The University of Florida Research Foundation has named Florida Museum curator of herpetology David Blackburn as one of its 2023 UFRF Professors. Blackburn is among 33 additional UF faculty members who were awarded for excelling in their field of research.
“This recognition goes to faculty who have a distinguished current record of research and a strong research agenda that is likely to lead to continuing distinction in their fields,” said David Norton, UF’s vice president for research. “Based on the more than 700 UF faculty recognized over the past 26 years, we can expect significant research discoveries, scholarship and technology transfer from this group in the future.”
The UFRF Professors were recommended by their college deans based on nominations from their department chairs, a personal statement and an evaluation of their recent research accomplishments as evidenced by publications in scholarly journals, external funding, honors and awards, development of intellectual property and other measures appropriate to their field of expertise.
The three-year award includes a $5,000 annual salary supplement and a one-time $3,000 grant. The professorships are funded from the university’s share of royalty and licensing income on UF-generated products.
The program was paused in 2020 due to financial uncertainties surrounding the pandemic, so UF Research will recognize the 2020 and 2023 UFRF Professors during an event in the fall.
A full list of this year’s UF Research Foundation Professors is available on the University of Florida’s news site.