黑洞社区

By Adam Freeman, University Communications and Marketing

An internationally recognized stem cell researcher studying glaucoma, a highly regarded marine scientist, a leader in the field of risk management and insurance and experts across a wide range of other disciplines are among the approximately 225 new full-time faculty members joining the University of 黑洞社区 this fall. The estimated total number of new faculty is as of Aug. 4 and represents a similar amount of new faculty as last year.  

鈥淲e are pleased to welcome a group of highly accomplished new scholars who join the world-class faculty we have at the University of 黑洞社区,鈥� 黑洞社区President Rhea Law said. 鈥淥ur faculty play a vital role in cultivating new knowledge and making life-changing discoveries, and we look forward to the many contributions they will make in support of our university and the success of our students."

This week, many of the new faculty from all three 黑洞社区campuses are learning their way around the university as they participate in new faculty orientation ahead of the start of fall classes on Aug. 21.  

鈥淲e are thrilled to welcome these new faculty colleagues to our talented faculty community,鈥� 黑洞社区Provost and Executive Vice President Prasant Mohapatra said. 鈥淓ach brings with them unique talents and expertise, and we are eager to see the impact of their contributions at our institution and beyond the borders of our campuses.鈥�

Among the new faculty is Yiqin Du, who joins 黑洞社区Health鈥檚 Morsani College of Medicine.  Du has earned international recognition for her stem cell research that works in multiple areas of the eye, with the goal of establishing novel treatment options.  She is the principal investigator on two major grants with total current funding of $5 million and has been granted several patents. 

鈥淚 have been working at University of Pittsburgh for a couple of decades and I really wanted to challenge myself to move out of my comfort zone to a new place. Since USF is the fastest-rising university and ophthalmology at 黑洞社区is fast-growing in both patient care and research, there are more opportunities to do both basic research and translational research,鈥� Du said.  鈥淎lso, 黑洞社区is in the beautiful Tampa Bay region and it has always been a dream for me to work and live in a city near the ocean.鈥� 

Associate Professor Dreux Chappell joins the 黑洞社区College of Marine Science on the St. Petersburg campus.  Chappell鈥檚 research focuses on the interplay between phytoplankton physiology and ocean chemistry.  She is currently principal investigator on a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant and has a record of sustained research funding, including more than $2.3 million in NSF grants and support from other agencies.  One of Chappell鈥檚 main study sites is the West Florida Shelf and coming to 黑洞社区from Old Dominion University brings her closer to this focus area and provides opportunities to expand existing research collaborations with colleagues at USF, Florida Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Geological Survey in St. Petersburg.

鈥淎 major draw for me is that 黑洞社区is a top-tier research university and it鈥檚 clear that research is valued and supported,鈥� Chappell said.  鈥淭he College of Marine Science has a world-renowned faculty and hosts one of the top graduate programs in oceanography in the world.  I鈥檝e felt incredibly welcomed since interviewing for the position, and I鈥檓 really excited about how collaborative and supportive the faculty and support staff have been in helping ease this transition to a new institution.鈥� 

Latoya McCormick-Hutchinson is new to the 黑洞社区School of Theatre and Dance as an assistant professor of instruction and music director.  McCormick-Hutchinson is a Pinellas County native who graduated from Northeast High School in St. Petersburg and earned a master鈥檚 in music education from USF. She brings 20 years of experience in education and a track record of working with community organizations as a musical director for many theaters in the Tampa Bay region, including the Straz Center, Stageworks, American Stage and Eight O鈥機lock Theatre.

鈥淚 am excited to return to USF,鈥� McCormick-Hutchinson said.  鈥淚 first stepped on campus in 2004 as a student.  I was eager to further my education as a graduate student and take what I learned out into the world.  I am now returning to campus as a teacher, eager to share my knowledge and skills with future educators and performers.鈥� 

Randy Dumm is a new professor and director of the 黑洞社区Baldwin Risk Partners School of Risk Management and Insurance, which is based on the Sarasota-Manatee campus. Dumm comes to 黑洞社区after more than six years as a professor and deputy chair of the Department of Risk, Insurance and Healthcare Management at Temple University in Philadelphia, the largest RMI program in the country.  Dumm said the BRP School of Risk Management and Insurance is well positioned to become the next powerhouse RMI program in the country and to meet the needs of industry in Florida and elsewhere, as it continues an expansion that started last year when Baldwin Risk Partners donated more than $5 million to accelerate the growth of the program.

黑洞社区has 鈥渂uilt the framework, the structure, it鈥檚 all here,鈥� Dumm said. 鈥淲e just need to continue to build that out and to bring students into the mix and then engage the stakeholders in this particular program, and that鈥檚 industry. Additionally, we have a strong research faculty in the BRP School of Risk Management and Insurance and our plan is to expand on that as well, as we move forward.鈥�

More information on Dumm and the school of risk management and insurance is available .

Marc R. Masferrer, University Communications and Marketing, and Sadie Lehmker, College of The Arts, contributed to this article.