By Jill Pease
The University of Florida International Center recognized College of Public Health and Health Professions graduate students Fevi Paro and Victoria Simoni Assuncao and faculty member Michael von Fricken, Ph.D., at an awards ceremony held November 17 in celebration of International Education Week.
Von Fricken, an associate professor in the Department of Environmental and Global Health and director of UF’s One Health Center of Excellence, is the college’s recipient of the International Educator of the Year in the junior faculty category.
Since joining the faculty in 2023, von Fricken has been working to create global health educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, particularly within the area of One Health and international engagement.
“It is our responsibility to our students, our disciplines and the State of Florida to train and support the next generation of doers, which requires we encourage our students to seek opportunities outside their comfort zone,” von Fricken said. “It is during these ‘stretch’ moments that students are challenged and better prepared for obstacles they will encounter in the future.”
Von Fricken created an annual One Health student case competition and developed a new study abroad course, “One Health Education in Greece,” held at the University of Ioannina in northwestern Greece last May. UF bachelor’s students were paired with University of Ioannina students for a two-week cross-cultural exchange featuring an emphasis on science communication, business development and cultural competency. (UF students: applications for the 2026 program are open now.)
In addition, von Fricken mentors several Ph.D. and master’s students in One Health research. In the past year, he has supported students conducting fieldwork in Kenya, Mongolia and Greece.
“Dr. von Fricken embodies the creativity, adaptability and collaborative spirit that define true leadership in international education,” said Beth A. Virnig, Ph.D., M.P.H., dean of the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions. “In every respect, he has elevated the global profile of and set a new standard for international education within our college.”
Paro and Simoni Assuncao each received $5,000 Research Abroad grants from the International Center to offset travel and other costs for an international research project. They are both members of the laboratory of Sarah McKune, Ph.D., an associate professor and interim chair of the Department of Environmental and Global Health.
Paro, a candidate in the Ph.D. program in public health, environmental health concentration, plans to use the funding for data collection, travel expenses and study participant compensation as part of ongoing research on maternal and child health in Rwanda. The project explores the environmental and sociocultural drivers of antenatal care utilization in underserved areas with a goal of gaining a better understanding of maternal health care access and utilization in low- and middle-income countries.
Paro, who plans to pursue a career in academia in her home country of the Philippines following graduation, said a highlight of her Ph.D. training has been learning from mentors and peers in the McKune Lab.
“The lab fosters a supportive working environment both for professional growth and personal well-being,” Paro said. “Here, I have had the privilege to learn from the kindest mentors while also gaining experience in training others through various projects. This experience is shaping me into an independent investigator, reliable mentor and impactful researcher.”
Simoni Assuncao is a Master of Public Health student mentored by Heather Stark, M.D., M.P.H., a clinical associate professor of epidemiology. She plans to use the Research Abroad for Master’s Students funding to support ongoing UF research conducted with Burkina Faso’s Institute of Environment and Agricultural Research through the Un Oeuf, or One Egg, project, which seeks to improve nutritional outcomes among infants. The grant cover costs involved in data collection and coordinating remotely with colleagues on the ground in the city of Kaya.
Burkina Faso is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, more than 10% of the population has been forced to flee their homes because of violence and insecurity.
“Sadly, many of the families from the original study have been internally displaced due to terrorism threats, so the aim of this follow-up is to understand community perspectives on displacement and impacts on food security,” Simoni Assuncao.
Simoni Assuncao, who envisions having a career in community health programs and participatory research, says her mentors have taught her how to navigate the complexities of global research and how to overcome potential project obstacles.
“I would like to work at intersection of global health and food systems, and hope to tackle issues with at least half as much grace as my mentors within the lab and the Sahel Research Group,” she said.