When I joined the Innovation District I was amazed at how many world renowned thought-leaders worked in St. Petersburg, particularly within the District boundaries. They are the keynote speakers at conferences, authors who publish reports that guide innovations in their field, and chairs of national and international committees. To us they are the people we see at the grocery store, the neighbor down the street, or the friend we don't quite understand what they do (even though we ask them to explain it a dozen times).
We recently lost one of those "Rock Stars" of St. Petersburg - Dr. Bill Hogarth. Bill was a guiding force of the marine science community. He played a significant role in the growth of this industry cluster in St. Petersburg, across the nation and internationally. I can't recall when I first met Bill. Maybe it was when they commissioned the Research Vessel Hogarth in his honor. I can share that Bill was always encouraging of new ideas, thoughtful in his analysis, and a great human being. There have been wonderful and more articulate words written about Bill and his accomplishments that I encourage you to read - St. Pete Catalyst article: USF mourns the loss of a marine science legend and the Tampa Bay Times obituary: William Hogarth 1939-2022.
The above picture of Bill was taken at the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub Ribbon Cutting in March. He is standing next to the R/V Hogarth image in the mural by St. Pete artist Carrie Jadus.
Not so long ago, talent and innovation blossomed in an area just south of Downtown St. Petersburg. City officials and community partners wanted to leverage the capabilities of key institutions—USF St. Petersburg, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, and the Poynter Institute, to name a few. The point was to foster collaboration and show our initiatives to the world.
We will host another Trolley Tour and Happy Hour on Friday, June 13th. You will board a trolley with other Innovation District partners and learn about the history and future plans for the area. This tour will feature stops at Albert Whitted Airport, Florida Institute of Oceanography, and The Dalí Museum. The tour will conclude back at the Hub with a networking happy hour.
April’s Tech X-change was a hit, thanks to an engaging presentation from Digital Twin Marine. Shoutout to all the Eckerd College students who joined us! The audience was curious and interactive, asking great questions and eager to try out the virtual reality headset.