RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
Research Tours for Undergraduate Students (March 25-29, 2024)
Researchers across IFAS are giving undergraduate students the opportunity to see first-hand the research they could be involved in. The opportunities are listed below. Click on the sign-up link to see the locations of these tours and the dates and times they are offered. You will receive a follow-up email confirming your tour the week of March 18-22. If you have any questions, contact Associate Dean Allen Wysocki. wysocki@ufl.edu
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Gator-Byte Automatic Floating Water Samplers and Vegetative Filter Strip for Pesticide Runoff Mitigation
Research Tour Description
Water Resource Lab- GatorByte automatic floating water samplers (Dr. Bean), vegetative filter strip for pesticide runoff mitigation using a rain simulator (Dr. Carpena).
Faculty Website Eban Bean https://abe.ufl.edu/people/faculty/eban-bean/
IFAS Unit Agricultural and Biological Engineering https://abe.ufl.edu/
Email ezbean@ufl.edu
Lab Location 151 Frazier-Rogers Hall
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Microorganisms Converting Organic Wastes into Bioenergy
Microorganisms Converting Organic Wastes into Bioenergy
Research Tour Description
We design an optimize processes that utilize microorganisms to convert organic wastes like wastewater, food waste, and manure, into valuable resources like bioenergy, fertilizer, and biomaterials.
Faculty Website Ana Martin-Ryals https://abe.ufl.edu/people/faculty/ana-martin-ryals/
IFAS Unit Agricultural and Biological Engineering https://abe.ufl.edu/
Email admartin@ufl.edu
Lab Location 166 Frazier-Rogers Hall
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Cow Stomach Simulation and Food Digestion
Research Tour Description
Simulation of a cow stomach digesting food in a laboratory setting.
Faculty Website Antonio Faciola https://animal.ifas.ufl.edu/people/antonio-faciola/
IFAS Unit Animal Sciences https://animal.ifas.ufl.edu/
Email afaciola@ufl.edu
Lab Location 238 Animal Science
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Uncovering the Genetic Blueprints of Plants
Research Tour Description
This lab is uncovering the genetic blueprints that control how plants make and modify carbohydrate polymers used in foods, materials, and biotechnology applications.
Faculty Website Cătălin Voiniciuc https://hos.ifas.ufl.edu/people/on-campus-faculty/catalin-voiniciuc/
IFAS Unit Horticultural Sciences https://hos.ifas.ufl.edu/
Email cvoiniciuc@ufl.edu
Lab Location Plant Cell/Molecular Bio Lab (Just East of Fifield Hall)
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Smallholder Agricultural Research in Developing Countries
Research Tour Description
Research in smallholder agriculture in developing countries, including risk management and the impacts of production technologies.
Faculty Website Conner Mullally https://fred.ifas.ufl.edu/about/directory/conner-mullally/
IFAS Unit Food and Resource Economics https://fred.ifas.ufl.edu/
Email connerm@ufl.edu
Lab Location Zoom link to be provided
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Precision Ag, AI and Robotics, Virtual Reality, and Machine Learning
Research Tour Description
Discover the future of farming through our interactive tour, showcasing cutting-edge research in precision agriculture, AI and robotics, virtual reality, and machine learning, transforming the way we grow our food.
Faculty Website Dana Choi https://abe.ufl.edu/people/faculty/daeun-dana-choi/
IFAS Unit Gulf Coast Research and Education Center https://gcrec.ifas.ufl.edu
Email dana.choi@ufl.edu
Lab Location Zoom (Meeting ID: 966 0165 5347, Passcode: 808956)
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How Diets Shape the Infant Gut Microbiome and Resistome
Research Tour Description
Understanding how diet shapes the infant gut microbiome and resistome.
Faculty Website Diana Taft https://fshn.ifas.ufl.edu/about/faculty-bio-pages/taft/
IFAS Unit Food Science and Human Nutrition https://fshn.ifas.ufl.edu/
Email dianataft@ufl.edu
Lab Location 409 Food Science and Human Nutrition
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Genomics, Molecular Biology and Plant Transformation
Research Tour Description
Lab doing genomics, molecular biology, plant transformation.
Faculty Website Kelly Balmant https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-balmant-25063ba9
IFAS Unit Horticultural Sciences https://hos.ifas.ufl.edu/
Email balmant@ufl.edu
Lab Location 2204 Fifield Hall
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Plant Stress - Enhancing Resilience and Nutritional Value
Plant Stress - Enhancing Resilience and Nutritional Value
Research Tour Description
Plant Biochemical Genetics Lab aims to enhance plant stress resilience and nutritional value through biochemical and genetic engineering, including CRISPR technology.
Faculty Website Jeongim Kim https://hos.ifas.ufl.edu/people/on-campus-faculty/jeongim-kim/
IFAS Unit Horticultural Sciences https://hos.ifas.ufl.edu/
Email jkim6@ufl.edu
Lab Location 1134 Fifield Hall
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Artificial Intelligence Research on Specialty Crops
Research Tour Description
Artificial intelligence-based research on specialty crops, including strawberry flower, fruit, and canopy volume detection using a ground robot and drones.
Faculty Website Daniel Lee https://abe.ufl.edu/people/faculty/wonsuk-lee/
IFAS Unit Agricultural and Biological Engineering https://abe.ufl.edu/
Email wslee@ufl.edu
Lab Location 143-145 Frazier-Rogers Hall
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Soil Health Research
Research Tour Description
Hands-on demonstration of soil health research.
Faculty Website Yang Lin https://soils.ifas.ufl.edu/people/faculty/yang-lin/
IFAS Unit Soil, Water, and Ecosystems Sciences https://soils.ifas.ufl.edu/
Email ylin2@ufl.edu
Lab Location 1196 McCarty Hall A
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Social Science Research Examining Human Intersection with Agriculture and Natural Resources
Research Tour Description
Explore the world of social science and hear from faculty and students engaged in social science research that examines the human intersection with agriculture and natural resources.
Faculty Website Megan Cantrell https://aec.ifas.ufl.edu/directory/faculty/megan-cantrell/
IFAS Unit Agricultural Education and Communication https://aec.ifas.ufl.edu/
Email megancantrell@ufl.edu
Lab Location 107 Bryant Space Center
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Salinity Effects on Plant Breeding Genotypes
Research Tour Description
Students will test high salinity effects on genotypes to help plant breeders of crops in controlled environment agriculture
Faculty Website Melanie Correll https://abe.ufl.edu/people/faculty/melanie-correll/
IFAS Unit Agricultural and Biological Engineering https://abe.ufl.edu/
Email correllm@ufl.edu
Lab Location 142 Frazier-Rogers Hall
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Invasive Invertebrates and their Natural Enemies
Research Tour Description
The lab is located at the Indian River Research and Education Center in Fort Pierce and focuses on invasive invertebrates and their natural enemies ("bad bugs" vs "good bugs").
Faculty Website Nicole Quinn https://irrec.ifas.ufl.edu/directory/faculty/quinn-/
IFAS Unit Indian River Research and Education Center https://irrec.ifas.ufl.edu/
Email nicole.quinn@ufl.edu
Lab Location Zoom link to be provided
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Removal of Agricultural and Urban Surface Runoff Water Pollutants
Research Tour Description
Mesoscale, high-resolution laboratory experiment to quantify the removal of agricultural and urban surface runoff water pollutants with dense vegetation to protect surface waters.
Faculty Website Rafael Munoz-Carpena https://abe.ufl.edu/people/faculty/rafael-munoz-carpena/
IFAS Unit Agricultural and Biological Engineering https://abe.ufl.edu/
Email carpena@ufl.edu
Lab Location 151 Frazier-Rogers Hall
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Preparing Urban Trees for Adversity
Research Tour Description
Learn how to prepare urban trees for adversity using arboricultural best management practices.
Faculty Website Ryan Klein https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/faculty-profiles/ryan-klein/
IFAS Unit Environmental Horticulture https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/
Email ryanwklein@ufl.edu
Lab Location 2977 SW 23rd Terrace, Gainesville, FL 32608
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Observing the Systemic Spread of Virus Infections in Plants
Research Tour Description
See plants infected with a virus tagged with fluorescent protein and observe the systemic spread of the virus infection in plants.
Faculty Website Svetlana Folimonova https://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/people/faculty-pages/svetlana-folimonova/
IFAS Unit Plant Pathology https://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/
Email svetlana@ufl.edu
Lab Location 2444 Fifield Hall
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Genetics, Genomics, and Machine Learning in Postharvest Tissue Development in Vegetables and Fruit
Research Tour Description
Use of genetics, genomics, and machine learning tools to explore mechanisms of postharvest tissue development and senescence in vegetables and fruits.
Faculty Website Tie Liu https://hos.ifas.ufl.edu/people/on-campus-faculty/tie-liu/
IFAS Unit Horticultural Sciences https://hos.ifas.ufl.edu/
Email tieliu@ufl.edu
Lab Location 1208 Fifield Hall
UF/IFAS Undergraduate Research Opportunities
The Florida Agricultural Experiment Station (FAES) is the research program of The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). The UF/IFAS Experiment Station’s mission is to discover, invent and develop applications of new knowledge in agriculture, human, and natural resources. Experiment Station faculty are located on the Gainesville campus and at Research and Education Centers across Florida. The Experiment Station has more than 450 active research projects. Each project has specific goals and objectives that our interns help accomplish under the supervision of a faculty member. Paid internship opportunities are available during the summer semester, but volunteer opportunities are available year-round. Visit the UF/IFAS Research website for more information and contacts, including year-round paid and volunteer research opportunities.
UF Center for Undergraduate Research
The Center for Undergraduate Research is committed to fostering a culture of research that encourages all students to include a research component as a critical part of their undergraduate experience. CUR provides guidance to students and faculty interested in pursuing research opportunities and coordinating campus research activities. CUR also works to expand research opportunities across campus. CUR invites you to explore the website and contact the office if you would like additional information. Graduate students should contact individual departments and faculty members for research opportunities.
Science for Life Research Course (BCH 4905)
This undergraduate seminar course provides students with presentations from research-active faculty, illustrating opportunities available for student research. This weekly seminar course provides students with insight and appreciation of how fundamental science and engineering concepts are used in emerging research and discoveries, especially in the life sciences. During each lesson, three professors from different UF colleges speak about current topics in interdisciplinary science and engineering fields; the primary - but not exclusive - emphasis is on the biological and health sciences.