Blog
Kara Harders: Perceptions of the Florida peach industry
Kara Harders is working toward a master's degree in agricultural education and communication, specializing in communication. The majority of her research is focused on consumer perceptions and understandings of food labeling and nutrition. She is finishing her program...
Noah Valenstein: Water management district proactive in solving complex water issues
Noah Valenstein has been the Executive Director of the Suwannee River Water Management District since September 2015. Valenstein served as the Environmental Policy Coordinator for Governor Rick Scott. He came to the district with thirteen years of public service...
Dr. Jack Payne: Building trust in science through partnerships
Jack Payne has led the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences as Senior Vice President since 2010. Now at his fifth land-grant university, he is passionate about the research, teaching and Extension missions and insists that land-grant...
Tiffani Stephenson: A scientist’s guide to social media
Tiffani Stephenson is the Coordinator for Marketing and Assessment at UF RecSports, co-owner of Teach 352 Social and a frequent speaker at industry events. Prior to her current position, Tiffani had overseen the IFAS-wide social media strategy across all internal...
Brandon McFadden: The effects of mandatory labels for GMOs
Brandon R. McFadden is an assistant professor in the Food and Resource Economics Department at the University of Florida. His research focuses on consumer behavior, food choice and attitudes towards contemporary agriculture production. He has analyzed the effects of...
Roxanne Connelly: Zika virus transmission in Florida
Dr. Roxanne Connelly received her PhD in Entomology from Louisiana State University, majoring in Medical Entomology with a minor in Epidemiology and Community Health. She works at the University of Florida, IFAS, Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory where she is a...
Lara Milligan: Are you adding to microplastic waste?
Lara Milligan is a Natural Resources Agent with UF/IFAS Extension Pinellas County. Her work focuses on designing, developing, and evaluating educational programs to teach members of her community about the environment, from water resources to local wildlife. Milligan...
Hannah Carter: Need for leaders in Florida agriculture and natural resources
Dr. Hannah Carter grew up surrounded by the potato fields of Aroostook County, Maine. She graduated 1995 with a B.S. degree in Environmental Science from the University of Maine at Presque Isle. Upon graduation, she began her career with the University of Maine...
Heather McPherson: PIE Center writes the next chapter in food safety
Heather McPherson is the Food Editor, restaurant reviewer and a multimedia journalist for the Orlando Sentinel. She is a past president of the Association of Food Journalists and serves on the AFJ conference planning committee. The author of two cookbooks, she has...
Laura Warner: Need to pursue all solutions to conserving water
Dr. Laura Warner is an assistant professor of extension education in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication at the University of Florida. She focuses on program evaluation, behavior change, and social marketing. Her appointment supports the Center...
Sonia Tighe: ‘Great opportunity’ to educate consumers about Florida blueberries
Sonia Tighe is the director of membership for FFVA and manages FFVA’s Florida Specialty Crop Foundation. Tighe partners with UF/IFAS and USDA on research grants and administers a scholarship program for children of migrant workers. Prior to joining FFVA, Tighe worked...
Preston Haskell: Consequences of aquifer pumping
Preston Haskell is founder and chairman of The Haskell Company, the nation’s leading integrated design-build firm, headquartered in Jacksonville. He graduated with honors from Princeton University with a degree in civil engineering, received a Master of Business...