Rob Moore, Ph.D., has built a reputation for excellence across teaching, research and service. He’s recently received the 2026 Provost’s Excellence Award for Assistant Professors, one of the university’s highest honors for early-career faculty. Through his work advancing educational innovation, workforce-aligned learning pathways and digital learning ecosystems, Moore continues to make meaningful contributions to the University of Florida and the broader field of educational technology.
“I am incredibly honored and humbled to receive this recognition from both my peers and the broader university community,” Moore stated. ”It is especially meaningful that my research is connecting educators, institutional practice and workforce partners in significant ways.”
Rob Moore, Ph.D.
As director of the Investigating Digital Ecologies to Advance Transformative Education (IDEATE) Research Lab within the Institute for Advanced Learning Technologies (IALT), Moore investigates the evolving relationship between learners, technology and opportunity. His research focuses on how learners navigate semi-formal digital learning environments and how institutions, workforce partners and credential providers can create more transparent, credible and effective pathways into education and careers.
Since joining the college in August 2021, Moore has developed a nationally recognized research agenda focused on digital learning ecosystems, workforce-aligned learning pathways and STEM microcredentials. His work bridges educational technology, workforce development and credentialing, fostering collaborations across disciplines and organizations. Through this scholarship, Moore has advanced understanding of how learners navigate educational and career pathways while helping institutions design more transparent and connected learning opportunities.
In addition to receiving the Provost’s Excellence Award for his work as an assistant professor of educational technology, Moore was also honored with the College of Education’s Diane F. Haines Teaching Excellence Award. The recognition reflects his commitment to student-centered learning, collaborative graduate mentorship and innovative teaching practices.
Teaching and mentorship are central to Moore’s professional philosophy as he prioritizes authentic, practice-based learning experiences that help students develop their research skills and scholarly identities. Moore views mentorship as a collaborative process that empowers students to contribute as co-creators of knowledge while building the skills, confidence and independence needed for successful academic and professional careers.
Moore looks forward to furthering his graduate students’ success, explaining, “One of the most meaningful parts of my work is nurturing students’ confidence as researchers and educators.”