Search results for

"Oh, no — please, not again" — is a sentiment it’s fair to think that many residents of Southwest Florida have been thinking and feeling as Hurricane Idalia made its way north through the Gulf of Mexico and toward the Florida peninsula. While not on the exact same track as Hurricane Ian last September, and doesn't appear to be on a path that will severely impact Southwest Florida, Idalia is coming from the same general direction and revives memories of Hurricane Ian in September of 2022.

Since OpenAI released ChatGPT in November of 2022 there has been a surge in public awareness about, and use of, Artificial Intelligence. And this represents both a leap forward in technological capability, and the possibility for massive disruption in many fields including education. We learn about efforts at Florida Gulf Coast University to stay on top of this new learning curve we’re all facing on some level.

We learn about a UF/IFAS Extension and Florida Sea Grant citizen science program called Eyes on Seagrass that has been collecting information about seagrasses in upper Charlotte Harbor and Lemon Bay since 2019 — and is planning to expand into Lee County next year. Citizen Science is the collection and analysis of data relating to the natural world by everyday people who aren’t necessarily scientists themselves, typically as part of a collaborative project with professional scientists. In other words — giving scientists more hands to collect the information they need to better understand whatever it is they are studying.

Kirsten Hines started out as a wildlife biologist, but pretty early on found herself drawn to telling stories with images and words about the natural world, rather than collecting data about it. Her photographs and writings have since appeared in numerous exhibitions and publications, including eight books — the latest of which is “Wild Florida: An Animal Odyssey.” It’s like a conversational field guide that explores ecological concepts like the “why” behind Florida’s animal diversity, and its blending of critters from the tropics with those from North America.

There’s a brand new exhibition on display on the campus of Florida Gulf Coast University called “They Were Children: Rescue as Resistance.” It brings the story of the Oeuvre de Secours Aux Enfants’ (OSE) — amazing group of everyday people who worked at great risk to themselves to rescue Jewish children in Nazi-occupied France during World War Two.

Former Democratic Congressman Dick Gephardt has a new book out, called “535 Not 1.” In it, he tells some of his story about his time in Congress, and talks about what he sees as the crucial role compromise necessarily must play in the legislative process. He stopped by the studio to talk about the book, and the times we’re in politically in this country.

The Lee County Legal Aid Society is a private nonprofit that’s been providing no-cost civil legal aid to low-income residents of Lee County since 1967. And starting last year, they’ve expanded their efforts to assist immigrant children – including those who have been abandoned, entered the country alone, or are victims of human trafficking – establish a pathway to legal citizenship. We talk to the organization’s Executive Director, and one of their staff attorneys who is leading this immigration work, to learn more.

While the medical community continues to look for ways to help reduce the risk of dementia, researchers at University of South Florida have been studying whether interacting with certain kinds of specially designed cognitive training exercises — essentially computer games — can reduce the risk of dementia. We learn about another USF study called Active Mind that is similar, but is looking for participants who do have some degree of mild cognitive impairment.

The Lastinger Center for Learning at University of Florida uses data-driven approaches to create programs and systems that can help teachers across Florida be more effective in their jobs. It’s basically an education innovation incubator whose work primarily focuses on impacting achievement across three educational milestones: kindergarten readiness, third grade reading, and algebra. We talk to its director, Dr. Phillip Poekert.

We get a peek into a local family-owned business that’s now in its third generation. Sunshine Ace Hardware was founded in Naples by Don Wynn in the late 1950s. His grandson, Michael Wynn has been the company's President since 2005. He's also co-founder of the Resnick-Wynn Family Business Conference, which takes place on Thursday, Feb. 29 at Florida Gulf Coast University from 9am to 2pm. It will focus on how family businesses can successfully navigate the challenges they face in our modern economy, and transition from generation to generation if that’s their goal.