Water Institute Affiliate Faculty Named 2024 UF Research Foundation Professors

Join us in congratulating the three Water Institute Affiliate Faculty members who have been named 2024 UFRF Professors! This prestigious three-year award recognizes the university’s most productive and promising faculty members.

Yiannis Ampatzidis, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science (IFAS)

Dr. Ampatzidis’ research spans several cutting-edge areas including mechanical harvest of specialty crops, artificial intelligence, precision agriculture, precision irrigation, smart machines, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and advanced machine systems. His work is pivotal in enhancing agricultural efficiency and sustainability.

Mariola Ferraro, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science (IFAS)

Dr. Ferraro is at the forefront of investigating novel host-directed therapies against Gram-negative infections. Her research delves into the functions of exosomes, outer membrane vesicles, and other extracellular vesicles in enteric (water-borne) infections, contributing significantly to the understanding and treatment of these infections.

Sadie Ryan, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Geography, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS)

Dr. Ryan’s research is crucial in the context of global health and environmental changes. She focuses on climate health issues, vector-borne disease modeling, geospatial models of intervention, and quantifying the social-ecological risks associated with viral emergence and vector-borne disease exposure in a changing world.

May 22, 2024