News - The Independent Florida Alligator

Ann Christiano, a public relations professor, is UF’s 2014-15 Teacher of the Year.

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

UF names Ann Christiano teacher of year

By Caitlin Ostroff | Apr. 12, 2015

Ann Christiano is feeling the love from her students.

From left: Avni Solanki, 25, Kelly Landry, 27, and Stephanie Ishii, 27, all UF environmental engineering Ph.D. students, stand in a lab in the new engineering building next to urinals that they use to test part of the process they developed to purify human urine so it can be used to fertilize crops. They and the rest of their team will present their research in Alexandria, Virginia this weekend in hopes of winning more funding for the project.

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UF students compete for grant to make fertilizer from pee

By Nicole Gomez | Apr. 12, 2015

A team of UF environmental engineering students is using the power of pee to save the planet.

Jason Smith, a 38-year-old UF forest pathology associate professor, poses on the North Lawn next to Bert, the approximately 200-year-old Bluff Oak that was threatened by the College of Engineering’s Nexus building, a proposed expansion to existing teaching and research labs.

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Saving Bert: How a small group helped a big tree

By Zee Krstic | Apr. 9, 2015

Bert towers at 81 feet tall and 113 inches thick, and he has been rooted in the Gainesville community for nearly 200 years.

A photo of the plaque covering the time capsule installed near the Florida Gym. The opening of the capsule was delayed until April to coincide with the UF Class of 1995’s reunion.

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UF Class of ‘95 time capsule to be opened

By Ansley Pentz | Apr. 9, 2015

Bruce Floyd has walked past the class of 1995’s time capsule every day for 18 years on his way to work.

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Republican trans woman speaks on political advocacy, discriminatory legislation

By Melissa Gomez | Apr. 9, 2015

A transgender Republican politician spoke Thursday night on how her political affiliation and life experience intersected in her political career.

Dr. Charlie Lane, senior vice president of UF, speaks to a crowd on Plaza of the Americas on Wednesday about UF’s sustainability achievements and goals. “What’s really important is that students who recycle, ride the bus or learn about composing will embrace these actions for the rest of their lives,” Lane said.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF Sustainability hosts events to celebrate Earth Month

By Shalla Galanos | Apr. 9, 2015

One day isn’t enough to celebrate the earth, so the UF Office of Sustainability is dedicating the whole month.

Pictured is the Tau Beta Phi monument titled “The Bent of Tau Beta Phi,” which will be officially unveiled today at 4:45 p.m. next to Weil Hall.

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UF engineering honors society to hold monument ceremony

By Moriah Gaynor | Apr. 9, 2015

Better late than never, the UF chapter of a national engineering honors society is holding an unveiling ceremony Friday for its monument a year after its installation.

Professor Jose C. Principe poses in his office in the New Engineering Building Wednesday afternoon. Principe was awarded the UF Teacher/Scholar of the Year for 2014-2015.

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

Distinguished professor wins UF’s Teacher Scholar of the Year

By Stella Heekin | Apr. 9, 2015

Jose Principe was in Singapore on sabbatical when he found out.

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UF medical nonprofit to host first Donut Dash

By Marcella Tortorici | Apr. 9, 2015

If Homer Simpson were real, he would be first in line at the Global Medical Training’s 5K on Sunday.

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Seniors say goodbye to Floridance, host Spring showcase Saturday night

By Lilianne Busto | Apr. 9, 2015

Annette Ville found dance at the age of 4 through her grandmother, a professional dancer years ago in Germany.

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Dear UF IFAS, withdraw your support of Plum Creek

Apr. 9, 2015

Dear UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences,

Pictured is the exterior of Starter Space, a startup incubator located on 308 W. University Ave.

NEWS | FEATURES

Gainesville's entrepreneurs are slipping through its fingers

By Debora Lima | Apr. 8, 2015

Thanks to educational powerhouses, a growing innovation focus and other resources, like low cost of living, a quaint North Florida town better known for football than entrepreneurial savvy is carving itself a reputation in the startup community.

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‘House of Cards’ star Robin Wright coming to UF next week

By Ariana Figueroa | Apr. 8, 2015

“House of Cards” actress Robin Wright is set to visit UF next Thursday.

Lucy Morgan, a reporter for the Tampa Bay Times, was honored by the Bob Graham Center.

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Tampa Bay Times reporter honored by Graham Center

By Alyssa Fisher | Apr. 8, 2015

Lucy Morgan is the Bob Graham Center Florida Citizen of the Year, but she still doesn’t know how.

NEWS | SFC

Santa Fe Senate elects chief justice, debates attendance policy

By Hunter Williamson | Apr. 8, 2015

Santa Fe College Student Senate elected incumbent Elana Gold as the 2015-16 Student Government chief justice and continued to debate on a bill requiring club senators to attend 85 percent of Senate meetings.

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Battling the Brain Drain: Career fairs aim to employ more students in Gainesville

By Carla Vianna | Apr. 7, 2015

When the Spring semester of her senior year rolled around, Mallory Thompson began applying to companies in Atlanta and Nashville.

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State bill proposes private university leadership searches

By Caitlin Ostroff | Apr. 7, 2015

A bill in the Florida House of Representatives would allow for identifying information about applicants for president and provost in the State University System of Florida to be exempt from public record.

From left: Mike Hill, UAA executive associate athletics director for external affairs, and Chip Howard, executive associate athletics director for internal affairs, watch Jeremy Foley, the UF athletics director, speak about his career at an Accent Speaker’s Bureau event in the Evans Champions Club on Tuesday. “It’s not a perfect science,” he said about the process of hiring a new coach. “The fit part is really important. The honesty and integrity part is really important.”

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Jeremy Foley speaks about career, new facility during talk

By Cyanne Dunn | Apr. 7, 2015

UF athletic director Jeremy Foley is not a fan of white helmets.

Trish Kearney, a 43-year-old UF health education and behavior junior, and Jonathan Batista, a 23-year-old UF chemical engineering senior, stand on Plaza of the Americas on Tuesday. They and four other students marched between there and Turlington Plaza with their mouths taped and hands tied to highlight human trafficking.

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Students marched to combat human trafficking

By Olivia Vega | Apr. 7, 2015

With their hands tied with black fabric and mouths covered with red tape, six students held posters that read, “We stand one day for their every day” and “Gators Against Human Trafficking,” sharing the words they felt but couldn’t say.

From left: Amanda Bateh, 19, Eric Brown, 21, Tesneem Shraiteh, 21, Amanda Nelson, 21, and Farah Khan, 21, speak on Turlington Plaza on Tuesday about discrimination that Palestinian Christians face as their Easter celebration approaches Sunday. “I feel like this is the least I can do, to be involved in this campus organization,” Bateh said, “because injustice happens every day in Palestine.”

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF group educates students on discrimination in Palestine

By Lindsay Alexander | Apr. 7, 2015

A member of UF’s Students for Justice in Palestine held a sign Tuesday that read, “IDF attacked Palestinian Christians in Beit Jala during Palm Sunday service — Do you care?”