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February 29, 2024

The spirit of entrepreneurship is alive and well within our Tampa Bay community, and I was delighted to see a strong turnout from our university at yesterday's Synapse Summit, an event that brings together startups, investors and leaders from across the state of Florida.

With representation from all three campuses and USF Health, it's clear that our university plays a pivotal role in fueling the innovation economy of our region and state. Our presence at Synapse also included hosting the "Bulls Zone" at Ashley Lounge, led by our team in the Office of University Community Partnerships.

I was honored to speak on the main stage about USF's path forward, our innovative programs and partnerships, and how we are promoting a culture of innovation across our institution to make a lasting impact. You can read more about how USF is using the summit as a way to serve as a catalyst for the Tampa Bay region here.

Updates

• Speaking of innovation, we are thrilled that for the 11th consecutive year USF remains among the top 15 public universities in producing new U.S. utility patents, a recognition achieved based on 88 new patents secured in 2023. We are proud to support our researchers who continue to turn their bold ideas into inventions, new technologies and creative solutions that create a better future for our society.

• Congratulations to the USF faculty members who were recently recognized for making significant contributions to their fields. Three professors, Dr. W. Scott Burgin, Ashwin Parthasarathy, PhD, and Stephen Saddow, PhD, received USF's Excellence in Innovation Award, which celebrates those who bring their inventions to market, and seven professors have been elected as senior members of the National Academy of Inventors. These honorees are at the forefront of new discoveries, and we are proud to celebrate their exceptional achievements. 

• This week I enjoyed joining fellow presidents from UCF and FIU for an engaging panel discussion on how we continue to show the value of higher education in ever-changing times. The thought-provoking conversation, held during the National Student Success Conference in Orlando, explored how our programs and initiatives maximize the success of our students. You can read more about the key takeaways here.

• I was pleased to attend the Black Faculty & Staff Association's annual breakfast to join them in welcoming our newly hired Black faculty and staff and to celebrate those who were recently promoted. For more than 50 years, the BFSA has provided professional and social networking opportunities to employees from across our USF community, and I thank the dedicated staff members whose efforts make events like this possible.

• The excitement surrounding our historic men’s basketball season continues to build. Our team sits atop the American Athletic Conference standings after winning a school-record 13 games in a row and is now nationally ranked for the first time in program history. We’ve played in front of sellout crowds on national TV each of the past two weekends, and there’s one last chance to cheer them on during the final home game of the season on Tuesday, March 5. You can get your tickets here. In addition, a big congratulations to our men’s track and field team for winning the AAC indoor conference title for the first time ever!

Additional University News Sources

• USF Newsroom

• St. Petersburg campus

• Sarasota-Manatee campus

• USF Health

• USF Athletics

The New York Times published an op-ed authored by retired Gen. Frank McKenzie, executive director of the USF Global and National Security Institute, that discusses the potential withdrawal of U.S. troops from the Middle East. 

CNN quoted USF Professor Matthew Pasek in a story about a study on British Columbia's Last Chance Lake, and how its chemical and physical conditions could point to the origin of life on Earth.

NPR interviewed Craig Huegel, director of the USF Botanical Gardens, in a story about the Atala butterfly, a species that was once thought to be extinct and is now making a comeback in Florida.

Since 1976, only 105 Bulls have been recognized as USF Distinguished Alumni. That's just .03% of all 378,000 living alumni, which puts these accomplished graduates at the top of their class. Do you know any alumni who have achieved the pinnacle of success in their careers? Nominations for the 2024 USF Alumni Awards are open through March 15, and you can learn more and submit your nominations here.

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