Antonio Faciola earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in Animal Sciences from the Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil, and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin. He is currently an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Coordinator at the University of Florida. The overarching goal of his lab is to improve the efficiency of nutrient utilization in ruminants. Since 2013, he has secured over 6 million dollars in funding, published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, and presented over 50invited talks in 10 countries. He teaches undergrad and grad students and has mentored 11 MS students, 14 Ph.D. students, 33 visiting scholars, 7 postdocs, and 95 undergrads in his lab. He has mentored individuals from 24 countries and received several awards including: the 2018 Lallemand Forward Award for Scientific Excellence, the 2020 Cargill Animal Nutrition Young Scientist Award, the 2020 Undergraduate Faculty Mentor of the Year at the University of Florida and the 2024 Animal Industry Innovation Award.