FIU Wins $11M for Robots That Help Restore Everglades

Florida International University just scored one of the largest federal grants in its history: over $11 million to power cutting-edge robotics and restore the Everglades, one of the nation's most vital ecosystems.

Retiring U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson championed the funding, which will support two ambitious missions. The robotics research center is developing inspection tools for radioactive waste, bio-inspired construction systems, and advanced 3D fabrication techniques that could transform how we build safer, smarter structures.

The Everglades restoration work tackles an even bigger challenge. South Florida's vast wetland ecosystem supports millions of lives, filters drinking water, and protects coastal communities from storms. Decades of development have damaged this natural treasure, but FIU scientists are working to bring it back.

Professor John Kominoski, who leads the environmental research, says the project goes beyond traditional science. His team is bringing together voices that rarely sit at the same table: the Miccosukee Tribe, farmers, business leaders, economists, and policymakers.

"We will bring people together to figure out how we can all grow together in South Florida," Kominoski explained. The goal is helping everyone thrive while the ecosystem recovers.

The Ripple Effect

This funding builds on a $6.3 million National Science Foundation grant FIU received last year for Everglades research. Together, these investments create a powerhouse for environmental science that benefits the entire region.

The new money will open a Coastal Conservation and Restoration Lab at FIU's Biscayne Bay Campus, expanding research space where students and scientists can develop solutions to real environmental challenges. Future environmental scientists will learn by doing actual restoration work that matters to their communities.

The robotics innovations developed at FIU could help clean up hazardous sites safely and build stronger structures across the country. Meanwhile, lessons learned from Everglades restoration will guide similar projects nationwide, showing how communities can heal damaged ecosystems while supporting economic growth.

In a ceremony at the Tamiami Trail campus, FIU honored Wilson by naming a research vessel "RV Wilson." She called it a privilege to support the university's mission in science, technology, and environmental stewardship.

FIU President Jeanette Nunez celebrated the partnership between federal support and university innovation that makes breakthrough research possible.

When science, technology, and community voices come together with real resources, damaged ecosystems get second chances and future generations inherit solutions instead of problems.