Student looks into microscope in a lab

UWF receives $555K NIH award to launch NeuroNauts Scholars Program

The University of West Florida has been awarded a five-year, $555,000 National Institutes of Health R25 Research Education Grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to establish the NeuroNauts Scholars Program. The program will provide cohorts of eight local high school juniors and seniors with an intensive eight-week summer research experience spanning […]

Graphic: Argonaut helmet over blue-toned cybersecurity lab.

UWF Launches Center for Cybersecurity and AI to Advance National and Global Impact

The University of West Florida is proud to announce the official expansion of its nationally recognized Center for Cybersecurity to the UWF Center for Cybersecurity and AI, signifying the center’s expanded mission to become a global leader in advancing secure, responsible and trustworthy digital and intelligent systems. “By integrating artificial intelligence research and training into […]

Two people look at a life-sized humanoid robot in a lab.

UWF-IHMC awarded $775K ONR grant to support ISR research

A joint University of West Florida and Institute for Human & Machine Cognition team has received a $775,360 Defense University Research Instrumentation Program grant from the Office of Naval Research to expand its capabilities in multi-robot autonomy and human-machine teaming. The funding will support the acquisition of advanced humanoid and ground robotic platforms, high-performance onboard […]

Student in white lab coat and safety goggles looks at vial in science lab.

UWF awarded $2 million NSF grant to support STEM students

The University of West Florida has received a $2 million, six-year National Science Foundation S-STEM Track 2: Implementation grant to support academically talented, financially disadvantaged students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The award will provide scholarships to 38 Pell-eligible STEM students while embedding expanded mental health resources within the existing STEM Living […]

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UWF researchers advance AI tools for wildfire damage mapping and environmental monitoring

Researchers at the University of West Florida have introduced a new benchmark dataset and evaluation of artificial intelligence methods that could greatly improve how wildfire damage is mapped and monitored at scale. The study, led by Valeria Martin, a Ph.D. student in the intelligent systems and robotics program, introduces CalFireSeg-50, a dataset built from satellite […]

Graphic: Argonaut helmet over blue-toned cybersecurity lab.

UWF Center for Cybersecurity awarded EC-Council 2025 Academia Innovator of the Year

The University of West Florida Center for Cybersecurity has been awarded the 2025 Academia Innovator of the Year Award by EC-Council. UWF is the sole recipient of this honor in North America, recognizing the University’s leadership and innovation in cybersecurity education. “This award affirms UWF’s position as a leader in cybersecurity education and training,” said […]

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UWF hosts student math competition

The University of West Florida Department of Mathematics and Statistics recently hosted Florida Math Days, a monthlong series designed to strengthen mathematical culture on campus and engage students of all majors in analytical problem-solving. Supported by a High-Impact Practices grant, the department partnered with the UWF Math Association to offer three two-hour problem-solving sessions leading […]

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UWF B.S. in Cybersecurity AI specialization approved as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Artificial Intelligence Program of Study

The University of West Florida’s new AI specialization in the B.S. in Cybersecurity program has been validated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Artificial Intelligence Program of Study from the National Security Agency through 2030. UWF was the second university across the country to receive this approval and one of only 6 […]

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UWF School of Education receives $579K NSF grant, leads national STEM teacher preparation project

The University of West Florida School of Education has received a $578,792 grant from the National Science Foundation to lead a collaborative project aimed at improving undergraduate teacher education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. This is part of a larger $1,498,899 grant awarded across five universities. “We are thrilled to have […]

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UWF Center for Cybersecurity receives record-breaking $9.6M federal grant

 The University of West Florida Center for Cybersecurity has been awarded a $9.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of War CIO Cyber Academic Engagement Office to expand the National Cybersecurity Workforce Development program. This is the largest federal grant awarded to the University to date. “This milestone is a testament to the University of […]

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UWF to host inaugural Leadership in the Age of AI conference

The University of West Florida will host the inaugural Leadership in the Age of AI Conference, designed for business, community and government leaders, on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. The conference will be offered in person at the UWF Conference Center on the University’s Pensacola campus. “Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming every sector, and strong leadership […]

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UWF chemistry professor awarded grants to advance energy storage research and workforce training

 The University of West Florida has been awarded two grants totaling nearly $90,000 to advance energy storage research and strengthen workforce development in Northwest Florida. Dr. Jacob Tracy, assistant professor in the UWF Department of Chemistry, received a $69,600 grant from the National Science Foundation Division of Chemistry and a $20,000 grant from the NextEra […]