Many in the Tampa Bay region are feeling the affects of Hurricane Ian. Though we were lucky to have relatively minor impacts locally - family, friends and colleagues across the state are dealing devastating damage. I've been impressed with the generosity of our community as people arrange caravans to take supplies south, or donate to nonprofits. I encourage you to show your support to our neighbors in any way you can. You never know when it will be us needing their kindness.
I also want to acknowledge the tremendous efforts by members of the Innovation District in the lead up and recovery after Hurricane Ian. Their work has local, state-wide and even national impact.
Click on the links below to read more about their impressive work.
Saildrone and NOAA collected data in the air and on the water surface to assist in the development of tracking models and impact analysis.
US Coast Guard Sector St Pete and Air Station Clearwater conducted search and rescue operations during and after the storm.
Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital and Bayfront Health St. Pete assisted in evacuating hospitalized patients.
Poynter Institute prepared journalists behind the scenes.
USF St. Pete campus opened their student center to community members without electricity so that they could recharge their cell phones and take a break in air conditioning.
Stay safe!
Alison Barlow, Executive Director
Over the last few months I have used this space in the newsletter to create a picture of what it takes to foster innovation. November 2023 newsletter: Innovation is a team sport. It requires diverse perspectives and experiences to find a creative solutions. It requires courage to try things out and be willing to learn what won’t work as much as what will work. It requires tenacity to keep going and going and going.
Thank you to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital (JHACH) for sponsoring and hosting our inaugural Morning Sparks: Innovation X-change breakfast. The event was kicked off by Alicia Schulhof, President of JHACH, and followed by an overview of the topic - Artificial Intelligence - by Dr. John Licato of USF's Advanced Machine and Human Reasoning Lab.
Kudos to the Volunteers of America Florida, City of St. Petersburg, and Pinellas County for the recent opening of the new downtown apartments, located in the Innovation District called Innovare. Innovare’s 50 apartments provide stable homes for individuals and families who earn 60 percent or less of the Area’s Median Income (AMI), including many who are transitioning from homelessness.