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2013 Gator engineering graduate Hugo Ortega

Calm under pressure: how a UF engineer found purpose ‘Below Deck’

November 20, 2025

For Hugo Ortega, a UF engineering-alumnus-turned-yacht-captain and reality star, being on Below Deck is a real-time test of the systems thinking and problem-solving skills he learned as a materials science major.

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Dr. Kyle C. Hartig standing outdoors on the University of Florida campus.

UF nuclear engineering professor named to 2025 ANS ‘40 Under 40’ 

November 3, 2025

University of Florida Associate Professor Kyle C. Hartig, Ph.D., has been named to the American Nuclear Society’s (ANS) Nuclear News  40 Under 40 list. This recognition celebrates innovative young professionals advancing the field of nuclear science and engineering.   

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Five UF students of the Ceramic Mug Drop team pose with their shattered mug at a competition table.

UF students excel in materials competition, earn national awards and scholarships 

October 28, 2025

The University of Florida’s Ceramic Mug Drop (CMD) design team made history in September by setting a new university UF record for the highest drop at the Materials Science & Technology Technical Meeting and Exhibition in Columbus, Ohio.

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UF Training Reactor control room with nuclear engineering students

Licensed to lead, UF students join elite ranks as nuclear reactor operators

October 22, 2025

Built in 1959 and operating out of the Nuclear Engineering program in the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, the UF training reactor is one of fewer than 30 reactors still operating in the United States. The college uses the reactor to train students in nuclear science and reactor operations, and in lab courses.

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UF PH.D. candidate Enrique Medici, center, stands with his U.S. Air Force’s SMART Scholar Program classmates on June 26.

UF’s Enrique Medici one of five Air Force SMART Scholars

September 19, 2025

Nuclear engineering doctoral candidate Enrique Medici was one of five selected college students this summer to attend the prestigious U.S. Air Force’s SMART Scholar Program.  

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picture of oversized magnet in lab

UF develops breakthrough magnet that could transform metal production

September 15, 2025

In a groundbreaking collaboration backed by a nearly $11 million federal grant, UF researchers have developed a first-of-its kind superconducting magnet that could advance metal production and position the United States as a global leader in alloy production.  

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UF engineering students gain firsthand experience during an industry visit to Townley Engineering 

July 22, 2025

Aroba Saleem, Ph.D., an assistant professor with Materials Science and Engineering, recently led her students on a tour of Townley Engineering and Manufacturing in Candler as part of a practical extension of her course, Process Metallurgy/Advanced Metals Processing at the University of Florida.   Held in the spring semester, the visit gave students an in-depth view […]

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Renato S. Navarro, Ph.D.

Welcoming the newest members of our faculty – Spring 2025

July 16, 2025

The Department of Materials Science & Engineering is thrilled to welcome three new faculty members: Renato S. Navarro, Ph.D., Ravit Silverstein, Ph.D., and Yijia Gu, Ph.D. They have joined the department as assistant professors in Spring 2025. These new hires bring exceptional expertise and diverse experiences, which will enhance the department’s research and educational mission. […]

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Victoria Miller, faculty member in her lab with two of her students.

From classroom to cosmos: students aim to build big things in space

June 26, 2025

A University of Florida engineering team is exploring how to manufacture precision metal structures in orbit using laser technology.

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