View this email in your browser
Powering the New Engineer
FEBRUARY 2025

Check out more news about the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering at our online news source, The New Engineer.

Have you made a move recently? Update your contact information

UNIVERSITY NEWS

UF moves forward with site for new campus in Jacksonville

The campus will build on UF Health’s offerings through advanced graduate and professional degree programs and related research efforts.

Cammy Abernathy, long-time former engineering dean, retires after three decades at UF

Cammy Abernathy, the transformative former dean of the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, is retiring from the University of Florida this week after more than 31 years of service as a professor, college administrator, and institute director.

HEADLINE NEWS

UF civil engineering professor to shape building policy as new Jefferson Science Fellow

David Prevatt, Ph.D., became one of four U.S. professors selected by the U.S. Department of State to join its 2024-2025 cohort of Jefferson Science Fellows, and the long-time UF professor has embarked on the 12-month immersive experience in Washington, D.C.

UF engineers develop new protocol to purify DNA

A trio of University of Florida chemical engineers, Jason Butler, Ph.D., and Tony Ladd, Ph.D., along with their fourth-year Ph.D. candidate and research assistant, Jiayi Wang, have developed a lab-on-a-chip process that could make a big difference for DNA research and, ultimately, patients.
COLLEGE NEWS
Two faculty members awarded Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)

Alison Dunn, Ph.D., from Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Parisa Rashidi, Ph.D., from Biomedical Engineering have been recognized with the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)—the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on early-career scientists and engineers.

U.S. News & World Report ranks UF online engineering graduate programs in Top 15

Two online engineering graduate programs at the University of Florida cracked the Top 15 – one hitting No. 10 – on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the 2025 Best Online Programs.

Kiker to lead UF/IFAS agricultural and biological engineering department as interim chair

Greg Kiker has been selected to lead the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) as the interim chair.

Bringing industry into the classroom

UF’s growing IPPD program has been solving industry problems for 30 years – two semesters at a time. As the program celebrates three decades this year, it is enjoying substantial growth, success and tall orders from industry sponsors seeking solutions.
STUDENT STORIES

UF’s first art and mechanical engineering major combines creativity with STEM skills

Captivated by cubism, color, construction, and deconstruction, Rokheyatou “Roxie” Faye is the first Gator to double major in art and mechanical engineering at the University of Florida. 

A ‘feeling of familia’

The national Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) chapter selected UF as one of six Gold Chapters of the Year – out of more than 300 chapters and 15,000 attendees – at its 2024 conference in California.
HONORS AND AWARDS
University of Florida announces the 2024 National Academy of Inventors Fellows
Fan Ren, Ph.D., a professor of chemical engineering at the University of Florida, has been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.
Young UF faculty member racks in the awards and fans
Farahmandi’s project aims to make microelectronics safer and more secure by developing a cutting-edge artificial intelligence tool that checks the security of modern, highly complex computer chips.
ALUMNI NEWS

Class of 1974 and 1975, You are Invited!

Mark your calendar for Grand Guard 50th Reunion Weekend May 15-17 in Gainesville. This event provides a meaningful experience for Gators who have reached the 50th anniversary of their first graduation.

UF graduate Diego Acevedo dives into Sustainable Island Solutions in Aruba
Born in Colombia, Diego Acevedo, Ph.D., earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Florida's Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering in 2003. Acevedo is a professor and researcher at the University of Aruba. He serves on the Pan-American Marine Energy Association board and has done much work on ocean thermal energy systems and offshore solar systems.
Save the Date: Feb. 20, 2025!
CENTERS AND INSTITUTE NEWS

FINS Celebrates Important Workforce Development Milestone with Graduation of 1st FTP Cohort

The Florida Institute for National Security (FINS) proudly marked a significant milestone this January with the successful completion of the inaugural cohort of the FINS Talent Pipeline (FTP) Program.
Facebook  Twitter  YouTube  LinkedIn  Instagram  Flickr