By Jill Pease
Frederick Kates, Ph.D., M.B.A., is the faculty recipient of this year’s Career Influencer Award, presented by the University of Florida Career Connections Center. The award recognizes a faculty member who has championed the career development of students at the university through collaboration or mentorship.
Kates, a clinical associate professor at the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions Department of Health Services Research, Management and Policy, is committed to engaging students in research, from cultivating their interest in science, to helping them develop research projects and skills they can apply in their careers.
“Rick Kates exemplifies unwavering dedication to the career development of UF students, embodying the essence of the Career Influencer Award through multifaceted contributions in teaching, professional development programs and industry engagement initiatives,” said nominator Lee Revere, Ph.D., professor and Florida Blue Endowed Chair of the Department of Health Services Research, Management and Policy. “He has taught almost 3,000 UF students, guiding and encouraging students to develop critical research skills geared toward their future career paths.”
Kates’ instructional efforts in academic year 2024-2025 included a number of highlights, Revere said. These included introducing crucial artificial intelligence and programming skills to prepare students in his Health Informatics courses for the modern workforce; integrating AI knowledge and medical technology into the six sections he taught of U.S. Healthcare; and working with the Bob Graham Center for Public Service’s Florida Health Policy Leadership Academy, an organization that educates policymakers on public health and health issues and provides funding for Ph.D. student research and opportunities for undergraduate students to serve as ambassadors.
Kates is the recipient of numerous awards recognizing his teaching, including the Rising Star Award for Educational Improvements and Excellence from UF’s Office of Faculty Development; the Educator Innovator Award from the UF Clinical and Translational Science Institute; and the J. Michael Suber Media Excellence Award from the South Carolina Public Health Association.