UF announced on Wednesday four more projects that will split $10 million as the university continues to release portions of the $50 million set aside for these strategic initiatives.  

The four projects include a space institute to explore the universe, an effort to improve construction with robotic automation and artificial intelligence, a series of projects all linked to sports performance, and an effort to increase agriculture and environmental sustainability.  

UF President Ben Sasse announced in October that the university would designate over half of the $130 million sent by the state for strategic projects.  

“Our faculty do incredible work, and we are making some strategic bets on projects that can transform everything from space exploration and agriculture to construction and sports,” Sasse said in a press release. “We want to elevate UF’s reputation as a national research leader and innovator. We’ve been entrusted with resources from the state, and we’re putting those resources to work.” 

Of the $130 million, UF set $24 million aside for its deans to use and report back. Another $50 million was made available across all colleges and units at the university to submit proposals for funding. After the first four rounds of projects, the university has used around $40 million of the funds.  

Here’s a description of the four project awardees:  

• College of Design, Construction, and Planning, and Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering: Industrialized Construction Engineering (ICE), $2.5 million over two years – Funding will help harness the power of digital design, AI, and robotic automation to enhance productivity, safety, and quality in residential and commercial construction. 
• Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS): Modernizing IFAS Extension Through AI, $2.7 million over four years – This project will embed business intelligence systems into IFAS to update the extension’s infrastructure, contributing to agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. 
• UF Research, Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, College of Pharmacy, and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: UF Space Mission Institute, $2.5 million over two years – The goal of this initiative is to create a hub in which experts across UF’s colleges can work together to answer the most demanding questions related to space exploration, development, and commercialization. 

• College of Health and Human Performance, Warrington College of Business, College of Journalism and Communications, College of Medicine, and Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering (in partnership with the University Athletic Association): UF & Sport Collaborative, $2.5 million over one year – This multi-college initiative (with seed funding for a variety of sports-related proposals) will propel UF to the global stage in sports performance and healthcare, while illuminating its world-class sports facilities and partnerships. 

You can find the awardees for the first round, second round and third round on our website.