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 Office of Community Relations UF Government and Community Relations
Monday, December 18, 2023 |
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Across the University of Florida, our 16 colleges, numerous institutes, and health care facilities embrace our shared mission of outreach and service to improve and enrich our community, nation, and the world. UF in the Community spotlights the impact of UF in our region.
Although UF has students and employees throughout the state, North Central Florida is home to much of our faculty and staff and to our 50,000+ students. Like all area residents, we want a vibrant, safe, healthy, and equitable place in which to live and thrive. Here are some of the ways in which we are enhancing our shared community.? |
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December UF Eye Opener Discovery Breakfast |
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Susan Crowley, UF community relations leader, to retire
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After more than 17 years connecting the University of Florida with the broader community in Gainesville and around the state, UF Assistant Vice President for Community Relations Susan Crowley is retiring in January 2024. Crowley is most well-known for organizing the university’s Eye Opener Discovery Breakfasts, which connect the Gainesville community to various university speakers, as well as Gators Volunteer, a digital hub that helps UF students, faculty and staff find volunteer opportunities. She has served as the university’s long-time liaison with local chambers of commerce and governments and heads the UF Campaign for Charities, which consistently raises a million dollars annually for organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Florida, Florida Wildlife Care, and the Lupus Foundation of America.
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From UF Health: Robotic technology streamlines lung cancer diagnosis |
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Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer, claiming a disproportionate number of lives compared with the next leading cancers combined: breast, prostate and colon. The absence of symptoms at onset and the ability for the disease to spread quickly and silently can lead to an advanced diagnosis.
Typically, when a patient is diagnosed with a suspicious nodule or mass in their lung, they are referred to a pulmonologist, who performs one or more lung biopsies, to confirm if it’s cancerous. This process can take some time, causing anxiety for the patient. Now with robotic tools, physicians can quickly and safely access and biopsy difficult-to-reach nodules in the peripheral lung — where more than 70% of cancer lung nodules are located — streamlining diagnosis and treatment. |
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UF Health ophthalmologist answers FAQs about laser eye surgery |
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If you suffer from vision impairment, you may have begun to consider treatment options. LASIK and photorefractive keratectomy, or PRK, are two of the most common and effective interventions, and both have high success rates. A choice between them should be made based on the specific characteristics of a patient’s eyes and their personal preferences. A UF Health ophthalmologist offers clarification about LASIK and PRK, and provides insight into some of the most common questions about the treatments: |
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From the UF College of Veterinary Medicine: Information about mysterious respiratory illness in dogs |
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Recent media coverage of a “mysterious” respiratory illness in dogs in the US has created concern with dog owners. While there is always a year-round baseline incidence of dogs with a respiratory infection, spikes in the number of affected dogs occur periodically during a typical year. At this time, it is unclear if the current surge in numbers is part of the expected cycle, is truly larger than expected, or if media coverage has amplified the situation. It is clear, however, that veterinarians and dog owners have increased awareness. |
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From the UF College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: UF astronomers illuminate dark region of Milky Way |
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In a recent study led by a University of Florida astronomer, groundbreaking findings shed light on a mysterious dark region at the center of the Milky Way. The turbulent gas cloud playfully nicknamed “The Brick” due to its opacity, has sparked lively debates within the scientific community for years. To decipher its secrets, the astronomer and his research team turned to the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The implications of their observations, published in The Astrophysical Journal, are monumental. The findings not only unearth a paradox within the center of our galaxy but indicate a critical need to re-evaluate established theories regarding star formation. |
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From Business Insider: How do the Croc Docs, a team of Florida scientists who wrangle crocodiles and alligators, stay safe? 'Very carefully.' |
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Dr. Frank Mazzotti has spent the decades since studying crocodiles, alligators, and many other reptile species in Everglades National Park and beyond. He's a professor at the University of Florida and a member of the Croc Docs — a team of biologists and outreach specialists studying crocodilians, invasive reptiles, and threatened and endangered species in Florida and the Caribbean. The Croc Docs' work includes monitoring alligators and crocodiles to see how they are responding to Everglades restoration. They also monitor several invasive animal species, a major problem in Florida, like Burmese pythons, Argentine black and white tegus, and Nile monitors. |
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From the Harn Museum of Art: A celebration of the life and art of Jerry Uelsmann |
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Photographer Jerry Uelsmann passed away on April 4, 2022. He was a much celebrated and beloved UF artist, teacher, colleague and friend locally, nationally and internationally, and known for his combination printing of multiple negatives into fantastical photographic landscapes. With imagination and wit, he turned landscapes into conundrums, reveled in the poetry of the human body, or re-imagined reality altogether. His photographs then and now are collected and exhibited in museums around the world. His work will be on display at the Harn until February 18, 2024. |
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From UF/IFAS: The connection between nutrition and immunity |
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We all know that eating healthy is good for us. But did you know that certain foods can help keep us from getting sick, especially during flu season? In this blog, we’ll dive into the connection between what we eat and how well our immune system works. Think of your immune system as your body’s personal army. It fights against germs and keeps you healthy. When you eat the right foods, you give this army the tools it needs to defend you. |
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From UF/IFAS Honey Bee Research & Extension laboratory: 2024 Spring Bee College – March 15 & 16 |
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Join the UF/IFAS Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory at the 2024 University of Florida Bee College in Gainesville, Florida, for one or two days of all things honey bees. Those new to beekeeping can follow the beginner track, while more experienced beekeepers can participate in hands-on training in the apiary, classes on honey bee research, and other advanced topics in beekeeping. Early registration ends 1/19/24 |
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FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES CONTACT
Brittany Wise brittany.alana@ufl.edu (352) 273-3820 |
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Susan Crowley – Signing Off! Assistant Vice President, Community Relations |
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