Letter from Dean Good
As our home grows in population and national influence, our responsibility as Florida’s flagship university is clear: cultivate a confident, career-ready workforce and ensure every learner has access to a high-quality education.
Every day, our faculty and students engage in rigorous research that directly improves learning outcomes. The practical application is pivotal: breakthroughs here in Florida become blueprints for the nation.
Leveraging UF’s unparalleled AI infrastructure, we are accelerating responsible advances that personalize learning and support educators. Our land-grant mission drives our real-world engagement, resulting in measurable gains for learners, stronger pipelines into high-demand fields, and educators equipped to lead the future of teaching and learning.
We are proud of our progress and the people who make it possible. Together with our colleagues and community partners, we are pioneering innovative research and new technologies to produce bold solutions for learners everywhere. Join us as we continue building a brighter future for Florida and beyond.
Glenn E. Good, Ph.D.
Artificial Intelligence,
Authentic Innovations
Collaborating with our colleagues across the Gator Nation, we are pioneering a comprehensive approach to responsibly harnessing AI in education. We are advancing technology-enhanced teaching by leveraging human-centered tools that earn trust and amplify learning outcomes.
UF is preparing educators to lead with AI, not be led by it.
Maya Israel, Ph.D., and her colleagues have partnered with parents, leaders and practitioners across the state to form the Florida K-12 AI Education Task Force. Together, we are building the framework for AI usage in schools using ethical and sustainable decision-making. The task force shared its vision with stakeholders statewide at the Classroom of the Future event during Florida’s legislative session, exploring AI solutions for K-12 education.
Our teacher candidates are piloting an AI Assistant feature through our partnership with GoReact, a video platform that delivers skill-based learning for educators. Lori Dassa, Ed.D., and Tara Mathien, Ed.D., coordinated the initial rollout in the early childhood education program and are now expanding it college-wide. The AI Assistant offers instant feedback based on key instructional markers, boosting candidates’ confidence and providing an opportunity for more frequent and personalized coaching and support.
Powered by UF’s HiPerGator 4.0, the fastest supercomputer in higher education, the Sunshine State Early Childhood Information Portal allows researchers to analyze hundreds of variables and millions of records from agencies statewide to identify complex patterns associated with VPK programming. Using machine learning, Herman Knopf, Ph.D., and his Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies colleagues are working to influence key characteristics that improve kindergarten readiness.
AI Research in Action
Educators, administrators and tech innovators came to historic Norman Hall this summer for a hands-on exploration of technology’s rapidly expanding role at our AI in Education Fair. More than 150 attendees explored dozens of interactive demos, research sessions and expert panels to better understand AI’s potential in real-world learning environments.
Leaders in Education
Ranked No. 4 in the nation among public colleges of education, UF is charting an unprecedented ascent propelled by innovative programs, forward-thinking faculty and a commitment to developing skillful, effective educators for the benefit of all.
Rankings Over Time
Investing in
Educational Impact
With effectively applied research funding and cross-disciplinary partnerships, UF is transforming conscientious curiosity into valuable solutions that shape policy and practice.
The collective support of our community ensures our impact reaches further as we champion co-designing with districts, sharing open resources and evaluating what works in counties across the state. From AI-powered applications to cutting-edge curricula, we are strengthening the field of teaching and learning for Florida, the nation and the world.
Research Expenditures
Philanthropic Support
Research Expenditures
(in Millions)
Sustainable
Student Solutions
The UF Lastinger Center for Learning, led by Phil Poekert, Ph.D., drives some of Florida’s most ambitious education programs, including the nation’s largest home book delivery program. The New Worlds Reading Initiative has provided over ten million free books to nearly half a million children since its launch by the Florida Legislature in 2021. The state has also entrusted the center to lead the Florida Tutoring Advantage, a newly established statewide tutoring program addressing academic gaps in reading and mathematics.
Forging
Florida’s Future
We aren’t just generating solutions for the present – we are forging Florida’s future. Through teacher preparation, collaboration, and accessible education, we are strengthening today’s workforce while innovating for tomorrow’s learners. Our graduates, faculty, and research are uniting theory and practice to enhance education for every county and every classroom.
Leveraging AI for Literacy Lessons
To increase student success and save teachers time, the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI), led by Holly Lane, Ph.D., has partnered with AI-powered literacy platform Project Read to create the UFLI Assessment and Planning Portal. After scanning student work into the portal, small group and lesson plan recommendations tailored to UFLI’s internationally acclaimed curriculum are generated instantly for teachers to use.
Mapping STEM Microcredentials
Backed by a $1.5 million NSF CAREER award, Rob Moore, Ph.D., is strengthening Florida’s STEM workforce by analyzing learner motivations and challenges and by developing an open STEM Microcredential Hub. His project unites research and practice to make microcredentials more credible, practical and transparent—clarifying skill pathways for learners while amplifying engagement among educators and employers.
Building Courses for Better Care
In partnership with the UF College of Medicine and with support from the state, our E-Learning, Technology and Communications department is transforming professional development for Florida’s healthcare workforce. Through the Quality and Patient Safety Initiative (QPSi) Academy—an evolving online learning repository—healthcare professionals, educators and trainees gain free access to AI-driven courses designed to improve outcomes and strengthen essential career skills.
Cultivating CS and AI Confidence
The CSEveryone Center for Computer Science Education is preparing Florida’s K-12 educators to lead in computer science and leverage AI in the classroom. Through evidence-based microcredentials built on inclusive design and practical application, teachers gain strategies they can use immediately, empowering them to expand coding, data and AI literacy for all students.
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Fulbright-Hays award-winning doctoral candidate explores Côte d’Ivoire
Ed.D. student, Jessica Ayer, earned a Fulbright‑Hays Group Project Abroad Award that let her spend her summer in Ivory Coast, learning Bambara and developing curricula for francophone Africa…
EduGators Journey Beyond the Classroom for Summer Learning
From Classroom to Conference: UF Hosts Inaugural Guardians of the Gulf Youth Symposium
The University of Florida’s inaugural Guardians of the Gulf Youth Symposium allowed students from Cedar Key School to present their marine science research projects to industry professionals, judges, and…
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