Dean David E. Richardson
Dean’s Letter
The last two years have pushed our society to rethink many long-held conceptions, especially when it comes to health and wellness. We have all had to consider what it means to stay mentally and physically healthy when our habits and plans are disrupted. These challenges, though, have encouraged us at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to embrace change and expand our sense of what’s possible.
The issue of Ytori highlights the many ways our college community is working to better understand our minds and bodies. The present moment offers an opportunity to build a healthier, more inclusive world — and our faculty, staff, alumni and students are eager for the task. CLAS Gators are banding together to further mental health initiatives (opens in new tab) and build supportive communities (opens in new tab). Educators are making the team-building experience of geology fieldwork accessible to all (opens in new tab) and embracing the role of spirituality in health care (opens in new tab). Researchers are shining a light on dire challenges around the world (opens in new tab) and revealing how our brains process language (opens in new tab).
Readers will meet students whose achievements are creating new knowledge and alumni whole legacies have upended common wisdom. You’ll hear from UF’s first Rhodes Scholar in 13 years (opens in new tab), who is dedicating her career to addressing wrongful convictions, and learn about an undergraduate researcher who has investigated the big business around wellness (opens in new tab). A profile of alumnus Fred “Rusty” Gage (opens in new tab) chronicles how he leveraged his CLAS education into a pioneering career in neuroscience. We also reflect on the life and times of one of our most accomplished alumni, Robert H. Grubbs (1942-2021), who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry (opens in new tab).
Together, these pursuits remind us that meeting today’s challenges relies on the convergence of different disciplines, experiences and perspectives. While no one knows what new obstacles await us, we do know at least one thing: Liberal Arts and Sciences faculty, staff, students and alumni are engaged in meaningful efforts to prepare us for what lies ahead.
Go Gators and Go Greater,
David E. Richardson
Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
This story appears in the spring 2022 issue of Ytori Magazine. Read more from the issue.
