Research & Sponsored Programs Report ResearchAnnual201819-electronic | Page 3

Graduate student Amy Brower, junior biology major
Lauren Doubek and dive safety officer Fritz Sharar
sample water to check for lionfish DNA in the
Perdido River.
Welcome from the Division of
Research and Strategic Innovation
Dr. Pamela Northrup
Greetings Alumni and Friends,
We are thrilled to offer the University of West
Florida’s 2018-2019 Research Annual Report and
share some of the noteworthy impacts being
made this year by our researchers. Research is
housed in the Division of Research and Strategic
Innovation. This new division was formed in
January 2017 by President Martha Saunders
to shine a light on the culture of research, the
economy, workforce, strategic partnerships and
strategic higher education innovation. Our team
of big-thinkers, business experts and radical
innovators strives to provide solutions that
make a lasting, positive impact on the social,
economic and technological landscape in the
communities we serve.
UWF’s research is impactful within our
community as well as to the far reaches of
the globe. Strategically, we have several areas
of focus including multidisciplinary research,
research visibility and the ongoing connections
to industry for collaborative research and
student and faculty engagement.
Multidisciplinary Research. The Reubin O’D.
Askew Institute for Multidisciplinary Studies was
formed in 2017 based on a recommendation from
UWF’s Task Force on Research and Scholarship.
The Institute was funded through a generous
gift from Fred Levin — who requested to name
the institute after his former law partner, Reubin
O’D. Askew. AIMS is as a one-of-a-kind approach
to teaching and learning, while integrating
humanities and science to solve community
problems and inspire relevant research. Dr.
Wade Jeffrey, distinguished university professor,
2018-2019 Research Annual Report
was appointed as founding
director of the institute.
Research Visibility. As an example of creating
visibility for UWF researchers, the Innovation
Institute worked closely with faculty researchers
across all colleges to combine storytelling
with engaging media highlighting what our
researchers are investigating on and near the
Gulf of Mexico. UWF Gulf Stories researchers’
impactful work is helping us better understand
invasive species, concerns with microplastics,
turbidity, erosion from hurricanes, historical
discoveries, underwater archaeological finds and
more. Learn more about Gulf Stories by taking
a free, online course, listening to interviews
on WUWF (“Gulf Stories Moments”) and on
NPR.org.
Connections to Industry. Several examples of
working with industry to support student and
faculty research are included in this annual
report. From the Center for Cybersecurity to
the Sea3D Additive Manufacturing Laboratory,
GEOData Center, Innovation Institute and
the Center for Supply Chain Management
Excellence, collaborative solutions are being
designed and launched for the future.
Thank you for your support of UWF research!
Dr. Pamela Northrup
Vice President of Research and Strategic
Innovation, University of West Florida
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