Dr. Marta Wayne

Associate Provost and Dean of the International Center

Dr. Wayne is a professor of Biology, specializing in the evolution & ecology of infectious disease and evolutionary genetics. Wayne’s research has taken her to México to work with a collaborator studying the monarch butterfly migration and to spend a sabbatical with a collaborator in Canada working on infectious disease. Wayne’s international engagement began when, as a postdoc, she participated in a trinational young investigators’ workshop (Germany, Japan, and the US) sponsored by the international scientific organization, Society for Molecular Biology & Evolution (SMBE). Later, as president of SMBE, Wayne has worked to broaden geographic representation within the society, including helping to schedule SMBE’s first annual conference in Latin America. Here at UF, she co-developed a new study abroad program, UF in Cusco. She has mentored UF undergraduates, graduate students, and postdocs from around the world and has received awards for teaching and mentoring.

A faculty member in the UF College of Liberal Arts and Sciences since 1998, Wayne was chair of the Department of Biology from 2014-2021. She is also an affiliate faculty member in the Center for Latin American Studies and the Center for Gender, Sexualities and Women’s Studies.

Dr. Wayne provides leadership in the operation of the International Center and international engagement in scholarship, research, and teaching. She helps with the recruitment and success of international students, both undergraduate and graduate. She also promotes UF international alliances and seeks to increase international interaction for all members of the UF community.  

Executive Assistant to the Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School

Terrence Funke is Executive Assistant to Dean Wayne. Terrence earned his B.A. in English from the University of Florida and had been working in retail management for 10 years. Terrence has always maintained a strong connection to Gainesville, returning periodically to judge for the UF Speech and Debate Team, of which he is a proud alumnus. He is responsible for maintaining Dr. Wayne’s schedule as well as providing administrative support to the Office for Global Research and Exchange and processing Travel for various members of the UFIC Staff. He enjoys reading, writing, and riding his bike in his free time, and is extremely happy to be back home at UF!