St. Petersburg's Innovation District (SPID) executive director Alison Barlow and news director Nanette Wiser caught up on all the news, awards, grants and plans for two winter 2025 much anticipated events: (1) State of Science and Innovation 2025 5-7:30 pm and (2) The St. Pete Science Fest and Marine Quest expo at USF St. Pete 2/7 (students) and 2/8 public.  https://stpetescifest.org/    We talked about USF and partners launching an innovative accelerator program to grow the marine economy, introducing students to STEAM opportunities and tours of SPID, their Morning Sparks Innovation Exchange talks on AI, the future of air mobility, urban futures and the many tenants of the Innovation District, including Johns Hopkins Hospital, The Dali, The Poynter Institute and marine science and research companies. The St. Pete Innovation District (SPID) was established as a public-private partnership in 2016. Today, membership exceeds 50 organizations within the Life Science, Marine Science, and Technology sectors, as well as those focused on Entrepreneurship and Education. Many of these institutions are within a designated boundary of the District, while others are engaged from throughout the region and nation. https://www.stpeteinnovationdistrict.com/ DECEMBER NEWS: Researchers studying the deep sea have access to a powerful new tool with the acquisition of a sophisticated, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) by USF's Florida Institute of Oceanography (FIO). Named Taurus, the ROV can reach depths of up to 2.5 miles, allowing for exploration of some of the most remote areas of the ocean and the potential discovery of new species. The vehicle can also capture and livestream 4k imagery, expanding educational opportunities and appreciation for the underwater environment. USF is the only university in the continental United States to own an ROV with such advanced capabilities, positioning it at the forefront of oceanographic research.  The ROV Taurus is being used in several different ways, from conducting new research in deep-sea environments to programs that train the next generation of marine scientists to public education initiatives.   #innovationdistrict #steam #stem #marinescience #noaa #research #lifescience #marinescience #technology #entrepreneurship #alisonbarlow #nanettewiser #downtownstpete  #stpete #stpetefl #tampabay #radio #radiostpete