ResearchOne recently came to a close. The robust schedule of events encompassed a wide-range of activities, including workshops, guest speakers, panel discussions, research symposia, awards ceremonies, poster presentations, art exhibitions, and a Campus & Community Sustainability Conference – complete with the Going Green Tampa Bay Expo. All in one week!
ResearchOne, recently came to a close. The robust schedule of events encompassed a wide-range of activities, including workshops, guest speakers, panel discussions, research symposia, awards ceremonies, poster presentations, art exhibitions, and a Campus & Community Sustainability Conference – complete with the Going Green Tampa Bay Expo. All in one week!
Though no bottle of champagne was ceremoniously shattered ‘cross the bow, there was certainly excitement in the air during the launch of the inaugural class of the USF Academy of Inventors™ (AOI). Both novel and useful, the AOI is the brainchild of Dr. Paul Sanberg (USF professor/researcher/inventor) and is intended to recognize the accomplished inventors who have embraced the challenge of not only (1) employing their imaginations toward unmet human needs, but also (2) are willing to navigate the process of filing for patent protection with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Sanberg hopes other universities will see the value in organizing their inventors; "they are changing the world” he said. "These are people who have reached a different step. They are not only scholars, they are inventors. They have actually thought about how to translate their research into something that benefits society."
Although patents are destined to expire (referred to as time-limited exclusivity in the business), the one hundred and thirty-one patent recipients from USF left their mark on history by affiliating themselves with Academy during the AOI Charter signatory ceremony that took place during the Draper Laboratory, Inc. sponsored luncheon. Also in the interest of extending the impact of the AOI, Sanberg intends to bring the inventors together to talk about new innovations, to work with people in the community, and engage the Office of Research & Innovation to edit a national journal, to be called Technology & Innovation – Proceedings of the Academy of Inventors.
Day two featured retired USMC Lieutenant General Martin Steele. For ninety minutes, he shared his thoughtfully prepared, masterfully articulated, and viscerally engaging vision of “Veterans Integration” in the United States. Despite having to catch a plane to speak in Washington, D.C. that same morning, the founder of Steele Partners Inc. – a strategy and leadership consultancy – detailed some of the challenges that face our men and women of uniform as they return from service. The man is undeniably passionate and undoubtedly committed to improving the quality of life of our Veterans. So, the big question is how does he intend to do it? As the audience began to learn, it is a multi-faceted and complex challenge, and every returning Marine certainly has unique goals and needs however, General Steele sees two critical components of the solution being education and employment.
Interestingly, at twenty years of age and without a college degree, General Steele was the youngest member of the Marine Corps to ever be commissioned as an officer (he now holds three master’s degrees). Before heading to the airport, the General took a few questions, one of which was posed by Dr. Karen Holbrook, Vice President of Research and Innovation, who, somewhat presciently, probed General Steele for his thoughts on the ways in which USF might further support the ongoing efforts to provide streamlined access to academic opportunities for Veterans interested in joining the USF community. In response, General Steele outlined an evolving relationship with the university and the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, as well as his customized twenty-four-hour re-integration boot camp. Although the details are many and the obstacles formidable, the retired General mentioned that often times, Veterans need one thing above all else, someone to "just listen,” he said. Based on the existing Office of Veterans Services, the dialogue initiated by Dr. Holbrook, and the response from individuals in the room, one thing became clear: USF is here to listen.
On Friday, three representatives from the FBI addressed a full house of USF staff and faculty interested in National Security within Academe. The presentation took on three topics: 1) Espionage and Insider Threats; 2) Terrorism; and 3) Cyber Threats. Of particular interest to the audience was a discussion around export control and the role that researchers and administrative support staff play in ensuring that university activities are in compliance with federal regulations regarding information sharing, both domestically, and abroad. According to Tampa Division, Domain Coordinator, Patrick Laflin, the United States is currently facing unprecedented theft of U.S. trade secrets, intellectual property, and proprietary information by foreign collectors and trusted insiders. Though alarming, the information was not intended to scare, but to raise awareness of the challenges research institutions face and to share best practices in risk mitigation.
Looking back, it was a celebratory week of recognition, and appreciation for the time, energy, and hard work that has been invested in the spirit of discovery and learning at USF. Many hands make for light work, and many people certainly contributed to the planning and execution of the event. In particular, the intellectual investment from Pearl Bigfeather, and the Office of Research and Innovation, and the generous support from The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc; Smith Hopen Intellectual Property Law; Fowler White Boggs P.A.; and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council made this weeklong extavaganza a reality. Even though it is eleven months and three weeks away, our sights are set on next year’s celebration and we are excited to see you (and perhaps your research) there.
Contact: Nathan Schwagler (813) 974-5880
