenting” and the intersection of parents’ and children’s rights in the online world.
A portrait of Christine Klein smiling and wearing a black shirt
Opinion: Supreme Court turns to science to resolve groundwater dispute between Mississippi and Tennessee
Friday December 10, 2021
The Mississippi v. Tennessee decision is an important judicial acknowledgement of the simple fact that surface water and groundwater are connected.
A picture of Cynthia Barnett smiling in front of greenery in a white shirt
Opinion: Will Shell’s oil future outlast its ocean namesakes?
Friday December 10, 2021
When Royal Dutch Shell’s new chairman, Andrew Mackenzie, asks shareholders on Friday for their vote to move the global oil giant’s headquarters from the Netherlands to Britain and drop the “Royal Dutch,” he will also be asking to return the company home.
A conversation on the porch with Charlie Hailey
Tuesday December 7, 2021
Porches are designed for social connection and for observing the world around us. In this episode of From Florida, hear what Charlie Hailey, a professor in UF’s School of Architecture, learned in his meditation on porches – a space where writers find inspiration, presidents seek solace and which present us all with a perfect perch to observe life and nature.
Research aims to create fairness in AI-assisted hiring systems
Tuesday November 30, 2021
Professor Mo Wang of the Warrington College of Business is in the early stages of a research project looking at how to design trustworthy, transparent and fair AI-assisted hiring systems – work funded by a grant of nearly $1 million from the National Science Foundation and Amazon.
A headshot of a woman
What you can do to curb the flu outbreak
Tuesday November 23, 2021
UF campus is in the midst of a large flu outbreak, with a very big spike in infections among those ages 18 to 25, which is highly unusual. 
What to know about the ongoing protests in Cuba
Tuesday November 23, 2021
Lillian Guerra, a professor of Cuban and Caribbean History at the University of Florida, is a go-to source for national media on Cuba – from its history and its politics to the ongoing protests in the country.
Hurricane researcher follows storm fury in the lab and on the land
Tuesday November 16, 2021
Forrest Masters was an undergraduate student at UF when a professor asked if he wanted to join a research team that chased tropical cyclones. He has been tracking storms ever since. In addition to conducting research during major storms, Forrest oversees UF’s advanced wind tunnel – a National Science Foundation user facility that attracts researchers from across the U.S.
Cammy Abernathy, dean of the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering at the University of Florida, smiles as she poses for a professional photo in front of a full bookcase
OPINION: UF is helping to produce America's future engineers
Friday November 12, 2021
With demand and global trends in mind, the University of Florida is focused on powering the new engineer needed to transform the society of the future.
How UF helps military veterans succeed as they pursue an education
Tuesday November 9, 2021
Thanks to the GI Bill, military veterans are able to pursue an education at the University of Florida. In this episode of From Florida, Roselind Brown of the Collegiate Veterans Success Center highlights UF’s history of working with veterans, while Savanna Turner, who served in the U.S. Coast Guard, talks about the opportunities and challenges veterans face in college.
Taking the cryptic out of cryptocurrency
Tuesday November 2, 2021
Cryptocurrency is a mystery to many of us. In this episode of From Florida, Mark Jamison provides a straightforward explanation of cryptocurrency’s origins, how it works, why it’s attractive to some investors, what regulators are looking at and implications of cryptocurrency for the average person. 
There’s a lot more to bats than their spooky reputation
Tuesday October 26, 2021
Bats are the only mammals that power their own flight and the University of Florida has hundreds of thousands of them living in the world’s largest occupied bat houses. In this episode, From Florida host Nicci Brown talks with Verity Mathis, mammal collections manager at the Florida Museum of Natural History about the history of bats at UF,
A screen print styled image of pill bottles with positive words printed on them.
Opinion: Artists, influencers key to successful public health messages re: COVID
Monday October 25, 2021
More than one-third of those eligible in the U.S. are not fully vaccinated. Can the artists and culture-bearers among us help move people who are unvaccinated to action? 
An image depicting a food bar
Opinion: How we will ensure the University of Florida has a first-rate dining program
Tuesday October 19, 2021
Providing dining services to a university as large and diverse as the University of Florida is no easy task. As we prepare to issue a new contract for dining services at the university, we are determined that our selected provider will excel in all of the aforementioned areas. 
Innovative solutions at UF are supporting students’ mental health well-being
Tuesday October 19, 2021
For UF’s Student Life division, helping the university’s more than 55,000 students thrive was a challenge as the pandemic and social issues escalated the common pressures college. Student Life Vice President D’Andra Mull shares how UF adapted and expanded services to connect students to campus services and to each other. 
A headshot of D’Andra Mull, ice president for Student Life and the chief student affairs officer at the University of Florida
Opinion: Time for a gut check at UF. How are our students really doing?
Wednesday October 13, 2021
The hallmarks of fall at the University of Florida have arrived: The humidity lifts, Starbucks has ushered pumpkin drinks back onto the menu and mid-semester deadlines are on the horizon. It’s the halfway mark of the first fully in-person fall semester since 2019.
Our rise to Top 5: A conversation with President Fuchs
Tuesday October 12, 2021
At his inauguration in 2015, President Kent Fuchs set an ambitious goal for the University of Florida: Become one of the nation’s Top 5 universities. Mission accomplished! President Fuchs shares why he didn’t hesitate to set that goal, what has made the university’s rise possible and what’s next – including his thoughts on a day of celebration.
At this hackathon, students take on the challenge of a sustainable future
Tuesday October 5, 2021
More than 700 teams of students from across the country are participating in the Florida Hacks with IBM event. Their challenge? Find solutions to some of the most difficult environmental issues, from protecting waterways to developing sustainable fisheries. 
Can song, murals and other art forms help us achieve better health?
Tuesday September 28, 2021
In this episode of From Florida, host Nicci Brown spoke with Jill Sonke, director of UF's Center for Arts in Medicine, about her work as senior advisor to the CDC’s Vaccine Confidence and Demand Team.
UF researchers on quest to understand, prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease
Tuesday September 21, 2021
More than 6 million people in the U.S. are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease and that number is expected to grow exponentially in coming decades. At the University of Florida, researchers are searching for answers to what causes Alzheimer’s, how to diagnose it early and prevent or slow its development and for the most effective treatments.
an illustration of a face with a thumbprint superimposed
Why the U.S. needs federal regulation of facial recognition — and how to get it right
Monday December 7, 2020
Few restrictions govern what’s done with your faceprint once it's captured. Federal guidelines could help.

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