OCTOBER 2022 | HARBOR NOTES NEWS | USF ST. PETERSBURG CAMPUS
GIVING BACK
Biology professor who made midlife career change gives $1 million estate gift
At the age of 40 and nearly 20 years into a career in health care administration, a David Attenborough nature documentary seismically shifted the life of Deby Cassill. "I realized sitting there that I didn’t just want to watch science, I wanted to do science,” Cassill said. By the time she was 50, Cassill had earned a doctorate in the field and in 2001, was hired on as the first full-time biology professor on the USF St. Petersburg campus. Now she is providing the institution with a $1 million estate gift to create the Cassill Endowed Scholarship in Biology to aid the next generation of aspiring biologists.
PREDICTING THE PATH
Keeping our eyes on hurricanes
From submersible “pickup trucks” to “flying research labs,” hurricane monitoring programs and the data gathered are helping modelers at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science and other institutions across the globe better understand our oceans and predict the strength and path of tropical systems and hurricanes.
RESTORING HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE
New preservation grant will help make historic Williams House more secure during hurricanes
The historic John C. Williams House will undergo major restorations and upgrades over the next two years thanks to a $280,640 matching grant from the Florida Division of Historical Resources. The upgrades will include foundation work, a new roof, hurricane panels and other repairs that will help ensure the structure’s safety and stability during a major storm.
EXPLORING CAREER OPTIONS
Innovation Scholars Program kicks off fourth year
For the fourth year, a job-shadowing program on the USF St. Petersburg campus is offering first-year students a head start in exploring their interests and career path by giving them a sneak peak into the day-to-day activities of the professional world. On September 15, students met with their mentors who work for local businesses and organizations in St. Petersburg to kick off the 2022-23 Innovation Scholars Career Exploration Program.
RENEWABLE ENERGY ABROAD
Helping bring renewable technology to parts of Africa
Several students got to experience the trip of a lifetime as they helped bring solar/thermal technology to parts of Africa. Eight students and two professors from the USF Tampa and St. Petersburg campus traveled to Tanzania and used their combined knowledge of science and sociology to introduce technology to the Maasai Tribe.
ADVICE FROM THE PROS
Rays and Rowdies give career advice to students trying to break into the sports industry
Many students dream of having a career in the sports industry, interacting with their favorite players and immersing themselves in a subject they love. Earlier this week, about 50 students had the opportunity to gather in Lynn Pippenger Hall and get advice from a panel of sports executives and personnel on how to make those dreams a reality.