Category: Professional Development

Cacao pods on tree.

Alumni Spotlight: Breeding Climate-Resilient Cacao for Mars

by Eva Sailly
October 15, 2025

Dr. Ashley DuVal, an alumna of UF/IFAS with a Ph.D. in Horticultural Sciences, has built a career devoted to ensuring that chocolate has a sustainable future. Now a Senior Scientist and cacao breeder with Mars Wrigley, Dr. DuVal works ... READ MORE

Category: Academics, Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Forests, Horticulture, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching, Work & Life
Tags: Agroforestry, Alumni, Alumni Feature, Cacao, Climate Resilience, Food Science, Horticultural Sciences, Mars, Plant Breeding, Sustainable Food Systems, Teaching
A green sign with the words "the Organic Gators" written in white. The sign is posted in a garden.

Undergraduate Student Spotlight: Alice Pekarsky

by Eva Sailly
September 15, 2025

Horticultural Sciences Undergraduate – Senior (Junior Graduating Early)    Alice, originally from Flagler Beach, Florida, is among the last to graduate from UF’s horticulture major. During her undergraduate studies, she gained ... READ MORE

Category: Academics, Agriculture, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Horticultural Sciences, Organic, Student, Teaching, UF/IFAS CALS, UF/IFAS TREC, Undergraduate
View of the Teaching Farm space from above via drone.

Horticultural Sciences Teaching Farm: The Roots of Plant Sciences

by Shane Teachworth
August 22, 2025

Introduction UF’s Horticultural Sciences Teaching Farm hides a trove of opportunity.  A couple of functional buildings sit on a fenced-in lot divided into several small garden plots. It is across the street from Fifield Hall on the outskirts ... READ MORE

Category: Academics, Blog Community, Farm Management, Horticulture, Professional Development, UF/IFAS, Volunteer/Training
Tags: Dr. Saba, Dr. Zhao, Student Clubs, Teaching Farm, Zack Black
Nadia Mourad, PMCB Ph.D Candidate in Dr. Koch's Maize Greenhouse in white lab coat

Graduate Student Spotlight with Nadia Mourad: Advancing Maize Genetics

by Eva Sailly
June 29, 2025

It took one elective to pivot Nadia's initial pursuit of human health research into a Ph.D. candidate in the Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Program. Nadia Mourad now works under the mentorship of Dr. Karen Koch, who was recently honored ... READ MORE

Category: Academics, Blog Community, Clubs & Volunteers, Curriculum, Professional Development, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching, Volunteer/Training, Work & Life
Tags: Corn, De Sousa, Genetics, Horticultural Sciences, Karen Koch, Koch, Maize, Nadia Mourad, Plant Breeding, Plant Molecular And Cellular Biology, PMCB, Student, Teaching

Alumni Spotlight with Dr. Finegan: Data-Driven Breeding at Bayer

by Eva Sailly
June 25, 2025

As a double Gator, Dr. Christina Finegan earned both her bachelor’s and Ph.D. through UF’s Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology program, where she honed her interests in plant genetics and breeding. Her time in research labs within the ... READ MORE

Category: Academics, Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Horticulture, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Teaching, Work & Life
Tags: Alumni, Alumni Feature, Bayer, Cotton, Harry Klee, Horticultural Sciences, Marcio Resende, Matias Kirst, Plant Breeding, Plant Molecular And Cellular Biology, R&D, Student, Teaching
Papaya Tree with a ripe papaya fruit in the corner

Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Jugpreet Singh advances Tropical Fruit Breeding at UF/IFAS TREC

by Eva Sailly
June 16, 2025

Meet Dr. Jugpreet Singh, Assistant Professor of Tropical Fruit Breeding at the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center (TREC) in Homestead, Florida. Dr. Singh’s career path spans continents and disciplines, from traditional plant breeding ... READ MORE

Category: Academics, Agriculture, Crops, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Alumni Feature, Horticultural Sciences, Papaya, Phd, Plant Breeding, Singh, Student, TREC, Tripical Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS CALS, UF/IFAS TREC

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