The National Parkinson’s Foundation (NPF) has named the University of South Florida (USF) Parkinson’s disease and Movement Disorders Center one of its 39 worldwide NPF Centers of Excellence.

As a Center of Excellence USF is expected to provide an innovative model of service, conduct research to enhance Parkinson’s disease knowledge and treatment, and support community health promotion efforts. The new title will allow USF to apply for NPF grants.

This gift will also be matched with $250,000 from a special fund set up through President Bernie Machen’s Faculty Challenge initiative. UF is also eligible to receive $768,750 in matching funds from the State of Florida Major Gifts Trust Fund, bringing the potential cumulative value of the gift to more than $2 million.

In recognition of the gift, UF will name the rotunda, entry hallways, and the teaching auditorium in the new engineering building the Harris Corporation Rotunda and the Harris Corporation Auditorium.  

The University of Central Florida (UCF) has received a $3 million donation from Melbourne-based Harris Corporation to advance the university’s engineering and computer science research and better prepare students for high tech, high-wage jobs.

The company’s gift, along with an additional $3 million in state matching funds, will equip research laboratories in a new engineering building that is under construction. The new building, which is scheduled to open in early 2006, will be named the Harris Corporation Engineering Center, pending approval of the university’s Board of Trustees.

http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id =002400411a428d50103c2675a02006983&mode=news

Gov. Jeb Bush helped Electronic Arts-Tiburon (EA-Tiburon) employees celebrate the launch of their latest “Made in Florida” videogame – Madden NFL 06 – with a recent visit to their Orlando studio, where the blockbuster game is developed.

At the launch event, the governor congratulated the Florida workers on the release of the iconic video game, which routinely out grosses box office receipts of top motion pictures.

To show their appreciation to Gov. Bush for his visit and support, EA-Tiburon’s team of digital wizards developed a special video that put the governor in Madden NFL 06. The video features the governor out-juking the entire defense of the Dallas Cowboys – including their “star” defensive player President George W. Bush – on his way to a game-deciding touchdown.

The Tampa Bay Technology Forum will host the fourth annual Entrepreneur Boot Camp, designed to help emerging businesses succeed and build the entrepreneurs’ network of advisors, collaborators and other essential contacts.

The event, which will be held on October 10 and 11 at the University of South Florida Research Park, is sponsored by the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, TECO Energy and the University of South Florida.

Sarasota-based Medical Education Technologies, Inc. (METI) has been selected by the Mayo Clinic to provide computerized adult medical mannequins for a new simulation center in Rochester, Minn.

The Mayo Clinic will use five mannequins that are capable of recognizing and responding to medical treatment and drugs and two virtual reality simulators for practicing minor surgical procedures. The simulators will be part of the learning experiences at the new facility, which recreates the operating room, emergency room and intensive care environments.

CyberShield Networks, a Pinellas County developer of security technologies that preserve network system operations, has been selected to present their new technology at the United States Department of Homeland Security Emerging Security Technology Forum (ESTF).

The company is the first in its industry to develop proactive preventative architecture, offering real-time network intrusion threat management and preventative technology for industries including corporate enterprises, government agencies, academic institutions, and managed care providers.

UCF-ORBIT will present “Destinations Orlando, America & the World & IT’s Strategic Business Role” on Friday, October 7, from 7:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the Westin Grand Bohemian in Orlando.

The briefing will feature Roger Berry, senior vice president and CIO for Walt Disney’s Parks & Resorts, as well as William Peeper, president of the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau and Brigitte Goersch, director of security for the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, Orlando International Airport.

Dr. Ronaldo Menezes, Florida Tech assistant professor of computer sciences, has received a $70,000 knowledge transfer grant from the Brazilian government to develop research in the areas of swarm intelligence and genetic algorithms, and their relation to software engineering, especially software testing.

His research will be conducted at a research institute in Fortaleza, Brazil through July 2006. The grant will fund his stay at the institute and will fund stipends for three Brazilian graduate students.

Presented by: BioFlorida

Monday, October 24 and Tuesday, October 25 – Marriot Hotel, Delray Beach