Started in 2018, the mission of the UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute is to advance communication and public understanding of current research discoveries about Earth’s natural systems — air, water, land and life — in Florida, and beyond. 
Earth’s natural systems include the atmosphere, oceans, land, polar ice caps and glaciers, and life. Intrinsically connected, these systems affect one another and result in global change that profoundly impacts the future of our planet. Only by understanding the way the Earth’s systems interact, we will be poised to fully understand the ways human activity affects the natural environment in which we live.
TESI News
TESI Welcomes Megan Ennes: Spearheading New Division of Museum Education
Ennes will work with faculty and educators to develop and assess programs that help increase the public’s understanding of science.
Join the Florida Museum for a Celebration of Life for Renowned Naturalist Alexander von Humboldt
This FREE event on October 6 features a talk by best-selling author Andrea Wulf and a special performance by the Gainesville Master Chorale.
Got Questions About Honeybees? Tune Into Reddit AMA with UF’s Jamie Ellis
Join us and UF's Office of Research for a Reddit Ask Me Anything session about honeybees on Monday, Sept. 30 at 2 p.m. EST!
Upcoming Events
Science on Tap: Is Florida Trying to Kill Me?
It can sometimes feel like mother nature is out to get us, but is she really? The Florida Museum and the UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute invite you to grab a local brew and learn from scientists about whether hurricanes, sharks and sinkholes are actually here to kill you at our fall “Science on Tap” series. Download the event flyer: Science On Tap: Is Florida Trying to Kill Me?
Science on Tap: Hurricanes
Join us Wednesday, September 11 from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm at First Magnitude Brewing Company.
Science on Tap: Sharks
Join us Thursday, October 17 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm at Cypress & Grove Brewing Co.
Science on Tap: Sinkholes
Join us Thursday, November 14 from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm at First Magnitude Brewing Company.
Earth to Florida Blog
The Earth to Florida newsletter curates the state’s environmental news puts it in context by getting expert insight from researchers and scientists. Subscribe today!
View current issue: Volume 1, Issue 5
View last issue:Volume 1, Issue 4
Recent posts:
UCF Researchers to Study Community Resilience to Rapid Urbanization, Natural Disasters
The researchers want to know whether a suite of community-scale food, water and energy sectors can be effective in terms of resilience and sustainability.
Biosolids Produce Less Nitrogen and Phosphorus Runoff than Inorganic Fertilizer, UF Researchers Say
Too much nitrogen and phosphorus in our waterways can lead to harmful algal blooms, like the blue-green algae blooms we observe in Lake Okeechobee.
Washed Up Oil From Deepwater Horizon Could Take More Than 30 Years to Biodegrade, FSU Researchers Say
The tarballs contain substances that are harmful to the environment and to humans. Understanding the fate of buried oil is critical.
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