News
Latest department stories
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Licensed to lead, UF students join elite ranks as nuclear reactor operators
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’s Enrique Medici one of five Air Force SMART Scholars
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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UF develops breakthrough magnet that could transform metal production
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
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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Welcoming the newest members of our faculty – Spring 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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New lens into atomic structures of ultra-thin films
“We are pushing the boundaries of what you can measure.” – Prof. Megan Butala
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From classroom to cosmos: students aim to build big things in space
A University of Florida engineering team is exploring how to manufacture precision metal structures in orbit using laser technology.
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Hundreds descend on UF to advance national security research
With a focus on global security and scientific collaboration, the University of Florida hosted hundreds of students, professors, and national laboratory scientists and engineers last week for the 2025 National Nuclear Security Administration R&D University Program Review. Held June 3-5, the event showcased five university consortia driving innovation in national nuclear security. UF leads the…
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With hands-on AI activities, EQuIPD Camps inspire young engineers across the state
This summer, more than 20 University of Florida student mentors will fan out across 16 Florida counties to help lead 39 engineering summer camps for nearly 400 students. As part of UF Engineering’s 2025 Engaged Quality Instruction Through Professional Development (EQuIPD) camps, high school and middle school students will delve into design challenges that incorporate…
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Celebrating the life of Rolf Hummel
Please join us for a Celebration of the life of Rolf Hummel Wednesday, MAY 28, 2025, at 1 p.m.Trinity United Methodist Church: Chapel4000 NW 53rd Ave, Gainesville, FL We will share eulogies, memories, and unexpected joys of having had these truly unique individuals in our lives.What you leave behind is not what is engraved in…
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Meer Muhtasim Mahfuz Named NSF Graduate Research Fellow
Meer Muhtasim Mahfuz, a senior majoring in materials science and engineering, has been awarded the highly competitive National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF GRFP). While at UF, Mahfuz conducted research in the lab of Honggyu Kim, Ph.D., where he focused on the characterization of functional materials and semiconductor thin films using advanced transmission electron…
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From POW to Ph.D.: The Journey of Dr. Sagid Salah
When Dr. Sagid Salah (B.S. ’58, M.S. ’60, Ph.D. ’64) first arrived in Gainesville in 1954, he was 21 years old, had just survived nearly four years as a prisoner during the Korean War, and was technically stateless. He spoke English thanks to a Catholic priest and a missionary who had tutored him in the…
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In Memoriam: Rolf Hummel, Ph.D.
Dr. Rolf Erich Hummel, a distinguished materials scientist and professor emeritus of the department, passed away on March 24, 2025, at age 90. Born in Stuttgart, Germany, he earned his doctorate in solid-state physics from the Max Planck Institute in 1963. Soon after he graduated, he was hired at the University of Florida to take…
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A New Era of Nuclear? The Potential of Gas Core Reactors
As the demand for clean, high-efficiency energy grows, a research team led by Justin Watson, Ph.D., and Chris McDevitt, Ph.D., associate professors of nuclear engineering at the University of Florida, is exploring gas core nuclear reactors (GCRs). This next-generation reactor design could offer a safer and more efficient way to generate atomic power by replacing…