Endowed Scholarships & Fellowships

George K. and Ruthanna Davis Scholarship Fund

George K. and Ruthanna Davis

History

Former UF/IFAS professor Dr. George K. Davis had a career in the field of animal nutrition spanning 5 decades. He earned his Ph.D. from Cornell University in 1937 and came to UF in 1942 as a professor of nutrition. During his long and dedicated service to UF in the animal science department, he authored or co-authored 250 scientific articles and numerous popular articles published in English and other languages. Davis was the first scientist at UF to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences and UF honored him with a Distinguished Achievement Award in 1996.

Davis and a colleague were the first to use radioisotopes as tracers in the study of nutrition of large domestic animals. He also discovered the inter-relationships of the minerals necessary to successfully raise cattle on soil similar to that found in the Florida Everglades. Davis' research assisted in identifying the roles of trace minerals in human and animal medicine worldwide. His work led to the discovery of a water soluble form of vitamin D and further defined the function of vitamin D in animals and humans.

Ruthanna Davis, wife of George, was a trained dietitian who as a realtor, designed and built houses, enjoyed many handicrafts, and was active in her church. She loved to knit and crochet blankets for babies of needy persons and she designed and made many pillows that she gave to friends who were ill. The Davises have six children and have been generous supporters of UF for many years.

Criteria

Graduate students studying nutrition or any nutrition-related area at UF. Recipients may include graduate students studying human or animal nutrition in IFAS, medicine or other related fields.

Application Information

Contact the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

Click here to visit the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences website.