Kudos to Lauren Bell, the Innovation District's Hub Community Manager, for her acceptance into the Leadership St. Pete Class of 2025. Lauren is a rock star at the Innovation District. Her role is diverse - you may see her help Hub tenants forge new partnerships, oversee Hub events, provide tours to youth about future STEAM careers, and coordinate our social media. She has even been known to help a research vessel dock in the port. Congratulations to Lauren and her fellow classmates. To see the full list of LSP 2025 click here.
Last month, the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub kicked off the school year with a lively Retro Back-to-School themed Happy Hour. Tenants brought their families, and the space was filled with throwback snacks, classic laser backdrop photo ops, and plenty of nostalgic fun.
Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay's 3DE initiative connects high school students with local and national businesses, giving them hands-on experience in problem-solving.
October always feels like conference season — a time when professionals from around the world gather to exchange ideas, explore emerging trends, and strengthen collaborations. Earlier this month, I had the privilege of attending and speaking at the OCEANS 2025 Conference in Chicago, a global gathering for those advancing ocean science and maritime technology.