Myakka gives a special identity to the Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences.
It is the Seminole word for “big waters” and the name of Florida’s state soil: Florida's State Soil - Myakka Fine Sand.
2181 McCarty Hall A, PO Box 110290 | Gainesville, FL 32611-0290 | (352) 294-3151
Greetings, from the Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences.
I am proud to announce the promotion of four of our assistant professors to associate professor. Drs. Sunny Liao, Gabriel Maltais-Landry, A.J. Reisinger, and Laura Reynolds also gained tenure when the UF Board of Trustees voted on their respective packets this June. Each has logged many hours in the department doing some degree of teaching, research, extension, mentoring, advising, and service. Even before they joined SWES, the four had distinguished themselves as researchers, investigating the soil microbiome (Liao), sustainable nutrient management systems (Maltais-Landry), urban biogeochemistry/ecology (Reisinger), and coastal/marine ecology (Reynolds). We congratulate them on their hard work!
Likewise, five faculty members sailed through the new system of post-tenure review (PTR). They are Drs. Sabine Grunwald, Cheryl Mackowiak, Todd Osborne, Arnold Schumann, and Maria Silveira. The university’s PTR process recognizes their exceptional achievement and affirms their continued academic professional development. Congratulations to all five!
Matt Whiles
Professor and Chair
We also are proud of our faculty members who are retiring from SWES. Drs. Kelly Morgan, Tom Obreza, and Andy Ogram have more than 100 years of combined experience. Kelly and Tom together have author credit on approximately 125 extension publications. According to IFAS, those documents have more than 1.8 million views. That is impressive! Andy has taught hundreds of students at the undergraduate and graduate levels, written dozens of research papers and book chapters, and served in an editorial capacity for journals and books. Each has impacted the lives of numerous students, postdocs, and colleagues. Additionally, they are Florida Gators through and through: Tom and Andy earned two UF degrees, while Kelly holds three UF degrees. We wish them well in their next adventures!
As the summer winds down, SWES staff continue to prepare for the beginning of another academic year. We look forward to welcoming our incoming students and supporting them at this exciting time in their lives. We will do our best to rest and recharge as well, and hope you enjoy the remainder of your summer!
As always, we love to hear from our alumni and friends. Reach out to us anytime; you can contact me at mwhiles@ufl.edu.
Two Ph.D. students are pioneering a sustainable revolution from the depths of the ocean. Jessica Tittl Nielsen (School of Natural Resources and Environment) and Monica Schul (SWES) are founders of Cordelia Biosciences. They are harnessing marine microbes to create eco-friendly chemicals. This venture comes from their shared passion for biomimicry and innovation. These scientists have turned their academic research into a thriving biotech start-up. From winning competitions to securing lab space, they are redefining what it means to blend science with business, all while shaping the future of sustainable chemistry.
Read more...
UF/IFAS is seeing success in oyster reef restoration. Whether it is by reef panels or reef prisms, the artificial substrates are attracting oysters. Learn more about the panels here, like those pictured at right at Corrigan Reef (2.5 miles east of Cedar Key). To see Dr. Mark Clark demonstrate the construction of a reef prism, check out these YouTube videos. The work is done in partnership with Florida Sea Grant and the UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station.
Anthony Halcyon chronicles his journey in Andorra, where he participated in an Earthwatch expedition that combined adventure with environmental research. His background in Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences helped Anthony conduct diverse fieldwork, from collecting sediment samples in the Pyrenees Mountains to employing the "tea bag" method for studying soil decomposition. His experience not only broadened his scientific horizons but also deepened his commitment to conservation.
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Doctor of Philosophy: Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences
(Advisors in parentheses)
Alexandra "Alex" Bijak (Reynolds and Smyth)
Audrey Goeckner ( Reisinger)
Yuheng Qiu ( Li)
Doctor of Philosophy: Soil and Water Sciences
(Advisors in parentheses)
Ayush Sharma (Sharma and Zotarelli)
Master of Science: Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences
(Advisors in parentheses)
Salena Alberti (Bhadha)
JoAnn Donald (Lin & Bacon)
Mollie Enck (Enloe)
Cristina Gil (Maltais-Landry)
Alexander Griffel Dalager (Clark)
Alexander Manos (Deitch)
Lexis Massey (Osborne)
Savannah McGuire (Mackowiak)
Georgia Michael (Lusk)
Chelsea Pearson (Maltais-Landry)
Jose Prieto (Kadyampakeni)
Courtney Roen (Lin)
Duplicate Sambani (Kadyampakeni)
Zoe Spielman (P. Inglett)
Victoria Tesch (Strauss)
Catherine Young (Reisinger)
Graduate Minor: Soil and Water Sciences
Chamoda Dissanayake Mudiyanselage
Soil Ecosystem Services
(Advisor: Strauss)
Victoria Tesch
Sustainable Land Resource and Nutrient Management
(Advisor: Bacon)
Noel Manirakiza
Wetland and Water Resource Management
(Advisor: Clark)
Ashley Colon
Alexander Manos
Mary Moffett
Master of Science: Interdisciplinary Ecology (School of Natural Resources & Environment)
(Advisors in parentheses)
Arti Chequer (Lecours & Reynolds)
Allison Schmidt (Maltais-Landry)
Bachelor of Science: Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences
(Advisors: Bonczek & Sisk)
Stephanie Bequer (Soil Science specialization)
Alexander Couture (Soil Science specialization)
Bachelor of Science: Interdisciplinary Studies-Environmental Management in Agriculture & Natural Resources
(Advisors: Enloe & Sisk)
Tanner Armstrong
Kennith Jones
Kevin Miranda
Victor Santiago
Undergraduate Minor: Soil and Water Sciences
Ricardo Pareja Castillo
Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences
(Advisors in parentheses)
Ph.D. Students:
JoAnn Donald (Lin)
Olanrewaju Ologunde (Nunes)
Zoe Spielman (Inglett)
Sean Westley (Osborne)
Anastasia Kritharoula (Tziolas)
Tunde “Samuel” Oluwatuyi (Kadyampakeni & Lusk)
Jose Prieto (Kadyamapakeni)
Duplicate Sambani (Kadyampakeni)
Md Shakli Uddin (Bhadha & Judy)
M.S. Students:
Wesley “Wes” Avery (Daroub)*
Logan Baxley (Daroub)*
Elizabeth Blessing (Daroub)*
Giuliana Caprotti (Kadyamapakeni)
Avery Cogley (Osborne)
Noelle Colaianni (Daroub)*
Makayla Cooper (Daroub)*
Elizabeth Copeland (Daroub)*
Lauren Harcum (Daroub)*
Bailey Harding (Daroub)*
Hayden Henke (Sharma)
Christian Hernandez (Daroub)*
Elizabeth Kelly (Daroub)*
Lindsey La Sasso (Daroub)*
Brierra Mack (Daroub)*
Tyler “Intyre” McKee (Daroub)*
Mary Moffett (Daroub)*
Jessica Rullo (Daroub)*
Shannon Salvatori (Daroub)*
Jessica Schilling (Daroub)*
Tenley Turrell (Daroub)*
Devon Villareal-Dabbs (Daroub)*
* Temporary Advisor
Interdisciplinary Ecology
(School of Natural Resources & Environment)
(Advisors in parentheses)
Ph.D. Students:
Oluwasegun "John" Olubisi (Lusk & Kadyampakeni)
Katharine Schlachter (Reynolds & Hensel)
Alexandria "Alex" Walus (Hensel)
Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences
(Advisors: Bonczek & Sisk)
Serena Brown (Water Science specialization)
Zoe Orange (Soil Science specialization)
Erin Petersen (Water Science specialization)
Interdisciplinary Studies-
Environmental Management in Agriculture
and Natural Resources
(Advisors: Enloe & Sisk)
Sienna Ahlers
Kristen Arthur
Lillian Black
Jordan Bolado
Gabrielle Bradley
Makena Burgio
Isabella Calderin
John Corbo
Cassidy Dalton
Kalina Deans
Georges Desliens
Xavier Diaz
Lucas Hengartner
Jacob Hiscox
Leilani Hoang
Scott MacGregor
Samuel Martins
Giuseppe Masiero Caldas
Isabela Mendez
Cambrea Shelton
Cheyenne Sikes
Jordan Simpson
Jennifer Sturm
Kevin Verboczki
Interdisciplinary Ecology
(School of Natural Resources & Environment)
(Advisors in parentheses)
M.S. Students:
Jelvi Fika (Reddy)
Harrison Hobbs (Osborne)
Stasia Pietraszun (Adams & Reynolds)
The UF Student Compost Cooperative, founded by Dr. Ann Wilkie in 2009, has evolved over 15 years into the Compost Cooperative and Gardens (CCG), a thriving hub for sustainability and community engagement. Part of the UF/IFAS Experiential Learning Laboratory, the CCG offers hands-on composting and gardening experiences to students and the Gainesville community, fostering environmental stewardship and leadership skills. The CCG inspires members to embrace sustainability, with many former participants applying their knowledge to impactful careers and projects worldwide.
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Dr. Maria Silveira has been named a 2024 SSSA Fellow.
Dr. Jango Bhadha received the 2024 International Service Award for the Southern Region from Epsilon Sigma Phi (The Extension Professionals’ Organization).
Dr. Jim Jawitz and Dr. Davie Kadyampakeni are new UF Water Institute Faculty Advisory Committee members.
Dr. Davie Kadyampakeni was appointed Associate Editor for Soil Nutrient Management for the Agronomy Journal through 2026.
Jose Prieto won First Place in the Student Best Written Paper Competition from the Florida State Horticultural Society.
Seyed Mostafa Biazar Seighalani is the new Hydrologic Sciences Academic Concentration student representative for the UF Water Institute.
Travel Grant recipients: Noor Basar, Seyed Mostafa Biazar Seighalani, Cyrus Januarie, Kondwani Kamsikiri, Monika Peddapuli, Yasmeen Saleem, Duplicate Sambani.
