By Matthew Cimitile, University Communications and Marketing
The start of the 2023-2024 academic year at USF St. Petersburg brings new educational and recreational opportunities as well as dining options for students and the campus community to explore. Check out the list below to find out what’s new this year!
Research Vessel Western Flyer
Research Vessel Western Flyer is docked at its new home port on the USF St. Petersburg campus. The ship was granted to USF by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and is the most technologically advanced vessel in the Florida Institute of Oceanography fleet. The Western Flyer will not only embark on new research missions but will also serve as a classroom on the water.
The vessel will feature a sophisticated remotely operated vehicle (ROV), designed to reveal the deepest, most mysterious parts of the Gulf of Mexico. Western Flyer is a distinctively wide and stable ship with a moon pool, an opening in the hull that allows scientists to deploy equipment such as the ROV.
The two courts will be available to use, with portable nets set up on the courts, during scheduled open recreation times.
Pickleball arrives
The fastest growing sport in the country is coming to campus. Campus Recreation has resurfaced outdoor basketball courts behind the University Student Center to install two new pickleball courts. The two courts will be available to use, with portable nets set up on the courts, during scheduled open recreation times. Paddles and balls can be checked out at the Edge or Fitness Center.
Upgraded video studio and training rooms to enhance online learning
Faculty will now have a newly upgraded video studio and state-of-the-art training room located in InEd's Digital Learning space at the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library. The brand-new video studio has been designed to enhance the production quality of online learning courses. From course introductions to lectures and podcasting, this new studio will allow faculty to create even more engaging and immersive learning experiences for students.
InEd St. Pete is also introducing a new advanced training room, designed to provide faculty and learning designers with cutting-edge technology to enhance training and workshops offered to faculty throughout the academic year. From Canvas integration to MS Teams collaboration, these enhancements will provide learning experiences that meet the evolving demands of faculty and students. The updated spaces are expected to be completed by the end of September.
Rendering of what the updated Judy Genshaft Student Life Center will look like when completed this semester.
Student Life Center exterior renovations
Exterior remodeling and improvements to the Judy Genshaft Student Life Center continue. New architectural finishes, signage and an LED backlit decorative metal façade screen are currently being installed. Other improvements will include modification to existing sidewalks and raised platform areas, landscaping enhancements, replacement of site and building-mounted light fixtures, and maintenance of the retention ponds.
The center will remain open throughout the renovations. The building can be entered from an access point on 6th Avenue South.
Emerging Technology Lab to open
A new Emerging Technology Lab will utilize augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) stations, as well as drone technology, providing students from all majors with real-world experiences through visual and interactive content.
With AR, students can utilize their phones and other devices to create simulations in real time. This technology can be applied to works of art or physics, where students can learn about magnetic fields, rotational motion, thermodynamics, optics, forces and circuits. VR creates a digital environment where students can utilize headsets with programs that immerse them in their surroundings. For example, VR could take them inside a museum or research lab or provide teacher training through interactions with students with special needs.
The Emerging Technology Lab is being built in two unused classrooms next to the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) Inquiry Lab in Heller Hall. This corridor of the hall, now dubbed Innovation Lane, also received upgrades over the summer, including the replacement of suspended ceiling grid and acoustical ceiling tiles, upgrades to light fixtures and the air conditioning system, and a fresh coat of paint. The lab is expected to open later this semester.
A new pontoon boat will allow for a wide range of water activities for the campus community.
New vessel to cruise the bay
Students, faculty and staff now have a spacious and comfortable ride to explore the campus waterfront and Tampa Bay. A new pontoon boat allows for a wide range of water activities such as cruising, fishing and overnight camping. The boat will accommodate up to 12 people. You can reserve the vessle through the Campus Recreation website or by calling 727-873-4141.