Welcome to Summer!!
It has been a whirlwind of a Spring semester with some new faces in the department and much to celebrate. We’ve said hello to two new post-doctoral associates who are working collaboratively with faculty on integrated research and extension projects. We’re saying goodbye, for now, to a number of graduate and undergraduate students who graduated this Spring semester, including one valedictorian who brought the audience to tears with her speech at the college graduation ceremony. We’ve also celebrated students and faculty for their many achievements in academic coursework, teaching, and research, with only a fraction of their accomplishments described here. We had two undergraduate students selected this semester as the college’s top ten seniors, and we had both faculty and graduate students win awards for teaching and instruction. Several faculty were recognized this semester for their excellence in research and for its impact on the discipline. Please join me in celebrating these accomplishments. I’ve enjoyed my first semester as interim chair and I look forward to continuing my duties for as long as needed. Go Gators!
Larry Forthun, Interim Chair FYCS
FYCS Welcomes Post Doctoral Associates
We added two Post Doctoral Associates to our department. Dr. Katie Dorman-Sims and Dr. Cody Gusto.
MEET DR. KATIE SIMS
Dr. Katie Sims is a post-doctoral associate working with the interim department chair, Larry Forthun, on several projects, including a USDA-NIFA Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grant which funds the PROSPER Florida program. The program seeks to support rural counties in their capacity-building efforts and implementation of evidence-based interventions (EBIs). Dr. Sims graduated from the department with her Masters in FYCS and her doctorate in Youth Development and Family Sciences (YDFS). About her new role in the department, Dr. Sims says:
"After a brief break post-graduation as the first doctoral student to graduate from the YDFS program, I am glad to be back in the FYCS Department! I took time off to spend with family, including having my two wonderful children. I am now a post-doctoral associate, working with Dr. Larry Forthun in his capacity as interim department chair. I am facilitating work on a USDA-NIFA Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grant and will start teaching again in the fall! When I am not at work, you can find me at most Gators sports. Every Saturday in the Fall is spent with family and friends tailgating on campus and watching football. And Spring is filled with baseball and basketball games in the afternoons. I am a Triple Gator by education, but also a Florida Gator at heart."
Meet Dr. Cody Gusto
Dr. Cody Gusto is a post-doctorate associate within the department's Community Food System Lab. Dr. Gusto specializes in evaluating behavior change and decision-making in agricultural, natural resource, community development, and public health contexts, with a focus on the design, implementation, and evaluation of Extension-based and non-formal programming. Dr. Gusto hopes to further integrate his expertise in program development and evaluation with behavioral change theories and participatory research methods to facilitate practical, community-level change across various contexts including: natural resource education, community food system development, farmer decision-making, farmworker health & safety, and healthy food access. About his new role in the department, Dr. Gusto says:
"I'm currently working with Dr. Catherine Campbell in her Community Food Systems Lab on two separate projects: one an interdisciplinary Citizen Science food waste study, and the other a study evaluating the impact of an interactive local food, health and wellness Extension educational program. With a background in farming and local food development, I enjoy supporting the local food "scene" here in Gainesville, volunteering on a local farm in the area and serving as a volunteer community garden manager for the last few years. I love spending my free time gardening, hiking, or otherwise enjoying natural Florida with my wife, two young kids, and a dog!"
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL AND LIFE SCIENCES (CALS) TOP TEN SENIORS
The following students were recognized as some of the most exceptional in the college and show exemplary scholarship, leadership and dedication to the community:
PAOLA SULLIVAN
ASHLEY ORR
Graduate Student Success
We had several students graduate with their Ph.D and M.S. degrees this semester.
Nabiha Aziz (left) and Jake Faulkner (middle), seen here with Dr. Heidi Radunovich, both graduated with their Master of Science in FYCS.
Drs. Beatrice Pierre and Chelsea DeMasters earned their PhDs in our Youth Development and Family Science doctoral program. Alicia Papanek earned her M.S. from the FYCS Master of Science program.
Peer Mentoring Program
New Student Mentoring Program in FYCS
The FYCS Peer Mentorship Program is designed to allow undergraduate students in the major to develop meaningful connections with a graduate student mentor. Undergraduate students are paired with a graduate student mentor who most closely aligns with their academic and professional interests. Graduate student mentors serve as guides, offering insight into academia, potential career paths, and life beyond undergraduate studies. The Peer Mentorship Program aims to foster a supportive learning environment where mentees develop relevant skills to help them in their academic and professional pursuits, gain professional development, and build community with other undergraduates and FYCS faculty/staff. The program also aims to allow graduate students to develop their mentorship and teaching competencies through building intentional relationships with their mentee(s).
The FYCS Networking Fair is a cornerstone of our department and keeps us connected to our wonderful community in Gainesville. We appreciate all of the local organizations who work with our students!
Faculty Highlights
Dr. Muthusami Kumaran
Dr. Muthusami Kumaran had a robust Spring semester. He celebrated the release of his long-awaited book “Managing A Million Missions: Strategic Capacity Building for NGOs,” and submitted several major grant proposals targeting the training and development of non-governmental organization (NGO) leaders in other countries. He was awarded the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) Undergraduate Teacher of the Year Award and the UF/IFAS International Educator Award. Dr. Kumaran teaches courses on the fundamentals of nonprofit management, and his areas of research include roles, impacts, and capacity building for nonprofits/NGOs.
Dr. LaToya O'Neal Puts Her Best Foot Forward
Dr. LaToya O’Neal’s extension and research programs focus on the advancement of health and health equity through the development of sustainable, high-impact, community-based health and wellness programs. Her current efforts include community-based approaches to promote weight-related chronic disease prevention and management, especially among vulnerable populations. Specifically, the programs she develops seek to promote behavioral lifestyle changes that improve health outcomes throughout the state of Florida and beyond. Dr. O’Neal teaches graduate and undergraduate courses focused on social and economic disparities within communities. Dr. LaToya O'Neal's work was featured in this recent UF/IFAS produced video called "Put Your Best Foot Forward." Take a look:
Dr. Amy Simonne Honored with Multiple Awards
Dr. Amy Simonne is a professor and extension food safety specialist, developing educational programs in the areas of safe food handling, safe produce handling, and worker health and hygiene training. Her research program addresses chemical, microbial food safety, with specific emphasis on ethnic foods and fresh produce. Dr. Simonne has more than 150 technical publications including journal articles, research reports, extension fact sheets, proceedings, and abstracts. Her work has been recognized at the national and international level including a recent research publication award from the American Society of Horticultural Science, Vegetable Division. Dr. Simonne has been with the department for over 20 years and has recently taken on the departmental role of Associate Chair.
We hope you enjoyed these highlights from our Spring Semester! You can follow us on our social media for weekly updates here: Instagram & Facebook.
We are always looking for alumni stories. Please email shannonjackson@ufl.edu If you would like to be featured on our social media/web. We want to know what kinds of life-changing things you are doing!