Global Food Systems Institute Inspires UFIC Global Fellows to Build Lasting International Impact

The University of Florida International Center (UFIC) welcomed the 2026 Global Fellows cohort with an orientation session themed “International Research Resources at UF.” The event launched a new year of programming for UFIC’s Global Fellows Program, designed to help early-career faculty advance international research.

The Global Food Systems Institute (GFSI) played a central role in the Global Fellows Program orientation, highlighting strategic pathways for faculty seeking to expand their international collaborations. Dr. Gopal Kakani, associate director of research at GFSI, framed his presentation around a forward-looking challenge: moving beyond international engagement toward measurable global accomplishment.

Dr. Kakani encouraged faculty fellows to think strategically about how international activities can evolve into globally recognized outcomes. The central theme of his presentation was relationship-building and networking. Successful global partnerships, he explained, are grounded in trust, cultural respect, attentiveness to local priorities, and a long-term vision that extends beyond a single grant cycle. He also outlined how GFSI serves as a campus-wide connector, bridging colleges, research centers, and international partners. “The institute supports faculty by identifying relevant funding opportunities, helping build competitive interdisciplinary teams, and providing both pre- and post-award assistance,” Dr. Kakani explained, adding that through travel and planning funds, global research seed funds, STRIKE funds, partnership agreements, symposia, and recognition awards, GFSI creates multiple entry points for faculty to expand their global footprint.

This year, the University of Florida International Center (UFIC) awarded 18 seed grants to outstanding faculty proposals selected for their originality and potential impact. Each fellowship includes a $5,000 seed grant to help fellows lay the groundwork for international research, supporting activities such as exploratory fieldwork, collaborative meetings with international partners, data collection, and access to specialized resources not available at UF. The Global Food Systems Institute (GFSI) is directly supporting four UF/IFAS faculty fellows in this year’s cohort, reinforcing its commitment to expanding international research capacity within IFAS and advancing globally engaged, high-impact scholarship.

This year’s GFSI-supported fellows are advancing research collaborations across four countries and three continents: Robert Lamb, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the Nature Coast Biological Station (CALS/IFAS), pursuing research in Ecuador under the mentorship of Donald Behringer, Ph.D.; Jose Rolando, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center (CALS/IFAS), leading work in Peru with mentor Jose Dubeux, Ph.D.; Carlos Alberto Silva, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the School of Forest, Fisheries and Geomatic Sciences (CALS/IFAS), expanding partnerships in Portugal alongside mentor Jason Vogel, Ph.D.; and Ho Yi Wan, Ph.D., Associate Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation (CALS/IFAS), developing research initiatives in Japan with mentor Vanessa Hull, Ph.D.

Through participation in the Global Fellows Program, the 2026 cohort is well-positioned to translate seed-funded ideas into impactful, sustained international research collaborations.