Ziynet Boz, Ph.D. started as faculty in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) at an interesting time. In October 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic’s most isolating era, Boz began navigating her new role amidst the restrictions and limitations of social distancing.  

Dr. Ziynet Boz’s journey at ABE began with securing the ABE Pathfinder PhD Fellowship in collaboration with Dr. Rafael Muñoz Carpena. “It was the first grant I ever wrote,” she recalls. This initial success opened doors to new opportunities, including her involvement with the Global Food Systems Institute (GFSI). The alliance amplified her research impact and set her on a trajectory that continues to define her work today, advancing innovation in food loss and waste reduction, circular food systems, and digital twins. 

What began as a Pathfinder student fellowship has grown into a research initiative, laying the foundation for the development of the GFSI digital twins seed fund, announced in late 2020 and early 2021 by the Global Food Systems Institute to foster collaboration among faculty on innovative food system ideas. During a time when connection and collaboration were most needed and possibly most complicated, Boz, along with GFSI and College of Engineering faculty, forged her alliance with UF’s Global Food Systems Institute.  

Boz is a firebrand of ideas and curiosity, with an innate ability to make connections. If you work alongside her in the halls of Frazier Rogers, she is likely to observe what you bring to the table and suggest collaborations or projects. She brought a certain ‘new faculty energy’ as an early Assistant Professor, with bold ideas of applying digital twin technology to global food systems, specifically circular food and packaging systems.  

“Our approach with digital twins was so new back then. Although it is a rapidly growing field, it remains relatively new. At that time at UF, we were among the first to dive deep. New fields can feel like buzzwords, but taking calculated risks is essential for innovation and research program development as a new faculty.” Boz explained.  

The backing of GFSI seed funding and the support of a brain trust of enthusiastic academic partners allowed her to dive into uncharted territory.  

“GFSI seed fund allowed me to jump into new fields with low risk, high return. You’re basically in the middle of the ocean, trying to figure out your way. Then someone comes and helps, and then that guides you to find your destination,” she reflected. 

From the UF colleges to the faculty, and even the students, the department benefited from this wave of collaboration. A key thrust of the research program was the creation of a USDA student workforce development program, Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (REEU) on circular economy and digitalization, through the GFSI, led by Boz and GFSI faculty collaborators Dr. Ana Martin Ryals and Dr. Grady Roberts.   

“This effort has evolved into a robust workforce program over the past four years, with several GFSI members committing to mentor students on an annual basis, mentoring almost 40 students from all across the US. The program provides invaluable opportunities for career development, research training, field trips, communication, and capacity building,” she explained.  

The collaboration with GFSI allowed her to jumpstart her career and set her on the trajectory that she is currently on. “GFSI creates a space for meaningful connections, bringing people together to spark exciting research, teaching, and collaboration opportunities, local, national, or global. It connects you with experts across every field and scale of food systems, making it easy to find collaborators and exchange ideas that lead to innovation.” 

This work continues with the inception of the GFSI’s recent Brain Health Initiative, as well as the conferences GFSI organizes, such as the Future Food Forum, which takes place annually. “Leaders from all across the U.S. and the world attend and give talks. We network, listen to the most pressing food systems challenges, and see some of the early solutions the global community works on.” 

At GFSI, networking goes beyond conferences and formal forums. “Many innovative ideas emerge in informal settings, such as GFSI Holiday events, monthly meetings, faculty retreats, or ideation sessions. These gatherings create space for genuine conversations and cross-pollination of ideas, offering the chance to interact with leaders across diverse fields. Those moments often spark collaborations that shape the future of food systems research.” 

Her early success opened the door to continued funding opportunities, thanks to strong collaborations and institutional support. Working alongside faculty partners and GFSI, Boz helped develop projects that became central to her research in the circular food and packaging systems and digital twins. One example is the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) project IFWASTE on food loss and waste quantification, developed with collaborators Dr. Catherine Campbell and Dr. Greg Kiker, Kay Kelsey from the GFSI, as well as the community partners like the City of Gainesville, which secured about $600,000 support. 

Reflecting on these achievements, Boz emphasizes that the true value lies in the connections she has built and the opportunities they created. “My ultimate goal is to advance sustainability and efficiency using engineering and systems principles through collaboration. Any early success I’ve had here at UF is rooted in being part of the ABE and GFSI.” 

2