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Employ-A-Bull: Student dives into seagrass research internship
Environmental science and policy major Olivia Smith is gaining hands-on marine science experience while restoring a vital Florida ecosystem.
August 1, 2026Research & Innovation, Students
How Florida’s sea turtle hatchlings find the ocean in the dark
Biologist Deby Cassill explains how hatchlings navigate to the ocean and her theory for how sea turtle mothers manage one of nature’s longest survival gambles.
July 29, 2026Research & Innovation
USF scientists advance space agriculture for future moon and Mars missions
Christina Richards, a researcher in the Department of Integrative Biology, is applying her lab's plant genomics expertise to a multidisciplinary USF effort exploring whether mangroves and other resilient coastal plants could survive space-like conditions. The work is part of a broader push at USF's ASTRA Center studying sustainable agriculture for future moon and Mars missions.
July 28, 2026Research & Innovation
National Geographic Museum of Exploration showcases USF professor’s bronze reconstruction of iconic “first bird” dinosaur
After more than 20 years of research, USF Associate Professor Ryan Carney unveiled the world's most scientifically accurate 3D reconstruction of Archaeopteryx at the National Geographic Museum of Exploration. The project helped answer longstanding questions about the iconic fossil species that links dinosaurs and birds.
July 9, 2026Honors & Awards, Research & Innovation
BRAG awards advance commercialization of USF technologies in mosquito detection, optometry and women’s health
Ryan Carney of the Department of Integrative Biology co-invented the SmartTrap, an AI-powered mosquito detection device recently awarded a Bull Ring Accelerator Grant to help bring it to market. The grant round also funded two other USF startups working on at-home glaucoma testing and a menopause-support supplement.
July 9, 2026Research & Innovation
In the ocean’s dark middle, a USF scientist helped reveal 31 new species
USF marine scientist Heather Judkins joined an international expedition in the tropical South Atlantic focused on the ocean's midwater — and came back with 31 species believed to be new to science, including nine new jellyfish and seven new siphonophores.
July 7, 2026Research & Innovation
USF expedition to Antarctica advances research on potential melanoma treatment
A remote Antarctic expedition has brought USF researchers back to a decades-old discovery: A tiny marine organism containing a compound that kills melanoma cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed. Now, scientists are racing to unlock its potential for future cancer therapies.
July 7, 2026Research & Innovation
Not one of the original 13 colonies, how Florida helped shape the American Revolution
As the country marks 250 years of independence, USF St. Petersburg historian Erin Mauldin explains why Florida stayed loyal to Britain during the Revolution and how that loyalty still shaped the outcome of a global war.
June 29, 2026Community Engagement, Research & Innovation
How eye movements and brain activity shape reading comprehension
Reading seems like a straightforward process, but it’s not always that simple. Readers regularly skip words, sometimes without realizing it. New research from USF shows how the brain processes those skipped words using peripheral vision, even as the eyes move past them.
June 15, 2026Research & Innovation
70 years of discovery: How USF built a research powerhouse
Since its founding in 1956, USF has built its identity around a thriving research culture. As USF marks its 70th anniversary, that vision has grown with the institution from modest labs with limited technology into an R1 university and membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities.
June 15, 2026Research & Innovation
Longtime USF St. Petersburg professor’s book, Catching Sight, reveals what it means to be seen
Longtime USF St. Petersburg ethics professor Deni Elliott has written her first memoir, Catching Sight, about low vision, guide dogs, and what it means to be truly seen.
June 10, 2026CAS News, Research & Innovation
17-Year-Old USF Graduate Zayd Nayeem Accelerates Path to Medicine and Service
In spring 2025, Nayeem joined the Department of Chemistry as an intern under the mentorship of his professor, Jhon Figueroa. Over the course of a semester, he helped test new laboratory equipment that is now used in general chemistry courses. Figueroa said Nayeem stood out for both his intellect and work ethic.
May 12, 2026Research & Innovation, Students