The University of Florida (UF) recently announced that it is awarding nearly $313,000 in community research grants as part of its Strategic Development Plan. University researchers will be using Gainesville as a living laboratory to develop solutions to problems in the community that also apply to other places facing these same issues.
“A distinct goal of the Strategic Development Plan is to increase collaboration between the university and the city, and to connect UF’s talent and resources to Gainesville in a way that can make improvements in a number of areas,” UF Senior Vice President and COO Charlie Lane said.
Awards being offered in the smart city arena are:
- Public Acceptance of Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Technology, Dr. Lily Elefteriadou and Dr. Nithin Agarwal
- Data-centric Modeling and Support of the Lifecycle of the Gainesville Businesses, Dr. Jose Fortes, Dr. Christopher McCarty, Dr. Renato Figueiredo, Dr. Erik Bredfeldt, and Ms. Lila Stewart
- Urban Energy Model for Smart City Informatics, Dr. Ravi Srinivasan
- Neighborhoods as Community Assets—Preparing for the Future While Protecting Neighborhoods, Dr. Kathryn Frank, Dr. Kristin Larsen, Dr. Laura Dedenbach, and Ms. Tyeshia Redden
UF and city officials signed an agreement in February formalizing their partnership in working together on the Strategic Development Plan that seeks to shape the campus and surrounding community over the decades ahead and the city’s plan for a more citizen-centered government. The initiative, named the “New American City,” focuses on committing the university to helping improve its home community of Gainesville.
“There are a lot of great ideas and talented researchers here at UF, and I’m very pleased that my office can play a role in connecting these individuals to important issues in the Gainesville community,” Lane said.
