Category: UF/IFAS Teaching

UF/IFAS, FAMU win $1.4 million grant to teach AI to more diverse students

by Brad Buck
May 18, 2026

Funding for student fellowships is included in a new $1.4 million, three-year National Science Foundation grant that faculty from the University of Florida and Florida A&M University (FAMU) will use to train a diverse workforce for potential ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: AI, Bryan Kolaczkowski, CALS, College Of Agricultural And Life Sciences, FAMU, Idea, Microbiology And Cell Science, Microcell

Breaking barriers, mentoring minds: New UF/IFAS scientist earns spot among America’s Inspiring Hispanic researchers

by Lourdes Mederos
May 18, 2026

The newest scientist to join the UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center has been honored with a place on the Atlas of Inspiring Hispanic/Latinx Scientists. Valerie De Anda Torres, an assistant professor of microbiology ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, , Conservation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching,
Tags: Climate Change, Ecosystems, First-generation, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Hispanic Heritage Month, Mexican, Microbial Ecology, Microbial Metabolism, Microbiology And Cell Science, Molecular Biology, Paleobiology, Valerie De Anda Torres
A group of science students working on a microbiology project in university lab classroom. Generative AI.

Clinical Simulation, Smart Labs and At-Home Experiments Are Reshaping Microbiology Education at the University of Florida

by Dana Saunders
May 18, 2026

From clinical simulation software to interactive lab technology and at-home experiments, faculty in the University of Florida's College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) Department of Microbiology and Cell Science are reimagining how ... READ MORE

Category: Professional Development, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Department Of Microbiology And Cell Science, Microbiology And Cell Science

Meet Orange County’s Newest UF/IFAS Extension Agent!

by Heather Kalaman
May 18, 2026

Hey there! My name is Heather Kalaman, and I am the new Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ and Residential Horticulture Agent here at UF/IFAS Extension Orange County. I started this position in mid-April and thought I would take a moment to ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Doctor Of Plant Medicine, DPM, FFL, Florida Friendly, Florida Friendly Landscaping Agent, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture Agent, Ocextension, Residential Horticulture

Golden Rain Tree: The Allure of the Invasive Intruder

by Heather Kalaman
May 18, 2026

It is officially fall in Florida. Temperatures are dropping, the holidays are just around the corner, and *gasp* the notorious golden rain trees have finally set fruit! Oh, you know the one. Adorned with sprawling limbs covered in peach-colored, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Invasive Ornamentals, Invasive Plants, Ornamentals, Residential Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension Orange County
blue sign that say Orange County University of Florida IFAS Extension Education Center and 6021 in orange with trees in the background

2024 gARTening Schedule

by Clarissa Chairez
May 18, 2026

What is the gARTening Program? The gARTening Program is designed to connect residents to both our UF/IFAS Extension Services and Horticulture through the use of art within gardening. The gARTening program is a program for all ages, from 4-104 ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Air Plants, Art, Florida, Flower Crown, Garden, Gardening, GARTening, GARTening Program, Horticulture, Hypertufa, Kokedama, Master Gardener Volunteers, Master Gardeners, Ocextension, Orange County, Orange County Master Gardener Volunteers, Orlando, Orlando Gardening, Plants, Pressed Flowers, Succulents, Terrarium, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Orange County

Harvesting Health: Medicinal Plants for the Central Florida Garden

by Heather Kalaman
May 18, 2026

Central Florida's ample sunlight and moderate rainfall create optimal conditions for cultivating a diverse array of herbs celebrated for their medicinal qualities. Gardeners and herbal enthusiasts in the region can establish vibrant medicinal ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Central Florida Gardening, Demonstration Garden, Exploration Gardens, Garden Education, Medicinal Plant, Ocextension, Residential Horticulture, Urban Horticulture

Ambrosia Beetles: Small Insects, Big Impact

by Heather Kalaman
May 18, 2026

Ambrosia beetles are small, yet impactful, insects in Florida, playing both beneficial and harmful roles in local ecosystems. Our state is home to both native and invasive species, which aid in breaking down dead wood, contributing to nutrient ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Avocado Tree, Beetles, Florida Friendly, Florida Friendly Landscaping Agent, Pests, Plant Pests, Sustainable Landscape, Tree Pests

Celebrate Native Plant Month with Upcoming Classes

by Heather Kalaman
May 18, 2026

April marks Native Plant Month, a time to honor Florida's rich plant diversity and the essential role native species play in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Native plants are well adapted to Florida's unique climate, making them drought tolerant, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching, Work & Life
Tags: #Floridafriendlylandscaping, Central Florida Gardening, FL Natives, Florida Friendly, Florida Friendly Landscaping Agent, Florida Grown, Florida Native, Florida Native Bees, Florida Native Plants, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Lawn Alternative, Native, Native Bunch Grass, Native Flowers, Native Landscaping, Native Plants, Native Tree, Ocextension, Sustainable Landscapes, Sustainable Landscaping

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