Giving thanks with a grateful heart
At CCS, our goal is simple: We want to empower decision-makers, through big ideas and workable solutions, so that coastal systems and communities can thrive into the future.
The challenges facing our coasts are too big for any one group to address alone, so we are grateful for the support of many talented and committed people. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I have been reflecting on those I am most thankful for this year.
To my teammates who continue to break new ground in scientific discovery and deliver practical solutions to decision-makers in the fight for our coasts, thank you for going over and above every day, and making it a pleasure to come to work. Our success is not possible without you.
To our students, who bring new ideas and fresh energy to engineering a better world, thank you for your talent, ingenuity and curiosity. We are excited to see what you do next.
To our champions in the college, Kirk Hatfield, chair of the Environmental Engineering Sciences and Civil Engineering department chair and Forrest Masters, interim director at the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, thank you for your guidance and providing a solid foundation of support from which to grow.
To our many supporters and collaborators – UF leadership, affiliate faculty, advisory board, science advisory group, sponsors and project partners – thank you for believing in our mission, and for all you do to make our collective efforts a success.
We know we achieve more together. In October, we received the incredible news that CCS, along with 10 research groups from across the University of Florida, was awarded $1.75 million by the President’s Strategic Initiatives to begin building Florida’s Digital Twin. Florida’s Digital Twin will be a technology platform that fuses Florida’s Data Harmonization Hub with a decision simulation and visualization system to deliver user-guided, AI-accelerated decision support for the state’s most pressing challenges.
Earlier this fall, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology to promote cooperation in academic research and education exchanges between our two institutions, with a focus on coastal research that leverages sensor technology and high-performance computing to map and monitor our oceans, estuaries and freshwater systems.
Strong, collaborative relationships are important not only in our work but in our personal lives as well. To all, I hope you have an enjoyable holiday with your family, friends, and loved ones this year.