University of Florida Homepage

Transforming abandoned mines into solar farms

The demand for renewable energy is becoming increasingly apparent, but a significant challenge lies in the limited availability of land. To limit environmental impacts associated with new development in previously undisturbed lands, this study investigates the potential to convert abandoned mines in Florida and Pennsylvania into solar farms, aligning with federal and state-level clean energy […]

How geography influences access to different types of healthcare

This new editorial in Sleep Health  showcases how an interdisciplinary approach to thinking about how geography influences access to different types of healthcare. Co-authored by Soomi Lee, Christopher N. Kaufmann, Catherine A. Lippi, Sadie J. Ryan and Yi Guo, the editorial discusses how this approach impacts diagnostic outcomes for sleep problems,  which may be indicators […]

Mobility disruption and recovery in SW Florida’s elderly-dense communities during Hurricane Ian

Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm that struck Florida’s southwest coast, resulted in 156 fatalities, with two-thirds of the victims being seniors. This highlights the need to address disaster risks for this vulnerable population. This study utilizes anonymized and privacy enhanced mobile phone GPS data to examine mobility disruptions and recovery patterns during Hurricane Ian […]

The COVID-19 Impact on Spatiotemporal Dynamics of US Domestic Migration

Understanding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on domestic migration patterns is crucial for addressing resource needs and migration forecasting. Only a limited number of studies, however, have explored these dynamics through the lens of network analysis. Using Internal Revenue Service (IRS) county-to-county migration data, this article conceptualizes the U.S. domestic migration system as complex […]

Mapping large-scale brand networks: A consumers’ foot traffic-based approach

How do brands interact? Commercial brands are increasingly interconnected, forming a complex network. Analyzing brand networks is crucial to understanding brand interactions and developing data-driven marketing strategies. Traditional methods utilize consumer behavior surveys and social media databases to construct brand networks, but few have considered consumers’ spatial mobility – their movements between brand points of […]

The Vanishing Green: How AI is Uncovering Dhaka’s Struggle with Air Pollution and Urban Growth

Dhaka, one of the fastest-growing megacities in the world, is a place of constant movement, rapid expansion, and an ever-changing skyline. But beneath the rising high-rises and congested streets, something has been quietly disappearing—the city’s green spaces. Trees, parks, and natural buffers are being lost to unplanned urbanization, and with this loss comes a rise […]

It’s getting hot in here: Spatial impact of humidity on heat wave severity in the United States

Narayanan, A., Rezaali, M., Bunting, E., & Keellings, D. (2025). It’s getting hot in here: Spatial impact of humidity on heat wave severity in the United States. Science of the Total Environment, 963, 178397. ABSTRACT: Heat waves pose significant risks to society, impacting human health, infrastructure, and the environment. However, on humid days, heat waves […]

The Spatial Conflict Life Cycle in Africa

Walther, O., Radil, S., Russell, D. (2024). The spatial conflict life cycle in Africa. Annals of the American Association of Geographers, DOI: 10.1080/24694452.2024.2428812. ABSTRACT: The growing availability of geospatial data that document both how violent actors are connected and where their attacks take place offers a unique opportunity to produce a more integrated approach to […]

Assessing the vulnerability of Cape Coral to sea level rise

Saba, J. A., Ash, K., & Napton, D. (2024). Assessing the vulnerability of Cape Coral, Florida, to sea level rise using principal component analysis (2020–2050). International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 105014. ABSTRACT: Sea level rise is a consequence of global climate change that has been affecting U.S. coasts with floods and storm surges. Florida […]

Unraveling Hurricane Ian’s impact

Wang, J., & Hu, Y. (2024). Unraveling Hurricane Ian’s impact: A multiscale analysis of mobility networks in Florida. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 104482. ABSTRACT: Understanding how human mobility patterns respond to natural disasters is crucial. This study investigates Hurricane Ian’s impact on human mobility patterns and subsequent recovery in southwest Florida. Using […]