FLORIDA ENGINEER | 2025

Welcome to Florida Engineer 2025

Discover how Gator Engineers are shaping the future — from groundbreaking research and transformative student experiences to industry partnerships and global impact. This issue highlights the bold ideas, resilient leadership and collaborative spirit driving innovation across the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. Dive in and see how we’re engineering a better world — together.

In This Issue

College News

Stay connected with key highlights from the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering—faculty promotions, new partnerships, groundbreaking grants, and strategic initiatives shaping our future.

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Health Breakthroughs

Explore cutting-edge biomedical research and technological advances that are transforming patient care and improving public health outcomes.

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Digital Safety

Delve into the latest cybersecurity innovations and digital resilience strategies developed to protect data, systems, and communities online.

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Safer Homes & Communities

Learn how engineering solutions—from disaster-resistant structures to smart infrastructure — are creating safer living environments for all.

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AgriTech Solutions

Discover the intersection of agriculture and engineering as we tackle global food challenges with smart farming, sustainable technologies, and precision systems.

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Student Successes

Celebrate the achievements of our students—academic honors, award-winning projects, entrepreneurial ventures, and community outreach.

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Alumni News

Reconnect with Gator Engineers making an impact globally—career milestones, leadership roles, awards, and ways they’re giving back to the college.

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Interim Dean’s Message

Forrest Masters reflects on a year of momentum and transformation at the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering.

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College News

A Legacy that Leads the Charge

The Wertheim Transformation is more than a chapter in our history — it’s a living legacy written by one extraordinary individual whose belief in people, education, and possibility has reshaped engineering at the University of Florida.

Charting a path forward with artificial intelligence

The University of Florida is no stranger to AI, as it is home to HiPerGator, one of the world’s fastest supercomputers. In fact, UF is one of the first universities to offer AI curriculum, integrating AI into its core mission in an ambitious quest to become an AI university.

A collaboration between UF's Thompson Earth Systems Institute (TESI), College of Education, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, and Calvert Marine Museum in Maryland aims to equip Florida middle school teachers and students with the skills to use artificial intelligence (AI) to identify fossilized shark teeth.

From budding engineers to educators: UF is shaping the future of teaching

To inspire more students to pursue STEM and computer science careers, researchers from UF have joined forces with Florida middle and high school educators.

A visual of the college's Life Long Learning Model

Leading with Learning. Excelling in Life

The Engineering Lifelong Learning Model is built on a bold, visionary framework. This four-phase pathway offers a continuous, experiential education journey.

Diverse group of business people's hands showing unity and teamwork. Business people's hands of different ethnicity coming together in a display of teamwork and unity. Diverse hands for teamwork

Saluting Our Trailblazers 2024-2025 

Interdisciplinary faculty members at the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering continue to garner prestigious recognition for their contributions to science and engineering.

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, retired from the University of Florida after more than 31 years of service as a professor, college administrator and institute director.

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Health Breakthroughs

With an NIH Pioneer award, UF researcher targets common infection

Ivana Parker, Ph.D., has secured a $2.7 million grant to unravel how bacterial vaginosis influences immune responses and HIV risk, paving the way for more personalized prevention and treatment strategies.

More from this section

A Legacy of Innovation

Christine Schmidt is a researcher, professor, chocolate dealer and one of UF’s brightest stars

UF professor’s disease-prediction dashboard looks toward troubled Gulf waters

After deploying life-saving cholera-prediction systems in Africa and Asia, a University of Florida researcher is turning his attention to the pathogen-plagued waters off Florida’s Gulf Coast.

UF researchers go nano to ease osteoarthritis

Equipped with a cutting-edge nanoparticle imaging technology, federal funds and a quest to quash pain, researchers at the University of Florida are working to revolutionize osteoarthritis treatments.

NIH awards $2.8 million to UF researchers to develop at-home HIV test kit 

A new, easy-to-use HIV-detection test kit being developed at the University of Florida using advanced CRISPR technology shows promise as an early-warning alarm system that could save millions of lives. 

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Digital Safety

Digital defense: Strengthening global health & security in a connected world

As cyber threats grow, innovations in cybersecurity, semiconductors, national security, and IoT are critical to protecting infrastructure, data, and public safety.

UF teaching veterans how to hack

Hiding in Plain Sight: The Future of Steganography

Safer Homes & Communities

Engineering the Eye

How’s UF’s storm teams captured Hurricane Helene in real time

Investigating with Lasers and Wind

NIST visits UF’s wind-hazard research facility as part of Hurricane Maria investigation

BOD3 Arrives in the Gator Nation

3D construction printer to provide key lessons on homebuilding

A New Era of Nuclear

The potential of gas core reactors

Vertical Farming: A glimpse into what’s next

Growing the Future: How AI is reshaping agriculture in Florida

Smarter Agriculture Takes Root

Engineers Revolutionize Farming with AI, Drones and Data.

Student Successes

Superstar UF iGEM Team Wins Gold in Paris with Biomanufactured Organoid Models

The UF Chapter of iGEM dazzled 2024 Grand Jamboree judges, earning a gold medal for their research into sepsis, a life-threatening condition that results from the body’s dysregulated response to infection.

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.

An ‘everything organization’

UF’s Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers named one of the strongest national chapters.

A ‘feeling of familia’

UF’s Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) chapter was selected as one of six Gold Chapters of the Year by the national organization.

Full circle: early Machen Florida Opportunity Scholar celebrates daughter’s UF journey in engineering

Khrysten Sears Spencer (B.A. ’09), one of the first Bernie Machen Opportunity Scholars, is watching her daughter Allannah Dean become a member of the class of 2028. Allanah plans to pursue an engineering degree.

Beyond the Classroom: Experiential Learning in Iceland

Brooke Lastinger’s academic journey is a testament to the power of exploring new frontiers. An undergraduate student in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering (MSE), Lastinger found her path through a combination of mentorship, research opportunities and following her passion.

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Alumni News

Always a Gator: ‘Visionary leader’ Wally Rhines has deep UF roots

You can take the Gator out of Gainesville, but you can’t take Gainesville out of the Gator. Or so it goes with Wally Rhines, a wildly successful businessman, engineer and philanthropist.

Gator engineers honored in 2025 Gator100

Join us in congratulating the outstanding alumni from the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering for earning their place among the 2025 Gator100 — the world’s fastest-growing Gator-led businesses.

The essence of a Gator engineer: WGI co-founder named UF Distinguished Alumnus

David Wantman, co-founder of a successful South Florida-based consulting, planning, surveying and design firm and 1990 UF engineering graduate, has been selected as a Distinguished Alumnus from the University of Florida.

Engineering alumni honored in 2025 “40 Gators Under 40” awards

Four exceptional Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering alumni have been honored with the University of Florida’s “40 Gators Under 40” awards.

UF graduate Diego Acevedo dives into Sustainable Island Solutions in Aruba

UF mechanical engineering graduate Diego Acevedo’s grand life – from kite surfing in his Aruba neighborhood to three engineering degrees from three countries – stems from curiosity and a bit of restlessness.

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