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Florida’s consumer confidence rises as economic fears ease

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Belief that a national economic recovery is under way boosted Florida’s consumer confidence three points to 74 in September, according to a new University of Florida survey.
“I think Florida consumers are buying into the argument that the worst of the recession is over and we have avoided a complete meltdown,” said Chris [...]

Filed under Business, Florida, Research on Tuesday, September 29, 2009.

Establishing healthy shrubs not the water-consuming task many think, UF research shows

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Good news for your utility bills and the environment: New University of Florida research shows that landscape shrubs need much less water to establish healthy roots than you might expect.

Filed under Agriculture, Environment, Florida, Research on Thursday, September 24, 2009.

Statewide study shows algae toxin a minor threat, say UF experts

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A toxin produced by freshwater algae has garnered plenty of media coverage in recent years, but a new University of Florida study shows there’s little cause for concern about its presence in Florida lakes.
Researchers analyzed water taken from 187 lakes in 38 counties during a one-year period, and found that almost three-quarters [...]

Filed under Environment, Florida, Health, Research on Tuesday, September 22, 2009.

UF devising new model to test hurricane’s effects on utilities statewide

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A new kind of computer forecast could save Florida residents and the state millions of dollars in hurricane damages to the fragile web of utilities that carries electrical power across the state, says a University of Florida energy researcher.

Filed under Business, Economic Impact, Florida, Research on Monday, September 21, 2009.

New water-depth evaluation system will aid Everglades research, UF study shows

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — When scientists discuss Everglades restoration, one phrase pops up again and again — “getting the water right.”

Filed under Environment, Florida, Research on Thursday, September 17, 2009.

Public schools that receive low grades experience huge drop in donations

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Crucial donations from parents and local businesses plummet when public schools receive poor letter grades, and the effect is most pronounced in institutions serving low-income students, according to a new University of Florida study.

Filed under Business, Education, Florida, Research on Wednesday, September 16, 2009.

UF receives grant to help boost work force in nuclear-related fields

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida has been awarded a $450,000 faculty development grant from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to help meet the growing need for educated and trained workers in the nuclear power industry, according to the agency.
“The NRC Faculty Development Grant is very valuable to our department and comes at a time [...]

Filed under Business, Economic Impact, Engineering, Florida, Research on Wednesday, September 9, 2009.

UF, Old Dominion launch project to restore sponges in barren parts of Florida Bay

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Marine sponges may not look like apartment buildings, but to shrimps, juvenile lobsters and other animals in Florida Bay, the puffy filter-feeders provide one of the few safe places to live.
In 2007, harmful algae blooms killed sponges in large tracts of the shallow lagoon, where fresh water draining from the Everglades meets [...]

Filed under Economic Impact, Environment, Florida, Research on Tuesday, September 8, 2009.

Education played bigger role than race in approving gay marriage ban

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The level of voters’ education — not the large numbers of blacks who turned out for the first time to cast ballots for Barack Obama — best explains the passage of a Florida law banning gay marriage, a new University of Florida study suggests.
Many pundits claimed that newly registered black voters inspired [...]

Filed under Black, Florida, Politics, Race, Research on Tuesday, September 1, 2009.

Good news about housing and stocks lifts Florida’s consumer confidence

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Rising housing prices, stock market gains and the lack of any new setbacks in the national economy boosted Florida’s consumer confidence three points to 70 this month, according to a new University of Florida survey.

Filed under Business, Florida, Research on Tuesday, August 25, 2009.