Experiential Learning Lab

About the Experiential Learning Lab

The Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences' Experiential Learning Lab (ELL) at the Bioenergy and Sustainable Technologies Laboratory facilitates hands-on experiences for students in classes related to soil, water, and environmental sciences in urban, agricultural, and natural ecosystems. With lab facilities as well as outdoor research and demonstration spaces, the Experiential Learning Lab offers individual and class opportunities for students to apply what they are learning to real-world situations and gain valuable research experience.

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Experiential Learning

Experiential learning is about learning by doing and involves hands-on learning experiences with reflection to make connections to real-world situations.

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Faculty

Students
- Undergraduate Research and Internship Opportunities
- Compost Cooperative and Gardens

News

Experiential Learning Lab Bridges Art and Soil Science

Graduate students from the UF School of Art and Art History gathered at the Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences’ Experiential Learning Lab (ELL) throughout 2025. They were in Professor of Art and Technology Katerie Gladdys’ fall seminar, The Vegetal; Assistant Professor of Ceramics Grace Sachi Troxell’s fall seminar, The Poetics of Clay; and instructor Anna Metcalfe’s spring seminar, Graduate Seminar in

First-year UF student explores hands-on research at the Experiential Learning Laboratory

When most first-year undergraduate students were still finding their footing on a large campus like the University of Florida, environmental science major Rebecca Walters was taking significant academic steps. In just her second semester, she contacted Dr. Ann Wilkie, director of the UF/IFAS Experiential Learning Laboratory (ELL), with a request. She

Environmental Science Students Explore Sustainability in Action at Experiential Learning Lab

Instead of sitting in a lecture hall, a group of UF students enrolled in Environmental Science Lab (EVS 3000L) spent the day surrounded by compost bins, a biodigester, and garden plots at the Experiential Learning Laboratory (ELL). Ann Wilkie, professor in the UF/IFAS Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences (SWES) and lab