UF Water Institute

Everglades restoration requires collaboration beyond academia. Building these connections is at the heart of the BRIDGES initiative, formed in partnership with UF School of Natural Resources and Environment.

The second workshop brought the cohort members to South Florida to meet with various organizations involved in restoration efforts. Through presentations, tours, and full-day discussions, the exchange of information showcased the potential role of academia in future restoration efforts.

Learn more: bit.ly/435Wzhk

Capture the splash this summer with the Water Institute Photography Contest! Open throughout the summer, showcase your water-related research, education, or extension programs for a chance to win exciting prizes. Whether it’s a stunning snapshot of your research, a dynamic shot of educational activities, or a moment captured during an outreach event, let’s highlight the incredible work being done at UF.

Learn more: bit.ly/3x3EdBd

The Water Institute Summer Travel Awards are now open! Undergraduate and graduate students from any major can apply for financial support to present your research at a national or international conference.

Learn more & apply: bit.ly/WITravelAward

👏 Join us in celebrating our 2025 Water Institute Ambassadors Alexis Jackson & Lexi Bolger! From launching Hydro Highlights to leading Student Showcases, their impact on student research & outreach has been incredible. Thank you both, and best of luck with your future endeavors.

Learn more: bit.ly/4dyOR43

UF Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure & Environment- ESSIE UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication

With great sadness, we report the tragic loss of a member of the UF Water Institute community. Zamil Limon was a graduate student in the School of Geosciences at USF, where he was using GeoAI to advance our understanding of wetland change in Florida. He presented at the 10th Biennial Water Institute Symposium, where he was one of the student award winners. Tragically, Zamil and his close friend Nahida Bristy, a graduate student in the Department of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering at USF, were brutally murdered. We mourn their loss along with their families in Bangladesh and advisors, classmates, and friends at USF. If you would like to make a donation to assist the families during this inconceivably difficult time, please visit the GoFundMe page established for this purpose: https://gofund.me/77144d1f1.

Congratulations to Emory Wellman from UF IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences SFFGS, a Water Institute Research Award recipient, for her recent publication! By examining the interacting effects of fertilizer and mussels on salt marshes, her work increases our understanding of salt marsh resiliency.

Learn more: bit.ly/4dn1Mah

Water Institute Ambassador applications are closing this week, May 7th! Apply now to foster a vibrant graduate student community while working with the Water Institute to enhance student participation and provide opportunities for development.

Learn more and apply: bit.ly/3IXeoEB

Dive into the academic journey and research of UF Agricultural and Biological Engineering Ph.D. student Rio Bonham in this month’s Hydro Highlight, created by the Water Institute Ambassadors! Discover how Bonham’s work is advancing flood prediction by blending traditional engineering methods with community-based knowledge systems for more effective, inclusive solutions.

Read the Hydro Highlight: bit.ly/4cE989f

Dr. Nick Aumen, leader of the Water Institute’s BRIDGES project and a visiting scholar at UF School of Natural Resources and Environment, has been named a 2026 Fellow of the Society for Freshwater Science. Join us in congratulating Dr. Aumen on this well deserved honor!

Learn more: bit.ly/4cCb9Bg