Jamie Loizzo

Hello there, everyone, and welcome to the Streaming Science Podcast, where we connect you with scientists, educators, and change makers who are working to address some of the world's most important agricultural and natural resources challenges. I'm Dr. Jamie Loizzo from the University of Florida's Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, and I'm excited to introduce you to a very special new podcast series that we're calling Field e Futuro. Field e Futuro, or Fields and Future, is more than a podcast series. It's a collaborative, international learning experience that brought together University of Florida students and faculty with agricultural and natural resources experts from Zamorano University in Honduras. We worked in collaboration with Dr. Pablo Lamino. He's the PI of the project, and he's also a faculty member in the UFAEC leadership specialization, and he's a Zamarano graduate.

Jamie Loizzo

In Zamarano, we have the system of learning by doing, so it's going to be half of the time, like thinking in a day that we have 8 hours. For hours, you're going to be working on the field, and you're going to be learning by doing it. The other half, you're going to be in classes.

Jamie Loizzo

Together, we explored how culture, science, and communication can help us better understand global agricultural and environmental challenges and identify potential sustainable solutions. This project began with a simple but important question. How can we prepare students to communicate about agriculture and natural resources in an increasingly connected and global world? Agriculture and our environment today are shaped by challenges that cross borders, including climate change, food security, sustainability, technology adoption, and community resilience. Addressing these issues requires more than technical expertise. It also requires people who can communicate across cultures, collaborate virtually, and translate science into stories that matter to communities. That vision became Field e Futuro.

Scientist 1

With more than 15 countries, you get to experience so many cultures, and we've made so many friends here in this campus. So I think that was one of the most important things, the diversity of people you get to meet in Samoran.

Jamie Loizzo

The project unfolded in three phases. First, during the fall 2025 semester, Dr. Lemino and I launched an online virtual exchange training program for Zamorano students. Together, we completed modules focused on intercultural communication, science communication, podcast interviewing, leadership, and ethical storytelling.

Pablo Lamino

Hello, Zamorano community. It is a pleasure for me to present science communication in an intercultural world.

Jamie Loizzo

Then in spring 2026, Dr. Lamino and four UFAEC graduate students and I traveled to Honduras to continue building partnerships and to immerse ourselves in the agricultural, environmental, and cultural contexts shaping the stories you'll hear throughout this series. We visited production areas gathered multimedia and interviewed experts working on sustainability, leadership, agricultural innovation, and science focused solutions.

Graduate Student

We went over to Honduras and got a tour of Zamorano. And then throughout the days when we were learning and going through each of the modules, I was just blown away by how sustainable they are. And also just the, I love like the work ethic of all the students, that was just so impressive.

Jamie Loizzo

In the third phase, students from our spring 2026 UF AEC class called Podcasting to Increase Science Literacy collaborated remotely across borders to produce podcast episodes through this streaming science platform. The students gained experience in interviewing, editing, and intercultural science communication while working directly with international experts and peers. Throughout this series, you'll You'll hear conversations that connect local agriculture and environmental experiences to global challenges and opportunities. You'll hear stories about sustainable agriculture and food systems, leadership and intercultural collaboration, science communication, environmental and community resilience, and how we can work together across cultures to create positive change.

Scientist 2

Here in the lab, we do a lot of of the pure chemicals that are so expensive for us to import. So we use some of the hydroponics fertilizers.

Scientist 3

We mainly work with diets. We're doing a lot of work with probiotics. We're doing a lot of work with prebiotics. We have a project with gluconeogenic substrates. It's just a substrate that will help tilapia produce energy better.

Scientist 4

We've had biologists coming to study the biodiversity at this mountain for decades. And so far we've documented over 4,000 species of animals and plants and funguses living in this tiny reserve. It's just a remarkable demonstration of how much biodiversity there really is around us.

Jamie Loizzo

You'll also hear the voices of student podcast hosts and producers. They're emerging communicators and leaders learning how to navigate complex global issues through dialogue and collaboration.

Undergraduate Students

My name is Grace Bastow and I'm a third year agriculture education and communication student at the University of Florida. And I'm Lexi Westgate, also a third year agricultural education and communication student at UF.

Jamie Loizzo

One of the most exciting and rewarding parts of this project was seeing how podcasting can become a bridge to connect classrooms, countries, languages, and lived experiences. Through these conversations, we hope you not only learn about agricultural and environmental topics in Central America and beyond, but that you also reflect on the importance of listening across perspectives and building relationships through communication.

Scientist 6

Go with your hands and learn with your heart.

Jamie Loizzo

We're incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make Field e Futuro possible, including faculty, students, and partners at both the University of Florida and Zamorano University. We're also grateful to the UF AEC department for the seed funding that made this project possible. So whether you're a student, educator, scientist, agriculture and natural resources professional, or simply curious about the future of global sustainability and communication, we invite you to join us for this podcasting journey. Thank you for listening to the Streaming Science podcast. I'm Dr. Jamie Loizzo and this is Field e Futuro.