social and behavioral sciences » College of Public Health & Health Professions

PHHP honors the Class of 2026

May 8, 2026

PHHP honored more than 650 undergraduate, master’s, Ph.D. and professional graduates in spring ceremonies.

graduates in caps and gowns seated in rows smiling and waving

PHHP instructors recognized for teaching excellence

April 23, 2026

Laurie Gauger, Molly Jacobs and Alexandra Rodriguez received college and university honors.

trees and pink flowers in foreground with Century Tower brick building in background

M.P.H. students meet with Florida lawmakers to promote children’s health care access

April 22, 2026

Sam Curry and Karin Rashid recently traveled to Tallahassee to promote children’s health care access alongside Florida Voices for Health.

Eight students standing side by side on brick paving at the base of wide stone steps in front of a white, columned building with red‑and‑white striped awnings; several individuals are wearing white coats.”

Pillar Talks preview: Laurie Gauger and Lindsey King

April 2, 2026

Faculty share a sneak peek of their pillar talk topics ahead of PHHP Days 2026.

A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing a green patterned top and a gray cardigan, gestures with her hands to a pair of students sitting at desks in front of her. A second woman, with short blonde hair, wearing a blue and white striped oxford shirt and tortoiseshell glasses, smiles and also faces the students. A projector screen and whiteboard showing illegible powerpoint slides are behind them.

PHHP international students receive honors

April 2, 2026

Nine students were recognized for their accomplishments in the classroom, campus and the broader community.

Brooke Jennings presents at annual meeting of academic public health leaders

March 30, 2026

She presented her health behavior theory research at the annual meeting of the Association of Schools and Programs in Public Health.

Brooke Jennings wearing glasses and a black coat stands smiling beside a large research poster on display at a conference. The poster, mounted on an easel, focuses on applying the social ecological model to COVID-19 vaccine interventions and includes sections such as background, methods, and conclusions, along with a layered diagram illustrating different levels of influence.

Ph.D. student investigates mental health AI chatbots tailored to college students

February 6, 2026

Nyakhar and Wang's review of existing studies on the technology found eight generative AI chatbots that had a positive effect on students' mental health and well-being.

Side-by-side headshots of a woman, left, with long, very dark brown hair and medium brown skin smiling into the camera (wearing a white shirt with black neck detail), and a man with short black hair, wearing glasses and a black button-up shirt, with a neutral expression.

Alexandra Rodriguez serves as international U.N. Peace Summit delegate

February 6, 2026

She was one of 400 delegates from more than 60 countries selected to learn about strategies for peace from leading activists.

Alex Rodriguez stands on a blue carpet giving a thumbs-up in front of a large conference backdrop that reads “5th Global Peace Summit 2026: A World Together” at the United Nations Conference Centre.

Gabriel Costa presents research on spirituality and substance use at statewide conference

February 2, 2026

Costa’s research examines how spiritual meaning-making shapes stimulant use, sexual decision-making and HIV prevention behaviors.

A smiling man with curly dark brown hair, a short beard and wire-framed glasses is leaning into the frame and making a peace sign with his right hand. He is wearing a dark blue denim jacket over a navy button-up shirt. Behind him is a research poster with orange and blue graphics. Its title is "Spirituality, Drugs, and Protection: A Preliminary Analysis of How Spiritual Meaning Shapes Substance Use and PrEP Uptake Among Latino MSM."

M.P.H. student selected for fieldwork with rural health clinics

January 22, 2026

Sarah Swim will spend spring semester at the Suwannee River Area Health Education Center in Alachua, supporting that agency and two others with policy and workforce development.