In 2021, 14 UF/IFAS faculty earned 15 research grants from external sources, each more than $1 million. The awards acknowledge the time, dedication and effort required to earn grants of this size and the impact it will have on Florida and beyond.

“Awards of this size require a significant amount of time and effort to manage and are arguably equal parts research and service,” said Robert Gilbert, UF/IFAS dean for research. “Large grant awards over $1 million are a major accomplishment as they provide significant resources to help develop cutting-edge science for our stakeholders. They are also complex to administer and represent a large service effort by our faculty and staff on behalf of the institution, which deserves to be acknowledged.”

Research topics receiving these large grants range far and wide. From cover-cropping research in north Florida to alligator research in the Everglades, faculty received grants for projects in multiple disciplines at research locations around the state.

“The range of these awards are a microcosm of the tremendous breadth of basic and applied research that make UF/IFAS unique,” said Gilbert. “They encompass a diverse suite of projects from improving irrigation practices using artificial intelligence, to specialty crop pest management and sugarcane breeding. These projects will have a tremendous impact for our stakeholders in Florida and beyond.”

The grant funding includes a portfolio of federal, state and industry sources. Projects began in 2021 and range in duration, some span into 2026. More information on the projects can be found on the UF/IFAS research website.

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