Wednesday morning meetings of RFUF are held at the Harn Museum of Art. Complimentary coffee and sweets are available at 9:30 am in the Camellia Café on the first level of the Harn for a brief social gathering before the speaker’s presentation. Talks begin at 10:00 and meetings end by 11:00. Members receive weekly email announcements with a Zoom link for those who will not be attending in person. These talks are open to the public, and interested members of the community are welcome to attend. A limited number of parking passes are available for non-RFUF Members and may be requested before the meetings from RFUF Officers.
January 8: James B. Flanegan, Professor Emeritus and former Chair, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. "Challenge of Developing Next Generation Vaccines for Poliovirus Eradication."
January 15: Andrew Zimmerman, UF Professor of Geological Sciences "Biochar: Can Charcoal Save the World from Climate Change?"
January 22: Scott Darius, Executive Director, Florida Voices for Health "An update on Florida’s Healthcare Landscape."
January 29: Nancy Denslow, Professor, UF Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine. "Impact of Exposures to Environmental Contaminants."
February 5: Leslie Hendeles, Professor Emeritus, UF College of Pharmacy "Why did Sudafed Stop Relieving Stuffy Noses?"
February 12: William Troy Donahoo, Professor and Chief, UF Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, And Metabolism. "The Neurohormonal Underpinnings of Homeostasis and How a Hormone Eclipses the “Eat Less Exercise More” Adage."
February 19: Roger Fillingim, Distinguished Professor and Associate Dean, UF College of Dentistry "Individual Differences in Response to Pain and its Treatment."
February 26: Field trip Kika Silva Pla Planetarium at Santa Fe College, James Albury, Director. Meet at Santa Fe College parking for the planetarium, 11:30 am
March 5: Eric Godet, CEO, Gainesville Chamber of Commerce. "The Greater Gainesville Chamber of Commerce: The Greater Gainesville Chamber – Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.”
March 12: Rob Ferl, UF Distinguished Professor of Horticultural Sciences and Inaugural Director, Space Institute at the University of Florida. "Flying to Space as a Scientist-Yes, the time has come for Researchers to go to Space."
March 19: Carol McCusker, Curator of Photography, The Harn Museum of Art. "A Brief History of Photography."
March 26: Student Presentations - ILR at Oak Hammock.
April 2: Steve Gird, Senior Director Research and Development, (Retired) Jim Beam Company. "Bourbon: What is it? How do they make it?"
April 9: TBA
April 16: Spring Luncheon and Business meeting at The Village, Gainesville, 11:30 am
September 4: Brian Jose, Director, UF Performing Arts “The 24/25 Season and How We Got Here.”
September 11: Kristen Stoner, Professor, UF School of Music “New Sounds for the Flute: 21st Century Women Composers.”
September 18: Fall Luncheon at Oak Hammock beginning at 11:30 am. Katie Sieving Professor, UF IFAS Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation “Birdsongs.”
September 24: Carmen Diana Deere, UF Distinguished Professor Emerita, Latin American Studies and Food and Resource Economics “Women’s Rights and the Reform of the Marital Regime in Early 20th Century in South America.”
October 2: Andrew Warren, Former Federal Prosecutor, US Dept. of Justice, State Attorney, Tampa “Abortion and Marijuana: An Objective take on November’s Constitutional Amendments.”
October 10* (Thursday): Nancy Denslow, Professor and Acting Chair, UF Dept of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology “The Impact of Exposures to Environmental Contaminants.”
October 16: Field trip: The Cotton Club Museum and Cultural Center, 837 SE 7th Ave, Gainesville Vivian Filer, Narrator and Chair, Board of Directors.
October 23: Kenneth H Rand, Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, UF College of Medicine “COVID-19: Should we still be worried in 2024?”
October 30: Paul Broadie II, President, Santa Fe College “Impact: The Power of Education."
November 6: Adegbola T Adesogan, Director, Global Food Systems Institute, UF IFAS “Improving Global Food and Nutritional Security.”
November 13: Barbara Oberlander, Professor, Retired, Santa Fe College “The Mother of Social Security: Frances Perkins."
November 20: Gerald Kirkpatrick, U.S. Navy Captain and Attorney at Law, Retired “Great Power Competition and How to Manage it in the 21st Century.”
November 27: Thanksgiving Week - no meeting
December 4: Robert Virnstein, Environmental Scientist, St. Johns River Water Management District “Ecology of Seagrasses in the Indian River Lagoon: Why Should We Care?”
January 10: Thomas Pearson, Professor of Epidemiology, Retired, UF College of Medicine and College of Public Health and Health Professions: “The Epidemiology of Chocolate.”
January 17: Paul Ortiz, Professor, UF Department of History: “From the Great Depression to A New Deal: How America Got its Groove Back in the 1930s.”
January 24: Tongyun Yin, Curator of Asian Art, the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art: “Gateway to Himalayan Art: Symbols, Meanings, and Functions.”
January 31: John Hardeman, Retired Associate Professor and Interim Chair, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, UF College of Dentistry: “Saving Face: The OMFS spectrum of changing faces and changing lives.”
February 7: Joann Mossa, Professor and Associate Chair, UF Department of Geography: “Some Secrets of Southern Rivers.”
February 14: Scott Rivkees, former Florida Surgeon General, now Vice-Chair and Professor, Brown University School of Public Health, Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice: “Public Health in the Face of Denialism and Politics.”
February 21: Barbara Mennel, UF Professor of Film Studies: “The German Film “Girls in Uniform” (1931): Film Stars, Censorship, and the Rise of Fascism.”
February 28: Brian Phillips, Associate Professor, UF College of Engineering: “The Impact of Hurricanes on Civil Infrastructure.”
March 6: Andres Pumariega, Professor and Division Chief, UF Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: “From Immigrant Child to Child Mental Health Advocate: A Life Journey.”
March 20: Darby Guyn, Director, Sweetwater Wetlands Park: NB: Meet as usual at the Harn at 9:30 am, consolidate into as few vehicles as possible, and carpool to Sweetwater Park; entry fee $5 per vehicle.
March 27: Jason Alread, Professor, UF School of Architecture: “The UF Campus from Past to Future.”
April 3: Juan Gilbert, Endowed Professor and Chair and winner of the 2023 White House Presidential National Medal of Technology and Innovation, UF Department of Computer & Information Science & Engineering: “Computing for Social Good: Elections Technology and Traffic Stop Safety.”
April 10: Special Extended Meeting. Scott Angle, Provost of the University of Florida: “UF and its Role in Feeding a Hungry World” (10:00 am to 11:00 am). ILR-UF Aging Science Research Finals, UF Doctoral Candidate Presentations. Presentations and judging (11:30 am to 12:30 pm).
April 17: Barbara McDade Gordon, President: “Reflection over 50 years”; Rick D’Alli, President-Elect: “Moving forward in our 50th year, 24-25." (RFUF Annual Spring Luncheon at Oak Hammock).
September 6: Ben Sasse, President of the University of Florida: “UF: Big Challenges, Bigger Opportunities”
September 13: Amy J Williams, Assistant Professor, UF Department of Geological Sciences: “The Curiosity to Explore and the Perseverance to Rove: A Decade of Discoveries on Mars”
September 20: Annual Fall Luncheon Meeting at Oak Hammock Maestro Evans Haile, Musical Director and Conductor, The Gainesville Orchestra: “Musical Droppings...a few thoughts on connecting the dots, the Arts, and late nights on a bike”
September 27: Norman Thagard, former NASA Space Shuttle astronaut and current Professor, FSU College of Engineering: “My Life in Space”
October 4: Kaitlyn Hof-Mahoney, Executive Director, Matheson History Museum: “Gainesville and Alachua County: From Frontier to Mid-Century”
October 11: Sean Adams, Professor, UF Department of History: “Business History is Your History: The Inquire Capitalism Program at UF"
October 18: Stephanie Lynge, Artistic Director, Hippodrome Theater: “Spotlight on Hippodrome's New Season and Navigating Post-Pandemic Challenges of North Central Florida's Premier Professional Regional Theatre”
October 25: Michael Okun, Professor and Executive Director, UF Health Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases: “Ending Parkinson’s Disease”
November 1: Mary Wise, Head Coach, UF Women’s Volleyball: “Gator Volleyball: How it Started…How it’s Going”
November 8: Jon Miot, Professor and Director, Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo: “Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo: Community connections to a world of conservation” NB: Meet at the Teaching Zoo for talk and guided tour
November 15: Bahar Armaghani, Associate Professor and Director, UF Green Building Learning Collaborative: “A post-Covid focus on sustainability with regard to human health and well-being”
November 29: Desmon Duncan-Walker, Gainesville Mayor Pro-Tem and City Commissioner, District I: "Perspectives on City Governance"
December 6: Carol Lewis, Associate Professor, UF Department of Psychiatry: “The Art and Science of Mindfulness”
Spring 2023 Schedule
Jan. 11, 2023 Speaker: Joseph Meert, "When the Shields Go Down: The Importance of a Magnetic Field on Earth and Other Planets" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/Jnz_OC2A2urZkUKE00JPhxWMDBZX3xtazd6V6LGuWWRWRogpDuplGLxmilAdxzFZ.2mQ58e8P7FoE8pTn
Jan. 18, 2023 Speaker: Nicole Nesberg, "Indigenous Florida" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/4mfcEQZBB9eKe8tt0DnqFpebDex7sxwnhRz73k9aeZLI8Dka7IbFnhd2Pu7TPhM4.do2Q-6wnsU3mrT_S
Jan. 25, 2023 Speaker: Hub Brown, “What’s New and What’s Next in Mass Communications” https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/PAKEf0JYGeSPuq1jSZXJfRH8t9x8Y05ggmj7E_CE86IZFGGhRKJYB7iQ54fmRDjE.MTf1hAYtYYUYBPob
Feb. 1, 2023 Speaker: Steve Spurrier, My Career and Coaching Highlights” https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/a_VN6fMDphIR6Z3eEUOIABIcZfWWqBqMQ5g_MAZj-yelYy13wBMb4zATD_-sLw_5.uf_c89jELJNDfQez
Feb. 8, 2023 Speaker: Alyssa B. Cole, “Black Women’s Defense of Medical Facilities in Kansas City: 1900”
Feb. 15, 2023 Speaker: Shaney T. Livingston, “It’s Your Library” https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/HJTgk6yuTISQaaEMuhYWLWKRAhgCEc4-ZdeCnfSi-Ovwvk3M-ZxDA084DjwEAgvj.l7kx6V-IHaFCd3eW
Feb, 22, 2023 Speaker: Harvey Ward, “The First 100 Days: Priorities as the New Mayor” https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/Y61A6fh2y_TewgEC0IFCd6CFWdGTMiro5LM4BKYSWuUc6Z2wvwBc7xbWNzmJ2im9.3wzudyTHuOgZEJFb
March 8, 2023 Speaker: Stefan Moss, “Saltwater Underground Railroad Experience” https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/9EzEZvQe3qKUvMSAbybOcB_LJ4NGLdJJoPa920YLuI209ZQOoU40WIkgzdbdofW9.21IePljH8Ug4K7yY
March 22, 2023 Speaker: Sarah Rockwell, “Improving our Public Schools: How you can help” https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/9VGYoHltZ6-PvXIIeshzVA0FhaXwOrW1Ocz5aGU3H_bqntxlwwRd3YLEgbni09f0.R1MR_DaW1eotIGuS
March 29, 2023 Speaker: Angela Melidosian, “From Students to Early Career Professionals: UF’s active learning program” https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/HCPy-irXuvHJOWJkRdsly0UIhb_kn8DavozLhis3hutp_47ATq_Ic8UL_3NSeTg.Sm_N_j0qJ0QerzDd
Sept 7, 2022 Speaker: Curtis A. Reynolds, "UF's Hidden World of Operational Excellence" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/XUSkE5XthkdCcd6mbRI5pTUNMYUOxFMkWjk0vY74fOdGh76FB-D8zpWFhGysEFF8.YMB3BUuywPUL_RF6
Sept 14, 2022 Speaker: Diana Boxer, "Discourse, Politics, and Women as Global Leaders" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/lFnhrI1tFBGwzjHN8Y3H2uXQFjBWdVdQ9QJUpjFzoxqhVBt0DjAISa3LjAqV1tgA.VsjwYKoG54rvCLal
Sept. 21, 2022 Speaker: Rhonda Wilson, "An Artist's Journey"
Oct, 5, 2022 Speaker: Dulce Roman, "Picturing the Sunshine State: The Florida Art Collection at the Harn Museum of Art"
Oct. 12, 2022 Speaker: Jon Rehm, "Social Studies and Its Role within the Alachua County Public Schools"
Oct. 19, 2022 Speaker: Fatimah Tuggar, "Hybrid Encounters: West African Expertise and Digital Expression"
Oct. 26, 2022 Speaker: Willie J. Wright, "On Geographies of Race and Revanchism" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/EiCHKxYXdIQOhPhENM6VaH8ofyhBXJ22XdlRga55Do3k10Bl3_uru2EohtyhtFgr.hdJYDvcapCsVRQIv
Nov. 2, 2022 Speaker: My T. Thai, "Explainable AI: The Art of Explanation" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/I2HkkSxpB0jj-1Uhn_cBVDjlizcHhzyRpgKbwkUTA2lzcUHMRN8PvSIhrvp_P0nK.bcAN9X9_6U2mHoNP
Nov. 9, 2022 Speaker: Robin Lewy, "30 Years of Health Justice in North Central Florida"
Nov. 16, 2022 Speaker: Beth Virnig, "How Patient Factors and System Factors Influence Care and Outcomes" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/GK9v3_mBdJc2lT3EnWNr9-CGcCanlNRo9XZjWKEO8CHEWMFSUmFVjfo37_MIGmvf.gsZeSbqU43cJvoQK
Nov. 30, 2022 Speaker: Joe Glover, "Building an AI University" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/M81EQ2n-6qoxMHU3Fp4w3-h-EjsXtnn1wVVGpeWM-5tYbLBqfJyy5TZhUgNU_0q1.QzSjHfVxO1DJF5S9
Dec. 7, 2022 Speaker: Anita Spring, "The Explorers Club: Exploration and Discovery" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/bl0qZ1LASWiNeHFQ6cRHbgO9lHjSoPojzbUXEmdYjFA9dPy2TlMDx69-wYnx62C7.GxwKcgxawQqF_EOu
Jan 12, 2022 Speaker: William Winter "What is Blood and What is the Function of Blood in Our Bodies?" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
Jan 19, 2022 Speaker: Carl Van Ness "Why is University of Florida in Gainesville?" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
Jan 26, 2022 Speaker: Lisa J. Merlo "Increasing Resilience with Cognitive Restructuring and Mindfulness" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
Feb 2, 2022 Speaker: Robin Poynor "50 Years Later: Spirit Bodyguards of Owe Big Men" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
Feb 9, 2022 Speaker: Samuel Stafford "Critically Speaking: The Path to Responsible Citizenship" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
Feb 16, 2022 Speaker: Kim Tanzer "The Design of Our City" The Design of OUR City
Feb 23, 2022 Speaker: Samantha Brooks "Genomics for the Horse: Galloping into the Future" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
March 2, 2022 Speaker: Wendell Porter "UF and its Central Energy Plant Future" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
March 16, 2022 Speaker: Irene M. Estores "The Academic Life: Becoming an Integral and Integrative Physician" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
March 23, 2022 Speaker: Benjamin Soares "Islam & Muslim Youth Culture in Mali" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
March 30, 2022 Speaker: Bruce A. Goldberger "Emerging Drug Tests: Morbidity and Mortality" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
April 6, 2022 Speaker: Lizzie Robinson Jenkins "Real Rosewood Forever" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
April 13, 2022 Speaker: Gwendolyn Simmons "From Freedom Now to Black Lives Matter" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
April 20, 2022 Speaker: Karim Oweiss "From Biological Intelligence to Artificial Intelligence and Back: Interrogation of Neural Circuit Function and Dysfunction" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
April 28, 2022 Speaker: Bryon Moraski "Russia's War on Ukraine: its Origins and Consequences" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
Sept 8, 2021 Speaker: Win Phillips "UF in Year 2 of the Pandemic: A Discussion" video not available
Sept 15, 2021 Speaker: Lauren Poe "Building a City Rooted in Equity" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
Sept 22, Speaker: Jeff Huffman "Hurricanes are Complicated" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
Sept 29, Speaker: Maya Stanfield-Mazzi "Indigenous Textiles for the Catholic Church in Colonial Latin America: Tradition and Innovation" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
Oct 6, Speaker: Cathy Aull "Affordable Housing in Alachua County" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
Oct 13, Speaker: Jennifer Hunt "How Perfectionism is Stifling Progress in Medicine" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
Oct 20, Speaker: Jacob U'Mofe Gordon "Reimagining the United Nations: Challenges and Prospects" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
Oct 27, Speaker: Nancy Hardt "SWAG (Southwest Advocacy Group) 10 years later: Lessons learned and next steps" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
Nov 3, 2021 Speaker: Michelle Jacobs "Socrates and Critical Race Theory: Philosophy is Still Dangerous" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
Nov 10, 2021 Speaker: Kevin Jones "Materials for Mitigating Climate Change" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
Nov 17, 2021 Speaker: David P. Norton "Research at the University of Florida: Discoveries to Change the World" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
Dec 1, 2021 Speaker: Carol McCusker "On the Exhibition 'Shadow to Substance'" https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/
Dec 8, 2021 Speaker: Jim Lawrence "Why We Need Systemic Change in Our Community https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/