About
Director's Message
Decades of academic leadership at USF in the field of 3D visualization have set the
stage for the establishment of the Institute for Digital Exploration (IDEx), conceived
as an intellectual and professional hub to generate impactful research in the field
of digital cultural heritage and train future generations of digital humanists and
social scientists. The interdisciplinary vocation of the Institute’s research agenda
together with the technological assets in its lab work as major attractors for international
students and scholars. The emphasis on the study of the Classical civilizations through
the collections of American museums and of the cultural heritage of ancient Sicily
and Malta aligns with the global education mission of USF.
Since its inception, the Institute has worked closely with the local community, promoting
public archaeology and history events and collaborating with the museums of the Tampa
Bay Area, such as the Tampa Museum of Art, the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
in Sarasota and the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg, to bring digital global
visibility to their remarkable collections. Building partnerships within the community
and with scholars in the US and abroad, the Institute aims to strengthen USF’s research
profile.
The Institute offers semester-long internships experiences to undergraduate and graduate
students, participation in 3D fieldwork in museums and cultural heritage institutions
in Florida and other US states and archaeological sites and museums in Sicily and
Malta, sponsors postdoctoral fellows and visiting scholars, builds networks with the
academic leaders in the field to target major grant opportunities and advance its
research agenda. The Institute advances the broader mission of the University of South
Florida by strengthening its position as a global research university in innovative
fields.
Director, Institute for Digital Exploration
Professor of Digital Humanities
Department of History