Hartmut Derendorf flew all the way from Germany in 1981 for two years of teaching experience at UF. Little did he know, he’d be a Gator for more than three decades.
Derendorf, a professor of biopharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics and clinical pharmacokinetics, has recently been awarded the Distinguished Alumni Professor Award, which gives him an extra title of UF Alumni Association distinguished alumni professor.
“I was very, very honored,” he said. “This is a very prestigious position, and I like to do the best I can to promote the university, so I was very, very happy.”
Derendorf has been published in more than 440 scientific publications and given more than 850 national and international presentations within his field.
Tim Walsh, assistant vice president of Alumni Affairs, said Derendorf will serve as a non-voting member of the Alumni Association board of directors for the next two years.
“We can tell by his presentation that he will connect with our alumni and friends during the next two years while he’s the distinguished alumni professor,” Walsh said.
Shannon Sumerlin, the senior director of constituency engagement at UF, is another board member who contributed in awarding Derendorf.
“One of the very unique qualities that Dr. Derendorf has is that he is a Gator through and through, and he has a really unique Gator story himself,” Sumerlin said.
Amelia Deitchman, a third-year UF doctoral student in pharmaceutical sciences, is one of Derendorf’s former interns and students, and she is now one of his teaching assistants.
Deitchman, 25, said Derendorf is an easygoing, positive professor. He’s responsive and attentive to his students, despite having a lot of responsibilities.
“Dr. Derendorf, I would say, is probably the best mentor anybody can ask for in their Ph.D.,” Deitchman said.
