Each year the Academy of Distinguished Teaching Scholars (ADTS) honors University of Florida’s exceptional teaching and scholarship accomplishments by inducting into its membership faculty members who have demonstrated sustained innovation and commitment in both areas. Please join me in welcoming the 2023-2024 inductees:

Jonathan Martin, Professor, Department of Geology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Selman Hershfield, Professor, Department of Physics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

These teacher-scholars were selected based on portfolio submissions that provided strong evidence of the integration of superior teaching and research and a record of distinguished scholarly accomplishment that has garnered recognition at the national and/or international level.

To assist them in advancing their vision for scholarly excellence and faculty enhancement at UF, these Academy of Distinguished Scholars inductees will serve for three years on an advisory board for the Provost’s Office. In this capacity they assist in developing programs and promoting policies that enhance the professional careers and experiences of faculty. Academy members also promote a university-wide discourse on key issues surrounding the integration of teaching and research at the University.

After completing their three-year terms on the advisory board, members will retain the title of Distinguished Teaching Scholar and continue to be a part of the Academy.

Dr. Jonathan Martin’s research focuses on how interactions between surface water and groundwater affect various biogeochemical reactions and alter mineral compositions and distributions, control the chemical composition of water, and provide sources of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.  His contributions to the understanding of linkages between hydrology and biogeochemistry span various environments ranging from the deep ocean to upland watersheds.  Specific environments include cold methane seeps on the sea floor, submarine groundwater discharge from and sea water intrusion into coastal aquifers, carbonate mineral dissolution and redox conditions in karst aquifers, and weathering reactions in the active layer of glaciated and deglaciated watersheds.

Prof. Selman Hershfield is a condensed matter theorist in the Physics department.  He has received a NSF National Young Investigator award, a Cottrell Scholars award, and been both CLAS Advisor of the year and Teacher of the year.   Presently, he is serving as the Undergraduate Coordinator in the Physics department, CLAS College Assembly Chair, and as a member of the Quest leadership team.  He has bachelor’s degrees in Mathematics and Physics from the University of Maryland and a Ph.D. in Physics from Cornell University.