The Econfina Field Research Station is located in Econfina River State Park (30.06, -83.91) in Taylor County, Florida. This building is designed to provide a flexible workspace to be used by research teams, field courses or undergraduate/graduate students to prepare for their field work, to process and/or store collected samples and to potentially serve as an outreach facility for UCF to convey information to park visitors. Immediately across the street is the Econfina River Field House, a 1000 sq ft fully furnished two bedroom condo, where faculty and research teams can stay while undertaking their research projects. There is also space for storing shallow draft boats and an adjacent boat launch is also available.
The primary function of the research station is to serve as a dry-lab area for preparing samples for analysis with benches for processing dry samples (drying ovens, balances, microscopes, etc.), sample storage cabinets and computer stations/desk space with internet access. It can also be used as a wet-lab area for processing biological, chemical or archaeological specimens with benches for processing specimens, grinders for preparing tissue specimens, equipment for water chemistry assessment, reverse-osmosis/ultra-pure water, chemical storage cabinets and a bench for aquaria and/or small holding tanks. The facility also has -20°C and -80°C chest freezers for sample storage, storage cabinets for field equipment, a conference room with seating for 16 and a public area with a small outreach museum.
