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State of Science Impressed Us Again.

Last week St. Pete Innovation District hosted its 6th State of Science and Innovation. This event highlights innovators who are doing creative, thought-provoking, and impactful work. This is always a favorite event of the year and once again the event didn't disappoint. Personally I love the event for two reasons. First, my inner nerd gets a chance to learn something new (someday this trove of knowledge will win me a trivia contest). Second, I get energized by the ingenuity of our community members. I am confident that if we held an entire day of presentations it would be full of fantastic stories. Imagine 6 hours x 6 mins presentations = 60 presentations!!!

I want to thank the speakers so much for contributions! Its nerve racking to be asked to summarize your entire world into 6 minutes and then to be told you won't have control of the slide clicker. They always rise to the occasion and do fabulous. Please check out these speakers - visit their spaces (if possible) - and support their work.  

The 2024 Speakers were:

  • Dr. Hank Hine, The Dali - digital dreams: innovating the dalí experience
  • Dr. Nicole Raineault, Florida Institute of Oceanography - Peerside: developing the new blue economy workforce
  • Nicky Bruger, Digital Twin Marine - Digital twins in maritime and utilities
  • Dr. Mohamed Rehman, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital - Clinical Informatics & Human Digital Twin Project
  • Dr. Julia Pfaff, Bayfront Health St. Petersburg - Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulator Implantation in the Surgical Treatment of Sleep Apnea
  • Dr. Shelly Wagers, University of South Florida - Addressing Human Trafficking with BRIGHT


Some of these organizations (and many more) will be hosting exhibits at the Science Festival and MarineQuest on February 10th.  I hope to see you there!

Alison Barlow

Executive Director

To read more about the 2024 State of Science visit St. Pete Catalyst and I Love the Burg.

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Join us for a Trolley Tour of the District on Friday, April 18th from 1:30pm-4:30pm. This popular event is offered 2-3 times a year. It begins at the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub. You will board a trolley with other Innovation District partners and community members. As we travel throughout the District, you will learn about the history and future plans for the area. We will make several stops for an insider view of the research and collaborations underway. The tour will conclude back at Hub with a networking happy hour.

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The Innovation District hosts a quarterly breakfast series called Morning Sparks: Innovation X-change. At each session we explore emerging technologies, invite District partners to share their current related efforts, and engage in thoughtful (and hopefully spirited) discussions that will spark future innovation.

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Each month our team confers about what to include in the District newsletter. We lament how to share all the amazing stories while not creating an encyclopedia (yes, I am showing by age with an old school reference). We are fortunate to have so many things going on in the District.