Grad Gator News
The latest word from Grinter Hall — home base of the UF Graduate School
September 25, 2026
Nine UF Grad Faculty Net NSF Grants
2026 NSF CAREER Awardees spotlight UF’s compelling culture of high-profile research
Nine University of Florida graduate faculty members have received the prestigious NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award for 2026.
Sponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), this five-year grant of $400,000 or more supports untenured early-career faculty whose effective fusion of education and research within their institutions demonstrates potential for national leadership in innovative scholarship. This year’s successful contenders from UF are:
- Dr. Henry Adams (Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), whose research explores new mathematical ways to analyze complex data for AI and machine learning.
- Dr. Austin Evans (Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), whose research focuses on advanced materials for space-based electronics and energy.
- Dr. Grace John (Biology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), whose research investigates plant drought responses and urban tree management.
- Dr. Sindia Rivera-Jiménez (Engineering Education, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering), whose research explores community college transitions into engineering higher education.
- Dr. Janani Sampath (Chemical Engineering, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering), whose research studies the molecular degradation of polymer membranes to design durable energy-efficient filters.
- Dr. Katy Serafin (Geography, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), whose research focuses on flooding, climate hazards, and coastal resilience.
- Dr. Brittany Taylor (Biomedical Engineering, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering), whose research aims to improve treatment after illness or injury by investigating cellular mechanisms that drive fibrotic tendon healing.
- Dr. Yixin Wen (Geography, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences), whose research centers on severe weather prediction and machine learning.
- Dr. Yu Wang (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering), whose research seeks ways to make autonomous systems both intelligent and trustworthy.
This year, less than one in five of some 3,000 assistant professor applicants were forecast to receive funding after the NSF’s rigorous review process. That these nine graduate faculty members prevailed against those odds attests to the high caliber of educators and researchers drawn to UF. It also betokens the opportunities for dynamic mentorship that await future and current graduate students and postdocs within the Gator Nation.
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