The Department of Pediatrics recently unveiled a new simulation center that emphasizes multi-disciplinary team training for routine and crisis medical situations. The 2,300 square foot facility is outfitted with state-of-the-art technology that not only creates medical emergency simulations, but also captures the action digitally to permit facilitated debriefing of the experience to further enhance student learning.

Distinguished University Professor of Jazz Studies at USF and founding and Artistic Director of the USF Center for Jazz Composition, Chuck Owen (2009 Guggenheim Fellow) and his 17-piece band, The Jazz Surge, is pleased to announce the release of The Comet’s Tail: Playing The Compositions of Michael Brecker. The critically acclaimed work is the first CD release emanating from the University of South Florida’s Center for Jazz Composition, a project that began in 2006.

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) recently awarded Dr. Jerri Edwards, assistant professor in the BCS School of Aging Studies, an R21 grant for $275,000. The research will explore the feasibility and potential efficacy of a well-established cognitive training technique, speed of processing training, to enhance cognition among persons with PD who do not have dementia.

The USF College of Engineering was recently awarded a Department of Education Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) grant, which will support a group of Ph.D. students as they embrace a multidisciplinary approach to solving some of the world's most pressing problems...

Dr. Sharona Ross and Dr. Alexander Rosemurgy – both University of South Florida general surgeons and Dr. Devanand Mangar (L to R), anesthesiologist with Gulf-to-Bay Anesthesiology and Chief of Staff at Tampa General Hospital -- last week performed what they believe is the first single incision gallbladder removal without the use of general anesthesia. Instead of the traditional approach, full sedation, they used an epidural in the thoracic area…

Document Advantage Corporation (DocuVantage)has been awarded a contract with the General Services Administration (GSA). This agreement distinguishes DocuVantage as an approved Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) vendor offering DocuVantage OnDemand®, a subscription based document and business process management platform that includes electronic records management, collaboration and email and fax management, to government purchasers through the GSA.

In Collaboration with California-based Intuitive Surgical, USF’s College of Medicine recently stepped 'back into the future' with the unveiling of the da Vinci robot-assisted surgical system. Not only is USF offering this unique educational opportunity for their students, but in true entrepreneurial fashion, they also plan on generating revenue by hosting visiting physicians (up to 600 a year) and training them on the equipment as well.

On March 9th, 2009, President Barack H. Obama issued Executive Order 13505: Removing Barriers to Responsible Scientific Research Involving Human Stem Cells. On July 7th, 2009, revised guidelines outlining the direction for support and responsible conduct within scientifically worthy human stem cell research, including human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research, officially took effect.

The topic of Cost Sharing in Sponsored Research has been under review and the NSF Task Force on Cost Sharing, Committee on Strategy and Budget, has provided policy recommendations on current policy, as well as, future direction for policy review.

Might a routine administration of high concentrations of oxygen for several hours during, or following, surgery be contributing to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease in predisposed patients? Dr. Gary Arendash of the Florida Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at USF (and USF Academy of Inventors Member) and Dr. L. Jackson Roberts II, of Vanderbilt University think it's possible...

The hard work and accomplished grantsmanship of Alexa Favata, Associate Director for the Contemporary Art Museum, has resulted in the support of two staff positions through a National Endowment for the Arts grant to the tune of $50,000.

More than 100 inventors from across the University of South Florida will become members of the newly formed USF Academy of Inventors™, an organization created to recognize and promote innovation achievement among faculty, staff, students and alumni. The new members will be formally inducted into the academy at a ceremony during ResearchOne, a week-long showcase of research and discovery at USF, Oct. 5-9, 2009.

Two teams from the School of Architecture & Community Design won design awards at the 2008-2009 International Student Design Competition sponsored by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), in conjunction with the National Building Museum. Both projects were part of the spring 2009 Urban Design Studio, which focused on designing creative and sustainable alternatives for revitalizing the urban core of Tampa.The prize-winning designs will be on display at the ACSA Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA, March 2010; and the American Institute of Architects National Convention in Miami, FL, June 2010.

Described by his colleagues as the “ultimate renaissance man,” Dr. Peter (Jeff) Fabri has recently begun winding down a multi-faceted career spent as a surgeon, dean and advisor to scores of students. He will relinquish his administrative responsibilities in the fall yet continue to conduct research on health systems engineering three days a week. Any attempt to encapsulate his career in a blurb would be an outright travesty, however, this statement from the man himself 'might' be a place worth starting, "I don't think I've ever turned down an opportunity to learn something new." Wonderful advice from a true lifelong learner...

When Sergio Angel of the Clinica Medellin looked at an MRI of a patient whose chronic headaches had developed into numbness in the left side of her face -- he knew just who to call to conduct the dangerous and difficult removal operation. Sergio knew who to contact because he had traveled to Tampa and spent a month with the neurological surgery department at USF studying with surgeons Dr. Harry van Loveren and Dr. K. Paul Boyev. The duo of USF physicians recently returned from Colombia after removing the meningioma tumor from the woman’s brain with a successful outcome…

After extensive study by a faculty task force, USF President Judy Genshaft, has appointed Donna Petersen as the interim executive director of USF World and of the Patel Center for Global Solutions. In the new role, Petersen is charged with the responsibility of exhaustively assessing the opportunities and the existing assets for internationalizing the University of South Florida and from that assessment, devising and recommending the necessary infrastructure, systems, policies and procedures to support the university's strategic plan around global initiatives.

The Office of Research & Innovation announces USF Research Week, October 5-9, 2009. Featuring speakers, poster presentations, displays, lab tours & more!

The University of South Florida and Council for Sustainable Florida are hosting the 4th Annual Campus & Community Sustainability Conference along with the 2nd Annual Going Green Tampa Bay Expo -- a great opportunity for both faculty and students to present their work on sustainability issues from all disciplines. Abstracts are due August 30.

A representative from the Small Business Administration will help entrepreneurs learn what a lender looks for and how to overcome obstacles to obtain a business loan. Learn a lender’s viewpoint and approach to the “5 Cs of Credit.”