Recognizing Interdisciplinary Leadership: The Water Institute’s 2026 Faculty Fellows
The Water Institute is pleased to announce its 2026 Faculty Fellows: Dr. Jiangxiao Qiu, Associate Professor in the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, as the Distinguished Faculty Fellow, and Dr. Olesya Savchenko, Assistant Professor in the Food and Resource Economics Department, as the Early Career Faculty Fellow. This three-year award recognizes faculty members whose research, education, extension, and leadership are helping address complex water challenges facing Florida and beyond.
Together, the 2026 Fellows exemplify the interdisciplinary approach that’s at the heart of the Water Institute’s mission. By bridging ecology, economics, artificial intelligence, policy, stakeholder engagement, and education, their work demonstrates how solving water challenges requires expertise that extends across traditional academic boundaries.
For Dr. Qiu, water is part of a larger social-ecological system that connects people, landscapes, and ecosystems. His research integrates ecosystem services, landscape ecology, sustainability science, and artificial intelligence to better understand how water systems respond to pressures such as global change, land use, and population growth. From improving water quality to advancing sustainable urban agriculture and coastal resilience, his work helps translate complex science into practical tools, training programs, and decision-support resources for communities, land managers, and policymakers.
Dr. Savchenko approaches water challenges through the lens of economics and public policy. Her interdisciplinary research quantifies the costs of water pollution and identifies sustainable and publicly acceptable solutions to water scarcity in agriculture. Working alongside ecologists, engineers, and social scientists, she has measured the economic impacts of harmful algal blooms and water quality declines while helping decision-makers better understand the value of clean water. Her work also extends globally through collaborations with partners in New Zealand and innovative educational experiences that connect University of Florida students with peers around the world to explore shared water challenges.
As part of a new Faculty Fellow initiative, each fellow will lead a strategic effort during their three-year term with support from the Water Institute.
As part of a new Faculty Fellow initiative, Dr. Qiu and Dr. Savchenko will work with the Water Institute to advance its mission by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration around key water issues. Building on their complementary expertise, they will help catalyze new connections and conversations around topics such as ecosystem services, the value of water, and the integration of environmental, social, and economic perspectives in water decision-making. Through collaborative activities, including working groups and proposal development efforts, they will help strengthen partnerships across disciplines and support innovative approaches to addressing complex water challenges. The Fellows are currently working with Institute leadership to shape the initiative’s goals and activities. Stay tuned to learn more about these collaborative initiatives and their role in advancing the Water Institute’s mission.
The Water Institute looks forward to working with Dr. Qiu and Dr. Savchenko over the next three years as they advance innovative research, foster new collaborations, and help develop the next generation of water solutions and water leaders.