Research & Sponsored Programs Report ResearchAnnual201819-electronic | Page 21

Dr. Jane Caffrey records a Gulf Stories
video segment with Christian Garman.
Photo by Brian Butler
UWF Centers
and Institutes
UWF Center for
Entrepreneurship
Center for Cybersecurity
Center for Supply Chain
Management Excellence
Archaeology Institute
Center for Applied
Psychology
GeoData Center
Center for Environmental
Diagnostics and
Bioremediation
Reubin O’D. Askew Institute
for Multidisciplinary Studies
Gulf Islands Research
and Education Center
Haas Center
Innovation Institute
Small Business
Development Center
Japan Center
Florida Public
Archaeology Network
Center for Fine &
Performing Arts
Military & Veterans
Resource Center
2018-2019 Research Annual Report
Innovation Institute shares the
Gulf’s stories with community
The University of West Florida
Innovation Institute’s Gulf Stories
is a series of video-based, online
courses that are free and open
to anybody. They explore UWF’s
deep connection to research in
the Gulf of Mexico.
“The idea behind the Gulf Stories
has always been to showcase the
deep connection UWF has now
and has always had with the Gulf
of Mexico and other local bodies
of water,” said Christian Garman,
director of innovative program
development at the Innovation
Institute.
The first course, Mother, Mother
Ocean, launched in 2017 and high-
lighted the work of five UWF fac-
ulty in a variety of fields. Faculty
members and topics included
Dr. Amy Mitchell-Cook’s work on
shipwrecks, Dr. Scott Keller on
logistics, Dr. Klaus Meyer-Arendt’s
research on the impact of hurri-
canes, Dr. John Bratten’s work
on underwater archaeology, and
Dr. Bill Huth’s examination of the
effects of the invasive lionfish.
“The faculty we’ve highlighted in
both of the Gulf Stories courses
are doing amazing research
on and in the Gulf of Mexico.
And many times, their work has
worldwide impact or application,”
Garman said.
In 2018, Gulf Stories 2 launched
and featured Dr. Wade Jeffrey’s
research on the effects of ul-
traviolet radiation on marine
microbes, Dr. Jane Caffrey’s
research on human impact on
coastal environments, Dr. Alexis
Janosik’s research on molecular
ecology and the evolution of
invertebrates and fish, Dr. John
Pecore’s work in citizen science
and purposeful learning, and Dr.
Thomas Asmuth’s work merging
art and marine science.
Additional outreach beyond the
free, online course includes an
hour-long video loop played
inside hotel rooms on Pensacola
Beach, which encourages guests
to take the full course.
In addition, the division launched
“Gulf Stories Moments” on
WUWF
88.1-FM,
Northwest
Florida’s NPR member station.
“Gulf Stories Moments” is a
four-minute radio program that
airs every Monday and features
UWF researchers discussing their
work with Garman. “Gulf Stories
Moments” episodes are available
for download on NPR’s website,
npr.org, and at wuwf.org.
To learn more or sign up for
courses, visit uwf.edu/gulfstories.
21