UF joins $21.5M NSF AI institute focused on rehabilitation technology

The National Science Foundation has awarded $21.5 million over five years to create the NSF AI Institute for Human-AI Cooperation, a multi-university collaboration led by the University of Delaware that includes UF researchers. Faculty from UF’s Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering will work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and clinical care to develop adaptive systems that personalize rehabilitation treatment. UF’s HiPerGator supercomputer will support the processing of large health datasets to accelerate development of the AI models.

Sources: UF News

UF researchers find boiling behaves unexpectedly in reduced gravity

A University of Florida team led by mechanical and aerospace engineering professor Youngsup Song has discovered that boiling liquid nitrogen in reduced-gravity conditions can transfer heat more efficiently than previously assumed, while also reaching an unsafe threshold about 65% sooner. The findings, published in npj Microgravity, challenge long-held assumptions that lower gravity uniformly weakens boiling. The research could inform the design of cryogenic fuel storage and thermal management systems for future long-duration space missions.

Sources: UF News

UF tops national AI readiness ranking among large public universities

An independent assessment by Los Angeles-based AIREDEX gave the University of Florida a score of 9.7 out of 10, placing it first in the country among the largest enrollment public universities for preparing students for an AI-driven future. The ranking credited UF’s campuswide AI curriculum initiative, its HiPerGator supercomputer, a partnership with NVIDIA, and its generative AI platform available to all students, faculty, and staff. The University of Central Florida also placed in the top ten, coming in eighth.

Sources: UF News

UF ranks in national top 10 for turning research into commercial innovations

A 2025 survey of nearly 200 universities placed the University of Florida fifth nationally in invention disclosures and licenses, eighth in patents issued, and tenth in patent applications. During the survey period, UF researchers reported 461 invention disclosures and executed 338 licenses and options. Preliminary figures for fiscal year 2026 show continued momentum, with 463 invention disclosures, 500 patent applications, and 12 new startup companies launched.

Sources: UF News

UF marks six years of AI integration with 14,000 students enrolled in AI courses annually

The University of Florida wrapped its 2025-2026 academic year by highlighting major milestones in artificial intelligence education and research, including more than 200 AI courses, 300 AI-focused faculty, and 71% of spring 2026 graduates having completed at least one AI course. The university’s HiPerGator supercomputer — the fastest university-owned AI supercomputer in the country — enabled $566 million in externally funded research awards this past year, while faculty and units have received more than $511 million in AI research grants since 2017. UF’s NaviGator AI platform now serves over 30,800 users with access to more than 70 large language models.

Sources: UF News

Dead fish and algae blooms alarm residents near Lochloosa Lake

Residents and fishermen near Lochloosa Lake in Hawthorne are reporting dead fish, dying vegetation, dead snails and algae blooms along the shoreline, with conditions said to have worsened over several months. Local fishermen believe herbicide spraying used to control aquatic plants is destroying critical habitat for fish and wildlife. Residents are calling for greater transparency about what is being sprayed and how often, and are asking whether alternative approaches should be considered.

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Sources: WCJB TV20

Ducks Unlimited transfers 1,300 acres to St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

Ducks Unlimited this week handed over a 1,300-acre parcel bordering the St. Marks River to St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, permanently protecting land near the refuge’s front entrance from private development. The property provides habitat for Florida black bears and threatened species including the red-cockaded woodpecker, and also supports the refuge’s popular annual Monarch Butterfly festival.

Sources: WCJB TV20

Mother and daughter serve free hot meals to Gainesville residents

Ashlee Graves and her daughter have launched a community effort to provide free hot meals to Gainesville residents, focusing on East Gainesville. The initiative, run out of their own kitchen, aims to address food insecurity one meal at a time.

Sources: The Independent Florida Alligator

Alachua County Fire Rescue Hosts 5th Annual Summer Gator Fire Games

The 2026 Summer Gator Fire Games, organized by Alachua County Fire Rescue through the Florida Fire Chiefs Association, drew 180 young aspiring firefighters and EMS candidates along with 80 advisors to the Alachua County Sports and Event Center. Competitors representing 17 departments from across Florida faced seven skill-based challenges, including timed tasks such as donning protective gear. This year marked the fifth consecutive time ACFR has hosted the statewide youth event.

Sources: WCJB TV20

Federal contract termination threatens legal aid for 20,000 unaccompanied immigrant children

The Department of Health and Human Services terminated a three-year, $65 million contract with the Acacia Center for Justice that funded free legal representation for unaccompanied immigrant children through a network of providers nationwide. Americans for Immigrant Justice, a Miami-based subcontractor, says funding under the contract stopped in December 2025 and that it has not been paid for five or six months of work, forcing the organization to use reserves to continue services. The group announced it would furlough half its staff after July 31.

Sources: WCJB TV20