{"id":9893,"date":"2026-02-04T14:11:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T19:11:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/?p=9893"},"modified":"2026-03-06T11:46:42","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T16:46:42","slug":"fiber-welcomes-new-core-faculty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/fiber-welcomes-new-core-faculty\/","title":{"rendered":"FIBER Welcomes New Core Faculty"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Written by DeJaya&nbsp;Hardy&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A new year often signals growth and change, and 2026 is already proving to be an important year for FIBER.&nbsp;This year marks a significant milestone for the organization as it officially expands its&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/team\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">core faculty<\/a>.&nbsp;Previously composed of&nbsp;six&nbsp;core faculty members, FIBER has grown to include three&nbsp;additional&nbsp;faculty who were&nbsp;already working closely with the Institute:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/faculties\/carla-brisotto\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Carla&nbsp;Brisotto<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/faculties\/maria-watson\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Maria Watson<\/a>, and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/faculties\/andrea-galinski\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Andrea Galinski<\/a>. Their transition to core faculty reflects both the continued growth of FIBER and the depth of their long-standing involvement in its mission.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As FIBER\u2019s research portfolio, partnerships, and interdisciplinary work have expanded, so has the need for broader knowledge and research scope within the organization. Over time,&nbsp;Carla,&nbsp;Maria&nbsp;and&nbsp;Andrea have&nbsp;consistently dedicated&nbsp;significant time&nbsp;and effort to FIBER\u2019s projects and initiatives. Recognizing this, the&nbsp;existing&nbsp;FIBER team agreed that expanding the core faculty&nbsp;was a way to&nbsp;better reflect the work already being done and allow the organization to continue growing in a sustainable and inclusive way.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This expansion allows FIBER to strengthen its leadership structure and broaden its areas of expertise.&nbsp;Core faculty play a vital role in shaping research directions,&nbsp;representing&nbsp;FIBER within and beyond the university, and promoting cross-college collaboration. By transitioning&nbsp;closely involved&nbsp;affiliated faculty into core roles, FIBER gains more complete coverage across research areas while reinforcing its commitment to teamwork and shared leadership.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Meet the&nbsp;New Core&nbsp;FIBER&nbsp;Faculty:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-container uagb-layout-flex uagb-block-e279b339 alignfull uagb-is-root-container\"><div class=\"uagb-container-inner-blocks-wrap\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-container uagb-block-a3a4efd6\">\n<p>Dr. Carla&nbsp;Brisotto&nbsp;is an Assistant Professor of Urbanism&nbsp;in&nbsp;the School of Architecture at the University of Florida. Her research focuses on the relationship between environmental,&nbsp;community, and especially urban design. Her active projects include Small Florida, Urban Futures, Living with Risk &#8211; Architecture, Landscape, and Persistence in Flood-Prone Areas of Romagna. Dr.&nbsp;Brisotto\u2019s&nbsp;work supports FIBER\u2019s mission by connecting design, resilience, and community-focused research.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-container uagb-block-390bca5a\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"836\" src=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/02\/Carla-Brisotto-headshot-updated-768x836-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9899\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/02\/Carla-Brisotto-headshot-updated-768x836-2.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/02\/Carla-Brisotto-headshot-updated-768x836-2-276x300.jpg 276w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-container uagb-block-72896454 alignfull uagb-is-root-container\"><div class=\"uagb-container-inner-blocks-wrap\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-container uagb-block-5fa75070\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-image uagb-block-d0fa5b38 wp-block-uagb-image--layout-default wp-block-uagb-image--effect-static wp-block-uagb-image--align-none\"><figure class=\"wp-block-uagb-image__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/02\/Andrea-Galinski-300x300-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"uag-image-9897\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" title=\"Andrea-Galinski-300x300-1\" loading=\"lazy\" role=\"img\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-container uagb-block-d74bd09f\">\n<p>Andrea Galinski is an Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture&nbsp;in&nbsp;the School of&nbsp;Architecture at the University of Florida. Her research focuses on building environmental resilience, climate change adaptation, resilient affordable housing, and coastal planning. Her active projects include&nbsp;GulfSouth&nbsp;Studio and Cedar Key Municipal Plan. Galinski\u2019s work contributes valuable insight into landscape-driven solutions and community-centered planning efforts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-container uagb-layout-flex uagb-block-e1c6ce39 alignfull uagb-is-root-container\"><div class=\"uagb-container-inner-blocks-wrap\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-container uagb-block-22c23603\">\n<p>Dr. Maria Watson is an Assistant Professor in the M.E. Rinker, Sr, School of Construction&nbsp;Management&nbsp;and affiliated researcher with the Shimberg Center for Housing Studies. Her research supports&nbsp;business preparation for future shocks, examining the vulnerability and recovery of small farms to natural hazards, and minority and women-owned enterprise resilience improvement. Her&nbsp;expertise&nbsp;strengthens FIBER\u2019s ability to address resilience from economic, infrastructure, and social perspectives.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-container uagb-block-ec4e9fba\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/02\/watson-maria-wpcf_300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9901\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/02\/watson-maria-wpcf_300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/02\/watson-maria-wpcf_300x300-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>With the addition of these three core faculty members, FIBER is positioned to continue expanding its scope of research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and real-world impact. This milestone not only recognizes the contributions of faculty who have long supported FIBER\u2019s&nbsp;mission but&nbsp;also&nbsp;establishes&nbsp;the foundation for continued growth and innovation for the years ahead.<\/em><\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Written by DeJaya&nbsp;Hardy&nbsp; A new year often signals growth and change, and 2026 is already proving to be an important [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":94,"featured_media":9905,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"wds_primary_category":6,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,70,109,72,44,46,4,8,2],"tags":[125,115,52,106,117,111,119],"class_list":["post-9893","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-engagement","category-florida-resilient-cities","category-gatorcorps","category-gulfsouth-studio","category-impact","category-network","category-news","category-research","category-teaching","tag-25-26","tag-brisotto","tag-fiber","tag-frc","tag-galinski","tag-gatorcorps","tag-watson"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/02\/new-faculty-copy.jpg",875,300,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/02\/new-faculty-copy-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/02\/new-faculty-copy-300x103.jpg",300,103,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/02\/new-faculty-copy-768x263.jpg",768,263,true],"large":["https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/02\/new-faculty-copy.jpg",875,300,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/02\/new-faculty-copy.jpg",875,300,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/02\/new-faculty-copy.jpg",875,300,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"jasonvonmeding","author_link":"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/author\/jasonvonmeding\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Written by DeJaya&nbsp;Hardy&nbsp; A new year often signals growth and change, and 2026 is already proving to be an important [&hellip;]","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9893","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/94"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9893"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9893\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9905"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9893"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9893"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/fiber\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9893"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}