FORT PIERCE, Fla.—An inventive professor and her equally innovative postdoc are now members of Sigma Xi, the scientific research honor society founded in 1886. Sigma Xi is an “international honor society whose members are scientists and engineers.”
Induction to Sigma Xi, a prestigious scientific society
Sandra Guzmán, assistant professor at the UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC), along with Gregory Conde, a postdoctoral research associate in her Smart Irrigation and Hydrology Laboratory, have been inducted into Sigma Xi, one of the world’s most prestigious scientific societies. The society lists more than 200 Nobel Laureates as members, including Albert Einstein.
IrrigMonitor software
“Dr. Guzmán and Dr. Gregory Conde are celebrated for innovational “smart” water solutions and lead a dynamic team of agricultural and biological engineers,” said Mark Kistler, professor and director for IRREC. “Dr. Guzmán’s IrrigMonitor software has contributed to optimize water for citrus and vegetable operations across the state.”
Kistler said Conde’s postdoctoral work involves software development with predictions Florida sweetcorn producers use to manage their seepage irrigation. Guzmán’s team is working with the growers to promote advanced technology so that growers can efficiently use smart water management technologies seamlessly.
Natives of Colombia
Guzmán and Conde are natives of Colombia, South America. This year, they are new inductees to Sigma Xi, and like the society’s members, their careers and achievements will be elevated along with their membership. They join fellow Colombian national Jaime Santamaría Serrano.
Serrano is a Colombian civil engineer who graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and whose transportation projects are executed by multi-national teams who plan next-generation hydroelectric plants, bridge spans, and mass transportation infrastructure.
Kistler said Guzmán is known for her ability to take risks and reach breakthroughs that translate to early adoption of new technology for irrigation and water management. Her educational sessions during the annual Florida Citrus Show fill presentation auditoriums.
Further, Guzmán is a researcher of a National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center: Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS). “The center is a convergence research community of diverse and leading scientists that addresses the complex challenges in phosphorus sustainability by integrating disciplinary contributions across the physical, life, social, and economic sciences. STEPS draws from atomic and molecular insights (e.g., chemistry, materials research, biochemistry, bioengineering) to develop materials and technologies that are deployed at the human scale (e.g., environmental and agricultural engineering, plant biology, crop and soil sciences) while considering supply-chain logistics, life cycle, and other regional and global issues (e.g., ecology, economics, sociology, policy). STEPS further leverages disciplinary contributions that transcend length scales and serve as integration mechanisms within the Center (e.g., science of team science, data science),” according to the STEPS website.
“Guzmán’s Smart Water and Irrigation Laboratory team members demonstrate initiative and strong motivation,” Kistler said. “Between 2023 and 2024, Guzmán led a team of 9 associates at diverse levels of scientific expertise. That team included two postdoctoral research associates, three visiting scholars and scientists, two Ph.D. students, and two master’s students. Each of the team members published articles in professional journals.”
“Dr. Gregory Conde is highly qualified and well deserved to be inducted in Sigma Xi,” said Guzmán. “besides his scientific contributions, Gregory co-founded a robotics company, RUNIBOT, in Colombia to teach children about electronic engineering.”
Conde said RUNIBOT is a “consortium of universities in Colombia focused on advancing robotics research and education.” Conde said the program aims to inspire a new generation to pursue careers in engineering and technology.
Guzmán said Conde’s work for UF/IFAS is focused on integrated AI machine learning and control systems to upgrade water used for agriculture. Conde elaborates on formulating smart technologies that enhance agricultural sustainability and production. Conde integrates real-time data analytics, sensor networks, and machine learning to achieve the desired results.
Researchers who initiated Sigma Xi in 1886 at Cornell University promoted membership to bring together scientists who collaborate and enjoy the friendship that comes with shared interests.
Like the Sigma Xi founders, Guzmán and Conde will likely remain collaborators in scientific research and friends who enjoy the camaraderie and privilege of pursuing scientific aims to improve crop production and protect natural resources.
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