LeadingAge Florida released the following statement today, attributable to President and CEO Steve Bahmer, regarding a meeting with the Senate Minority Leader to discuss the proposed Prospective Payment System (PPS) plan for nursing homes that is currently included in the Senate budget.
“On behalf of LeadingAge Florida and the high-quality nursing homes that are our members, I want to thank Leader Oscar Braynon for arranging this morning’s meeting to discuss the Medicaid payment plan included in the Florida Senate’s budget. An open discussion of the proposal and its many flaws was long overdue, and we appreciate Leader Braynon’s willingness to have that discussion.
“Leader Braynon and other Senate Democrats asked a number of important questions about how the plan shifts dollars from high-quality nursing homes to lower-quality nursing homes, how payments to nursing homes would be calculated, and what kind of accountability should be required if nursing homes receive additional taxpayer dollars under the plan. These and other critical issues are precisely the questions LeadingAge Florida has been raising about the plan since it first appeared just one month ago.
“An important issue raised during the meeting focused on the lack of transparency and absence of public vetting of this plan, which would institute major policy changes – in the budget – to the way nursing homes are paid for caring for Medicaid residents.
“This meeting demonstrated that there are still major holes in the plan that must be addressed. Chief among them is its complete lack of accountability with taxpayer dollars – there is no requirement in the plan that nursing homes that gain additional dollars have to spend even one dime of that new money on resident care. Because of that, the plan simply does not create an incentive to improve nursing quality.
“This is a concern that LeadingAge Florida has been expressing for months and we appreciate Leader Braynon’s draft amendment, which is an important step toward solving this specific problem with the plan. We also applaud the Florida Health Care Association for finally agreeing include an accountability component in their plan. This has been one of the many major flaws in their plan from the beginning. It won’t entirely fix the proposal, but it’s a step in the right direction.
“We look forward to continuing to work with members of the Florida Senate and House, as well as fellow stakeholders, on a PPS plan that meets our collective goals of ensuring accountability of taxpayer dollars and providing the highest standard of care for our state’s seniors.”
Gov. Scott, U.S. HHS, AHCA announce $1.5 billion commitment to LIP funding for Fla
Governor Rick Scott, U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price, M.D. as well as Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma, and Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) Secretary Justin Senior announced the federal government’s commitment to continuing funding for the Low Income Pool (LIP) in Florida in the amount of over $1.5 billion annually. This funding is nearly a billion dollars more than what the Obama Administration provided to Florida. The LIP program is a federal matching program that provides federal funds to Florida hospitals to cover costs for the state’s most vulnerable patients. State officials and the Trump Administration have had ongoing discussions regarding the LIP funding since early this year.
Governor Scott said, “Working with the Trump Administration to secure a commitment of $1.5 billion in LIP funding for our state will truly improve the quality and access to health care for our most vulnerable populations. I appreciate their quick turnaround and commitment to working with Florida to provide additional flexibility for how these funds can be used more efficiently, including allowing money to follow each patient. This will provide better healthcare for the individuals intended to be served with this funding.
“It is great to have a partner in Washington who is willing to work with us to help our state. Florida was on the frontline of fighting against federal overreach under President Obama and it is refreshing to now have a federal government that treats us fairly and does not attempt to coerce us into expanding Medicaid.”
Secretary Price, M.D., said “From day one, we have been committed to working with our state partners to ensure they have the flexibility they need to make decisions that best reflect the unique needs of their populations. Today’s announcement reflects that commitment on the part of the Trump Administration. We look forward to continuing to work with Governor Scott as well as governors across the country to make sure Americans have access to quality healthcare.”
Administrator Verma said, “Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is working toward a new era of state flexibility and leadership. For too long states have been sharing in the cost but have not been allowed to have a meaningful role in decision making. We want to provide states the flexibility to make health care decisions that best meet their citizens’ unique needs, and support states covering access to healthcare services.”
Secretary Senior said, “The $1.5 billion in LIP funding that the Trump Administration has committed to Florida will help to support Florida’s low income families. Our Agency has had open and direct conversations with Secretary Price and his staff and we look forward to continuing this partnership. We truly feel like our federal partners are listening to our state and our needs and we know that Florida will have the flexibility we need to run our Medicaid program as efficiently as possible while providing the highest level of care in our state’s history.”
Attorney General Bondi to Kick Off 2017 Law Enforcement Torch Run
Attorney General Pam Bondi will kick off the 2017 Law Enforcement Torch Run, benefitting Special Olympics Florida, Thursday, April 13, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. in Tallahassee.
WHO: Attorney General Pam Bondi, State Director of the Law Enforcement Torch Run Dave Sklarek, Florida Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart, Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil and Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo
WHAT: Law Enforcement Torch Run
WHEN: Thursday, April 13, 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Florida Capitol Courtyard
The Capitol
Tallahassee, Fla.
The run will begin at 10:15 a.m. in the parking lot of the Lake Ella Plaza, 1700 N. Monroe St, Tallahassee, Fla. 32303.
Governor Scott directs Florida National Guard resources to combat wildfires
Governor Rick Scott today directed the Florida National Guard to provide a UH-60 ‘Blackhawk’ helicopter to be placed on standby for potential firefighting missions in Tampa. The aircraft would be flown in support of the Florida Forest Service and will be equipped with the ability to both collect and dispense large quantities of water onto fires without having to land.
Governor Scott said, “As directed by my executive order, our state agencies have been working closely with the Florida Forest Service and our federal partners to determine what resources are needed to fight the increased number of fires across the state. Today I am directing the Florida National Guard to immediately provide resources to help put out forest fires. It is crucial that our firefighters and first responders are able to immediately respond to dangerous wildfires and this helicopter will be an incredibly valuable resource in our fight to protect our communities. We will continue to work closely with our federal, state and local partners to make sure we are doing everything we can to combat these fires and keep our state safe. I ask that all Floridians join my wife Ann and I in praying for the safety of our first responders as they combat these fires.”
Positioning a UH-60 ‘Blackhawk’ helicopter on standby in Tampa will allow National Guard units to activate within minutes and join firefighters and first responders in combatting any ongoing or potential wildfires. The aircraft will be able to dump hundreds of gallons of water onto the flames. Additionally, this will allow the Florida Forest Service to relocate other important aerial resources to different regions of the state to prepared for and respond to wildfires. Yesterday, Governor Scott issued Executive Order 17-120 declaring a state of emergency in Florida following the recent wildfires across the state and the high potential for increased wildfires to continue this year.
Senate Passes Plan to Reduce Harmful Discharges from Lake Okeechobee
Legislation Authorizes Major Expansion of Southern Storage
The Florida Senate today passed Senate Bill 10, Water Resources, by Senator Rob Bradley (R-Fleming Island). The legislation authorizes a significant increase in southern water storage to further the goal of reducing and eventually eliminating harmful discharges from Lake Okeechobee, a priority of Senate President Joe Negron (R-Stuart).
“For too long toxic blue-green algae has been harming the health of both our citizens and our economy. This legislation provides a clear plan to address this plague in a manner that benefits communities across South Florida,” said President Negron. “Senate Bill 10 will make an important difference to families, communities, and the economy east and west of the Lake, as well as southern communities that have waited too long for additional investments in meaningful economic development to expand workforce training and job opportunities.”
“Our goal was to explore all available options to deliver this much-needed and long-anticipated storage south of Lake Okeechobee,” said Senator Bradley. “These algal blooms have occurred before and will occur again unless high volume discharges from Lake Okeechobee are stopped and pollution in the Lake Okeechobee basin is abated. Algal blooms are not simply an unsightly nuisance for residents and tourists. They bring real health risks to humans and wildlife and result in severe economic damage to local businesses.”
Senate Bill 10 expressly prohibits the use of eminent domain, leveraging land already owned by the State of Florida and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), land swaps, and purchases, to minimize impacts on agricultural workers while achieving 240,000 to 360,000 acre-feet of storage. The legislation also provides grants to establish training programs for agricultural workers.
“I promised my constituents that we would dramatically expand southern storage by leveraging existing water infrastructure, and utilizing a combination of state, local, and private land, in a manner that respects the interests of the agricultural community and private land owners. After twenty years of talking about southern storage, this legislation establishes a concrete plan to achieve this critical component of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan in a reasonable amount of time,” continued President Negron.
“Nearly half way through the original timeline of CERP, less than 20 percent of the estimated total cost has been funded. It is time to invest in additional projects needed to complete the plan and that is exactly what the voters have been trying to tell us in passing Amendment 1,” continued Senator Bradley. “This legislation demonstrations fidelity to the Constitution by using Amendment 1 funds, the very funds Florida voters dedicated to improving our environment, to address a critical and ongoing problem that impacts our residents, visitors, business, economy and quality of life.”
Senate Bill 10, Water Resources
- Requires the SFWMD to develop a plan to provide a minimum of 240,000 acre-feet of storage through a deep storage reservoir and water quality treatment features, using the A-2 parcel, land swaps, and purchases. The district may consider alternate configurations using the A-1 parcel if a minimum of 360,000 acre-feet of additional storage can be achieved (60,000 acre-feet currently provided by A-1 FEB).
- Requires the SFWMD to use DMSTA2 modeling to determine the amount of acreage needed in order to meet water quality standards.
- Directs the SFWMD to negotiate modifications of lease terms on state and district owned lands to make land available for the reservoir project.
- Directs SFWMD to negotiate for the acquisition of privately-owned property, if needed for the reservoir project, through purchase or land swap.
- The bill terminates the current PRIDE work programs, on state owned land using inmate labor for agricultural work, in light of the high unemployment rate in the EAA for these types of jobs. This land would then be available to swap for any privately-owned land needed for the reservoir project, further minimizing any impact on agricultural workers in the EAA.
- Establishes a number of timelines for achieving milestones for approval of the post?authorization change report and requires reporting to the Legislature.
- Moves up the date for the EAA reservoir project planning study to commence if the post-authorization report is not submitted for Congressional approval, or Congressional approval is not obtained in accordance with the time frames in the bill.
- Clarifies that ongoing Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) projects will continue to receive funding.
- Authorizes the district to begin planning and discussion with the owners of the C-51 Reservoir project to determine if the state should acquire or enter into a public private partnership for this water storage facility that will add approximately 60,000 acre-feet of storage south of the Lake.
- Establishes the Everglades Restoration Agricultural Community Training Program in DEO for the purpose of stimulating and supporting training and employment programs, to match state and local training programs with identified job skills associated with non-agricultural employment opportunities in areas of high agricultural unemployment. The bill expresses the Legislature’s intent to promote the implementation of the Airglades Airport in Hendry County and an inland port in Palm Beach County to create job opportunities in areas of high agricultural unemployment.
- Establishes a revolving loan fund to provide funding assistance to local governments and water supply entities for the development and construction of water storage facilities.
- Revises the uses of the Water Protection and Sustainability Program Trust Fund to include the water storage facility revolving loan program.
- Provides funding for the reservoir projects, including an authorization to bond funds from the Land Acquisition Trust Fund (LATF). The total cost is approximately $1.5 billion, half of which could be paid by the federal government. The bill includes an appropriation of $64 million from the LATF for the 2017-18 Fiscal Year.
- Allows for funds not spent on the reservoir projects to be used for other Everglades Restoration projects as provided in Legacy Florida.
Background:
Record rainfall this past year resulted in unseasonably high water levels in Lake Okeechobee, which threatened the integrity of the Herbert Hoover Dike. To maintain safe water levels, the Army Corps of Engineers authorized the release of billions of gallons of water from the Lake to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers. Such freshwater discharges cause significant environmental damage by lowering the salinity levels of the estuaries and introducing pollutants into coastal waters. Due to the discharges this summer, massive amounts of toxic algae that originated in Lake Okeechobee were sent to the estuaries and coastal waterways.
As a result of the high volume discharges, coastal communities experienced enormous harmful algal blooms with devastating impacts not only to the ecology of local waterways, but also to residents, fishermen, and local businesses. The extent and severity of the blooms resulted in Governor Scott declaring a state of emergency in four Florida counties.
Sexual Assault Survivors Bring Voices to Capitol During Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Interactive display will showcase the staggering
issue and impact of sexual violence in Florida
An emotional and eye-opening display featuring more than 750 shoes worn and submitted by sexual assault survivors of all ages from across the state of Florida, and accompanying stories, will be decorating the Capitol rotunda April 19-21.
To honor National Sexual Assault Awareness Month and National Child Abuse Prevention month, Lauren’s Kids and the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence (FCASV) are hosting the display to ask others to “walk in the shoes” of survivors. This awareness event is supported by Senator Lauren Book (D – Plantation) and Representative Kristin Jacobs (D – Coconut Creek). It’s intended to raise awareness and shatter stigmas surrounding sexual violence, as well as give victims, survivors and those affected by this issue a voice at the Capitol — asking others to “walk in their shoes.”
Fifteen child victims, who now consider themselves to be survivors, will be in attendance to ‘unveil’ the display in the Capitol rotunda and speak with legislators, as will members from the organization Bikers Against Child Abuse Florida (BACA) – who will be riding from across Florida to attend.
The shoes displayed include child, adult, male, female, tattered, high-end, and others to illustrate that sexual violence affects Floridians of all ages, genders, races, religions, and socioeconomic statuses. Every 98 seconds an American is sexually assaulted.
WHO: Senator Lauren Book, Representative Kristin Jacobs, Lauren’s Kids, and the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence, as well as young survivors and Bikers Against Child Abuse members
WHAT: “Walk in My Shoes” National Sexual Assault Awareness Month and National Child Abuse Prevention Month display unveiling and media opportunity
WHEN: Wednesday, April 19 at 12:30 p.m. (Display will run April 19 – 21)
WHERE: Capitol rotunda
For media: There will be a short program at 12:30 p.m. to provide background on the display; speakers (Sen. Book, Rep. Jacobs, FCASV Executive Director Jennifer Dritt, young survivors, BACA) will be available for one-on-one interviews immediately following the program.
FWC relocating Florida scrub-jays to increase populations
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and Florida Forest Service, is relocating Florida scrub-jays to increase this threatened species’ populations on public lands.
The goal is to relocate – or “translocate” – birds from a stable population in the Ocala National Forest to areas of restored scrub habitat not yet discovered by Florida scrub-jays.
Earlier this year, FWC research biologists relocated nine Florida scrub-jays from Ocala National Forest to Seminole State Forest, about 20 miles away. The translocated birds established new territories in their new home. Researchers will monitor each population’s progress throughout this year’s breeding season.
The Florida scrub-jay is one of the most imperiled bird species in North America. Most remaining populations are small – with less than 25 breeding pairs – and relatively isolated from each other. Florida scrub-jays are non-migratory and have difficulty dispersing long distances when their available habitat is fragmented.
Translocation is a strategy to improve population sizes, increase connectivity among populations, and preserve genetic diversity of this and other imperiled species. Previous efforts to relocate Florida scrub-jays typically involved small numbers of scrub-jays taken from private lands with a federal incidental take permit. The FWC and its partners hope that the current research project will help clarify when and how biologists can use translocation on public lands.
The partnerships with land managers provide vital assistance with the translocation experiments. U.S. Forest Service and Florida Forest Service staff are championing restoration and management of Florida scrub-jay habitat in central Florida by using prescribed burns. Prescribed burning is necessary to maintain the low and open structure of vegetation in Florida scrub habitat, which is critical to the survival of the Florida scrub-jay.
People can help Florida scrub-jays by supporting habitat management on FWC’s Wildlife Management Areas. Florida’s WMAs conserve nearly 6 million acres of well-managed habitat for scrub-jays and other wildlife. This year is the WMAs’ 75th anniversary, so join us in celebrating events around the state!
Congressman Diaz-Balart Discusses Air Traffic Management, Defense at Harris Corporation
Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart meets with Harris Corporation Chairman, President and
CEO Bill Brown during a visit to the company’s headquarters in Melbourne, Florida.
Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart met with Harris Corporation’s (NYSE:HRS) Chairman, President and CEO Bill Brown during a visit to the company’s headquarters Tuesday.
The Congressman explored the Global Innovation Center, which showcases how Harris technology is being used across the world to connect, inform and protect. Diaz-Balart, the chairman of the House Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee, also toured the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure (FTI) Network Operations Center, a facility that carries critical safety-of-flight communications throughout the U.S. airspace and is a unique example of a public-private partnership.
Diaz-Balart, who is also a member of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, learned about the Harris commercial business model, which reduces development costs incurred by the U.S. Defense Department and drives innovative communications technology to the warfighter.
“For over 35 years, Harris has created and cultivated hundreds of jobs in Florida that provide indispensable support to our nation’s military, airspace, and infrastructure,” Diaz-Balart said. “They produce and maintain cutting-edge systems critical to the safety and security of the national airspace, including vital NextGen telecommunications programs. I enjoyed learning about these systems and their research and development in defense, aviation, and space. I look forward to continue working with them to ensure we sustain advances in infrastructure and aviation and maintain our military superiority.”
About Harris Corporation
Harris Corporation is a leading technology innovator, solving customers’ toughest mission-critical challenges by providing solutions that connect, inform and protect. Harris supports government and commercial customers in more than 100 countries and has approximately $6 billion in annual revenue. The company is organized into three business segments: Communication Systems, Space and Intelligence Systems and Electronic Systems. Learn more at harris.com.
UT Students Pitch the Perfect Network Infrastructure to EY
Students at The University of Tampa will show how they would build — from the ground up — a network and cloud infrastructure with the Tampa office of “Big Four” accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP (EY).
The Tampa office of EY presented UT with a mock scenario for students to create a network design for a local area network (LAN) in a fictionalized new office building.
The students will pitch their network design solutions to EY and IT industry leaders who will select the best idea. The presentation is on Monday, April 24, from 6 to 8 p.m. on the UT campus in the Riverside Center, Room 101. The public and media are welcome to attend.
In addition to EY, representatives from ReliaQuest, Tech Data Corp., TECO Energy, Citibank, Raymond James Financial, DigitalGlobe, FairWarning Inc., PwC, White & Case LLP and others will be present.
The students are in UT’s Network and Cloud Infrastructure class, where they study network architectures, topology, routing, protocols, IP addressing, wireless networking, securing networks, virtualization and cloud computing.
The class is within UT’s undergraduate cybersecurity program, which began in 2015. Students in the program learn to protect the confidentiality, availability and integrity of information and information systems that support modern organizations. A master’s degree program will begin this fall.
EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services they deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. EY develops outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, EY plays a critical role in building a better working world for their people, for clients and for their communities.
Annual Stetson Showcase allows undergraduate students to present research findings
What do Mozart, US Presidents and Snails Have in Common?
Stetson University students Alissa Pagano, left, and Lex Rasdal check on
the carrots in the hydroponic garden tended by members of the Sustaining
Green Living house. The house is one of the Community Catalyst Houses
at Stetson that will be featured by students in the annual Stetson Showcase.
What do public health, apple snails, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and several United States presidents all have in common? They all are subjects of research by Stetson University students who will present their findings next week during Showcase, an annual tradition since 1999 that focuses on the research of undergraduate students.
On Tuesday, April 18, 9 a.m-4 p.m., Stetson students will share their research through presentations, posters, music and theater performances, and more. The 2017 Showcase program is available online at Stetson.edu/showcase and provides presentation locations, times and abstracts. The projects presented will be a diverse range of topics across many academic disciplines. Throughout the day guests can explore art and digital art presentations and exhibitions at the Homer and Dolly Hand Art Center, and attend music recitals and theater performances. All presentations are open to the public, free of charge.
Following the presentations keynote speaker, Michael Jackson, Ph.D., dean of the College of Science and Technology at Millersville University in Pennsylvania, will discuss lessons of and reflections on his research experience.
Presentations have been tailored to a public audience allowing guests an opportunity to gain insights into new areas of exploration. Many student presenters were grant recipients allowing them to conduct extensive research. A sample of the research to be presented includes:
Nicholas Fuller will present “The Effect of Florida Apple Snail Density on Vallisneria americana Weight and Reproduction,” which investigated how apple snail grazing affects eelgrass reproduction. The research funded by a 2016 SURE (Stetson Undergraduate Research Experience) Grant used fertilizer in one trial. to replicate the conditions of Blue Springs. This research provides a foundation for further research to understand how apple snail grazing affects the reproduction of this aquatic vegetation.
Natalie Frandsen traveled to Washington, D.C., to collect primary documents in the National Archives and Library of Congress on the evolution of executive power. She will present her findings during the presentation of “National Crisis and the Expansion of U.S. Executive Power: The Presidencies of Franklin D. Roosevelt, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama.” This research was funded by a 2016 Evans Johnson Grant.
Naser Mubarak will present “Effects of Powerful Female Role-Models in Media on Attitudes Towards Women, and Female Viewer Anxiety.” Through this research, Mubarak investigated whether sexualized images or the presence of assertive versus passive female characters influenced negative attitudes towards women. This research was funded by a 2016 SURE Grant.
Also on display is “Track It, Zip It,” a Digital Musical Instrument (DMI) designed by Victoria Grupp with the support of a 2016 SURE grant and IDMIL, McGill University, in Montreal, QC. In designing this musical instrument of the future, Grupp researched and prototyped innovative ways to design fabric sensors and integrate them onto a shirt incorporating the preferred gestural movements demonstrated by professional improvisational percussionist Jim Black.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was one of the most famous opera composers of all time, and his operas are widely performed and studied to this day. Stetson student Melaina Cartwright-Mills conducted a study to examine Mozart’s characterization of women in his comic operas. The exploration of these characters’ relationships and identities is useful for singers who wish to give authentic performances of these opera roles. This research was funded by a 2016 SURE Grant.
Emma Schaefer will present “Public Health and Community Needs Assessment Report of Spring Hill Community 2015-2016.” Now considered the poorest community in Florida, Spring Hill was once the site of housing for workers in the booming citrus and fern industries in the late 1800s. To examine the community needs, twelve Stetson students and the Florida Department of Health generated and administered a survey in the community assessing their health, environmental, and public safety concerns of residents. The results of this analysis funded by a 2016 SURE Grant were presented to the Spring Hill Community Redevelopment Agency and the City of Deland.
While many Stetson University students can present their scholarly work at professional meetings across the country, Showcase provides an additional opportunity to display their work to faculty, fellow students and interested members of the community.
Every presentation will be judged by a panel comprising a diverse group of individuals who are experts in their field. Winners at each location will receive a Maris Prize of $200 and a certificate of excellence. An honorable mention is also chosen for each venue.
Following the presentations keynote speaker, Michael Jackson, Ph.D., dean of the College of Science and Technology at Millersville University in Pennsylvania, will discuss lessons of and reflections on his research experience.
Presentations have been tailored to a public audience allowing guests an opportunity to gain insights into new areas of exploration. Many student presenters were grant recipients allowing them to conduct extensive research. A sample of the research to be presented includes:
Nicholas Fuller will present “The Effect of Florida Apple Snail Density on Vallisneria americana Weight and Reproduction,” which investigated how apple snail grazing affects eelgrass reproduction. The research funded by a 2016 SURE (Stetson Undergraduate Research Experience) Grant used fertilizer in one trial. to replicate the conditions of Blue Springs. This research provides a foundation for further research to understand how apple snail grazing affects the reproduction of this aquatic vegetation.
Natalie Frandsen traveled to Washington, D.C., to collect primary documents in the National Archives and Library of Congress on the evolution of executive power. She will present her findings during the presentation of “National Crisis and the Expansion of U.S. Executive Power: The Presidencies of Franklin D. Roosevelt, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama.” This research was funded by a 2016 Evans Johnson Grant.
Naser Mubarak will present “Effects of Powerful Female Role-Models in Media on Attitudes Towards Women, and Female Viewer Anxiety.” Through this research, Mubarak investigated whether sexualized images or the presence of assertive versus passive female characters influenced negative attitudes towards women. This research was funded by a 2016 SURE Grant.
Also on display is “Track It, Zip It,” a Digital Musical Instrument (DMI) designed by Victoria Grupp with the support of a 2016 SURE grant and IDMIL, McGill University, in Montreal, QC. In designing this musical instrument of the future, Grupp researched and prototyped innovative ways to design fabric sensors and integrate them onto a shirt incorporating the preferred gestural movements demonstrated by professional improvisational percussionist Jim Black.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was one of the most famous opera composers of all time, and his operas are widely performed and studied to this day. Stetson student Melaina Cartwright-Mills conducted a study to examine Mozart’s characterization of women in his comic operas. The exploration of these characters’ relationships and identities is useful for singers who wish to give authentic performances of these opera roles. This research was funded by a 2016 SURE Grant.
Emma Schaefer will present “Public Health and Community Needs Assessment Report of Spring Hill Community 2015-2016.” Now considered the poorest community in Florida, Spring Hill was once the site of housing for workers in the booming citrus and fern industries in the late 1800s. To examine the community needs, twelve Stetson students and the Florida Department of Health generated and administered a survey in the community assessing their health, environmental, and public safety concerns of residents. The results of this analysis funded by a 2016 SURE Grant were presented to the Spring Hill Community Redevelopment Agency and the City of Deland.
While many Stetson University students can present their scholarly work at professional meetings across the country, Showcase provides an additional opportunity to display their work to faculty, fellow students and interested members of the community.
Every presentation will be judged by a panel comprising a diverse group of individuals who are experts in their field. Winners at each location will receive a Maris Prize of $200 and a certificate of excellence. An honorable mention is also chosen for each venue.
