Leadership

USF Research Council

The Research Council is a standing council of the USF Faculty Council and reports to the council and the Vice President for Research & Innovation. The Research Council is operated and managed by the Faculty Senate of USF on behalf of the USF Faculty Council, and the Research Council reports to that body. Read the Research Council Charge (PDF).

Interdisciplinary Research Awards (IDRA) Awarded 

The USF Senate Research Council announce the 2024 Interdisciplinary Research Awards. An investment totaling more than $1.5 million in awards supporting four collaborative research and two research infrastructure grants. Proposal teams included 31 faculty across 6 colleges.


Meetings 

Members 

Responsibilities 

Eligibility 


Research Council Meetings

The Research Council meets at USF Research & Innovation (USFRI) in the Multi-Purpose Room, at 3702 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 165, Tampa, FL 33612, twice each month during the fall and spring semesters and on an ad hoc basis, as needed, during the summer. The meetings are scheduled for alternating Mondays from 10:45 p.m. to 12:15 p.m.

For any inquiries, please contact Tina Lucas, tlucas@usf.edu, Research Council Coordinator.

Research Council Meeting Minutes
Date Meeting Minutes

August 28, 2023

View minutes (PDF)

September 11, 2023

View minutes (PDF)

September 25, 2023

Canceled
October 9, 2023 View minutes (PDF)
October 23, 2023 View minutes (PDF)
November 6, 2023 Canceled
November 20, 2023 View minutes (PDF)
December 4, 2023 View minutes (PDF)
January 22, 2024 View minutes (PDF)
February 5, 2024 View minutes (PDF)
February 19, 2024 View minutes (PDF)
March 4, 2024 View minutes (PDF)
March 18, 2024 View minutes (PDF)
April 1, 2024 View minutes (PDF)
April 15, 2024 View minutes (PDF)
April 29, 2024 View minutes (PDF)
September 9, 2024  
September 23, 2024  
October 7, 2024  
October 21, 2024  
November 4, 2024  
November 18, 2024  
December 2, 2024  
December 16, 2024  

January 13, 2025

 

January 27, 2025

 

February 10, 2025

 

February 24, 2025

 

March 10, 2025

 

March 24, 2025

 

April 7, 2025

 

April 21, 2025

 

2023-24 Research Council members

Richard Heller

Richard Heller, PhD (Chair)
USF Health Morsani College of Medicine
Chemistry Department
Term: 2024-2027


Feng Cheng



Taneja College of Pharmacy
Pharmaceutical Science Department
Term: 2022-2025


Elizabeth Hadley


Elizabeth Hadley, PhD
College of Education
Literary Studies Department
Term: 2022-2025


Elizabeth Hadley



USF Health Morsani College of Medicine
Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Health Department
Term: 2022-2025


Matty Johnson



USF Libraries
Research & Instruction - Tampa Campus
Term: 2024-2027


James Leahy


James W. Leahy, PhD
College of Arts & Sciences
Chemistry Department
Term: 2023-2026


Mark Luther


Mark Luther, PhD
College of Marine Science
Physical Oceanography Department
Term: 2023-2026


qin


Xizhen Qin, PhD
College of Arts & Sciences
World Languages Department
Term: 2023-2026


Uma Nair



College of Nursing
Term: 2024-2027


Taryn Sabia


Taryn Sabia, M.Ed.
College of the Arts
School of Architecture & Community Design
Term: 2022-2025


Kristina Schmidt


Kristina Schmidt, PhD (Member-at-Large)
College of Arts & Sciences
Molecular Biosciences Department
Term: 2023-2026


Simeon-jones


Kersuze Simeon-Jones, PhD
College of Arts & Sciences
School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies
Term: 2023-2026


David Simmons


David Simmons, PhD
College of Engineering
Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering Department
Term: 2022-2025


Marilyn Stern


Marilyn Stern, PhD, CRC
College of Behavioral and Community Sciences
Child and Family Studies Department
Term: 2023-2026


Zafer Unal



College of Education
Curriculum, Instruction, and Learning
Term: 2024-2027


Catherine Wilkins


Catherine Wilkins, PhD
Judy Genshaft Honors College
Florida Studies
Term: 2024-2027


Sylvia Thomas


Sylvia Wilson Thomas, PhD
USF Research & Innovation
Vice President
Ex Officio non-voting member


Keith Anderson


Keith Anderson, MS, CRA

USF Research & Innovation
Associate Vice President
Ex Officio non-voting member


Sandra Justice


Sandra Justice
USF Research & Innovation
Director, USF Research Development Institute
Ex Officio member


Research Council Responsibilities

The Research Council is responsible for advising the President, Vice President for Research & Innovation, and other administration officials across USF on matters pertaining to policies and procedures intended to promote growth, excellence, and integrity in research and creative activity throughout the university community..

The Research Council is also responsible for:

  • USF Internal Awards grant program: develop policies & procedures and recommend awardees for the Sponsored Research Internal Awards Program.

  • University-wide grants and awards: review & recommend awardees for the Outstanding Research Achievement Awards.

  • Limited submission pre-proposal selection: review & rank pre-proposals for Vice President. Chair, or designee, attends one meeting of the USF Faculty Council each semester and makes a report to the council members. Meet with councils and standing committees to promote research and other creative activities at USF.

Research Council Eligibility

The Research Council membership consists of:

  • one representative from each college of USF
  • one additional representative from any college having more than 250 full-time faculty members
  • a third representative from any college having more than 400 full-time faculty members
  • one representative from the St. Petersburg campus
  • one representnative from the Sarasota-Manatee campus
  • two faculty members at large

To be eligible to serve on the Research Council, nominees must be full-time members of the general faculty holding the rank of Research, Clinical, Visiting, Assistant-In, Associate-In, Lecturer, Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, Assistant Librarian, Associate Librarian, or Librarian. Service on the RC is generally for three years commencing with the Fall Semester, although allowance may be made for nominees to request initial appointment for fewer than three years, but not less than one year.

Since Research Council members conduct the Internal Award selection process for USF Research & Innovation, they are eligible (with the exception of the current chair) to apply for an Internal Award, while serving on the Research Council, within the guidelines outlined in the Research Council Charge (PDF).

Faculty may nominate themselves to serve on the Research Council by filling out the:

Nomination form for Service on University-Wide and Faculty Senate Committees and Councils (MS Word)

Nomination forms are reviewed by the Faculty Senate Committee on Committees and potential appointees are reviewed and confirmed by the Senate Executive Committee before being sent to the Vice President for Research & Innovation for final review and appointment. If all positions from a particular college have been filled, nominees may be considered for one of the two “At Large” positions (if open) or may be invited to serve on another committee or council of the Faculty Senate.